My Cute Childhood Friend Can't Sleep Peacefully Unless She's Holding Onto My 'Thing'... ~Could My 'Thing' Be Her Secret Comfort for Peaceful Sleep!?~

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Chapter 01: My Cute Childhood Friend Apparently Can’t Sleep Peacefully Unless She’s Holding My “Thing”…

“Guess it’s about time for bed.”

On a September night, when the signs of autumn were starting to drift in the air, I, Takuya Akaboshi, turned off my laptop.

“Mmm…!!”

While sitting at my computer desk, I stretched my arms behind my head while letting out a big yawn.

The chair, which had a swing mechanism, tilted backward significantly.

Rustle!!

I caught sight of something moving in the corner of my vision.

My room had a loft bed located behind the desk. Below that was an open closet.

In the past, my younger sister Miyu and I had shared this room. Which is why there was a bed in the space below the loft. Generally speaking, sharing a room with your own sibling would probably be only acceptable up until elementary school.

Miyu used to say that she had scary dreams when she was alone and insisted on sleeping with her “Onii-chan.”

So, I gave in, and we shared the room until middle school.

It couldn’t be that Miyu was hiding under the bed right now, could it?

No, that’s unlikely. I had seen her go back to her room just a while ago after all.

Besides, I’m already in my second year of high school, and she is just a year younger than me, aged sixteen. She’s too old to be afraid of those kind of dreams anymore.

Miyu had become much more mature compared to when she was in middle school.

Due to the room’s sun exposure, laundry was hung on the balcony of my room.

I couldn’t help but notice my sister’s growth through the changes in her choice of underwear.

On sunny days, colorful bras and panties would sway in the wind on the balcony for me to see.

It was awkward for a high-school guy like me, even if they were my sister’s.

Wait, If it’s not Miyu, then what was the thing that moved on the loft bed!?

It couldn’t be a burglar, right? There’s nothing valuable in my room though.

Well, I am a healthy high-school boy; so I do have a kind of “treasure collection,” so to speak.

It’s really tough finding a good hiding spot for my “spicy” treasure collection.

Seriously, why do my mom and sister think it’s okay to just barge into my room and do a search? It’s one of life’s eternal mysteries.

I cautiously climbed up the ladder to the loft, taking care not to make a sound, and peered into the bed space.

Whoosh!!

“Whoa!?”

A black object crossed in front of my eyes, and I nearly fell off the ladder in surprise.

“Meow, meow!!”

“Oh, it’s you, Mugi. Don’t scare me like that…”

Mugi was the name of our family cat, a male tabby who was spoiled rotten by all of us.

Lately, he’d become a bit chubby, thanks to the excessive treats my sister, Miyu, gave him. Mugi purred and wound himself around my feet. I petted him for a while before letting him out of the room.

“Phew, got delayed going to bed because of Mugi.”

I climbed back onto the loft, slipped into the futon, and turned off the lights with the remote beside my pillow.

The luxurious feathered futon that had replaced my summer bedding felt great against my skin. I was sure to have a good sleep tonight.

It felt so comfortable, almost as if someone had warmed it up for me.

I’d have to thank my mom for splurging on such a nice futon when I wake up tomorrow.

As I was thinking about all this, sleepiness overcame me…

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Squeeze♡

…Huh, what’s this sensation around my solar plexus? Am I dreaming?

Thinking that I was having a nightmare, I tried to turn over, but I couldn’t move.

Something had firmly gripped the very core of me. It was warm and incredibly soft.

Could this be someone’s palm?

“Chocola, don’t leave me alone…”

“W-w-whoa, w-what, who is this!?”

I was being squeezed by someone’s hand!

Panicking, I threw off the futon and reached for the light switch…

“Please, don’t turn on the light…”

A frail, bell-like voice of a girl sounded.

…This voice, could it be!?

“Could it be Manami?”

It was my childhood friend, Manami Ninomiya.

Our families lived quite closely, her house is just next door and so we have been close since we were kids.

Until junior high, she used to frequently visit my room, but a slight distance had grown between us after she started attending a private all-girls school.

A sheltered girl showered with love from her parents, Manami had porcelain-like, smooth, white skin and shiny, long black hair.

Even in a prestigious all-girls school known for its beautiful students, she was exceptionally gorgeous.

In the darkness, a silence stretched on.

Squeeze♡

“Wha—!?”

Hey, don’t answer my question by gripping that instead of speaking!

“Do you even know what you’re doing? Let go, you’re holding my—”

Squeeze, tight squeeze♡

“Kuuh, cough—!?”

The grip tightened even more.

This was dangerous, not just because of the deformation risk, but also because the pain was starting to register.

It felt good but also hurt—a situation fluctuating between pleasure and pain.

My vision blurred as I wavered between heaven and hell.

Don’t lose it now! I found myself inwardly cheering, on the brink of passing out.

Click!!

“Takuya-nii, you’re being so loud Miyu can’t sleep!”

Whoa, this is bad! My sister just entered the room. What should I do?

This situation would cause huge problems and misunderstandings to others even if it’s between childhood friends like me and Manami.

Especially with her gripping that.

Whoosh!

“Kyaa!?”

I quickly threw the futon over Manami and pretended to be half-asleep.

“Is that you, Miyu? I was having a bad dream, I’m sorry.”

I made sure not to forget to mimic a high voice, in sync with Manami’s soft scream.

“Takuya-nii, are you okay? Your voice sounds weird, but if you catch a cold from sweating, Miyu will be worried.”

It seemed I had managed to deceive her, but Miyu has always been overly concerned when it comes to me.

“Ah, don’t worry Miyu, I’ll take some cold medicine later.”

“I’ll leave the cold medicine in the washroom, don’t forget to take it, okay? Goodnight…”

Listening to Miyu’s footsteps as she went downstairs, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, I managed to deceive her. Wait, that’s not good; I forgot about Manami!

“Pu-haah!?”

Manami, who had been covered by the futon along with me, gasped for air.

Her cheeks were flushed a cherry blossom pink, and her usually large eyes had a faint glimmer of tears in it.

Was she crying? While I was curious about why she acted that way, her crying concerned me even more.

I knew Manami had always been a quiet girl and not one to act so impulsively; I’d noticed that from being her next-door neighbor for so long. There must be a reason as to why she’s acting like this.

“Manami, what on earth happened? We finally get to see each other after so long and then you do something like this…”

Confronted by my question, the lost expression in Manami’s eyes finally regained some light.

“Huh, what have I done… Doing such a shameful thing to you, Takuya-kun. I can’t ever get married now!”

Big tears began to overflow from Manami’s cheeks, illuminated by the dim light of the night lamp. They splattered onto the futon, leaving wet spots.

“There must be a reason for it, right? Would you mind telling me?”

The last time I saw Manami cry was back in elementary school. Her tears shook me deeply.

With her cheeks still flushed in embarrassment, she began to speak slowly.

“Chocola has passed away…”

Chocola, that was the name of Manami’s beloved toy poodle. If I remember correctly, Chocola was an elderly dog.

Come to think of it, she had been murmuring the name under the futon since earlier.

“Chocola, that’s the dog you loved so much, right?”

“Yes, Chocola was like a family to me. You remember, don’t you Takuya-kun? You accompanied us on walks so many times together after all.”

That’s right, Manami and I were always together until middle school—whether it was going to and from school, or walking her dog. Even on holidays, we were inseparable.

Our school friends would often tease us, saying, “Why don’t you two just date already?”

But I couldn’t bring myself to confess to her; I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I was content just being beside Manami, always wanting to be her greatest supporter. So, not only had we never kissed, we’d never even held hands.

And yet, something far more intimate than a kiss happened, and it wasn’t my hand that was suddenly grabbed to classify it as being intimate.

“Is there a connection between Chocola going to heaven and you hiding under the futon, Manami?”

“…T-that’s—”

As I found myself reminiscing about my feelings for Manami, I asked her that question point-blank.

After pondering for a moment, she decided to speak her mind.

“It’s about Chocola’s tail. Chocola and I were always together when at home, even when sleeping. Chocola would snuggle into my bed and sleep there.”

“What does Chocola’s tail have to do with me…?”

“If I didn’t hold onto Chocola’s tail, I couldn’t sleep well. It’s been a habit since I was a child.”

I’d heard of this before, not with a dog’s tail, but with what’s called a “Linus blanket.” It’s when children need to hold onto a favorite item to feel secure. The same goes for stuffed animals or body pillows—feeling anxious if they’re not clung to something like that.

I understand feeling secure by holding Chocola’s tail, but I still don’t get how that relates to me.

“Since Chocola passed away, I’ve been emotionally unstable, even to the point where I couldn’t attend school. My parents were worried and tried counseling and medication, but nothing worked. It’s like I became a sleepwalker, unconsciously wandering around looking for Chocola’s tail…”

“So you ended up in my bed!?”

Manami nodded in confirmation.

“I’m sorry, the door to your room was unlocked, so I just walked in. But it was so nostalgic; I’ve been in this room many times to play since we were kids.”

In anime and manga, childhood friends often sneak in through windows, but that’s not realistic.

In reality, the houses are too far apart due to building codes for someone to even jump over from balcony to balcony.

However, my house has an external staircase, making it possible to enter the room without passing through the front door—a benefit of a home addition.

“The moment I entered the room, it felt like I time-traveled back to our childhood. It had that nostalgic scent! And then, I was drawn to your smell, Takuya-kun.”

…So cute. I was deeply moved.

What made me happiest was that she remembered the times we’d shared together.

“…Manami.”

In a room lit only by a nightlight, moonlight streamed in through the gap in the curtains, beautifully illuminating her smile.

She must have been going through a tough time. She used to come to my room to play, bringing Chocola along.

Our pet cat Mugi would get chased around by Chocola, eventually getting annoyed and hissing at him.

Even now, it feels like it was just yesterday. Back then, I could talk to Manami about anything.

At that moment, I realized something.

The feelings I had for Manami…

Had I been the one putting up walls?

As she became increasingly beautiful, I felt more that she was becoming out of reach.

It wasn’t her but me who had created this distance.

“Manami, am I not good enough?”

“Eh, Takuya-kun, what are you saying…?”

“Can’t I be a substitute for Chocola? I don’t want to see you suffering anymore.”

“…Takuya-kun, I’m so happy! I’ve been lonely since starting high school. Even when we’d meet outside or in front of the house, you didn’t talk to me like you used to. I thought maybe you found a girlfriend in your new school or something.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend; because all along, I’ve been thinking about you, Manami.”

“Takuya-kun?”

At my words, Manami’s face instantly turned red.

Ah, this is bad. If I keep going, I’ll end up confessing my feelings.

It felt incredibly unfair to confess to her while she was struggling with the issue about Chocola.

I want to become a man who’s more deserving of her.

But only after filling the gaps in the time Manami and I had spent apart…

“Thank you in advance…”

Eh? ‘Thank you in advance’? I haven’t even fully confessed yet.

“So you’ll become a replacement for Chocola’s tail, right, Takuya-kun?”

Eh? If I’m going to be a substitute for Chocola’s tail, that means…

“Manami, I never asked why you were holding Chocola’s tail and my…um, you know…”

Tentatively, I asked her. Manami replied with a warm smile, the best one she could muster.

“Yes! It was because they were exactly the same size.”

Memories of Chocola, the small dog that used to scamper around, flashed in my mind—her wagging tail that flicked to and fro.

Gah! Is mine… really around that size? Well, it’s the size before transformation, but still, it’s quite damaging to my fragile high school boy’s heart.

“When I accidentally grabbed it while hiding under your futon, it fit perfectly in my hand. I felt really relieved, as if Chocola had returned to me.”

Manami’s expression was filled with happiness. For me, that smile was the greatest reward. If I can protect that smile, I’ll agree to be a tail for her to hold or whatever else!

“So, Manami, please bear with my inadequate tail.”

I bowed my head, and in my mind, so did that part of me.

“Likewise, Takuya-kun’s tail… -san? I look forward to a long relationship.”

Manami also bowed her head. Her overly serious gesture made me burst into laughter.

“Pff, ahaha!! Manami, please handle it gently.”

“Yes!!”

Squeeze, squeeze ♡

And so, we crawled under a single futon.

Chocola’s tail! Chocola’s tail! I repeatedly envisioned its size. Manami gripped it firmly, careful not to alter its shape…

I softly turned off the night light.

To be continued…

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