Haibara’s Teenage New Game+ - Volume 6 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Just One Day

When I woke up and glanced at the clock, it was past ten in the morning. I normally got up early to go for jogs on the weekend, so this was a rare occurrence for me. I was much more exhausted than I’d anticipated because of searching for Miori yesterday.

After the rain died down, we had gone to her home, where the police had grilled us for details. I told them that I had looked for her because my friend was missing and that I didn’t know the specifics. I had no idea what explanation Miori had offered her parents and the police, but she’d likely avoided name-dropping Hasegawa and her friends. She would take on all the blame for this incident until the bitter end.

One thing led to another, and by the time I was released, it was nighttime. I had returned home, left my soiled clothes to my parents, taken a bath, and slept like a log.

I wonder if my clothes will be okay after a deep clean... I’m worried. I bought those for dates, so they were pretty pricey! Oh well, now’s not the time to be fretting over that. I should get up first. Thinking as much, I was about to throw my blanket off of me. Huh? My body feels kinda heavy.

I was struck by a ringing headache and a wave of fatigue. It was a familiar sensation—I had caught a cold. I put my hand on my forehead; it was burning up. I stuck a thermometer under my armpit and waited for a bit. Once it was done reading, it displayed thirty-seven degrees Celsius. That wasn’t a super high temperature, but it still constituted a bona fide cold.

Mom’s out today, so I’ll ask Namika to go shopping for me.

“You’re sick because you came home soaking wet! Onii-chan, you’re such a moron.” Though Namika acted exasperated and fumed angrily, she still went out and bought me supplies such as cold medicine and cooling gel sheets.

She’s actually more worried than her attitude lets on. She’s always like this. Well, it’s a good thing it’s Sunday. I should recover after resting for a day and be healthy enough to go to school tomorrow.

My vision was unsteady, and I felt completely drained. I’ll sleep the day away. Right as I was about to burrow back into my covers, my phone rang from beside my pillow. The culprit behind my affliction was calling.

“Hello?”

“Is it just me, or does your voice sound weird?” Miori asked apprehensively when she heard my rasp.

“Whose fault do you think that is?”

“Sorry... Do you have a fever?”

“Thirty-seven point five degrees. Just a minor one. I’ll get better soon.”

“Do you want anything? I can bring stuff over.”

“Namika bought stuff for me, so I’m fine.”

“Oh right. I don’t need to worry if Namika-chan’s there.”

“Speaking of which, are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fit as a fiddle. I don’t really catch colds.”

“I see. Makes sense: idiots don’t catch colds.”

“What’re you trying to say?”

I was about to crack a joke, but a fit of coughing came out instead.

“A-Are you okay? I wanted to ask about my request, but we can talk about it some other time. Take it easy and rest well today,” Miori said before hanging up.

Finally...back to sleep... I closed my eyes, but my phone went off again. What is it now? I glanced at the screen. It was a call from Hikari this time, so my annoyance vanished without a trace. If anything, my cold is cured (big, whopping lie). Wow, today’s a great day.

“Natsuki-kun? I heard you caught a cold. How are you feeling?”

“I think I’ll be better after I rest today. Wait, who’d you hear that from?”

“Namika-chan told me. ‘Hoshimiya-senpai, my brother caught a cold,’” she quoted.

Dang it, Namika, I didn’t want Hikari to fuss over me! You just had to blab, didn’t you?

“Can I come check up on you?”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I might give you my cold.”

“I still want to come, though. But if you don’t want me to nurse you, I won’t go.”

She’s really learned how to be hard to refuse... I’m thrilled, of course. “Then please do. Just so you know, Namika-chan is home, but my parents aren’t.”

“That’s fine. She told me that already.”

Since when did she get info through my sister without my knowledge? Her network is scary.

“I’ll head over with Miori-chan, so take it easy until we get there.”

My mind wasn’t functioning well. It was becoming increasingly hard to stay awake. “Okay,” I replied. Our call ended with that.

Let’s sleep. I’ll think about what comes next after I feel better. I shut my eyelids, pulled up my blanket, and lay there for a while, until it hit me. “I’ll head over with Miori-chan”? That’s what she said, right? So they’re both coming here? Wh-Why?

***

I could hear people talking.

My mind roused slowly, as though I were rising from the bottom of the sea to the water’s surface. When I opened my eyes, the same old ceiling of my room filled my vision. My forehead felt pleasantly chilly. There was a cooling sheet stuck on my head.

“Hm? Are you awake?” asked a voice as refreshing to listen to as a bell.

I turned towards the source to see Hikari staring at me. We were close enough that our noses were almost touching. Her porcelain skin was beautiful.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Morning, Natsuki-kun. Though, it’s already three.”

“You’ll catch my cold if you’re this close.”

“Fine... I’ll show some self-control,” she said sulkily and pulled away.

Argh! Too darn cute! She’s got so much destructive power that it blew away my drowsiness. If anything, my cold’s cured (big, whopping lie).

As a preventative measure, Hikari wore a white mask. “Thanks, Natsuki-kun. You kept our promise.”

“It’s nothing to thank me for.” Really, I mean it. If you scrutinize my actions objectively, I abandoned my girlfriend in the middle of our date to go search for another woman... Huh? When I put it like that, doesn’t that make me sound like trash? “I should actually apologize. I’m sorry for ditching you, Hikari.”

“No, it’s fine. That part of you is why I fell in love with you.” She smiled at me gently.

Is she an angel? She’s the cutest in the whole wide world.

We continued peering into each other’s eyes, until someone else cleared their throat.

“How are you feeling?” The question didn’t come from Hikari.

I shifted my gaze to where Miori sat in my chair with her eyes on us. Hikari’s cheeks rapidly flushed scarlet, and she hastily moved away from me.

Oh yeah, she mentioned that Miori was coming too. I can’t believe they actually came together. “Well, I feel better than I did this morning... I’m lethargic, but my fever’s dropped.” I tried to keep my voice natural, but my nerves showed through slightly.

This situation is baffling. Why did Miori and Hikari visit me together? Not gonna lie, this feels super awkward. I mean, I’m with my girlfriend and our friend that I just rejected yesterday. How could this not be awkward? What the heck am I supposed to do?

“I made porridge. Do you want some?” Miori asked.

“O-Oh... Thanks, I’ll have some,” I replied.

“I’ll bring it up.” She got up and noisily left the room.

Hikari and I made eye contact. I want to ask her why she came with Miori. But I’m not sure if I should. A lot’s happened. What should I do? But isn’t it weird if I don’t ask her too?

“You’re wondering why Miori-chan made you porridge and not me, aren’t you?” she asked suspiciously.

You’re a bit off the mark there. In fact, you’re way off the mark. Don’t look so displeased! What am I supposed to do? It’s a misunderstanding! I didn’t think anything of it until you brought it up!

“It’s because I’m still practicing. Yep. Going forward, I’m going to become a home-oriented woman. But you know, this is Miori-chan we’re talking about. Why is she a good cook, given her persona? Isn’t that strange?!”

“Both her parents work, so she and her grandma have taken turns cooking since she was a kid. But, uh, I’m not sure making porridge could really be considered cooking...”

“La-la-la! Can’t hear you! Not listening. Can’t hear a word!” Hikari covered her ears and shook her head like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum. “I see the whole picture. Miori-chan upped her cooking skills so she could be a man magnet.” She nodded to herself in agreement. “Yeah, that’s gotta be it.”

“Is that what she is?” That’s not something that I’d ever call Miori.

“That’s right. Otherwise, it’s just unfair. A tomboy that’s good at household chores? She must be aiming for that contrast!” Hikari declared, fully convinced. She failed to notice that Miori was behind her.

She was just grabbing porridge, not a particularly time-consuming activity.

“Hikari-chan. Quit saying stupid things and move aside.” Miori wore a dry smile as she set up a foldable table. She placed the porridge and a spoon on top of it, and moved the makeshift surface towards my bed.

“N-No way! I won’t hand over this position to you, Miori-chan!” Hikari said defiantly, misunderstanding what she meant, and grabbed my hand.

“Hikari... I want to eat porridge, though...”

She realized she’d misinterpreted what Miori had meant and hurriedly moved away. Huh? Was my girlfriend always this dumb?

Miori placed the table where Hikari had been seconds before. I sat up cross-legged and began spooning porridge into my mouth. Nice and salty, yum.

“Where did you find that table?” Hikari asked.

“Hm? He always keeps it under his bed. It’s for when he has guests over,” Miori replied. Then, with a start, she clarified herself. “Oh, um... I can explain. I may know where he keeps it, but summer vacation was the last time I was here. I haven’t visited him since. Really.”

Though she’d heard Miori’s explanation, Hikari still gave her the side-eye.

I feel awkward. I feel reeeally awkward, guys, so please don’t butt heads. I already felt sick, and now my stomach hurts too. Objectively speaking, the cutest and second-cutest girl in my school are fighting over who can nurse me, and yet why do I feel exhausted? I’m starting to understand why light novel protagonists don’t seem so happy when they’ve got a harem. I used to not get it.

“I can’t trust you. You did hug Natsuki-kun behind my back.”

“W-Well... I have no defense there. I’m sorry. Really, I’m sorry... I’m in the wrong here. I mean it. Hikari-chan, you have all the right to criticize me.” Miori’s expression instantly darkened, and she hung her head.

“D-Don’t feel bad! I was joking! I’ve forgiven you for that already, so let bygones be bygones!” Flustered, Hikari tried to console Miori.

My... My stomach hurts. This is too much for me. I can’t handle being here. I silently ate my porridge, hoping that they would at least pretend I wasn’t there.

“In the first place, this was half Natsuki-kun’s fault.”

Say what? Is it just me, or is the conversation heading in a weird direction?

“Natsuki-kun, you led Miori-chan on! Even though you have me!”

I felt a knife stab my heart. I wasn’t trying to, but I can see how it looked that way.

“H-Hikari-chan? That’s not true. I explained it to you before, but I did that on my own. I put Natsuki in a tough spot, and he didn’t know what to do. Don’t blame him.”

Looks like they talked about a lot while I slept. They’ve been inordinately friendly with each other this whole time, so I’m curious what they talked about, but I definitely shouldn’t ask. At any rate, I’m glad they reconciled.

“Miori-chan filled me in on the details that led up to today. Natsuki-kun, I’m outraged over how you always try to look good! Of course she’d fall head over heels for you when you act like that!”

Did I really do that? Isn’t Miori just glorifying her memories of me?

“Um, Hikari-chan... That’s embarrassing, so please cut it out...” Miori’s face was uncharacteristically bright red. She shook Hikari’s shoulders.

“I will not!” Hikari shot a displeased frown at me.

It’s just a feeling I have, but Hikari’s in a weird mood today. I can’t argue if anyone tells me that it’s my fault she’s feeling insecure, though.

“To begin with, Natsuki-kun, you’re always like that! You’re normally so thickheaded, but you instantly notice when something’s on our minds, and you stick your nose in to help us... You dirty womanizer!”

“Gah...” Another knife joined the one already sticking out of my heart. They didn’t come here to nurse me, did they? They’re here to finish me off! “I’m... I’m sorry.”

Right, then, I’m just gonna pretend like my condition has worsened and sleep.

***

The next time I woke up, my body felt considerably lighter. I sat up and looked out the window. The sky was dyed scarlet. I checked the time; it was already five in the evening. Miori sat on the chair in my room. Though she’d been absentmindedly staring at her phone, she still noticed that I was up.

“Where’s Hikari?” I asked.

“Went home. She said she ended up being a nuisance instead of nursing you.”

Well... That’s true. Not gonna lie. Yep, no objections there. “Miori, should you still be here?”

“She told me to stay here until you woke up. Hikari-chan’s a strong one.”

Yeah, she’s implying that she trusts Miori.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better. I could go to school tomorrow at this rate.”

“Great, I’ll head home, then. You don’t want anything else, right?”

“Nah. Thanks for the porridge.”

Miori grabbed her bag that she’d left on top of my desk and placed her hand on the door. “About my request, I told Hikari-chan about it, so we’re good to go. When should we do it?”

“Next weekend should be fine, right?”

“Hmmm... I’ve got plans next weekend, so I’d rather do it tomorrow if possible.”

“Tomorrow? But tomorrow’s a Monday. That’s a weekday.”

“I figured it must’ve slipped your mind. Tomorrow’s a holiday.”

Seriously? I completely forgot. I glanced at the calendar, and sure enough, tomorrow was labeled as a national holiday. “In any case, isn’t that too sudden? I’m still recuperating, you know.”

“I’ll wait if you’re feeling sick, of course. It’s up to you.”

Pushy as ever. I’m always weak to her when she talks like that. “All right, I’ll go.”

“Yay! But I mean it: tell me if you feel under the weather,” she said and promptly left.

You know... I don’t mind if you move the conversation along as you please, but stop assuming that I’ve got nothing going on! Fine, I was free today...and tomorrow too.

***

The next morning.

We’d agreed to meet up at our town’s train station at nine. I feel like I’m in perfect condition. I should be good to go! I got ready for our trip and left home. Miori was already waiting for me in front of the station when I got there.

“Morning. Were you waiting long?” I said.

“Nope. Let’s go,” she answered.

I walked beside her and boarded the train. Though we didn’t get closer than necessary, we also didn’t distance ourselves either. We were friends, after all.

“Where are we meeting up with Shuto?” I asked.

“I told him yesterday that we’d meet up at Takasaki Station,” she replied.

“And you got in touch with Takuro?”

“Yeah. I asked some old friends and found his Minsta account.”

“Nice job finding that.”

“It was pretty tough,” she said with a shrug.

Our goal for the day was to hang out with our former close friends again. Miori had asked me for the favor, and I had no reason to decline since Hikari had given me her approval.

Miori and I regretted the way those fun-filled days had come to an end. That was why we wanted to relive them one more time, even if years had already passed.

“I’m surprised Shuto and Takuro agreed to show up today when they had basically zero notice.” Talk about a late invite. I guess that’s normal when it comes to Miori, though.

“Don’t you think they both feel the same way we do?” She had a faraway look in her eyes. “I’m done wishing I could go back to those days, but I still have my regrets, so why not start over now? Now’s the time to do it, after how long it’s been.”

Live your best life so you don’t have any regrets. And if you do have any, give it a retry. If it’s possible, that is. I can strongly relate to Miori’s modus operandi.

“Besides, it’s been forever, so I bet we all miss each other,” she said with a smile, driving away any need to analyze the minor details.

“True.” No point muddling over it. It’ll be like a class reunion. I want to meet up with old friends and hang out. That’s our only motive. That’s why we’re going to where Takuro lives in Osaka with Shuto. “What’s on the itinerary for today?” I asked.

“We’ll get there around noon, meet up with Takuro, and eat lunch. I haven’t thought about what we’ll do after that, but we’ve got school tomorrow, so we’ll need to take the evening bullet train back.”

Feels a bit rushed, but no way around it. Gunma and Osaka are pretty far apart. It’ll take around three and a half hours to get there, and the train back only doubles the travel time. The cost is nothing to sneeze at either, but in our view, this trip will be more than worth it.

“We’re getting off, Natsuki.”

Having reached Takasaki Station, the two of us alighted the train. We waited for Shuto, and soon a voice called to us from behind.

“Yo! It’s been a while.” It was an arrogant voice, brimming with confidence.

I turned around to see a well-built young man. He had short black hair and a pleasant face. A few traces of his childish features still remained. He was dressed plainly, in a white shirt and jeans. He gave off the air of an athlete.

“Shuto, how’ve you been?” I asked.

“Good, and it looks like you’ve both been just as good.” He shot us a friendly grin, but there was a hint of awkwardness in his smile.

He’s probably nervous. I’m the same; my shoulders are tense. Let’s be real—he left the group on a bad note. It’s been so long that I don’t know if we can hold a conversation. “I’m surprised you recognized us so quickly.”

Though I could see the vestiges of what he’d looked like as a kid now that I knew he was Shuto, I wasn’t sure I could’ve picked him out from among the countless people in Takasaki Station. However, he had come up to us without hesitation.

Since I’d driven the conversation in that direction, Shuto explained. “’Course I could. I see pictures of Miori on Minsta every now and then, and you played at your school festival. I was there watching, y’know. That was a sweet concert.”

“What?! You were there?! Why didn’t you tell me?!” I exclaimed in shock. Shuto was somewhere in the audience too?

“I thought about going up to you...but you’ve got your own crew around you now, so I didn’t think you’d be happy if I called out to you after all these years.”

Looks like we’ve been weighing on his mind too. Kinda makes me feel better.

“I’m glad you guys invited me out. This seriously came out of nowhere, though.”

“I know, right. I also only heard from Miori yesterday that we were going today. Boy, was I surprised.”

“Once she makes up her mind, she does something straightaway. That’s super Miori.”

“Yeah, tell me about it! She’s been like this since we were kids.”

Shuto and I shared a smile. Miori watched us with a conflicted look.

“I’m sorry about what happened when we were kids. I couldn’t see you as just a friend.” Shuto apologized to Miori as he scratched his head.

“What about now?” she asked.

“Don’t worry: I’ve got a girlfriend now.” He gave her a thumbs-up and flashed his pearly whites.

“Does that mean we can be friends again?”

“If you want to, then I’m down.” His smile showed he had no hard feelings about the past—problems that stemmed from feelings could sometimes be solved with time.

“All right. Then you better wait for me. Just until my lie stops being a lie.”

Miori’s words from back then must’ve been hoping for that.

After Shuto’s apology, the awkward atmosphere cleared up—no, things returned to how they used to be. The mood became amicable, just as it had been in our childhood, and we laughed together.

We took the bullet train from Takasaki Station. The three of us sat in a row, and our long journey began. We shared old stories and chatted about the time we’d spent apart. Shuto had gone to a different middle school than us and now attended Higashi High in Takasaki. He’d been skilled at soccer since elementary school and was part of his school’s team even now. The three and a half hours on the train flew by in the blink of an eye.

“Hey, guys! Long time no see!” When we reached Shin-Osaka Station, Takuro ran up to us, vigorously waving hello. “Thanks for coming all the way here. I was surprised when you told me you were coming today.”

His overall appearance hadn’t changed much. However, he had grown horizontally. To put it bluntly, he’d gained a lot of weight.

“Shucks, I’ve been thinking about going on a diet.” He smacked his belly and guffawed loudly.

He was a little chubby when we were kids, but I never thought he’d get this big...

“You’ve all changed quite a bit. Shuto looks like a real athlete, Miori’s drop-dead gorgeous, and Natsuki... How do I put it? You’re handsome, but more importantly, you look more confident. Man, you used to run after Miori all panicky in the past,” Takuro said, affectionately reminiscing about our childhood.

Though his appearance hadn’t changed drastically, he seemed calmer now. It only made sense that he would’ve matured during all the years we’d been apart like we had.

“So, what now? You guys haven’t had lunch yet, right?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. I’m down for anything! Let’s eat,” Shuto replied as he rubbed his stomach.

“Miori, what’s the plan?” I asked, leaving the decision to her. Just as we used to, the three of us turned to her with expectant eyes.

“Don’t you guys remember? We promised we’d eat yakiniku together when we got older,” she said.

Taken aback by her unexpected declaration, I glanced at Shuto and Takuro. They didn’t seem to have any recollection of that either and shook their heads. So I stepped up to the plate for the three of us. “Who’d remember every single one of those stupid promises!”

“Huh?! Now I’m pissed! None of you remember?! Jerks! I’m so done with you guys!” She stomped off, her shoulders shaking with rage.

“Uh, where is she going?” I asked.

“Who knows. She probably thinks we’ll find a yakiniku restaurant if we wander around.” Shuto shrugged.

“Oh, I know a great place for yakiniku. Follow me,” Takuro said in an easygoing tone.

“That’s great and all, but we need to get Miori back here first.” Shuto ran after her, leaving me and Takuro behind.

We shared a moment of silence. People came and went, and amid the noisy hustle and bustle flying around us, Takuro was the first to speak. “I’m guessing the three of you didn’t hang out after I transferred schools.”

“That’s right. The last time I saw Shuto was our elementary school graduation,” I replied.

“We stopped hanging out just before I transferred, so I figured as much,” he said. “What about you and Miori?”

“Miori and I went to the same middle school. We didn’t talk much then, but we also ended up at the same high school, so we became friends again. A bunch happened, and we talked about wanting to get together with the old squad, if possible. And now we’re all here thanks to Miori’s bold initiative.” A lot more happened than just that, but that should be enough for a summary.

“I wanted to see you guys too. But things were so awkward when I transferred, and I didn’t know what you were all up to now, so I hesitated to reach out. Not to mention, we didn’t have phones back in elementary school, so it’s not like I could’ve casually contacted you guys without searching high and low,” he said. “That’s why I was so happy to hear from you guys. Actually, I wanted to be the one doing the visiting, since all three of you are in Gunma, but I’m strapped for cash right now.”

“Miori’s the one who suddenly decided we’d travel to you, so don’t worry about that.”

Shuto and Miori returned somewhere in the middle of our conversation. He’d somehow managed to persuade her despite her sulking.

After that, we went to the yakiniku place Takuro recommended. We merrily chatted about the old days as we kept the grill filled with meat. Shuto and Takuro downed every last scrap. The appetites of a chubster and an athlete are nothing to laugh at. Miori and I are eating quite a lot, but we’re no match for them.

“...Anyway, I wanted you to sympathize with my feelings. I just got rejected and was close to crying, and all this girl cares about is whether I’ll stay friends with her!” Shuto said, grabbing a piece of beef with a pair of tongs.

There are some things you can talk about once enough time has passed.

“I... I said I’m sorry. How many times do I need to apologize? I didn’t really understand love back then,” Miori replied.

“She always says stuff like that, right?” Shuto turned to Takuro for backup.

He nodded in agreement. “Definitely.”

Shuto turned back to Miori. “Besides, you obviously loved Natsuki.”

“What?!” She went red as a tomato, speechless.

It was a timely subject for us. Her reaction caused the air to become tinged with awkwardness.

“Is that true? Miori’s been crushing on me since we were kids?” I asked.

“She never realized it, but I’m sure of it. Whatever she did, she always went to you first. I was there the whole time watching it happen—put yourself in my shoes. It sucked ass!”

“From my standpoint, I fully understand why Shuto would want to distance himself,” Takuro said.

The two of them continued bobbing their heads at each other. I flicked my gaze over to Miori. Her face was extremely red. She was even tearing up.

“Guys, can you just give it to me straight? Are you two dating now?” Shuto asked, determined to hear the truth.

Well, we do go to the same high school, and we’re on good terms now. I see where the suspicion is coming from. “No, we’re not dating. Plus, I’ve got a girlfriend.”

“You’re kidding me! You’re telling me it’s not just Shuto, but Natsuki’s got a girl too? The whole world’s against me,” Takuro lamented, shoveling down more white rice.

“Ah, thought so. That song you dedicated to the girl you like at your school festival concert was for someone else, yeah? The lyrics didn’t sound like they were meant for Miori... Of course not,” Shuto said, fully convinced.

“Huh? What school festival concert? That sounds fun.” Curious, Takuro pounced on the subject.

Shuto recounted what he’d seen at our school festival. I’m super embarrassed, so I wish he wouldn’t. I’m getting self-conscious about how much I tried to show off!

“Natsuki, nice going. I’m jealous; you’re really living out your youth!” Takuro wore a wide smirk as he smacked my shoulders.

“Hey, show me a pic of your girlfriend,” Shuto said.

I reluctantly pulled out my phone, opened my photo gallery, and showed him a picture of Hikari and me.

“What?! She’s hot with a capital H!” he exclaimed.

“Unforgivable. Natsuki, I’m never letting this go.”

“T-Takuro, calm down. Looming over me with that huge bod of yours is scary even if you’re just joking!”

“But I’m surprised,” Shuto grumbled after our bantering. “I was so sure you two would become an item.”

“Yeah, same here. Natsuki, didn’t you love Miori back?” Takuro asked.

“I guess... Thinking back on it now, probably. She was my first love, and I wasn’t really aware of it,” I answered.

“Then again, we were only in elementary school,” Takuro concluded.

Miori fidgeted uncomfortably next to me.

“That was so long ago. ’Course a puppy love like that wouldn’t last until now,” Shuto remarked.

“This isn’t a manga or a TV drama, after all. That wouldn’t be realistic. It’d actually be too overbearing if you carried those feelings all the way until now.”

Shuto and Takuro chuckled together.

Unable to hold back any longer, Miori, who’d been silent the whole time, spoke up. “He rejected me, so what?”

Their eyes went round with shock, and their mouths hung open.

“I’ve loved him since we were kids, but I didn’t realize until recently. It didn’t hit me until Natsuki got a girlfriend. Then I confessed how I felt, and he shot me down. Got a problem with that?! And by the way, this happened two days ago!” she shouted miserably. She sounded like she’d downed a beer.

It’s noisy inside yakiniku places, but I still wish she’d keep her volume just a teeeeeeny bit lower.

The two boys suddenly snapped out of their petrification and clutched their stomachs as they burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha! I see! So that’s what happened! Ha ha ha! I sensed something weird going on between you guys! Of course you’d feel awkward when you got rejected just the other day!” Takuro roared.

“Dude, how did you not end up with him when you were so close to him? Damn, you suck at romance!”

“Shut up. I know already,” Miori griped.

“Even if you did miss the right timing, why the hell did you confess when he has a girlfriend? Of course it wouldn’t go well. They started dating after the school festival, which means they’re still madly in love!” Shuto reasoned all too logically.

“I wanted to get some proper closure and put an end to my feelings! I wanted to go back to being friends!” she yelled like a petulant child.

I feel awkward. Extremely. I’m right here. I have no flipping clue what to say!

“So, think you guys can be friends again?” Shuto asked in all seriousness.

“Urgh...” Miori groaned. “It’s a work in progress.”

“Your answer doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Ah well, time will solve it. That’s what happened to me.”

“Really? If enough time passes, will these feelings disappear?” she asked him, apprehension coloring her face.

Takuro gazed at me with tepid eyes and mouthed, “What a sinful man you are.”

Shut up. I get it! At least, I do now.

“They’ll disappear if you guys stay apart from each other for a while, but that’d be rough since you go to the same school.”

“Sorry. Keeping our distance isn’t on the table right now,” Miori said.

“Huh, really?” Shuto asked in surprise.

“Natsuki said he’s not going to stop being my friend...and he told me to do something about my feelings on my own.”

Shuto and Takuro shot me a look that screamed, “Dude...!”

I know I said some absurd stuff, but what else was I supposed to do? Being friends with Miori is directly related to fulfilling my Rainbow-Colored Youth Plan (egocentric).

“You fell for one savage guy,” Shuto said.

“Ha ha ha! But that sort of selfishness is just what I’d expect from Natsuki!” Takuro bellowed.

After we left the yakiniku restaurant, we found a random café and continued chatting there. We laughed together as though we were trying to reclaim the time we had lost.

Despite his appearances, Takuro attended a distinguished school that competed for best high school in Osaka. His belly had swelled this much due to all the stress from studying. His goal was to get into the University of Tokyo. “If I pass the exams, it’ll be easier for us to meet up,” he said with a laugh.

We each had our own paths. After this day came to an end, we would each walk towards our own futures. However, it would be nice if we could veer off that path every now and then and, just like we had today, renew our old friendships.

The time for farewells crept up on us quickly—our bullet train home drew nearer by the second. The three of us faced Takuro at the station. Unwilling to part, we were all quiet.

“Next time, I’ll go visit you guys,” Takuro said, dispelling the somber mood, and flashed his pearly whites. “Let’s meet up again and hang out, all four of us.”

“Yeah. Today was so out of nowhere that we didn’t get enough time. Let’s iron out a real plan next time,” Shuto said.

“We can go on a trip together or something,” I suggested.

Watching us discuss the future put a gentle smile on Miori’s face. “It’s a promise, then. We’ll definitely hang out one more time... No, we’re gonna hang out a lot more!”

With that, our former friendships were restored. The three of us boarded our bullet train home and passed the ride back listening to Shuto give us tips on romance. Apparently, he couldn’t overlook how clumsy Miori was when it came to love. When he learned that she had been the one feeding me romance advice, he spent a good bit of time laughing his head off until he settled into puzzlement.

“Listen, you, what did you even base your advice to Natsuki on?” he asked.

“On stuff I read from the internet or manga, or what I heard from friends...” Miori replied.

“You get it, don’t you, Shuto? She always bluffs and tries to show off,” I said.

“You knew that, and you still came crawling to me for help!”

“That’s ’cause I thought you’d at least know better than me!”

We chatted like that all the way until we reached Takasaki Station.

“Welp, see you guys next time. Miori, you better find a new love,” Shuto said.

“I was going to do that without you telling me to!”

He waved his hand in the air and left. I was happy that we were parting ways not with “goodbye,” but with “see you later.”

“Let’s head home too,” I said.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Today was a blast! The world looks vibrant. I’m sure this is what a rainbow-colored youth should be like... But I’m beat after a seven-hour round trip by bullet train. Let’s hurry home and hit the hay. I only recently recovered from a cold, after all.

It was already past 8 p.m. Though this was the evening of a national holiday, the train was quite empty. Miori absentmindedly gazed out the window. I didn’t speak either. Our train rocked all the way to our hometown. From the station, it was a ten-minute walk to our respective homes.

Miori, who was walking ahead, stopped and turned around to face me. “I’m going to swing by the convenience store. Let’s split here.” That was her way of drawing a line between us; even I could pick up on that much.

“Okay... See you tomorrow at school.” I moved past her and went on my way.

“Natsuki!”

Hearing my name, I looked over my shoulder. Miori was smiling—it was the same smile that had lit up like the sun when she’d take my hands when we were kids.

“I’ll find a new love. That might be Reita-kun or someone else, but I’ll do everything I can to be happy, so... Next time I won’t have any regrets.”

That’s reassuring to hear. I don’t think I’ll need to worry about her anymore. “You got this, Miori. There are tons of guys out there better than me.”

“That’s right.” She nodded and then shrugged. “You know, I feel like I’ve woken up. When I really think about it, why did I even fall for you? You’re a good friend, but you’re so undependable as a guy.”

“Hey, no need to get realistic all of a sudden. My heart’s made of glass!” I shot back quickly.

“Stuuupid!” She stuck her tongue out, and then her expression went calm. “I don’t love you anymore,” she asserted. Her tone carried so much authority that I believed her for more than a fleeting moment.

“Looks like I’ve got nothing to worry about, then. We can stay friends.” We would stand by this lie until it was a lie no longer. If Miori was prepared to stick with it, then I would also continue being deceived, until the untruth came to an end.

“Yeah. We’re going to be friends forever.” She gave me a big wave with her hand. “See you.”

I returned with a small wave of my own and turned away for good this time. I couldn’t hear her footsteps. However, I walked all the way home without looking back.

It was a bit warmer than usual today. The gentle breeze blew past my shoulders.