Walking down the night road with Yuzu on the way home. She was silently looking at her phone next to me the whole time. The distance between us was such that our shoulders almost touched, but not quite. Even though I touch her body all the time. Even though I probably will again after this. For some reason, now when our shoulders were about to touch, it felt awkward and I subtly kept my distance.
We didn't hold hands like lovers. We didn't look each other in the eye.
Quietly, the two of us returned to my apartment.
---
"Ugh... haa, haa..."
I exhaled as I finished, and maybe because it was after work, I was more tired than usual and collapsed onto the bed.
"What, you're tired?"
"Haa... well, work was busy."
"I see. Do you have work tomorrow too?"
"Well, from the afternoon."
"Hmm, you're busy."
She turned her back with a thud and picked up her phone with a bored look.
"Hey, what do you do on weekends anyway?"
"What's that, jealous? Gross."
"I just asked what you do. You asked about my schedule first."
"I don't do anything. I stay home all day. Does that make you feel better?"
"About what?"
"You were worried about what I was buying at the convenience store earlier. I don't have any other guy."
She said that with her back turned, still looking at her phone.
"Oh, okay. Even if you did, it's none of my business."
"Because we're friends with benefits?"
"Well, it's not like we're dating."
"I guess so. Are you going to sleep now?"
"Mm, in a bit."
"I see. I'm staying over again today."
She wrapped herself in the towel blanket and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
Lately, I feel like we've been talking more. Even with this kind of relationship, maybe seeing each other every day has made her let her guard down a little.
But tomorrow, she'll probably be gone when I wake up again. I thought it might be nice to at least have her say goodnight.
As I was thinking that, sleepiness came over me again. I drifted into a doze.
---
"...Nn."
Morning. I sat up in bed, still naked. Next to me, where Yuzu should have been sleeping, my clothes were folded.
She wasn't there after all. She doesn't have to leave in such a hurry.
"Ah... I'm hungry."
On holidays, I basically don't have anything besides work, so I don't eat breakfast. But yesterday Yuzu came over, which is rare, so I guess I'm tired.
I still have plenty of time. Maybe I'll go to the convenience store... Hmm?
"Ah."
When I opened the room door, I ran right into Yuzu carrying a tray with food on it with both hands.
"W-what, you were here?"
"What, am I a bother?"
"No. But what's that?"
On the tray were two sets of rice, miso soup, and rolled omelet.
"I borrowed the kitchen. I was hungry."
"Well, that's fine, but..."
"What? You didn't want to eat something I made?"
"I-I didn't say that."
"Then move out of the way. And don't get the wrong idea. This is my rent for staying over."
She passed by me, put the tray on the desk in the room, and said, "Eat it before it gets cold."
"Uh, yeah. Thanks for the food."
I hurriedly sat across from Yuzu and took a sip of the miso soup.
"Mm, good."
The seasoning felt somehow nostalgic.
"Don't you cook for yourself?"
"Well, I mostly manage with the employee meals at work."
"Hmm."
She replied curtly and quietly ate her breakfast with her chopsticks.
I didn't know what to say either, so I continued eating in silence.
As soon as she finished eating, Yuzu picked up the tray with the dishes and said, "I'll clean up."
"I can do that much."
"No. And you don't have to help."
"Why not?"
"That kind of thing tires you out, right?"
"Huh?"
"Just stay in the room. I'll go home after I clean up."
She said that dismissively and went out to the hallway where the kitchen was. After she closed the room door, for a while only the sound of running water and clinking dishes faintly reached the room.
When it finally got quiet, I left the room.
She was already gone.
---
"Aoyama kun, can you take the order at table six? After that, could you do the dishes?"
"Yes."
Work today was busier than ever. Asou san being absent was one reason, but more than that, there were more customers than usual. Couples were especially noticeable. I wonder if there's some event going on around here.
"Phew."
"Good work, Aoyama kun. You were a big help today. Here's a cola."
"Ah, thanks."
Just as I finished the dishes and took a breather, the manager, Takeda Yukio san, came over with a drink. He just graduated university this spring and apparently became a full time employee after extending his part time job from his student days.
"Asou kun suddenly took the day off today. She's been working fewer shifts lately. Did she say anything?"
"I don't know. We go to the same school, but we don't talk about things like that."
"I see. But maybe she went to today's event with her boyfriend."
"An event is going on?"
"Ah, you didn't know? There's an event for couples at the nearby shopping street, and apparently they're giving away that 'Lover Rabbits' plushie to visitors."
"Lover Rabbits?"
"What, you don't know that either? Aoyama kun, you're really out of touch with trends. Look, this. You see it on commercials a lot lately, right?"
"Ah."
On the phone screen the manager showed me was a familiar rabbit plushie. The one Arisu made me get for her at the arcade the other day. So it was popular.
"Do you like this kind of thing too, Manager?"
"My girlfriend does. But she was sad when I told her I couldn't take Sunday off. I wanted at least the plushie for her."
The manager said that with a rare troubled look, mixed with a sigh.
"Couldn't you have asked Asou san?"
"I tried contacting her, but she didn't reply. Ah, sorry for stopping you with this. It's time for you to clock out, good work."
The manager hurried back to the kitchen.
I punched my time card and went to the changing room. While getting changed, I suddenly thought of the manager's troubled face from earlier. That person has been helping me out ever since I got hired. He kindly hired me, an inexperienced and unfriendly person. He's always been flexible with my schedule too.
At a time like this, isn't there something I can do for him? Could I go get that plushie for him instead?
But no matter how much I thought about it, there was nothing I could do. I don't have a girlfriend to go to the event with me. Asou san is the only person I could ask something like that, but if the manager couldn't reach her, it would probably be useless for me to try.
Arisu... No, I don't have her contact info either. I know where she lives, but today is Sunday. Going to her house to call on her and running into her family is something I want to avoid.
That leaves... Kureha Yuzuha. I wonder if it's okay to ask her for a favor like this.
Well, come to think of it, I don't have her contact info either.
There's no way I'd conveniently run into her again by chance like yesterday.
I'll just say goodbye and go home. I passed through the kitchen, spotted the manager on the floor, and called out to him.
"Manager, good work today."
"Ah, perfect timing, Aoyama kun. You have a visitor."
"For me?"
"Ahaha, you're full of surprises. Look, at table one."
"...Ah."
Sitting there was a familiar high school girl. Kureha Yuzuha. As usual, she was alone, looking bored while fiddling with her phone.
"What are you doing here?"
"I forgot something at your place. And you don't have my contact info, right?"
"Forgot something? What is that?"
"Does it matter? More importantly, are you done with work? Then open up your place quickly."
She stood up lazily and left the store first. When I followed, she was already heading to my apartment without waiting for me.
"H-hey."
"What? This is the right way to your place, isn't it?"
"Ah, no, well..."
Would you come with me to that event they're holding? Those words got stuck in my throat from embarrassment. Even though we've seen each other in far more embarrassing states.
"What is it?"
"...I have a favor to ask."
"So what is it?"
"...Could you come with me to that event over there? The manager's girlfriend apparently wants the plushie, but it seems you can only get it if a man and woman go together."
When I hesitantly told her, she slowly walked toward me with her usual exasperated expression.
"Then let's go quickly."
"Huh, is that okay?"
"Whatever. I just have to go with you, right?"
"Uh, yeah."
I thought for sure she'd find it a hassle, but she agreed surprisingly easily, and I was caught off guard. Without paying me any mind, she started walking briskly toward the shopping street.
Yuzu was about to leave me behind again.
"W-wait up."
When I hurried after her, she looked back slightly and said,
"Am I okay for this?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Hurry up."
What did she say as she walked off quickly? It was carried away by the wind and I couldn't hear it.