The Story of Waking up With My Beautiful Childhood Friend and Realizing We Had Spent the Night Together - Chapter 24: Encounter

Chapter 24: Encounter

“…Hey, Mizuki.”

“Hm?”

I call out to Mizuki, who is reading a novel on the living room sofa.

As she turns to look at me, her deep crimson earrings sway lightly.

“…You don’t have to wear them inside the house, you know?”

On her right ear, she wears the earrings I gave her the other day.

She must have liked them a lot because she refuses to take them off except when bathing or sleeping.

As the one who gave them to her, I couldn’t be happier, but…

“But they look good on me, right?”

Mizuki smiles at me with a rare, teasing expression.

I try my best to put on a sullen face.

“…Well, yeah, they do.”

“Hehe.”

As she chuckles, I absentmindedly touch my bangs.

Something feels slightly off.

…Did they grow a little?

“…Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Ah, no…”

When I tug at my hair slightly, Mizuki nods in understanding.

“Yeah… Your hair’s grown a bit.”

She gets up from the sofa, walks over to me, and stares at my head.

“…I thought so.”

“Yeah, it’s covering your eyes now.”

She gently brushes my bangs aside and, for some reason, pats my forehead as if praising me.

At her words, I let out a weak “Ahh…”

(The last time I got a haircut… was a month and a half ago.)

Yeah, it’s been a while.

Even when I’m studying, my hair keeps getting in my vision.

“…Guess I’ll go to the hair salon.”

“Hmm. Want to go to the place I go to?”

“No, that place is a bit…”

I twitch my lips and decline vaguely.

The salon she goes to is strict in many ways.

…Both mentally and financially.

“‘Welcome to our salon!'”

I recall the time Mizuki invited me to go there once.

The interior looked like a palace, and the staff were trained like professional waiters.

The overwhelming stylish aura made me want to turn around and leave the moment I stepped in.

And the price—8,000 yen just for a cut.

I honestly praise myself for not saying, “Are you kidding me?” out loud.

“Want to use a ticket? It’ll be half price.”

“That’s only usable by you…”

Mizuki was once relentlessly pursued by all the staff at that salon and, in the end, reluctantly agreed to be their hair model.

As a result, the salon’s revenue skyrocketed, and she was rewarded with an absurd “permanent half-off all services” ticket.

“…I’ll just go to my usual place.”

“I see.”

Leaving behind a slightly disappointed-looking Mizuki, I got ready and left the house.

“…Alright, what style should I go for this time?”

The salon I was heading to was in the city, a bit far from home.

Ever since Mizuki gave me the valuable advice, “You should put more effort into your hairstyle,” I’ve been traveling a little farther to go to a good salon.

“Cut: 5,000 yen, Reviews: ★4.5”

Stylish enough, and reasonably priced.

Even Mizuki gave it a “passable” rating.

“Oh, Iori-kun! Welcome.”

“Hey.”

As soon as I enter, the receptionist greets me.

She’s a short-haired beauty with brown hair, and many customers come here just for her.

Her cutting skills are solid too; I often see her featured in magazines.

“Give me a sec, I’ll guide you in right away. Oh, do you have any belongings?”

“No, I’m good.”

She quickly clears up her workspace and comes over to me.

“Thanks for waiting. Right this way.”

“Alright.”

She leads me to a nearby seat.

I’ve been coming here for about a year and a half now.

At this point, this place feels almost like home… or so I thought…?

…Huh?

I suddenly feel something off.

In the seat next to mine sits a girl with semi-long brown hair.

…Something about her face looks familiar…

“…Eh, huh?”

“…”

She also notices me and lets out a startled voice.

…Oh no. No doubt about it.

This brown-haired, slightly baby-faced beauty is—

“A-Amano-kun…?”

“…Kashiwagi-san.”

Kashiwagi Kotoba.

A classmate with whom I have a complicated and awkward history.

“Wh-what a coincidence…”

“…Yeah.”

Why, of all places, here…?

Keeping a poker face on the outside, I’m sweating bullets inside.

…Crap. I have no idea what kind of expression I should be making.

Since that café incident, she knows about my relationship with Mizuki.

And because we haven’t spoken much since then, I have no clue how she perceives me now.

…Or rather, I don’t want to know.

“Huh? You two know each other?”

The brown-haired beauty of a stylist looks surprised.

“Well, uh…”

“Oh, wait! You both go to Shirayagi High, right? Are you classmates?”

“Yeah, well…”

I look away. Kashiwagi-san lowers her head.

…But for some reason, the stylist misinterprets the situation.

“Wow! What a crazy coincidence! So, you’re both smart, huh?”

She grins, twirling my hair.

I force a smile. Kashiwagi-san keeps looking down.

“Do you two talk often? Or not really?”

“…Uh…”

“……”

She teases, but we both just avoid eye contact.

Finally, she starts sensing something off.

“…Um…?”

“…”

“…”

I look away. Kashiwagi-san remains silent.

The charismatic stylist glances between us.

“W-wait, what’s up with you two? You’re not dating or anything, right—”

At those words, Kashiwagi-san suddenly looks up.

Her face is bright red.

…Ah, making that reaction is just…

“…Eh? Kotoba-chan? What’s with that reaction…?”

“Ah, n-no…”

“Wait, no way? For real!? Seriously!?”

Kashiwagi-san’s mouth opens and closes like a fish.

But the excited stylist doesn’t stop.

“Iori-kun and Kotoba-chan are dating!?”

“N-no, we’re not—”

“Wow! You two make such a beautiful couple! You look great together!”

The stylist squeals in delight.

Kashiwagi-san panics, flustered.

“Oh, I see! Kotoba-chan is kind of like an older sister figure, huh? I always thought a cute type like Iori-kun would match better than a bulky, dependable guy!”

She nods knowingly.

Kashiwagi-san lowers her head further.

“So, Kotoba-chan! What do you like about Iori-kun? His face? His personality? Who confessed first!?”

She leans in enthusiastically. No hesitation at all.

Hey, stylist. You’re crossing the line here.

I finally decide to deny it when—

“……”

For some reason, Kashiwagi-san silently raises her right hand.

…Wait, what?

“Whaaat!? Kotoba-chan confessed first!? Whoa, Iori-kun, you lucky bastard!!”

She ruffles my hair roughly.

…No, that’s not the point here.

“…Um.”

“Oh? Something to say, Mr. Lucky?”

“…Please, just cut my hair.”

“Ah, right.”

And so, after endless teasing, the misunderstanding was finally cleared up—

“…I-I’m so sorry!!!!!”