"Won't you sleep with me?"
For some reason, lying in the dark room before falling asleep, I remembered those words Yuzu said the first day she came to my place.
When I asked if that was her way of thanking me for helping her, she said, "Not really. Just curious."
My honest thought was that she was someone who treated herself pretty carelessly.
But I couldn't resist the desires of a teenager, nor did I see a reason to. So I took her as she wanted.
Of course, it was my first time.
She said it was her first time too—though I can't say for sure if that was true.
We fumbled through it, skin to skin without even a condom.
But we never grew any closer than that.
After that, we fell into a routine of just meeting at my place after school every day to hook up. For two months now, that relationship hasn't changed.
Personally, I feel like losing my virginity made me a bit more detached about things. But I was always like that, so no big difference.
What about Yuzu?
Now that she knows a man, has her state of mind changed at all?
Is she satisfied just satisfying her teenage desires?
Well, even if I asked, she probably wouldn't answer.
"...Time to sleep."
I quietly closed my eyes.
Trying not to think about anything, I took a deep breath, feeling only the lingering fatigue in my body.
Lying in bed alone felt a little wide.
---
◇
"Morning. Minato, did you figure out your work schedule?"
Morning.
Just like yesterday, Arisu came over to me.
"Well, I'm off today and yesterday."
"Ehh, if you were off yesterday too, you should've told me!"
"Don't assume I'm free just because I don't have work."
"But you're free anyway, right? So, how about today?"
"How about today, she says..."
"The fact that you're hesitating means you don't have plans. Okay, thanks in advance."
"Ah... jeez."
As I watched Arisu head back to her seat, Yuzu suddenly crossed my mind.
She always leaves school before me, and like clockwork, she shows up at my place after I get home.
I only got my part-time job after meeting Yuzu, so I basically work night shifts.
Come to think of it, there hasn't been a single day she came over and I wasn't home.
That just shows how free I am.
Now that I have plans today, how should I tell her?
We've never talked at school, after all.
"Morning, Yuzu."
"Morning, Arisu. What's up? You seem cheerful."
"Well, you know. I asked that guy I mentioned to help me out today."
"Hmm. So that's why you're all excited."
"It's not like that! But I do feel a little lighter thinking I might not get pestered by Tanaka-senpai anymore."
I overheard Arisu and Yuzu talking like that.
Well, lucky break.
Now I don't have to go out of my way to tell Yuzu.
If she knows I'm going on a "date" with Arisu after school, she probably won't come over.
But seriously, what's the point of being a fake boyfriend for a day?
Well, it's not really my place to worry about that.
---
◇
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Minato. Let's go."
Right after school, Arisu came over to me.
"Let's go where? If the goal is to show Tanaka-senpai you have a boyfriend, why not just walk circles around the field?"
"That would just look like I'm walking with a classmate. The soccer team has an early practice today because of an upcoming game, so I thought we could go to the arcade where Tanaka-senpai supposedly hangs out."
"When you're popular, even your favorite spots become rumors."
"Everyone loves gossip. Come on, hurry up."
I felt like there was no need to rush since the soccer team was still practicing, but I had nothing better to do, so I followed Arisu out of school.
On the way to the main gate, as we passed by the soccer team's practice field, I saw Tanaka-senpai stretching off to the side.
He glanced our way, then immediately looked away.
I don't know if it was because he was in the middle of practice or because he noticed me, but he seemed awfully indifferent. Maybe I imagined it.
Still, he really is good-looking.
"Tanaka-senpai is quite handsome."
"What's that? Jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous? I'm just saying, with looks like that, he can afford to play around."
"What do you think girls are? Not everyone is that easy. Dating someone you don't even like is unthinkable."
Arisu's words stung a little.
Dating someone you don't even like is unthinkable.
I don't have that kind of pure feeling anymore.
...And neither does she, probably.
"So that's how it is."
"You say that like you have issues with it. Hey, Minato, are there a lot of easy girls around you?"
"There aren't any girls around me to begin with."
"Ahaha, I guess so. Hey, want to stop by a convenience store before the arcade?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Geez, you're no fun! You're supposed to be my boyfriend today, so you have to listen to your girlfriend's wishes."
"Fine, fine. Do whatever you want."
Annoyed by Arisu's unnecessarily high spirits, we left school together.
After stopping at a convenience store, we headed to the arcade in front of the station.