Umi might wake up if we talked in the room, and Riku-san didn't want his sister to overhear our conversation. So, we decided to talk in the large public bath and get a morning soak in at the same time.
Leaving Umi sleeping soundly in the futon, I slipped out of the room. Riku-san was already up and waiting for me. He handed me a towel.
"Sorry, Maki. Must've been a pain getting away from that little cling-on."
"Not at all. It takes some convincing, but she'll listen if you're patient with her."
To talk outside, I had to get out of the futon we were sharing. As soon as I woke up, Umi had snuggled deep into my chest, her hands clutching my yukata collar to keep me from leaving. The first challenge was getting her to let go.
I managed to negotiate a temporary release from a half-asleep, clingy Umi by telling her I needed to use the bathroom. Though, depending on how long we talk, this could turn into a very long bathroom break, and I'll have to face a lecture when I get back.
But still, I really wanted to hear what Riku-san had to say.
The two of us walked down the silent hallway to the men's bath. I thought it would be nice to talk in the open-air bath, but unfortunately, a sign said there was 'cleaning in progress'.
As I took off my yukata and placed my things in a basket, Riku-san, who was changing next to me, glanced over.
Mainly, at my lower half.
"…Hmm."
"Wh-What is it?"
"Nah… just, yours looks exactly how I thought it would…"
"Y-You're one to talk, Riku-san."
"W-Well, yeah. I think I was in better form back in the day, though."
"Does that thing really change with 'form'…? I guess I can kinda see what you mean, though."
Sharing a moment of masculine camaraderie, I rinsed off and joined Riku-san in the hot spring.
"Phew… I was in here yesterday, but this really feels amazing. It's like all the bad stuff is just melting away."
"It really does… I'm not a huge fan of baths, but I could stay in here for an hour or two."
We both let out a deep sigh and stared blankly at the ceiling for a while.
I would have loved to enjoy the morning hot spring until breakfast, but I couldn't forget the real reason we were here.
Relaxation could wait.
"By the way, were you able to have a proper heart-to-heart with Shizuku-san?"
"Well, yeah. I was sober, but Shizuku's momentum just swept me up and before I knew it… everything came out."
"That's good… I think?"
"It is, right? For one, I was able to properly apologize for what happened ten years ago."
I was relieved that he'd at least taken care of the bare minimum.
"About Shizuku-san… you've liked her for a long time, haven't you? And you still do."
"...Yeah."
Riku-san gave a small nod.
As an only child who moved around a lot and never had any childhood friends, I could only imagine what it was like. The happy memories from childhood probably never fade, no matter how much time passes.
And if that friend was a girl you loved, it must be even more so.
※※※
──Riku, be nice to Shizuku-chan, okay?
My first meeting with Shii-chan──Shimizu Shizuku──dates back to around the time she was born.
My own memories only go back to when I was two or three, but in the photo album in my grandma's old dresser, there are several pictures of us as babies, side-by-side.
Eating the same things, playing with the same toys, sleeping in the same bed──the Shimizu and Asanagi families had been close since my grandfather's time, so it was a friendship that spanned generations.
Since there were hardly any other kids our age, we were always playing together, and that didn't change even after we were old enough to understand things.
"──Wait, wait up, Rikkun."
"You're too slow, Shii-chan. C'mon, if you don't hurry, I'm gonna leave you behind."
"Aww, wait for me~"
When she was a child, Shii-chan had no health problems, but she was small and didn't have much stamina. We were only a year apart, but since I was tall, everyone saw us as siblings with a large age gap.
I have to be the one to protect this girl, I thought.
My memory of when I first met her is hazy, but I'm sure I had that thought.
"Waaah, Rikkun~…"
"Jeez, you're hopeless…"
I immediately turned back to my childhood friend, who had started to cry.
It probably wasn't entirely my fault, but whenever Shii-chan cried, my mom or grandma would get mad at me, so I was usually the one to give in.
"Here, I'll hold your hand. Let's go together."
"…Okay."
Reassured that I had come back, Shii-chan immediately stopped crying. I thought she'd take my hand, but instead, she clung to my body.
"Hey, not this again… I'm only holding your hand, I'm not carrying you."
"Then a piggyback ride."
"That's the same thing… What, we've barely walked, and you're already tired?"
"Yep. I can't walk anymore."
"This girl…"
I might be a softie, but Shii-chan back then was also quite the spoiled child.
She was quiet in front of adults, but when it was just the two of us, she became a little tyrant, as selfish as she pleased.
I'd think about leaving her and running off on my own, but it was always just a thought. In the end, I always gave in to my childhood friend's whims.
"Oh, for crying out loud… Here, I'll give you a piggyback ride, so hold on tight."
"! Thanks, Rikkun. I love you!"
"Whoa… jeez, getting all energetic all of a sudden…"
Even as I grumbled, I couldn't say no to her.
Because protecting her was my job.
Besides, being needed by someone made me happy, too.
Shii-chan was a very cute girl. I never paid much attention to looks as a kid, but once I started elementary school, I began to understand why adults doted on her so much.
"Rikkun."
"..."
"Hey, Rikkun."
"..."
"Heeey, Asanagi Riku-kun, can you hear me~? Born on May 5th, Children's Day, last wet the bed just half a year ago──"
"Agh, I hear you! I hear you, so stop it already."
"But Rikkun, you were being so distant all of a sudden. I got a little worried."
Around that time, Shii-chan, who used to be frail, had started to build up her stamina, and her physique was catching up to the other kids.
The neighborhood's famous beauty, the future poster girl of 'Shimizu'──before I knew it, that's what everyone was calling her.
"…It's nothing, really."
"If it's nothing, then why are you avoiding me? …Could it be, you don't want to talk to me anymore?"
"Tch… No, that's not it, but."
"Then what is it?"
Her well-featured face and round eyes stared straight at me. When she looked at me like that, I had no choice but to answer.
Even after she grew up and didn't need my help as much, I was still weak to her persistence.
"…Some of the older guys were teasing me. 'He's always with a girl, what a loser──', they said. They started making fun of me at school and everywhere else, so…"
"So you decided not to talk to me as much?"
"…Something like that."
It's a common story for kids who are becoming self-aware. Since there weren't many children in town, if a group said something, I'd mistakenly think that was how the whole world worked. A child's world is surprisingly small.
I only saw Shii-chan as a childhood friend, not as a girl, but it seemed others didn't see us that way.
We were a perfect target for gossip in the boring countryside.
"Hmm… The older guys, you mean the boys from the next district, right? The ones who are always in a group of three."
"Yeah."
"Huh. They say it's embarrassing to be with a girl, but they're the ones who asked me to hang out?"
"…Eh?"
"The other day, when you were absent from school, they asked me to hang out with them for a change. It was creepy, so I turned them down right away."
"…Those guys."
We got along well enough at school, but apparently, they were doing that behind my back.
Who's the embarrassing one here?
Thinking about it now, I feel like an idiot for avoiding my childhood friend. It's so pathetic.
"So, what are you going to do? Are you going to keep avoiding me?"
"…I'll stop. Sorry, Shii-chan, I made you worry for nothing."
"You really did. I was a little worried that I'd done something to make you hate me."
With that, Shii-chan wrapped her arms around me from behind in a tight hug.
Even though we'd grown up, we were still the same childhood friends.
"Oh, Rikkun. Want to hang out at my place today? My dad bought a new arcade machine, let's play it."
"And you'll let me off the hook for cleaning the bath in return, right?"
"…Hehe~ well, you see, we've had a lot of customers this week. If I don't clean diligently, my parents will get on my case. It's tough being an innkeeper's daughter, you know?"
"You're really something else…"
But I still didn't refuse.
"…Hey, Rikkun."
"What is it?"
"Can you lend me your ear for a sec?"
"Eh?"
Without waiting for my permission, Shii-chan brought her face close to my ear and whispered.
"──You're the only boy I play with, Rikkun."
"O-oh… I see."
"Yep!"
The moment she smiled at me, her cheeks faintly flushed, I was struck by a sensation I'd never felt before.
My heart was pounding, and I was so embarrassed I couldn't look at her… but my gaze was fixed on her lovely face.
At that moment, for the first time, I began to see my 'childhood friend' as a 'girl'.
However, as our relationship deepened, the adult world began to force change upon us.
…My mother's second pregnancy and the move to a new house that had been in discussion for a while.
My father's income was low, and it was tough for the three of us to get by, so we were living with my grandmother until our lives stabilized. I understood this even as a child, but I never thought things would progress so suddenly.
Of course, I was happy about our family growing. A younger sister would surely be adorable, and I understood that grandma's house would be too cramped for the four of us.
The problem was being separated from Shii-chan. I was anxious about making new friends, but more than anything, I didn't want to be away from the girl I liked.
For a while, I intended to stay at grandma's house on my own, but with my parents' persuasion and my newborn sister, I had no choice but to agree in the end.
Of course, I immediately talked to Shii-chan about it. She understood and was willing to send me off with good spirits, but on the day of the move, as expected, we both cried our eyes out. Looking back now, I think that was the most I've ever cried in my life.
That we'd always be together even when we're apart.
That we'd try to contact each other every day.
That we'd definitely play together when I came back for summer or winter.
We made various promises like that, and in the end, we were able to say goodbye with a smile. But the moment my childhood friend was out of sight, the tears I thought had stopped began to flow again, uncontrollably.
"…Riku, you really loved Shizuku-chan, didn't you?"
"…It's not like that."
"Oh, really? But you should make sure to keep in touch with her. You might not understand yet, Riku, but if you slack off even a little, you'll grow apart in no time, no matter how close you used to be."
"…She and I aren't like that."
"Everyone says that at first… Well, Shizuku-chan is very cute, so if you don't want someone else to take her, you'd better try hard."
"I-I'm telling you, we're not like that."
We weren't a couple yet, but we were childhood friends, more important to each other than anyone else.
Shii-chan and I had been together since we were little. We were connected by a strong bond.
So, being a little apart wouldn't shake this relationship.
Never.
That's what I thought, right after we parted.
Several years have passed since we moved to the current Asanagi house.
Back then, I was a crybaby who didn't want to be separated from my childhood friend, but now I'm a high school student, and my body has grown to a point where it's comparable to an adult's. With my father often away from home for work, I was now in the position of protecting my mother and sister.
"──Onii-chan, what are you doing? Mom says you'll be late for school if you don't hurry up."
"Ah, yeah. I know. I'm leaving now."
One morning, I replied to my sister, who had just started elementary school.
Of course, it's not that I overslept and wasn't ready.
The letter to Shii-chan, which I made sure to send every month to report on how I was doing──I was struggling with what to write.
"…What should I do, seriously?"
I had decided to send at least one letter a month, but the deadline had long passed. Soon, it would be two months since I'd replied.
The content didn't matter. Studies, school, friends, recent hobbies or things I'm into──or even recent worries, anything would be fine.
As long as I wrote honestly, without lying.
Shii-chan always sends a long letter at a fixed time every month. She made a new friend, she got her ears pierced out of curiosity and her mom got super mad, her close friend found out she was writing to me and teased her, and so on. She writes in detail about everything that happened in the past month.
'Your letters have been late recently, so I'm worried. If you have any troubles, please let me know, by phone or whatever. You're my precious childhood friend, Rikkun.'
Seeing the message at the end of her most recent letter, I feel a pang of guilt.
Since she writes about her daily life so openly and honestly, I should do the same.
If nothing particular happened, I could just send 'nothing happened' or 'I was just lazing around playing games instead of studying'. Shii-chan might be disappointed, but she would be relieved to hear from me. If writing a letter is too much trouble, I could just call and talk to her directly.
But now, I was finding reasons to avoid both.
"Onii-chan, school~! Mom says~!"
"…I know, I'm going now."
Putting the blank piece of letter paper, on which I hadn't written a single character, into my desk drawer, I fled from my room.
I didn't feel like going to school so early in the morning, but it was still somewhat better than facing a blank letter──that was the state of mind I had fallen into.
The signs of change had already been there since I graduated from elementary school and entered middle school.
Unlike elementary school, in middle school and beyond, in addition to horizontal connections with classmates, you also have to be mindful of the vertical relationships with upperclassmen and underclassmen. A new environment, new human relationships different from 'friends'──for a shy person like me, it was a huge challenge.
And back then, I had fallen right into a rut.
"──Senpai, stop dawdling and pick up the ball. What are you gonna do if one of us regulars steps on it by mistake and gets injured?"
"…Ah, sorry. I'll get it now."
"Jeez, I'm counting on you, senpai."
In middle school, I was in the volleyball club because of my height, but since I wasn't very athletic, I was a benchwarmer for all three years. I practiced seriously but didn't improve much, and in practice matches, I was always the target for serves and spikes, getting made fun of not just by my classmates but even by the underclassmen.
Because of that, I had almost no close friends, not only in the club but also in my class. I wasn't bullied, but wherever I was, I was always alone.
The people I used to get along with in elementary school are now in different groups and show no interest in me whatsoever.
"…What should I write in the letter?"
Even if I wanted to write about school, I just couldn't bring myself to tell Shii-chan about my current pathetic situation.
I, who had always been the 'reliable big brother' figure, had become a completely different person, quietly living a gloomy school life just by being in a slightly more crowded place.
How could I honestly tell her about such a pathetic, uncool version of myself?
To the girl I had loved since I was a child.
Around that time, descriptions of 'club activities' and 'friends' disappeared from my letters, and I started dedicating more space to topics like 'studies', 'hobbies', and 'my family', which I hadn't talked about much before.
Little by little, I had intentionally started to cut out stories about myself.
I kept deceiving her like that, twisting the content of my letters so as not to worry my childhood friend. But by the time I entered high school, even 'studies', the only thing I could boast about in my letters, started to become shaky. Maybe the cramming-style study method from middle school no longer worked, or maybe I just wasn't very good at it──with each passing year, my rank in the school dropped steadily.
From double digits to triple digits, and from triple digits to below average──at that point, my future prospects also became precarious.
"──Riku, the teacher mentioned it at the parent-teacher-student conference today, but what about your choice of university? Do you want to change it to a local private one? With your current deviation score, you could somehow manage,"
"No, I'm fine with this. Let me do it this way. …I'll do my best."
My current first-choice university is a public one that's one of the top two in the prefecture. It's difficult enough that it would be great if more than ten students from the top fifty in my current high school passed. Considering my current grades, it's a hopeless situation, but I still shook my head at the suggestion from my teacher and parents.
Just one thing, I wanted just one thing to be proud of. Besides a healthy body, for a person who is average or below in both sports and looks, the only thing left to cling to is studying.
If I work hard and it pays off, I'm sure I'll gain confidence in myself.
…And the courage to confess my feelings to my childhood friend.
After persuading my parents on the condition that I would also take the entrance exam for a private university as a backup, I studied even harder.
While others were absorbed in playing and romance, I was glued to my desk, desperately trying my best.
I hate studying. If I could, I'd rather play, or laze around reading games and manga.
But more than that, I wanted praise from my childhood friend.
'That's amazing, you worked so hard, congratulations, you're truly the big brother childhood friend I'm proud of.'
I wanted to show her my cool side.
Thanks to my determination and hard work, my grades, which had been declining, started to rise, and I reached a level where I was almost certain to pass the private university.
If I continue to work hard like this, I should be able to reach my first choice.
…If only I had a little more time.
※※※
"──Anyway, that's the story up until just before I messed up. …Sorry, I probably could have summarized it better, but I ended up talking about unnecessary things."
"No, I learned a lot about you, Riku-san, so I'm rather grateful."
Just from what I've heard so far, I can understand the reason why he turned down the confession from Shizuku-san that he'll probably talk about next, or rather, what kind of psychological state Riku-san was in at the time.
Wanting to look good in front of the person you like, not wanting them to see your pathetic side──I'm sure most people have thought that once or twice.
In fact, I'm always thinking about things like that. My studies and sports are, for public appearances, 'for my own future', but truthfully, it's simply because 'I want Umi to see me working hard and praise me or comfort me'.
When you like someone, you can't help but be that way. Even if you think you're calm, from an outsider's perspective, you're not making rational judgments.
"I started seeing results from my studies around December of my third year of high school… so about a month before the university entrance exam at the time. My parents said I could take a year off to study, but I refused. I knew that if I did, I'd have to bow my head and ask my grandma for money, and more than anything, being a ronin was so uncool, I didn't know how I'd report that to Shizuku, is what I thought at the time."
If there had been someone his age he could have consulted, the result might have been different, but as he mentioned earlier, Riku-san has almost no close friends other than Shizuku-san.
In that case, he ends up thinking more and more by himself, and as a result, his perspective narrows.
Just as Riku-san said, he's completely stuck in a rut.
"…And right after that, you made a decisive mistake, Riku-san."
"Yeah. I've calmed down a bit, so shall we continue the story? …It's okay, it'll be over soon. Really, just like that."
It would probably be painful for me to listen to, but if I don't hear this properly, I won't be able to properly push Riku-san's back.
After all, Riku-san's past story is just a prelude to his consultation──the real issue starts now.
※※※
In December, with the exam season just a month away, a letter arrived from Shii-chan as usual.
'Rikkun, you have exams this year, but you are coming back for the end of the year, right? I want to see you in person to cheer you on, so be sure to let me know when you're coming home. I'll definitely keep my schedule open.
PS: I'd like a letter from you sometimes. Lately, it's only been me sending them, so you should reply properly too, Rikkun.'
Seeing the words at the end of the letter──'From your precious childhood friend'──my chest tightened.
Since the parent-teacher-student conference in the fall, the half-written letter remained unfinished, and it had been three months since I'd stopped replying.
I thought about just letting it all out in a fit of desperation many times. School isn't fun at all, I don't have any friends I can trust, and lately, I've even been dedicating my hobby time to studying──every time I looked at the letter paper blackened with such negative emotions, I would come to my senses and start rewriting it from scratch.
In contrast to me, Shii-chan seemed to be joyfully celebrating her youth. She's a year younger, so she'll be in the same boat as me next year… I'd like to say, but she seems to be good at getting things done and her academic performance is quite excellent. If she maintains her current grades, she's been given the green light that she'll be able to pass any university with ease──so it was written in the letter.
The contrast in our situations makes me want to cry.
"…Mom, about the end of the year."
"? Your dad's busy with work this year, and you have your exams, right, Riku? Umi said she's made plans to hang out with her friends, so I was thinking of just relaxing at home… Oh, by any chance, did you make plans to meet with Shizuku-chan?"
"No, it's not like──"
"Oh, getting all shy. Studying is important, but wouldn't it be better to meet with Shizuku-chan for a bit and get some energy from her? You've been looking nervous lately, Riku. I'll contact your grandma for you."
"Ah… um, well then, please do."
To be honest, I didn't really want to see her, but I hadn't replied to her letter and I didn't want to worry her anymore, so I couldn't shake my head out of guilt.
My mom seems to have mistaken us for a couple or something, but that's not the case at all.
Because right now, Shii-chan and I are not a good match at all.
In the end, it was decided that only I would go back to my grandma's house for one night, and the end of the year arrived in a flash.
Even though I didn't want to see her, as the time grew closer, I got nervous. Even though I was back home for the first time in a while, I completely ignored my grandma and was only concerned with my own appearance in the mirror.
I wanted to show off, even just a little, to the girl I liked.
My grandma was exasperated watching me, but she didn't say anything.
I somehow managed to get the food, which I could barely swallow due to nervousness, into my stomach, and waited for a bit.
A little before the promised time, ding-dong, the doorbell rang, announcing a visitor.
"Grandma, good evening! Um, I know this is sudden, but is Rikkun… back?"
"Ah, he's acting a lot stranger than usual, though. H~ey, Riku, you have a visitor~ Shizuku-chan. Stop fiddling with your bangs and come greet her!"
"Sh-shut up… I know!"
My grandma calls for me in a loud voice that could probably be heard throughout the neighborhood.
I understand that I'm acting strange, but to expose me in front of my childhood friend of all people.
Feeling my cheeks grow hot with embarrassment, I stand before my grown-up childhood friend for the first time in a while.
"Long time no see, Rikkun. You've grown a lot taller than when I last saw you. About a meter?"
"No way. What kind of circus freak am I? Five centimeters, five centimeters. Since last summer."
"I still think that's pretty amazing. I haven't grown a single millimeter… though my weight just keeps going up."
Shii-chan, who I hadn't seen in a while, had become even more beautiful. She seems to be lamenting her weight gain, but from any angle, she looks like nothing but a beautiful girl with a great figure.
Skin without a single blemish that doesn't need makeup, round and expressive eyes, well-shaped small lips, and long, glossy black hair. I haven't heard anything about it from her, but there must be one or two guys hitting on her.
As she approached adulthood, my childhood friend's charm had increased even more.
Every time we meet, I feel her becoming more and more a distant existence.
"Shii-chan, um… you're growing your hair out."
"Oh, this? Yeah, a friend told me it looks better long, so I'm doing it for a change of pace. I have to keep it in a ponytail for school rules, but… um, does it look good?"
"Ah, yeah. It's… nice, I guess. I don't really know much about this stuff. But, um, I think it's beautiful."
"R-really? Thanks… ehehe."
Partly due to shyness, my conversation with Shii-chan is even more awkward than usual.
There should be a lot of things I want to talk about, apologize for, and say, but I'm so happy to see her again after so long that the feeling overflows and the conversation doesn't continue.
I was so reluctant just a moment ago, but the moment I was in front of her, all of that was blown away in an instant.
"Hey Rikkun, um… it's a little cold, but want to talk outside? Like we used to, just walking around town."
"Well, if you're okay with it, Shii-chan, I don't mind… Grandma, that's the plan, so I'm heading out for a bit."
"Alright. While you're at it, walk Shizuku-chan back to the inn. There probably aren't many people out at this hour, but the night road is dangerous."
"I know. …Well then, we're off."
After telling my grandma I wouldn't be back too late, I went out the front door with Shii-chan.
The temperature has dropped even further now that the sun's down, and snow has begun to fall lightly from the dark sky. If this were a city, the glittering city lights and illuminations would probably create a fantastical scene, but in a mountainous area like ours, this much snow happens all the time, so there's nothing particularly moving about it.
"…Walking like this reminds me of the old days. Holding hands, leaving footprints together on the snow-covered white road."
"Yeah, that happened. Back then, if I took my eyes off you for a second, you'd fall and start bawling… and I'd get yelled at by grandma because she thought I was being mean."
"That was part of it, too. We'd always hold hands in the winter, no matter the weather. …How nostalgic."
Saying that, Shizuku glances down at my hand, then looks up at me with upturned eyes.
…When she does that, I'm hopelessly weak.
"…Well then, shall we hold hands for a bit, until someone comes? It's… cold, so my hands are cold too."
"Y-yeah. It's probably better than putting them in my pockets, skin-to-skin contact and all."
Making such a lame excuse, we took each other's hands.
The hand of my childhood friend, which I hadn't felt in a long time, was very warm and nostalgic.
The feeling of my childhood friend's hand, which I used to hold so much I got tired of it, was right here in front of me, unchanged by the passing of time.
"..."
"..."
Shii-chan and I walk slowly down the road, illuminated by the few streetlights.
Holding hands──it's just that, but my heart is beating faster than usual.
A few years have passed since I left this town. We cried so much when I moved, but in the time we were apart, we've both grown up and learned a lot of things.
We used to bathe together until we were in kindergarten, but now we are both very aware of each other as the 'opposite sex'.
So much so that just holding hands makes my face feel so hot.
"Rikkun, your exams are coming up. I know I probably shouldn't ask, but is studying going well? I know you're aiming for a public university, but you're taking the private one too, right?"
"Yeah. I said I was fine with just the public one, but my parents were so insistent. Even though I definitely won't go even if I pass."
"Fufu, you may say that, Rikkun, but your parents must be worried. Why don't you think of it as a practice run before the real thing?"
"I hope it becomes a practice run."
In my heart, I already feel like I'm being crushed by the pressure, but in front of Shii-chan, I act tough and say such arrogant things.
Even though it's a backup, with my current academic ability, I should by no means be at ease.
"…Besides, you'll be in the same position next year, right? Are you sure you have time to worry about me?"
"Fufun, you think so, don't you? …But look, here."
"? What's this… the results of a national mock exam?"
On the piece of paper Shizuku took out from her coat pocket, the results of a recent exam sponsored by a major prep school were written with detailed numbers. I also took it and was just recently confronted with the harsh reality.
"…Is this really yours, Shizuku? Not your friend's?"
"Hey, Rikkun, are you doubting me? My name is written right there, isn't it? 'Shimizu Shizuku', the name of your precious childhood friend."
"Precious… aren't you embarrassed saying that yourself? …Well, it's not like I'm seriously doubting you or anything."
Looking at the numbers again, they show that she scored over 90% in all subjects──and in some subjects, she was close to a perfect score.
This is the result of a mock exam, where it's considered relatively difficult to even score over 60%, unlike a regular exam. Naturally, the desired university judgment section is filled with 'A's.
Among them, even my first choice university, for which I can only get a 'D' or lower no matter how hard I try.
[Note: In Japanese mock exam results, universities are often assigned a letter grade based on the student's performance. A typically means admission is highly likely, B means probable, C suggests possible but uncertain, and D/E indicate low chances]
At that moment, I felt like something ugly that had been sleeping quietly in the depths of my heart was starting to leak out.
"You know, Rikkun… Actually, I'm thinking of going to the same university as you. My teacher said that with my current grades, I'd almost certainly be able to get a scholarship for the tuition."
"…I see. That's great."
"Yeah! I'll have to work part-time to cover expenses other than tuition, which will be tough, but it's definitely better for my future… And besides, you'll be there too, Rikkun."
"I… see."
Shii-chan's eyes must be seeing a bright future, and if things go on as they are, it will surely come true, but I can only imagine a different scene.
As I am now, I don't have the ability or qualifications to be by her side.
Next March, she will probably look at me with pity after I fail my exams.
And she'll surely be disillusioned.
──Liar.
──You said all those cocky things, but you were no good at all.
──Rikkun, you're so uncool.
──The worst. It's kind of ridiculous that I ever looked up to you.
No. Shii-chan isn't the kind of girl who would say such things.
If my exams don't go well, she'll probably cheer me up, and even if I have to take a year off, she'll surely use positive words like 'Then we can go to university together for four years' to make me feel better.
So, if I just apologize honestly now, it should still be okay.
"Um, Shii-chan…"
"? What's wrong, Rikkun?"
"…Uh, well──"
Say it. Get it all out and feel better.
Just throw away all that stupid pride, and confess everything you're worried about, your love for the childhood friend in front of you.
If you do that, it'll still be okay.
What I need isn't a diploma or qualification to brag about.
What I want is the one and only precious──the person right in front of my eyes.
"…Rikkun?"
"No, sorry. It's nothing."
"Ehh? When you say that, it makes me even more curious~ You don't seem very energetic either… If there's anything I can do, I'll listen to your problems, okay?"
"…I'm fine, I'm just a little nervous because of the exams. It'll go away once they're over."
"Really? Well, if that's the case…"
However, at the last moment, the little pride I had left in me got in the way.
…No, it's okay. There's still time until the exam, and even if it's tough, there's still a chance.
Not giving up hope until the end is what's important in exams.
I'll confess after I've passed. If I regain my lost confidence and do it with a better look on my face, she'll surely accept me.
We may not be a good match right now, but someday.
But in the end, that 'someday' never came.
Not after graduating high school, not after getting a job, and not even now.
By the time I realized my crucial mistake, it was already too late for everything.
※※※
"…Phew."
After finishing his story, Riku-san lets out a big sigh and looks down.
Hearing this much, I first thought he was similar to Umi. The part where he can't even confide his worries to the person he cares about and holds it all in until he reaches his limit is exactly like his sibling.
"For now, my old story ends here."
"Um, it seems like your reply to Shizuku-san's confession is still left…"
"About that, I don't remember much of it. According to what I heard from Shizuku yesterday, I apparently just kept repeating the word 'sorry'… The part I remember clearly is from the next morning. My grandma said I looked like a dead person."
From that day on, they stopped contacting each other, and their relationship quickly grew distant.
That was the mistake Riku-san made about ten years ago, and it was also the beginning of what created his current pathetic situation.
After that, Riku-san, who of course failed to get into his first-choice university, somehow managed to pass the private university he had taken as a backup and started his university life.
Even in university, his student life was almost the same as before. He would attend lectures in a corner of the classroom by himself and go home when they were over. A repeating cycle.
However, thanks to the fact that he continued to study, his grades at university were quite good, and he didn't have much trouble finding a job. Although it wasn't the path he had originally aimed for, he still ended up in the same profession as Daichi-san.
Forgetting about the past, Riku-san devoted himself to his work.
…However, here too, as if it were destiny, a pitfall was waiting for Riku-san.
The strain of an unfamiliar environment took its toll, and Riku-san's health broke down. There were no problems with human relationships, but Riku-san, who, like me, suffers from communication problems, just couldn't fit in. As he endured his failures at work and his worries, one day he woke up and his body wouldn't move at all──and that's how the current Riku-san came to be.
By the way, it was none other than Daichi-san who advised him to quit his job.
"…This is who I've been up until now. I've skipped some parts, but to put it simply, there was really nothing. You seem to respect me, but I'm actually a shallow person. I can't even convey my honest feelings to the only girl I can open my heart to… Just as my sister says, I'm a hopeless, stupid big brother."
I'm being considerate and staying silent, but if Umi were listening to this story, she'd probably be furious right now.
That's how pathetic and uncool the old Riku-san might have been, I thought too.
But now, that same Riku-san is struggling and trying his best.
He's thrown away his shame and is asking me, someone nearly a decade younger, for love advice.
Yes, love advice.
In other words, this is where the real story begins.
"…Still, you're still very much in love with Shizuku-san, aren't you, Riku-san? You were supposed to talk with Shizuku-san until morning with the intention of giving up, but because of that, the little bit of love that was left has been rekindled."
"…That's right."
"Just to confirm, let me ask you again. Riku-san, about Shizuku-san,"
"Yes, I love her… I'm sorry."
As if squeezing it out, Riku-san told me what he honestly felt.
I don't have time to listen to Shizuku-san's side of the story from last night, but considering her current situation, she must have had her fair share of hardships as well.
In other words, just like Riku-san, Shizuku-san also fell into a pitfall.
"It might have been partly because of the alcohol, but when I saw Shizuku crying, I desperately wanted to be by her side. I know it's arrogant of me to say that after turning down her confession, but… Hey, Maki, could you punch me once?"
"L-let's calm down for a moment. I understand how you feel."
What was supposed to be treated as a funny story, or a one-time complaint, has turned into a case of an old flame being rekindled.
Well, he was madly in love with her from the start, so I guess this was a possibility.
Even adults, who usually cleverly hide their true feelings, can be selfish at times.
I know that all too well from my own experiences about half a year ago.
"Maki, what do you think I should do? You and my sister would probably say 'if you like her, just confess already', and I actually think so too, but… but you see, Shizuku has…"
"That's right. Shizuku-san has Reiji-kun."
And so, we hit the reality that we've faced so many times before.
Speaking from a child's perspective, at least in my case, when I first saw Minato-san, who was my dad's colleague and seemed to be in a relationship with him (I think), I didn't feel very good about it.
Even though they were already divorced, my mom was supposed to be the one he loved the most, but now he was happily together with someone else──their situations are slightly different, but Reiji-kun is a smart kid, so he'll surely feel something.
So, should he give up after all? No, he's consulting me because he doesn't want to give up so easily.
Riku-san is struggling between his childhood feelings and the adult common sense he has cultivated through his experiences.
I want to help such a Riku-san somehow.
Umi will probably be exasperated with me again, calling me a softie or something.
Riku-san is no longer just a stranger. He's one of the precious family members that my precious girlfriend worries about.
"…Riku-san, um,"
"…Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
However, saying that, I bowed my head to Riku-san.
That was my answer to this consultation.
"I see. Well, you're right."
"Yes. I'm sorry even though you relied on me, but right now, I can't give you the answer you want most. In terms of romantic experience, I might have a little more, but I'm just a kid who has never been out in society like you and Shizuku-san."
Should he peacefully maintain only the relationship of 'childhood friends', or should he confess with the resolve that everything they've had until now might break?
I'm sure it's a matter of that level. So, I can't take on that much responsibility right now.
"That's why I think this is something you have to work hard to find the answer to, Riku-san. There isn't much time left until checkout, but please think it over within that time and find a compromise that you yourself can accept."
When I told him that, Riku-san smiled faintly and nodded.
It's not a fundamental solution, but his face is much brighter than before the consultation.
"I understand. You're right. It's a problem that even I struggle with, so I shouldn't have brought it up with you, my sister's boyfriend, even if you don't have a partner. …Anyway, thanks for at least listening. I appreciate it."
"No. Thank you for consulting with me."
"Haha, I was prepared for you to punch me… but well, I think that's just like you. …Well then, I'm getting dizzy, so I'll get out first."
"Okay. …Ah, Riku-san, please wait a moment."
When I called out to Riku-san, who was on the verge of leaving the large public bath, he turned around with the same grumpy face I always see at the Asanagi house.
I almost burst out laughing at his curt response as soon as his business was done, but that's just who Asanagi Riku is.
"What? Did you finally feel like punching me?"
"No, I'm not a fan of that kind of heated stuff… It's not that, there's just one thing I wanted to tell you, Riku-san."
"Is it… some advice?"
"I'll leave it up to you how you take it… but well, I can't take responsibility."
When it comes to human relationships, I'm still a toddler, but even so, there's one thing I can tell Riku-san.
What he does based on that is, after all, up to Riku-san.
"Hmm… So, what is it?"
"Yes. You might laugh at me, but──"
──────
I conveyed my honest feelings to Riku-san, clearly and without mistake.
As the sun rose and the view outside became bright, the trip finally welcomed the morning of its last day, as seen from the window of the large public bath.
Leaving the public bath a little after Riku-san and returning to the room, Umi, who had already woken up and finished changing, greeted me.
"Maki, that was a rather long trip to the bathroom, wasn't it?"
"…I'm sorry."
"Honestly. I knew you left the room with my brother, so I know it's not entirely your fault, Maki. …But I was worried, you know?"
"You're right. I'm really sorry. I won't do it again."
Umi started lecturing me after I returned to our room. Even though it was to listen to Riku-san's story, I left without telling her the truth, so I have no choice but to bow my head and apologize honestly.
My cheeks were pinched, and I got a strong flick on the forehead… Anyway, I was scolded a lot.
"By the way, where's Riku-san? I thought he'd be back in the room before me…"
"My brother? I haven't seen him, but he's probably wandering around somewhere. I don't know where or what he's doing, but well, he'll be back when we have to checkout."
"I hope so…"
As far as I can see from the window, the car is in the parking lot, so he's probably taking a walk by himself after getting out of the bath.
He probably can't think slowly with me and Umi around.
Since it was almost time for breakfast, I quickly finished packing for the return trip and headed to the first-floor breakfast venue with Umi.
Then, a person who shouldn't have been there approached us.
Shizuku-san, who had been drinking until morning and should have been carried to her room by Riku-san, was energetically serving as a waitress in a nakai's uniform.
"Maehara-kun, Umi-chan, good morning. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Thanks to you… More importantly, weren't you supposed to start work in the afternoon today? I heard from someone that things got pretty lively yesterday."
"Ah… yeah. That's right, but Reiji has kindergarten as usual, and I couldn't really sleep either. It's fine, I've pulled all-nighters at my previous job."
"I feel like that's not okay in various ways…"
Despite having almost no sleep since yesterday, Shizuku-san's expression doesn't show much fatigue. Is she skillfully hiding it with makeup, or is she just putting on a brave face… In any case, she's a much more powerful person compared to the tired-looking Riku-san.
Or maybe she's just refreshed after letting out all her worries.
For now, no one knows what's in Shizuku-san's heart.
"…Thank you both, really. For Reiji, and also for… Rikkun… Riku-kun. I thought I might have been a bit too meddlesome with Riku-kun's matter, but thanks to that, I was able to go back to the old days for a bit, and I'm glad we could talk properly."
"…I'm sorry for the trouble my stupid brother has caused."
"No, no. If anything, I was the one who should have apologized. I was always so selfish, and I hurt him without even knowing how much pain he was in… I should be grateful that I can still be his childhood friend."
If things continue like this, their relationship will probably be fixed as 'just childhood friends'.
I don't think that's a bad thing at all. They can meet once or twice a year when he comes back to Mizore-san's house, and enjoy reminiscing about the old days over drinks──that's a comfortable relationship in its own way.
Considering Shizuku-san's position, that's probably the only choice she can make.
Because if she wishes for a relationship beyond that, she'll have to force herself and her partner through a lot of hardship.
Shizuku-san cannot cross the line herself.
…That's why.
If, even so, he strongly wishes to walk the same path as Shizuku-san from now on.
"──Shizuku, do you have a minute?"
As Shizuku-san placed our breakfast on the table and was about to return to her post, a voice from the entrance suddenly stopped her. Riku-san's voice.
It seems Riku-san has come to his own conclusion.
"…You're finally here… you idiot brother."
"Now, now… It looks like he's made up his mind, so let's just watch over them."
Due to lack of sleep, Riku-san's face is showing signs of fatigue. His hair is half-dry, and there are faint dark circles under his eyes… It feels like I'm looking at myself from some time ago, but his current appearance, facing Shizuku-san, is the coolest and most reliable I've ever seen him.
The 'big brother' I had in mind was right there.
"Rikkun… oh, right, you're having breakfast too, aren't you, Rikkun? I'll bring it right away, so wait with Umi-chan and the others──"
"No, I'm good for breakfast. More importantly, I want to talk to you. …It's important."
"Tch…!"
The moment Riku-san pressed on, Shizuku-san's eyes, which had been somewhat dark until then, flew wide open, and a glimmer of light appeared in them.
Having witnessed that scene perfectly, Umi and I looked at each other and gave a bitter smile.
…What's this. They were just making excuses for each other, but in the end, it was like this from the beginning.
Even though they were separated once and walked different paths, they were eventually drawn to each other again.
Adults are so troublesome after all.
Anyway, the next step is how to get Shizuku-san in the mood.
Riku-san will surely be able to do it.
Since there were other people around, they decided to wait until after breakfast and then hurriedly set up a place for the two of them to talk again.
After bidding farewell to the room we had stayed in for two days, we left the first-floor lobby and headed towards the parking lot where the Asanagi family car was parked.
Then, in front of the car, the two 'childhood friends' were already facing each other.
"…You know, Reiji, Mommy has to talk to this person now, so could you wait with Maehara-kun… Maki-oniichan? The pickup bus will be here soon, but I'll make sure to finish by then."
"Okay."
As Reiji-kun easily let go of Shizuku-san's hand, he trotted over to me and immediately hugged me.
He's really taken a liking to me in just a day or two, but well, it seems like I'll be seeing Reiji-kun for a long time to come, so let's continue to get along.
Mizore-san, Shizuku-san, Reiji-kun, and Riku-san.
It was only for three days, but the number of important people in my life has grown again.
"Hey, Maki-niichan."
"Hm? What is it, Reiji-kun?"
"…Does Mommy like that person?"
"Fufu, I wonder. Reiji-kun, what would you do if your mom said she liked that person?"
"…I don't know."
"I see. …You're right."
How Reiji-kun feels is a matter for the future. The time will come when Shizuku-san will tell Reiji-kun everything, and depending on the situation, he might not feel good about Riku-san.
Even so, what are the two of them, no, what is Riku-san planning to do?
As the chirping of birds echoed from a distance, Riku-san opened his mouth.
"Shizuku, um… about what I wanted to talk about."
"Y-yeah. What's the important thing you wanted to talk about?"
"Yeah… It's not so much an important talk as it is a request──"
"? A request?"
"Yeah. That is──will you let me work at 'Shimizu'? Any odd job is fine, even as an apprentice under your old man, anything."
"…Huh?"
It seemed to be a little different from the answer she was expecting, as Shizuku-san tilted her head for a moment. We had a similar reaction, but after building up the atmosphere this much, there's no way the current Riku-san would ruin it.
This must be the answer Riku-san came up with.
"You know, like we talked about yesterday, I think I need to start working soon… well, there's also the issue of whether 'Shimizu' is even hiring."
"We're basically always short-staffed, so whether it's at the front desk or as a trainee chef, we'd be a great help if even one person joined… but is that all you wanted to talk about?"
"Yeah. I want to work there, somehow. …With you."
"…!"
Perhaps sensing Riku-san's true feelings, Shizuku-san's eyes watered slightly.
You can do it, Riku-san. Just a little more.
"Shizuku… no, Shii-chan. I'll say it again and again, I'm really, truly sorry about back then. I wasn't being honest with how I felt, I didn't want to stay as just childhood friends, but I trampled on your feelings… I did a terrible thing to you, Shii-chan."
"…You're right. You're an idiot, Rikkun. Idiot, idiot. Do you have any idea how much I was hurt back then? I couldn't even eat my favorite food properly for over a week, I'd suddenly start crying without any warning, and I made my friends worry so much. …Why, why didn't you just say yes? If we had become a couple back then, I would have blown away all of your worries. …We might have even gone to the same university. Why, why… You're an idiot, Rikkun. A moron. The worst. Just disappear."
"Shii-chan, I'm sorry. …I'm sorry."
Shizuku-san, with tears in her eyes, weakly beats Riku-san's chest.
If he had just thrown away his petty pride and been honest with his feelings, things probably wouldn't have gotten this complicated.
A single button misplaced.
Just that, and even two people who have known each other since they were babies can end up like this.
"…But I'm an even bigger idiot. When I was heartbroken, someone was a little kind to me, and I was easily swayed by someone else, and in the end… I,"
"You don't have to say anything else. …It's okay."
"I'm sorry. Rikkun, I'm sorry…"
Two people who will be well into their late twenties in another two or three years are crying without caring about being seen.
Even though they had been out of touch for over a decade, they probably never forgot about each other.
Time has passed, and they have both become adults. Shizuku-san even has a child to protect. It's impossible to go back to the past and start over.
But if the two of them still have feelings for each other.
Once Shizuku-san had calmed down, Riku-san opened his mouth.
"I'm not going to say things like 'let's go back to how things were' or 'let's go out' now. That would be way too selfish, and I think it would be rude to you and Reiji-kun… That's why I want you to watch me from now on, Shizuku. Not me as your childhood friend, but as a colleague working at the same place, to see if I'm worthy of you and Reiji-kun."
"…Are you okay with that, Rikkun? We are hiring, but our salary is lower than other places, and as my dad's apprentice, you'll have almost no days off. Mornings are busy with stocking and prep, and during busy seasons, work can go on until late at night… It feels strange for me, his daughter, to say this, but honestly, I don't recommend it."
Even Shizuku-san is this busy, so it will probably be a very tough job for the newcomer Riku-san. It's a completely different field from his previous job, so I can't say for sure, but in terms of busyness, this one might be worse.
However, Riku-san, who has already made up his mind, nods without flinching at all.
"It's fine. I was just told at Hello Work that 'there are no jobs I can introduce you to at the moment'. It'll be a good way to whip my sluggish mind and body back into shape… I'm a lot more clumsy, uncool, and pathetic than you think, Shizuku. I'll probably cause a lot of trouble at first."
"Fufu, I bet you will. It's going to be tough for me to support you from now on. I have to take care of Reiji in my private life, and at work, I have to look after a clumsy newcomer… I might really get fed up with you eventually. …Are you really okay with that?"
"I don't mind even if that happens. That's what this is about from the beginning. It's not about 'going back and starting over', it's about 'starting anew'… It might be a very late age to start, but that's the answer I've come up with."
To throw away their past relationship and have her see 'Asanagi Riku' anew, from scratch.
That must be the conclusion Riku-san reached after agonizing over it until the very end.
Taking into account his and Shizuku-san's past, his and Shizuku-san's present, and finally, his own honest feelings.
Personally, I think it's an extremely roundabout choice. Even though it's a familiar place, he's jumping into a field where he has no experience, so I don't know how many years it will take for him to get used to the job, and there's also the problem of whether he can get along with Reiji-kun.
There are surely better ways to do this. However, I don't dislike this troublesome Riku-san.
It was a sincere and straightforward answer, just like the kind adult Riku-san.
"…Jeez, you stupid brother."
So, Umi, who is next to me, mutters. Her words may sound like she's cursing him, but her smiling expression with slightly teary eyes showed the gentle her who cares for her family.
"It might be strange to say this here and now… but if I stay like this, I'll just be a wimp as always, so I'll at least properly convey my feelings to Shizuku."
"Ah──"
Gently pulling Shizuku-san into a hug, Riku-san said the words he couldn't say on that winter night long ago.
"Shii-chan, I've loved you since we were little. …I love you."
"…Waaaah."
With Riku-san's final words, Shizuku-san's emotions, which she had somehow been holding back, exploded.
At the sight of large tears streaming down her beautiful eyes, Umi and I, who were also present, found ourselves sniffling before we knew it.
"I'm sorry, Shizuku. If I had just said this one thing, it wouldn't have come to this."
"You're right, you big idiot Rikkun… But, are you sure you're okay with me? I'm not young anymore, I'm a divorcee, I even have a child… Now's the time to turn back, you know? You'll be dedicating your entire future to us. Are you still okay with that?"
"I am. I've already decided, and besides, that's what I wanted to do from the beginning. My studies, my job… I was able to work hard because I thought you were watching from somewhere. I pushed myself too hard at my previous job and broke my body… but from now on, I'm sure it'll be okay."
"…Is that because I'm here?"
"Yeah. And Reiji-kun, too. I can't slack off in front of you two like I used to."
In other words, he's determined to accept them both, as a whole.
The current Riku-san looks just as reliable as Daichi-san.
I wonder where the Riku-san who always plays games in his room until late at night has gone.
It's just in front of the person he likes, but isn't he changing too much… I thought, but then I realized I was quite similar.
In front of Umi, I can also work harder than usual.
Both Riku-san and I are surprisingly simple people.
There have been too many twists and turns since we came here, but I'm glad it seems to be ending peacefully──Just as I was thinking that, Reiji-kun, who was watching the turn of events at my feet, tugs on my sleeve.
"…Niichan, the bus is here."
"Eh? Ah──"
When I looked towards the sound of a light honk, the kindergarten bus that came to pick up Reiji-kun had already arrived at the front entrance of the inn.
It seems the time limit has ended at the perfect moment.
"! Oh no, I have to take Reiji right away──"
"Ah, Maki and I will take Reiji-kun, so Shizuku-san, please take care of the stupid brother for a little longer."
"Eh? B-but──"
"Shizuku-san, your face is a mess from crying right now. Your makeup is ruined, and your eyes are all red… If you go out in front of people like that, they'll worry about what happened."
"Ah… um, oh my, how embarrassing… Rikkun, um, do you have a handkerchief or pocket tissues? I got changed in a hurry, so I forgot mine in the room."
"Ah, yeah. Here, a handkerchief."
"Thanks. …Ehehe."
Shizuku-san, who has come to her senses and is wiping her tears in a fluster, and Riku-san, who is watching her with a wry smile.
It's as if they've returned to the childhood friends of the past.
If they're like that, I'm sure they'll be fine from now on.
After all, there's no longer any ill will between them.
"Reiji-kun, that's the situation, so let's go with us."
"Come on, Reiji-kun."
"…Okay."
After glancing at his mother, Shizuku-san, Reiji-kun takes our hands and walks towards the school bus. Seeing us high school students and Reiji-kun, the supervising teacher looked startled for a moment, but then seemed to immediately understand after seeing Shizuku-san behind us.
"Hey, Maki-niichan."
"What is it?"
"Mommy was crying."
"Yeah. But she wasn't crying because she was sad or lonely. She was crying because she was very happy."
"You cry even when you're happy?"
"That's right. When you get older, you cry for all sorts of reasons. I sometimes do too."
"Hmm… Adults are crybabies, huh?"
"Maybe so. Much more so than you, Reiji-kun."
"…Good luck."
"Yeah, I'll do my best. Thanks, Reiji-kun. See you."
"See you. I'd be happy if you'd get along with my big sister next time too, okay?"
"…Mhm."
Nodding reservedly, Reiji-kun got on the bus. He shouldn't dislike Umi… but somehow, he gives off the same vibe as me and Riku-san.
So, he should be able to get along with Riku-san too. They both love playing games.
As Umi and I wave goodbye to the kindergarten bus, Riku-san's car pulls up next.
"We left you two alone, but you don't have to be all lovey-dovey for the first time in a while? Did you at least give her a proper kiss?"
"We're not some stupid couple like you guys, you think we'd do that in public? …That kind of thing is for after I've gotten my act together."
"So annoying… Isn't that why you made Shizuku-san cry? You useless brother."
"You're so noisy. More importantly, let's hurry up and pick up Mom. We have to tell them both about what just happened. …And Dad, too."
For now, things have settled down, but the hard part is yet to come. It was a sudden decision, but since he made it, Riku-san has to take responsibility for it from now on.
For Riku-san, and for the rest of the Asanagi family, today marks a new beginning.
It's likely to be a hectic time before summer, but it will probably work out somehow.
Riku-san is no longer alone. He has his family, he has me, and most importantly, he has Shizuku-san.
If we all join hands and cooperate, I'm sure we can do anything.
"Hey Maki, by the way,"
"? What's wrong, Umi?"
"I can imagine it was you, Maki, who pushed my indecisive brother's back… but to get that blockhead to do it, I wonder what kind of magic you used."
"Oh, I'm curious about that too. Maehara-kun, for future reference, could you please enlighten your big sister a little?"
"Shizuku-san, you haven't gone back to work… Well, I didn't say anything amazing, so I don't intend to keep it a secret."
While Riku-san is efficiently loading our luggage into the car, I secretly tell the two of them the final piece of advice I gave Riku-san.
"I only said one thing. I thought it would be persuasive coming from me right now."
I, a high school 'kid', can't do something as shameless as lecturing an 'adult' like Riku-san about the ins and outs of love.
But if there's one thing I can say, then.
"──'Being with the person you love every day is fun.'"