In a quiet bus with the low sound of air conditioning.
As I stared absentmindedly out the window, the scenery passing by seemed like a city I didn't know.
When I was on the bus a few hours ago, I had felt nothing but anxiety and impatience, but now I felt like I was in another world, with this profound sense of calmness in my heart.
I have already made up my mind that I can make Miyu happy.
Therefore, even if I meet Yamamoto-san, I don't think I'm going to consult her.
However, I would like to thank her.
The reason why I was able to regain my confidence is definitely Yamamoto-san.
Since it is Yamamoto-san who has supported me so much, I am sure that she will be happy if I report that I have gotten together with Miyu.
...That's what I thought.
'My bad for saying it was a consultation. The problem was safely resolved, so my troubles are gone for the time being."
I sent that message to Yamamoto-san and waited for a reply.
There's no reason for it at all.
Because I couldn't decide what to do honestly.
Yamamoto-san supported the relationship between me and Miyu-san.
I have no intention of doubting that it was a lie, but I now believe that Yamamoto-san was sincere when she said, 'In reality, I was frustrated.'
So, if her reply to my message is a message from Yamamoto-san who has guessed everything saying, 'Congratulations!' I'll just go home.
I want to thank her, and in the end, I want to ask her what she liked about me, so I want to meet Yamamoto-san.
But if it's just my ego, then I can pretend that this curiousity didn't exist.
'I'm glad your worries are gone. I'm free, but what about Sotomichi-kun? Are you coming to my house?'
Yamamoto-san's message unexpectedly passed the baton to me.
But if I think about it, it makes sense.
I brought this up, so I'm the only one who can decide what it's about.
If anything, this message from Yamamoto-san means that she wants me to come.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked if I would come to her house even though I didn't have a consultation with her anymore.
Or it's possible that she wants me to go home.
Yamamoto-san might have sent her little brothers home early just for me.
Because of that, I guess she wants to avoid missing her plans.
I also feel sorry for inviting people and then one-sidedly refusing them.
'What to do. Why don't we talk while having a quick meal at a nearby restaurant?'
I was too focused on making Miyu happy that I disregarded Yamamoto-san's circumstances.
However, now that the problem has been resolved, the consultation becomes just a way to appeal to happiness.
Since it's Yamamoto-san, she probably won't get aggressive out of jealousy, but whether or not she'll be uncomfortable is another story.
With that in mind, the purpose should be food rather than chatting.
This way, even if she's not in the mood to talk about Miyu, she shouldn't have to spend an awkward time.
'I took a shower, so outside is a little yeah~ If you have free time, come to my house! I also have something I want to talk about!'
Again, this was an unexpected answer.
If Yamamoto-san wants to talk to me, is there any reason to not go?
No, as Yuka said, it's a problem if I have a lover and go to another girl's house.
Although, I also have something I want to check with Yamamoto-san for the time being.
Regarding Miyu's comment to Yuka, 'I don't care if he ends up having sex with Yamamoto-san.'
I'm not going to take this literally, but it was like Miyu knew beforehand that I was going to Yamamoto-san's house.
Or maybe Yamamoto-san knows all about it and is waiting for me?
"...Yeah right, I'm overthinking."
I muttered to myself.
It was almost at the same time that I received an additional message from Yamamoto-san.
'I've heard everything from Miyu-chan, so come.'
The moment I saw that text, my back froze.
Ahh, so that's how it was.
They both knew this would happen from the beginning.
'I'll be there soon, so please wait. I'll contact you when I get to the apartment.'
I wonder what kind of conversation I'll have with Yamamoto-san.
--You know, Miyu and I became lovers.
--I thought that would happen! Wish you happiness forever!
I can't imagine it ending on a cheerful note.
No no.
It's none other than Yamamoto-san.
There's no way she can't be happy about someone's happiness.
I need to hold my heart out and stay dignified.
I headed to Yamamoto-san's apartment, had her unlock the entrance lock, and came to the front of the room.
The door to this room, which I had come to a few days ago, feels very inorganic.
When I pressed the intercom, Yamamoto-san opened the door and greeted me before I could get on the line.
"Welcome, Sotomichi-kun."
A faint citrus scent lingers in the cool air that fills the room.
Immediately after taking a shower, Yamamoto-san dressed in a rough T-shirt with her clothes and hair freshly washed.
Although the air conditioning in the bus had calmed my sweat down, I was already sweating a lot just by walking outside, and it was a shame to step into her room.
"Yes, well then, please come here."
As if reading my mind, Yamamoto-san opened the door to the dressing room.
In addition to the folded towel, there was the T-shirt I had used when I first came to Yamamoto-san's house, and my trunks, which I had probably left in the washing machine.
What a neat thing I did, but I was rather relieved to see the preparations.
It might just be a coincidence, but during the time Yamamoto-san and I spent together, we had come up with an unspoken rule: 'If there are clothes left after a bath, we won't do anything lewd.'
Other people wouldn't have known about it, but since it was Yamamoto-san, it wouldn't be wrong to interpret this as a subtle consideration from Yamamoto-san.
"Sorry for taking so much time. I'll be there right away."
"It's fine. I'm just lazing around. Take your time."
I took a shower, hesitated for a few moments before pressing the top of the shampoo bottle, and washed my entire body from head to toe carefully.
Then, when I changed clothes in the dressing room and dried my hair with a hair dryer, I felt refreshed, as if the sun had cleared all the pent-up frustration that had accumulated with the humidity of the summer.
"I'm done."
When I entered the room, Yamamoto-san was lying on the bed playing with her smartphone, just as she had promised.
The relaxed position she is lying on her back is very similar to Miyu's, and I think it's a shame that girls with big boobs share the same inconvenience.
"Wanna rest together?"
Yamamoto-san smiles teasingly and gestures to welcome me with open arms.
"I'm glad for the invitation, but I'll refrain for now."
I sat down on the carpet, resting my back against the edge of the bed.
She said heard the story from Miyu, so this should be the right way to respond.
"You've been having a good face again, for the past few days."
Yamamoto-san gets up, sits on the edge of the bed, and pats my head.
Then she lowered her waist next to me and sat down side by side.
We're so close that if I move my arm I can touch her.
However, the distance is not close enough to feel her body temperature.
That represented the current relationship between me and Yamamoto-san.
"It's all thanks to Yamamoto-san, you know."
The fact that I got together with Miyu.
And that I was able to regain my confidence.
Both of these things happened because Yamamoto-san encouraged me in this room.
"Thanks. I really appreciate you from the bottom of my heart."
I used to be so useless and distrustful of women, but before I knew it, there were lots of girls around me, they were asking me for romantic advice, and I even started receiving sexual invitations.
It was Miyu who created the foundation of me as a human being, but I think it was Yamamoto-san's words that moved me to regain my confidence.
"Really? In that case, can I receive a token of gratitude?"
Yamamoto-san hugged her knees and smiled mischievously again.
I wonder why they're all so pragmatic.
“I want to give you something decent as my sentiment, but is there anything you want?”
She probably didn't ask me to buy something in return.
It's hard to imagine it as a memento.
I wonder if there is anything I have that Yamamoto-san seems to want.
"Then... this."
It was my arm that Yamamoto-san's gaze fell on.
It can't be the arm itself, so the thing associated with the situation is that she wants me to hug her, but.
"Umm... First of all, are my arms okay?"
When I asked that, Yamamoto-san shook her head.
Apparently she wasn't asking for a hug, which made me feel relieved.
As expected, there is a problem with my rationality in embracing Yamamoto-san.
I've never thought of a life where I'd be popular with girls, so I don't know how to refuse such advances and requests.
It would have been easier to refuse if she had an easy-to-understand and selfish attitude like Yuka, but it'd be even more uncomfortable to reject a request in such a somber atmosphere.
"This... gap. I would be really happy if you told me I could eliminate it."
Yamamoto-san fixed her lonely gaze on the gap between her and me.
In the end, it seems like she wants to stick together because she doesn't like being avoided, but how should I take this in?
I guess it's okay if it's just our arms that touch each other.
After all, Sachiko and I already attached to each other before.
If I think that I'm just being asked for something lighter than that, maybe it's not something I need to disregard.
Yamamoto-san's saying that she doesn't want to suddenly be treated coldly, right?
"If that's all, well. It's fine."
With my permission, Yamamoto-san let out a breath as if a weight had been lifted from her chest, and closed the distance between me and her by a few centimeters.
Perhaps because the air conditioner was working a little too strongly, Yamamoto-san's body temperature felt extremely high.
The feeling of our slightly overlapping skin is vivid.
"It's a little cold, isn't it?"
I wanted to have some time to calm down, so I muttered to myself, intending to ask for the remote control.
However, Yamamoto-san didn't move the slightest, just staring at me with his body next to me.
"That's right. It's cold, isn't it."
Yamamoto-san's eyes became damp, and the body temperature coming from her arms rose rapidly.
As a result, my heart rate increased, and the air surrounding me and Yamamoto-san also became more viscous.
"Yamamoto-san, um..."
When I tried to open the gap between our bodies again, Yamamoto-san gently put her right hand on top of my left, as if to stop me.
Our fingers intertwine, the gap between us approaching infinitely close to zero, little by little.
I reflexively tried pulling my hand away, but Yamamoto-san held tight and wouldn't let go.
On the contrary, the moment I instinctively threw my body back, she took advantage of that broken posture and pushed me down.
"W-wait! Yamamoto-san, that's of course...!"
Yamamoto-san lays on top of me with her whole body as I try to get up.
"You said I could eliminate the gap, right?"
Yamamoto-san attached her whole body to me and breathed sweet breaths into my ear.
In response to Yamamoto-san going out of control, I tried to push Yamamoto-san back by force, but Yamamoto-san still didn't want to leave me.
"T-this is really bad! Because I have Miyu…! I mean, Yamamoto-san heard about it too, right!? Anyways, c-calm down. I don't particularly hate Yamamoto-san, so let's talk for each other's sake first...!"
When I said this desperately, Yamamoto-san wrapped her arms around my neck, her shoulders shaking.
It was me who was being overly upset, but I still wanted to put Miyu first.
I lightly tapped Yamamoto-san on the back to get her to leave me.
Yamamoto-san's diaphragm was still twitching, and soon a small laugh could be heard coming from it.
"Ya... Yamamoto-san...?"
While I was confused, Yamamoto-san looked up, covering her mouth.
Even Yamamoto-san's large hands couldn't hide the joyous expression on her face, and I could tell she was trying hard to suppress her uncontrollable laughter.
"Come on. Sotomichi-kun. Your reaction is completely different from before."
Yamamoto-san's voice finally regained its freshness.
Then Yamamoto-san withdrew from me with nimble movements, pulled my hand and got me up.
"Please stop, it's really bad for my heart..."
Apparently it was a prank on Yamamoto-san's part.
My heart was still pounding, and my vision was slightly whitened.
"You and Miyu-chan have developed mutual feelings for each other, huh... seriously."
Yamamoto-san said emotionally.
It seems that the purpose of the prank was to confirm the truth of Miyu's story.
"It still doesn't feel real to me either. When did you hear from Miyu?"
Since she heard everything from Miyu, they must have talked on the phone in the few hours since I left the house.
As expected, even Yamamoto-san wouldn't be able to predict when Miyu and I would become romantically involved.
"Nh? About what?"
However, Yamamoto-san put her finger to her lips and tilted her head.
"You heard about me from Miyu, didn't you?"
When I hurriedly refused Yamamoto-san's physical contact, Yamamoto-san was satisfied with my reaction, and there should have been no doubt that Miyu had informed her beforehand.
It was Yamamoto-san who realised where this discrepancy in perception was.
Or actually, only Yamamoto-san could have noticed.
"Ahh... that's right. Yeah, I heard. From Miyu-chan."
Yamamoto-san approached me on four legs, grinning.
Then, like before, she stroked my chest with her fingertips and slowly moved her lips.
"While Sotomichi-kun was working part-time."
An unexpected answer from Yamamoto-san's mouth.
Miyu and Yamamoto-san had apparently met and talked in person three days earlier while I was at my part-time job, which I had mistaken on the date.
"We told each other everything. What kind of conversations did we have with Sotomichi-kun? What kind of sexual things did we do? Things about a girl's true feelings that we haven't even told Sotomichi-kun yet."
Yamamoto-san's voice had a strangely lewd undertone, making it clear that their discussion was not as glamorous as having tea on a terrace.
Miyu's and Yamamoto-san's true feelings that I don't know, what in the world were they talking about?
I wonder if Miyu was talking about what she said over the past two days.
If that's the case, what's the real reason why Yamamoto-san hasn't talked about it yet?
I'm very concerned.
"From that discussion, you knew that Miyu and I were going to be dating. Did you guess from the message I sent you that it was today?"
"Yeah, yeah. Sotomichi-kun is starting to understand things a lot faster."
There's no way I would refuse Miyu's confession.
So when Yamamoto-san heard from Miyu that she loved me, she knew that something like this would happen someday.
"That Miyu never said a word about meeting Yamamoto-san. Miyu was the one who asked to meet three days ago, right?"
"That's right. She declared with all her might that 'Onii-chan is mine,' you know."
That is yet again, an unbelievable fact.
Is it okay to listen to this behind-the-scenes story?
"Is it because of the phone call 'that' time after all?"
"Yeaah... I guess you could say that in a sense..."
Yamamoto-san nodded while slurring her words.
Apparently it's not that close to the correct answer.
"Would it be bad if I asked what exactly the talk was about?"
"It's not like there's a problem, but… yeah, please refrain from getting into the specifics…"
Yamamoto-san blatantly looked away, her cheeks turned red.
An attitude I'm increasingly curious about.
"I was asked a lot of questions in this room, so..."
"Ah, ahh, is that so?"
I guess she was nagged incessantly on the bed.
I don't need to think about it too much anymore.
"We talked about Sotomichi-kun's past. She said you're a good cook."
"Compared to Yamamoto-san, it's not much, but I do have some experience."
"Uh-huh. I think you should make dinner tonight."
It's still around 6 o'clock, so I guess it won't be a problem if I make something for Yamamoto-san.
The thanks I was mentioning earlier is pretty vague now.
"It's fine. What do you want?"
"Omurice!"
"Got it."
I immediately agreed, but I've been put in a difficult place.
Will it roll well if the shape of the frying pan is different?
As expected, since she asked me to make it for her, the leftovers in the refrigerator are well-stocked.
However, the important thing is that there is no chicken.
Why did she choose omurice?
The prominent ingredients are eggs, pork, and vegetables.
She doesn't have milk, so I can't make cream sauce.
If so, should I make it ethnic-style, or perhaps pour pork stew on top?
If I ask her what she feels like, she'll likely say that it's up to me.
"What kind of omurice is good for you?"
"Nfufu. I'll leave it to Sotomichi-kun."
As expected, that's the case.
No, this is probably Yamamoto-san's assumption that I would think that way, and she purposely adapted accordingly.
"Then, is it okay with pork stew on top?"
"Nice, nice. I'd be happy if it was in the shape of the omurice."
It's subtly but definitely not compromising the standard.
Well, whatever.
Just make it as usual.
When I stood in the kitchen, Yamamoto-san folded her hands behind her back and began observing with a smile.
I'm not that nervous because I've been taught in a similar way to Miyu for a long time, but I've also eaten Yamamoto-san's cooking many times at this house, and I've come to appreciate this skill.
Pressure is inevitable.
I finely chop the onions, mix it with various sauces and seasonings, add meat and other ingredients, and leave it on low heat.
I fried the rice next to it, seasoned it, roll it in eggs, put it on a plate, and pour the stew over it.
After pouring it on, I regret how bad it looked, wishing I had made it into a pop-and-split type or an ultra-thin omurice.
Normally I'd add some green here, but sprinkling basil on this plate is a subtle touch.
In such cases, I might use something like balsamic sauce and quickly drizzle it, simmered to a darker color than stew, as a substitute for ketchup.
I was a little overzealous, but I guess that's what it is.
I dispose the tableware in the order of items to not be damaged by temperature differences.
For dirt that easily sticks to the sponge, I soak it in detergent and leave it alone.
"I did it, but is it okay like this?"
When I held the plate and showed it to her, Yamamoto-san took it and inhaled through her nose.
"Hmm! Smells good! Thanks, Sotomichi-kun. I'm extremely pleased with the love you put in. Well, you can leave the rest of the dishes for me to wash, so take it easy here."
Yamamoto-san sat down in front of the table and gestured for me to come, so I lined up next to her without any hesitation.
Yamamoto-san happily breaks the egg with a spoon and begins eating it with a big mouth.
I wonder if Yamamoto-san's mood has changed.
Unlike the previous two people, I feel like she looks more like a girl of her age.
"It's really delicious, I'm surprised. I wish you'd made this for me when you stayed over last week."
"I did ask if I could help, so."
"That's right-... what an oversight..."
Although Yamamoto-san looks depressed, the speed at which she eats doesn't change.
The taste seemed to suit her palate.
It's been a while since I've fed anyone other than Miyu.
When people eat it so deliciously, it's worth the effort.
"Sotomichi-kun, you've only tasted the stew, right?"
"Ahh, you're right. How's the egg and other stuff?"
"It's better to see for yourself."
Yamamoto-san took a scoop of the omurice and brought her spoon close enough to touch my lips.
I have no choice but to open my mouth and eat it.
Even though I made it with a frying pan that I'm not used to, I think it was baked evenly and nicely.
"Fufuu. Sotomichi-kun, did you eat it?"
"Eh? Ahh, yeah. I ate it, but..."
Yamamoto-san gives a creepy smile and takes another scoop of the omurice.
"Say 'ahh.'"
This time, she carefully placed her free hand and brought it in front of me.
"No, um, that kind of thing..."
"Didn't you do an 'ahh' earlier too?"
"That's... how can I say it..."
"Just open your mouth. Please, eat."
Without any questions asked, the spoon was brought closer and I took another bite.
Yamamoto-san looked at me with amusement.
What does she want to do, this person.
I wonder if this is an allusion to what Miyu had preached.
That... actually makes sense.
"Hah, it was delicious. Thank you for the meal, Sotomichi-kun."
"My humblest apologies for the bad service."
After Yamamoto-san finished eating, a few seconds of silence ensued.
"Hey, Sotomichi-kun."
Yamamoto-san whispered as she stared at the wall.
"This time, I want the two of us to cook together."
The words that Yamamoto-san casually overflowed.
Although it was an ordinary wish, that voice disappeared into thin air.
I couldn't even give her a single acknowledgement.
I should have just replied that 'That's a good idea.'
"Just kidding. I'll go wash the dishes."
Yamamoto-san jumped up and started washing the dishes in the kitchen.
I didn't think about the meaning of this exchange.
With only evil thoughts about to dominate my head, I concentrated on clearing my mind.
Then, I let out a breath I had been holding back and leaned against the bed, resting my tired body on it.
At that moment, I heard a sound like paper scraping and hurriedly avoided it, thinking I had stepped on Yamamoto-san's documents.
However, there was no sign of any paper lying nearby, and when I put my weight on the bed again, wondering if it was just my imagination, I still heard the sound of paper scraping.
I pressed the mattress several times, and each time I heard a small sound.
There seemed to be some paper stuck between the frame and the head of the mattress, and when I inserted my finger into it, I felt a slight thickness at the tip.
When I pulled it out, a western-style envelope the size of a postcard came out.
There was a heart-shaped seal on the opening, and it was the first time in my life that I had seen such a thing, but it seemed to be nothing but a love letter.
"Sotomichi-kun?"
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