─ Amanashi, Minami (Minami) Tenri.....
　She has the same surname as Amana, and from the sound of her name, you can tell that she is that person's mother.

　That's why I hated the fact that the person I love referred to a woman I didn't know as my mother by name, and I hated it unbearably.

'To tell you the truth, we've become friends while I'm getting energy from Amana-chan on every delivery. That's the reason I've been doing so well lately.

　While half embarrassed and scared to realize it, Kazu revealed his relationship with Amana-chan.
　It's not surprising that it's a matter of concern.
　Even if you think so, you can tell from the way they treat each other that they have nothing to be ashamed of.

　It's just a sign that they genuinely care about each other, to the point where you realize that it's a sign of genuine concern for each other.

'So. From the first time I met Amari, you're a prowler approaching my daughter!　I was very hostile to them. I almost got reported, but.......well, I managed to get them to believe me.

　What's the deal?
　How can you trust me enough to leave your kids with me from such a first impression?

　I can see my feelings going down to the point where I can't even afford to minister.
　Because the expression on Kazu's face when he talks about Amari-san looks like he's having fun.
　I can't bear the thought of someone else making that kind of face, I hate it so much that I want to run away right now, I can't stand it.

''........leaving your own daughter in Kazu-kun's care, that's quite something.
That's a surprise to me too. I'm surprised to hear that.
I...
Oh, I just thought I'd let you know, but don't tell Miya about the bento, okay?　He knows about Amana-chan, but he's going to kill me if he finds out that Amana is making my lunch for me.

　The relationship that was casually revealed to me with a wry smile made my heart strangle to the point that I felt like I was choking.
　Not only is she being healed by Amana-chan, but she's also being treated to a home-cooked meal by her mother....

　Why would that person make her lunch for another man who wasn't her husband?
　What was Amari thinking, getting married and having such a pretty daughter, and being friends with Kazu-kun?

　I was going crazy with envy and jealousy that I was so easily in the pocket of someone I love that I didn't have it in me.

　Maybe that's why.

'She wasn't crying when you found that lost Amana-chan, was she?　It's partly because he's clever, but the fact that he was able to raise such a good child with a woman's hands is definitely the result of Tenashi's efforts.
What, you're a single mother, huh?
Uh... well, you know.

　It was only when she was informed that she was a mother and child that she was confronted with how jealous she was.
　As for the husband's whereabouts, Kazu-kun only replied vaguely and didn't say anything else.

　-True........I'm disgusted.

　Amari-san is away from home for work, so she only left her precious Amana-chan in the hands of Kazu-kun, the most trustworthy person in the world, but she got a strange feeling of jealousy.
　If you want to delve into the jealousy that caused that, it seems to me that it's not just a romantic thing, but it even includes feelings for you as a person.

　After all, just look at that Amana-chan and you can see what a great mother she is.
　If you were thinking about how to deal with a married woman, Kazu-kun wouldn't have been trusted either.
　I can only sigh at my own narrow-mindedness.

　It's presumptuous of me to be jealous of a colleague who isn't even my girlfriend yet and I don't even know him/her well enough to know his/her face and personality.
　If you have the time to be jealous, you should try to get Kazu to like you as much as possible.

　And.........I have no intention of losing when it comes to the strength of my feelings.
　So let's stop being just a colleague.

　I open my mouth, trying to keep the tension from showing on my face as my heartbeat quickens, in order to move forward with the step I've been stomping on.

'Kazu-kun,'
What's going on?
We've already decided what to say to you.
Oh, yeah. What is it?

　When I called out to her, she didn't seem to notice my jealousy, and I felt a mixture of relief and frustration that she didn't mind me paying a little attention to her.
　I'm tempted to laugh at his troublesome state of mind.
　In spite of that feeling of joy and sorrow, I tell Kazu the thanks I want him to give me.

''We've known each other for six years now, haven't we?
Well, yeah.
In that case, I think it's okay to have a proper name for it.
I don't know... but it's a little late for that.
Hey, hey, hey. I wouldn't say that if it were true.

　I'm about to change that now, and I don't want to say anything that will diminish my energy.
　Why are you being so bizarrely insensitive in these situations?
　It's a weakness I'm in love with that I can't talk about even if I think so... well, I'll just have to positively open up and say that I can make him change that perception depending on his efforts in the future.

''So?　What's the good in the end?
Okay, I digress. Nothing is that hard to do.

　Kazu-kun, who still doesn't seem to be on the same page, tells me his conclusion with a placid, bitter smile to hide his nervousness.

''Mao........call me by my name, I want you to, but.......no?''

　I was going to say it more firmly, but in the end it got so small that I doubted I could hear it myself.

　Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, why did I slack off at a crucial moment!
　I'm so embarrassed, my whole body is about to burst into flames!
　While I feel a sense of shame that is beyond dismay at the state I am in, Kazu was stunned when he was told of the contents of his thanks.

"Huh?　Uh ... is that what you want?

　And he returned it flatly without a word.

　This guy isn't upset at all!
　I'm feeling angry with the momentum of punching shame away, but I suppress the urge to bite down on my teeth because if I acted emotionally here, it would ruin your courage earlier, so I suppress the urge to bite down on my teeth.

'I said it for goodness sake!　What's your complaint?!
No, no, but...
Then call me. I want to know your name right now, and you have two seconds to tell me your name.
All right, all right, all right!　I'll call you!

　I already felt like I forced him to call me by my name in a yakuza way, but Kazu-kun hurriedly regained his breath before looking me straight in the eye.

''──Ma, Mao........''
'~~~!

　Calling my name........that's all it was, but I almost couldn't help but smile.
　It shouldn't have been this simple of a sensibility.......but there was a sense of satisfaction that couldn't be described in one word.
　I'm too happy to think about whether I'm able to keep my expression on my face, and it's all I can do to hold back so that it doesn't come out in my voice.

　This first step will be an important one for me, as I realize that this first step will be a memory I'll never forget, and at the same time, I can feel that I love him again.
　I cherished and enjoyed the rest of my time with Kazu-kun, excitedly anticipating that he would call me Maao every time we talked from now on.