[Warning 15+]
Part One~She Only Acts Like Her Old Self When She's with Me... Wait, Hold Up!~Chapter 19An Only Child
Over at the Kirishimas' dining table, Haruki was absolutely inhaling that ratatouille pasta.
"Ugh, this is so good! It's so good it actually pisses me off! Especially since it's just Hayato's cooking!"
"Right? Big Bro is such a pro in the kitchen that my own cooking skills are basically non-existent."
"I totally feel you!"
"Don't give her backup, Haruki. And Himeko, you still need to learn how to cook."
After finding out Haruki was just at the store to grab a cheap bento, Himeko had basically dragged her home for dinner.
Honestly, after making such a huge scene screaming in front of the convenience store, they just couldn't stand being there any longer out of pure embarrassment.
Even though Haruki kept talking smack, seeing her enjoy the food so much brought a small smirk to Hayato's face.
"That was amazing, thanks for the meal! I even went for seconds! If I get fat, I'm totally blaming you, Hayato!"
"Big Bro's cooking is great and all, but he always makes stuff that makes you want to keep eating… …He's basically the enemy of all women."
"Yep, enemy of women everywhere."
"Right?"
"Totally."
"Wait, what…?"
Haruki and Himeko were nodding in total sync.
The nerves and that polite "stranger" act from earlier were long gone. Even though it'd been forever, they were chatting it up like they'd never been apart—just like the old friends they were.
At the end of the day, Himeko and Haruki were some of the few kids their age back in Tsukinose, and they'd spent half their childhoods chasing after Hayato.
That bond was still very much alive between them, even after seven years and hundreds of miles. Realizing that brought a natural smile to all three of their faces, just like back in the day.
"Seriously though, Haru-chan, you turned into a total beauty. I didn't even recognize you at first—I was shook!"
"Ahaha, my 'camouflage' is pretty top-tier, right?"
"Yeah, I totally fell for it! I mean, I legit thought you were a boy back then. Even Big Bro said you haven't changed—actually, he said you just powered up from a monkey to a gorilla."
"Grr~, Hayato~!?"
"Whoops, look at the time, I gotta do the dishes."
"You owe me one for that!"
Caught in Haruki's death stare, Hayato felt a chill run down his spine and scrambled into the kitchen.
Hayato'd been trying to play it cool, but just like Himeko, he had been 100% convinced Haruki was a boy. Feeling pretty awkward about it, he started washing the dishes to hide his face. Haruki and Himeko looked at each other and cracked up at his retreating back.
"…Yeah."
"What's up, Hime-chan?"
"It's just like Big Bro said—Haru-chan is just Haru-chan. I don't know, it's hard to put into words."
"Aha, what's that supposed to mean? But whoa, so Hayato said that too…"
"Oh, hey! Haru-chan, let's trade IDs! Unlike Big Bro over there, I actually have a smartphone. Totally unlike him."
"Oh, yeah! Let's do it! Seriously, Hayato's the only weirdo without a smartphone."
"I mean, Big Bro has always been like this―"
"Totally, Hayato is just―"
Haruki and Himeko. Two childhood friends reunited, bonding over the one thing they had in common—trash-talking Hayato.
From the countryside to the city, the gap in their memories, and those seven long years apart—they had enough stories to last a lifetime.
Time flies when you're having fun, and the night deepened as their laughter filled the room.
"Ugh, I should probably get going soon… …oh, by the way, where are Uncle and Auntie?"
"Mm, looks like they're working late again today."
"Gotcha. Well, thanks for having me over."
"Sure thing! Text me later, Haru-chan!"
It was just past 9:00 PM, and Haruki stood up, figuring she'd probably overstayed her welcome.
Haruki wasn't the only one feeling a bit sad to say goodbye; Himeko felt it too—and apparently, so did Hayato.
"―I'll walk you home."
"Haya... ...to?"
The sudden offer caught Haruki—and even Hayato himself—completely off guard.
Hayato had no idea why he'd even said it in the first place. The two of them just stood there looking at each other with blank, stupid expressions, but Himeko, on the other hand, was looking pretty impressed.
"You're right, Big Bro, you better walk Haru-chan all the way home, okay? I mean, Haru-chan is way too pretty to be out alone."
"Wha—?! U-Um, no, it's fine, really! Look, it's so close I could just run there in a sec, so I'm totally good!"
"Eh, well, the thing is… …yeah, this is it! This is the perfect chance to make you owe me one."
"Hey, Hayato!"
Tossing out that lame excuse, Hayato scrambled out the door on his own. Haruki chased after him, and they both left the Kirishima Residence behind.
"Seriously, forcing me to owe you like that, honestly!"
Haruki kept grumbling, but she actually looked pretty happy about it.
◇◇◇
Unlike the busy road leading to the convenience store, the residential area where Haruki lived had hardly any people or cars passing through. Instead, the warm glow from the windows of the lined-up houses spilled onto the street, a sign of families spending time together. It was definitely that time of night when everyone gathers around.
Hayato and Haruki walked side by side down the quiet street.
Both of them felt a bit strange about the vibe. But it wasn't a bad feeling at all.
"Hey, by the way."
"Yeah?"
"Hime-chan really grew up to be a cutie, didn't she?"
"Eh, you think so? I don't really see it, honestly."
"Must be nice. I wish I'd had a little sis or little bro like you did."
"It's not all it's cracked up to be, you know? Himeko's always oversleeping so I have to wake her up, she's got a huge attitude, she's selfish, and she totally hogs the TV in the living room."
"Ahaha, I can totally see that. That is so Hime-chan."
"Right?"
"But still― ―oh, we're here."
"Yeah."
Haruki's house, a place Hayato had visited a few times now, was just your typical, everyday home.
But just because the lights weren't on, it somehow looked... ...off to Hayato. Distorted, almost.
"Hayato, you've got Hime-chan, and she's got you... ...I'm a little jealous, actually."
"Haruki…?"
As she said that, Haruki pulled her keys out of her pocket with a look that seemed totally unfazed, and then she just let herself be swallowed up by the darkness inside.
"Since, you know... ...I'm an only child."
Haruki looked back at Hayato with a smile that carried a hint of loneliness.
Hayato wanted to say something—anything—but the right words just wouldn't come out.
"Goodnight, Hayato. See you soon...!"
"Oh, yeah. See you later, Haruki."
Haruki put extra emphasis on the "See you soon" part as she closed the door behind her.
Hayato was left with this lingering, unsettled feeling in his gut.
Hayato took the hand he'd just raised for a goodbye wave and used it to scratch his head in frustration.
Author's Notes:
It's been a week since I first started posting this story.
And man, what a wild week it's been—hitting the daily charts for the first time, seeing view counts and bookmarks like I've never seen before... ...so much has happened.
Thanks for the support, and I hope you guys stick around!
For those of you who've already bookmarked and dropped a 5-star ★★★★★ rating, go ahead and let out a "Meow" in the comments!
Meow makes everything meow! Meow!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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