In the end, Komachi Hikigaya looks for divine help.
As I was reading the book, the sun sank entirely below the horizon.
During big cleanups or tidy ups, I'm especially vulnerable to catching the "whoops, I'm reading a book now" disease.
That was close… If I'd just been reading a series, then I would have let momentum take me through the whole set, then declared, The newest book isn't out yet?! Do your job, writer!
I got up from the sofa and returned the book I'd just finished to the shelf.
Now my big clean was over. I hadn't tidied up anything, but still. I was done.
In life, you can't wipe away the stains of the past, so cleaning is both impossible and meaningless. Once your life is a mess, the cleanup will never end no matter how you try going about it.
Anyway, I'd finished sorting the bookshelf in my room, at least, so I withdrew to the living room in high spirits.
There were only a few days left in the year.
I remembered our parents had said they'd be finishing up their giant piles of work the following day and would be home late that night. That was why our mother had been getting the cleaning done bit by bit whenever she had a spare moment. The living room was already spick-and-span.
But there was someone boldly lying in that spotless living room and emitting a rather ominous aura.
It was my little sister, Komachi Hikigaya.
Her top half was sticking out from the kotatsu, while the family cat, Kamakura, was lying on Komachi's back and grooming himself with long slurps of his tongue.
"What's wrong with you…?" I mumbled, but there was no response. It's just a corpse… Ohhh, poor Komachi, to die like this…
But it was probably uncomfortable to have a cat on her back. He was just like some kind of lingering spirit, possessing Komachi and refusing to budge. Wait, a cat ghost youkai? I wish they'd make it clear if he's a cat or a spirit or a youkai, meow.
Getting into the kotatsu myself, I scooped up Kamakura and moved him onto my lap. Kamakura kneaded my lap two, three times to make himself comfortable, then flopped back down to go back to sleep. Sorry for bothering you during your nap! Forgive me, meow! Freed from the weight, Komachi lifted her head. "Oh, Bro…"
The twinkle in her eyes was gone; now, they were as dull as those of a dead fish. Awww, just like her big brother! We really are related! And if I resemble adorable little Komachi, I must be cute! Erk, but those rotten eyes are seriously uncute. If they're enough to undo Komachi's cuteness, then I must be downright horrifying.
But this was the first time I'd ever seen Komachi this bummed.
"Komachi, are you okay…?"
"Nope…not at all…," she whined, then once again buried her face in a cushion. And then, in broken fragments, she muttered like a delirious person, "I have to…do the big clean… Clean up garbage, garbage…clean up…Bro…"
"Calm down, Komachi. All the major cleaning is basically done. Besides, you can't get rid of your brother that easily. Be patient about it."
"Urrrk, gotta take out the trash, though, in Komachi terms…" She flicked me a dissatisfied look.
But I couldn't do anything about that. You can put me out on the sidewalk, but nobody would pick me up. I'm too much of a hassle. Just like Miss Hiratsuka. But this was not the time to be setting up such defensive perimeters. Right now, this was about Komachi.
I was pretty sure of what was responsible for Komachi's current state, or most of it anyway—entrance exams. I figured she was having a rough time studying, or a mock exam went awry, or something.
Komachi had been plugging away at her studies day and night since Christmas, but with New Year's looming before us, it seemed she had run out of gas.
Sobbing, sniffing, and moaning, Komachi whined, "I'm boned, I'm boned…"
And then she glanced over at me.
When I said nothing, Komachi once again buried her face in the cushion with a fwump. I could just barely hear her muffled voice. "Sob…wahhh… I'm so tired…"
And then she glanced over at me.
What a pain in the butt she is…
But, well, I'm a veteran with fifteen or so years of big brother experience under my belt. I've made sure to learn what advice to offer at times like these. "Well, you know what they say about all work and no play. It's just about New Year's, so why don't you go out a bit for a shrine visit, to take your mind off things?"
"Yeah!" Komachi answered instantly, leaping up. Looked like I'd answered correctly. Of course I had, being a professional big brother. After I graduate, I should get a job where I can make full use of this big brother skill—in fact, I'd even say the country should set up a big brother profession. What is a professional big brother? Is it his role to be financially supported by his little sister? It's an unparalleled career—although I don't think that's the right word. Unemployed, that's it.
But still, a professional socially conscious big brother does not just spoil his little sister. I made sure to offer advice, too. "That's fine, but study hard until then."
"I know, I know. It's easier to work when I've got something to look forward to, you know?" Komachi said, but she wasn't listening at all. She got up and started reaching out for the oranges.
Well, as long as she's motivated…
"Is there a shrine you want to go to?" I asked. "Like a place you think would be worth praying at?"
"Hmm…" Komachi started to think.
Maybe which shrine you visit on New Year's is pretty important to a student taking entrance exams. I mean, there is that saying about looking to the gods when you're in trouble.
If you're in it deep, then the gods are all you can rely on. Can't rely on people, after all. And given how unreliable people are, you could even say that you should rely on the gods on just about a daily basis.
If it's pinch after pinch and another hopeless pinch. At times like that, you want something Ultra-ish, you know?
"Around here there's, like, that one place. Dad said he stayed up all night waiting there—Kameido Tenjin," I suggested. It's not that far— just one stop away on the Sobu Line from our house. Of course, there's a god of academics enshrined there, so you could expect it to be real crowded around this time of year. Imagining the crowds made me wrinkle my nose. I mean, I just don't like crowds.
Then Komachi also got that same eugh look on her face. "Staying up all night… Dad can be kinda creepy, huh…?"
He's a good Dad—forgive him… If Mom hadn't stopped him, he would've gone to Dazaifu… I get the feeling Mom was staying up all night, too.
"Well, never mind Dad. There's also Yushima Tenjin…" Since this was also a Tenjin shrine, it was very popular during the entrance exam season. In other words, you could anticipate it being very crowded at this time and (the rest has been omitted).
As I was considering candidates, Komachi groaned. "Hmm, those famous spots are fine, but…I think I'd get more blessings from a place close to the high school!"
"You think? So then…Sengen Shrine?"
"Ohhh, the one that's always having festivals."
"Uh, they're not always having them." Just what kind of shrine would always have a festival going on? That would be pretty worthless. Is it like that shop in front of Akihabara Station that's been having a closing sale its whole life? Do we really have to celebrate every day?
But Komachi wasn't very familiar with Inage Sengen Shrine, so it wasn't really a surprise that all it was in her mind was festivals. Big tourist spots are one thing, but you only go to neighborhood shrines during New Year's and festivals.
Sengen Shrine, though, huh…? I wasn't thrilled with the idea of going there, since I got the feeling a lot of people I knew would be there. Still, it might be better than the local shrine. Wait, isn't it just that I don't want to go anywhere?
Komachi was looking at me with concern—guess she could see my hesitation on my face.
"What's wrong?" I asked her, and she pulled her shoulders back while still seated, gathering herself.
"Hey, listen, Bro. It's totally okay if you don't come along. Komachi can just go with Mom anyway."
Hmm, so we're just leaving Dad out, huh? Sounds about right for him.
Well, I could kind of get why Komachi was trying to be considerate about this. She had to have her own worries about her big brother. Well, Big Bro also has his own worries about himself, you know? But I still hadn't figured out the right way to conduct myself.
So I was fairly grateful for winter vacation, this period of just under two weeks. Of course, once school started, I'd have to face everything again, though.
But for now, it was a brief respite. When I get a break to rest, I take full advantage. Forcing your brain to work on vacation days is unbecoming for one who aspires to be a househusband. Conclusions should always be put off, and proposals taken home for further consideration. This is the rule of the corporate slave! Wait, am I a corporate slave or a househusband…?
In order to take full advantage of my vacation and this opportunity for procrastination, I decided to quickly dodge the topic. "You don't have to worry about me so much."
"Ohhh, Komachi would love that to be true, you know." She sighed dramatically.
Sorry you got stuck with me for a brother. "Well, if you're not going, Komachi, then I'll just go alone, like I do every year. Less on my shoulders that way. It's easier."
"There you go, saying stuff like that again…"
"As the old saying goes, the year's plans are to be made on New Year's Day. So if you have a bad experience during your New Year's shrine visit, then the rest of your year will suck, too, my dear Komachi. And don't you think it's foolish to ring in the glorious new year by making yourself miserable in a giant crowd?"
Komachi looked quite fed up by my eloquent lecture. But though she seemed completely unamused at first, she gradually started hmming with appreciation until she raised her chin to give me a serious look. "I see. The year's plans on New Year's… Komachi's going with you after all." Just a minute ago, she'd been eyeing me with disgust, but now she was all serious. Total 180.
That was just a little bit creepy, so I asked, "O-okay… What's this all of a sudden?"
Komachi beamed at me brightly. "'Cause if Komachi spends New Year's Day with you, that means we'll be together all next year, too, right? And that was worth a lot of Komachi points."
"O-okay. Yeah, that's right…"
The directness of her remark kind of shorted out my brain for a sec.
…
…Oh man, my little sister is so cute! Especially if you ignore her stock phrase there at the end!
"K-Komachi…" I was choked with tears of emotion in spite of myself.
Komachi puffed up her blushing cheeks, jerking her face away, then gave me a sidelong glance. "D-don't get the wrong idea! I just meant going to the same high school as you, so this is about praying to pass my exams! And this whole bit has been worth so many Komachi points!"
Whoa, that's a cheap tsundere act… I figure about the only thing cheaper is the monsters in the underwater levels of Mario games. Why are they called Cheep Cheeps when they're fish anyway?
Just now, she was trying a little too hard to be truly cute, but if I thought of it as hiding her shyness from what she'd said before, maybe I could still give it a pass.
"Then let's go together," I said.
"Yeah. Okay, then maybe Komachi should go back to the bedroom for another spurt," she said and crawled out of the kotatsu to get up.
"Yeah, see you later." I grabbed Kamakura's front paws as he lay on my lap and waved at her with them, making Komachi smile.
"Yep, yep, Komachi's gonna do her best!" she said and scooped up her cell phone. Humming, she tapped away at it, then headed to her room.
Only Kamakura and I remained in the living room. Kamakura huffed and shook his paws from my grasp, then stood up grumpily and stretched out long. Then he wriggled himself under the kotatsu and holed himself up inside.
I copied him, squirming into the kotatsu up to my shoulders to become a kotatsnail.
There wasn't much of the year left.
Like every year before it, this one was coming quietly to a close.
The new year began peacefully.
Happy New Year—it always feels kinda stupid saying it back and forth among your family. It's an empty phrase.
But you've gotta do what you've gotta do for that red envelope full of cash from your relatives to ring in the new year. Yes, the special lessons for corporate slavery begin in early childhood. You'll close your eyes to a few unreasonable, unfair demands; bow when you don't want to bow; and put on a thin, obsequious smile all for the sake of getting cash. That's what being a corporate slave is all about!
While privately entertaining such trivial thoughts, I graciously received another year's red envelope from my parents. In the distant past, it had disappeared into the mysterious "bank of Mom" that should have saved up quite a bit by now. She'll probably give it back when I move out. I think. Surely. I'm even praying that you can't take the M off mother.
Now that I'd safely acquired that year's funds, I got into the kotatsu, lay down, and did nothing.
And then, using a floor chair as a pillow, I clicked away on my phone.
With the arrival of this new year also came the vibrating of my cell phone for once.
The "New Year's e-mails."
First thing in the new year, I got one stupidly long and formal e-mail, one e-mail that was simple but so cute it was dumb, and one e-mail from an unknown sender that sounded like a prophetic text… Well, that was about it. I thought maybe one more might come, perhaps from some flighty individual, but it seemed not. It wasn't like I was really expecting it. I rushed off some sloppy and careless responses to the M-2ish e-mail and the aggressively long e-mail.
But for the last one, the newest work in the Simple series, The Cute E-mail, I didn't know how to reply. Getting too serious about it and replying with a long e-mail would be creepy, but it would also be gross to send back a sparkly monstrosity full of images and emotes. So then, a standard text—but that would also come across as curt and cold.
It'd be easier for me if there was some kind of template and a fixed character limit, like with New Year's postcards… They're so convenient because you can tell if it's out of blatant social obligation or not. All of them just need a big illustration or photo printed on them, while in the margins you write Let's go hang out again! or Let's go drinking again, and it's done. Japanese culture really is great. But there's an abnormally high overuse of Let's go drinking again! among university students when they don't know what else to put. I think if you drink that much all year round, you're gonna become an alcoholic. But the fact that they don't probably means they're just saying that out of politeness, and they won't actually go drinking with you…
With such thoughts on my mind, I wrote, then erased, wrote, then erased my reply, erasing and writing and erasing and writing KESHITEEEE! RIRAITO SHITEEE! over and over.
I wanted to reply with something long, but too long would be creepy, but if I made it too short, would I just be curt? With these worries on my mind, I decided to reply with almost exactly the same number of characters as the message I had gotten. In psychological terms, this is what they call mirroring. By doing the same thing as the other person, you make them feel more positively toward you!
"Bro, let's get going," Komachi called to me as I was typing.
Checking the clock, I saw it was almost nine in the morning. Our parents were already heading for Kameido Tenjin. It was about time for us to go out, too.
"Yeah…let's go."
Checking that the e-mail had sent properly, I crawled out of the kotatsu and got up.
We trundled along in the crowded train for a few stations. Joining the waves of people spat out from the ticket gates, we walked down the gentle slope to eventually arrive at the first torii of Sengen Shrine.
They say that this big torii facing the National Highway 14 once stood in the ocean. That was tweeted by the Chiiba-kun official account, so you know it's true. A long, long time ago, it must have been a magnificent spectacle, like the World Heritage site Itsukushima Shrine. In other words, there was once a chance for Chiba to have possibly become a World Heritage site. In my heart, it already is.
"What a turnout, though, huh…?" I was right to make it a World
Heritage site… It's really popular…
"This is the biggest shrine around here, right?" Komachi said. "Then of course everyone'll come here!"
I see—that does make sense… Suddenly it hit me. If everyone was coming here, then if you thought about it, wouldn't that mean others from my high school were also likely to show up…?
Oh crap, I went to the neighborhood shrine every year before, so I completely forgot…, I was thinking when Komachi started looking around beside me.
"Oh, there they are." Then she pushed her way through the sea of people, trotting ahead.
"H-hey, Komachi. Where are you going?" You've got your entrance exams coming up, so I figure Big Bro has to hold your hand so that you don't fall or slip or get lost; I mean, I could even carry you bridal-style! Bro will do it! I thought, reaching out my hand, when I was met with very familiar faces.
"Happy New Year, guys!" With a gleeful cry, Komachi rushed up to them like she was going to glomp them.
The girl ahead of her shot up a hand, and her light-brown bun bobbed on her head. "Yahallo in the new year!"
"What's with that greeting…? Happy that," I replied, feeling aghast.
Yuigahama had a warp-knit sweater and a beige coat with a long scarf wrapped around her neck, and her raised hand was snugly tucked into mittens.
Right beside her was a girl in a white coat, a checked miniskirt, and black tights. That was Yukino Yukinoshita.
"…Happy New Year," Yukinoshita said, burying her face in the softness of her scarf. Well, formal New Year's greetings are really awkward to say.
I fiddled with the tassel ends of my scarf, too. "Yeah… Well, uh. Same to you."
"Then let's get going," Komachi said. She moved forward into the crowds, and we followed after her.
While we walked, I poke-poked at Komachi's back. "Komachi-chan, can Big Bro ask you something?"
"What?"
Sneaking up beside her, I lowered my voice. "Why are they here?"
"Komachi planned to meet them here. "
"Uh, you what…?" I said, a little aggrieved.
Komachi pouted. "They're Komachi's friends, so what's the problem?"
"Yeah, but… If you're gonna invite someone…like, you know?" I said with a thoughtful hmm as I scratched my cheek.
Normally, if you're going to invite someone out at a time like this, wouldn't you invite friends from your own school? Well, I never had any friends in middle school, so I don't really know what's normal, though. Maybe that was because of youkai? Maybe that's what they call a Yo-kai Botch—I mean, my social life has been pretty thoroughly botched.
But what about Komachi's social life if she's compromising for her brother's sake on New Year's? When I gave her a look of concern, she seemed to guess what I wanted to say and cleared her throat with a deliberate-sounding ahem.
"Well, around this time, it's only polite to not invite friends from school, you know…," she murmured softly.
Ohhh. Now I got it. The reason her friends from her class weren't an option here was because of pre-exam anxieties.
Entrance exams create sharp contrasts.
Two friends might take the exams for the same school, and one fails while the other gets in. It's a common enough story. Hearing about a couple where both took the exams for the same school and one failed is absolutely delicious, and if on top of that, it leads to them growing distant and breaking up, then you'll be eating like Gohan ga Susumu-kun.
When you're around middle school age, that will put a definitive crack in your friendship. Especially if you're taking the exams for an exclusive university-oriented school, someone will be crowded out. And that one who was crowded out will come in full force to end that relationship. I'd do that.
You do it out of embarrassment, resentment, and jealousy. Sometimes you'll bare those negative feelings, but sometimes people will put on a smile and shove down their feelings at first, only to later end the relationship.
Even knowing your relationship is going to end either way, it's rather complicated. If you want to graduate with a smile, then you should probably stay away from your friends during the entrance exam period. Times like these, it's superconvenient to not have friends! Hachiman thinks probably the first thing cram schools should be teaching you is how to destroy your friendships!
I'm sure that's why Komachi felt more at ease at a time like this with friends who were a bit older. They could approach each other without reserve.
Right that very moment, Komachi was saying something to Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. The pair responded with smiles, and they all chatted animatedly as they walked. After being hounded by her studies all through winter vacation, maybe this was a good destressing time for Komachi.
Among the surging crowd, Yuigahama's neck craned as she glanced all around. It looked like she was being drawn to the food stands that lined the sides of the road to the shrine.
"It's like a festival!" she said.
Komachi's eyes were sparkling, too. "It is! Oh, how about something to eat?"
"I like that idea! Then I'll have…a candied apple maybe."
As the two of them talked, they started wandering off the shrine way. Beside them, Yukinoshita tugged on Yuigahama's scarf to stop her. "After we finish praying at the shrine," she said.
"Okaaay…" The other two reluctantly returned to the crowds.
What a sisterly exchange… There's no room for Big Brother…
Maybe it was Yukinoshita's sensible personality, or Yuigahama's easygoing ability to accommodate other people, or maybe this feat was accomplished by the elemental power of the greatest and most famed little sister in the world, Komachi Hikigaya. Whatever reason it was, these girls were pretty compatible despite their differing ages.
Yuigahama took the lead with the group; Komachi followed after, laughing boisterously; and Yukinoshita followed the other two calmly, as if watching over them.
Observing the three from the very back, I walked along.
Then suddenly, something about the word that had just come to my mind, sisterly, stuck on me.
…Crap.
Thinking incredibly stupid thoughts first thing in the new year brought up the corners of my mouth a bit, and my cheeks couldn't help but relax in a smile. I tugged up my scarf to hide it.
While I was at it, I also looked away from the front over to the waves of people.
Urgh, can't we do anything about these absolutely awful crowds? I am an inch away from vomiting. I wanna go home right now…
But the crowds did ease a little once we were up the stone steps and into the shrine grounds—probably because there were no food stalls there. Since the shrine was right in front of us, everyone was going straight ahead to worship without getting distracted by the sights.
We joined the flow of people as well and came up before the shrine.
"What is everyone gonna wish for?" asked Yuigahama.
"You don't do that sort of thing at New Year's," I said. "This isn't Tanabata."
"Indeed," Yukinoshita agreed. "Making a wish in the hopes of receiving something is too utilitarian for this."
"Woooow, you two are boring…," Komachi said, sounding deeply put off, and Yuigahama seemed to agree.
"Yeah! Praying basically means asking, so it's better to pray for something!"
Whoa, I didn't get a single thing about that logic.
Yukinoshita also seemed to struggle to understand, putting her hand to her temple as she breathed a sigh. "Agh… Well, I suppose it's fine. Though I feel that if anything, the nuance for this practice favors making a vow."
When Yukinoshita cracked a little smile, Yuigahama responded with a big nod and stuck herself to Yukinoshita's arm. Together, they tossed coins into the slatted offertory box and swung the big rope to ring the bell. Then they bowed twice and clapped twice, closing their eyes quietly with their hands together.
An oath before a god has a somehow solemn atmosphere to it.
I did the same as the girls, and after going through with the etiquette, I put my hands together as well.
A wish…or something I should swear, huh…?
My eyes slid sideways over at Yukinoshita and Yuigahama.
Yukinoshita's eyelids were softly closed as she expelled a faint breath. Yuigahama had a crease between her eyebrows as she moaned, "Mmmgh." I don't know what they wished for or what they swore.
I closed my eyes like them. I had nothing like a wish, but I wouldn't ask for anything I could manage with my own efforts.
For now, I would wish for Komachi to pass her exams…since this was the one thing I couldn't figure out a way to do for her.
Once we were done praying, I was finally freed from the river of people.
As I scanned the broad shrine grounds, there were shrine maidens all over the place. It was miko miko nurse here. Just kidding, there were no nurses.
On the wide grounds, Yuigahama found something and called out, "Oh, fortunes!"
"…Then let's go draw some," I said.
We got in line to do just that. The sticks inside the wooden hexagonal cylinder rattled as I shook it. I told the number on the stick that came out to the shrine maiden, and when she gave me a fortune, I opened it up.
"Minor luck…"
Very meh… But you can't complain if you get nothing much when you just paid a hundred yen for it. I skimmed over the headings, but all of them were meh. For example, under health it said, Be wary of ill health before symptoms appear. See? Just meh.
You couldn't say it was a fully bad fortune to get, so I was waffling about whether to tie it up on the tree or not when Yukinoshita, who was standing to my side, waved her own fortune at me.
"…Luck," she said with a smug smile on her face. Hey, is luck better than minor luck? No matter how you look at it, it's too normal, and it really doesn't seem like it'd be much, though? But if Yukinoshita was that happy about it, well, luck had to be the better fortune. Though I'm sure this depends on the shrine.
She's just as competitive as always, huh…? I was thinking when Yuigahama came to show off her fortune with a proud chuckle.
"I got major luck!"
"…I see. Good for you," Yukinoshita said, but her eyes were blazing fire.
Is she okay…? She's not gonna keep drawing fortunes until she gets major luck, is she…?
As I was watching in suspense, Komachi trudged out from Yukinoshita's shadow with a dark expression. "Komachi got bad luck…"
Getting a bad luck fortune when you've got entrance exams… Yuigahama's cheerful smile faded, and the fire of Yukinoshita's antagonistic spirit was quenched. This atmosphere is getting kinda heavy, guys…
Yukinoshita cleared her throat to fill the silence and kindly patted Komachi's shoulder. "It's all right. Your family may invite ill omens, but that means nothing."
"That's a pretty awful kind of encouragement…," I said. "Well, but, Komachi, fortunes aren't something you need to worry about. You'll forget whatever you pulled within a week."
"Is your encouragement supposed to be better…?"
"I kinda feel less glad about getting major luck now…"
Yukinoshita and Yuigahama both looked at the fortunes in their hands with complicated expressions.
That's odd… I was really trying my best to encourage my sister, thinking of what was best for her, but that just brought in more misery.
Then, suddenly, Yuigahama clapped her hands as if she'd just come up with an idea. "Oh, I know. Here, let's trade," she said and offered the fortune she'd just drawn to Komachi.
"Huh? You don't mind?"
"It's fine!" Yuigahama replied with a smile, but Komachi still waffled about accepting it, looking over at me for help.
"Well, it'll be lucky. Just take it," I told her. This was a major luck fortune drawn by Yuigahama, which meant it had to be lucky. I mean, it was absolutely baffling that she'd gotten into our school. I bet you can twist fate a bit, and hey, maybe you can ignore the laws of physics, too.
"Thank you so much… Komachi's gonna work real hard!"
"Yeah. I'd like it if you could be at our school, too, Komachi-chan," Yuigahama said, handing her fortune to Komachi, and in exchange, she took the bad luck fortune Komachi had drawn.
Then Yukinoshita touched her hand to her chin and considered. "Yuigahama, could you lend that to me?"
"Huh? Sure, but…"
Accepting it from Yuigahama, Yukinoshita tied the two together into one. "Now taking the average, the both of you should get about minor luck."
"How does that math work?" I said. Does that mean that (bad luck + luck) ÷ 2 = 2 × minor luck? In terms of the math, it seems scientific, but the idea feels kinda artsy. Maybe it's that dual-discipline thing that's in right now.
"Now we all match," Yuigahama said gladly.
Yukinoshita smiled in satisfaction as well. "Yes…now it's an even draw."
"That's what you were after?!"
"This method of resolution feels like some nineties participation trophy–style education gone wrong…" This is as bad as the whole class at the school arts festival playing the lead role of Momotaro, all holding hands as they cut through the finish-line tape together.
"I'm joking," Yukinoshita said with a smile.
Gleefully tucking the fortune she'd gotten into her wallet, Komachi jerked her head up. "We're done praying and drawing fortunes, so what should we do now?"
"Let's go look at the food stands!" Yuigahama proposed—she'd been fully intending to do that since she'd been on the way to the shrine— and Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.
We'd be going back along the same shrine road anyway. I wasn't opposed. Rather, it seemed I had no right to comment in the first place, and the three girls had already started walking.
When we returned the way we'd come, we reached a corner with a line of stalls. Not only did they have standards like okonomiyaki and takoyaki—there were also stalls selling amazake. It had to be a seasonal thing.
Among all the food-type stalls, there was also a sharpshooting booth. You see those a lot at summer festivals, but when I looked over, thinking, They even have those in winter? I caught the sound of someone muttering beside me.
"Why is there sharpshooting at the shrine on New Year's…?"
Yukinoshita was eyeing the booth, probably thinking, How strange…
"Yeah, sure, it's weird, but I'm sure kids come, too. It's normal to have things if they figure they can make a profit, right?"
"It's baffling… Why would one be in a place like this…?" But
Yukinoshita wasn't listening to me, and she still continued to stare at the sharpshooting booth. And there was something that looked like Ginnie the Grue.
Ohhh, that's why she's staring… "…You wanna do sharpshooting?" "No, not really," Yukinoshita said, but she was fidgeting.
She definitely wants to…
Still continuing to mutter to herself, Yukinoshita was looking over at the thing that looked like Grue-bear. Guess she wasn't going to move from the spot unless she got it. What do I do here? I'm not really confident in my skills, but maybe I'll give it a shot and see if I can get it…
As I was calculating the state of my wallet, Yuigahama called out quietly, "Ah!" then gave my sleeve a tug.
"What?"
"Mm," she said, then further gestured at me to make me bend over a little. Following her direction, I lowered my head slightly, and Yuigahama gently tilted her face toward my ear as if she were going to tell me a secret.
Upon assuming this position, I'd been fully aware that there was about to be some proximity. There was nothing to get startled about now, and nothing to bother getting hyperaware about.
But her citrus perfume was different from usual, and it tickled my nose, and when her cheeks, slightly ruddy under the winter wind, leaned right up in front of me, I didn't know which way to turn my face.
After expelling a shallow, quiet breath, I looked over at Yuigahama to prompt her to talk, and she let out the very tiniest sigh. Then she began to murmur into my ear. "Hey, what are you gonna do about going to get Yukinon a present?"
"Oh yeah…"
Now that she mentioned it, I considered.
It was almost Yukinoshita's birthday. And on Christmas not long ago, I'd promised to go buy a present for her.
Oh, it's not like I'd forgotten that promise—in fact, I'd been thinking about what I should do. I'd been thinking about the whole 5W1H of it: who, what, where, when, why, and how—and not just that but how I should even broach the subject. It's hard to be the one to invite someone else, you know. I really don't like deciding on dates and stuff. I'm sure she wouldn't like it if I just made a decision, but then asking When's good? is like throwing it all on the other person, and that feels awkward. What the heck? Now it feels like I'll never decide my whole life.
But anyway, I was grateful she was the one to bring it up. If I put that off too much, my train of thought would start spiraling until I wouldn't want to go anymore, and then I'd just be like, Hachichika is going home! So I decided to make the decision immediately.
"…Do you have time tomorrow?"
"Y-yeah. I do." Yuigahama was smushing her bun, maybe a little taken aback.
"Okay, then tomorrow…"
"Yeah…," Yuigahama replied, then fell silent. I couldn't really find anything to say, either.
Then Komachi came over and tugged at my sleeve. "Bro, Yukino isn't moving from her spot over there…"
Yuigahama's face jerked up. "Oh, why don't you come, too, Komachichan?"
"Huh? For what?"
"Um, well, I was thinking about going shopping tomorrow together with Hikki for Yukinon's birthday present…"
"Oh, that's a good idea!" Komachi said, but then she seemed to have a sudden realization. And then smiled a very deliberate smile. "…But on second thought, you know, Komachi's got to study."
"O-of course… Mgnh," Yuigahama moaned. She'd only just given
Komachi her fortune a moment ago, so she also remembered Komachi was studying for exams. But then after some more groaning, she lifted her head up and took Komachi's hand. "B-but, you know, what about a study break? And plus, I'm sure Yukinon would be glad to get something from you, Komachi-chan! I—I also kinda want to get some help from you, too…"
"Huh? O-oh, sure… Hmm?" Even as Komachi replied, she glanced over at me with doubt in her eyes.
"Since she's inviting you, why not?" I said.
Komachi tilted her head. "Hmm… Why are they moving backward…? But they went together in summer…," she muttered quietly.
Uh, look, there's a lot going on, okay? Like, I just can't quite figure out how much distance to place between us and stuff…
"Well, if you say so…," Komachi replied, sounding a bit hesitant.
Yuigahama nodded gladly and pulled out her cell phone. "Then it's decided! I'll text you later, okay?" Then the cell phone in her hand buzzed. "Oh, sorry a sec," Yuigahama said, going a little ways away from us to answer her phone. The call seemed to be from someone she was close with. But it would be crass to ask who—well, more like, Just who do you think you are? So I couldn't ask.
We couldn't move on until Yuigahama was done with her call. So there was nothing for it but to wait. Regardless, since Yukinoshita was trapped in front of the sharpshooting booth, we couldn't go anywhere anyway.
With that thought, I looked over to the sharpshooting stall to see Yukinoshita trudging back to us with slumped shoulders.
"What, you're done?" I said to her.
A sad smile flickered across her face. "Yes. Never mind that trash…" "Huh?" Wondering just what had happened, I peeked over to the sharpshooting stall. And there, I found the stuffed animal Yukinoshita had been eyeing the whole time was not Ginnie the Grue but Jenny the Grue. Ahhh, you get that sometimes, at these sorts of festival-y places. Like it's not Nacchan but Occhan orange juice, or Kajidas instead of Adidas or something.
Komachi, who had also been taking a look at the stalls, nodded with understanding and said, "Ohhh, it's one of those knockoffs, huh? It does kinda look like a cheap Hatchimal…"
Hearing that, Yukinoshita put her hand to her jaw and tilted her
head. "Hatchimal? I feel like I've heard that name before. I think his surname was Hi…Hiki…"
"Hey? You don't mean me, do you? You can't even get my family name right?" I said.
Yukinoshita swept the hair off her shoulders as if she were quite offended. "How rude. I do remember it."
"You're the one being rude here, though…"
"More importantly, where's Yuigahama?"
So the discussion's over on my name, huh…?
"On the phone over there." I indicated with a jab of my chin, and over that way, Yuigahama was talking on the phone as she looked around.
"Uh-huh, yeah, like the stone steps? We just came down. We're already there."
"Ah, Yui, there you are."
Walking over to us with her phone in hand was Yumiko Miura. Even in these crowds, the fur at her collar was luxurious and rich, and her bare legs beneath her miniskirt would always draw attention.
Following behind her was Ebina, too. "Happy New Year, Yui. And same to you, too, guys." Unlike Miura just now, Ebina addressed us, too. She's a good person.
"Happy New Year."
"Wow, I haven't seen you in a long time! Happy New Year."
"I haven't seen you since summer, huh, Komachi-chan?"
As Ebina was conversing with Komachi and the others, I responded with a little nod and a "Hey" as I looked over at the group of girls chatting.
"Miura's crowd, huh…?" I muttered, realizing who it had been on that phone call just now. Yuigahama must have heard, as she turned back to me and nodded.
And then behind them, there were some more familiar faces.
The blond-haired, excitable Tobe, the bovine and indecisive Yamato, and the virgin opportunist Ooka. They were the new Three for the Kill! trio. But Tobe's hair is less blond and more brown, huh…? Though I really don't give a damn, so I've never paid it much attention.
The three of them were a little ways away from us.
Paper cups in hand, they were being loud and boisterous. It looked like they were drinking amazake. Tobe tossed his paper cup back in one go, then called out, "Ahhhh."
"The sake really gets to you, man! First drink of the year, whoo! Seriously, guys, have some more."
"Totally," Ooka replied, then drank down the contents of his paper cup and breathed a sigh of satisfaction. It's just amazake, guys. It's not like it's really alcoholic.
"Dude, I'm drinking so much, Bro. I feel so warm now. Damn, it's cold out, huh? Running the school marathon in this is like, whoa, man."
"Totally."
"Totally, man."
Yeah, totally, man…
I was mentally nodding in response to Yamato's and Ooka's remarks. Because of the way the calendar happened to work out that year, the school marathon, which was usually in February, had been shifted to the end of January. Soon, we'd have to be running right by the ocean while it was getting colder and colder by the day.
Thanks for starting my new year with a memory of that…, I thought, shooting a resentful glance over at the three stooges.
Then I suddenly realized.
Tobe and his stooges, Miura and Ebina—it was the usual faces.
But the one who was normally in the center of this roster was absent.
"Just them, huh…?" I said.
Yuigahama heard me and slid one step back to line up beside me. "They said they invited Hayato, too, but he couldn't come." "Figures," Yukinoshita replied with a nod.
That remark was unexpected.
Miura, Ebina, Yuigahama, and I all turned toward Yukinoshita.
"Huh? Do you know something?" Yuigahama asked. She must have been curious about the way Yukinoshita so easily accepted the news.
"His family has always been like that."
"Oh, really?" Yuigahama nodded like this made sense to her.
Well, Yukinoshita had originally been acquainted with Hayama—or to be more precise, they had been childhood friends, so it wasn't strange for her to know what was going on with his family.
"Huh…," I replied noncommittally. But I was now reminded of how I still didn't know much about Yukinoshita or Hayama. Not like I know Yuigahama all that deeply, either.
Aside from Yuigahama and myself, there was one other person who responded.
"…Hmm. Uh-huh," Miura huffed quietly, then looked away from Yukinoshita. Then she went a few steps away, spun her hair around her finger, and sighed like she was bored. "I'm hungry." With that, she trudged away without looking back at the others.
"Ah, Yumiko!" Yuigahama called out, and Miura stopped, shifting her body in their direction. She didn't say anything, though, and her face was still turned away.
A little smile crossed Ebina's face, and she started walking. "Then maybe I'll go get some food, too."
Tobe's keen ears picked up on that, and he sidled up to Miura and Ebina. "Oh yeah? You're going out to eat? Then that'll be my first meal of the new year!"
Oh, some guys are like that, huh? They celebrate every first in the new year. It's so obnoxious…
"Ah, um…" Looking back and forth between Miura's crowd and us, Yuigahama seemed to be struggling to decide.
"You're not going with them?" I asked her.
"Um…wh-what are you guys doing?" Yuigahama laughed awkwardly.
Yukinoshita gave her a hard look, then smiled just a little. "I'm about to head home. I'm not fond of the crowds," she said.
Yuigahama's expression turned complicated. "Huh? But…"
Yukinoshita seemed to sense her worry, laying a gentle touch on Yuigahama's shoulder. "We can see each other again soon."
"Yeah…," Yuigahama replied quietly, though that didn't really seem to convince her.
Well, none of us really wanted to start off the new year watching Miura and Yukinoshita going at it.
There was no doubting that Yuigahama's desire to get closer was an expression of her deep affection.
But it's the way of the world that a friend of a friend is not necessarily your friend, and it's not always best for everyone to be in the same space, spending time together.
Yukinoshita isn't very expressive, but I can tell when she's being considerate. Her ideals for proper behavior aren't so different from mine. So it was already settled what I would do now.
"Then I'm gonna get going home, too," I said.
Yuigahama looked up with some surprise. Not that it was anything to be surprised about.
"I just came to visit the shrine anyway. I've got to take Komachi home and make her study."
"Oh, yeah…uh-huh." Yuigahama nodded.
Beside me, Komachi tug-tugged at my sleeve. "Bro, don't worry about Komachi—just go!"
I'd triggered some kind of flag—I don't know if it was a death flag or a survival flag, but I was going to knock it down. Whatever it was, me joining in with that group was not an option.
"Then see you."
"See you at school."
After Yukinoshita and I had said that, Komachi had no choice but to bob her head, too. "…Yeah, see you."
Yuigahama gave us a little wave in front of her chest, and we headed out. Yuigahama was probably going to follow after Miura and her friends, now.
Yuigahama's friendships in the Service Club were not the only ones she had.
I don't know if she believes in having best friends, and I don't know who decides that, either. But I'm sure there have to be days when she worries about it.
I hope the care she shows there will not turn into something that exhausts her.
Returning back along the shrine road we'd come down, we passed through the big torii and came out along the National Highway.
A cold wind blew along the wide road. I found myself shivering, and me and Komachi both drew the collars of our coats closer.
Yukinoshita, on the other hand, didn't seem particularly bothered by the cold. She just quietly adjusted the scarf around her neck.
Komachi tug-tugged at Yukinoshita's sleeve. "Yukino, let's stick together until we're close to your place!"
Yukinoshita hesitated just a little, but then a slight smile came to her face as she replied, "…Sure." Well, we were going back in the same direction anyway. There was no need to deliberately go our separate ways.
The road from here to the station was a commercial district, and it seemed they were expecting a New Year's rush, as there were little stalls out under the eaves here, too. It was just as bustling as the shrine area.
Komachi and Yukinoshita chatted over various things related to entrance exams and about what had happened during winter vacation.
Walking slowly along the gentle slope, when we approached the ticket gate at the station, Komachi suddenly stopped.
"Ah! O-oh no! Silly Komachi just forgot to buy a luck charm! I can't believe it! And I also totally forgot to write my wish on an ema board, so I'm gonna run back! Yukino-san, this is where I leave you guys!" "Oh, then maybe I'll buy a lucky charm, too," I said.
Komachi gave me a look, unimpressed. "What are you talking about, Bro? You big dumb junk brother! Dim bulb! Hachiman! Listen, both of you just go back without me!"
"O-okay… Wait, hold on a second. Hachiman isn't an insult," I shot back at her, but Komachi never heard, as she'd already run off.
Uhhh, it's a little awkward if you disappear that suddenly… I'm kinda stuck here… Thanks to Komachi's antics, I was somewhat at a loss, but there's no resisting the little sistering. Oh nooo, I've been little sistered.
I turned back to Yukinoshita, wondering just what to do here, and saw her shoulders were trembling, her face turned away.
"What…?" I asked.
Yukinoshita expelled a phew and evened her breathing. Then she said quietly, under her breath, "Dumb brother, dim bulb,
Hachiman…"
I suspect Miss Yukinoshita's insult vocabulary dictionary has gotten a long-awaited update… I gave her a dull look in rebuke, and Yukinoshita cleared her throat to avoid it.
"Oh, no, I just thought, you really are close," she said with a gentle smile, then immediately spun around to face forward, passing through the ticket gates. I followed after her, heading up the stairs to the train platform.
As always, there were a lot of people on the platform. We must have just hit the exact peak time when people were coming back from visiting the shrine.
Even once the train eventually came and we got on, the seats were quickly filled, and we were forced to stand. Well, it was about two stations at the most. I was tired, but I could deal.
The train swayed as it left the station, and I staggered reflexively, my hand grabbing for the hand strap.
That was when I felt something catching on the edge of my coat. Looking over, a small white hand was grasping the hem.
It steadied my grip on the hanging strap and my legs against the inertia.
The train was filled with noise: the vibrations of the wheels running along the tracks, the sound of the wind hitting the windows, and the murmuring of the riders within. And yet, with each sway of the train, my ears just barely picked up the breathing coming from my right.
…Well, it's crowded, and we're swaying. It's fine.
Though we were standing pretty close, we didn't really talk, and my eyes drifted toward the hanging ads and the ads above the windows.
Eventually, they landed on a transit map, which brought a sudden question to mind.
"Wait, should you be coming this direction?" I asked.
Yukinoshita tilted her head, looking puzzled. "My home is toward
Tokyo, so this should be the right train…" Setting her hand against her chin, Yukinoshita checked the transit map as well. Is she not sure? Well, she does lack all sense of direction…
"No, I just thought maybe you'd be going to your parents' place, since it's New Year's."
"Oh, that's what you mean… I'm not going back this year. It's not as if I have any particular business there. And it's troublesome, for various reasons…"
"I see." I didn't know very much about Yukinoshita's relationship with her family. Not sure how far I should be intruding, I just made a remark of acknowledgment.
That hesitance must have revealed itself on my face, as Yukinoshita smiled. "It's not really a big deal. New Year's is a very busy time. I just avoid unnecessary contact because I doubt it would be pleasant for either of us if I were to go back. And…," she continued, "it makes little difference whether I'm there or not."
With that, she looked out the window toward the scenery quickly flowing past.
"I think that's fine."
"Hmm?" She turned around, a little surprised.
"If it doesn't matter if you're there or not. That's easy to deal with, and you aren't causing trouble for anyone. Some people make things uncomfortable just by being around, after all."
"Is that a self-introduction?" Yukinoshita giggled with a somewhat mean little smile.
"You got it. That's why I've always avoided contact with people as much as possible. Everything is nice and peaceful because I'm so considerate, so I'd appreciate some thanks for that."
"If you were truly considerate, you wouldn't be asking for a reward."
I see. Chii is learning. Consideration…doesn't expect…reward. But though consideration won't get you rewards, a lack of it will get you in trouble. It's so unfair.
Eventually, the train stopped.
This was my station. Yukinoshita would be getting on the bus a station ahead.
"Ah, this is my stop," I said.
"Mm-hmm."
With a nod her way, I stepped off onto the platform. "See you."
I turned around to add Take care on your way back right before the doors closed. In the train, Yukinoshita was looking down as she said in a little whisper, "…Let's have another good year."
2
As usual, Haruno Yukinoshita stirs things up.
Looking up at the clear winter sky, I saw the monorail running above.
Komachi, standing beside me, followed my gaze. Then she blew a tired, white sigh. "Agh."
"Sorry for making you come with me," I said.
"Seriously," Komachi replied with a rough snort. She sounded just like our family cat, Kamakura. He reacts like that when you call his name, too. Maybe he's copying his master…
"Well, Komachi wanted to buy a present, too, so I don't mind," she said, and another white puff rose in the air. "…Besides, this might be the last time I'll be going out with you."
"When you say that with a sad smile, it's like I'm gonna die…"
She sounded as if she was making the final memories of a lifetime with someone with a fatal illness. If this were made into a movie, I'd definitely bawl like Nobita saying his final farewell to Doraemon. But actually, even if I'm not sick, Big Bro can't live on if Komachi hates me…
"That's not what I mean… It's 'cause I'm not coming next time," she warned with a little glare.
No, I understand, Komachi…
I got that the "next time" Komachi mentioned was coming. I don't know if I can call it a promise, but I had basically meant it to be. The problem was when, and where, and in what way, and what I should say. When you don't have much experience with the whole socializing thing, you don't know what to do at times like these. How do people make invitations when they go to hang out?
Well, whatever.
Anyway, first today.
After coming back from the shrine visit the other day, I'd gotten a text from Yuigahama about shopping for presents.
We would be meeting in front of the big ad screens at Chiba Station. You couldn't get any more clear than that. Once she came out of the station, she'd be able to see us right away. The reverse was also true. The white puffs from my mouth started coming faster as I thought about it.
Eventually, Yuigahama came over from the ticket gates. When she noticed us, she waved her hands wide. "Yahallo!"
"Hey."
"Yahallo to you, too, Yui!"
"Sorry I'm a little late!" Yuigahama's beige overcoat was flapping restlessly, the soles of her boots clopping along as she ran. With every flutter of her coat hem, I could see the long knit sweater that went nearly to her knees and her slim jeans.
"So where are we going?" I asked.
"I figured we'd wander a bit to pick something," Yuigahama said, and while pointing all around the station area, she started walking.
"Yeah, where should we go first?" Komachi followed after her, and I followed Komachi.
Chiba is a shopping paradise.
And the standard shopping site for high school kids is the PARCO.
Ah, PARCO—the most powerful ally of the youth of Chiba city. I think the hip, fashionable youths of modern Chiba have got to be divided into two conflicting sects when it comes to where to buy clothing:
You've got the PARCOists and the LaLaportists. And even among the PARCOists, I'd bet it's an ugly battle between the Chiba PARCO faction and the Tsudanuma PARCO faction.
Stop it! Everyone, be friends! We're all the same citizens of Chiba city! Though Tsudanuma is in Narashino city!
After a little walking, Yuigahama pointed. "Oh. Then let's start with C-one!"
C-one. I know that one. It's that place with the Ichiran ramen.
I'm familiar with Ichiran for its flavor-focus system that enables you to devote your concentration to eating, thanks to the counter seats being partitioned from each other. By the way, this flavor-focus system is patented. If you're going with that logic, that means loners are equipped with a life-focusing system. Hurry! I've got to patent that right now!
The C in C-one is probably the C in Chiba. In other words, it's an initialism. This is clear in the naming of the local superhero, Captain
C. By the way, Chibatman is not the local superhero, just so you know.
When we walked in, the inside of the mall was done up in New Year's decorations with lines of shops along the way. Since it was making use of the roof over the narrow lane, the long, straight road went on and on. Perhaps because of the New Year's / Christmas sales or whatnot, the avenue was busier than usual.
Even with such noisy crowds around, it seemed girls shopping together would chatter a little bit too loudly as they excitedly discussed the latest fashion. Of course, a boy couldn't join in on that, so I stood about three steps back, immediately feeling very much that I was going to get left behind.
"Komachi-chan! Look at this! Isn't it cute?!"
"Oh, it really is! You can take off this fur, so it can go with all kinds of things!"
"Right! So then maybe you could wear it in the spring, too!" The two of them picked up this or that item of clothing as they chattered away enthusiastically.
Not like I care, but we came here to buy a present for Yukinoshita, right? You're not shopping for yourselves, right?
But watching them, I felt like I was watching girls in their natural habitat.
Yuigahama was busy putting on a furred parka, spinning around in front of the full-length mirror.
Being a boy, I just couldn't bring myself to go into the shop, so I decided to watch over them from a distance.
Komachi ambled over toward me then. Her expression seemed somehow more relaxed than usual. "It's so easy to go shopping with Yui…"
"Well, compared with Yukinoshita…" When the three of us had gone out to buy a present for Yuigahama before, I'd been surprised at how out of touch Yukinoshita was with modern high school girl sensibilities.
"Yeah, it really was just as bad as when I was just going out with you… Well, that side of her is supercute, too, though! Right?" Komachi examined my face.
"Yeah, that side of me isn't cute, huh?"
"Hmm, you hinedere…" Leave me alone.
Well, and besides, it would be rude to treat me and Yukinoshita the same way.
At the very least, Yukinoshita seems to have a grasp of what looks good on her, and it's not as if she's totally disinterested in fashion. So maybe the reason she'd still struggled when we went to buy a present for Yuigahama's birthday was because it was choosing for someone else that she was bad at.
That overserious awkwardness is very like her.
The question here was what to do in a situation where Miss Awkward was the one receiving a present.
"I'm gonna go look around." Leaving Yukinoshita and Komachi, I decided to wander aimlessly around the area. If I thought about it while actually looking at the options, then maybe I'd get a few ideas.
A present for Yukinoshita, huh…?
What could I get…?
Yukinoshita is a straightforward person. You could call her Yuki-nosweetness or Yukinon-sugar, but what to do with her? She'd prefer practical things if it's outside of her personal tastes. Or more like, with her tastes, books are something she can get on her own, and she lives alone, so she can probably handle household items and cooking tools herself. I mean, she's got a cutting board as standard equipment on her chest.
What, what, what should I get…?
As I was wandering around, a Destiny merch store caught my eye.
Hmm, Grue-bear… But she would know way more about that stuff than me, so strike that.
Farther down, there was a pet supply store.
A cat…is not something she actually owns… She doesn't have a cat, huh? She should just get one already. Are cats not allowed at her apartment? I could give her something like a cat photo book, but I bet she'd already have a lot of them…
But then there's that accessory-shop sort of place over there, but I don't know what to get…
While I was busy doing circles about the shops in the area and groaning to myself, I wound up right where I'd started.
And there was Yuigahama, a bunch of clothing in her arms and looking all around. "Huh? Where's Komachi-chan?"
"Wasn't she with you?"
"I thought she was with you, Hikki…" Leaning over a bit, Yuigahama examined my face to see what was up.
Ahhh, she's done it again…
I was very aware that when Komachi got like this, there was no use calling for her. I was grateful that she'd just come with me at all, so it was fine, but I wished she would've at least said something. I need to emotionally prepare, you know. Don't suplex me to the ground and then just leave me lying there.
With a hmm, Yuigahama seemed to consider for a bit, but then she adjusted her grip on the bundle of clothes in her arms and tilted her head to examine me. "I couldn't really make up my mind… I wanted Komachi-chan to take a look for me, but…can you, Hikki?"
"If you don't mind me not being useful."
"Okay! …Oh, I want you to be useful, though…"
"I'll do my best," I said, and Yuigahama headed over to the fulllength mirror at the back of the store. I followed after her.
"A sweater or a cardigan you could wear over top of a blouse, so I was thinking maybe she could use this one even at school," Yuigahama said, taking off her coat and then the sweater she wore underneath that.
I kind of felt like I shouldn't watch, so I immediately averted my eyes. Use the changing room… Do you just, like, not worry about that sort of thing 'cause you're wearing a shirt underneath? Still, please don't. I worry about it.
Though I knew there was background music in the shop, the sound of clothes rustling was weirdly loud, and I couldn't block out the sound of Yuigahama's breathing.
"There we go… So?" she said, and finally, I could turn around.
It was a fluffy, warm-looking warp-knit cardigan.
"I dunno… Well, I think it's fine…"
It wasn't just fine. It looked really good on her.
But if there was one problem, it was that this was not for Yuigahama but a present for Yukinoshita. If Yukinoshita put on that cardigan, I think there might be too much fabric… Um, well, though I won't say where.
"You don't have to consider Yukinoshita's size, though?" I said.
The basics of choosing clothing is to wear a size that fits you.
Silhouette and stuff is important, too, but, well, that's just me repeating what Komachi has told me. By the way, my clothes that day had also undergone a thorough Komachi fashion check. The clothing I'd chosen had been reviewed harshly: "I'll stomp on it!" No, that was Piiko, wasn't it? Or wait, was it Osugi? Well, whatever.
"Size…" Repeating that word, Yuigahama grabbed at a fold of her own stomach area. "Maybe I'm too big…," she said with a look of despair. Then she moved her hand from her stomach area to her upper arm, and her expression grew even darker.
It's okay! You're not big! I mean you're big, but you're not! You're just not small.
"No, um, you're fine. Actually, you're just right, like…"
This wasn't much of a defense, but I did basically make a haphazard attempt at smoothing that over. But it seemed all my suspicious behavior won me was a suspicious glare from Yuigahama. Agh, geez! What's the right way to answer at a time like this!
"Well, it looks good on you, so I think it's fine," I somehow managed to say.
"…Eh-heh-heh, thanks." Yuigahama finally smiled, taking off the cardigan to cheerily begin folding it up. There was no way I could just watch her, so I was turning away in embarrassment—and then suddenly I realized.
"But Yukinoshita normally dresses to regulation, so I doubt she'd wear something like that at school."
Our school regulations were really bare-bones, but we did have them. And of course, part of that was rules about clothing, and there were school-designated sweaters and cardigans. There weren't many students who dutifully stuck to those rules, and it wasn't something to worry about—but some more conscientious students, like Yukinoshita, did follow those rules to the letter.
"Oh. Yeah, of course. So then…" Yuigahama still held the cardigan under her arm as she pondered, but this time, her feet took her over to a shelf that featured small articles like scarves and gloves.
As she rummaged over the shelf, she called out with a quiet ah. "So cute! It might be fun to play with Sablé using these," she said, pulling out a pair of mittens designed to be like cat paws—and another pair that were designed in imitation of dog faces.
The cat-paw mittens were, like, just straight cat paws. But the dogface mittens featured the face and ears of dogs on the backs of the hands, while the thumb side was the lower jaw. Yuigahama put them on and waved her hands around. "It's kinda hard to grab things…"
"Well, yeah. They're mittens."
Yuigahama gave a thoughtful hmm, then lifted her face like a thought had hit her, and then suddenly, she opened up her closed hands. "Yeah! Chomp!"
Then a mitten doggy came up to bite my hand.
"…J-just messing with you," she said, as if covering her embarrassment while she blushed.
If you find it embarrassing, then please don't do it. I'm embarrassed, too. I gently slipped away from the mitten and then fanned at my face a little with that hand. They have the heat up too high in this store.
"Not like it matters, but she's not gonna wear a design like that outside of the house."
"…Maybe you're right." Yuigahama nodded in agreement.
Based on what Yukinoshita typically wore, I actually did get the impression that she didn't wear anything blatantly cutesy. Would she even use them if she got them as a gift? …Or maybe she would. If they were a present from Yuigahama, she might actually put on this cool and collected expression, while on the inside, she was all excited to put them on.
"I guess I have to look for something else…" Cat-paw mittens dangling from her hands, Yuigahama mulled and mulled over it, then continued rummaging further. "Oh, this might be good," she said as she pulled from the shelf some socks that looked a lot like cat feet.
"Socks, huh? Those look kind of hard to put shoes over."
"They're indoor socks! You obviously wouldn't wear these out of the house."
Using that logic, I think she'd never wear those mittens outside, either… Well, but now that she pointed it out, the sole of the sock had grippy rubber in the pattern of toe beans.
"You wear them at home, so she wouldn't have to worry about appearances… What do you think?"
"Well, I think she'd like it." I think Yukinoshita would be glad to receive anything Yuigahama gave to her. The person giving it to you is more important than the gift itself. And who says something is more important than what is said, too.
"Okay, then I'll go with this." Gathering up all the things in her arms, Yuigahama headed for the register. Her bundle contained that cardigan and a pair of mittens, too.
So she's giving her the cat-paw mittens, too, huh…?
Cat hands and cat feet, huh…?
This place doesn't sell tails, too, do they?
All right, now I've got to actually go look for stuff myself. Since that store just now had not sold cat tails.
And so I had come. Sencity Sogo: Chiba branch. The name alone makes it seem like it would have its finger on the pulse of modern trends. Wait, no, that's sensitivity.
Normally, I'd go to the menswear section, but that day, I'd come to buy a present for Yukinoshita. Naturally, we wound up heading to the floor with the ladies' things.
But still, it's not like I know anything about women's clothing, so Yuigahama was leading the way.
Yuigahama chose a place that sold not only clothing but also various types of accessories and small articles.
"We should check out lots of stuff, right? Gloves and accessories and scarves and…like, all kinds of stuff," she said, so I went rummaging through a bunch of things in the store.
From nearby, Yuigahama came over to recommend this and that to me, so the staff didn't keep an eye on me for the time being, and the security guards didn't even start hovering conspicuously. If I'd gone in there alone, the staff would have asked me, Are you looking for anything? I definitely would have had them trailing close behind me and felt them watching me from behind the register. Source: me, the time I wandered in here before. I understand that a guy alone is unusual, but I would appreciate it if you would, um, lower the security level a little…
I was moving from shelf to shelf, keeping an eye out for looks from the staff, when Yuigahama's feet stopped. The pop sign on that shelf said eyewear in English.
The hell is ai-uea? Just say "glasses" in Japanese, come on. Spewing katakana words for everything and its dog, it's like, are you one of those higher-consciousness types or what? And instead of hangaa, you can just call clothes hangers emongake. And calling meat sauce bolognese or calling pasta spaghetti—I mean, good grief. Wait, miito soosu and pasuta were alredy katakana, huh…? What should you call that in Japanese…?
As I was ruminating over this, Yuigahama came over to tap-tap my shoulder.
Turning around, I saw she looked proud for some reason as she pushed a pair of glasses up her nose. "Heh-heh. These make me look kinda smart, don'cha think?"
"The idea that glasses equal smart is already pretty dumb…"
"Oh, shut up, jerk," she said sulkily, and then she continued to pick up various types of eyewear, checking out their designs.
I copied her and picked something up. Hmm, they've got lots of stuff, huh?
Not just in terms of design—they were also functional. They had notes that said they helped prevent pollen allergies or cut blue light or whatnot. Wearing glasses is pretty normalized these days, even aside from the basic goal of vision correction, so the prices were fairly reasonable, too.
As we continued to rummage through them, Yuigahama offered me a pair. "Ah. Here, you try some on, too, Hikki. Like these."
"Huh…?" This is definitely going to end with me getting mocked…
When I hesitated, she pressed me, shoving the glasses at me. "Come on—do it!"
I resolved myself, psyching myself up to put on these glasses. Per…sona…! By the way, I prefer 3 over 4. I would absolutely prefer to summon my persona with a gun to my head!
"Something like this?" The glasses clicked as I slid them on, and I pushed the frames up with a finger.
Yuigahama burst out laughing. "Wow, that looks bad!"
"Shut up…" This is why I didn't want to do this…
Annoyed, I removed the glasses, and Yuigahama handed over another pair with a different design. "Then next…here!"
"No."
"Come on—take them!" she said, shoving them onto my face.
Agh, obnoxious… Adjusting the glasses that had only halfway hooked over my ears, I turned back to Yuigahama, ready to protest.
And then Yuigahama stared at me, mouth hanging open dumbly.
"…"
"Uh, silence?"
She can't just not react when she's the one who suggested this… I looked over at her, wondering what I should say.
Noticing that, Yuigahama panicked and waved her hands. "Ah, no, it's nothing… I'm surprised. Those kinda actually suit you…"
"…Well, thanks." I didn't know how to react to that compliment from her, either.
But she's surprised, huh?
There are a lot of things you'll think you know but then find you actually don't. Like how Yuigahama, who normally doesn't wear glasses, looks surprisingly good in them when she does try them on.
Yukinoshita had once regretfully said that she still didn't know Yuigahama at all.
The same went for me.
I'd never really tried to find out before.
And I think not just about Yukinoshita but about Yuigahama, too.
The three of us had spent time together now, though. I obviously can't claim to understand them, and it's far from ideal. Just over six months is not much time at all. But I did know them a little more now, compared with before.
The Yukino Yukinoshita I know…
She's someone who will crumble when Yuigahama needles her, and she loves cats, and on weekends, she cuddles a Grue-bear cushion while she looks at cat videos on her computer.
I know more than I thought.
If Yuigahama was going to give her cat-paw indoor socks, then I'd give her something that would match that.
In hopes that the time she spent alone would be warm and peaceful.
We finished shopping, and since we'd been on our feet for a while, we decided to go to a café where we could take a break. We could've gone to the Starbucks outside, but this time of year was really cold. Also, I didn't know how to order there, so I really didn't want to go that day.
So I decided to go to a place I had gone to a few times before and was used to.
"Can we go here?"
"Sure."
Once Yuigahama agreed, we went into a café that was inside the Sogo. It was deep inside the mall, so maybe that was why it was calm and not too busy.
"For two." I told the server the number of people, and we were shown to a four-person table right by the window where you could see out to Chiba Station below. I yielded the window seat to Yuigahama and gazed out at Chiba Station behind her.
I could also see the monorail running along, too, and it kinda seemed like Chiba was developing a lot. Chiba really is the city of the future.
When I visually traced the path of the monorail, my eyes met with those of the person sitting at a diagonal from me.
"Oh, it's Hikigaya."
That person also had her back to the window, sitting on a sofa.
She wore a mostly white frilled shirt with a gold chain necklace dangling over her chest. She was sparkling as if she'd gathered the light from outside into her body, but her gleefully smiling eyes were a darker black than the sky after dusk. And to pull her whole mismatched appearance together, Haruno Yukinoshita brought her vivid red scarf over her shoulders as she called my name.
When she called out to me, Yuigahama's eyes also slid to the side, calling out her name in surprise. "Haruno…and…"
Then Yuigahama's gaze shifted to the person in front of Haruno. The guy there wore a gray shirt and a black jacket. Under his brown, nearly faint gold hair were eyes that were surprised but still smiling—it was Hayato Hayama.
"It's Hayato."
"…Hey," Hayama called out briefly. A wristwatch that shone dull silver peeked out from his slightly raised cuff.
I responded with a casual nod. We didn't exchange any other words, and all we could hear was the faintly playing jazz. And the sound of a chair pulling back.
"I don't think I've seen you in quite a while, Gahama-chan," Haruno said, sliding over to our table like it was a natural thing. In response, Hayama breathed a short sigh, and with the order slip in his hand, he came to sit down next to me.
"A date, huh? Ohhh, you rascal! You guys are close, as usual, huh? Yukino-chan isn't with you?" After giving Yuigahama a couple of elbow jabs, Haruno looked over toward the entrance of the café. "Oh, today we just came out to buy a present for Yukinon…"
"Ahhh, it's almost her birthday, huh? …Ohhh, I see." Nodding and murmuring "Mm-hmm," Haruno listened to Yuigahama but then slid out her phone and started making a call.
Watching her, Hayama offered hesitantly, "…She might not pick up."
"No, I think she'll probably pick up today," Haruno said, her smile filled with certainty.
In the quiet café, you could just barely hear the call sound from her phone.
It rang twice, three times, and then a few more, and eventually she got through, and a quiet voice could be heard.
"Hello…"
"Ah, Yukino-chan? It's your big sister! Can you come over now?"
"I'm hanging up." That was fast!
Yuigahama and Hayama heard the immediate comeback from beside Haruno and smiled awkwardly.
But Haruno must have been used to that sort of reaction, as she continued her teasing unperturbed. "Ohhh? Is it a good idea for you to hang up?"
"…What?"
Haruno smirked. "Actually, right now I'm with Hikigaya!"
"You and your ridiculous lies… You need to cut this out."
"Here, Hikigaya." And before Haruno even finished speaking, she pushed the phone at me.
"Wait—huh?" I looked between the cell phone in my hands and Haruno, but she hid her hands behind her back, feigning ignorance. It seemed she had absolutely no intention of taking it back. On the other side of the receiver, I could hear Yukinoshita's voice calling for Haruno.
What can you do…? Guess I'll just talk to her…
"Uhhh…hello," I said for now, not knowing what else to say.
On the other end, I heard a little gasp.
Then after a brief silence, there was a sigh. "Agh, I'm amazed… Why are you there?"
I would have liked to ask that myself. I'd thought I would just be going shopping… Why am I here?! Why am I here?! Dowa-ha-ha-ha! It's because of youkai. It's not my fault. It's because of youkai.
"Uh, I just happened to be out, and she kind of caught me…" I flicked a glare over at said youkai as I tried to explain, but I was cut off by the sound of another sigh.
"Fine. I'm coming now, so give the phone to my sister." "…Okay. I'm sorry," I apologized for some reason.
After wiping the screen with a moist towelette, I returned the cell phone to Haruno, who exchanged a few remarks with Yukinoshita, telling her where we were, then hung up the phone.
"Yukino-chan says she's coming," Haruno said with a satisfied smile.
Then Yuigahama hesitantly cut in. "Um, why did you call her out here? She seemed like she didn't want to come…"
"Hmm? Ah, our family is going out to eat later, and Yukino-chan refused. But if I say all of you are here, then she has to come, right?" "You're making us hostages…," I muttered.
"Oh, that's such an ugly word. But isn't it a nice story—rushing over to save your friends who were captured in your place?"
"If we're going with that story, then just who here is the wicked and ruthless king?"
"Ohhh, we have a little literary enthusiast here," Haruno said gleefully, like she was teasing me.
Yuigahama tilted her head like, Hmm?
Hayama smiled a little at her. "It's 'Run, Melos!'"
"Oh, ohhh, um, that one, yeah. Uh-huh, I know it. I've heard of it before; it's superfast, huh?!"
Does she really know what it is…? It's the one that's like…Melos raaan…Melos and Selinuntius aaare…the bestest of friends!!
When I showed doubt, Yuigahama avoided my look by hurriedly changing the subject. "But anyway, a family dinner, that's nice! Everyone all together! Um…" Yuigahama looked over at Hayama.
Sensing what she meant by that, Hayama picked up where she left off. "Our parents have always been close… They were talking about us all having dinner together, while they were out doing New Year's greetings. I've just been dragged along."
"Oh, huh…" Yuigahama accepted the explanation.
Haruno stroked the rim of her teacup with a little sigh. "On New Year's Day, they're all occupied with family matters, and work starts up again on the fourth, and the day before that is also quite busy, so this is the day they go around to pay New Year's respects to acquaintances."
It seemed this was a customary event for the Yukinoshita family. But if they were about to go have dinner, then were Yukinoshita's parents nearby? …I kind of wanted to see them, just a little.
Pretending to stretch a little, I checked out my surroundings. But Haruno, sitting diagonally from me, just giggled. Bet she saw right through my little trick.
"Our parents are doing their social rounds elsewhere right now. We're waiting for them."
"Ohhh, I see…" That made sense. When the parents have something going on, the kids usually get left behind together. Back when my mom was working with a co-op, the mommy friends would get together, so then their children would all be lumped together, too. But you know, Mommy, just because you're friends doesn't mean your kids will be… Those times were really uncomfortable.
Yuigahama gave an impressed ohhh. "Going around to do New Year's greetings… That sounds tough."
"They do it every year, so we're used to it. Well, sometimes I do feel it's a real hassle, though. Those sorts of customs and traditions are more alive than you think, you know." There was an indescribable resignation in her voice.
For both Yukinoshita and Hayama, who hadn't come to the New Year's shrine visit, there were social expectations.
I'm sure the distinguished families, good households, are under all kinds of constraints. It might not feel truly real to us commoners, but it is, and there's nothing you can do about that. Well, it's not unusual for some families to have close relationships with extended family. I think it's just that I'm not familiar with such things myself, and there are actually a lot of families that have their own unique communities.
Even us common people have to deal with similar issues. So then,
add titles onto that, and the constraints will increase correspondingly.
As if to dispel her sigh just now, Haruno smacked the table and straightened her posture. "Anyway, what presents are you going to give her?" she asked, inching toward Yuigahama, who was sitting on the same sofa.
With a wince as she inched away from her, Yuigahama showed her the bag, rustling it. "Um… I got her some indoor socks and stuff…" "Hmm, the floors are cold around this time of year, after all."
"Yeah! And the living room at Yukinon's place is hardwood floors, and when I went over the other day, I thought, Huh, it's kinda cold."
"I tend to be cold a lot, too, so I get it."
While they had their girlish conversation, we guys were just listening to them talk.
But Hayama must have felt at loose ends, as he muttered quietly, "Birthday presents, huh…?" Then he glanced over at me. "What did you get?"
"Oh, well, stuff."
"I see." He added nothing more, his gaze sliding away. After that,
Hayama continued to listen to Haruno and Yuigahama's conversation, occasionally nodding along. The second hand ticked slowly along on his wristwatch as he held his cup.
I just tracked it with my eyes.
Always ticking out the same perfect rhythm, the needle moved in its fixed pattern. It did one circle, then two, returning to the same place to create a similar face. But not exactly the same. Even if the second hand never changed, the time it pointed to continued forward.
Suddenly, Haruno, who had been looking at the present's wrapping, said, "Maybe I'll give her something, too; it's been a while." Then her gaze jumped. "How about it, Hayato?"
"…Yeah." Hayama gave a little shrug, then looked out the window. I think it probably wasn't the streetlights he was looking at.
I looked over at Hayama's reflection in the glass as well, and then suddenly, I couldn't stop wondering about what present Haruno had given her long ago.