After I Started Living Alone, My Place Turned Into a Hangout Spot for Beautiful Girls

Chapter 18: Thaw (Part 2)

After finishing the cleanup from the takoyaki party, I decided to walk Sakuya to the station.

As we walked together, maybe because we’d apologized for unfairly resenting each other, our conversation flowed more than usual.

“When I found out you borrowed money from Shizuru instead of me when you were broke, I was surprisingly hurt… I wondered if you really hated me that much, Teruaki.”

“It’s not that I didn’t borrow from you because I hated you. I was just scared you’d snitch…”

“You don’t have to make excuses, it’s fine.”

“…Honestly, borrowing from you felt annoying and I didn’t want to.”

“Right. It’s weird to say, but that kinda stung. I thought of you like a little brother and tried to look out for you, but to think you relied on a mere classmate friend instead of someone like a big sister… it left me feeling all sorts of conflicted.”

She’d been looking out for me like a big sister.

But not being asked for help when I was broke must have hit Sakuya harder than expected.

“…Well, lately I really did dislike you. Whenever I made a small mistake, you’d immediately call me ‘slowpoke,’ ‘trash,’ or ‘idiot,’ didn’t you?”

“Yeah, looking back, that wasn’t great. Saying stuff like, ‘I’m embarrassed to be cousins with trash who can’t even do something as simple as bringing gym clothes, something even an elementary schooler could do,’ was definitely too much.”

“Well, I was wrong for making excuses instead of apologizing right away when I messed up. That probably made your tone get harsher over time.”

We both acknowledged our mistakes.

It was kind of embarrassing, and I couldn’t stop feeling fidgety.

To shake it off, I changed the subject completely.

“S-so, by the way, I’m going to the pool with Shizuru, and of course you’re coming too, right, Sakuya?”

“…You really don’t like Shizuru yet, do you?”

“Huh?”

“If you liked her, you wouldn’t invite me. You’d want to go just the two of you, right?”

“That’s true.”

As we were talking, my phone pinged with a notification.

Using my phone while walking isn’t great, but I had a feeling it was a message from Shizuru, so I checked.

Yup, as expected.

I told Sakuya, who was looking at me as if to say, Using your phone while walking is bad manners.

“Shizuru says she got home safely.”

“Oh, right, I asked her to let us know when she got home because I was worried.”

“Yeah, it’d be bad if something happened.”

“It’s been kind of dangerous lately… I saw on the news about women being attacked randomly.”

“Right, I saw that too, so I told her to let us know. So, what should I reply to Shizuru’s message about getting home safely?”

I was struggling with how to reply to Shizuru’s message about arriving home.

Sakuya, with a mischievous grin, snatched my phone.

“Hey, don’t send anything weird!”

Sakuya typed a reply to Shizuru.

‘Glad you got home safely.’

Okay, that’s normal.

I reached out to take my phone back, but Sakuya wouldn’t give it to me.

“There’s more, so wait.”

Sakuya said this and typed another message.

‘You were so cute today, Shizuru, it made my heart race. I might just fall for you. Good night! I had so much fun today!!!’

Hey, don’t send something that sounds like I’m flirting!

She’ll think I’m seriously into her.

“Cut that out… Now Shizuru’s gonna tease me like, ‘Does Teruaki-kun like me or something?’”

I grabbed my phone back from Sakuya.

As I tried to cancel the message, it was already too late—Shizuru had replied.

‘Hehe, go ahead and fall for me if you want!’

Shizuru’s reply was bold, as if daring me to try and win her over.

Her audacity made my heart skip a beat.

I couldn’t stop grinning because she was just so cute…

“…Ow, ow, ow! Why’d you pinch my side?”

Sakuya had pinched my side.

“Because it pissed me off.”

“I see. You’re jealous because I’m swooning over Shizuru, huh?”

I meant it as a light joke.

But Sakuya muttered under her breath, almost like a lovesick girl.

“…Yeah.”

Her cryptic comment made my heart race, and I froze on the spot.

Then Sakuya snorted and laughed at me.

“Hehe, I’m obviously kidding. Why would I be jealous just because you’re getting along with another girl?”

R-right, no way she’d be jealous, right?

I wanted to believe that, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Because the look on Sakuya’s face when she muttered that—

No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like she was jealous.

—

Chapter 19: Sprout (Part 1)

I took a shower and felt refreshed.

It was a bit early, but I thought I might just go to bed…

I turned off the living room lights and headed to my room.

“Shizuru and Sakuya were changing…”

The thought of cute girls changing in my room stirred up all sorts of feelings.

I was already feeling restless enough when…

‘Look, look! Isn’t this super cute?’

Along with the message, Shizuru sent a photo of herself in a swimsuit.

Getting a photo of a girl in a swimsuit is way too much for a high school guy to handle.

“…This is bad. I might actually end up liking her…”

I kept saying I didn’t like her yet, but I might be on the verge of falling for her.

No, no, I’m not that easy, am I?

Before I knew it, I was sending Shizuru a weird message in a strange burst of excitement.

‘Should I send you a picture of me in my swimsuit too?’

…Yeah, that’s too much.

I was about to cancel the message when Shizuru called me.

‘I wanna see!!!!’

Her energetic voice at this hour startled me.

She’s got a bit of a naughty side, doesn’t she? I replied with a wry smile.

“Just kidding.”

But Shizuru wasn’t giving up.

‘I WANNA SEE!!!!!’

I could feel her unyielding determination to see it.

“We’re going to the pool anyway, so why not save it for then?”

It’s not like there won’t be a chance to see me in my swimsuit, and it’d be a waste to show it now.

That seemed to convince her.

‘…That’s true.’

“You’re really curious about guys’ bodies, huh, Shizuru?”

‘Well, yeah. I joined the track team just to see guys’ muscles!’

“Seriously?”

‘Hahaha, just kidding! Gotcha!’

Shizuru laughed at me over the phone.

She’s got such a great personality.

I always end up getting teased, and it feels like I’m losing, so I decided to turn the tables.

“I had a lot of fun hanging out with you today, Shizuru. Well, um…”

I spoke hesitantly, with a hint of something serious, as if I was about to say something important.

“Uh, what’s up?”

“There’s something I want to ask you, Shizuru. Is that okay?”

“U-um, yeah.”

My voice was a bit lower and carried a different vibe than usual.

Shizuru must have sensed something unusual, as her voice trembled slightly.

Feeling smug, I said to the wary Shizuru,

“What if, just hypothetically, I said I… really liked you, Shizuru? What would you do?”

I ended up saying it more seriously than I meant to.

Before I could admit it was a joke, Shizuru responded.

‘Hmm, sorry, I don’t think I can right now. It’s not that I dislike you, Teruaki-kun, really. It’s just, when it comes to dating, it feels a bit too soon, or maybe not quite right yet.’

She answered so earnestly.

Feeling bad, I immediately apologized.

“It’s just… you tease me all the time, so I thought I’d tease you back…”

‘Ugh, that’s mean! I answered all seriously, and now I feel like an idiot!’

“Sorry, really.”

‘No, it’s fine. I tease you all the time, so I don’t mind.’

The mood got a bit awkward…

As I started to regret it, Shizuru teased me again.

‘Oh, I’ll let you in on something good. I can only see you as a friend for now, but… you’re definitely the guy friend I’m closest to!’

So, I’m the one with the best shot right now, huh?

Saying stuff that gets my hopes up like that is so unfair.

“By the way, what kind of guy do you like, Shizuru?”

I didn’t know anything about it.

Curious, I asked what kind of guy Shizuru likes, and she answered softly, sounding a bit shy.

‘…Someone who listens to me, I guess.’

Shizuru loves to talk.

So, she wants a guy who’ll listen without getting annoyed.

Which means…

“Me?”

I threw in a joke to make her laugh.

And, well, it worked.

‘Hahaha! Yeah, that’s true!’

“Anything else?”

‘Hmm, maybe someone who, like, does what I ask?’

“That’s me too. I mean, today I wore a boomerang-shaped competitive swimsuit just for you. …Does this mean it’s time to seriously try winning you over!?’

I figured she’d just say, ‘Go for it, like always.’

But there was no response from Shizuru.

‘…’

No sound came from the phone during the call.

Thinking the call might have dropped, I called out to her.

“Hey, you okay?”

‘Oh, yeah!’

“You went quiet all of a sudden. Something up?”

I asked casually.

In a slightly embarrassed tone, Shizuru muttered softly.

‘Ehehe, I was just thinking… maybe Teruaki-kun’s kinda a catch?’

Man, Shizuru’s so unfair.