It was a crisp autumn night. I had gone to see Yuu-chin, who, after a trip to the amusement park with Asanagi and Maehara, had finally put her first love to rest.
She'd insisted I come all the way to her house, so I ended up at the Amami residence. Before I knew it, the hour had grown late, and staying the night was the only logical choice.
How long did we cry together, I wonder? I was supposed to be the one comforting her after she'd been rejected, but somewhere along the way, I was the one bawling my eyes out. Seeing me like that, Yuu-chin started crying all over again.
Our eyes and noses were cherry-red, a complete mess, but we were in such a sorry state that we couldn't help but laugh at ourselves. When Eri-obasan greeted us at the door, she didn't say a word, simply handing us towels and warm drinks.
"Thank you for taking care of my daughter, Nina-chan."
The moment Eri-san said that, gently patting my head, the tears I had just managed to choke back came rushing out again. It was a complete disaster.
I'm quite certain I'll never cry that much again in my entire life.
"──Okay. I'll let Mom and Dad know. …Just make sure you're home tomorrow."
"Yeah. …Thanks, Yuna-nee."
"…"
"What's wrong? You suddenly went quiet."
"No, I was just thinking that if you were always this meek, I could dote on you more as your big sister."
"What's that supposed to mean, you creep? …Anyway, I'm done here, so I'm hanging up."
"Alright. Good night, Nina."
"…Yeah, good night, Yuna-nee."
After reporting my impromptu sleepover to my sister, I collapsed onto Yuu-chin's bed.
"…This was for the best, wasn't it? Probably."
What I did might not have been objectively right, but I have absolutely no regrets.
My meddling, which began at the fireworks festival, ended up dragging in not just Yuu-chin, but a whole host of other people. There was Yuu-chin herself, Asanagi, Maehara, their parents, and… well, I suppose Seki got caught up in it too.
I plan to properly apologize to everyone for the trouble I've caused, starting tomorrow… but I'm utterly drained from today's events. I guess it can wait.
"Yuu-chin's bed… is so fluffy and comfy."
Since it was a spur-of-the-moment sleepover, I didn't have a change of clothes, so I borrowed a pair of Yuu-chin's pajamas, wearing my own underwear, of course.
It was the first time in my life I'd ever slept in someone else's pajamas.
"──Nina-chi, are you asleep already?"
"No. …Welcome back, Yuu-chin. Did the bath wash away all the fatigue?"
"Perfectly. My eyelids and the tip of my nose are still a bit swollen, but we're both in the same boat."
"Hehe, yeah. It'll probably be back to normal by tomorrow, though."
"Yeah. Tomorrow, everything will be back to usual."
"Yeah. …I hope so."
When I see Asanagi and Maehara after the break, how should I even start the conversation?
Should I just bow my head and say, "I'm sorry for everything," or should I act as if nothing happened, keeping the same casual tone, and then apologize nonchalantly later?
For now, I should probably prepare myself for an iron claw, a forehead flick, or both from Asanagi. No, maybe it's better if she does. That way, we can just let it all go without any lingering resentment.
…How long has it been since I've been this troubled by my friendships?
"H-Hey, Nina-chi."
"Hm?"
"Um… can I join you over there?"
"…Sure. I mean, it's your bed, so don't hesitate. Come on."
"Yeah! …Alright, here I come!"
"Guh! Hey, I said you could come, but I didn't say you should launch yourself at me with that much force…"
Elated by my permission, Yuu-chin hugged me with the force of a tackle.
I'd only ever seen Asanagi and Arae-cchi on the receiving end of this… but now that it was my turn, it was a much more powerful dive than I had anticipated.
A hug brimming with affection, one she only gives to those she considers "very close."
They had been on the receiving end of this all this time.
…Maybe I should start training my legs, hips, and core a little more.
"Ehehe, Nina-chi~"
"Oh, Yuu-chin… you're so hopeless."
Once she opens up, Yuu-chin is a clingy, affectionate girl, but seeing her happily rubbing her cheek against my chest makes me want to spoil her too.
"…You're better this way, Yuu-chin. You're much cuter like this."
"Thanks. …Then, I'll be like this from now on."
The two of us huddled together on the semi-double bed and drifted off to sleep.
To be honest, I've always been terrible at sharing a room with someone. I'm not a particularly sound sleeper myself, and the thought of doing something strange in my sleep makes me so restless that my slumber becomes incredibly light.
…But now, with Yuu-chin, I feel strangely at ease.
Well, I did just make a complete fool of myself in front of her and her family a little while ago, so it would be absurd to worry about my sleeping habits at this point.
In the dark, silent room, I secretly opened my eyes.
I wonder what Yuu-chin's face looks like, sleeping right next to me.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I turned my gaze towards her.
…Just then, our eyes met. My companion was blinking in the very same way.
"Yuu-chin, you were awake?"
"Yeah. …I was wondering what Nina-chi's sleeping face looked like. What about you, Nina-chi?"
"…Well, me too."
"I see. Then we're two of a kind."
"Yeah. I never realized it before, but maybe we're surprisingly compatible."
After exchanging a glance, we giggled softly under the covers.
Until now, we hadn't really delved into each other's private lives, content to be "classmates" or "friends." At one point, even that relationship was in jeopardy… but in the end, I'm glad our bond has deepened.
Neither Yuu-chin nor I have said "those words" to each other yet.
But we've let our guards down this much.
If I reach out, I can have what I want in an instant.
I, too, can have the kind of relationship that Asanagi and Yuu-chin share, something I've always secretly admired.
"Hey, Yuu-chin."
"What is it?"
"There's something I want to tell you."
"Okay. Could it be that you actually liked Maki-kun too, Nina-chi?"
"That's… sorry, but that's seriously not it. It's not that, it's a story about my past."
"Nina-chi's… you mean from when you were in elementary or middle school?"
"Yeah. …I just really wanted to tell you, right now."
I never had a chance to tell her before, but I really wanted Yuu-chin to hear it.
My past, a secret I've kept from Asanagi and Maehara, something I only want Yuu-chin to know.
Because I felt that it wouldn't be fair otherwise.
"Yuu-chin, will you listen?"
"Of course. I want to know more and more about you, Nina-chi. So, tell me about your past."
"…Thank you, Yuu-chin."
This isn't just about licking our wounds from heartbreak. This is for her and I to become what you could truly call "best friends."
I, Nitta Nina, have never had a "best friend."
If I broaden the scope to include friends and acquaintances, I have a decent number, not to brag. I'm still vaguely connected to my classmates from elementary and middle school. Even now, in high school, I greet my seniors and juniors when I see them, and we can get excited over trivial things. If our schedules align, we even go out on holidays.
But that's as far as it goes. We'd go to town without a plan, hang out aimlessly, eat, and then go home at a reasonable hour.
I don't think of those people as my "best friends," and they probably don't think of me that way either.
I'd read the room, avoid delving into their sensitive topics as much as possible, and if I sensed things were getting dicey, I'd just fade into the background.
While I was busy doing that, no one was by my side anymore. It was fine when we were in a group, but when that group disbanded, no one chose me as their partner.
In that sense, maybe I was actually a "loner" too.
Of course, it's not like I was a contrarian from the start, like some freshman thinking, "I don't need best friends." I did admire the kind of relationship where you could talk about your worries, about studies and relationships. In fact, if I go back to my childhood, I had a few friends I got along with pretty well.
I think I definitely had a chance to become a real "best friend." If I had been brave enough to take that one step forward… I'm sure I could have had a relationship like those two.
But it never happened.
Because at that time, I had thought, "Whatever──"
The trigger for that was surely because of that──
I try not to think about it now, but my encounter with "her" was when I was in the first grade of elementary school.
After the entrance ceremony, as I waited nervously for the homeroom teacher to arrive, the girl in the seat behind me spoke to me.
"U-Um."
"Eh? What is it?"
"Um, I dropped my name tag. Look, under your chair."
"Chair… oh, this?"
When I picked up the name tag that had slipped under my chair, I saw "Kiyohara Kanami" written in neat handwriting, probably by her mother or father. There was furigana next to it, so even I could read her name properly.
"Kiyohara Kanami…"
That was her name.
"Here."
"Thanks. Nitta… -chan?"
"It's Nina. Here, want to see my name tag too?"
"Yeah. …Did you write this yourself?"
"My mom and dad told me, 'You should write that much yourself' so…"
"Oh, really? That's amazing."
"…So, I had my big sister write it for me in secret."
"Eh, really? Nina-chan, you're a cheater~"
"Well, I don't really know kanji yet. And you had your mom or dad write yours, didn't you, Kanami-chan?"
"! I see. Then, I'm the same as you, Nina-chan."
"Yeah, we're the same."
"Hehe, we're the same."
The trigger was something incredibly trivial, but children probably don't need a grand reason to become friends with someone.
From that day on, our relationship deepened rapidly.
Kanami and I became friends because I picked up her name tag, but why did she drop it when she should have had it properly attached to her chest during the entrance ceremony?
About a month after we started school, I suddenly became curious and asked her about it. Kanami, with a nonchalant expression, told me the truth.
"That's because I wanted to be friends with you, Nina, of course."
"With me, Kanami?"
"Yeah. I just moved here and didn't have any friends, so I was just looking for anyone… oh, sorry. Forget I said that."
"No."
"Stingy."
"How does that make me stingy?"
Kanami had a unique personality once you got to know her, but I actually had a favorable impression of her.
Whatever the reason, thanks to her, I was able to start off my school life on the right foot.
She could say what she thought clearly, and she was full of life. Even with kids she'd just met, if there was even the smallest trigger, she'd get involved on her own. It didn't take long for Kanami to become the central figure in our class, among classmates who were still new to student life and didn't know their left from their right (myself included, of course).
I was lucky to have met her──at that time, I believed that without a shadow of a doubt.
She had the skill to make me believe it.
A while after we became friends, she taught me the "knack for making friends."
"Nina, what do you think is important for making friends?"
"Eh? Like, someone who's fun to be with, or someone you get along with?"
"Bzzzt, wrong. You're always so close to me, yet you haven't been watching properly."
"Even if you say that… then, what's the right answer?"
"The right answer is…"
She whispered in my ear so that only I could hear.
──You just have to find someone who's thinking, "I want to be friends."
"See? It's easy, right?"
"Maybe so, but it's not that simple just by knowing that. First of all, how do you find someone like that? It's not like 'I want to be friends' was written over their face, "
"Eh? It is. That's why I talked to you first, Nina."
"…Was I that easy to read?"
"Yeah. Totally. You had a face like, 'I wonder if I can make a hundred friends, I'm so anxious.'"
"No, I don't need a hundred."
But when I thought back on it, I had a feeling she was right.
At that time, right before Kanami talked to me, I was looking around the classroom, searching for any familiar faces, kids from the same kindergarten or from my neighborhood.
"Nina, just a little bit at a time is fine, so from now on, try to observe people. See what kind of faces they make when they're happy or when something unpleasant happens. If you start to understand that, I think you'll be able to make friends easily on your own."
"I wonder… but it's not like you'll always be with me, Kanami…"
"That's exactly why. At first, you can just imitate me."
"If it's just that… well, I'll give it a try."
I didn't think I could be like Kanami from the start, so as she said, I first tried to observe people casually. Not just my classmates, but also my family, like my parents and my sister.
At first, I was skeptical, but when I actually tried it, there were certainly people who were easy to read.
Kids who were happy or sad about their test scores, boys with huge smiles when they heard that a class they disliked was going to be a study hall. Also, even if it didn't show on their faces, their language was rougher than usual, or their actions were strange.
Of course, that alone doesn't tell you everything they're thinking. But if you also considered the situation, you feel like you can somehow read their thoughts and feelings.
Just like at the entrance ceremony, when I was looking around the classroom with an anxious expression, searching for someone I could be friends with.
──You just have to find someone who's thinking, "I want to be friends."
At that moment, for the first time, I truly understood what Kanami was saying.
What she was saying was very efficient and clever, and at that time I was very impressed… but why did she, who had just entered elementary school, come to that conclusion?
I was still young and immature, so I didn't have the luxury of thinking that deeply.
After that, we were mostly in different classes due to class changes, but our friendship never broke. We would go to and from school together when it was convenient, and we would go out to play on holidays.
By that time, I had completely mastered the Kanami-style (as I had arbitrarily named it) communication, and I was expanding my social circle on my own.
The trigger or connection could be anything, no matter how trivial. A favorite idol, a TV drama I watched yesterday, a teacher or class I disliked, regular tests, popular boys, and so on.
What we were talking about didn't matter. The important thing was that the other person had a face that said, "I want to be friends with you," or "It's okay to be friends."
When I met Kanami, our conversation would always start like this.
──Nina, how are you? How are things on your end?
──So-so, I guess. How about you, Kanami?
──I'm so-so too, I guess.
After casually reporting that we were both doing our best with our social lives, we would look at each other and giggle.
We didn't see each other that often because we both had other friends, but for us──or rather, for me, our time together was precious.
So much so that I even thought, "Maybe 'best friend' is what you call someone like this, someone like Kiyohara Kanami."
"Hey Nina, are you free after this? If you are, can I come over to your place?"
"My place? I don't mind, but my sister is a bit…"
"Yuna-san, was it? I've only seen her from a distance, but she's pretty popular, huh?"
"Yeah. She's a total slob in front of me, though."
Unlike me, my sister excelled at everything. She was good at both her studies and sports, so she was popular in her class.
When I was little, I was proud of my sister. But when I started elementary school and people found out that we were related…
"Nitta-san's little sister."
"Yuna-chan's little sister."
…and so on, and recently I'd been getting tired of it.
It's not like I started to hate my sister or anything like that.
"…Could it be that you want to be friends with my sister too, Kanami?"
"Eh? Hmm… She's your sister, Nina, and she seems to have a lot of connections. Considering the relationship of being her little sister's friend, I think we could be friends, but…"
"…But, that way of saying it makes it sound like you're not so sure."
"You're right to hear it that way. Because it's a fact. …Oh, it's not good to say something like this about your sister, Nina, I'm sorry."
"No, that's totally… but why?"
"There's a reason, but… you know, right?"
"It's fine. I won't get mad over something like that at this point. Besides, we're not that kind of friends, are we?"
"Oh, you're right. We've known each other for a long time, huh?"
Seeing my reaction, Kanami smiled as if relieved, and as usual, she answered nonchalantly.
"To be honest, I'm not good with 'capable' people like Yuna-san. You see, I'm not like that. Just like you, Nina."
"Was it necessary to say 'just like you, Nina'?"
She was still honest and had a bit of a sharp tongue, but I still liked her for that.
Only Kanami understands me. She always tells me what I want.
I'm glad I became "friends" with her after all.
…And, if possible, I wanted to get even closer.
"Hey, more importantly, what about your house, Kanami? I said it before, but we've known each other for a long time, don't you think you could let me in by now?"
"It's messy, so no."
"That again? I don't mind if it's a little messy, you know."
"I mind~"
She skillfully deflected my question, and in the end, we ended up just playing in a nearby park as usual.
…Well, just like me, Kanami probably has her own family circumstances. Besides, our relationship won't change even if we don't visit each other's houses.
"…Hey, Nina."
"What?"
"Look, over there. …There's a face I don't recognize."
"Hmm…? Oh, you mean the kid kicking a soccer ball in the corner of the plaza?"
"Yeah, that's him. Do you know who he is, Nina?"
"If you don't know, Kanami, there's no way I would."
When I looked in the direction Kanami was pointing, there was a boy playing by himself in the corner of the field that was also used as a soccer court.
Even I, who didn't know much about soccer, could tell that he was skillfully handling the ball. I think it's called juggling… he was expertly using his feet, thighs, chest, and head without ever letting the ball touch the ground. I was genuinely impressed.
…And, I think, he's probably pretty good-looking too. Judging by his height, he's probably in the same grade or one grade above.
"Hey, Nina."
"…I'll pass."
"I haven't said anything yet."
"I can pretty much guess. …You're going to say, 'Let's go talk to him,' right?"
"Hehe, you got it~"
As Kanami said, of course I'm curious about an unknown boy who's kicking a ball by himself in such a huge park. He's a much more interesting way to kill time than the old playground equipment in the park that we've played with countless times.
"Nina, what do you think of that kid? Do you think he's worth talking to?"
"…I don't know."
I secretly checked on him from behind the playground equipment, but he was so absorbed in playing with the ball that I could only tell that he probably liked soccer.
He was the type of boy I usually wouldn't talk to.
However, in contrast to my reluctance, my partner's eyes were sparkling.
"Nina, want to trade that sports drink you just bought for my cider?"
"? I don't mind, but… what are you planning to do, Kanami?"
"Hmm… well, something like feeding him?"
"Who?"
"That kid."
"…You probably shouldn't."
"It's just a way to start a conversation. You gotta take a chance every once in a while, take a chance."
"I wonder if it'll be okay…"
Half-forced by Kanami, we ended up talking to him.
Just as the soccer ball he dropped came rolling towards us, we appeared in front of him.
"Here, your ball."
"…Thanks."
When I kicked the ball back to him, he said that curtly and resumed juggling.
He wasn't exactly friendly, but he didn't seem shy either. How should I put it, a person who goes their own way?
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"You can see, can't you?"
"Well, I can see that. That's not what I mean, why are you doing that by yourself?"
"…"
The boy looked at Kanami with an expression that seemed to say, "You can see, can't you?"
Even I can sort of imagine why he's kicking a soccer ball by himself at this time, and I'm sure Kanami knows and is asking anyway.
She's still the same, but it's nerve-wracking to see her do it to someone other than me.
"Oh, sorry if I offended you. We were both bored, so we thought we'd get some exercise for a change. Or were we bothering you after all?"
"It's not that you're bothering me, but… what? You both want to play soccer?"
"Yeah. …Well, that's a lie, to be honest, I'd rather play with you. I mean, soccer is fine too, but in that case, you'll have to teach us. I'm a beginner, and so is Nina here."
"…"
"What do you think? It's better to have someone with you than to do it alone, isn't it?"
"…"
After a moment of silence, he passed the ball at his feet to us.
"When you kick the ball, basically use the inside of your foot."
"! Okay. Nina, that's what he said."
"I'm the one kicking…? Um, is this okay?"
"Yeah. You're pretty good for a beginner."
He trapped the ball I passed, and this time he made a fast pass to Kanami.
"Hey… you're treating me and Nina differently, aren't you? I said we're both beginners."
"Because you're kind of annoying."
"What~!?"
"…Pfft!"
I couldn't help but burst out laughing at Kanami, who was bluntly told she was "annoying."
My first impression was that he was hard to approach, but after talking to him, I found him surprisingly direct, which I liked.
…And then, the glimpse of his smirking face looked very cool.
"I'm Kanou Kaname. What about you guys?"
"I'm Kiyohara Kanami. And this is my friend, Nitta Nina."
"You can call me Nina. You can call this one Baka-nami if you want."
"Baka-nami? Hey, isn't that rude?"
"It's your fault for saying something rude to Kanou-kun. Oh, Kanou-kun, here's a token of my apology. It's a sports drink, but you'll drink it, right?"
"Oh, that's mine!"
"You were going to give it to him anyway, right? Then it's fine."
"I changed my mind~ I'm not giving a single drop of juice to a guy who finds me annoying."
"…You guys are noisy."
That was my encounter with my other "friend," Kanou Kaname. From then on, the three of us started to hang out together more often. Just like Kanami, Kaname had also just moved to this town and had no friends, so he had no choice but to kick a ball by himself when we called out to him──that's what he said.
My relationship with Kaname started on a whim from Kanami, but I personally thought I was lucky.
It would be a few years after meeting him that I would come to realize that.
When we first met, Kaname was always kicking a ball by himself, but he was only a loner for about a month. After a certain event, he quickly became popular in his class.
The trigger was the ball game tournament held by grade level. Kaname, who participated in soccer, was so active that everyone around him was taken aback, and he brilliantly led his class to victory.
Kaname, who was usually quiet and unapproachable, was apparently a bit of an outcast in his class right after transferring (as he himself said), but thanks to his performance there, he was able to fit in with his new community smoothly.
And with his slender height and well-defined features, he was also extremely popular with the girls.
The kids who were only interested in playing when they were in the lower grades of elementary school suddenly started to get interested in romance when they reached the upper grades as they got more mature.
Even in our group with Kanami, along with talk of games and hobbies, talk of romantic relationships within the class gradually increased. So-and-so are dating, so-and-so confessed to so-and-so──and so on.
And in the midst of that, the center of the topic of conversation among the girls' group was…
…somehow, me and Kanami.
"Hey, Nina."
"Hey. …How's it going, Kanami? On your end?"
"Of course, they asked me. What about you?"
"Same here. …I'm getting tired of this."
What we talked about in our usual debriefing sessions was mostly the same.
…It was all about our relationship with Kaname.
Kanami and I sighed in exasperation at the topic that had been repeated countless times.
──Nitta-san and Kiyohara-san, you're close with Kanou-kun, right?
──Are you dating one of them?
──I want you to tell me what kind of girl Kanou-kun likes.
──I'm so jealous, let me join you guys. No?
These are the things that usually asked.
And, as a response,
"We're close, but Kanou-kun is just a friend."
"We're friends, so of course we're not dating or anything like that."
"I don't know what his type is. Why don't you ask him yourself?"
"There's no limit on the number of people, so feel free to join if you want."
I answer this every time. By the way, the reason I call Kaname "Kanou-kun" is to avoid unnecessary speculation like "You're pretty close for that," which would arise if I called him by his first name. Usually, we call each other Nina, Kanami, and Kaname.
In my case, I used to call him "Kanou-kun" when we first met, but halfway through, he told me, "I don't like it, it feels distant for a friend." Since then, I've been calling him by his first name without hesitation.
…Maybe that's why people misunderstand.
"It's true that Kaname is good at both sports and studying, and well, I think his face isn't bad either, so I can see why he's popular with girls, but… when it comes to whether he's a romantic interest, it's a bit different, right? You think so too, don't you, Kanami?"
"Hmm… well, yeah. He pretends to be a cool guy in front of the class, but he's still a brat. He even calls me 'annoying.'"
"Are you still hung up on that? Why don't you just forgive him already?"
"No way. I'm not forgiving him until he cries and begs for forgiveness."
"I can understand why Kaname finds you annoying…"
Putting aside the persistent Kanami, I'm relieved that she seems to share almost the same opinion as me.
Because we're close. Because we're always together. Because we call each other by our first names familiarly. For those reasons alone, it shouldn't be a problem if it's between boys or between girls, but why do so many people immediately connect it to "romance" when it's with the opposite sex?
It's not that I dislike that kind of romantic talk. I can't help but get curious about celebrity romance and follow the information, and I'm pretty well-informed about the rumors in my class. Of course, there's the premise of matching the conversation with those around me to some extent so that I don't stand out in the group.
I never thought I would be the subject of it when I became friends with Kaname.
…Well, it's proof that Kaname is that popular, so it's also a fact that I secretly feel a sense of superiority in being his "friend of the opposite sex."
Kaname has a relatively large number of friends, but if you narrow it down to female friends, the only ones are me and Kanami.
…No, I can't deny the possibility that he's secretly getting along with some other cute girl, but neither I or Kanami have heard about something like that.
Besides, considering Kaname's personality, if he got a girlfriend, he would probably report it himself without any fuss.
And at that time, I think I would just congratulate him and say, "Good for you."
It's only natural, since we're "friends" who've known each other for a long time.
After that, we'd complain a little about things in our group and then head to our usual meeting place.
It used to be just the two of us for our debriefing sessions, but now there was a new member.
As usual, the boy who was kicking a ball in the corner of the park saw the two of us and smiled.
"──Hey. You guys are late."
"You're the one who's too early. …Here, the cider you asked for. I'll get the money from you later."
"I know. Thanks, Kanami."
With that, Kaname passed the ball to our feet with a gentle touch, as usual.
We started passing the ball around between the three of us casually, but before we knew it, it had become something of a routine when we got together like this.
"Hey, long time no see, popular guy. How many maidens' pure hearts did you trample on this week?"
"Ah~ shut up, shut up. It's none of your business."
"Isn't it harsh to say it's none of our business? Hey Nina, you're curious too, right?"
"Well, it would be a lie to say I'm not… but still."
"You too? Geez, you guys are hopeless."
Kaname catches my pass and looks at me with a look of exasperation.
I know it's rude to meddle in other people's love lives, and I still try to avoid getting involved as much as possible.
But it's also true that I can't help but be curious about the boy in front of me.
Perhaps having given in to our curious gazes, Kaname answers with a sigh.
"…It's not like I've been confessed to or anything like that. I do get asked a lot if I have a girl I like, or if there's a girl I'm close to now."
"Hmm. So, what do you always say to that?"
"The usual. I don't have a girl I like, and there's no girl I'm particularly close to."
"What about me and Nina?"
"? You guys are friends, right?"
"What~!?"
Kanami reacted in disbelief to Kaname's casual answer.
I had a feeling Kaname would answer that way, but he says it so nonchalantly that I can't help but give a wry smile.
"Hey Nina, did you hear that? This guy's crazy."
"Kaname, that might be a little insensitive."
"Eh? Did I say something wrong?"
"…We're 'girls' too, you know."
I'm happy that Kaname thinks of me and Kanami as "friends" regardless of gender, but it's complicated for us at our age to be told that he doesn't have any particularly close female friends.
"I don't have a girl I like. But I have two girls I'm close with."
That's what Kanami, and probably I too, wanted Kaname to say.
"…I see. Sorry, I don't really get that stuff yet."
"As long as you get it. …Hey, Kaname, you're surprisingly obedient when Nina says something."
"Of course. Nina has common sense, unlike you. And you're annoying."
"Oh, you said 'annoying' again, didn't you? Alright, if that's how you want to play it, I'll do it. Nina, I'm going to punch this guy now, so hold him down."
"It's impossible because of the size difference…"
Other than our height, I didn't feel much of a difference between us and Kaname when we first met, but before I knew it, Kaname's physique had become about one size bigger and more muscular.
I think of Kaname as a friend, but to be honest, there are times when I can't help but be conscious of him as a "member of the opposite sex."
"──So, that's enough about me. What about you guys? Do you have anyone you like?"
"Same as you. What about you, Nina?"
"I guess so. I have a boy I'm close with right in front of me, though."
"The soccer idiot whose married to the ball."
"The idiot part was unnecessary. Baka-nami."
"What? I'll cut your Achilles tendon, you bastard."
"Haha, you can't with those sneakers of yours."
But the three of us are still friends. We make a triangle and pass the ball around, vent our little complaints and trivial worries, and act stupid and laugh.
…But, what if.
In the future, if Kaname makes a close "female friend" other than us.
If a special girl appears who is more than just a "friend."
When I suddenly thought about that, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
"…"
"? What's wrong, Nina?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing. I just felt a little sick to my stomach…"
"Are you going to throw up? I have a plastic bag, if you want."
"I'm fine. It's not like that, and it's probably just my imagination."
"Really? Well, if you say so."
That said, I decided to take a break on the bench until I felt better.
I was momentarily confused by the sudden change in my body, but as I breathed slowly, I gradually calmed down. I must have surprised my own body by suddenly exercising without any warm-up.
I took a deep breath, "phew," to calm myself down.
I looked at Kanami and Kaname continuing to pass the ball a little distance away.
"────"
"────"
I can't hear what they're talking about from so far away.
…But.
Even without me, the two of them were laughing happily and repeating their conversational passes.
The moment I witnessed that, a pain greater than the one I had felt before, along with a tightness in my chest, attacked me.
That pain, too, was as fleeting as the last one.
What in the world is wrong with me?
Looking back on it now, I'm sure that was my first love.
He was usually quiet, but when you talked to him, he was surprisingly sassy, blunt, and insensitive. But he was actually kind and thoughtful of his friends, good at soccer, tall, handsome, and cool.
Like the other girls in the group who were interested in romance, I had unknowingly developed a secret crush on the boy everyone admired.
At that time, the three of us had just started middle school life. While we were confused by the senior-junior hierarchy, we were each doing our best to fit in and not be isolated within the group.
Kanami and I were in the soft tennis club, and Kaname was in the soccer club.
Both our clubs were busy, and we could no longer hang out after school like we used to.
"Haa~ club activities are a pain… Hey Nina, why are we doing these practice swings we don't even want to do?"
"It can't be helped since it's basically mandatory for first-years to join a club at our middle school. Apparently, we can quit when we become second-years, so let's just endure it until then."
"I don't get that either."
I joined the club for the very shallow reason that there were a lot of girls in it, and the practice was pretty tough, but there was one good thing for me.
"Hey, you two first-years over there. Are you practicing hard?"
"Oh, yes… wait, it's you. If you're here to tease us, go home, shoo, shoo."
"It's Kaname, hey. Are you practicing hard too?"
"So-so. Well, I'm a regular, unlike you guys."
"Wow, that's amazing. Our middle school's soccer team is pretty strong, too."
"It's nothing, this is normal. More importantly, you guys, when does practice end today?"
"Probably around six. What about you?"
"Same here. Well then, let's go home together since we have the chance. I have to clean up the equipment, so you two wait for me until I'm done."
"Going home is fine, but what do you mean by making two girls wait? I'll turn you into rust on my racket, you bastard."
"Don't try to hit people with club equipment. …Well, I'm going back to practice soon."
"Mm. See you later."
And so, just as the practice area for the soft tennis court and the soccer club's practice area were right next to each other, if the timing was right, Kaname would come talk to us, or we would throw some light-hearted jeers his way.
Different classes, different clubs. Because of that, the opportunities for the three of us to really get together became few and far between, so even the brief moments during practice made me happy.
…To be able to talk to him. To see his carefree, smiling face.
I'm in middle school now, so I'm aware of the true nature of the feelings lurking deep inside my chest.
I'm keeping it a secret from Kanami, my sister, and my parents.
I liked Kaname.
"Seriously, if you have time to tease us, you should practice a little. …What's wrong, Nina? Your face is red."
"No, it's nothing. …Really, just as Kanami says, he's hopeless."
I like Kaname. I'm well aware of that feeling.
But more than that, I loved this time the three of us spent together. We'd horse around like we were still in elementary school, tell jokes, and laugh.
If I told him how I feel, what would happen?
I'm sure I, Kaname, and Kanami would all become strangely considerate of each other. We wouldn't be able to hang out like we used to.
It's one thing for a group of girls you only see occasionally, but for the three of us, it's not okay.
If that's what's going to happen, it's better to stay "friends" for a little longer.
"Hey, Kanami."
"What is it?"
"If he… if Kaname got a girlfriend, what would you do?"
"I'd be annoyed."
"Well, yeah, but that's not what I mean."
"I know. You mean what would happen to us, right?"
After thinking for a moment, Kanami muttered.
With a serious face, for once.
"The three of us would probably break up, right? As expected."
"…Yeah. We'd be a bother to his girlfriend, wouldn't we, people like us."
We think of ourselves and Kaname as just friends, but I've heard the story of a relationship changing from "friends" to "lovers" so many times since I was in elementary school that my ears hurt.
"We were friends. We were just old friends. He was like a big brother to me."
I still clearly remember the faces of the girls in the group who would start their gushing stories with such prefaces, with happy looks on their faces.
If I were Kaname's girlfriend (hypothetically, of course), I would definitely tell him to refrain from that kind of relationship as much as possible from now on.
Because even though we're "friends," that relationship isn't guaranteed to last forever.
Because I understand that feeling, we have no choice but to part ways.
"That said, it seems like that's a long way off. Hey, did you know, Nina? I heard he turned down a super cute upperclassman the other day. He said something like, 'I want to focus on my club activities right now.'"
"Eh? …S-Seriously?"
"I only heard it as a rumor, you know. Hey Nina, since we're going home with him today, let's question him about that."
"Isn't that why Kaname tells you you're 'annoying'?"
I pretended to be calm in front of Kanami, but inside, I was desperately trying to suppress an indescribable turmoil in my chest.
I hope I don't act weird in front of Kanami and Kaname… To shake off that anxiety, I put more effort than usual into my practice swings.
…Because of that, I hurt my back a little, and on the way home, Kanami and Kaname laughed at me so much that I was embarrassed. But thanks to that, I managed to get through that day, so it was a complicated feeling for me personally.
While I was aware of my love for Kaname, I ended up not telling anyone and spent several months of my school life maintaining our usual friendship.
At first, I would get flustered every time I saw Kaname's face, but I gradually got used to it. Now, I can act as if nothing has changed, just like before I was conscious of my romantic feelings.
Of course, I still like Kaname, and my romantic feelings for him haven't disappeared… or rather, I think they've definitely gotten stronger.
And yet, the reason I'm able to keep my feelings for him hidden is precisely because my feelings are getting stronger.
Because I like him, my desire not to lose him grows in proportion.
Kaname still hadn't made any friends of the opposite sex other than me and Kanami, so that was another reason why our relationship was often teased in the girls' groups.
Which one is he really after?
Or rather, which one is after him? Or both?
Why the two of them?
Why those guys?
Neither of them are particularly cute.
I mean, who are they?
From simple curiosity to pretty direct insults and backbiting, there were all sorts of things.
We haven't done anything. At least, neither I nor Kanami have made any move on Kaname. But just by being close as friends, we're exposed to all sorts of curiosity, and sometimes even malice.
…To be honest, it was incredibly annoying. But I thought it would be wrong to distance myself from Kaname because of that, so I made sure to act like usual in the classroom and at my club, no matter what.
During class, I would gladly lend my textbook to Kaname when he came to my classroom saying he forgot his (*sometimes to Kanami too).
During club activities after school, we would chat lightly during breaks, and if our schedules matched, the three of us would go home together.
I showed off how close the three of us were to those around us.
Of course, only as "friends." He was within arm's reach, and there were times when I desperately wanted to touch him, but I suppressed my true feelings and tried to maintain an even more appropriate distance than before.
But my efforts were short-lived.
The end of our friendship came in a flash.
"──Nitta, hey, you got a minute?"
"! Kanou-kun, what's wrong?"
One morning, when I had gotten used to middle school life and a year was about to pass.
Kaname, with a troubled look on his face, was calling me from the hallway outside the classroom.
By the way, it's not particularly unusual for him to call me out. He often comes to borrow textbooks or notes, and sometimes he comes with Kanami, so my classmates had stopped paying attention, thinking, "It's just the usual."
The usual.
I thought so too, until just a moment ago.
"What is it? Is it a textbook or notes today?"
"…No."
"? Then, what is it?"
"…Let's talk over there. Somewhere with fewer people."
"Eh."
The moment Kaname whispered that to me, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. …In a bad way, of course.
If he forgot his textbook or notes, he could just say so here. It's something he does all the time, so it's not embarrassing or anything. He could just act confident, as usual. The Kanou Kaname I know would do that.
…The fact that he's being so secretive means.
While various possibilities were swirling in my head, Kaname and I secretly left the classroom and went to the courtyard, which was still deserted in the morning.
There aren't many things that a boy and a girl would talk about secretly in a place like this.
"Nina, hey."
"…Yeah."
"Do you like me?"
"…"
Ah.
So it's come to this after all.
I wanted to keep it hidden if possible, and I tried my best not to show my feelings, but my feelings for Kaname haven't changed, so a crack was bound to appear somewhere.
I thought for a moment about confessing honestly, but there was something I wanted to confirm before that.
"Why?"
"Why, you ask."
"I'm asking why you asked me that."
"…A little while ago, a guy in my class asked me. '──Hey, I heard Nitta-san confessed to you, is that true?' he said."
"What? That's…"
"A lie, right? In fact, I don't remember it happening at all. At that time, I laughed and denied it with all my might… but he said, 'But it seems to be true that Nitta likes you.' 'The girls in the class heard it that way.' He said he heard it from someone else and didn't know the details."
"So you came to question me because you were curious?"
"…Well, something like that. It's one thing if it was someone else, but since it was you, I got curious about what was really going on."
I didn't say it. I haven't told anyone that I like Kaname.
Who spread such a baseless rumor? And by the time it reached the person involved, it had a strange addition to it.
Who was it? Who spread such a terrible rumor? It's so annoying. I want to catch them right now and make them get on their knees and apologize.
But there's something I have to do before that.
I have to reassure my friend in front of me, who has an anxious expression on his face.
"Hey, Kaname. Before I answer whether I like you or not, can I ask you one thing?"
"Eh? Oh, yeah. What is it?"
"How do you feel about me, Kaname? Tell me honestly, without hiding anything."
"…A friend, I guess."
"Then, I'll ask a little more deeply. As a girl? Not in the sense of 'cute' or anything, but in the sense of whether you'd want me as your girlfriend."
"I wonder… sorry, I've never thought about it like that."
"I see. Well, that's you, isn't it?"
It's a vague answer for Kaname, but he's probably just being honest about his confusion.
We're just friends right now, but I don't know if that's how it'll be in the future. Since it's not decided whether I'm "in" or "out" as a romantic interest, he has no choice but to answer that way.
"Well then, let's get back to the main topic."
"…Yeah."
"To be honest, I feel the same way as you, Kaname. We're friends, and we're pretty close among them, but when it comes to whether you're a romantic interest, you know. You're still a child, after all, Kaname."
"D-Don't treat me like a child."
"No, you are a child. You took a stupid rumor seriously and came all the way to me to confirm it."
"Ugh…"
That's not true, but I didn't have the courage to say how I truly felt in this situation.
"My type is older guys. Someone I can rely on, someone who's understanding, and on top of that, he has to be handsome… oh, and it's even better if his family is rich."
"You… don't you think you're asking for too much?"
"It's fine, isn't it? Whether it comes true or not, it doesn't cost anything to say it."
That's not true. You're the one I like, the person right in front of me. The boy of my first love who made me aware of the "opposite sex" for the first time.
I like him, and how happy would I be if he became my boyfriend?
But now is not the time to convey my feelings.
If I confessed to Kaname on a whim here.
"…Kaname, by the way."
"Yeah."
"If… just if, okay? I don't really feel that way at all, and it probably won't happen in the future, but in reality."
"You don't have to stress it that much, I get it. It's a hypothetical story, right?"
"Right, hypothetical. …If I said, 'I like you, Kaname.' 'Please go out with me,' what would you do?"
"I'd probably say no. I want to focus on soccer right now, after all."
"…Yeah. You would say that, wouldn't you?"
To avoid letting him notice my agitation, I firmly calm myself down and nod as if agreeing with his words.
Kaname's answer wouldn't change, even if it's me.
What's important to him right now is his club activity, which is soccer. I know better than anyone that his passion for the sport is real. I've even heard his future dream directly from his own mouth.
He's better than anyone at soccer, but he's surprisingly clumsy at everything else.
That's the boy I know as Kanou Kaname.
And that was his greatest charm, as I felt it.
…Of course, the fact that he's purely my type in terms of appearance accounts for about half of the reason.
"So, how is it? Are you relieved now that you've been properly rejected by the person herself?"
"No, I haven't been rejected… but well, I'm relieved that I understand Nina's true feelings."
"Really? Then that's good. …Tch."
"? Nina, did you just click your tongue?"
"Who knows, maybe it was your imagination?"
Why are you so relieved? Be a little more conscious of me. I think to myself.
Seeing the popular boy's relieved expression, I was annoyed at him for the first time.
I've gotten pretty good at using my true feelings and my public face differently over the past few years.
"Well then, we're done here, right? Homeroom is starting soon, so I'm going back to the classroom."
"Oh, before that, can you lend me your math textbook and notebook? I think I'm going to be called on today."
"......Haa."
"D-Don't make such a disgusted face. It's the usual, isn't it?"
"That's true, but…"
At times like this, I think, "It's fine to be just friends," but then time passes and before I know it, I'm "in love" again. You never know what's in a person's heart.
After that, I ended up lending him my math textbook and notebook, and while ignoring the stares of my classmates, I waited for lunchtime to come.
Who was the source of the baseless rumor that was causing a stir among some of the girls' groups in our grade?
In the morning, I went around to the groups I was a part of and asked. After thinking about it a lot, I had a good idea. The "person" herself probably thought she had done a good job, but there are chatty girls in every group, and because I knew that, I hadn't said anything.
Why did "she" do such a thing?
I'll have her tell me herself, from her own mouth.
"Come to the stairs near the audiovisual room during lunch. There's no one there, so we can talk slowly."
I sent her that message and went to the designated place myself ahead of time.
There was no reply, but I had confirmed that it had been read, so I was sure she would come.
"──Sorry Nina, I'm a little late."
"It's fine, I just got here a little while ago too. …Kanami."
About five minutes after the promised time, my friend arrived.
…With a smile on her face that was so clearly malicious that it made me wonder what I had been seeing in her all this time.
I haven't even asked her anything yet. She shouldn't even know what we're going to talk about.
Unlike me, Kanami seemed to be fully prepared to show her true colors.
That made me very sad.
"Kanami."
"What is it?"
"Why did you tell everyone that lie?"
"No, no, it's not a lie. It's true that you like Kaname. So I just told the truth. It's been written all over your face since we were in elementary school."
So it was true after all.
I thought I had hidden it from Kanami, but if she's been by my side for so many years, it's not strange that she would have noticed a slight change.
"That's true, but I didn't say it. Not to anyone, not even to you."
"Yeah. That's cold, isn't it? I would have given you advice if you had told me."
"Were you going to say I should confess if I liked him? Even though you knew I would be rejected by Kaname, still."
"…What, I thought you would confess on a whim and get rejected, Nina."
"That's a shame. Unfortunately for you, I'm not that stupidly honest. Thanks to you."
It was ironically thanks to Kanami that I was able to hold back at the last minute.
To observe people's faces, actions, and words carefully. To use my true feelings and my public face appropriately.
She taught me everything.
"Back to the topic. …Kanami, why did you spread that rumor? If you knew, you should have just told Kaname directly. I was going to be rejected anyway, so the result would have been the same, right?"
"True, if you only look at the result. …But that's a little bad for me, you see. You know, it gives a terrible impression, right? If I told him, 'That girl seems to like you,' without him even confessing."
"…What does that mean?"
"You don't get it? After all this time together, not even a little?"
"I'm done with that. Stop beating around the bush and just say it."
"Don't be in such a hurry. …But, I see. I thought you would understand, Nina."
After looking at me with a disappointed face for a moment, she continues.
"Actually, I like him too."
"…Eh? Like…"
"So, I like Kaname too. I thought he was great from the first time I met him. Unlike you, Nina."
"Eh, um… so that means,"
"That's right. I thought Kaname was kind of nice, so I talked to him. …You might not believe me, but it was honestly love at first sight."
When I think back to that time, it's not that I don't feel that Kanami was acting unnaturally, unlike her usual self. Kaname was very kind when we talked to him, but right after we talked to him, he was clearly on guard with a hard expression that pushed people away.
Like he wanted to be our friend. With a face that didn't look like he was lonely at all.
Find someone who wants to be friends──that was the "knack for making friends" she first taught me, but only with regard to Kaname, she said "challenge," and acted contradictorily. Even though she had never taken a challenge before.
Still, she wanted to make a connection with him somehow.
"No~ at that time, I was seriously grateful that you were with me, Nina. If I had been alone, I probably… no, I definitely wouldn't have been able to become friends with him."
"What? I didn't do anything at the time…"
"You didn't. But thanks to you being there, his attitude clearly changed. Maybe Kaname was being considerate in his own way? Unlike me, you were quiet at that time, so he probably thought, 'I can't say anything too harsh.' He's a good guy at heart, you know."
"…Oh. So you took advantage of Kaname's kindness. You used me for your own convenience too. …You're the worst."
"That sounds bad~ Everyone does this kind of thing to some extent. The reason you're able to live your school life so freely right now, Nina, is because you used me well. Do you understand that?"
"That… may be true, but still!"
I didn't want to have that kind of dry relationship with Kanami. I'm not "friends" with her because she has utility value or not.
There are no merits or demerits, just because it's fun to be with her.
Because I was really, really happy that she reached out to me when I was all alone and anxious at that time.
"…I always thought of you as my best friend, Kanami. And of course, Kaname too."
"Yeah. There was a time when I thought so too. After all, you were my first friend after I moved, and I felt comfortable with you."
"Then, why…"
"Why? Well then, I'll ask you, Nina, why did you hide the fact that you like Kaname from me?"
"T-That's… because I thought if I confessed, we couldn't be friends anymore…"
"That's just a pretext, right? Be honest. You were aiming to eventually become Kaname's girlfriend while maintaining our current relationship, right? That's your true intention, right? In that case, who's the worst one here?"
"That's not true! I didn't think that at all!"
"Then, today, when Kaname brought it up, what did you say, Nina? Ask your own heart."
"! Kanami, you, were you watching…?"
"I saw Kaname secretly going to your classroom. …I'm sorry for eavesdropping, I apologize. But I was so worried. There was a non-zero chance that Nina would confess and Kaname would accept. …He probably likes you, you know."
"Eh? Kanami, what did you just…"
Kaname, likes me?
It was so sudden that my mind went blank for a moment.
"I didn't ask him directly. …But, compared to when he's with me, he's a lot more talkative when he's with you, Nina."
"Really? I was always with the three of us, so I thought…"
"You don't believe me? Then, I'll secretly record it for you next time. He's not very talkative when he's alone with me. No matter what I ask him, he always gives me half-hearted answers with a bored look on his face. Ugh, just remembering it makes me angry. He doesn't even know how many years I've had a one-sided crush on him."
I didn't notice because Kaname was always Kaname whether we were in a group of two or three, but it seems that his attitude definitely changes depending on the person, whether he's aware of it or not.
I see. That's probably why Kaname gave a vaguely evasive answer when I asked him, "What do you think of me?"
…Well, this is just based on Kanami's perspective, so it might he might have been telling the truth after all.
"…So, you did this because you were jealous that Kaname might like me?"
"Well, to put it simply, that's what it is. Also, the fact that you didn't consult me was also really annoying."
"So, if I had consulted you, this wouldn't have happened?"
"I wonder… well, since I'm this kind of person, even if it didn't fall apart now, I had a feeling it would break somewhere down the line."
"…I see."
"Maybe I can be best friends with Kanami"──it seems I was the only one who thought that.
When I think about it that way, everything I had been worrying about until now suddenly seemed so foolish.
Why was I suppressing my own feelings and desperately trying to hide my love for someone I liked, all for the sake of someone like this?
If I had known from the beginning that this would happen. If I hadn't trusted Kanami and had treated her as a "friend" with utility value, I would have been able to hit on Kaname without hesitation and make him my own.
The moment I thought that, a single tear streamed down my cheek.
…There's no way I could do that.
Even if Kanami doesn't think of me as her "best friend."
I thought of Kanami as my "best friend."
The first time we met. The times we laughed together, complaining and venting about things we couldn't say in front of other groups of girls.
Those things surely weren't lies. Because I'm the only one who still believes that.
"Sorry. That's how it is, so see you. Nina."
"Yeah. …Thanks for everything until now, Kanami. There's a lot I want to say, but it was fun."
"Really? I thought it was pretty normal."
"…You're an annoying person to the very end."
Seeing me click my tongue quietly, Kanami gave a wry smile and left.
"…Friendship is so fleeting."
I mutter that and let out a big sigh.
Why did we end up like this?
Would it have been better if I had been more honest and consulted Kanami about everything?
Would it have been better if I hadn't relied on Kanami so much and had paid more attention to her?
If I had mustered up the courage and been the first to talk to Kanami and say, "Let's be friends."
Even if I regret it after our connection has been severed, it's meaningless now.
While I was thinking about various things alone in front of the audiovisual room, I got tired of it and it gradually became a hassle.
"…Whatever, I'm done."
Those words naturally escaped my lips.
I worry about someone, and yet I'm betrayed. I cry, I get hurt.
If that's what's going to happen, then I don't need a "best friend."
I'll just go along with the conversation, read the room, avoid stepping into their sensitive areas as much as possible, keep an appropriate distance, and only associate with them when I have something to gain.
And I won't suppress my own feelings either. I'll live my school life from now on as I please.
At that moment, I lost two "friends."
All that was left was emptiness.
After that, I don't know what happened to Kanami and Kaname. A few months after we became estranged, Kanami moved to another school for family reasons (*apparently her parents divorced), and Kaname, whom I had intentionally distanced myself from, entered a prestigious soccer school outside the prefecture as soon as he graduated from middle school. I don't know if they're still friends or dating, or if they became estranged at the same time our connection was severed.
Now, there's no way to know. I don't want to know either.
──I don't have any best friends or childhood friends.
I feel like I said that to someone once, but it was half true and half a lie.
This is something I've never told anyone before… well, to be precise, I told Yuna-nee, but Yuu-chin was the only other person I've told it to.
My past, a secret from Asanagi, Maehara, and well, even Seki, of course.
"──But, I still wanted to tell you, Yuu-chin. Because, if I didn't, I felt it wouldn't be fair, and also…"
"────"
"? Yuu-chin, what's wrong…"
"────snooore, snooore"
"I can't believe you fell asleep in the middle of it."
I had been telling my old story for longer than I thought, so Yuu-chin, who had probably been enduring it up to a point, couldn't resist the intense drowsiness from fatigue.
"This was where the real story was about to begin… well, I guess that can wait for another time."
Why did I still decide to believe in Amami Yuu, even though I was so hurt just three or four years ago and thought I was done with best friends?
I wanted to expose more and more of my troublesome side, until it was almost too much, and have Yuu-chin comfort me by saying, "Even that Nina-chi is cute."
But well, even if that plan fell through today, it's no problem for me.
There will be many more opportunities to talk with Yuu-chin from now on.
Even if we see each other less when we become third-years.
Even if we graduate and go our separate ways.
Even if we fall in love with different people and have our own separate families.
We're not "just friends" anymore.
"I guess I'll go to sleep too… haa, I don't know why, but I'm so tired today…"
I hugged Yuu-chin, who is breathing softly next to me, and slowly drift off to sleep.
"…Hey, Kanami."
"A lot has happened, but I'm doing my best."
"How are you──?"
With the image of the girl who was my "ex-best friend" (as I had arbitrarily thought of her) in my mind, a girl whose whereabouts I no longer know, my long day was coming to an end.