After a super fun party with my best friend, who had their birthday today, and all our other friends, my mom and I started cleaning up the leftover food, drinks, and decorations.
"Hehe, it was so much fun hanging out with everyone today. Umi's birthday parties are always a blast, but with Maki-kun joining us this year, I feel like it was even more exciting."
"I agree. I was a bit worried since he was the first boy to ever come over, but he's so polite. I wouldn't mind if you brought a boy like him home anytime, you know."
"Fufu, oh, I can't do that anymore. Maki-kun is Umi's boyfriend now, so if I did something that selfish, she'd get mad at me."
"That's true~ I always thought of Umi-chan as the responsible type, so I was already plenty surprised when you told me she got a boyfriend, Yuu. But seeing her so head-over-heels for Maehara-kun honestly took me by surprise."
"I know, right? I've never seen Umi be so cute and jealous before. It made me realize that this is what happens when someone falls in love."
Umi is usually the reliable leader who keeps me and Nina-chi in line, but in front of Maki-kun, a side of her she must have been holding back comes out.
The Umi who's always vying for his attention right behind his seat; the Umi who openly pouts and gets a little grumpy when me or Nina-chi are happily chatting with Maki-kun without her.
The Umi who, after Maki-kun apologizes for it, immediately cheers up and playfully starts bothering him again, getting all clingy and sweet. The Umi who gets instantly dejected when she has to leave his side for an errand… The list of new things I've learned about her is endless.
To be honest, at first, I was jealous of Maki-kun. I'd been her friend and best friend for so, so much longer, yet in just a few short months, they closed the distance between them in a flash, and before I knew it, they were a couple.
All I could do was watch over the two of them warmly from nearby.
…Well, thanks to that, I did discover a new pastime: teasing Umi and seeing her cute reactions.
"…Anyway, enough about Umi-chan. At times like this, I start to worry about my own daughter, you know~… glance."
"Eh? Me?"
"Of course! You're in a co-ed school now, and the fact that Umi-chan got a boyfriend means there's a possibility you have a special boy in your life too. …So, how are things really going? I've heard you get approached by a lot of guys, but have you met anyone you like?"
"Eh~? No way, no way, there's no one like that. Sure, some of them are considered cool by everyone, and I've been asked out on dates… but while it might be fun to just hang out, when I'm asked if I want to do couple-like things, it just doesn't click for me."
Ever since Umi started being open about her relationship with Maki-kun, I feel like more guys have been asking me out or suddenly confessing to me. But, and I know this is rude, I've never had any romantic feelings for any of them.
Whether it was a classmate, an upperclassman, or a guy from another school… whether I knew them or not, even if they confessed to me,
'This is so awkward.'
That was always my first thought.
Most of them suggest starting as friends. But their eyes are clearly seeking something more than 'friends' from me, and that scares me.
All I want right now is to spend my days laughing and having fun. That's enough for me.
"I see. You were in an all-girls' school for a long time, so it's probably hard to suddenly be talking about boyfriends and romance, right? But you're the type to go with your gut, Yuu, so maybe 'that day' will come as soon as tomorrow."
"You think so~? I do think about it a little, so I don't think it'll be that soon… Besides, I don't even really know what my type is yet."
It's a classic topic among girls, but I've never been able to give a clear answer to that question.
The popular upperclassman from the sports club, the idols and actors you see on TV, in magazines, and on social media.
I think they're cool, and I find their dedication to their craft wonderful.
But that's just a feeling of admiration and respect, like 'Wow!', which is different from romance.
I don't think I've ever clearly experienced the feeling of 'love' yet. The kind where just exchanging a few words makes you happy, and the slightest touch sends your heart fluttering all day… I've only heard about it from Umi and Nina-chi, but I'm sure that's what the feeling of 'love' would be for me.
"Hey, Mom."
"What is it?"
"Um… do you think I can find one, too? A boy who brings out a side of me I never knew existed, just like with Umi."
"Of course, you will. You're the child of me and your dad, who love each other very much, so I'm sure you'll be fine, okay?"
"I see. Hehe, you're right. …If that's the case, I'm glad."
Fortunately, I'm about to become a second-year in high school.
I'll probably be in a different class from Umi, and maybe I'll even be separated from everyone else.
But that just means new encounters are surely waiting for me. New classmates, and the new underclassmen I have yet to meet.
I'm sure not everything will be great, but I'm still excited for the school's opening ceremony in a few days.
──I wonder what kind of person I'll fall for in the future.
──I hope they're a nice person.
And so, dreaming of a first love I had yet to experience, a new season was about to begin for me—Amami Yuu.