"Hey, how was your date with Arisu?"
Right after Yuzu finished her shower and we finished having sex, she asked me that.
"Nothing special. Tanaka-senpai didn't even show up in the end. It was a wasted trip."
"Hmm. So you didn't go to a hotel or anything?"
"No way I would. She's the serious type. She said she can't imagine dating someone she doesn't even like."
"But if Arisu had invited you, would you have gone?"
She looked at me, but her expression didn't change. If anything, she sounded exasperated.
"I don't know. Probably not."
"She's not your type?"
"I don't really know what my type is. But you can't just do stuff and then say goodbye, right? That's too much of a hassle."
I thought it was weird to be having this conversation with my friend-with-benefits, but I ended up saying it anyway.
Still, her expression didn't change. "Well then, I guess friends-with-benefits is perfect for you," she said.
"...Yeah, maybe. Dating and all that is exhausting. What about you? You different?"
"I've never had a boyfriend, so I don't know. But maybe I'm the same."
"Oh, okay. Anyway, it's late now. What do you want to do? It's pretty dark around here. I'll walk you home."
"Says the guy who's just a friend-with-benefits."
She said that, but today Yuzu didn't try to get out of bed.
"Hey, can I stay the night?"
"Huh? I don't mind, but is it okay with your family?"
"I'll just say I'm staying at a friend's place. I'm getting sleepy anyway, and I don't like the idea of you walking me home."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I'm going to use your shower again. Lend me your sweats or something to sleep in."
Yuzu covered herself with the towel blanket nearby and stood up quickly.
"Is this exhausting too?" she asked.
Then, without waiting for my answer, she left the room and headed to the bathroom.
---
"...Nn."
When I woke up, the room was completely bright. It seemed I had fallen asleep before Yuzu came back.
She was already gone, I guess.
Well, that figures.
She wouldn't want someone who's not her boyfriend seeing her sleeping face.
"Ah... Come to think of it, I'm off today."
Lately, the weeks fly by.
Go to school every day, Yuzu comes over, sometimes work. Before I know it, the weekdays are over.
But weekends feel long instead.
It's fine during the day when I'm at work, but the nights are long after I get home. I don't really watch TV, and I don't read much. Plus, Yuzu doesn't come over.
Time flies when I'm with her, though. Even though we mostly just have sex.
"Alright, time to get up."
I straightened the messy futon, got dressed, and headed to the bathroom.
There, in the changing room, was a set of my clothes, neatly folded.
"...So she's meticulous about things like this."
I stared at the clothes I'd lent Yuzu yesterday with my toothbrush in my mouth.
Vaguely, I thought of Yuzu's face from the day before.
---
"Welcome!"
The family restaurant near my house where I work was as busy on weekend afternoons as if it were a different place. Without time to think, I just repeated serving customers, delivering food, and washing dishes. The time passed.
"Aoyama-kun, you can take a break after you clear table three."
"Yes, thank you."
I responded to the manager's call, cleared the table, and went to the back of the kitchen.
I glanced at the clock. It was 4 PM. Time really flies.
"Good work, Aoyama-kun."
"Good work. Asou-san, are you off too?"
"Yeah. I've got nothing to do after this anyway."
"Well, I suppose."
The person who called out to me in the back break room was my coworker, Asou Mariko-san. She goes to the same school, one year ahead, but we've only ever talked here. She's a beauty with glossy black hair in a ponytail and sharp, distinctive eyes. She works less often than I do, but she's been there longer, so I rely on her at work.
"Aoyama-kun, you always put yourself on the schedule on your days off. Don't you have a girlfriend?"
"No, I don't. What about you, Asou-san? You've been working less lately. Did you get a boyfriend?"
"Ah, well, not exactly."
Her answer was vague. I figured it was probably something to do with a guy, but I didn't press.
"Well, things happen. Good work today."
"Hey, hey, wait. Aren't you going to listen?"
"Listen to what?"
"Sigh, you're really dry, Aoyama-kun. If you're free, want to get some tea after this?"
She asked while standing near the exit, clearly wanting me to listen. Actually, it felt more like she just wanted anyone to listen.
"Well, if you're paying."
"Ahaha, I'll pay, I'll pay. Then let's go to that café a little ways away."
"Wouldn't here be fine?"
"Eh, doesn't it feel bad to give back the money we just earned to the same store?"
"Well, when you put it that way."
"Right. Okay, I'll go change. You head out first."
Asou-san headed to the locker room in the back.
Normally, I would never accept an invitation like this.
But I was wondering how to kill time in the evening, and I thought maybe it would be okay for once.
When did I start thinking like that?
Aware that I was acting out of character, I left the restaurant and waited for Asou-san to come.