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

The Day I Love the Second Most

While Naoto and Natsuki were explaining to his parents that they invited some friends to Naoto’s room, the other three were waiting in front of the apartment complex’s entrance.

“Hey, hey. Iida-kun, did you know that thing Natsuki told us before about how she was almost assaulted by Morita-kun?”

Aki asked Iida. Sakurako was a bit surprised how Aki was able to ask such question straight to a guy, but feeling that interposing herself into the conversation would be too embarrassing, she just silently listened.

“I didn’t know about it as well. First time I heard ‘bout it.”

“……When did it happen, I wonder.”

Natsuki looked serious.

“By the time I met him in middle school, he’s not really gaudy anymore, more like, since there is the ability to differentiate right from wrong, it might’ve happened during grade school. I’m not saying that such a thing is excused because the person is a grade schooler, but I’m just basing it on the ability to decide.”

“Do boys already have a desire to push down girls by the time they’re in grade school?”

Sakurako was surprised once more with Aki’s question to Iida, that she pretended to tinker with her smartphone. Sakurako has been bad at having weird thoughts, that even in the past, her face would always turn red, which always took a while before returning to her normal complexion.

“Eh? No, maybe, even I haven’t thought about such things……. Ah—–, but I wonder…… I don’t remember much of my childhood so I ain’t got an idea. When I compared myself to those, around me, I was just a kid, and I don’t really have any female friends that time either.”

“Iida-kun, was that person in your middle school your first love?”

“Yep.”

“What were your thoughts about that person?”

“Well, at time, I already have those thoughts in mind, so it did cross my mind to do it with her once were dating.”

“So that kind thought already exists during middle school.”

“Around the second year of middle school, I think I’m already a pervy brat by then. Before that, I don’t really remember.”

“Then, that story of Natsuki, do you think it happened during middle school?”

“I wonder. Me, I’m what you call a late bloomer. In truth, I completely forgot when I reached puberty after all.”

“Either way, it’s good that Natsuki and Morita-kun were able to get over that event of their lives.”

Said Aki.

Sakurako thought that Aki’s way of thinking was wonderful.

Perhaps Aki was really worried about Natsuki, that she was able to talk about such things without feeling embarrassed. ‘If that is the case, then I’m just a child compared to her.’

“Actually, that was my thought as well. Oshida-san really forgave him properly.”

Iida genuinely agreed.

“I night not have been that serious, Natsuki was able to tell us about it after all.”

“That’s possible. Maybe Morita just pestered her for a kiss.”

“Ah—- that might be it. If something weird happened, then it’s strange that they’re this close now. It must’ve been something trivial.”

Sakurako also hoped that that’s just what happened.

I don’t want to think that Morita-kun really assaulted Natsuki, even if they were children. That’s what she thought.

“It seems like my parents will be disappearing to Natsuki’s place after seven minutes, so they gave me the okay to let you in once that happens.”

Aki and Sakurako unconsciously laughed at the poor explanation that Naoto, who just returned to them, came up with, Iida, on the other hand, was a bit frustrated.

“Where’s Natsuki?”

Asked Sakurako.

“Natsuki’s cleaning and letting the air in my room, she told me to prepare juice or floor cushions, or sweets or something.”

Sakurako, who heard that,

“She sounds like a wife already.”

Said, then laughed.

“I told her she shouldn’t bother herself with doing it, though. I wonder why she’s so kind to me.”

“We talked about it before, it looks like Natsuki’s deeply in love. That talk about you almost assaulting Natsuki, was it the kind where you were just playing around?”

Sakurako, sure that it was the case, asked Naoto.

“No, it is as the word implies. I do apologize. If you can’t forgive me, disgusted with me, or afraid of me, you don’t have to force yourself, you are free to go home.”

When Naoto answered with a serious face, Sakurako couldn’t utter a word in response.

“When did it happen?”

Asked Aki.

“During fifth or sixth grade.”

“So you assaulted her at that age?”

Aki’s voice was shaking a bit.

“At that time, I really assaulted her. It’s like I’m insane back then. I liked it when Natsuki kissed me while hugging me since it felt good. Her doing that to me is the one thing I anticipate the most, even when were in the living room watching tv, I ended up wanting to hurry and hide from our parents so she can hug me.

She always did that to me, but one time she teased me too much, that when we became alone, I pushed Natsuki down on the bed and straddled her, then, like telling me ‘What’s wrong?’, she looked afraid, or rather perplexed. Until then, I haven’t really frightened Natsuki nor forced her into something she didn’t like, so I got very excited. It gradually reached the point where I want to take off her skirt and touch her chest. I knew she didn’t like it, but it escalated.

On the last day, on the way home, I learned beforehand that neither of our parents will be home, even while at school I couldn’t think of anything but Natsuki’s body, so I impatiently waited for Natsuki to come home.

When Natsuki arrived in my room, as I’m about to do what would’ve been the worst thing I’ve done to her, she suddenly refused me with her all, at the last second, I came back to my senses, then I apologized to her.”

After Naoto finished talking, there was only silence.

“………………Ain’t that really cutting it close?”

Iida, who can’t stand the silence, spoke.

“Well, it really was. I seemed like Natsuki wasn’t able to talk about what happened even to her parents. I think it really traumatized her.”

Sakurako can’t find it in her to rebuke Naoto. Sakurako was painfully aware of how Naoto regrets wat happened back then. That being said, she also can’t find it in herself to cheer Naoto up, she wasn’t able to say anything.

“……I wonder why Natsuki forgave me in the end.”

Naoto muttered a question to himself.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because, she loved Morita-kun?”

Said Aki.

“How do I make up for it?”

“By being kindly showering her with love, perhaps?”

Aki said what she thought Natsuki might’ve been wanting.

“Okay……. But I keep thinking that Natsuki might still be feeling afraid whenever I embrace her……you know.

I really did something I couldn’t undo now, huh.”

When Naoto said that, he looked at his smartphone,

“Ah, she said she finished preparing. Shall we go? ——-Rather, if it’s alright with you, will you come, right?”

He weakly laughed.

In Naoto’s room, different from usual, the video games and manga were put away in order and the furniture were neatly arranged.

“I don’t remember us having donuts in the house.”

“I brought it from home.”

“You went out of your way to bring that? Ain’t that bothersome?!”

“It doesn’t really bother me. It’s more fun if we have this, right?”

When she saw Naoto and Natsuki having a friendly chat, Sakurako felt a mix of emotions, it looked like she was going to cry.

“Natsuki, when did you decide to forgive Morita-kun for assaulting you?”

Sakurako asked. She’d been wanting to ask that no matter what.

“Eh? I forgave him, then we made up on the same day it happened, didn’t we?”

Natsuki freely asked Naoto.

“I don’t really remember much about that time.”

Naoto honestly said. He only vividly remembers until the part where she refused him, his memories of what happened afterwards was ambiguous at best.

“Until then, Naoto’s not the kind of person to easily apologize, but during that time, that was the first time he clearly apologized again and again.”

“Ah—— there really are a number of grade schoolers who don’t apologize when they make mistakes.”

Sakurako remembered a stubborn classmate back in grade school.

“Yes, he was that kind of person. That’s why when I remember how he apologized to me, I end up crying tears of joy. The feeling of him apologizing to me for the first time, I thought that he really cared for me, I was moved by it. On the other hand, when he apologized to me, I fell in love with him. Am I a bit weird?”

“I don’t think that’s weird. If I was in your place and love him the same as you were, I would forgive him as well.”

Aki expressed here agreement.

“Right?! I’m glad you understood me.

Moreover, Nao-kun never told me anything like not telling his mom about it even once. He didn’t apologize because he didn’t want to be scolded, he apologized because he was worried about me. He told me many times ‘I won’t force you into something you don’t like again.’ Right?”

Naoto, who was the topic of Natsuki’s story replied,

“I don’t remember at all about how I apologized, but all I remember was that my mind was so disturbed, I didn’t even thought about myself at all.”

“I was really happy back then—–. Right now, Nao-kun is the person I love the most, but that day was the day I love the second most.”

Natsuki happily spoke.

“After that, I resolved myself. To tell you the truth, I decided that if the Nao-kun I meet next time is kind, I would be okay with anything he does to me.

But then, I had my first period, I distanced myself from him when we played together so he wouldn’t accidentally touch me, but afterwards Nao-kun began to distance himself from me.”

“Is that what happened?! I thought you totally hated me.”

“So, it’s just like both of us were just not assertive enough?”

“That’s totally different from what I remember. When I asked you recently, you told me you were scared that time.”

“I clearly told you that at that time, I was fine since you apologized to me at the same time, haven’t I?! It’s true that I was scared, but if I stay scared of that, do you think I will be going to the same high school as you?”

“I don’t know anything about that…… I just thought you forgave me because you didn’t have a choice. What’s with you, really—…….”

While saying that, Naoto took a donut and lied down.

“But I’m glad I was able to discuss it with everyone. Thank you.”

While looking at the ceiling, he took a bite out of the donut.

The others also started eating donut with a smile.

Somehow, it felt like a break time, the tension in the air melting away.

But all of a sudden,

“Uwoooh—– some donut crumbs entered my eye!”

Naoto complained while raising his upper body up, ruining the otherwise peaceful moment.

“Gee, you stupid! It’s because you’re eating while lying down!”

“It hurts——”

“Don’t rub it! Come on, don’t move. Which one?”