It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~ - 2 - 5 - The First Assistance

The First Assistance

“The nuggets were really delicious.”

Naoto said while patting his stomach.

“I’m glad.”

More than the fact that she felt that the nuggets were delicious, Natsuki was gladder that Naoto was happy.

“You’re not tired yet?”

“I already slept once, so I’m still good.”

“When we talked about game tokens earlier, I somehow felt like I want play. Should we go to the arcade? I’m keeping some tokens with me.”

“Are they already open at his hour?”

“They’re already open at this area.”

“I didn’t know. Were there any other customers in the morning?”

“There are, relatively. Natsuki doesn’t look like the type to walk outside at midnight and in the early morning after all.”

Said Naoto.

“Only with my family, I think.”

“That’s good. Otherwise, it would be dangerous for Natsuki.”

“Were you going out at midnight, Nao-kun.”

Natsuki asked out of curiosity.

“Like during last year’s summer vacation, I went out when I felt quite hungry.”

“Wasn’t it dangerous?”

“Nothing happened, but the next day, there was a slasher incident on the way that I take, since then I don’t go out that much at midnight anymore.”

“I saw that on the news! That was extremely dangerous!”

“That’s right.”

Natsuki became worried,

“Really, you should be careful.”

She warned Naoto.

“Well, since then I don’t needlessly go out at midnight anymore. Natsuki as well, as much as possible, I don’t want you walking all alone. I’m just concerned for you.”

“Then, Nao-kun, will you play lots with me?”

“Sure.”

“Alri—ght, it’s a promise.”

“Please don’t expect too much.”

Up until they arrived at the arcade center that Naoto frequents, the two of them walked leisurely.

When they saw a building that they have a memory of in the past while in the middle of walking, they talked about things from when they were kids once again. The two of them from their memories were just as close as the two of them in the present.

Upon arriving at the arcade, the two went straight to the tokens corner. As a result of their talk regarding what game to spend money on, they decided to think about them once they got tired of playing token games. At any rate, it’s a date with a budget of 500 yen after all so they were prudent with spending.

Natsuki, who was watching Naoto withdraw tokens,

“Did the screen just displayed that you have lots of tokens?”

Was surprised.

“You can infinitely increase tokens here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Should I demonstrate?”

“Un.”

Naoto picked up a spare chair and went to the pachinko corner, he had Natsuki sit beside him and began his exposition.

“If you insert 2 tokens here, a few balls will come out, but the middle part will open. If insert another token after it opened, it will open again……”

Naoto kept repeating the same thing with experienced hands.

“Look, after doing it after two times onwards, the balls will keep going to the center, for two tokens, you’ll have a return at least two tokens. Then, if the balls reach a certain level, they will be converted to tokens, so if you insert two tokens, it will return three or four back.”

“Eeh——?! What’s with this, is it broken?”

“It’s strange, but only this pachinko cabinet was left with this confusing set-up. Will they profit from something like this?”

“It’s obvious they won’t”

“Well, at the moment, I don’t know if this is some kind of service or something, but with this, you can infinitely increase your tokens. This is pretty known at school. My friend who invited me to apply at the conveyor sushi place chose that particular shop since that’s near here as well.”

“Speaking of, who’s that friend of yours?”

“Natsuki might not know him. His name’s Iida Kazuyasu.”

Naoto answered while still playing.

“The one who’s a somewhat short and looks scary?”

“Ah, yes, that one.”

“Are you close?”

“Back in middle school, were both gloomy types, so we end up hanging in our apartment and places. I think he’s the one I’m closest with in middle school.”

“I had the impression that that person is a delinquent.”

“I haven’t asked him even once about that, but maybe he’s just a gloomy and serious delinquent? When he turned 16, he immediately started riding a motorbike. He’s currently working a job that requires him to use a motorbike——ah.”

“What?”

“I might’ve hit the jackpot.”

When Natsuki looked at the LCD screen of the pachinko cabinet, a cat with a number on it was trying it’s best to run back and forth.

“If you get a set of the same number three times, that means jackpot, right?”

Natsuki knew that much from watching drama and reading manga.

“That’s right. Ah—-ah, looks like I’ll be getting it. I’ll be part of the 70% who hit the jackpot.”

“Is it bad if you get jackpot?”

“It’s not, but I’m it’s not like I’m playing right now to increase my tokens, I’m just playing to explain to you how it’s done. This looks boring to Natsuki, doesn’t it?

Since I’m doing this while having a talk with you, I overdid it.”

“Nope, it looks fun. I like cats after all.”

“Is that so. In the past when I was getting the key of our unit’s door out to unlock it, a cat suddenly jumped at me and clung to my hand, from then on I’m a bit scared of cats. I was very surprised when that happened.”

Naoto, remembering a painful memory, rubbed the back of his hand.

“I might’ve known that cat! Was that the cat that’s on the hallway all day back during summer of middle school?”

“Yup, the one that looks like a normal cat.”

“I thought of it as cute and played with it, but to think it would do something like that to Nao-kun. My impression of it being cute is crushed! It’s not cute at all!”

Natsuki shouted angrily.

“What are you getting angry for, it happened a long time ago.”

Naoto laughed.

“Ah—- I just keep hitting the jackpot, sorry.”

Naoto said while looking at the pachinko screen.

“The way the cat move is cute. I don’t know much but it looks interesting.”

Natsuki said while pushing the button to pat the cat.

“You have no idea about this arcade’s tokens, Natsuki? The guys in class pretty much increase their tokens here, they also use this as a pretext to invite the girls to a date, at least that’s what Iida told me.”

“Does Nao-kun invite the girls as well?”

“I don’t! It’s my first time coming here with a girl.”

“Eh—-, really?”

Natsuki was a bit doubtful. Nao-kun looks like the type to like girls that much, so the time before we begun dating is a bit suspicious.

“Hahaha, it’s the truth. That child is always alone.”

Sitting in front of the neighboring pachinko cabinet, an old man spoke.

“Ah, good day mister.”

Naoto greeted him.

“Good morning. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

The old man said in a friendly way.

“When I checked the token withdrawal log, it’s been 25 days. Have you been coming here every day?”

Naoto continued the conversation looking at ease.

“I also come here during New Year’s, don’t you know that already? Happy New Year.”

The old man laughed.

At that moment, a loud siren blared up fron Naoto’s pachinko cabinet and the machine lighted up in rainbow colors.

“Ah, all sevens?”

The old man looked like he’s the one who won.

“It seems so. I might be lucky this year.”

Natsuki silently listened to the conversation between Naoto and the old man who’s missing a little finger for a while.

With Naoto’s winning streak ending, the two of them left the pachinko cabinet, Natsuki finally asked Naoto the thing that has been on her mind the whole time.

“Th, that person just now, he’s missing a little finger, isn’t he?”

“Eh? That person has no little finger?”

Naoto unexpectedly answered.

“He doesn’t, haven’t you noticed?”

“I haven’t been looking. Maybe I’ll ask him to show me next time.”

“Ju, just don’t.”

While the two was talking about that, a young man called out to Naoto.

“Oh— Morita, I haven’t been seeing you at all lately.”

It was Iida who they were talking about earlier.

“That old man that plays the corner pachinko machine, I heard he has no finger. Did you know?”

“The old man who’s buying me ice cream and juice?

Heard he lost it in an accident at the company he worked for in the past. Then, since I’m an idiot who doesn’t understand much, so I asked ‘from the company?’ Apparently, he receives money every month, so he just spends his time playing here.”

“That’s amazing. If you can receive that much money by just losing a little finger, then I kinda want to meet an accident myself.”

“Oi oi oi you, is it okay saying that? The red string of fate is tied on the little finger, ya know?

If you lose your little finger, you might get dumped, ya know—?”

Saying that, Iida put up his little finger, and wag it in front of Naoto.

Natsuki felt Iida’s a bit different to what she expected. That Iida was able to joke like this, she couldn’t tell from his appearance.

“Geh, that would be bad.”

Naoto trembled.

“Oh, so you really are dating.”

Iida grinned.

“Ah”

Naoto thought ‘Oh crap’, but he’s a bit too late.

“You really can’t keep a secret, you. That’s amusing.”

“This is bad, we were found out in an instant. I’m sorry.”

Naoto apologized to Natsuki.

“I don’t mind, though.”

Natsuki answered. In the first place if they really want to hide their relationship, they wouldn’t be doing something like walking around the neighborhood during New Year’s.

“Did you two just started going out?”

Iida asked Naoto.

“You wouldn’t hear anything from me about it anymore.”

Reflecting on his failure just now, Naoto went on guard.

“No, I’m just saying, if the two of you haven’t taken a picture together yet, I’ll take it for you. You won’t be able to bring it up it anyway, right?”

“Uuuu……”

Natsuki felt it shameful to do what Iida said, but he also want a picture taken together with Natsuki.

“Here, let me borrow yer smartphone.”

“Is it okay to take a picture of us together?”

Naoto asked Natsuki with a face of worry.

“Yup. I should also have a picture taken on my phone.”

When he heard Natsuki’s answer, Naoto smiled.

“We wouldn’t be able to settle down around here, should we go near the break room?”

“I think so too. It’s so noisy here to take a picture.”

Iida and Naoto, who know about the layout of the facility, started walking.

Natsuki thought ‘Nao-kun and Iida-kun are a lot closer than I thought. By any chance, are they best friends? I want to ask about stories when they were in middle school.’

“Here you go, Ms. Girlfriend.”

Iida returned Natsuki’s smartphone after the pictorial.

“Thank you Iida-kun.”

“By the way, was Ms. Girlfriend the one who styles Morita’s hair?”

“Ah, yup. Though I only used a bit of styling crem.”

“As I thought. You have the nerve becoming an ikemen you, you should thank Ms. Girlfriend here.”

When Iida said that, Naoto pretended to beat his stomach.

Natsuki was happy as she felt like her styling sense is being praised.

“Okay. Well then, I’ll be running home now.”

Iida said.

“Already? Iida, you didn’t come here to play?”

Naoto was suspicious.

“If I’m here, you two’ll find it hard to play, aight? I’ll be popping on an event at another arcade.”

“I’m sorry, Iida-kun.”

Natsuki apologized to Iida.

“All’s swell, all’s swell, I just have too much spare time. I’m also riding on a motorbike. Morita, you should at least hold her hands.”

Iida left while laughing.

“Alright—-! I’ve been wanting a picture of us so I’m really happy.”

Said Natsuki.

Naoto felt a bit frustrated seeing Natsuki happy.

“I, haven’t thought up about the picture until Iida brought it up. You even went through the trouble of making my hair, so taking a picture together would be good, huh.

Maybe I’m not even taking notice of Natsuki’s thoughts and feelings.”

“That’s not true. Earlier, before we arrived at the arcade, didn’t you ask me ‘You’re not tired yet?’”

“That, I’m just worried you might get an illness again like cystitis, so sometimes, I would ask to check on you. It’s amazing how Iida can tell you’re the one who did my hair just by looking at it. I want to be able to be quick on the uptake like Iida is, even if it’s just on things concerning Natsuki.”

Certainly, it seems like Iida-kun is quick on understanding social cues, Natsuki thought.

But Nao-kun’s the one I fell in love with. He’s a bit clumsy, but Nao-kun’s the one who earnestly supported me when I was suffering due to cystitis.

“I know how Nao-kun is a really kind person. I’m sure Iida-kun knows that as well. Even my mom and dad, and the people at your part-time as well. Maybe the old man earlier knows it too. I’m sure Nao-kun’s feelings are being conveyed to everyone.”

Natsuki said while patting Naoto’s head.

“……Yeah. Thanks. But I can’t help but keep thinking of how I can ake things even more fun for Natsuki.”

Natsuki, with just that thought from Naoto, already felt very happy.

“Ever since I started going out with, Nao-kun, everyday has been fun, you know? Come on, let’s play.”

Natsuki pulled Naoto’s hand.

While being dragged around, Naoto thanked Natsuki and Iida from the bottom of his heart.

……. Then remembering that they left the cup containing the tokens on a chair in the break room since it will be a hindrance while taking pictures, they came back to the break room to get it.