Chapter 68 - 1

Chapter 68: Chapter 1

December 11th (Friday) – Asamura Yuuta

The sound of the final bell ringing came from the speakers inside the classroom. The teacher swiftly disappeared out into the hallway, and as joyful voices filled the classroom, my classmates moved their chairs and desks out of the way to simply have fun. Now that we had received our end-of-term exam results, most of them seemed refreshed and relieved. The boy with the large back in front of me towered up and grabbed the back of the desk. He's probably heading over to baseball practice like always—Or so I thought.

"One more thing, Asamura."

I was surprised when he spoke to me. Normally, Maru would just give me a brief goodbye and dash off to his practice.

"What's up?"

"I've got a club meeting now, but do you mind tagging along until we get to the clubroom?"

"Huh? The clubroom? Why?"

"There's something I wanna give you."

"Well... sure?"

It's not like I have to get home early or anything. With that thought in mind, I tagged along with Maru, grabbing my bag so I could go home right after talking to him. When I glanced outside the hallway windows, I could see all the trees in the courtyard with their barren branches, no leaves in sight. It really made me realize that winter had come. With no more leaves to obscure the view, I could see the courtyard below quite clearly. A slight breeze was blowing a few lonely leaves along like the last remains of fall.

"Oh yeah, Maru. How did you do on your exams?"

"Hm? I scored a total of 828 points."

"As expected, huh?"

He's keeping up his position as a regular in the baseball team while also scoring respectable results. By the way, I got a total score of 819.

"I still can't compete against you, Maru. I do feel like I've been working pretty hard, though."

"Hm... Well, you don't have to set me up on a pedestal, you know?"

"I guess you're right."

My grades have gone up compared to the last standardized tests, and the distance between Maru and I has grown smaller, as well.

"You've improved a lot since last summer, right?"

"It's probably thanks to the extra classes I took during summer break."

"Just that?"

"Huh?"

"Well, whatever."

After that, Maru kept walking without saying another word. Once we stepped out of the front entrance, the cold breeze made my body shiver. My fingertips tensed up, too. I can't help but feel sorry for the sports club members practicing in this cold. Someone from the go-home club like me can't even hope to compare. After a bit more walking, I spotted the clubroom building. It consisted of two floors, resembling a regular two-floor apartment complex. The baseball club's clubroom was located next to the courtyard.

What first greeted me as the door opened was the scent of sweat. And right after, I picked up another scent of citrus deodorant, like it was trying to cover up the initial stench of sweat. The lockers next to the walls were stuffed with the club members' personal belongings and other gear. Some were neatly organized, others had gear stuffed into them carelessly. In one corner of the room stood a metallic container that looked like umbrella storage, except it was holding metal bats. Some of the club members were changing while talking about this and that, and they called out to Maru as he arrived.

They even gave me a polite greeting when they saw me with Maru. He introduced me as his classmate, and they humored me with a brief conversation. I think it's probably more because I'm Maru's friend and less because I'm their senior, but they were interacting with me with respect and politeness. That, however, made me feel like I was standing out like a sore thumb, like I didn't quite belong. I waited near the entrance of the room as Maru took out a plastic bag from his locker and stuffed his backpack in its place. During that time, Maru's juniors talked to him about whatever came to mind.

"Sorry for the wait."

"Totally fine."

I didn't dislike seeing that Maru was this popular. Even if it didn't involve me, I felt happy.

"So, is this what you wanted to give me?"

"Yep. I didn't feel too confident about leaving it in the classroom."

He was carrying a small plastic bag next to his waist. I went ahead and took a brief glance inside it after he gave it to me. It turned out to be a bunch of manga volumes. Not to mention the size wasn't a regular paperback pocket edition (a small B6, 17x11cm), but a B6-sized one that was a bit bigger, about 18x13cm. It's the kind of size you often see when it comes to young adult manga. And there were three whole volumes in there. I see now why he didn't want to bring these into the classroom.

"And all these are for me?"

"My newest recommendation. This one's great. I can see it being the next big hit!"

"Really? I'll look forward to reading that, then."

But that also got me thinking. If this was all he wanted to give me, then we could've met up elsewhere so that he didn't have to lug it around—and when I got that far in the thought, I realized where he was going with this.

"I bought them ahead of time. This Sunday's your birthday, right?"

Only now did I realize that this was supposed to be my birthday present.

"You didn't have to..."

"It's interesting, you know? Though they're a bit unorthodox at times."

"I mean, when aren't your recommendations like that, Maru?"

"Haha, good point. Then again, I've got just as much taste for the orthodox, so you can read it without having to worry."

"Yes, yes. Thanks, I'm happy."

I was poking a bit of fun at him, but I was genuinely happy. I didn't expect him to even give me a present, though. He never brought up the subject of my birthday, and he didn't give me a present last year, either. This couldn't have been a bigger surprise. And on the subject of birthday presents, I remembered something Maru had told me half a year ago. Something about him celebrating someone else's birthday. He talked himself out of it when I asked for who it was, though. Maybe that's when he started becoming interested in giving other people presents. I should give him something for his birthday.

"Since we can't meet up on Sunday, I figured now's the day."

"You've got practice on Sunday, yeah?"

"Sorry we can't celebrate it together. Well, I doubt you'll be lonely on your birthday."

"Don't be like that. I'm really happy."

"Well, it's nothing major, so don't sweat it. Talk to you later." Maru waved his hand and made his way to the back of the room.

I decided to start heading home myself when a club member suddenly called out to me. I wondered what he wanted. He seemed to be a fellow second-year student like us, at least.

"Does Maru sometimes talk with Narasaka-san?"

I certainly didn't expect her name to come up.

"Huh? Narasaka... you mean that...?"

"Yeah. That really cute girl."

"So... what about her and Maru?"

"There's a rumor going around that those two have been talking with each other all friendly-like."

"Well... I haven't heard anything about that."

I wasn't lying. Maru didn't tell me anything. And even if I did know something, I wouldn't tell everyone who asked.

"I see..."

Maru himself had apparently avoided the topic or remained silent about it, so there wasn't much to gain from the person in question. However, he didn't deny the fact that they were talking at all. Since they're both at the top of the student year in terms of grades, people have started assuming that maybe they're regularly talking or even dating.

"Okay, got it. Sorry to keep you here."

"Don't worry about it."

I bowed briefly and left the baseball club's room. I made my way to the bike storage area while thinking about the conversation that happened just now. Are Maru and Narasaka-san dating? Honestly, I think it's just a misunderstanding, but if that were to be true, then that would mean both of them are hiding their relationship from me and Ayase-san. It's a secret relationship.

Then again, it's not really something they would have to go public with. They know about my sibling relationship with Ayase-san, but there's no need to go all the way and say we basically love each other. There's no meaning to parading around with a sign saying "We started dating today"—

"Hold on..."

That's not entirely true. If you think about it in terms of animal society, then it makes sense. They would want to show off that they've entered a physical relationship as a male and female animal. That's why humans have wedding ceremonies and engagements and the like. Plus, if a regular boy and girl start dating like an average couple, a majority of people will congratulate them. And if you like being congratulated, then it'd be worthwhile to reveal such secrets.

Then again, considering how popular Narasaka-san is, I feel like quite a few people would have complaints at the fact that she's dating someone. Then it'd make sense to keep it a secret... But she's not some kind of idol, so there's not really any harm in making it public... If so, then would keeping quiet about their relationship be kind of strange after all? Anyway, I'm jumping the shark here. In modern society, the question of being married or not shouldn't be brought into consideration when discussing lifestyle or work. There's no need to completely specify everything like that...

"Phew..."

I let out a sigh. All that thinking caused my head to almost overheat. As long as I don't know if Maru and Narasaka-san are really dating, thinking about the what-ifs and possibilities is a waste of time. I stuffed my bag into my bicycle's basket and stomped down on the pedals. I've got a shift at a bookstore to get to.

Since it was December, the sun was already starting to set. The sky peeking out between the gaps of the buildings was already looking like a red curtain, and the LED lights inside the Shibuya Town Center were beginning to light up. Everywhere you looked, your sight was filled with decorations, lights, and the sounds of countless people. The tree standing in front of the train station was riddled with electronic lights, and the Hachiko statue behind it had a red ribbon around it, which made the good boy look like he was smiling in pride. Not to mention the countless advertisement screens on and above the buildings that were advertising all sorts of winter sales that were going on.

The bookstore I worked at wasn't much different. Red, green, and white lights were everywhere, and the glass door at the front had speckles of white sprayed on it to resemble snow. I swear... it's still two full weeks before Christmas.

With these thoughts filling my mind, I entered the bookstore. Walking around inside, I let out another faint sigh. A bookstore usually is an establishment that doesn't experience much difference when it comes to events like this, but since we're pretty close to the entertainment district, we usually experience a larger number of customers. And today it seems that it might be the same. After seeing the manager and hearing his plans for the shift, I couldn't help but let out a voice of surprise.

"Wait, Yomiuri-senpai is taking the day off because she's not feeling well?"

"Exactly. That's why it'll be just you and Ayase-san today. I know it'll be rough, but I'm counting on you two."

"Yes, I understand."

Just the two of us for the whole shift... that's gonna be rough. I'll have to go all out for today. I went to the changing room, changed into my uniform, and stepped outside again, when—

"I'm sorry for being late!"

Ayase-san arrived, still wearing her uniform.

"It's fine, you're still on time."

We've got another ten minutes until our shift starts, so there's no need to rush like that. I greeted our other colleagues who had been taking care of the cash register up to this point as I headed to the back. Since there were only two other people taking care of the cash register, we'll probably be bound to follow in their tracks until another one of our late-shift colleagues gets here. That's why I'd like to check the storage for now...

"Ah, crap. I think I should have checked the bookshelves first."

I looked at the mountain of books on our stage and groaned to myself. Even if I knew how many magazines we had in storage, it doesn't matter much if I don't remember how packed the displays at the front are. At the cash register, I could use the computer to confirm how much stock we have of certain things, but it's questionable if I'll be able to make the time to check the actual situation up front. If Yomiuri-senpai were here, she definitely would have checked the stock on the store shelves first. What a blunder. I lightly bit my lip and looked at the time. I had three more minutes before the take-over. There was nothing more that I could do. I missed my reliable senior as I made my way towards the cash register.

"It's time. We're taking over!"

"Oh, thanks a bunch."

"Good luck, you two!"

The two employees who had previously been looking after the cash register bowed their heads slightly as they thanked us, leaving room for Ayase-san and I. We didn't have much time to talk, as the next customers were already waiting in front of us. I immediately switched into customer service mode, dealing with their requests like I was in a trance. Once one customer left with their purchase, the next one placed their book in front of me. There was no time to even breathe.

The storm of customers was especially fierce today. It must be because the Christmas season was slowly creeping up on us, but a lot of them wanted their purchases wrapped and prepared for gift-giving, which takes extra time for us to take care of. Adding a plastic cover is one thing, but wrapping it like a present goes well above and beyond that. For starters, you can't use regular wrapping paper. There were a lot of customers asking for the special Christmas-themed one, so we had to check that with them first. This usually means we had to show them both kinds of wrapping paper and ask them directly. Then again, the majority of them went with the Christmas one, which wasn't surprising considering the season.

And of course, you can't forget about the ribbons. The tape is relatively easy to handle, but wrapping it in any wrong or clumsy way will only make it look second-hand, and you have to start over. After you finish the cross and add a bow at the top, you need to get in with your scissors. You can't cut it straight; you need to cut it loose from a downward angle to really create that vanity vibe. Now that I think about it, I kinda feel bad for the customers I had when I had just started out here. And while internally groaning at every wrapping request, I once again started thinking about what present to give to Ayase-san, which has been on my mind a lot these days. That being said, I was still careful to not ruin any of my wrapping for the customers.

A birthday present, huh? I began thinking while letting my hands move automatically, almost like a robot. Honestly speaking, I still had no plan or present in mind. What should I even give her? What would she be happy to receive? Even when I prepared a present for Narasaka-san, I basically let Ayase-san handle everything. Thankfully it all worked out since she knows Narasaka-san's preferences.

"Good work, you two."

The manager's voice brought me back to reality. While I was absentmindedly working, the number of customers lining up in front of the registers had decreased drastically.

"You'll get help soon, just power through the rest."

"Yes."

The pain of Yomiuri-senpai's absence had once again been made clear to us. We had absolutely no time to tend to the situation at the bookshelves or displays. We had been standing at the cash registers the entire time.

"That was rough. Thankfully we've got a bit of breathing room now," Ayase-san said.

"It's pretty tough with just the two of us, yeah." n-(o.-v.-ε-.l-/b-)I))n

"I'm a bit worried about Yomiuri-san."

"I hope it's just a seasonal cold... But I guess we've gotta be careful ourselves."

Once I confirmed that we had a brief break of customers, I quickly stepped away from the cash register.

"I'll go check out the situation in the store."

"Please do."

While being careful to not rush around like a maniac, I went to check the number of magazines on the displays and books inside the bookshelves. And I also looked around to see if any customer needed help. Sure enough, I found a husband looking for a certain mystery series his wife had asked him to buy, so I quickly guided him to where it was. I figured it would be a novel, but it turned out to be a comic, and after I guessed one publisher, it was actually another, so even helping him out cost me a bit of time.

Once I made it back to the cash register, I was greeted by another line of customers. I guess I can't waste any more time looking after the shopping area. I went back to the counter and opened up a second cash register. After around an hour, another employee came to help us, and we were finally able to take a breather.

When our shift ended and we stepped out of the bookstore, the darkness of night was already greeting us. The streets were illuminated by the Christmas lights, lighting our way home as I pushed my bike while Ayase-san walked next to me. Every breath I let out was snow white, and holding the handlebars was painfully cold. Gripping them even slightly made my fingers hurt immediately.

"Don't you have any gloves?" Ayase-san asked from next to me.

"I'm always afraid my hands will slip from the handlebars if I wear any. Well, it's just a problem of sensation, I guess."

Objectively speaking, it's a bit dubious if it will make my hands slip easier if I wear gloves. Then again, there are special gloves specifically made for bikes, so considering my own safety, it might be best for me to buy them. Some schools in the Tokyo area are already adjusting their school regulations to make people with bikes wear helmets as they travel to school. Suisei High still isn't affected, but maybe it won't take too long until we are. And in that case, they might go ahead and add regulations to require gloves, too.

"Then you definitely need some," Ayase-san commented after listening to my thoughts.

I could pick up a faintly worried tone from her voice. When I noticed that, I couldn't find the courage to just lightly respond "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll look into that."

Though I don't know how I feel about getting an actual helmet in addition to some gloves.

"You're not wearing a scarf, either. Aren't you cold?"

"That one's definitely too dangerous. What if the scarf gets caught in the gears while I'm riding my bike?"

"I see. That makes sense."

"I'd have to either tuck it inside my clothes or get one of those neck warmers. That being said, I've never really been bothered by the cold that much."

"I see," Ayase-san nodded. "But it's freezing today, no? Hey, turn your bike this way."

"Huh? But that's really hard to walk, no?"

I didn't know what exactly her reasoning was, but I moved the bike away from the roadside, putting it between me and Ayase-san. It made me feel like the distance between us had grown, which disappointed me a bit. Following that, Ayase-san moved her left hand towards the handlebar of the bike, placing it on my left right hand—Ahh, I see.

If I kept the bike in the same position, Ayase-san would have to stretch her arm past me as we walked, which would be a pain to do and kind of dangerous. Thanks to this, I could feel the warmth of her glove covering the back of my hand.

"Is it a bit warmer?"

"Ah... yeah..."

"It would have been too dangerous otherwise, so this is all I could come up with."

"I know, thanks."

She had to be careful not to press her hand against mine too much, but even this was enough to cover my hand from the wind, and it allowed me to feel her warmth, if only a bit. After that, we simply continued to walk next to each other in silence. We couldn't avoid running into other people passing us by, and I couldn't help but be conscious of how they must look at us holding hands like this. Though I do understand that it's not exactly something that stands out like a sore thumb. In order to hide my own embarrassment, I opted to bring up the exam results we had gotten back today. When I told Ayase-san my score, she reluctantly confessed hers—815 points. Since I had 819, I won with a small 4-point difference, which caused Ayase-san to comment with a defeated expression.

"I lost again..."

"It's just four points, so that's really small stuff. Plus, it's amazing that you got a 94 in modern literature."

It's impressive that she's increased her grades that much in only half a year. Plus, I'm still attending a prep school on the side. If Ayase-san joined my prep school, she'd probably leave me in the dust right away. She might even get into the top 10 of the student year with ease. But when I mentioned that, Ayase-san shook her head.

"I have no plans of going there."

"Well, it costs a lot, so I understand."

Plus, there's also Ayase-san's personality of how she never wants to rely on anyone else, so she's probably dead-set on achieving everything with her own studying capabilities.

"I mean, I'm not so stubborn as to say I'll never go... But I just wouldn't want to trouble my family if that resulted from me attending prep school. And just as you said before, sometimes it's important to also rely on others."

"Oh, that? Well, I basically just stole that from Yomiuri-senpai, though."

"But it's just that right now I don't really feel like going, I guess?"

"If you ever change your mind, just let me know. I'll help you get prepared for everything."

"Thanks," Ayase-san said, as I felt her putting a bit more strength into the grip of her hand on top of mine.

It wasn't an oppressive pressure that wouldn't let me move, but it conveyed her warmth even more fiercely than before. My breath was still white, the winter breeze entering through my collar was freezing, and yet that one hand was scorching hot.

"Plus, if we were together..."

Her faintly muttered words didn't reach my ears. When I turned my head to look at her, she had already directed her gaze forward, piercing through the darkness of the night. The crowd of people and nightly noise slowly but surely grew more distant as we started walking down a narrow street that directed us toward our home. After we passed by the yellow lights of a parking lot, we—my step-sister and I—saw the lights of our flat in the distance.

Upon entering our home, we first looked at the dining table. A vinyl bag sat there, which seemed to contain a lunch box or something of that sort. After that, our attention was drawn to the small note attached to it.

'Dinner!'

I quickly checked my LINE messages. My old man had sent me one, which said 'I bought you some snacks for when you get back from work.'

We checked inside the bag. "Oh, gyoza," I said.

"And this here is sweet-and-sour pork and pepper steak." Ayase-san took out the contents of the bag and placed them on the table.

Since our shift had to be adjusted, neither Ayase-san nor I had the time to get home after school and prepare anything for dinner. He probably knew this and had bought this for us. And as for the person in question, he most likely had already eaten and gone to bed. Akiko-san, naturally, is still at work.

"Do you want any soup, Asamura-kun?"

"We should have some boil-in-the-bag soup. I'm good to go with that. What about you, Ayase-san?"

Since she nodded in agreement, I stuffed my hand into the food shelf and grabbed a bag of corn soup. It's the granular type. While the electric kettle was boiling some water, I took out two soup bowls and placed them on the table. In the meantime, Ayase-san placed the vegetables from the plastic bag on several plates. If it was just me, I'd simply eat it cold with the plastic tableware that came with it, but Ayase-san always warms up the food, and she likes using our own tableware instead. Apparently, it's her policy to make it look as good as it tastes, and seeing the steaming vegetables on the blue plates does increase my appetite. After adding some hot rice, we got together and started eating.

"So that's the sauce you use, Asamura-kun," Ayase-san muttered.

"Huh? Is it weird?" I asked, confused.

Both of us were using the tare sauce from a small plate in front of each of us to eat the gyoza. At a glance, I couldn't tell the difference, but upon closer inspection of her sauce, I finally realized what she meant.

"That's a sweet one, right?"

"Yep, sweet. Are you only using soy sauce?"

"Huh? Isn't that what you normally eat with gyoza?"

"It's gotta be sweet, no?"

"...Well, is it good?"

"That's my line."

I can't even imagine the taste. I just blurted that out in the heat of the moment, and Ayase-san slid her small plate toward me. She's probably telling me to try it out. But my body came to a sudden halt. Can I really use the same plate as her? Even amongst families, there are instances where you wouldn't want to share something. I personally am the type of person who isn't bothered by it, but still. I'm conscious about it for a different reason. Instead of dwelling too long on it, I just told myself that this was a normal thing for a family to do.

I dunked my gyoza into her sweet sauce and took a bite. Since it was still warm, I felt the steaming juices fill my mouth as the skin covered my teeth. Along with that was the flavor of the sweet sauce. It's different from the taste I'm used to. But it's not too sweet for me to eat. It's just as tasty, I just can't explain it.

"I see, so that's what it tastes like."

"Is it good?"

"Yep, I think so. I feel like it's a bit lacking in some areas, but the taste is a lot more refined."

"Right? And it's even better with pepper."

"What's Akiko-san's preference?"

"She's the same as me. Soy sauce is a bit too rich-tasting for her."

"I see. Ah, wanna try mine, too?"

I slid my small plate over towards her. Ayase-san grabbed one piece of gyoza with her chopsticks, put it into the soy sauce, and carried it back to her mouth, only to momentarily pause. However, she quickly continued and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Mhm, it tastes like soy sauce."

"Shocking, right?"

We took back our respective plates and continued to eat in silence. Around the time we finished our dinner, I brought up the topic that I had been thinking about on the way home.

"So, about our birthdays."

Ayase-san raised her head.

"Hm? You mean the presents we'll give each other?"

"Yep, I was thinking about a present to get you. Is there anything you want?"

"Ah, I was gonna ask the same thing."

So she's the same, huh? We do really resemble each other when it comes to things like this. I doubt either of us would be happy if we received something we wouldn't enjoy. And that's exactly why we both wanted to check anything beforehand. That's why we decided to ask each other instead of coming up with something ourselves.

"Also, the price. I'd rather not have it be something too expensive."

"True. You're trying to save money, after all."

"So... is there something you'd like, Asamura-kun?"

A question like that out of the blue isn't gonna be an easy one to answer. That being said, I knew that saying "Anything would be fine" is absolutely out of the question. It's like saying "I'm fine with anything" after being asked what you'd like to eat. Instead, I just asked her to give me a bit of time to think about it.

"How about a neck warmer?"

"Ah, because of what we were talking about before?"

On the way home just now, she did mention that I looked cold, especially around my neck. I just said that wearing a scarf would be too dangerous. Following that train of thought, it's quite likely she had considered giving me a scarf as a present. And since a neck warmer isn't too expensive, it'd make for a good gift.

"What about you, Ayase-san? Anything in particular you want?"

I received an immediate response.

"Soap I could use for bathing."

"Soap...?"

I didn't quite expect that answer. When thinking about presents, I think the majority would want something that symbolizes or shapes the love someone has for you.

"I mean, even if I receive something that'll stay with me every year, I'll end up wearing presents all over my body at some point, and if the presents end up broken or ruined, I'll be forced to throw away something that was one precious to me. If that's the case, I'd rather get something that can be used up from the start."

That train of thought is very much like Ayase-san. At first glance, it might seem cold and distant, but if you flip it around, it makes it sound like Ayase-san is giving her opinion under the premise that our relationship and exchanging presents will continue for years to come. It's not gonna be over after just one birthday. She speaks this way because I'm someone she'll keep exchanging presents with...

"Got it. Then, your present this year will be soap."

Ayase-san understood what I meant by that statement and showed me a happy smile.