[Warning 15+]
Author's Notes:
July 4th, Year 2 of Reiwa (2020), 8:30 PM
Bonus Story added
Part One~She Only Acts Like Her Old Self When She's with Me... Wait, Hold Up!~Chapter 33Even So
"What the heck is this?!"
"Right? Pretty sick, huh?"
Celery Karaoke. The place Haruki dragged him to was so far removed from Hayato's idea of a karaoke joint that he couldn't even process it.
The lobby looked like some tropical resort, and the room they got was a shoes-off, floor-style spot decked out with cushions. Honestly, it felt more like a private party room.
Hayato could only stare in shock as his preconceived notions were totally blown to bits.
By the way, to Hayato, "karaoke" meant old folks having a blast at a banquet in the Tsukinose Community Center. Or maybe something people did on a tour bus.
"I'm starving, but I'm also kinda beat."
"Whoa, hey!"
Haruki kicked off her mule sandals like they were nothing, did a straight-up belly flop into the room, and started messin' with the tablet while lying facedown.
Haruki was so relaxed you'd think she was at home alone, and obviously, her "girly" defense was at zero. Since her skirt was shorter than her usual uniform, that non-sexy scrap of fabric (boxer shorts) coverin' her movin' thighs was in full view.
Haruki looked like a total refined beauty. And yet, for some reason, all Hayato could manage was a weary, headache-induced sigh.
Wordlessly, Hayato reached down and fixed the hem of Haruki's upturned skirt.
"Oops, my bad for the eyesore... ...well, actually, it's just the backlash from me being so on edge trying not to flash anyone earlier. Tee-hee!"
"…I saw everything, you know. Good grief."
"Consider it a bonus for you then, right? Oh, wait—did your heart just skip a beat?"
"I'm only rattled 'cause I realized I'm lookin' at you the exact same way I look at Himeko."
"Mmmm~~, and what the heck is that supposed to mean?! Huh?! FYI—even though I hate to toot my own horn—I'm actually pretty popular, you know?"
"Hey! Cut it out!"
Something in Haruki's competitive streak just snapped. Putting her usual mischievous grin, she undid the left strap of her summer dress. Then, striking a seductive pose that played up her chest, she pressed her body against Hayato in a total tease.
"So, how's this, Hayato?"
"Haru... ...ki...!"
Hayato couldn't help but gulp hard.
It was a powerhouse performance, done by someone who knew exactly how much charm Haruki was packing.
It had enough raw power to strip away the "bestie filter" Hayato had been clingin' to until a second ago.
And yet, in Haruki's eyes as they locked gazes, there was this look of pure, wicked fun. Because Hayato could tell she was just messin' with him, a look of frustration washed over Hayato's face. Seeing that she'd won, Haruki started getting even more carried away.
The only thing that broke this pointless cycle was an interruption from a third party.
"Excuse me! Here's your Ripe Banana Maple Syrup Pudding Honey Toast."
"Pya-ha!"
"Gah!"
The server just barged right in. She was a young woman, probably a college student.
The second they noticed her, Hayato and Haruki practically bounced off each other to get some distance, and for some weird reason, they both ended up sitting in formal seiza style.
Both their faces were beet red and they were breakin' out in a cold sweat. They were just prayin' she'd leave as fast as possible.
"Here are your small plates… …will that be all for now?"
"Y-Yeppers!"
"U-Huh!"
Not giving a d*mn about the chaos inside Hayato and Haruki's heads, the server finished her job with a professional smile. But, before headin' out, she made sure to lay down the law.
"Ahem. This isn't that kind of establishment, so please keep it PG, okay?"
"What?!"
"Mya?!"
And then, the door clicked shut.
That server definitely had her eyes glued to Haruki's undone shoulder strap.
To them, it was just playin' around, but to anyone else, there was zero way to explain their way out of that situation.
"I-I didn't mean to be so... ...so indecent—"
"Wait, chill out. Though, yeah... ...there's no denying this looks pretty bad."
"Mya!!"
"Hey, take it easy!"
Unable to handle the sheer embarrassment, Haruki went into full-on attack mode on that giant honey toast.
It was a whole loaf of bread, drowned in an insane amount of butter and maple syrup, then topped with ripe bananas, pudding, colorful scoops of ice cream, and a mountain of whipped cream—a literal brick of sugar. It was a massive pile of fats and carbs where you definitely shouldn't think about the calories or the aftermath.
Haruki started shoveling it into her mouth without even lookin' up.
"Aw, man, screw it, me too!"
"Mmph, mmmph~~!"
Not wanting to be outdone, Hayato skipped the small plates and dove straight into the main loaf.
Two childhood friends with beet-red faces, aggressively stuffing their faces with sweets just to hide how mortified they were.
They both caught a glimpse of each other lookin' like total messes.
"…Hehe."
"…Pffft."
"The heck are we even doing?"
"Seriously, we're such idiots."
"Haha!"
"Ahaha!"
For some reason, the whole thing was just freakin' hilarious.
Before they knew it, they were looking at each other and laughin' their heads off, just like they used to when they were little.
◇◇◇
An hour later, with their stomachs totally stuffed, Hayato and Haruki ended up leavin' the place without singing even one song, mostly because the vibe had gotten so weird for a bit.
Right in front of Hayato, Haruki was stretchin' her arms out with a long "Mmm~~!".
It felt like the air between them had been reset, and it gave him a total sense of deja vu.
(Come to think of it, back in the day, even if we got into a fight, we'd be hangin' out the next day like it never even happened.)
Rememberin' that just proved that their relationship hadn't changed a bit, and Hayato couldn't help but let out another little chuckle.
"Huh? What's up?"
"Nah, just thinkin'... ...it was our first time at a karaoke place, yet we didn't sing a single song."
"Oh, you're right. We literally just went there for lunch."
"Haha, well, let's just save it for next time."
"…Oh. Yeah, totally! Next time for sure!"
Haruki blinked a couple of times, a happy look spreadin' across her face.
Then, after starin' at Hayato's face for what felt like forever, she tilted her head to the side.
Even if it was just Haruki, Hayato started feelin' a bit self-conscious gettin' stared down that hard. He knit his brows and looked right back at her.
"What?"
"Hayato, you're... ...definitely a boy, right?"
"Huh? Where the heck did that come from?"
"It's just that earlier, we were kinda... well! But! You're you and I'm me... ...and I just wondered what we actually are to each other."
"…That's a tough one."
"Yeah, it really is."
Both of them tilted their heads in unison.
Haruki had a point, though.
Come to think of it, it was a pretty weird relationship.
Height, physique, the size of their hands... ...so much had changed since they were kids, and it was a lot to wrap their heads around.
But, just like the vibe they were feeling right now.
No matter what, they were constantly reminded that the foundation of their relationship was built on everything they'd been through together.
That's why for Hayato and Haruki, they were still just "Hayato" and "Haruki".
"Even so, we're still just us, right?""We are who we are, huh?"
As they traded those words, they shared a bit of a troubled laugh. Without even thinkin' about it, Hayato reached out and took Haruki's hand, just like he always used to.
It was a total reflex.
A habit so deeply ingrained Hayato didn't even notice he was doing it.
Haruki gave a tiny flinch at the touch, and that's when it finally clicked for Hayato that he was holdin' her hand.
When they were kids, it was whatever, but when a boy and a girl their age hold hands for no particular reason, it starts carrying some serious weight.
"…Oh."
"…Mnh."
Hayato realized what was happenin' and tried to pull away, but Haruki did the opposite—she squeezed his hand tight. Hayato was thrown for a loop, but he could feel the message through her firm grip: It's okay to stay like this.
You sure? Hayato glanced at Haruki's profile to check, and man, not just her face, but even her ears and neck were beet-red as she gave a tiny nod. Still looking away and refusing to make eye contact, she grumbled under her breath in a sulky voice.
"Seriously, since we were kids, I've always been the one getting dragged around by you, Hayato."
"Huh? If anything, I'm the one who gets dragged around by you. Like, literally."
"Ugh, whatever! Look, there's a crowd over there. Let’s go check it out!"
"Hey, wait up!"
Saying that, Haruki started tuggin' Hayato along toward the crowd.
(See? I'm totally the one gettin' dragged around here, aren't I?)
Hayato thought to himself as he let Haruki lead him by the hand.
Hayato figured this was just how it's always been—a testament to their unchanging bond.
It felt like they were finally reeling back in something they'd let go of once, slowly closing the gap on that empty void that had kept them apart for so long.
"…Wait, what?"
"Haruki?"
A massive crowd had formed. Everyone's eyes were glued to whatever was happenin' up front.
The moment she saw who was standin' there, Haruki's face went so pale it was almost pitiful; She just froze on the spot.
Nothing stays the same forever—that was something Hayato and Haruki knew all too well.
Up in the city sky, just like back in the countryside, the clouds just kept driftin' away.
Bonus
"Hayato, they said you can actually rent cosplay outfits here… …Whaddya think?"
"Wait, chill out! I'm not wearin' that! And stop chantin' 'Nurse' over and over again!"
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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