Chapter 3: 3

Tasuku and Ayane, a couple of childhood friends, began their relationship as next door neighbors, which was something of a staple in many manga, novels, and drama.

The parents of both families were very close, so much so that if you went to visit either of their homes, you were likely to witness the scene of two mothers happily chatting over tea.

 

And then, the two neighbors went to school together almost every day unless something else came up.

Although it would be picturesque to see them from behind walking ever so silently, since one was a young girl who loved to talk, they could often be seen walking together while having a chat.

This remained true even now that they were in high school.

 

Naturally, Tasuku walked beside the road, and I was happy to see Ayane keeping up with him. (Rear guardian perspective)

 

I approached the two of them, casually quickening my pace a little. We greeted each other good morning, and I crossed my arm over Tasuku's free shoulder, who was carrying a racket bag on his right.

 

Here was one of the support techniques I usually practiced as we headed to school.

―― Even as her best friend, never touch her so nonchalantly.

 

Even if I had been friends her for many years, she might find it uncomfortable having contact with a guy all willy-nilly. Especially when it was in front of the person who she might have had favorable impression of. I was unwilling to develop a situation where she couldn't express her anger even if she wanted to. Even a high-five wouldn't cut it.

That was why I always approached from Tasuku's side.

 

"Yo! Both of you!! Morning."

"You're heavy on my shoulders... Good morning, Hiro."

"Oh~, Hiro-kun, good morning! You're looking fine today, too. You still have your usual sleeping habit, so do you want me to fix it for you?"

"Please stop, I would die."

"What does that mean!"

 

No way was I going to let the students around me see that kind of scene. It didn't matter much back when we were in elementary school, but if we did that now, it would surely spread as a rumor in no time. I couldn't tarnish Ayane, and it would be disrespectful to Tasuku, the first candidate as her boyfriend.

 

After the usual greetings had played out and my arm was withdrawn back, then it was time for Support Technique #2.

―― After encountering them, I will offer a light topic for conversation to spark a lively exchange.

 

'You know this morning~', 'This weather today~', or something like that. The reason was that because when a third party joined in, the conversation they had would be definitely interrupted.

If you ask, 'What were you talking about~' afterwards, they would usually try to bury the topic if it wasn't too much of a story.

 

"Ah, I just remembered that I forgot my textbook for today... Lend me yours?"

"Fuu... We're not in the same class, so that's impossible."

"Like Tasu-kun said! Suffer the wrath of our teacher!"

"Should I pull out that textbook from Ayane's desk before class? Hmm?"

"Don't do that, okay?!"

 

This was about where it ended.

By the way, Ayane's 'Tasu-kun' was a remnant of their awkward childhood days, and it was a dumb name no matter how many times I heard it, but it was a pretty cute nickname.

They had been calling me Hiro-kun ever since we met. She got Tasu-kun from Tasuku, so she called me Hiro from Yoshihiro. Rather than being disappointed by the difference between the nicknames for her childhood friend and best friend, I was inwardly delighted instead. This girl was specially addressing the other person, and then I couldn't really verbalize this? But something like a feeling of happiness welled up.

 

Tasuku called me Hiro as well, and Ayane her name. Rather, if Tasuku ever called me Hiropi from paropi[1] (outdated language), I would probably wet my pillow that night saying, 'Stained, huh. You, as well...'

No, wait. A handsome face calling me Hiropi. From a different perspective, wasn't it like some kind of gap? No, that wasn’t possible.

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Now then, it was time for, 'What were you talking about?'

 

"Reminds me, what were you talking about earlier?"

"After school yesterday, Tasu-kun and I were waiting for Hiro-kun, but you didn't show up, so we wondered what you were up to."

"We've been waiting for you. Did you have some kind of errand to do?"

 

Apparently, that was all that situation was about yesterday after school.

That sight I saw during my conversation with Takagaki was because they were waiting for me. As their best friend, I was touched to know that they did that for even though we hadn't really promised to meet or anything.

 

"Ah, that time. I was talking to Takagaki."

"Shiori-chan? Oh? Was it some love talk?"

"Ooh, I'm interested, too."

"...I was told to just accept it."

"What was the situation?"

"It's a se~cret."

 

I was too embarrassed to say that I talked about how I got to know them because of a romance manga.

Maybe Takagaki would tell Ayana. I had to give a bribe to shut her mouth later.

 

"Oh, right. While I was talking to Takagaki inside the classroom, I saw that you two were invited away, so maybe you didn't have any club that day?"

 

"Yesterday, our advisor was out with a cold. We practiced on our own, and after a while, we broke up."

"The art club didn't have any specific time set, either~. I wasn't in the mood yesterday, and my senpais were also done for the day! And so, I finished early and waited for everyone, you know? I tried to contact you, but you didn't read my messages."

"Oh sorry, I was already home by that time. Then, the text arrived while I was there."

 

Tasuku aside, I was glad to see that Ayana seemed to go at her own pace as usual.

I was in the go-home club, Tasuku in tennis club, and Ayane in art club. Unlike on our way to school, club activity hours were irregular, so most of the time, one usually waited for the others as we got off school. Tasuku and I tried to not let Ayane go home alone because we were thinking that something dangerous might happen along the way.

Basically, as a member of the go-home club, I usually was the one waiting for them, but sometimes, just like yesterday, I asked them to home ahead of me if I had something more to do at school.

 

Yesterday, they met up again after they went off, so I left alone, thinking that they would end up leaving together.

 

While having such conversations, we headed to school together. This was the kind of peaceful everyday life that had been continuing on since elementary school.

Meanwhile, I was excited about this daily life, which was about to change in the future.

 

"Wow, Hiro-kun is making a weird face again."

"What do you mean weird. Be a bit more subtle..."

"Pfft."

"Don't snort either, Tasuku. Huh? Was it really that weird?"

 

However.

Please forgive me for feeling anxious somewhere in my heart that this daily life that felt like soaking in lukewarm water was going to change.

 

⸻⸻⸻ (ﾉ*ФωФ)ﾉ ⸻⸻⸻ [1] Frequent visitor of nightclubs

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