After saying goodbye to the others at the intersection, I went alone to a cheap supermarket to do some shopping.
Once I bought everything I needed, I still had to walk another twenty minutes to get home. In a quiet neighborhood, there was a new apartment building—so new, it still had that fresh-built feel.
Room 202. That’s where I’ve been living since spring.
My school got merged with another, and traveling from home took way too long. So even though I’m still in my second year of high school, I ended up living by myself.
Apparently, I’m not the only one doing this. Some of my classmates live alone too. Junya, for example, said his family’s pretty strict, so he travels an hour both ways just to get to school.
Honestly, my parents were barely ever home anyway, always busy with work. So even before moving out, I pretty much lived alone.
When I told them I wanted to live on my own, they didn’t even react. Just kept working like always. It stung a little.
…Ugh, am I being too childish? I mean, I’m not some lonely little kid anymore.
“I’m home…”
Even though nobody’s here, I always say it out loud. Guess it’s a habit by now.
During spring break, I unpacked everything and set up my room. I used dark-colored furniture—my favorite—and made the space feel cozy.
My parents did spend a decent amount of money on it. They’ve always been quick to pay for things… just not good at showing care.
Alright, let’s change out of this uniform. And… man, I’m hungry. My stomach’s starting to complain.
“Hunger always wins, whether you're tired or lonely.”
That’s life. Annoying, but gotta eat.
Okay! Today’s dinner… the king of solo meals—curry.
The ingredients were simple: onions, potatoes, carrots, and chicken. But that’s what makes it great—simple and delicious.
I actually wanted to mix the spices myself, but since I just moved in, I didn’t have anything prepared. So today I’ll settle for instant curry roux from the supermarket.
By the way, I prefer countryside-style curry, with rich chunks and a bold taste. That watery, city-style stuff where everything melts together? Not my thing.
While I cooked the rice and curry, the delicious smell slowly filled the room.
Oh yeah… this is it. That mouthwatering curry aroma. So good.
A bit more time and it’ll be done. The rice is almost ready too. I plopped down on the sofa and pulled out my phone to scroll SNS while I waited.
I quietly liked an illustration from one of my favorite artists, and then—
“…Hmm?”
Wait… was that a noise from next door? This might be the first time I’ve heard anything from that room. Oh right—my neighbor was away during spring break.
I haven’t greeted them yet. Maybe I should do that now.
…Do I have anything to bring? Oh, shoot. I ate all the cookies I had the other day. Nothing left…
Oh well. I’ll bring them some curry. No idea if they’ll like it, but it’s better than showing up empty-handed, right?
I added some Worcestershire sauce and ketchup to balance the flavor, then let it simmer for another 20 minutes. The curry was done.
Since I didn’t know if a whole family lived there or just one person, I packed a slightly larger portion into a Tupperware container.
I started feeling nervous. Who is my neighbor anyway? What if they’re super scary?
But if I just avoid them now, it might cause awkward problems later… Better to just say hi and get it over with.
After checking myself in the mirror, I stepped into the hallway and walked to the door next to mine.
Room 201. It's in the corner. No name on the door.
I took a deep breath. Once… twice… okay, here goes.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell echoed through the hallway.
I heard quick footsteps inside. Oh no… is this dinner time? Maybe I came at a bad time…
“Coming~!”
…A girl’s voice? She sounds young. And… cute?
Wait, wait, wait—hold on. A high school guy living alone… and the neighbor is a cute girl? This feels like the start of a romcom.
After a few seconds, the lock clicked, and the door slowly opened.
Alright. Let me greet her properly first—
“Hi! I just moved in next door a little while ago. Sorry I didn’t say hello earlier… wait… huh?”
“Oh, thank you for the curry… and, wait… huh?”
The moment I saw her face, my mind froze.
Long, silky hair that sparkled under the hallway light. Sharp, beautiful eyes, wide with surprise. Her usually serious lips slightly open in shock.
“…Eh…?”
“…………”
If this were our first time meeting, I might’ve fallen for her instantly.
Too bad it’s not.
And worse, if I remember right… we left a terrible impression on each other.
That gorgeous girl standing there?
She was at the student council meeting earlier today. We’d been at the same table just a few hours ago.
—Yukimiya Hyouka.
“…Y-Yukimiya?”
That’s all I could manage, too shocked to say anything else.
“…President Yatsuhashi…?”
Yukimiya looked just as surprised and called out my name.
“… … … …”
We stared at each other in silence.
Or rather—I was frozen. My brain was in chaos.
Why is Yukimiya here?
Why did she come out of the apartment next door?
Didn’t she check the intercom?
I was just trying to greet my new neighbor.
And now…
What the heck is going on?
Shiramine Girls’ High School is pretty famous. I heard that during entrance exams, they sometimes ask about your family background. So most of the girls there come from rich families. I figured Yukimiya was one of them too.
But here she is—not in some big mansion or fancy high-rise, but right next door in the apartment beside mine.
“Uh… what about your family?”
“I don’t have one. I live alone.”
“Oh… me too.”
“R-Really…”
What kind of weird small talk was this?
But I did get something from it: Yukimiya lives alone. Maybe her family situation forced her to. I don’t really know.
Before I could think more, Yukimiya shook off her frozen stare and gave me her usual cold look.
Ugh, stop that! It’s only spring, and I’m already freezing from your glare.
“Why are you here? Stalker? Pervert? Suspicious person?”
“All those mean about the same thing. Like I said, I moved in next door this spring.”
“You moved here knowing I lived here? Gross.”
“Hey, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have moved here.”
I’ve been treated coldly at school today, and now here too? Does she think I’m some kind of masochist?
No way. I’m not. Maybe I was shivering a bit, but that’s just because of her cold eyes.
I sighed and noticed the curry in my hand had cooled down. I’d been standing here too long.
“So… I guess we’re neighbors now. Since we go to the same school and live next door, let’s help each other out and be friends.”
That’s just polite words. Honestly, I just want a quiet life with no trouble.
But if I say that straight, things would get even more awkward. Our relationship is already sharp like a knife. If this keeps up, it’ll be like walking on a bed of swords. I don’t want my stomach pierced.
So, even if it’s just on the surface, I want to show some good intentions. It’s important. After all, I’m an adult now.
“Gross. You’re hiding something, right?”
What an idiot.
—No, calm down, me. Getting mad here will ruin everything. I have to show that I’m mature.
“No hidden motives. I’m just being honest.”
“Is that so?”
Well, if I were her, I wouldn’t believe me either.
“Ahem. By the way…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Yukimiya looked at the Tupperware in my hand. She seemed curious.
“Oh, this? I didn’t bring cookies to say hello, so I brought curry instead. I just made it for dinner. You like curry?”
“Curry…”
She stared at it. Suddenly, I heard a weird noise from the hallway.
A rumbling… like grrrrrr.
Was that her stomach? Or was I imagining things?
“You hungry?”
“No.”
“But just now…”
“No.”
“.........”
“No.”
I hadn’t said anything.
When I lifted the Tupperware, her eyes followed every move—like a cat waiting for food. Honestly, it was kind of cute.
“Pfft, you’re starving.”
“I said I’m not. Don’t underestimate me.”
Try saying that while looking away. How stubborn can she be?
I sighed, amazed. Then I noticed what was behind her.
“…Huh?”
What the heck?
I looked inside her apartment.
A huge pile of dirty clothes was stacked in the hallway. Empty instant noodle cups and food trays filled trash bags. Bottled water still in a box—probably her stockpile. The sink was full of dirty dishes soaking in water for who knows how long.
The living room was just as messy. No, worse—gross.
The intercom was covered in trash, so no wonder she couldn’t see who rang the bell.
So this is where she’s been living?
I figured she might not know how to cook or clean, but this was a whole new level of mess.
“...? What are you looking at, Student Council President Yatsuhashi? Ah?!”
Yukimiya must have noticed I peeked inside because she blushed and slammed the door shut.
“You saw it?”
“If I said no, would you be happy?”
She didn’t avoid my gaze. She knew it was her mess, but didn’t like anyone seeing it. Her pout stayed on.
Seriously… I couldn’t hold back.
“Yukimiya, wait here.”
“Huh?”
“Just wait. That’s all.”
“Uh… okay.”
Leaving her confused, I grabbed garbage bags, detergent, and cleaning supplies from my room and headed back.
Apron, gloves, mask, goggles—I was ready for anything, even germs and bugs.
“Sorry, Yukimiya. For my own peace of mind, I’m cleaning this mess whether you like it or not.”
“Wait! You’re planning to come inside my apartment?”
"I have to stop this mess before it spreads to my room too. There’s no way I’m gonna live with those cockroaches!"
I teased her with a blaming look, but she just looked away.
“That’s true but…”
“I know you don’t want me inside, but please bear with it for now.”
If her place were neat, I’d feel shy going in.
But this place was a disaster. No time for that.
If I clean this up, maybe she’ll be grateful… maybe.
It’s still early spring, so the smell isn’t bad yet. But if it were summer… it’d be a total nightmare.
That’s something I want to avoid.
“Yukimiya, can you wait outside? Or wait in my room and eat curry. It’s clean there.”
“Is that a jab because my place is dirty?”
“No.”
“Just kidding.”
"Your jokes are hard to get."
I couldn’t keep chatting in the hallway. I needed to get this done fast.
As I took off my shoes and was about to step inside… guik. My shirt got tugged.
Yukimiya.
“Yukimiya, I know you don’t want me in here, but—”
“No, it’s not that. I want to help too.”
“Huh?”
She looked shy and turned away.
“I can’t leave this mess all to you. And… my clothes too…”
“Ah… yeah, I’d appreciate the help.”
If she’s got clothes everywhere, probably underwear too… Even if she washes it, it’s probably just thrown around. She definitely doesn’t want me touching it. Honestly, I’d feel weird if I were her.
“Okay, I’ll take out the trash. Yukimiya, please pick up your stuff you don’t want others to see.”
“Okay.”
While Yukimiya wore the mask I gave her and started picking up clothes scattered everywhere, I nervously stuffed trash into big plastic bags.
I kept glancing around… afraid a cockroach would jump out at any second.
How much trash is even left here...?
One bag filled up... then another... then another...
This... this is too much!
No way there aren’t cockroaches hiding somewhere, right!?
Her personal stuff wasn’t much.
Almost all the garbage was just empty food containers and instant noodle cups.
Even the boxes and random packages were less than I expected.
Tomorrow was plastic garbage collection day.
If we keep going, the place will finally be clean soon.
I didn’t bother sorting the trash.
For now, I just dragged most of it out to the hallway.
Next, I moved to the living room...
And... yeah, it was just as bad.
In the corner, Yukimiya was silently folding her clean laundry.
The room was so cramped...
“You... seriously live like this?”
If it were me... I’d lose my mind in three days.
“As long as I have a desk and a bed, that’s enough for me. I’m eating well, studying well, and sleeping well. That’s all I need.”
“Sure... but now your apartment’s a cockroach hotel.”
“.........”
Hey! Don’t ignore me!
The room’s layout was the same as mine.
We lived next door in the same building, after all.
But with how messy it was, her room felt way smaller.
I didn’t know trash could make this much difference.
...Yeah.
Maybe I should clean my own room more often.
I grabbed the trash closest to me and started stuffing more into the bags.
Next stop: the bedroom.
Her apartment was a 2DK—two rooms plus dining and kitchen.
Pretty big for a student.
I also lived in the same type, thanks to student discounts.
I walked through the living room and opened the door to the bedroom.
Yup… it was just as bad.
She talks big about “good sleep,” but this?
What’s she even saying?
“You... this…”
“What? It’s fine, right? I can still sleep here.”
“That’s not the point.”
I seriously couldn’t imagine sleeping in a place like this.
I’d probably get sick.
But... around her bed and desk, there was a bit less trash.
Not clean… but... survivable.
“Still...”
Ugh...
The smell…
A weird mix of girl fragrance and... rotten trash.
Not a great combo.
For now, I sprayed air freshener everywhere.
Her blanket needed to be aired out.
Her sheets... definitely needed washing.
I’ll leave that part to her.
No... wait...
I’ll probably have to teach her how to do it first.
There were more clothes scattered near her bed than anywhere else.
She looked perfect at school…
But her room told a different story.
How many clothes did she even own?
Why was there this much?
As I picked up shopping bags, candy wrappers, and snack packages…
I realized something.
So she does eat this kind of junk too, huh...
That was… unexpected.
Then... my hand touched something soft.
Huh?
Fabric?
Small… thin… black…
Way too delicate to be a handkerchief.
What’s this?
Probably trash…
But just in case, I better ask her.
“Hey Yukimiya, this fell out from under your bed.”
“Huh?”
“Here.”
I handed it over.
She took it, confused.
Unfolded it...
And then…
A black triangle greeted us.
Lace...
Ribbon...
See-through parts...
Yep.
Her underwear.
“..........”
“..........”
Dead silence.
Ultra awkward.
The air froze.
Both of us just stood there.
Staring.
My brain was screaming:
WHAT DO I DOOOOO!?
Our eyes met.
Her face turned bright red in an instant.
“Ah... uh...!?”
“Eh... um…”
My face heated up too.
Way too hot.
I was probably just as red as her.
Because this was...
Her underwear.
Black.
Lacy.
Sexy.
From a cute girl... my classmate.
“Wha-what are you...!”
Ah crap.
Is she gonna slap me!?
Wait wait...
That’s not fair!
I didn’t do anything wrong!
If I get slapped now… I’ll probably cry!
In this kind of situation...
There was only one thing I could do.
“I’m really, really sorry!”
I bowed my head.
Full power apology.
But… wait...
Why am I the one apologizing?
If you think about it…
Yukimiya’s the one who left her underwear lying around!
But yeah...
In situations like this, the guy always ends up apologizing...
That’s just how the world works.
Yukimiya seemed flustered by how serious my apology was.
Her hand... frozen midair…
Like she didn’t know what to do next.
“...It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. This was my fault.”
YES!
I’m safe!
Thank goodness...
If our friendship got awkward over this...
It would’ve been a disaster.
Yukimiya quickly stuffed the underwear away and sighed.
“Let’s hurry up and finish. I’m hungry.”
“Which is why I told you... come eat curry at my place. I swear I won’t touch your clothes. Just relax.”
“I don’t know… You say that, but for all I know, you’re planning to steal my underwear.”
“Do I look like that kind of guy!?”
“Just kidding.”
That’s not a funny joke!!
After that, we kept cleaning up the trash and clothes without saying another word.
[Two hours later]
The living room and bedroom were completely clean.
It looked like a totally different place now.
We left all the garbage bags out in the hallway for now. With this much trash, keeping it inside would just get in the way. I placed cockroach repellent products in a few corners of the room. Then I swept and mopped the floor.
And with that, most of the cleaning was done. Or rather…
Now that the trash was gone, there was barely anything left in the room. Aside from the bed and the study desk…There was just a small table and a simple bookshelf. No small decorations or knickknacks at all.
Honestly, you could call Yukimiya a minimalist.
There was seriously nothing here. But Yukimiya didn’t seem to care.
She looked around the now-clean living room with sparkling eyes.
“Wow… I can see the wooden floor now…”
“Seriously… Your room was insane before. From now on, make sure to throw out your trash properly.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I’ll do it properly… as much as I can.”
Huh…?
What was that part she mumbled at the end?
I feel like I should come check in on her from time to time. If not, her room might turn into a garbage dump again… And become a cockroach paradise.
“Haa… Okay, let’s use the washing machine while we’re at it. I’ll teach you how to use it. You’re probably just hitting random buttons, right?”
“.........”
“...Yukimiya?”
“Ah, um… yeah.”
…Huh?
Something feels off about her since earlier. Like… she’s low on energy or something.
Ah…
Is she still thinking about the underwear incident…?
No way… She doesn’t seem like the type to care about that kind of thing…
Then… what’s wrong?
“Are you thinking about something?”
“Ah, no… It’s just… I was thinking you’re really used to doing all this.”
“That’s just because you’re too hopeless at it.”
“For me, none of this is a big deal. At home, the housekeeper does all the chores. But you… You’re the Student Council President, so you’re probably different, right?”
“Well, my family isn’t rich enough to hire a housekeeper.”
…So Yukimiya really is from a rich family, huh…
“There’s no special reason. Both my parents work, so I’ve been doing most of the housework myself since kindergarten.”
“Since kindergarten…!?”
She looked shocked. For me, it’s just normal. I never thought it was anything worth mentioning.
But yeah… When I talk about this, people usually get surprised.
“Both my parents leave for work early and come home late. So I learned how to do things to survive. That’s all. That’s why I’m better at house chores than you.”
“Don’t compare me to you!”
Fair enough.
Anyway… While the washing machine ran, let’s finish today’s cleaning.
I grabbed the cordless vacuum cleaner and started sucking up all the dust in the room.
This thing worked super well. How much dust had built up…?
This could make someone seriously sick. At worst, even cause allergies.
As I carefully cleaned every corner… Yukimiya awkwardly followed behind me.
“…Sorry… President Yatsuhashi… About earlier…”
“Eh? About what?”
“That… Even though I didn’t know… I stepped all over your… Family stuff…”
Oh…
She’s apologizing for that…? She’s more responsible than I thought… Or rather… she’s overthinking this too much.
“You don’t have to worry about it. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“Anyone would worry! If someone poked around in my family matters, I’d feel the same way.”
Really…? I feel like having working parents and doing chores yourself is super common. In my case, I just started earlier than most people.
But… Now that I think about it…
Maybe Yukimiya doesn’t like people prying into her home life either. That’s probably why she’s so bothered about this.
“Alright, I’ll accept your apology. But seriously… You’re overthinking it.”
“Please… let me do that much.”
…What a weird girl.
Well… Even though she’s cute, she’s kinda… off in the head sometimes.
After that, Yukimiya and I divided the cleaning tasks. She took care of wiping the dust, and I handled the washing at the sink for about an hour.
In the end, the room finally looked clean. Now, this room actually feels like a proper place for a person to live.
It had been a long time since I did this much cleaning. It reminded me of the time I left an oil stain inside the microwave back at home... and the stain stayed there for six months straight.
Yukimiya looked around the apartment like she was seeing it for the first time.
“Wow... I can’t believe it got this clean in just three hours...”
“Honestly, I wanted to do more, but it’s already late. I’ve set your laundry in the dryer, but if it’s still damp, you’ll need to hang it to dry. And don’t forget to fold everything properly, okay?”
“I know... Thanks.”
“We’re neighbors. Helping each other is normal.”
If just doing this could help me avoid more complaints from her, I’d happily do it. I already get enough nagging at school... I don’t need more at home too.
It was already past 10 PM. My stomach felt completely empty. We hadn’t eaten or taken any breaks during the cleaning.
Yukimiya seemed to feel the same. Her stomach growled loudly.
I turned to look at her, and she quickly looked away.
“...That wasn’t me.”
“Nope, that was definitely you.”
“Ugh...”
Her face turned red. She glared at me, but honestly... she just looked cute.
“What? It’s not like it’s my fault. We haven’t eaten anything. It’s normal for your stomach to make noise when you’re hungry.”
“I’m not blaming you... Anyway, wait here. I’ll go heat up your curry.”
“Curry...! ...Ah, ehem.”
She reacted instantly, but then cleared her throat like nothing happened.
This hungry girl was waiting for me. I had to hurry.
I went back to my apartment and reheated the curry and rice.
After it was warm enough, I packed it into a tupperware and brought it to her room.
She stared at the curry like a dog told to “stay.”
“Oh, by the way... I made extra for tomorrow’s breakfast too. Before eating, just microwave it. I guess... you’re not really used to using the stove, right?”
“I can use the stove!”
“Yeah, but if you accidentally start a fire, that’d be bad.”
“I... I’ll just use the microwave.”
“Good choice.”
Should’ve just said that from the start.
Yukimiya seemed like she still had something on her mind.
“Um... one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“President-Yatsuhashi... Please don’t tell anyone about this.”
“‘This’... you mean about us being neighbors? Of course I won’t. I don’t want rumors either.”
Especially the guys from my school... If they found out I lived next to the most popular girl from Shiramine Girls’ Academy... I’d be dead. I want to live long enough to have grandkids, thank you very much.
“Not just that... I mean... about the state of my room...”
Ah... that.
Yukimiya nervously fiddled with her fingers, looking embarrassed.
“You know... at school, everyone thinks I’m perfect. Flawless... no weaknesses...”
Yeah... Even back at Kuroba, there were rumors calling her the ‘perfect girl.’
“You could’ve just told them the truth... that you’re bad at this stuff.”
“I did at first... But then they said things like ‘She’s so humble,’ ‘So hardworking,’ ‘A real princess,’ and stuff like that...”
“So... the more you denied it, the more they praised you?”
Yukimiya nodded slowly.
That’s... kind of sad.
“I get it now. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. You can relax.”
“Really? You swear? If you lie... I’ll gouge your eyes out.”
“What!?”
“Just kidding.”
That’s not funny!!
...Ah, right. I just remembered.
“By the way... Can you stop calling me ‘President-Yatsuhashi’?”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s not wrong... but I don’t like being called that in my personal life. Just call me ‘-kun’ or ‘-san’... or even just my name.”
“...I see. Then... I’ll call you Yatsuhashi-kun when we’re at home.”
“Thanks. That helps a lot.”
Honestly, that ‘President’ title had been bothering me for a while.
Yukimiya smiled happily and took the tupperware. She went back inside her room... but then suddenly stopped halfway.
Huh? What now?
She turned around like she just remembered something.
“What is it?”
“Um... Thanks for today. For everything. Let’s keep helping each other from now on. Good night, Yatsuhashi-kun.”
“...Yeah, let’s do that. Good night, Yukimiya.”
After her door closed, I let out a long sigh.
...Good night... huh? How long has it been since I last said that to someone?
I can’t even remember saying it back at my parents’ house.
But... it felt kinda nice. Like... like I’m not alone.
Feeling strangely warm inside, I went back to my room.
Alright... time to eat curry, take a bath, and then sleep.
Now that I was alone... it felt a little empty.
Huh? Alone? With who...?
Oh right... Me and... Yukimiya.
Yeah... I was in her room... with her... cleaning... together...
Suddenly, my face burned.
“Ah... Eh... Waaaaah...!”
Uwaaaaah! For real!? I was in her room! With her!
Up until last year, I was surrounded by guys. An all-male environment. A lonely virgin life.
And then today... I was with a girl... alone... in her room...!
“Uoooooooohhh... Uwaaaaaaaaah...!”
God... what’s happening to me?! My brain’s boiling! Like this curry!
...Okay... calm down. It’s over. No point thinking about it now.
Yeah... Eat. Just eat. Then sleep. Then forget everything!
Alright... let’s eat. Let’s eat, sleep, and forget everything! …Even though that’s not really easy. But still... let’s try running away from reality. Yeah… let’s do that.
I scooped some rice and reheated curry onto a plate, then headed for the living room.
And then… I heard a voice from Yukimiya’s room.
Huh...? Are the walls in this apartment really this thin? No… they should have soundproofing. Normally, you wouldn’t hear anything even if someone was talking loudly.
But now… I could hear it, even though it was muffled. It felt like... Yukimiya was doing something she shouldn’t be doing.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t eavesdrop, my curiosity won, and before I realized it, I was staring at the wall.
“～～～～♪ ～～♪”
…A song? I’ve never heard this melody before... Is she... making it up as she goes?
But still... her voice was beautiful. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a professional singer. Her voice was that good. I got lost listening to her without thinking.
Just a little more… I want to hear more…
I closed my eyes and focused on her singing.
It felt like I was sitting in a theater, watching a live performance.
And then… when she got to the lyrics—
“Curry, curry~♪ Curry’s spicy, oh~ curry~♪ Together with rice~ We’re best friends~♪ La~ la~ la~♪”
“Gah!?”
I choked.
What the heck was that!? What kind of song is this!? I was expecting something emotional... and instead... this!?
I only listened because I thought it’d be something beautiful… But now I regret it!
While I kept coughing from the shock of that original... um, “Curry Song (Lyrics and Composition: Yukimiya Hyouka)”, she suddenly stopped singing.
Oh no… My coughing definitely reached her side. This is bad. If she finds out I was listening, she’ll totally think I’m a creep again.
I held back my coughs. After a while… she started singing again.
Man... just how energetic is she? Even I’m getting secondhand embarrassment here.
“Mr. Meat~♪ Mr. Carrot~♪ Mr. Potato~♪ Mr. Onion~♪ All together... let’s cook... hmm~ mmm~ nnn~ emnn~♪”
Aaaaaahhh!!! This is so embarrassing! Seriously embarrassing! Too embarrassing!!
For her own sake… please, stop! I’m begging you!
But if I tell her to stop, she’ll instantly realize I’ve been listening this whole time!
Please... realize it on your own! If you heard me coughing... you should know I can hear you too, right!? How can you be so careless!?
If I keep listening... I’m gonna go crazy from this ridiculous song. For my own mental health... I need to ignore it.
I pulled away from the wall and sat down on the sofa, clenching my fists.
“Let’s eat.”
“Let’s eat~♪”
From Yukimiya’s room… I could hear her say that too. What a coincidence… Looks like we started eating at the same time.
Even though I told myself to ignore her... I couldn’t help but wonder… Did she like the curry? The one I made this time was just instant curry with a little extra sauce and ketchup for flavor. Still… I was curious about her reaction.
Feeling a bit nervous, I sat up straight and...
“...It’s good!”
I could faintly hear her say it.
Phew... Looks like she’s enjoying it.
Feeling relieved, I started eating my own curry.
Yeah... it tastes good. But still, curry made from scratch with real spices would taste even better.
Once my life settles down... I’ll try making real curry. And when that day comes… I’ll ask her to try it again. Hopefully, she doesn’t hate strong spice smells.
“This is amazing... Wow, so good. Yatsuhashi-kun, you’re really great... But of course... there’s no way I’d ever tell him that directly!”
What’s with her? I already heard you, so no need to act all tsundere now!
Feeling a little embarrassed, I scratched my cheek. But... something warm filled my heart.
When was the last time someone told me my cooking was good? My parents? Or maybe... Junya?
It felt... kinda ticklish. Wait, no... It wasn’t that.
…Maybe... I was just really happy.
Greeting each other… sharing opinions… exchanging little moments like this…
It all felt so fresh and new to me.
Of course, I’d had this kind of thing at school. With Junya… or with the other student council members.
But in my personal life... this kind of thing was really rare. It had almost disappeared from my life.
The happiness of sharing time and space with someone else... While thinking that… I quietly finished the rest of my curry.
◆◆◆
Ah… So sleepy. I couldn’t sleep at all last night.
No doubt about it... The reason was Yukimiya.
That beautiful girl was right next door… and we spent quite a bit of time together last night. No way I could just ignore the fact she was behind that wall. Even with her personality being... like that.
...But her smile... was cute. No, wait, wait, wait! What am I even thinking!? Crap… I need to focus!
It was almost 8 AM. If I didn’t leave the apartment soon, I’d definitely be late.
I checked my hair one last time, put on my loafers, and stepped outside.
The morning sun felt too bright, making me squint.
Ah... This is bad... I... yawned—
“ “Huaaahhh...h?” ”
Huh? An echo?
I glanced to my left… and there she was.
Yukimiya had come out of her room at the exact same time, yawning with her mouth wide open and then froze in mid-yawn.
This... is awkward. I should just pretend I didn’t see and go back inside—
“You saw that, didn’t you.”
“...Nope. Didn’t see anything.”
“Liar.”
Dammit. I tried so hard to act normal but she called me out herself.
Giving up, I stepped out again. The cute, sleepy expression from her yawn was already gone. With a sharp glare, she brushed her hair aside and stared at me with cold eyes.
Her face was a little red... Honestly, it made her look more cute than scary.
“Good morning, Yatsuhashi-kun.”
“...Good morning, Yukimiya.”
Even at times like this, she still greets people... What a polite girl.
“Yatsuhashi-kun. Forget what you just saw. If you don’t... I’ll punch you until you forget everything.”
“Stop making scary threats like that so casually. I wasn’t planning on telling anyone anyway.”
Besides… if people found out that the famous Ice Goddess Yukimiya was my neighbor, they’d totally hate me. Guys like that always gang up on me in times like this.
“Yeah, well... fine. Also, let me remind you again... Don’t tell anyone about yesterday.”
Yukimiya lowered her eyes, trying hard not to meet my gaze as she said that.
...Is it just me, or did she sound kinda desperate?
Maybe she really didn’t want her “perfect girl” image to be ruined... Or maybe... she just didn’t want people knowing certain sides of her.
Looks like... even she has some weak spots.
Suddenly... I felt a strange sense of closeness with her.
Feeling a little playful, I decided to tease her about yesterday.
“Man... your cooking, your laundry, your cleaning… Yesterday was a total disaster. Your place seriously looked like a dump.”
“I was trying to put it nicely... but you just had to go and say it like that.”
“S-sorry.”
I apologized immediately. Please stop glaring at me like you wanna kill me! I’m scared!
“Relax. Even if I said it, no one would believe me anyway.”
“Heh… So people don’t trust you, huh.”
“No matter how much I explain... Your ‘perfect girl’ image is just way too strong for anyone to doubt.”
So sad… but true… sniff...
“W-well... I’m sure something good will happen for you too. Someday… Maybe...?”
“Don’t give me that weak sympathy... It just makes me feel worse.”
Seriously... it’s breaking my heart.
Even though it was still morning, I already felt mentally exhausted.
Then Yukimiya suddenly checked her watch and gasped. I looked at mine too... It was already past 8.
“Oh no! We’re gonna be late! Yukimiya, let’s go!”
“Yeah... But keep your distance. I don’t want people seeing us leave together. I’d rather die.”
“That’s too harsh… You’re breaking my heart, you know?”
“Just kidding.”
That’s exactly why your jokes are so hard to get… Whatever… I don’t wanna be late, so let’s hurry.
“Oh, right. Yatsuhashi-kun... After school, I’ll return the tupperware from yesterday. So... wait for me.”
“Hm? Sure. See you later, Yukimiya.”
I waved goodbye to Yukimiya and ran out of the apartment building.
At first... I thought meeting Yukimiya would be the worst thing ever...
But now... maybe not.
Maybe… I kinda like these silly little moments with her.
With light steps, I ran toward Shiramine High School.
The sky was bright and sunny.
Yep… looks like today’s gonna be a good day.