It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~ - 2 - 4 - A New Year that Leisurely Began, A Memory the Cannot be Touched

A New Year that Leisurely Began, A Memory the Cannot be Touched

“—-Hm?”

Feeling that something was tickling on his nose, Naoto woke up.

The thing that was tickling Naoto’s nose seemed to be Natsuki’s hair. When Naoto opened his eyes, Natsuki was stirring restlessly and was just thinking of getting out of the futon.

“—–Sorry, Nao-kun. Did I wake you up?”

Natsuki, who released her lips out of the blanket, asked shyly.

“Nope, for someone who was woken up, I feel really refreshed. Maybe my body’s about to wake up anyway.”

While talking with Natsuki, Naoto tried to remember what happened before they went to sleep.

Did we immediately go to sleep after eating New Year’s soba? What time did we sleep, I wonder?

“I don’t really want to wake you up, but if I hold myself back here and don’t go to the restroom, my stomach might hurt up again, if that happens Nao-kun might worry about me again.”

“Yup, that way of thinking’s good. Let’s stop holding back. I’m very happy whenever I see Natsuki’s healthy and full of energy.

……Were you awake this whole time?”

“I fell asleep the same time as you. Look, my hair’s all ruffled. I just woke up.”

While saying that, Natsuki took a hold of her hair to show it to Naoto.

“So when you said ‘You can go ahead and sleep now, okay?’ after we ate New Year’s soba, you actually fell asleep, huh. Looks like your calculations got derailed abruptly.”

“Look here—-, it’s all Nao-kun’s fault—–”

Natsuki complained to Naoto in a joking tone.

“My fault?”

“It’s because Nao-kun really loves going to bed.”

“No, I’m just worried your stomach might feel cold, so I was genuinely worried.”

“Eh……, was that really it——?”

Natsuki continued the conversation while blushing.

“What time is it now?”

“Five in the morning. Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year. Wanna see the first sunrise of the year?”

After they decided on having a 500-yen date, one of the choices that they have prepared on when they will hold it was on the first sunrise of the year. Naoto thought that right now is a good time if they want to go see the first sunrise of the year.

“Let’s take time to prepare, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

“Nao-kun, you want me to lightly fix your hair as well?”

“Yes, please. Thanks.”

Lately, Naoto has been having Natsuki style his hair. Naoto loves it when she fiddles with his hair.

“Ah, but first, restroom!”

Natsuki bolted out of the room when she remembered.

Naoto sent off Natsuki, who declared such a thing without being embarrassed too much, with a smile. ‘We’ve come to be very close, haven’t we?’, Naoto thought.

It was still dim outside. There were also only few people traversing the narrow roads.

“It’s this park.”

While taking a seat on a swing, Natsuki surveyed the park. Aside from Naoto and Natsuki, no one else was there.

“I can’t remember much about this park. Though I very much remember the color of those bricks.”

While saying that, Naoto also sat on a swing for the time being.

This park was the one where Naoto and Natsuki used to play—— rather, where Natsuki used to bully Naoto.

“That’s the sandpit that Nao-kun used to play at. Whenever I asked you to play with me, you would never move from there.”

“Just why was that, though? If it’s now, I would immediately come if you ask me, though.”

Naoto felt curious.

“To think that the once cute Nao-kun would completely fall in love.”

“I do love Natsuki.”

“Then, would you forgive me for demolishing the sandpit”

“I don’t really remember that happening, so maybe it doesn’t matter a bit to me anymore if you’ve done that.”

“Maybe your painful memories are sealed.”

“No, the Natuski that I remember was very kind. Weren’t you always kind right around when we were third graders?

When we went to Health Land, in the game corner, you would always leave around a hundred or two hundred yen form the five hundred yen you received from your parents, then you would ask me if I want to use them to play.”

“Eh? I don’t remember that.”

“Remember, on the food court while I’m eating cheesed potato there was an ongoing bingo contest. Even people who did not get a bingo can still exchange their cards for tokens at the game corner, so we would puttogether our parents’ bingo cards and—–”

“Ah—! That’s right, after we finshed eating, we went to the game corner.”

“You remember?”

“Nao-kun, you definitely only ordered cheesed potato.”

“That’s one of my favorites. How I want to eat it again.”

“I see—, even back then you really like cheese.”

“It made me remember quite a bit, somewhat. We actually played a lot back then, huh.”

Natsuki in nostalgia, asked

“I want to go to Health Land again! The entrance fee’s about 500 yen, right?”

“Shouldn’t it have gone up by now? Besides, there’s also the food to consider so it looks like we shouldn’t.”

“Ah—–, that’s right.”

“But I also want to go.”

While saying that, Naoto imagined Natsuki just getting out of bath.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“But Natsuki doesn’t receive New Year’s money anymore, right? If we don’t plan our budget considerably, we might get scolded.”

“Ah, I forgot telling you since we’ve been talking about the park, but I actually received new Year’s money.”

“Why? When?”

“When we were about to go out, I found it with a letter attached. I received 10,000 yen from dad, he also gave me 500 yen for today, he said to use it freely if our budget for today was not enough. I received 5000 yen from mom. Both of them said we that we spend it carefully.”

“Your dad is really kind.”

“We won’t run out of money for today, right?”

“Probably. Would it be alright to return the 500 yen afterwards?”

“Right. You should show him your serious side.”

“……The fact that they said WE should use it, did they caught up on the fact that we’re going out?”

“That would be obvious to them.”

“I wonder why did they let us?”

“Nao-kun’s personality? Then, well, they must’ve thought that I won’t listen even if they were against it.”

“Uuu——-n……”

“Huh? The first sunrise of the year’s already here.”

Natsuki was surprised when she suddenly saw the sun rising.

“It is.”

Naoto responded in a tone that sounded like he didn’t care at all.

“It won’t do if you don’t look at it properly.”

Natsuki laughed after saying it.

Naoto was unconsciously captivated by the silhouette of Natsuki smiling while being illuminated a little bit by sunlight.

Naoto wanted for the two of them to be alone for a bit longer,

“W, well, it’s good that we are able to talk about our fond memories. It’s not that cold, so should we eat the nuggets here?”

He suggested.

“Okay, we can wash our hands here too.”

Saying that, Natsuki left her belongings in a bench and began washing her hands in the wash area.

“So, what do you think about my perfect date plan?”

“You just came up with it by random, didn’t you!”

Natsuki said while laughing, then while wiping her hands with a handkerchief,

“Nao-kun, do you have a handkerchief with you? I have a spare one if you want to use it.”

She said.

“Somehow, I feel like you’ve told me that many times in this same park before. And during those times, like now, I don’t have a handkerchief in me.”

“Looks like you haven’t grown up in that department, have you Nao-kun?”

Natsuki said while handing over a spare handkerchief to Naoto.

Naoto, while wiping his hands dry with the handkerchief,

“I seem to remember that Natsuki used to wipe my hands in the past, though. When I remember that, it seemed like a good memory.”

He said earnestly.

“Starting this year, I have to be strict. Do you have your handkerchief? Do you have a tissue with you? Have you done your homework?”

“That sounds like a mother.”

Naoto made a reluctant face.

“We also played house a lot, haven’t we?”

“I don’t remember any of that.”

“‘Darling, it’s not good to be picky.’ That’s really embarrassing.”

“I kinda want to do it right now.”

“Right now?!”

“I kinda want to be called darling.”

“E, eh? ……darling?”

“Uh, no. You don’t have to do it if you feel embarrassed.”

Naoto had reservations while feeling happy.

“D, darling. Today, I made darling’s favorite nuggets.”

“Hou. Today is a day to be celebrated so you made something luxurious.”

“Er, how do you play house again…….?”

“As I said, I don’t remember.”

“I can’t do it. Haa, it’s so embarrassing.”

Natsuki gave up on playing house.

“Ah! Earlier, I told a lie. I actually remember just one time we played house.”

“Eh? Which one?”

“Well, that’s….”

While saying that, Naoto shifted closer to Natsuki and told her in a low voice,

“When we were about five years old, I said I want us to play doctor on my bed——”

“Aaahhh—-! Forget that! Forget that!”

Natsuki interrupted what Naoto’s about to say.

“Eeehhhh?!”

“That, you know what? That was very embarrassing, and Nao-kun was super scary!”

“Is that so?”

“Nao-kun was scary, and I couldn’t tell my mom about it either…. That might’ve been the point when we stopped playing together.”

Natsuki said, then smiled wryly.

“So that really was the reason.”

“I don’t really know, but aside from that, there are no other reason I can think of. Even though I forgave you, Nao-kun had become hesitant to play with me after that.”

“I, remember Natsuki getting angry at me, I thought you’ve come to hate me because of that. I did not know that you were so scared until you strongly refused. Sorry, I….”

With trembling shoulders and hands, Naoto held Natsuki’s hand.

“At this point, I already forgave you. Rather, you already apologized to me back then, right?”

“Er, in my memories, when I stripped off Natsuki’s red skirt and touched the top of your pale blue striped panty, you told me you don’t like it, so I immediately stopped and apologized, since then I became careful not to do such weird things again. Does that match with what you remember?”

“Why were your memories of that time so much detailed?!”

“For some reason, this and us taking bath together are the only memories I can’t seem to forget.”

“Geez, Nao-kun you’re the worst……”

“I’m sorry.”

“The Nao-kun of that time was very weird. Did you want to play doctor with me that much?”

“During that time, Natsuki kissed me a lot of times, that’s why I became weird.”

“You’re kidding, right?!”

“About what?”

“When we were kids, haven’t I kissed you only ten times?”

“If we count the times you kissed me lightly, it would add up to over a hundred times.”

“Eeehhhhhh?!”

Natsuki was surprised.

Why don’t I remember any of that? Did I do that regularly?

“Remember, like when we share potato chips with our mouth on each end, but instead of splitting it in half using our lips or teeth, we can only use our tongue, since we kissed for too long, only on that day were the ten kisses counted.”

“I did make you do that. I remember now.”

Natsuki placed her hand on her head.

“Then, when we hugged while we were kissing, it felt so good that I felt the urge to touch Natsuki’s chest. That’s when I suggested playing doctor……”

“U—–n, so I’m at fault as well.”

“No, Natsuki’s affection is pure. It’s my fault for not resisting to my urges.”

“That would be impossible for a grade schooler, wouldn’t it? And before that I destroyed Nao-kun’s sandpit, we were also bad at discussing things with each other. Were both at fault, we both regret it, so let’s make up?”

However he spun it in his mind, Naoto still thought that his act was more malicious, but

“If Natsuki wants that.”

He nodded.

“Alright, pinky swear!”

Natsuki put up her little finger with a smile.

Naoto let out a nostalgic smile.

“We also did this often.”

Naoto also put up his little finger.

“Pinky swear—–, If you lie—–, Drink a thousand needles—–, And cut your finger!”

Naoto swore in his heart not to make Natsuki sad again through his selfish acts.