It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~

We’re in the Same Boat

“You seem more energetic than I thought though.”

Naoto mattered while still massaging Natsuki’s feet.

“Sorry. I’m noisy, aren’t I?”

Natsuki apologized in a panic.

“Don’t be, when you laughed like that all of my nervousness disappeared. I’m relieved.”

“Somehow, Morita-kun is too kind lately. I fear I might indulge myself and selfishly order you around.”

“I, I haven’t even once thought of Oshida-san as a selfish person, though.”

“Morita-kun always say that even in the past, though I must admit, I’m in a bind right now so I’ll really count on your help, okay? I’ll be in my most selfish for the first time in my life, you know?”

“Rather, it would better if you become selfish especially now. Not only me, even Oshida-san’s mother will gladly do whatever you ask., I think.

I’m happy that you asked me to massage you, so your mother will surely be happy if you ask something of her too.

That’s right. How about, next time you want to go to the restroom during break and can’t, just send a mail to your mom for help, then your mom will call your phone? Then you just tell your friends ‘Sorry, my mom is calling’ then you can naturally make your way out of the classroom and your mom will be happy to hear your energetic voice too.”

“Well, that is good for me. But what if my mom is sleeping when I call her, wouldn’t that be too hard on my mom?”

“Then, you can just save our home’s phone number on your contacts as your mom. You can ask my mom if you want, she absolutely doesn’t sleep in the afternoon. At any rate, Oshida-san, you have lots of people you can rely on. Don’t think of it as being selfish, and ask anything of us.”

“Un, Okay. I will ask for anything. Especially to Morita-kun.”

“I think I’m the most useless though. Will I be able to do something?”

“Yes, you can. You’re even giving me a massage.”

“Even with this message, my arm is already………will I be able to massage you well next time?”

“Oh, if you’re already tired, you can take a rest. I’m sorry.”

“Haa, wait…….no, It’s not Oshida-san’s fault……. To put it simply, I was too happy that I’m being useful…… that I got too ahead of myself.”

Naoto made an embarrassed smile while breathing heavily.

“Really now, to think I’m severely lacking in body strength, let alone arm strength. Even just that much massaging took all that I have, embarrassing, isn’t it?”

“Morita-kun, you’re trying hard too much. Normally, Morita-kun has weaker constitution than me, so if you will just overdo it, I won’t let you massage me anymore, got it?”

After saying that, Natsuki lightly kicked Naoto’s arm and smiled.

“Sorry. Next time I’ll make proper time to take a break.”

“……you know, what we’re doing right now is kinda the opposite, right?”

“Of what?”

“As I was saying, I came here originally to politely ask for a massage, that’s why Morita-kun had no choice but to massage me, right?

But ever since I came into your room, I’ve been acting more and more self-important, aren’t I?”

Natsuki looked at Naoto with an uneasy face.

“……Is that really it?

I’m not someone who can just go and do something for Oshida-san by my own will, you knew that too, so maybe that’s the reason you came and let me massage your feet.

If I’m someone who can say ‘Come to my room after school, I’m going to massage you’ by my own initiative, Oshida-san will not have to say these things.

It’s because it is me, that you have to go out of your way to politely ask me. That’s Oshida-san’s kindness, so for me, there’s no way to call that being self-important. So maybe for me, it just looks like you were telling what to do to me who struggles to understand properly.”

Naoto said slowly like his making sure of his own feelings.

“……Is that so?”

“It is. Even me, if a guy who is my friend just suddenly came into my room and told me something like ‘I’m feeling ill, so massage my shoulders’, I’ll just think ‘who does this guy thinks he is?’ But Oshida-san didn’t ask me like that, you asked for me sincerely and so there’s nothing I can feel but happiness.

So, I think It’s just like our relationship past. Oshida-san would come in and drag me all places……”

“……. Morita-kun, what kind of image do you have of my past self?”

“Very kind and energetic, you’re always doing anything for me, you’re always playing with me, whenever I did something bad you will scold me, but once I show remorse you were also quick to forgive me.

Also, I can only say this to Oshida-san right now since you grew up to be a well-mannered lady, but in the past, you don’t seem to notice whenever I take a peek at your panties, so I just ended up peeking to my heart’s content, it was very thrilling.”

“I’ve always noticed it.”

“Is that so?”

“The way you were peeking at it, I mostly always noticed it. Most of the time the way you do it was more than just peeking.

You would pretend to drop a screw under the kotatsu, then while holding a flashlight, you will go inside and not come out at all, it was so obvious it felt so awkward. For the most part, I could feel your breath on my thighs! You were too close!”

“Eeeeh?! I have thought of that plan during first period Math class, I even wrote it in my notebook so I won’t forget it. After class that day I ran fast so that I will arrive home before you, and while drenched in sweat loosen one of the screws of the kotatsu as preparation. I was so confident that I will not be caught with all those preparations, you know?

That I was caught even after carefully formulating that peeking plan, I’m in a bit of a shock.”

“There’s no way you will not get caught. Moreover, when you came out of the kotatsu you were grinning from ear to ear. It was so awkward.”

“But that was my first-time seeing polka dot ones, that was a very cute choice.”

“Stop screwing around and forget the polka dots!”

“But I doubt I’ll be able to forget it for the rest of my life.”

“Morita-kun, don’t tell me even now as a high schooler, you’re still peeking at people’s skirts.”

“Of course not! Even in the past I don’t do it outside the apartment, and I don’t peek at other people’s skirts either. My peeking is exclusive to Oshida-san, and exclusive to either of our homes. I’m just a timid person, you know.”

“Yeah, right! You’re such a timid person you kept repeating it.

I don’t know if it was the feeling of guilt possessing you, but whenever you look at my panties you treat me with kindness for a while. Whenever you do that, even if I did not notice beforehand, it indirectly told me you looked into my skirt. Like that time when you intentionally dropped your chopsticks.

———–Aah! So that means even now, whenever you treat me kindly it meant you looked at my panties?”

“Th, that’s not true! I’m not looking at it. I’m even making sure not to look, so I’m not looking!”

“Really? I’m not going to me mad so just tell me the truth.”

“No, it would be cowardly of me to take advantage of Oshida-san’s health condition and look under your skirt. I don’t want to do that.”

“Isn’t it also cowardly to go under the kotatsu to take a peek at my panties?”

“Back then I thought that even in the worst case that you caught me, you will not come to hate me, so…”

“Well, I did catch you in fact.

…What do you think will happen if I catch you doing it right now?”

“If you catch me right now, you will never talk to me again, I think.”

“I see, I see. So that’s why you were desperately restraining yourself to do it right now.”

“There’s also that, but more than that, I just don’t want to do something that Oshida-san doesn’t like again.”

Naoto grits his teeth while holding back tears.