The Story of Waking up With My Beautiful Childhood Friend and Realizing We Had Spent the Night Together - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: SIDE: Boys

――After being kicked out of the family restaurant.

Renji and I decided to kill some time in a random parking lot.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

Renji tossed one of the two drinks he bought from the vending machine at me lightly.

I gratefully received it and opened the can with a “pshh” sound.

“Ahh… summer is definitely for carbonated drinks.”

“You drink carbonated drinks even in winter.”

I’m not a big fan of carbonated drinks, but since Renji bought it for me, I couldn’t complain. I reluctantly drank a little.

…Ugh. Yeah, still not a fan.

“…So,” Renji started after we settled down.

“…Yeah?”

After a pause, Renji began to speak seriously.

“You’re dating, right… that Yukimura girl?”

“…Yeah.”

“I knew it… Aah, I just have to accept it!”

Renji scratched his head aggressively, his face clearly showing he didn’t want to accept it.

“Sigh… I knew there would come a day when she’d get a boyfriend… but I never expected it to be you. Not even in the slightest.”

“…Sorry.”

“Seriously. Damn it. This is the first time my mind’s been this messed up.”

Renji said with a melancholy expression, like he had just seen his favorite idol get a boyfriend… and it was one of his friends.

…Yeah, I get it. Sorry.

If I were in his position, I’d be seriously down about it, so I couldn’t say anything.

After wasting about three sips of Fanta and thinking silently, Renji suddenly spoke in a serious tone.

“…But, are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? You know what I’m talking about, right? What it means to be dating Yukimura Mizuki.”

“…”

“Today, it’s just us, but if anyone else finds out, that’s the end of it, you know?”

“…Yeah, I guess so.”

I knew this was coming.

Yukimura Mizuki.

Her name value at this school is beyond imagination.

From upperclassmen to underclassmen, she’s the Madonna that all the boys admire.

If you’re the one who managed to win her over, of course, jealousy and spite are going to come at you.

And someone like me, just an average student, has no power to fend it off.

“…I confessed to Yukimura too, but honestly, I didn’t think I’d actually end up dating her,” Renji said, fiddling with the can in his hand as if speaking to himself.

“It was more of a ‘memorial exam’ kind of thing, you know? But looking back now, I think if she had said yes, it would have been a disaster.”

With a flick of his finger, Renji flicked the can’s tab.

…Well, that sounds about right for him.

Renji plays around with a lot of girls, but never seems to settle down with any one of them. It almost looks like he purposely builds walls so he doesn’t get too invested.

I could tell that his confession to Mizuki probably wasn’t serious.

“‘Yukimura Mizuki’s boyfriend’—that’s a title too heavy for me to carry.”

“…Yeah.”

Especially if she’s someone with the troublesome title of “School Madonna.” The pressure of having her by your side is easy to imagine.

“So you’re saying you’re dating her?”

“Yeah.”

“Seriously…? You’re the type of guy with that kind of guts?”

“It’s not about guts. It’s just… I like her. I just have to accept everything that comes with it.”

“…”

Renji stared at me in shock.

…Wow, you’re really surprised, huh?

He was shaking, pointing at me like I was some ghost he’d seen.

“…You… really Iori?”

“…Yeah, it’s me.”

What’s the problem? I asked with my face.

Renji widened his eyes dramatically.

“Impossible! My best friend is the kind of guy who watches couples being all lovey-dovey in the school cafeteria and pretends he doesn’t care but is secretly a little jealous. He’s definitely not the kind of guy who says something so manly!!”

“I’ll punch you.”

That’s rude. I don’t remember doing that… Well, not that I can deny it. But I have a girlfriend now, so I won’t do that anymore!

Renji ignored my glare and slumped down onto the ground.

“…Seriously… Love really does change people.”

“Don’t say it so seriously. It’s embarrassing.”

I turned my face away, and Renji chuckled before tossing his empty can into the trash.

“Ah, but you guys are childhood friends, right? So you’re used to jealousy and envy, huh?”

“…Yeah, I’ve dealt with it a lot in elementary and middle school.”

“…I see. So now, you’re keeping your distance at school.”

“That’s right. Convincing Mizuki was… way harder than I ever want to remember.”

“Ha-ha, Mizuki, huh?”

“Ah.”

That was a huge slip-up. I accidentally used the usual nickname for her.

But Renji just smiled wryly.

“Seriously, you guys are childhood friends and now you’re dating. I get it.”

He looked up at the sky, as if everything made sense now.

Then, after a while of thinking silently, he spoke again.

“…Ahh, fine. I get it.”

“Huh?”

“If it somehow gets out, I’ll try to help as much as I can.”

Renji said with a resigned sigh, as if it couldn’t be helped.

“Help…?”

“Well, it’ll probably be useless, but I’ll try to make sure you don’t end up with no place to belong at school.”

He said it in a joking tone, but his eyes were dead serious.

It was a side of him I wasn’t used to, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.

“…Why?”

“Why? Well, it’s because my friend, who’s been walking around with dead fish eyes, is about to do something he may never get to do again in his life. I’m just offering to help.”

“…Renji.”

The dead fish eyes part was unnecessary.

But, to my surprise, I felt a little moved.

…Damn it. From Renji, of all people. How embarrassing.

“—But!”

“Huh?”

“This is a favor, okay? A big favor! Got it? If my turn ever comes, you’d better help me out then!”

“…What turn?”

“Well… you know, someday? If I… fall in love with someone? Maybe?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Shut up! It could happen! So when that time comes, I’m counting on you!”

“…Fine, I get it.”

I nodded with a bitter smile.

I can’t really imagine Renji getting serious about someone, but if that day ever comes, I guess I’ll help him out.

“I don’t know what I can do, but… if that time comes, I’ll do my best to return the favor.”

“Yeah.”

Renji scratched his cheek awkwardly and then stood up, slapping his knee.

“Well, it’s better if it doesn’t get out. If we go to college, it should get a little better. Just be careful.”

“I know.”

“Good. Well, let’s head back. The girls are probably done with their drama by now.”

“Ugh…”

I couldn’t help but groan, and Renji smirked, patting my shoulder.

“…I wonder what they were talking about?”

“Don’t. Don’t make me imagine it…”

“Well, maybe it’s all settled by now?”

“Nah…”

I can’t imagine that. The air must’ve been like hell.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“…Yeah.”

When we returned to the family restaurant, surprisingly, the two of them seemed to be in a surprisingly calm mood.

…At least, on the surface.

And so, after parting ways with Renji and Kashiwagi-san on the way home…

“…Mizuki.”

“What?”

I called out to Mizuki, who was walking beside me.

She was as expressionless as usual, but she seemed to be in a good mood.

“What did you talk about with Kashiwagi-san?”

“…Hmm, not much, really.”

“Well, even if you say that…”

I’m not being self-centered, but it was probably something about me…

I’d like to know at least the gist of it.

I mean, if I don’t, it’s scary. A lot of things.

So I kept pressing her.

But Mizuki, for some reason, stared at me intently and then quietly smiled.

“…Iori, don’t worry about it.”

And with that, she gave a quiet smile.