[SWHJ] Vol 1 | Chapter 6 Part 1 (2024)

The day after Haruto had finished preparing fish at the Tojo household, he arrived at the karate dojo he regularly attended. After changing into his uniform, he felt his shoulders were a bit heavy and kept rotating his neck to relieve the stiffness. Ishigura, who was also changing into his uniform, noticed Haruto’s movements and called out to him.

“Hey, Haruto. Got stiff shoulders or something?”

“Yeah, a bit. I was cutting up fish yesterday, and I had to handle three rather large ones.”

It wasn’t just regular-sized fish; the amberjack and Spanish mackerel were quite big, which even left Haruto feeling a little worn out. Especially the amberjack—with its thick, sturdy bones—it was hard labor to cut through. If he hadn’t used the Tojo family’s incredibly sharp, high-quality deba knife, he would’ve been even more exhausted.

“Fish that leave you sore the next day? Just how big were the ones you were cutting?” Ishigura asked with a slightly exasperated expression. Haruto let out a wry smile.

“Nah, I didn’t buy them. I was cutting them at my part-time job.”

“Oh, so what kind of job is it, Haruto? Are you working at a fish market or something?”

“Nope, it’s a housekeeping service.”

When Haruto answered, suddenly a voice spoke up from behind him.

“I’ll hire you for life, Haru-senpai. Please be my personal housekeeper forever.”

“Whoa! You scared me... Don’t sneak up on me like that, Shizuku.”

Startled, Haruto turned around to find Shizuku, the dojo master's daughter, standing there in her uniform with her usual expressionless face.

“If you can’t even sense my presence, you won’t ever reach the pinnacle of karate, Haru-senpai.”

“Well, I don’t really have such lofty ambitions.”

“Haru-senpai, your lack of drive makes me sad as a member of the Dojima dojo,” Shizuku said. Despite her emotionless expression, her words were as sharp as ever, and she made a deliberately poor attempt at fake crying, saying “Oh boo hoo.”

“Maybe you should take a leaf out of Kaz-senpai’s book? He’s honed his intimidating glare so much that now he radiates an aura of pure malevolence.”

“Hey, Shizuku, don’t go turning me into some demon lord,” Ishigura grumbled.

“Well, Kaz-senpai is actually a demon, so a pure human like me stands no chance,” Haruto quipped, playing along. Shizuku nodded solemnly with an expressionless “I see, that makes sense.”

“Haruto, you better brace yourself for today’s sparring match. And Shizuku, stop agreeing with him!”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s not important right now,” Shizuku dismissed Ishigura’s intensity and turned her blank gaze back to Haruto.

“Haru-senpai, are your shoulders stiff?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, just a bit.”

“Then let me give you a massage,” Shizuku offered, extending her hands in front of Haruto and opening and closing her palms. Ishigura grumbled, “Not important, huh? That’s harsh,” but she completely ignored him.

“It’s not that bad, so I’m fine.”

“No, with the divine hands of Shizuku, I guarantee you’ll feel good in no time,” she boasted confidently, still wiggling her fingers.

“And by the time I’m done, Haru-senpai won’t be able to live without me. You’ll end up clinging to me, proclaiming your eternal love,” she added.

“That’s terrifying! What kind of massage is that? It’s practically hypnotism!” Haruto retorted. But Shizuku casually replied, “Well, let’s just get started, shall we?” She moved behind him and began massaging his shoulders without waiting for permission.

“How does that feel? Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Well... yeah, it actually feels pretty good.”

“Fufu,” Shizuku proudly sniffed with satisfaction.

“So, have I made you dependent on me yet?”

“Yeah, sure. I can’t survive without you now,” Haruto replied nonchalantly. The unexpectedly pleasant massage relaxed him, and he closed his eyes.

“Haru-senpai.”

“Hm?”

“Gotcha!!”

Suddenly, Shizuku moved her hands from Haruto’s shoulders to his sides and started tickling him.

“Hey!? Wah, Shizuku! Stop—hah, hahaha, cut it out!!”

“Orya orya orya orya!”

Haruto was extremely ticklish, something Shizuku knew all too well. She mercilessly exploited this weakness, launching a relentless tickling assault on him.

Haruto struggled desperately to pry Shizuku off him, but she clung to him tightly from behind, making it nearly impossible to shake her off.

“Hahaha, Ka-Kaz-senpai! Uhyah, h-help, hahahaha!” Haruto pleaded.

“Orya orya orya orya!” Shizuku continued her relentless tickling assault.

“You two really get along, huh?” Ishigura remarked with an exasperated sigh as he watched the playful scuffle between them.

Shizuku’s tickling onslaught went on for a while longer until Haruto finally collapsed onto the floor, out of breath.

“Have you now realized the power of my Godly Hands, Haru-senpai?” Shizuku asked, looking down triumphantly at Haruto, who was lying on the floor gasping for air. She made a dramatic gesture of wiping sweat from her forehead, though her expression remained as blank as ever. Still, there was a hint of satisfaction, like she had just completed a major task.

“Hah... hah... What the hell was that for...?” Haruto panted heavily, still trying to catch his breath after being forced to laugh for several minutes straight.

“That was your punishment for toying with a maiden’s pure feelings,” Shizuku replied with a completely straight face.

“What? ‘A maiden’s pure feelings’? What are you even talking about?” Haruto asked as he slowly staggered to his feet, giving Shizuku a light glare.

“Hmph,” Shizuku huffed and turned away, her expression as indifferent as ever.

“What the heck, seriously...” Haruto muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Haruto tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden, cryptic behavior from Shizuku. Next to him, Ishigura spoke up with a thoughtful tone.

“You sure have it rough, huh?”

“Seriously! And Kaz-senpai, you could have at least stepped in to stop Shizuku sooner,” Haruto responded, shooting an annoyed look at Ishigura.

“Nah, I didn’t mean that,” Ishigura clarified. “I was talking about the housework side of things. Doesn’t it get tiring having all those chores shoved at you all the time? Don’t you get sick of it?”

“Huh? Oh, that.” Haruto shook his head. “No, not really. I chose this job myself.”

To be honest, Haruto had never once thought of the housework he did for the Tojo family as something he disliked. On the contrary, seeing the happy smiles on their faces when they enjoyed the meals he cooked gave him a deep sense of fulfillment.

But beyond that, there was another reason why he found joy in his housekeeping job—one that had nothing to do with cooking or cleaning. It involved a certain girl, known as the "school idol" at Haruto’s school.

Before he started this part-time job, Haruto had no real connection to her. He didn't know much about her personality, nor did he particularly care to. But through his work, he had the chance to interact with her, discovering sides of her that were different from the polished image everyone admired. Seeing her more as a regular girl, endearing and approachable, he had grown fond of her in a way he never expected.

“Honestly, taking this part-time job was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Haruto said with a genuine smile.

“Glad to hear it. Sounds like you found yourself a pretty good gig,” Ishigura responded warmly.

Haruto felt that he'd managed to build a good rapport with the Tojo family. Even if he sometimes felt embarrassed when people teased him about his relationship with Ayaka, it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, he couldn’t help but feel a slight thrill whenever it happened.

“Yeah, I really did find a great job,” Haruto said, his smile widening naturally.

But just as he was basking in that positive thought, Shizuku— who had been turning away earlier—suddenly advanced toward him again.

“Haru-senpai, can I tickle you one more time?”

“Of course not!” Haruto exclaimed, quickly stepping back to maintain some distance as Shizuku raised her hands, preparing to pounce.

“Why do you keep trying to tickle me?” Haruto protested.

“Because, for some reason, you’re irritating me,” Shizuku replied flatly. “Haru-senpai, just accept your fate and let me defeat you.”

“Hell no! That’s the most ridiculous reason I’ve ever heard!”

Until practice officially began, Haruto found himself constantly on guard, wary of Shizuku trying to sneak up behind him whenever she saw an opening.

※

Haruto had a regular housekeeping contract with the Tojo family: three days a week, three hours each session. It was a good balance for him, especially during this summer break, allowing him to earn money while still finding time to study— a setup he was quite satisfied with.

“Phew... bathroom cleaning done!” Haruto announced.

Today, at the request of Ikue, the Tojo family's matriarch, he was tasked with cleaning the bathroom. He had thoroughly scrubbed away any mold, soap scum, and gunk in the drains, and even tackled the dust clinging to the door seals. As Haruto looked over the now sparkling clean bathroom, a satisfied grin spread across his face.

“Alright, next up is the sink— whoa!?”

As he turned to move on to the sink, he suddenly found Ayaka standing directly behind him. Startled, he recoiled dramatically.

“Eek! Ah... s-sorry!” Ayaka stammered, equally surprised by his reaction.

Having been mercilessly tickled by Shizuku just the other day, Haruto’s overreaction was partly due to that traumatic experience flashing back in his mind. Ayaka, caught off guard by his sudden movement, flinched in response.

“Um... did you need something?” Haruto asked, assuming she had come to request something regarding his chores. But Ayaka fidgeted, her gaze darting around, unable to clearly articulate her thoughts.

“Oh, um... well, there’s something I wanted to ask you... or rather, tell you... if that’s okay... um... uh... ei... ei...”

“Ei?”

“Ei... ei... eiga... A-type!?”

“Huh?”

The sudden and seemingly unrelated word left Haruto blinking in confusion. Ayaka, flustered, quickly tried to explain herself.

“Y-you see! I was wondering if you’re an A-type blood type? You’re always so meticulous with your cleaning, so...”

[TL Note: Japanese Blood Type Personality theory. Explained in the footnotes.]

“Oh, my blood type?” Haruto finally understood and nodded along. “No, I’m actually an O-type. I just do a thorough job because, well, it’s work. But honestly, my own room is pretty messy.”

“Oh, really? So you’re an O-type,” Ayaka said, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

“I’m actually pretty laid-back, you know,” Haruto admitted with a lighthearted grin. Seeing Ayaka’s shy, yet happy reaction to his response, he found himself feeling oddly pleased.

“What about you, Tojo-san?” Haruto asked.

“Eh?”

“What’s your blood type?”

“Oh, I’m a B-type.”

“Really? That’s a bit surprising,” Haruto remarked, his eyes widening slightly.

“Is it? What type did you think I was?” Ayaka tilted her head, curious.

“Well... we didn’t interact much before, so I always thought you were kind of mysterious, maybe even an AB-type. But that was just my own assumption,” Haruto admitted with a sheepish smile.

“Do I really seem that mysterious?” Ayaka asked, genuinely curious.

“Before we started talking, yeah, a bit. You were like... a flower on a high peak, you know?”

“I see... and now? Do I still seem that way?” Ayaka asked, looking up at him with an expectant, slightly hopeful expression.

“Not anymore,” Haruto responded, his gaze shifting to the side, embarrassed by the sudden intensity of her eyes. “Now... I see you more as a normal girl, in a good way. You’re... more approachable.”

“Really!?” Ayaka beamed with joy. Haruto, feeling his cheeks warm up, scratched his cheek to hide his embarrassment.

Seeing her in such a good mood, Haruto decided it was finally the right moment to bring up a topic he had been waiting to discuss.

“So, um... about that conversation we had at the home center about the zoo...”

“Oh! Y-yes!” Ayaka responded enthusiastically, leaning in closer, her eyes bright. The sudden closeness made Haruto’s heart skip a beat, but he tried his best to stay calm.

“About the date, I was thinking next week—”

“Actually, about that! If it’s okay with you, I was thinking—”

“Otsuki-kun, did you finish cleaning the bathroom? Oh my, Ayaka?”

Just as Ayaka was about to suggest something, they were interrupted by Ikue, who had come to check on Haruto. Her sudden appearance cut through the moment, leaving Haruto and Ayaka both blushing slightly from their previous conversation.

“Oh my? Oh my, oh my? Was I interrupting something? My apologies!” Ikue teased, a wide grin spreading across her face.

“Please, ignore me! Enjoy yourselves, you two!” she said with a mischievous smile as she started to slide the door shut to give them privacy.

“M-Mom, stop saying weird things!” Ayaka protested, quickly reopening the door her mother was trying to close.

Watching this playful mother-daughter exchange, Haruto couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling a warm sense of camaraderie within the Tojo household.

“Oh? Were you two having a secret meeting?”

“No way, we weren't doing anything like that!”

“Well, that's true. If you were going to have a secret meeting, you'd do it outside, not at home.”

“That's not what I meant!!”

As this familiar mother-daughter exchange continued, Haruto hesitantly interjected.

“Um… I've finished cleaning the bathroom, and now I'll start cleaning the sink.”

“Thank you, Otsuki-kun. That really helps! Oh, and I'm sorry to ask, but could you also clean the toilet after that?”

“Yes, understood.”

“Thanks. So, Ayaka, I'll leave now, so you can resume your secret meeting with Otsuki-kun~.”

“I told you! That's not it!”

Although Ayaka tried to argue back, Ikue simply brushed it off with a lighthearted “Yeah, yeah,” as she left. Ayaka glared after her mother's retreating figure with a hint of resentment, then turned to Haruto once she confirmed Ikue was completely gone.

“I'm sorry, Otsuki-kun. My mom always says weird things.”

“No, I think she's a very cheerful and fun person. I'm a bit envious of you, Ayaka-san.”

“Really? Is that so?”

“Yes... Just having a mother is something to be grateful for.”

“Otsuki-kun...?”

Haruto spoke of mothers, a faint, wistful expression on his face. Ayaka, noticing the distant look in his eyes, couldn't help but call his name. When she did, Haruto snapped back to reality, flashing a quick, awkward smile to cover it up.

“Besides, seeing Tojo-san get all flustered when Ikue-san teases you is really adorable.”

“Ad-adorable!?”

Caught off guard, Ayaka's ears turned bright red as her eyes darted around in a flustered state.

“T-to think you find it cute when I get embarrassed... Otsuki-kun, you're mean...”

“Ah, no, um... sorry.”

Ayaka pouted slightly, lips pursed, as she protested shyly. Haruto found himself momentarily drawn to her, almost captivated by her charm.

“Uh, so, about the schedule for the zoo…”

Trying to steer the conversation back to normal, Haruto regained his composure. But Ayaka quickly cut him off again, her voice a bit rushed.

“Ah, a-about that! Are you free tomorrow, Otsuki-kun?”

“Hmm? Tomorrow? Well, I had planned to study all day tomorrow, so I don't have any other plans.”
“I see, studying, huh... Um, well. Could we meet up somewhere outside tomorrow? I was thinking we could discuss the zoo schedule. And then, maybe... um, m-maybe we could also catch a movie or something... What do you think?”

Tomorrow was a day off from his housekeeping job, and Haruto had planned to dedicate the entire day to studying. But hearing that, Ayaka hesitantly invited him out.

“A movie?”

“Y-yeah... It was really by chance, but I just happened to get a discount ticket from a friend yesterday…”

“Is that so? Hmm…”

As Haruto thought it over, Ayaka quickly added in a flurry of words.

“Ah! But studying is important too! Don't feel obligated! It's just... you know… If we discussed the zoo plans at home and my mom or dad overheard, it might turn into a whole thing. So I thought it'd be better if we talked about it at a café or something. But I felt bad asking you to come just for that, so I thought maybe we could use the discount tickets and watch a movie together… But, if you're busy studying... you really don't have to...”

Ayaka's voice gradually grew quieter, losing confidence, until she was fully looking down at the floor. In response, Haruto answered brightly.

“No, I'd like to go too. To the movie.”

The moment he said that, Ayaka's downcast face shot up.

“...Really?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking about what movies were showing right now.”

“Then... can we go see a movie together tomorrow?”

“Yes, let's go.”

With those words, Ayaka's previously anxious expression transformed into a bright, radiant smile. Seeing her like that, Haruto thought to himself that the saying “a flower blooming with a smile” was truly fitting.

“Well then, um, is there any movie you want to see, Otsuki-kun?”

“Hmm… Would you mind if I check real quick?”

After getting Ayaka’s permission, Haruto pulled out his phone to look up the current movie listings. Scanning through the lineup, he couldn't help but think, “Hmm...” Truthfully, there wasn’t anything that particularly caught his interest. However, he couldn’t just say that outright, so he turned to Ayaka for her opinion.

“There are so many options, it’s hard to decide. Is there anything you’d like to see, Tojo-san?”

When Haruto asked, Ayaka answered with an excited expression.

“Yeah, it's tough to choose, right? But, I'm kind of interested in this one.”

Saying that, Ayaka operated her phone and showed him the screen. On it was the promotional page for a particular movie.

“...‘Summer Sky and Love’.”

Haruto quietly murmured the movie’s title. It was a romantic “youth heart-throb” film currently popular among young women, starring a handsome young actor and a rising idol. Known as “Natsukoi,” it had been trending and ranked high in the summer’s domestic box office.

“Is this the kind of movie you like, Tojo-san?”

Given the way Ayaka usually carried herself at school, Haruto had assumed she had no interest in romance and was more indifferent to such things. However, it turned out that Ayaka was also just an ordinary high school girl who dreamt of romantic love.

“What do you think? Are you not interested in this kind of movie, Otsuki-kun?”

With a mix of hope and anxiety in her expression, Ayaka looked at Haruto. He smiled gently in response.

“No, I’d like to watch this movie too. Let’s go see ‘

Footnotes:

The blood type personality theory is a pseudoscientific belief prevalent in Japan which states that a person's blood group system is predictive of a person's personality, temperament, and compatibility with others. The theory is generally considered a superstition by the scientific community.

Type A: Often considered organized, detail-oriented, responsible, and hardworking, which aligns with Japan’s cultural values around diligence and conscientiousness. Type A individuals are often seen as perfectionists and can be sensitive or introverted.

Type B: Seen as creative, individualistic, and passionate but sometimes considered to be less disciplined. They’re thought to be free-spirited, expressive, and often unconventional.

Type AB: Viewed as complex, sometimes even “mysterious,” because they’re seen as a mix of A and B traits. AB individuals are often considered both rational and emotional, leading to a perception of duality or balance.

Type O: Typically regarded as outgoing, social, and confident. People with type O blood are seen as natural leaders, often optimistic, and adaptable.

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