A Case in Which My House Is a Gathering Place for Girls

As soon as I got home, I fell on the bed. In that instant, a wave of drowsiness and exhaustion washed over me like a tsunami.

I took a night bus back to my parents’ house, and from there I was working without getting enough sleep until the day of the bazaar. Even the worst black company would be ashamed of such working conditions and report it to the labor standards office. It is no wonder Wada was shocked.

The reason I did that is not just to make the goods on time. Rather, it was possible within the bounds of a regular life. But the reason why I whipped my body and pushed it too hard. The reason was─

“Are you all right, Jinpei-kun?”

“Are you alive, Itsuki?”

“Wake up, Itsuki. If you fall asleep now, you’ll die.”

Kanna, Asakura, and Sasazuki rushed into the room with the clattering sound of the door opening. It hasn’t been half an hour since I left the classroom.

“Why do you all look so frantic? Is the party over already?”

“No, I think everyone is moving to karaoke and having a second party by now. But that’s not important! It’s Jinpei-kun’s physical condition that matters!”

“We were going to go to the second party, but I heard from Wada that Itsuki had left first. So we got worried and came back instead.”

This is my house, not yours—was what I wanted to say, but instead, I just let out a wry smile.

“Did you think we didn’t realize that Itsuki was working on him that night?”

“Really… did you all notice?”

I thought it was something that they didn’t find out because they never woke up.

“The warmth of Itsuki that was supposed to be sleeping next to me suddenly disappeared, and there is no one among us who doesn’t notice.”

“Why did you push yourself too hard…?”

Kanna said with a look of sadness and apology. Asakura is even angry at Sasazuki. But it’s all a misunderstanding. I whipped my heavy body, lifted it up, and dropped out of bed while patting my childhood friend gently on the head.

“No one is to blame for this. I’m sure I’ve pushed myself a little too hard. So I’m sorry for worrying you all. But I really wanted to make this by myself for everyone.”

As I spoke, I took out the things I had hidden in my desk drawer. This is the very cause of my lack of sleep, and I wanted to make it in time by today.

“I wanted to give this to you all. I’d appreciate it if you could accept it.”

For Kanna, there is a pink cherry blossom color. Asakura is blue in the clear sky and yellow in the stars shining in the night sky for Sasazuki. I handed over a wooden box with ribbons of color that matched the atmosphere of the three of them.

“This is so pretty… Did Jinpei-kun make it?”

Kanna immediately opened the box and asked with admiration. What I gave her was an earring carved in the shape of a feather with white deer horns.

“It’s very different from what was sold at the bazaar…”

“This is just one piece. Are you sure we can accept something so precious?”

Asakura and Sasazuki, who also opened the box, looked as confused as joy. I prepared a flower-like bracelet for Asakura and a star-inspired pendant for Sasazuki.

“Of course. I dug out the whiteest part of the corner, but it’s my first time making it, so it might be a little rough, but please forgive that.”

All three of them had already achieved success at a young age, but that only meant they would face even more challenges in the future. So I wanted to call good fortune and give it as a charm to ward off evil spirits. And I wanted to express my gratitude.

“When I came here alone, I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in. But thanks to Kanna, Asakura, and Sasazuki, I didn’t feel lonely every day, and it was fun every day. This is my way of saying thank you.”

I bowed as I said thank you to them.

“No, it’s not. You’re wrong, Jinpei-kun. I have received a lot of things from you. I am who I am today because of you.”

“Kanna is right. I’m always grateful to Itsuki. Thanks to your daily physical care, I can always practice in perfect condition.”

“If Itsuki hadn’t found me, I’d still be completely alone. I could never thank you enough.”

“Thank you for understanding us.”

Their eyes are filled with tears when they say it with a smile in unison.

“Then, Jinpei-kun. Will you wear these earrings for me?”

Kanna begs me with an upward glance while keeping her body in close contact. I couldn’t help but hear a silent scream coming out of my mouth.

Asakura and Sasazuki immediately grabbed Kanna by the collar and pulled her off as I was left flustered and unsure how to respond.

“No sneaky moves, Kanna.”

“We should decide this fairly with rock-paper-scissors.”

“…So it’s already decided that I’ll be putting the accessories on all three of you?”

As usual, the three of them launched into a heated, yet lively, battle over the order, turning the room into a cheerful commotion.

At first, I had thought they were just being noisy, treating my place like their personal hangout. But now, for some reason, this atmosphere felt incredibly comforting. No, more than that. It had become something I couldn’t imagine living without.

“Thank you, everyone.”

I silently wished for these days to last as long as possible.

I found myself praying for just that as I watched over their fierce yet playful contest.