"Hey."
At night, as we were lying on the bed together, Yuzu called out to me, which was rare.
"What?"
"Who are you messaging on LINE?"
"Hm? Oh, a coworker from my part time job."
"A woman?"
"Well, she's a senior at school. Do you know Asou Mariko?"
"No. So, do you like her?"
"Huh? No way."
"But you've been on LINE this whole time."
"I gave her some advice before, and it's about that."
I said it lightly, but I couldn't stop thinking about the messages from Asou san.
Not because I liked her, of course.
It was because the messages she sent were all heavy.
"I guess he really did have another girlfriend. I'm so stupid."
"Ah well, I just want to die. How can I be as clear headed as you, Aoyama kun?"
"Hey, can't we meet for a bit?"
I made up an excuse to refuse meeting her, but she kept sending messages as if to say "then how about this?"
"Hmm. You should go meet her."
"We're not like that. She likes someone else."
"So you talk about love."
She dumped it on me. But it seems things aren't going well for her.
I didn't mean to be considerate of Yuzu. But I did feel a bit of impropriety at the thought of leaving her, naked next to me, to call or go see another woman.
That would be doing the same thing as the guy who's toying with Asou san. Even though I don't want to become that kind of person, maybe I'm still a hypocrite.
"Ah, I'm getting sleepy. Hey, can I stay over again tonight?"
"You've been here every day lately. Is that okay?"
Don't worry about my family. Or do you want to call that senior of yours?"
"No way."
"But you want to go see her, right?"
Don't misunderstand. I'm just worried about her as a coworker. Because she wasn't there today, it was really busy."
When I said that, sounding like I was making excuses, she said, "Well then, go. I'm going to sleep. Lock the door."
Yuzu turned her back and pulled the blanket over her head.
"...Good night."
I said it for the first time, but there was no reply.
I got out of the futon, changed clothes, and went outside alone.
---
"So then, right after we finished, he said 'Talking to you is a drag, go home.' So I waited outside the door for a while after I left, and another woman went in. What do you think?"
"What do I think? He's scum."
After I left the house, I contacted Asou san immediately. She said she was alone at our workplace, so I hurried to the family restaurant.
When I entered the nearly empty store, the manager looked a bit troubled as he showed me to Asou san's table.
As soon as I sat down, the complaints started.
"Why did I ever like such a piece of trash?"
"Well, you can't tell if someone is a good person until you get close to them."
"How close? They act nice at first, right? And then as soon as you sleep with them, they get this bored look."
Asou san chugged her cola as if it were alcohol to drown her sorrows.
"Then you shouldn't have given in so easily."
"But if you like someone, you can't refuse when they want you, can you? I thought if I refused, he'd just go to another girl."
"Let's have more confidence. You're pretty, Asou san."
It was just a platitude, but I actually think she's pretty. I didn't know her before coming here, but I've heard several people in class say they admire her.
"Really? Do you think I'm pretty?"
"Well, I suppose."
"Hmm. Can I be confident?"
"Of course. Anyway, what happened with that guy?"
"When I went back to his room, he was kissing another girl, so I threw his shoes that were by the door and left. He hasn't contacted me at all, so I guess it's over."
She looked off into the distance and said, "Another cola, please." I sighed wearily and stood up.
"Asou kun, are you okay?"
When I went to the drink bar to get the cola, the manager came over looking worried.
"Yeah, well. It seems she's cut ties with a bad guy."
"I see. There's a lot going on when you're a student."
"Speaking of which, have you and your girlfriend been together since your student days, Manager?"
"Yeah, since university. We're talking about living together next year, but we've been missing each other lately. We're lucky if we see each other once a month. I miss our student days."
"Oh, that reminds me."
In the middle of that conversation, I suddenly remembered the plushie we won earlier.
I was about to say that he should give it to his girlfriend, but I stopped.
"Hm, what is it?"
"Ah, nothing. Anyway, I'll get back to Asou san."
I went back to my seat as if running away.
Why couldn't I bring myself to mention the plushie? What if Yuzu said she wanted it? Well, she probably wouldn't say that, but just in case. I'll ask her again when I get home, and if she says she doesn't want it, I'll give it to the manager.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Asou san."
"Oh, thanks. Guess what? I just got a message from him. What do you think it said?"
"You look happy. Was it good news?"
"Yeah. He said he was sorry and to come back."
"I see."
It's rude to think this about my senior, but I muttered "is she an idiot?" in my heart.
Not just about that university student, but about Asou san as well.
As if seeing right through me, Asou san slammed her glass down on the table with a bang.
"What an idiot! Stop messing with people!"
Her loud voice echoed through the store. The manager hurried over and said, "Asou kun, lower the volume a bit," then went back to the kitchen.
"...Excuse me."
"Ah, sorry, I wasn't talking to you, Aoyama kun."
"I know. But I'm relieved."
"You thought I'd go running back?"
"Well, a little."
"Ahaha, you're honest. But the old me might have."
"But not now?"
"Maybe thanks to you, Aoyama kun."
"To me? I didn't do anything."
"No. I couldn't talk about this kind of thing to my friends either. I'd think about it alone, get lost, and end up taking the easy way out. But you clearly say when something is no good, don't you? So I thought that if I hesitated now, you'd probably say 'Are you an idiot?' And thinking that, I figured, why bother."
Her smiling face as she laughed "ahaha" looked a bit stiff, but also seemed somehow liberated.
"Well, I actually was thinking that. Sorry."
"Hehe, I knew it. You had that look on your face."
"You seem fine now. Please come to work properly."
Thinking the conversation was over, I stood up. Asou san's eyes widened. "You're going home already?"
"Yes. I have to get up early tomorrow, and I don't want to be out late and get picked up by a patrol."
"I see. Yeah, sorry for keeping you out so late. Can I message you again?"
"Well, within reason."
I just said goodbye to the manager and left the store.
Then, while walking home at night, I thought about Yuzu, who should be sleeping in my room.
What was her intention in starting this relationship with me? Was it just the flow of things? Is there something more? Or is it something less?
It's not something I can ask about now. No, maybe I'm afraid to ask.
I'm worried that if I asked for more, she'd reject me. I don't even know what I would want if she asked for more. In the end, I'm stuck in the middle.
In that sense, I'm no different from the university student who made Asou san cry.
What a joke. Someone like me acting all high and mighty giving love advice.
Thanks to me, she said. You're overestimating me.
As I walked, remembering my conversation with Asou san, I realized I was in front of my house.
Is she still asleep? I quietly and slowly opened the door. Without turning on the light in the pitch black entryway, I felt my way down the hallway.
Then I entered the room.
"...Heh."
Seeing Yuzu sleeping on the bed in the moonlight, I let out a small laugh.
Yuzu sleeping in the bed. And what she was hugging carefully was the plushie we got in the evening.
So she really did want it. She has that girlish side too. Thinking that, I couldn't help but smile.
There was no space on the bed, so I lay down on the sofa, covered myself with the towel blanket, and closed my eyes.
"...Good night."
I said it to her once more.
But again, there was no reply.