Translator: RaidenTL
The next morning.
"Ah, shit…"
When I wiggled my toes, the space between my big toe and the next one stung.
Scowling, I looked at my phone.
[Matsuda-kun, what are you doing?]
A message from Miyuki.
Was this the first time she'd ever asked me what I was doing first?
My feet were sore from wearing geta for so long, but it had been a meaningful day. And now that I'd even gotten a message from her first, I decided to think of it as a scar of honor.
Rubbing my eyes, I tapped out a reply.
[Just woke up.]
[It's eleven now? What time did you go to bed yesterday?]
Her reply was incredibly fast.
Could I take this to mean she'd been waiting for my message?
I had a feeling today was going to be a good day.
[I fell asleep as soon as I got back and just woke up now. What about you?]
[I just got back from the hair salon with Tetsuya-kun.]
Goddammit. They went to a hair salon alone?
A good day, my ass. It was shaping up to be a gloomy one.
[Did you get a haircut?]
[I didn't, but Tetsuya-kun did. He cut it really short.]
[So that shaggy mop of his is finally gone?]
[Yeah. It looks really refreshing. But I think I liked Tetsuya-kun's old hair better. Want to see a picture?]
[Send it.]
A moment later, the photo from Miyuki arrived.
It was a picture of the two of them huddled close together, flashing V-signs.
The fact that Tetsuya's shitty head was touching the hair of a pure, smiling Miyuki was fucking annoying, but there was something funny about it.
Tetsuya's hairstyle was similar to mine.
It doesn't suit him at all.
Every head shape has a hairstyle that suits it, but Tetsuya hadn't considered that and just had the sides cut short like mine.
The sides of Tetsuya's head were a bit high, with a gentle curve.
As a result, his hair poofed up slightly on the sides like a mushroom cap.
Could it be that he felt some sort of jealousy toward me after yesterday's incident?
If so, Tetsuya had really shot himself in the foot.
He'd just gotten rid of one of his own defining features.
Chuckling to myself like a madman, I sent a message.
[It's not great. It might look decent if he flattens the sides and spikes up the front. Does Miura's place have any wax or anything?]
[I'm not sure, but probably not? Tetsuya isn't the type to care about his hairstyle… But is it really that bad? I thought it looked okay…]
[If it were really okay, you wouldn't have said you liked Miura's old hair better.]
[That's a good point. In that case, when we study next week, could you explain to Tetsuya-kun how to use wax and stuff?]
There was absolutely no reason for me to do that.
In any case, judging by Miyuki's reaction yesterday, I figured the two of us could at least have a meal together without any trouble now.
There was a high chance she'd agree, so it was worth a shot.
[I'll think about it. So what are you doing now?]
[I'm at home.]
[Any other plans?]
[Nope.]
[Have you showered?]
[Why on earth are you asking that? What are you imagining?]
So now she just reflexively assumes I'm thinking something perverted.
How sad. Even though she's right.
[Did you or didn't you? Just answer the question.]
[I did.]
[Why'd you have to go and do it already?]
[Because I just got back from being out?]
I ruffled my hair in frustration.
Why was I being such a wimp and testing the waters? Did I catch it from Tetsuya?
I should just stop this and ask her directly.
[Did you eat with Miura?]
[No, we parted ways without eating. I was about to eat at home now.]
[Don't. Come out and eat with me.]
[Now?]
[Yeah. Meet me at the station near that weird used bookstore.]
[Matsuda-kun, you can't just order me around like that. Shouldn't you ask what the other person wants first?]
[Let's eat. I'm hungry.]
[You have to ask nicely.]
[Food.]
[…Alright. I'll get ready and head out.]
After getting her message of consent, I clenched my fist.
Instead of being a coward and just watching from the sidelines, making the offer my way was the right move.
I shot up from my futon and ran to the bathroom.
"Matsuda-kun!"
Miyuki, waving brightly from a distance.
I sauntered over to her and grimaced at the long skirt she was wearing.
"You wear that skirt every day. Isn't it stuffy?"
"Nope. It's really comfortable."
When you start dating me, I'm going to make you wear miniskirts that show off your thighs and hot pants.
A tight-fitting t-shirt is a must, and I'll make her wear a black bra underneath so you can faintly see it through the fabric.
Then, while I watch Tetsuya get flustered by your new sexy look, I'll secretly grab your ass.
After that, we'll go to a love hotel, mock Tetsuya's reaction, and have some wild sex.
"How many of those do you have at home?"
"Five."
"That's a lot… Let's go. I'm starving to dea—I mean, I'm starving."
"What are we eating?"
"I was thinking ramen, but is there anything else you want?"
"No, I like ramen too. But Matsuda-kun, you're going to order vegetables on the side, right?"
"That's blasphemy against greasy food."
Miyuki shook her head as if she was fed up.
"Right… At least you're not eating soy sauce egg rice… I guess to you, even ramen is health food…"
Don't give up, Miyuki.
Pack me a lunch for my health.
Bickering like old friends, we headed to a ramen shop.
After we sat down and ordered, I watched Miyuki rest her chin on one hand, hold a straw to her philtrum, and pucker her lips.
She had a habit of doing that when she was deep in thought.
It seemed something was on her mind.
I wanted to say something, but I decided to just let her be.
As I was fiddling with my phone to pass the time, Miyuki poked my side of the table, and I looked up.
"What."
"Matsuda-kun, the fireworks yesterday were pretty, weren't they?"
Hearing her words, I cheered internally.
For her to ask the same question again… it meant she was conscious of what happened during the fireworks.
Just as I'd intended, she was confused about whether I'd called her pretty or the fireworks.
So that's what she was doing just now—replaying yesterday's events in her mind.
I shrugged and gave a simple answer.
"Yeah."
"What was the prettiest? The purple ones?"
The purple fireworks had gone off in the middle… in other words, right around the time I'd looked away from Miyuki, when they burst alongside the yellow ones.
And yet she specifically mentioned only the purple ones?
It could only mean she was testing me.
I'm not going to fall for your foxy little tricks.
I'll make my feelings clear right after I quit the club when the vacation ends.
This feeling, born from being together for fifteen years, is more than friendship but not quite love.
I'm not ready yet to tear down that sturdy tower you two have built in your hearts.
But I'll work hard during the summer vacation, so for now, just feel something for me that's a little confusing but subtly sweet.
It was a relief that I'd dropped into DokiAka in the early stages, before Miyuki and Tetsuya's relationship got even better.
If I had arrived a little later, I would've had a hell of a time since I wouldn't have been able to trigger the molester event, which is one of the most important ones.
Just imagining it is exhausting.
"Weren't they all pretty?"
"Yeah… they were all pretty."
"By the way, how could you two go to the hair salon without me?"
"Ah, sorry about that. I was going to call you, but… Tetsuya-kun said he had to eat out with his family…"
Was that true?
Or was it an excuse Tetsuya made to intentionally avoid me?
It was probably a bit of both.
Miyuki and Tetsuya knew each other's families well and lived in the same neighborhood.
The truth would come out as soon as Miyuki saw his family and asked if they had a nice dinner.
As dumb as Tetsuya was, he probably wouldn't tell a lie that could be exposed so easily.
Besides, I had already told Tetsuya we should go to the salon together.
The fact that he still went with just Miyuki today could be taken as a sign that he was wary of me.
It seemed Tetsuya was starting to feel the heat, but I wasn't worried at all.
The reason why became clear when I thought about DokiAka's ending.
I was so pissed off back then… but now that I'm here, I'm not pissed at all. In fact, I'm grateful for that situation.
"What are you thinking so hard about? Are you sulking?"
Miyuki's words snapped me back to reality, and I retorted.
"Do I look like the kind of guy who would do that?"
"Yeah. You can be a little childish, Matsuda-kun."
"Sounds like you're calling me immature in a roundabout way."
"One of your problems, Matsuda-kun, is that you're negative about everything."
Miyuki started teasing me with a beaming smile.
As the topic of the fireworks fizzled out, the strange atmosphere from a moment ago returned to normal.
After a delicious bowl of ramen, we didn't part ways at the subway. Instead, we walked toward Miyuki's neighborhood, talking the whole way.
My scraped feet stung, but I could endure anything for more time with Miyuki.
"What did you do on weekends before you met us, Matsuda-kun?"
On weekends, Matsuda Ken would visit a high-end soapland in Kabukicho.
He was a regular, and when he was too lazy to go, he'd call a deriheru, an outcall massage service.
No matter how flippant I acted, there was no way I could tell her that.
I'd just have to make something up.
"Drank with my friends… played some pool… stuff like that. Why are you digging up the past all of a sudden?"
"You and Tetsuya-kun lived in a different world from me. So I was curious."
Just like you said, I really did come from a different world.
"It was an embarrassing time, so you don't need to know the details."
"The fact that you realize that means you've already matured."
If you keep giving me carrots like this, I'm just going to get arrogant, you know? You should use the stick sometimes, too.
I let out a dry cough, pretending to be awkward with the compliment, and changed the subject.
"The weather's nice today, isn't it?"
"Yeah. The breeze is cool, and the sky is pretty."
"Want to take a picture together?"
"A picture? Sure."
Miyuki readily accepted my suggestion and took her phone out of her crossbody bag.
I didn't like the cute character keychain dangling from the corner.
It would have been perfect if it were my initials, a caricature of me, or an SD drawing.
Miyuki looked around and soon found a spot with a good view, then gestured for me to hurry over.
I moved closer to her and stood side-by-side. As soon as she opened the camera app, I composed my expression.
Unlike the mischievous or delinquent look I'd shown her until now, this was a serious face with a faint smile and slightly intense eyes.
I also made sure to recall the photos Miyuki and Tetsuya had taken together and frame the shot in a similar way.
Then, on the phone screen, I saw Miyuki's pupils shift toward me.
This is the first time you've seen me make this face, right? It must be a fresh look.
"Should we get closer? The side of my face is getting cut off."
At my nonchalant question, Miyuki, who had been lost in thought, stammered a reply.
"Huh? Oh… yeah… want to move a little closer?"
I moved in so close that the sides of our heads were touching.
This seemed about the same as the composition in her photos with Tetsuya.
I hoped that when Miyuki got home, she would compare the picture we took today with the ones she took with him.
Being this close, the scent of Miyuki's shampoo was strong in my nose.
Later, we'll have to share not just shampoo, but body wash too.
It was a shame we'd found such a good photo spot, because our faces were the only things in the frame.
Despite that, Miyuki didn't say a word.
She just straightened her clothes and managed her expression.
After a quick glance at me, Miyuki said.
"Okay… I'm taking it."
"Tage i' gwickly…"
Finding my muffled speech funny as I tried to smile, Miyuki let out a small laugh.
Then, seeing my expression start to crumble, she quickly put on a bright face and placed her finger on the shutter button.
Click-!
And just like that, at the very moment the strange atmosphere from the ramen shop returned, we took our monumental first selfie.