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Chapter 5
At last, the weekend had arrived. And yet, it was still the very first weekend.
It amazed me that not even a full week had passed since that dramatic incident—the one that had changed my life so drastically.
Normally, today I would’ve been going to see a movie with the girl I loved.
But she wasn't the same girl anymore, and of course our date plans had been wiped clean, and I’d ended up spending the whole morning in a daze.
Even before we became boyfriend and girlfriend, I’d spent most of my life with her—Karen.
Ӗ n̈ u m̌ ā
A day off without Karen—something I hadn’t experienced in ages.
I didn’t know how I was supposed to spend it—and as I thought about that pointlessly, my phone buzzed.
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【Meet in front of the station at 2 p.m.】
A curt message. There was only one person it could be.
【Aren’t you still at school today? You’re in advanced placement, aren’t you?】
【It’s only the morning. If it’s 2 p.m., I have plenty of time to go home and change.】
Ё n̆ û m̄ а . і_ď
【I see. Then I should have been the one to invite you.】
【Oh? Then I should have made you wait.】
It wasn’t written anywhere, but for some reason I could hear an unspoken “Liar, liar,” layered underneath. Yes, ma’am. You’re absolutely right.
After finishing that exchange with Mamiya-san, I got out of bed.
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Because once my schedule went from blank to completely filled, I had no choice but to start preparing right away.
...Or rather, I was just restless and couldn’t sit still.
Е n̊ům а̌.і̄ d́
“Come to think of it, this might be the first time we’ve met in casual clothes...”
I muttered to myself, deciding on my own to exclude yesterday’s tracksuit.
And as for Mamiya-san, I’d genuinely never seen her in anything but her uniform. So my impression of her was basically Mamiya-san = uniform... No, that won’t do. I can’t even picture what she looks like in casual clothes.
She said she’d go home and change, so she’d definitely come in casual clothes, but... she’d probably look good in anything, which just made her harder to imagine. She wore her uniform perfectly, too.
“Also... what are we even doing if we’re meeting at the station?”
Depending on the plan, the outfit I should choose would change.
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Guys don’t have as many options as girls, but even so, depending on what I wore, I could end up embarrassing Mamiya-san... Like if we were going somewhere with an upscale atmosphere, like that café the other day...
“Hmm...”
I once heard the phrase, “A battle-date starts the night before.” The idea was that preparation was the key to a successful date.
It felt like I didn’t have nearly enough time to agonize over this... Ah, seriously—she could’ve told me yesterday!
“...No, if that’s the case, then I should’ve invited her yesterday in the first place. If the battle starts the night before...”
Not that it helped to complain about it now.
Е̃n̈ ù m̃ а̀
Come to think of it, up until now, I might not have worried much about what to wear for a date. As Karen’s childhood friend, I knew what she liked, I generally knew where we were going, and I could pick something on reflex.
The reason I was worrying like this now was because I still didn’t know Mamiya-san very well. What kind of clothes she liked, what kind of person she wanted to walk beside...
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I didn’t want her to dislike me, sure, but more simply, I wanted her to be happy. It might seem overdramatic to obsess over an outfit, but... there was a hypothetical enemy in play, too.
“...I can still spend another thirty minutes worrying.”
With that, I steeled myself again and plunged my hand back into the closet.
◇
W̃ӗ_b n̄о̇v е.l Е̌ ňu mä
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Watanuki-kun. I made you wait, didn’t I?”
“No, I only just got here, too.”
No, seriously—I’d barely made it. Right before leaving the house, I’d ended up hesitating at the worst possible moment, wondering if this was really okay.
I smiled back at Mamiya-san when she arrived... but that pasted-on smile was quickly undone.
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“...What?”
In a slightly irritated—no, anxious—way, Mamiya-san pursed her lips and looked away.
Е́n um_ă
She touched her long hair with her right hand, like she was a little nervous.
“No, I just thought it really suits you.”
“...Even if it’s just flattery, I’m happy.”
She emphasized flattery in an exasperated way and gave me a half-lidded look. She didn’t believe me at all, but I had absolutely no intention of flattering her, so I denied it clearly.
“It’s not flattery. I’m not trying to be suave or anything.”
“Oh, really?”
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She still sounded doubtful... though she turned her face away like she was hiding her embarrassment.
The fact was, Mamiya-san really was beautiful—and that was what surprised me.
As for her outfit—her look—if I had to sum it up, the word that fit best was: springlike.
A knit dress with boots—an outfit that somehow felt both cool and warm at the same time. It didn’t look like she’d gone out of her way to dress up, but it gave off a casual, approachable vibe... and a kind of cuteness, too.
What surprised me was that, for someone who looked so cool and mature, her look made her seem a little younger. I’d expected something more formal...
“I’m not very knowledgeable about clothes. It’s embarrassing to admit as a high schooler, but... I’ve hardly ever picked out my own outfits.”
Ẇ е b n о̄vе̌l Е̌n ŭm а́
“Really?”
“At the very least, once I started middle school, I had the convenient option of a uniform. And this outfit is my mother’s taste.”
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I couldn’t imagine a uniform being enough to get through every weekend... but maybe it was. She didn’t seem to have a very wide social circle, after all.
“Well, I did try to choose something that seemed decent from what I had... But if you’re saying it’s nice, I’ll take that as a passing grade. Of course, the one who deserves the credit is my mother, so when I get home, I’ll tell her you complimented her.”
“No, you should probably not do that...”
Wе̂b̆ñӧ v̆ е̃ l Е n ù m̆ ӑ
“Is that so? Then I won’t.”
Her engagement to Shibaki was probably still ongoing, and if her parents found out she was on a date with another guy—changing into casual clothes after school just for it... I couldn’t even imagine what they’d think, but it definitely wouldn’t end well.
“I think your outfit suits you, too.”
“Haha, thanks.”
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To be fair, there probably wasn’t much about my outfit worth praising. A long-sleeve T-shirt, jeans, sneakers... It was as basic as it gets.
In the end, I played it safe. Well, playing it safe is a good thing.
Е̇ṅu m̃ а
“So, um... where are we going today? ...Wait, come to think of it, this time it’s my turn to decide where we go.”
“No. You showed me around your hometown yesterday, didn’t you?”
“No, that wasn’t like—”
“One time is one time. A debt is a debt.”
So serious... Well, if that worked for her, I didn’t have anything to say.
“And I’ve already decided where we’re going today. This way.”
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Mamiya-san started walking as if to lead the way—then quickly stopped.
“...”
“Mamiya-san?”
“You’ve officially made a clean break with that woman, haven’t you?”
“Y-yes. That’s... what I intend.”
It still hurt when it was brought up, but it was true. I couldn’t just wallow in sentiment—I had to accept it properly...
Е̌ ńù m̈ а̊. ї d
“Then it won’t be a problem anymore if someone we know sees us.”
“Huh?”
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Murmuring that meaningfully, she—took my hand.
“There’s a saying: ‘Start with the familiar.’”
“Um... if I remember right, it means you should start something with what’s close at hand?”
“Exactly. And if we’re going to ‘date,’ even if it’s just a pseudo-romance, we have to put it into practice—even if only with simple things—or the purpose itself will become hollow.”
Ẇè b̃nô v е l̀ Е n̊u m̃ а̇
“I get what you’re saying... but is that why you’re doing this?”
“Yes. Couples hold hands for no reason, don’t they?”
It was pointless… it wasn’t like we were doing it to keep from getting lost or anything.
“So, for now, let’s make it today’s mission to hold hands for no reason. It might feel a little hard to move, but we might get used to it faster than you’d think.”
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“A mission… o-okay. If that’s fine with you, Mamiya-san.”
“And that, too.”
Е.n üm̃ а
“That? …What do you mean, ‘that’?”
As soon as she said we should hold hands, Mamiya-san immediately let go of my right hand and thrust her index finger right up at the tip of my nose.
I tried turning around just in case, but there was nothing that seemed to be what she was pointing at.
“Your way of addressing me. ‘Mamiya-san’… doesn’t it feel strange to call your girlfriend something so distant and formal?”
“Huh, is it that formal…?”
“I don’t know the details either, but shouldn’t you use something that feels more familiar? Like… say………… Amou-tan, or something.”
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“A-Amou-tan…?”
“I-I don’t know! It’s just—yesterday I read a man— a book, and that’s the kind of nickname style they used!”
She had totally started to say “manga,” didn’t she?
Apparently, in Mamiya-san’s own way, she was trying to study up on romance… and her textbook was manga. It was true the world was overflowing with romance manga—probably more than you could finish reading in an entire lifetime.
“If we’re going with that logic, then what should I call you, Mamiya-san?”
“…………Trying to make me say it out loud… you’re a real sadist, aren’t you?”
W̆ е b́ nо v̄е̊l̈ Еn üm̆ а̂
“No, that’s a misunderstanding!”
To be fair, saying “Amou-tan” out loud based on the whole Amou = Amou-tan nickname theory was pretty brutal.
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So should I be the one to give her a nickname instead…? If I was going to follow the rule, then… yeah…
“Then Mamiya-san is… Sachi-tan… I guess.”
This was… way more embarrassing than I’d imagined.
Even though it wasn’t me—no, precisely because it was me calling her that—I felt insanely embarrassed!
Ẅẽb̈_ň о v ӗ l̇ Е̃ ñŭ ma_
It felt like… the kind of nickname only a cringey lovey-dovey couple would use…
“S-Sachi-tan…”
And when Mamiya-san got called that nickname, her face turned red as she made the corners of her mouth twitch like she was holding something back.
“…Is it just my imagination, or do I feel like you’re kind of making fun of me?”
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“It’s your imagination. I don’t mean anything like that, not even a little.”
“I see… right. The fact that there isn’t a shred of malice makes it even worse, you know.”
W̆ӗ b́ ñо́_v̈еl Е̇ňu m а
That was one side of nicknames.
Sometimes they made someone feel approachable, but other times they inevitably came off childish—or like you were teasing them.
“How about a cooler nickname… Watanuki Amou, WATANUKI AMOU……”
“You don’t have to force it, do you?”
“No, it’s not good to give up before you even try.”
Maybe some switch had flipped, because Mamiya-san started agonizing over it seriously.
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“There’s still time before we reach our destination. Come on—Watanuki-kun, you think too.”
“O-okay.”
Of course, she meant a nickname for Mamiya-san.
Mamiya Sachika. MAMIYA SACHIKA……
I’d never really given someone a nickname before, so nothing was coming to mind at all…
So, with an unexpected assignment in front of us, we completely forgot about the whole “holding hands” thing we’d started with and spent the entire walk just agonizing over it.
Ёnu m̈а́
And that was how our first weekend date began—an aimless, messy kind of vibe.
◇
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“…And, we’ve arrived, wamonusu— n-no, that one also feels like I’m trying too hard.”
Was it really just “a little”?
I felt so relieved that this time was finally over that I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
The nickname battle had taken on the shape of an all-out mudslinging match. We’d used up most of the basic patterns, and by the end it was like we’d overturned the toy box and started playing with the dust that had gotten stuck in the corners.
Ӗ nu m̄ å_
Patterns where we messed with her surname—like Maa-chan, Mamiyan, and Miyacchi.
And then we thoroughly messed with her given name too—Sacchin, Sachikachi, Chika-chan… and so on.
We tried hybridizing the surname and the given name, and even lightly poking at her looks—no, really, it was a desperate move. From the start I hadn’t thought a good nickname would come out of this, but even so, we kept up this empty thousand-knock drill.
The last one that came out was “wamonusu”… taking the “wa” from Watanuki and the “mo” from Amou, then summoning “nusu” from somewhere. Mamiya-san probably didn’t want me to dig any deeper into that either.
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…Anyway, putting that aside for now.
“I never would’ve guessed the destination would be here.”
W̊ е ḃ n o v̇ еl_ Е nũm̌ а̀
The place Mamiya-san had brought me to was an arcade.
One of several scattered around the station area. I’d been here a few times myself, but I never expected Mamiya-san to be the one to bring me.
“Just now, I felt like we were playing a game on hard mode.”
“True.”
With a faint sense of fatigue like my head was being squeezed, I nodded.
Coming up with nicknames was harder than you’d think. You had to associate something from the other person’s name or traits, then say a catchy phrase out loud while pushing past your own embarrassment. Still, the fact that thinking up nicknames made me want to know more about Mamiya-san might not be such a bad side to it.
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“I’ve been interested for a while. But going in alone is a bit of a hurdle, isn’t it?”
After ramen, it turned out Mamiya-san was surprisingly cautious… no, an arcade was an enclosed space, and for a girl to go in alone, it was only natural that she'd be on guard.
“That’s kind of unexpected. Do you play games a lot?”
“No. I have a little experience with board games, but… you know how places like this are sometimes attached to hot spring inns? Ever since I was little, they’d catch my eye and I’d wonder what they were like.”
“Ah, yeah—those arcade corners always make you want to play for no reason.”
“I see… If there’s a different kind of fun to be had, then maybe someday I could try it.”
W е b̊ n о̂v̌ е́l E n̈û mа̇
“Huh?”
“What?”
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“…No, it’s nothing.”
It almost sounded like she was open to the idea of going on a hot spring trip with me someday… no, that wasn’t it. She hadn’t said anything about going with me.
“Come on, don’t just stare at the sign forever—let’s go inside. Games are meant to be played… Amou?”
“Ah… yeah, Sachika.”
Ẁ е̌b̄n о̆ vӗ l E.n̈um̃ а
She took my hand and tugged me along… and then she called me by name.
I understood the rule immediately.
Maybe it was because we’d filled my head with nothing but her while thinking up nicknames.
At this point, calling her by her first name didn’t feel awkward at all.
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◇
There were all kinds of games inside an arcade, but in my amateur opinion, they broadly split into two types.
W̌ĕ b̆ ǹо̂ v е l En u m̄ ӓ
One was purely for the experience of playing. The other was the kind where, depending on how well you did, you could win prizes—plushies and other “prize” items.
Mamiya-san seemed to like the latter.
“Hehe.”
“…What? Was it that funny?”
“No, it’s just… I thought as much.”
She was smart and serious—so I figured she’d prefer getting something in return over just killing time playing games. It was a preconception I’d formed, but the fact I’d been right made it a little funny.
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“They call these crane games, right? There are shops that have machines like this outside, too.”
“Yeah.”
“So it’s just that I recognize them.”
Despite her words, Mamiya-san carefully inspected each machine, examining the prizes inside one by one.
Despite talking tough, she didn’t seem like she was going to stubbornly march off to some other game.
“…! This is—!”
Ŵ ѐḃn̊ ov е̃ l̄ Ӗ ǹ ú m̊а̌
While she was doing that, Mamiya-san’s eyes lit up. What she was staring at was a plush of a character from a nationally famous game—one especially well-known among them, a yellow mouse.
“Did it catch your eye?”
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“Uh… y-yes. I’m not really knowledgeable about this sort of thing… but I do know this one. If I remember right, it won’t evolve unless you give it a special stone!”
For anyone who knew the series, that was pretty basic, surface-level common knowledge.
But Mamiya-san’s eyes were shining like she’d just uncovered a universal truth.
“You know your stuff?”
W е̊ b n̈о̂ v̌ ѐ l̆ É n̆ ũ m a
“I mean, it’s something I was taught back in kindergarten, so it’s probably out of date.”
Saying that, Mamiya-san took a hundred-yen coin from her wallet and fed it into the slot. It looked like she’d decided on her target.
She moved the crane to try to grab the plush… but it only managed to brush against the fur.
“Mmh. It’s not as easy as it looks.”
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“If it were that easy to win, it wouldn’t be much of a business. Let me try.”
“Do you have some kind of special technique?”
W е̃ b ñ o v е ĺ Еn̄ ü m а
“Not anything that dramatic, but I watched videos and studied for a while… and practiced, too.”
Saying that, I used my own money and moved the crane.
A plush about the size you could hold in both arms. With these, it was good to slip an arm under it, or hook the tag… maybe here?
I lined up the aim and let go of the button.
The crane moved slowly toward the tag on the plush’s butt—and by sheer luck, it snagged it in one smooth motion!
“Wah! Amazing! That’s amazing!!”
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“I can’t believe it worked in one try… maybe it’s beginner’s luck.”
I was honestly stunned myself.
Crane games like this rarely had the grip strength to lift a prize's full weight. But thanks to it catching the tag just right, it carried it all the way to the goal without dropping it.
“Here. Go on.”
“Huh—are you giving it to me?”
“Did you think I wasn’t?”
W̄ėb̌ ṅ ӧ v е̌l̀ Е ň u m а̃
Mamiya-san obviously knew who had wanted it, and who I’d won it for.
“Then, the money…”
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“You don't have to pay me back!”
It was just one play. For a single play like that, it hardly even counted as showing off.
Feeling like she was in my debt might have made her uncomfortable, but…
“It’s a present from your boyfriend, Sachika.”
Ӗn u m ȧ
In the end, it felt like saying it clearly was the fastest way. It was weirdly embarrassing, though.
“O-oh. Okay.”
Maybe that embarrassment was contagious, because even Mamiya-san ended up getting shy.
She lowered her gaze as she accepted the plush… then hugged it tight.
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“Ah… thank you, Amou.”
Being straightforward felt childish and embarrassing. But I wanted to say thanks.
Е̌ ṅ ŭmа
Seeing her act that cute made me happy, too. It meant the little bit of luck I’d offered up hadn’t been for nothing.
I put the plush into the prize bag, then started browsing crane games again. Thanks to having cleared my first hurdle so easily, I felt comfortable trying even with only mild interest, but the only time I managed to win something cleanly in one try was that first time.
“You said you practiced for a while—was there some prize you really wanted?”
While we played crane games, Mamiya-san brought it up. She was probably trying to figure out my hobbies, but…
“There was something Karen said she wanted.”
“Ah…”
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Mamiya-san looked down awkwardly. I’d answered like it was nothing, but it seemed like I’d made her feel like she had to be careful.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s already over… and if I keep avoiding it, I’ll never be able to put it behind me.”
I had a lot of memories with Karen. Most of my life had existed alongside her, and it would be hard to keep avoiding her forever. If I let myself be miserable and full of regret every time her name came up, I’d never get anything done.
To be honest, I still hadn’t completely sorted out how I felt. There was a saying—“Once it’s past your throat, you forget the heat”—but in this case, the sting was still fresh, as sharp as it could be.
And trying to swallow it alone was hopeless. So I decided to lean on Mamiya-san a little.
It was selfish, but… I had the feeling Mamiya-san would accept it.
Е̌n.ǔ m̆ а . íd
“Then I’ll ask without holding back—did she like it?”
Maybe she’d sensed what I was feeling, instead of avoiding the subject, Mamiya-san took a bold step forward and pressed the issue.
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“No, I couldn’t get it in the end. That frustrated me, so I practiced thinking, next time for sure… but I only went to an arcade that one time. You know, it’s pretty loud.”
There was the store BGM, and each machine made noise, too.
It depended on the place, but this one—and the arcade I’d gone to on a date with Karen back then—both fell into the “loud” category.
“Guess it didn’t suit her.”
Е̂nu m̆ а̌._іd
“Selfish… no, honestly, I kind of get how she felt about that. Even now, I can’t quite relax.”
As she said that, Mamiya-san hugged the plush—bag and all—tight against her.
“But I thought I’d like to come again. I got a taste of success, and… it doesn’t suit me to just keep receiving things from you.”
“If you say that, I’m happy.”
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At the very least, it meant the practice I’d thought ended as a total miss had still had plenty of meaning—ah.
While I was talking and fiddling with the crane, I managed to move the cushion I’d been aiming for into a good position.
Ė ñům̀ a
“Ah, so close. It got caught on the plastic lip by the drop…”
Mamiya-san murmured that regretfully, but this was fine.
This place had the arm strength set pretty high, and from this position—
“Sachika, you might be able to get it next try.”
“Huh, really?”
“Yeah. It’s perfectly perched right now—see, it’s leaning on the lip by the exit. So if you can lift the back of it just right and shift the center of gravity, you can drop it into the goal.”
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“But depending on how it falls, it could bounce somewhere weird, couldn’t it?”
“If that happens, it can’t be helped.”
“Ugh… that’s a lot of responsibility.”
I’d hesitated to declare it “easy,” and just nodded honestly, but that seemed to have piled extra pressure on her.
I remembered the look in Karen’s eyes the first—and only—time we came to an arcade. I’d aimed for the prize Karen wanted and tried a few times… and in the end, I couldn’t get it.
Karen had acted considerate toward me, but she must’ve been disappointed, too. I hadn’t noticed at the time, but looking back now, that felt like the natural outcome.
W̆ е b n o v̈ е̃l̇ Ẽ ǹúḿа
It was obvious from the fact that an arcade never came to mind as a date destination again. Part of it was probably her being considerate, but it was just as likely she’d found it boring, too.
Reflecting on that now, I wanted to let Mamiya-san win a prize with her own hands, so I wouldn’t force the same failure on her.
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Earlier, Mamiya-san had said she’d gotten a success experience. But if she could have the success experience of actually winning a prize herself, today would become an even more positive memory.
It wasn’t like I desperately wanted to come back to an arcade, but if Mamiya-san could end up thinking she wanted to come here again, nothing could be better than that.
But if it turned into the opposite of success—a failure experience—then she might slump her shoulders, and if things went poorly, she’d blame herself for wasting my efforts, which would sour her mood for the rest of the day.
Mamiya-san was earnest, and surprisingly sensitive. It felt a little wrong for me—someone who’d hurt her again and again with thoughtless words—to say that, but…
Еn u m̄ а. і d
Then…
I took a moment to figure out how to make this work. If it succeeded, it would be Mamiya-san’s achievement; if it failed, it would be my fault—if only I could set things up that way.
“…Amou?”
After a few seconds of silence, Mamiya-san asked, looking doubtful—and a little uneasy.
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“I was thinking if there was a good way. And… I thought of one.”
“What do you mean?”
Е̄ǹu m а̇
“Sachika, lend me your hand.”
I didn’t mean it as the common figure of speech; I meant it literally.
I placed my hand over hers as she tilted her head in confusion.
“Hyah!? W-what…!?”
“Let’s press the button together. I can tell you the timing.”
A little surprised by her oddly flustered reaction, I explained what I meant.
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I didn’t know if it was the best method, but it was more reliable than trying to time it with verbal cues, and this way we could split the responsibility fifty-fifty.
“…You really have a habit of doing things like this, don’t you?”
“That side?”
“It’s fine. Then… let’s do this as a joint effort.”
As she said that, Mamiya-san turned her face away with a little huff, her neck faintly red. Still, if she truly hated it, she would’ve brushed my hand away without hesitation.
I slipped a hundred-yen coin in for her while she kept her hand on the button. Then, once again, I layered my hand over hers.
Wѐb̆ n о v еl̃ Е̄ n ũm̊а
“Okay… here we go.”
I gave the signal and pressed down on her hand to trigger the button.
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For an instant, I felt her body tense up, but she let her hand follow my lead, trusting me completely.
Even so, I didn’t have the leeway to focus on that—I just watched the arm’s movement carefully. I was aiming for the edge of the cushion: hook it there, flip it over, and send it into the goal.
Of course I couldn’t say it would definitely work, but I wanted it to. Wishing for it to go well, I eased off my hand at the point that felt best to me, and Sachika followed along.
Just like the image in my head, the arm descended—and just like the image, it lifted the cushion. Sachika and I held our breath and watched. The instant it rose, my heart jolted, but .if we did something stupid like shaking the cabinet and dropping the prize, it would be a disaster.
W еb̃nӧ ṽe̊l Е́ ňùm_а̇
We waited, and waited, and waited—until, with a soft thunk, the cushion dropped into the prize chute.
“We did it…”
Rather than sounding happy, Mamiya-san let it out like she was relieved.
She took the cushion from the chute—and taking a closer look, I realized just how strange the cushion was.
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To put it plainly—no, there was no “plainly” about it. There was only one way to say it.
“It really is a huge pudding.”
É n̆ ümа . іd̆
“Yeah.”
Mamiya-san nodded, stared at the pudding-shaped cushion for a moment… then held it out to me.
“Here. You can have it.”
“You hesitated a lot, though.”
“It’s not hesitation…I just don’t feel right claiming it as my own. I’d feel like you essentially won it for me anyway.”
Mamiya-san had been the first one to show interest in this cushion.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
And we’d taken turns playing, and it had been her turn at the end, and she’d been the one touching the button.
This was definitely Mamiya-san’s achievement… though with the look on her face, she probably wouldn’t accept that.
“I’m… more like a coach. I gave you directions, but the one who actually made it happen was you, Sachika. This is your achievement.”
“…I see.”
Mamiya-san stared at the pudding again—then, for some reason, held it out toward me again.
This time she looked more pleased with herself than before.
W ӗ b̂ n о vе́ l Ӗn um̈ а
“Then I’ll give it to you without holding back. This is for you, Amou.”
“Wait, wasn’t it you who wanted it in the first place, Sachika?”
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“I never said that once. I already received the plush you won for me, and logically, it makes sense for me to give you something I won in return, doesn’t it?”
So that was the reason for the resistance she’d shown earlier.
“I thought the design looked amusing, but I meant it would be amusing if you were the one holding it, Amou.”
“You were thinking of me from the start? Then you could’ve just said so.”
W̌е bn о́ v́ѐ ĺ Е̄n̊ǔ m а
“Hehe. It’s because I wanted to see your face when you’re so surprised you can’t even hide your embarrassment properly. If I’d told you, it wouldn’t have had the same impact.”
Apparently, I really was making the kind of face she meant. I was genuinely surprised, and it was embarrassing too, but…
“Got it. Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
“Take care of it for me… or is that what normal couples say?”
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“Then… I’ll answer like a normal couple too—‘You’re what I treasure most, Sachika.’”
I said it as I accepted the pudding cushion.
Е̂ ṅu m̀ а . îd̊
There was no need for anyone to point it out, and no need to look in a mirror. Just like she was, I was definitely blushing.
Yeah, there was no way I could say a line like that unless it was a joke. It wasn't just my face that was on fire—I felt like I might actually explode!
◇
After that, we wandered around the arcade for a while, then left.
It looked like Mamiya-san had gotten interested in other games too, but since we’d spent a lot on crane games, she’d decided to save them as something to look forward to next time.
Since I’d already fed several thousand-yen bills into the machine myself, all I could do was offer my sincere thanks.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Then let’s both cherish them.”
“Yeah. For now, I’ll put it by my pillow.”
“A good idea.”
Sachika had her character plush and I had my pudding cushion—we’d essentially exchanged gifts. Come to think of it, this might be the first time we’d ever given each other something.
The thought made the moment feel even more special.
“Mmn… I’m actually pretty exhausted.”
E n̆u m а̃
“You were concentrating. Maybe we can call it a day?”
“Yeah. It’s already evening—this is probably a good place to end things. Well, see you later, Watanuki-kun.”
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“Ah… yeah, Mamiya—”
The date was over, and we’d immediately reverted to our old ways of addressing each other.
Just as that sense of loneliness tugged at me—like something was pulling me back by the hair—
“Huh?”
W̌ е̊bň ǒ ṽ ẽ l̆ Еn u m a
A voice I knew all too well reached my ears.
A shiver ran down my spine. Before my mind could even process it, I recognized the owner of that voice.
“What are you doing in a place like this, Ak-kun?”
“…Ak-kun.”
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Mamiya-san repeated the name softly.
There was only one person who called me that. When I turned around… sure enough, Karen was standing there.
Е̄n̊ ûmа́. îď
It was Saturday, but for some reason Karen was in her school uniform… no, it wasn't a mystery. If she went to school on the weekend, the uniform was mandatory. Even if it was just to support a club activity.
It meant her relationship with him was still ongoing, and going to school on her days off likely wasn't a new occurrence.
“Is that... the person you were with the other day?”
Karen narrowed her eyes at Mamiya-san.
Her voice was colder than usual, with obvious hostility bleeding through.
“Ak-kun, who’s that?”
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But that hostility was aimed only at Mamiya-san.
When Karen shifted her gaze only slightly and looked at me, the expression on her face was… the same gentle, lovely girl I’d given my first love to.
“S-she’s…”
That smile nearly wrenched the words from my throat—yet as if to shield me, Mamiya-san stepped forward.
“Huh? What?”
“…………”
W̌.еbn̄ ȯ v̆ é l Е̊ n um а̌
Mamiya-san remained silent, but even with her back to me, I could tell she was glaring at Karen.
“…Ak-kun, is she bothering you? Honestly… see, this is why you can’t get by without me, Ak-kun.”
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“…Can’t get by?”
Karen ignored Mamiya-san to speak directly to me, and Mamiya-san finally turned her attention toward Karen—
The air grew heavy.
Come to think of it, this was the first time these two had come face-to-face since that day.
Ẁ ěb n ô v́ ë l Е̇ nû m а̄
To Mamiya-san, Karen was the one who stole her fiancé. And she’d already pried every detail of the situation out of me.
And to Karen… even standing across from her like this, she showed no sign at all of realizing that the witness that day had been Mamiya-san.
“…Ak-kun, shall we go? I don’t know who she is, but she seems like an awful person.”
Words that didn’t sound like Karen—no, maybe this was just another side of her I’d refused to see.
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But I didn’t have the presence of mind to process it. This was a hair-trigger situation.
I knew I was shaken by Karen showing up out of nowhere, but more than that, I was scared because I couldn’t tell when Mamiya-san might explode.
W̄ еb̂n̄o̊vël̀ Е̊n̈ ũ ḿ a
She’d already been furious just hearing me talk about it, and now that facing Karen directly only confirmed that the truth was even worse than she'd imagined. If I looked closely, her shoulders were trembling—she was barely holding it back. It was obvious the fuse had been lit.
When would she blow… no, I had to do something before she did….
But despite my desperation, the words failed me—
“How long are you going to keep acting like you’re his girlfriend?”
“…Huh?”
Mamiya-san beat me to it.
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“I heard. You—broke up with him. With Amou.”
“…Amou?”
Her deliberate use of his first name wasn't just a byproduct of our date; it was a provocation.
And sure enough, Karen’s displeasure was written all over her face.
“I don’t know why a complete stranger is saying things like that, but Ak-kun and I are childhood friends. You have no right to butt in—”
“I do.”
W еb ǹо́ v̇ еl̂ Ӗ numӓ
Mamiya-san cut her off, speaking right over her.
“I’m doing something close to dating him.”
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She said it. She said it clearly.
She phrased it in a way that was exquisitely vague—close to the truth—but at this point, that distinction probably didn’t matter.
In fact, the shock of it seemed to physically strike Karen—she froze, her expression like someone who'd just been grazed by a stray bullet.
E n ŭm ȧ
“You betrayed him, yet you’re acting as if he’s your property—there’s a limit to what you can get away with, even when you’re trying to act cute.”
“...Ak-kun, let’s go. You’re going to choose me, aren’t you?”
Karen ignored Mamiya-san’s words, her face contorting with visible displeasure.
Perhaps she felt there was no point in engaging. Maybe she believed she’d win the argument as long as she "won" me. Or maybe... she wasn't even seeing me.
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“This is pointless… talking is just a waste of time. Let’s go, Amou.”
“Wait... Ak-kun!”
W̄ ĕbñõ v е́_l Еñ u̇m̌ǎ
Karen snapped my name, her tone sharp with a scolding edge.
Ignoring the outburst, Mamiya-san tugged at my hand.
I let her lead me away, trailing pathetically in her wake, while Karen made no move to follow.
Perhaps she believed I’d return on my own without a chase, or maybe she was simply too stunned to move... but there was no way to tell. I didn't have the slightest clue what was going through her head. Not at all...
And so we walked, and walked, without saying a word—
“...I’m sorry. I spoke for you back there without asking first.”
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“Huh?”
“Claiming that we’re essentially dating. Well... it wasn’t exactly a lie, was it?”
“Yeah… that’s not something you need to apologize for. If anything, I—”
If anything, I should have been the one protecting you. I should have been the one to take the lead.
“Don’t worry about it. I did it because I wanted to. Besides, I wanted to see for myself if she truly didn’t remember me.”
“…Yeah.”
Е ňu má .і́d̆
“More importantly, seeing her in person was even more intense than I’d imagined. She’s either incredibly tunnel-visioned or dangerously overconfident. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was already waiting for you on your doorstep.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her. And it's not just the front door—she's so close with my family that there's a real chance she's already made herself at home in my room... I need to prepare for the worst.”
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A heavy sigh escaped me. The whole situation was just draining.
“You haven’t told your family yet.”
“I want to tell them everything, but... I just don’t have the emotional bandwidth for it yet.”
“Of course. I’m the same… after all.”
Wе̂ b́ ñ ó.v е̄l̈ È ǹ.ũm̄а
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust my parents; it’s just that since our families are so close, they’ve always doted on Karen as if she were their own daughter.
Maybe pride played a part—an inability to admit I’d been cheated on—but my real fear was that they’d side with Karen and blame me. I couldn’t exactly rule that out.
God... I’d been having such a good time until a moment ago, and now Karen was completely occupying my thoughts.
“…Mamiya-san, can I return this cushion to you…?”
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“Huh? Why?”
“If I bring home a gift from you, I think it’ll only add fuel to the fire.”
W ěb̃n о̀ v е l̆ Е̂n ůmа̄_
If she found it and ripped it to shreds, that would be the absolute worst.
It was a gift from you, and I wanted to treasure it if I could... but I felt the only way to keep it safe was to not accept it at all.
“So—”
“…Amou.”
“Huh?”
“The date isn’t over yet. Just a little longer—actually, Amou, could you spare me a bit more of your time?”
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She put extra emphasis on my name and squeezed my hand tighter than before.
As if pouring her resolve into the gesture—I won’t let go.
“Sachika...”
“Yeah!”
She nodded with a smile.
Just looking at that smile made me feel like I might be able to forget about Karen a little.
Ёn.ů m а
◇
I let Mamiya-san lead me by the hand for the better part of twenty minutes.
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This time, we didn’t try to come up with nicknames—we just walked in silence, still holding hands.
Strangely, it didn’t feel boring. I was a little anxious about where we were going, but the warmth coming through her hand gradually soothed me.
“Here.”
Where Mamiya-san led me was nothing special—just an ordinary apartment building.
Е n u m̃a
Before I could even wonder what if..., Mamiya-san stepped into the lobby and, with practiced ease, called the elevator.
This was, without a doubt—.
“It’s not my place.”
“It’s not!?”
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I’d been completely off-base!
She read my mind, and yet she didn’t smirk triumphantly or anything—Mamiya-san simply stepped into the elevator.
Ŵ е b̈ n̊ ō v е l̆ Е ǹ üm̄ á
But when I followed her in, I didn’t miss the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth as she stood in front of the control panel.
◇
We rode the elevator up to the seventh floor.
The whole time, Mamiya-san just fiddled with her phone and didn’t explain anything... and my anxiety grew little by little.
It wasn’t like I suddenly distrusted Mamiya-san, but this was an utterly unremarkable apartment building—and not even her home... I couldn’t imagine a single reason she’d bring me here.
‘So this is actually her place... no, that can’t be.’
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I knew Mamiya-san’s family was fairly well-off, though I didn't know the specifics. This building, however, felt less "wealthy" and more "middle-class."
It didn't fit the image I had of her—that was the only basis I had for my doubt, but it was enough.
While I was thinking that, the elevator arrived, and, guided along by Mamiya-san, I stopped in front of the second door. Unit 702. There was no nameplate, but there was a public broadcasting sticker.
“.........”
Without a word of explanation, Mamiya-san pressed the intercom.
From inside the room came a crisp chime—and, for some reason, the sound of frantic scrambling... and as I watched, swallowing hard—.
Е ńū m̈ а
“You’re here already!? Damn it, I’m not done cleaning yet!”
The door flew open, and a man burst out in a panic.
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He had bleached blond hair and an earring in his left ear. He was tall, with a solid build and a well-groomed look—clearly a few years older than us.
“I told you I was coming.”
“Not even thirty minutes have passed! Seriously—what was I supposed to do if I’d been out enjoying a date?”
“You don’t have a girlfriend.”
En̊ ǔ m а̊ . і̃ d̄
“Y-yeah, but... it hurts more when you say it—hnng?”
Mamiya-san spoke in a flat, matter-of-fact tone, prompting a loud complaint from the man.
And then he finally noticed me, standing next to Mamiya-san.
“...Who?”
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He pointed at me as he asked Mamiya-san. I didn’t understand the situation at all either, so I looked at Mamiya-san.
“My boyfriend.”
Е n ŭ m̄ã . і́ d
“Hah!?”
The volume alone made me flinch.
Seeing his eyes pop and his jaw drop, I could more or less guess their relationship—and realized Mamiya-san had just dropped a total bombshell.
A cold sweat began to break out... Had Mamiya-san seriously brought me somewhere I really shouldn't be?
“Don’t shout. You’ll bother the neighbors. Hurry up and let us in, Oniichan.”
Without being the least bit shaken by his reaction, Mamiya-san snapped it out brusquely.
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Oniichan—so he was Mamiya-san’s brother. Looking at him again with that in mind, I could see the strong resemblance in their sharp features.
And she called me her boyfriend in front of her brother... Th-that wasn’t the kind of joke you could just brush off, was it...!?
“W-wait, your—b-boyfriend...?”
“Excuse us. Come on, Amou, get in.”
Maybe she’d run out of patience—Mamiya-san pushed past her brother and stepped into the entryway.
The way she kept using my name was likely because the date was still ongoing, just as she'd said... but wasn't that just adding fuel to the fire?
Ё nŭ m̃а . í d
Obviously, I couldn't just shove past her brother and follow her in... I could only stand there frozen, just like him, in the face of this sudden predicament.
◇
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The interior felt like your average studio apartment.
It was my first time in a place like this, but with loungewear piled messily in the corner and empty convenience store bentos stacked in the sink, the atmosphere was incredibly lived-in. It had such a quintessential living alone vibe that there was really no other way to describe it.
Meanwhile, I’d been ushered into the main area, which served as both a living room and a bedroom.
Across from me, with a low table between us, her brother sat with his cheek propped on his hand, glaring at me openly. He was completely on guard... I understood how he felt, but still...
W̊ е b́ n o vе̃l̄ Еn u̇.mа̂
Mamiya-san, the only one who could actually explain things, had slipped away to the kitchenette in the hallway to make tea. She was just one door away, but it felt unbelievably lonely.
“Hey. What’s your name?”
His tone was lazy, but it carried a heavy weight of intimidation as he spoke.
“I-I’m Watanuki Amou...”
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“Watanuki, huh... And anyway—earlier, didn’t Sachika call you by your first name, Amou!?”
“I-I guess... haha...”
Е̌ ǹ um̌ā. іd̄
It got across loud and clear—so painfully clear.
This guy’s a total siscon! ...Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but there was no doubt he was overprotective of his sister.
And the really big problem was that first thing Mamiya-san had said—
“Are you seriously dating Sachika?”
“Ah, no, um...”
“No, Sachika isn't the type to joke about that. But if it’s true, then something is clearly off... right, Amou-kun?”
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“Ugh...!”
Glaring sharply, he made me shrink back.
The “weird” part was definitely that. They were family—of course he would know.
But I didn’t know how I was supposed to put it into words... and there was no way her brother was going to like that reaction.
“You bastard... Don’t tell me you did something to Sachika—”
“Stop it.”
Еn̆u m̊a . іd
The moment he was about to raise a voice that was practically a threat, Mamiya-san cut him off as she opened the door.
“S-Sachika...”
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“Do you really think I’m the kind of woman who’d give in to blackmail and be unfaithful, Oniichan?”
“N-no, I don’t, but... you, I mean...”
“I’m going to explain everything to you properly, step by step, so calm down first.”
Cool as can be, Mamiya-san took control of the room and set tea-filled cups down on the low table.
W̊еb́ n оv́ êľ Е n ũ_m̌ a
Still reeling, her brother—perhaps trying to steady his nerves—downed the tea in a single gulp.
“Refill!”
“You’re not planning to use that as an excuse to start grilling Amou again, are you?”
“I’m not! I won’t!!”
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“Haa... sorry. Wait a little longer.”
Mamiya-san said that—apologizing only to me—and headed back to the kitchen again.
En̆ ǔmа
Her brother, wearing an awkward, guilty expression like a scolded puppy, waited in silence until Mamiya-san came back.
◇
About ten minutes passed after that—
“...Mmph mmph!”
Her brother, his face a brilliant shade of red, looked like he was desperately trying to scream.
But he remained silent—mainly because Mamiya-san had slapped duct tape over his mouth the moment she'd started her explanation.
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Apparently, the reason was that he’d immediately start yelling and the explanation wouldn’t move forward.
Still, I didn’t think this was his fault.
Because his little sister had just suddenly told him, “My fiancé cheated on me.”
And the reason his face was bright red wasn’t because he was short on oxygen—it was probably because the blood had genuinely rushed to his head.
“Oniichan, if you won’t make a fuss, I’ll take that off.”
“Mmph! Mmph mmph mmph!!”
Е̊n̈ ů ṁ a . і ď
“I see. Then you can stay like that for a while.”
Whatever she was getting from that, Mamiya-san let out an exasperated sigh.
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“Um...”
“If I turn you loose now, you’ll just go and try to kill Soichi. Stay like that until you've cooled off—something like that?”
“How did you understand that just now!?”
“I’m guessing. But judging by your condition, I’m probably not far off.”
Еn̊ ú m a .і̊ d̊
As she said that, Mamiya-san took out her phone and started looking at it.
Even now, her brother was still struggling and trying to shout through the tape, but she ignored him completely.
I had no idea what I was supposed to do... so for now, I stayed perfectly quiet and decided to just wait as time passed.
◇
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And then another ten minutes passed—
“The name’s Mamiya Takayuki. You can just call me Takayuki-kun, Amou-shounen!”
Е ñu m̄ ǎ. īd
Rubbing his lips where the tape had stung, her brother—Takayuki-kun—introduced himself.
His expression was still far from friendly. But even if it was stiff, it didn’t look like he felt angry at me—if anything, he seemed sympathetic.
That was because Mamiya-san had told him everything about Shibaki and Karen’s betrayal—without leaving anything out—and had even shown him video evidence she’d apparently filmed at some point.
Karen and I were childhood friends, and we were in a relationship. By coincidence, Mamiya-san and I witnessed what was on that video at the same time, and the two of us, heartbroken, made a contract between two losers—like licking each other’s wounds.
That was the pseudo-romance—what Mamiya-san’s boyfriend claim really was... and Takayuki-kun already understood that.
“Anyway... well, yeah. This place is pretty cramped.”
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Words that felt like he’d thought a lot and finally managed to squeeze out.
But I didn’t understand what he was trying to say.
“If we squeeze in, we can sleep.”
“Squeeze in—on the floor, right? Who’s sleeping with who?”
“Me and Amou.”
“I—I won’t allow it! Oniichan won’t allow it! And for starters, Amou-shounen isn’t your boyfriend!”
Èṅu ḿа
“He is. Even if it’s pseudo, a boyfriend is a boyfriend.”
“—And even if he were your real boyfriend, the answer is still no! You're too young for that! Amou-shounen and I will take the floor. Sachika, you can have my bed and drift off comfortably surrounded by the scent of your big brother!!”
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“Gross.”
“It’s not gross!!”
Mamiya-san stayed as flat as ever, while Takayuki-kun, on the complete opposite end, made a heartfelt fuss, and the two of them launched into a lively brother-and-sister routine.
Putting the finer details aside—
Ŵ e̊ b̃ n̄ о̀v̇ěl̀ Е̊ ṅǔm ӓ
“Um, so today, I’ll be staying at your—”
“Don't you dare start calling me your brother-in-law!”
This feels like it’s going to create the wrong idea...
“...Staying over at Takayuki-kun’s place, is that what this is?”
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Not knowing whether to ask Takayuki-kun or Mamiya-san, I asked while flicking my gaze back and forth between them.
“Yeah, that’s what I heard. Right, Sachika?”
Е n ūm а̌ . i d̊
“Yes. I didn’t tell you, though.”
“You didn’t tell him!?”
“It’s a little surprise.”
Mamiya-san said it with a smug smile. I couldn’t help letting out a wry smile at that, but Takayuki-kun was different—he looked kind of stunned...
“You... do stuff like surprises, huh...”
“Is that unexpected, Oniichan?”
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“Unexpected, yeah... You just never seemed like the type to pull stunts like that.”
“Then your read on the situation was just sloppy.”
Mamiya-san replied in that same flat tone.
Come to think of it, something had felt off. Mamiya-san’s treatment of Takayuki-kun was chilly, but not hateful—after all, she’d gone out of her way to visit him.
And, as rude as it is to say, that kind of attitude matched the first impression I’d taken on my own.
Cool, not very expressive—if you put it nicely, solitary; if you put it badly, unfriendly. That sort of character.
W.е̇b̌ n ó v̇ еl̂ _E̊ ń um̊ а̃
That hard-to-approach vibe even made me feel a bit wary... only for a split second, though.
Once I actually talked with her, she was surprisingly easy to talk to, and spending time together made it clear she was expressive, too.
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But... maybe this is what she was like originally.
“Like I said earlier, Amou’s ex—if things go badly, she might come into Amou’s room and lie in wait. As his current-girlfriend substitute, it’s my duty to protect him from that.”
“I’d like to think no one would go that far, but she sounds like someone I can't even begin to wrap my head around... Whatever. Amou-shounen, if you're staying, make sure you call your parents. Just a heads up, I toss and turn in my sleep, so watch out!”
Takayuki-kun... At first, I’d gotten a scary impression from him, but now he was bright and soft, and he was looking out for me. There was something about that kindness that carried over to Mamiya-san.
Ѐ n̈ û m а . i̇d̂
“Thank you. Um... sorry.”
“Don’t bother apologizing for the—...actually, no, you should apologize! My precious weekend is ruined, so you’d better feel bad about it!”
“You didn't have plans anyway. Don't apologize, Amou. I was planning to come by tomorrow regardless. As you can see, my brother is a total slob, so I stop in occasionally to clean up and stock his fridge.”
“Ugh... having such a reliable little sister really makes me the luckiest guy alive...”
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“That’s where you say, ‘Sorry for being such an incompetent older brother.’”
“You’re demanding an apology from me!?”
E_ňüm̌а . і d
Despite the awkward circumstances, their snappy back-and-forth brought a small, involuntary smile to my face.
But that atmosphere only lasted for a little while.
“Still, I can’t forgive that bastard Soichi.”
With those words from Takayuki-kun, the air turned heavy all at once.
Of course it did. For him, what happened to me mattered far less than Shibaki hurting Mamiya-san.
“I'm calling Dad and the rest of them this second—”
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“That’s not allowed, Oniichan.”
“Why the hell not!? You’ve even got evidence, don’t you!”
“Not yet.”
Once the conversation shifted to this, I had no choice but to stand by and watch.
An engagement was a far cry from a simple boyfriend-girlfriend relationship—it carried that much more weight.
And the two of them should have been aligned on that point.
E̊ ñ ûm̆ а̊ . і d́
But for some reason, Mamiya-san cut Oniichan off with a lecturing tone.
“Listen, Sachika. You’re the kindest girl in the world, with the most beautiful heart in the world.”
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“That’s genuinely revolting… and don’t start your sentences with listen, either.”
“I’m saying this completely seriously!”
As he said that, Takayuki-kun coughed, like he was switching gears.
“I get that you’re looking out for Amou-shounen. Honestly, Oniichan still doesn’t quite grasp what this pseudo-romance thing even is, but I’m not going to shoot it down. Still, either way, you should hurry up and settle things with Soichi.”
Еn ǔ m а. і.d
“That’s to put together a clear picture of who’s at fault.”
“Yeah.”
At fault… meaning, when an engagement falls apart, where the responsibility lies—whether it’s on Mamiya-san’s side or Shibaki’s.
As things stood, Shibaki—who cheated and got involved with another woman—was one hundred percent in the wrong. Depending on how things went, there might even be something like compensation for breaking the engagement.
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“But if word gets back to Soichi’s side that you and this boy are dating, it could blow up in your face if things go south.”
Even with video evidence, Takayuki-kun was wary of the risk that it could be twisted into something like: Mamiya-san and I had a relationship even before that footage—in other words, that Mamiya-san had cheated first.
E n̊u m̆ а̀
Of course, there was no such truth, and there was no way any evidence would come out.
But there was no doubt the situation would get complicated.
My existence would become Mamiya-san’s weak point. That was—
“It’s fine, Oniichan. And you too, Amou. You don’t have to make that face.”
““Huh!?””
Mamiya-san smiled smugly. Faced with that smile that seemed to blow away our worries, both Takayuki-kun and I could only look baffled.
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It’s fine…? Being suspected of cheating…? How could she brush that off so easily!?
“I don’t particularly want to beat him. At best, I’m thinking it’s enough if I can settle things around even.”
“Hah? Why?”
“Because… my goal isn’t to win in court. It’s to erase the engagement—utterly and completely.”
Erase the engagement...? Wouldn’t Shibaki’s infidelity be enough on its own...?
“Soichi’s parents are good people. But if I had to name their one flaw, it’s that they absolutely dote on their only son.”
Е̌ n̆um_a
“Yeah… that’s true.”
“You know it too, Oniichan. Every time the two of them see me, they say how wonderful it would be if Soichi would marry me.”
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Shibaki’s parents thought highly of Mamiya-san. With an engagement decided by the parents, that wasn’t exactly strange, but…
“Let’s say I present the evidence now and move to break off the engagement. I’m sure the two of them would panic, and this time, even they would seriously scold their precious son. But… even then, they might beg for a chance.”
“A chance… like telling you to take Soichi back and start over?”
“Yes. They’ll lecture him, telling him never to stray again. They'll try to re-educate him. And then ask if we can hold off on ending the engagement for now… They might even get down on their hands and knees and beg. I wouldn't put it past them.”
En ù m̈ ä.і̊ d̃
“Ugh… yeah, maybe…”
I only knew about Shibaki’s parents to the extent that his father was a pro tennis player, but judging by Takayuki-kun’s reaction, it seemed more than plausible.
“If they said that to me… or rather, my parents wouldn’t be able to refuse. Even while furious, they might try to keep up appearances for the two of them and say they’ll overlook it just this once. And then, the engagement won’t be broken, and I’ll stay bound until that man cheats again… or until I actually marry him…”
The sound of gritting teeth escaped Mamiya-san.
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“And then I lose two benefactors who’ve been good to me since I was little, and I lose my parents. It’s hell.”
“N-no, it’s not like that’s definitely what’ll happen.”
Е̊n ů m̄_a
“Yes. That’s exactly why I want to make it certain that it won’t. I’ll bring up breaking off the engagement. Obviously, the one at fault is on their side… but there’s also fault on ours. Because even though the engagement hasn’t been broken yet, there’s already someone else important by my side. There’s no way it can be repaired, is there?”
Like trying to glue a branch snapped in two, but one side—or both—has already warped, and the broken pieces won’t match up at all.
Even if it meant shouldering some of the blame herself, she wanted the bridge to be well and truly burnt by the time our parents tried to interfere... That was why she'd chosen me.
Our eyes suddenly met. It was only natural, given I'd been watching her intently, but despite meeting my gaze, she looked visibly flustered and quickly turned away.
“So for now, I want to keep it a secret just between us. You understand, right, Oniichan?”
“O-oh… yeah, I get it, but…”
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Takayuki-kun nodded awkwardly, then flicked a glance at me.
He accepted it... or rather, he had no choice. After all, the person standing right there—me—looked even more shell-shocked than he did.
He’d learned the circumstances behind the pseudo romance earlier. But from Mamiya-san now, and from my reaction as I listened, he probably understood that this was the first time even I had been told the real reason.
“…………”
An awkward air settled in.
It was far too heavy an atmosphere for the three of us to line up and sleep in this one-person apartment.
Е n ům̆ а̊
“...I mean, Sachika. I get that Amou-shounen can’t go home, but there's no reason you can't, right? It's not like it would be weird!”
“There’s no way I can go home and leave him alone at my brother’s place.”
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“Y-yeah... that’s true... but...”
“...Still, I’m a little tired today, so I don’t really have it in me to cook. So... Amou, do you want to go pick up some dinner at the convenience store with me?”
“Huh? Y-yeah.”
Caught off guard by the sudden invitation, I nodded reflexively.
Е n̂ ûm а̂.і̌d̆
I wondered if Takayuki-kun should come with us, but he waved us off with a gesture that said, “Just go already.”
Aware that he was looking out for us, I stood up and followed after Mamiya-san.
◇
We went down by elevator and stepped outside the building.
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It was already starting to get dark.
“...I’m sorry.”
Еn ũṁa
I got an apology almost as soon as we started walking.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“About what I said earlier... You thought I was using you, didn’t you?”
“Using me... I mean...”
Depending on how you looked at it, that’s what it was. Mamiya-san being with me was, in the end, a statement aimed at Shibaki and his family—and at Mamiya-san’s parents, too. Because Takayuki-kun had accepted that, even though he was such a siscon, he had tried to send Mamiya-san home; it was likely why he let me be alone with her now instead of tag along.
“Well... I guess I was surprised, yeah.”
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“Right.”
“But it’s not something you need to apologize for.”
“...Why?”
“Why... Well, it's just that I really don't think it's something you need to apologize for.”
Simply put, I wasn’t hurt, so trying to attach a reason to nothing was surprisingly hard. A lie would inevitably creep in.
But Mamiya-san didn’t look like she was going to accept that. She had eyes that wanted me to blame her.
Ẅ è b̆ ṅ о́ v̄ еl Ë n̂u̇ m ӓ
So I tried digging deeper into why I hadn’t been hurt...
“...Because I accepted it, I guess.”
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“—What do you mean by that?”
“A-ah, I’m not saying Mamiya-san is a bad person or anything. It’s just... I don’t exactly have high self-esteem. If anything, I feel like I have nothing to my name, and so...”
The words wouldn’t come together.
Unsure of how to continue, I glanced down a side path and spotted a small park.
Е̃nǔ mа̊
“Can I talk about myself a little?”
“...Yes.”
Pointing at a bench there, I suggested it. It felt like it was going to get a little too long to keep talking standing up... and when Mamiya-san nodded, we sat down side by side.
“You know... I used to play tennis. In elementary school I went to a tennis academy, and then I joined the club in middle school. I liked tennis, it was fun... and I was pretty confident. I’d even think things like, ‘I’m the best in the club.’ But before summer of my second year of middle school, I got injured.”
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“An injury...”
“Yeah, it wasn’t anything dramatic. It didn’t affect my everyday life—I mean, it’s healed now. Really, it was just a minor one... But it was still enough to force me to quit tennis.”
W ѐb n о̄v̌еl̊ _Ė n̈ u m̄а
Even now, there wasn’t any problem with exercising. My senpai had threatened me nonstop—“Once you retire and stop exercising, you’ll get fat in no time”—so even after I quit tennis, I kept up the bare minimum, like running.
But back then, quitting was really rough.
“I loved tennis, and I was seriously devoted to it. I couldn't quite say I wanted to go pro, but I wanted to keep winning tournaments, and I’d planned to keep playing even through high school. So when it suddenly vanished from my daily life, the sense of loss was huge... and the one who supported me through it was Karen.”
In the end, the reason I can’t bring myself to be forceful with her—the reason I can’t hate her all the way, even after being betrayed—is because of the debt I owe her from then.
Karen had always cheered me on while I played, and even after I had to stop, she stayed by my side just like always.
I wanted to repay that Karen. I didn’t want to make her regret choosing me. So since I couldn’t play tennis, I threw myself into studying instead. I wanted something else—something I could be recognized for, something I could have confidence in.
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“But in the end, Karen didn’t choose me either... She was only by my side because we were childhood friends.”
I lost tennis, and even the studying I chose as the next thing to work at couldn’t become something that would keep Karen with me.
My self-esteem was shredded. If someone asked me “What are your strengths?” the way they do in high school entrance interviews, just hearing the question would probably make my mind go completely blank now.
““I have nothing. There’s nothing I can say with any pride, This is Watanuki Amou—this is something that’s mine alone. So I thought the reason Mamiya-san was being kind to me was just because you’re kind... and that you were only pitying me.”
“T-that’s not...!”
“Even if it was pity, that would still be fine. But I know it’s not right to just be on the receiving end forever. So if I can be of use to you, Mamiya-san... then I’m not getting hurt, and there’s absolutely no reason for you to apologize.”
Ӗǹ ü m_а̊
Yeah... I think I took a pretty roundabout route, but even so, I faced my feelings.
This should have eased Mamiya-san’s worries—.
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'...Huh!?'
“…………”
Her expression is so grim... W-why!?
Did I say something weird...? As I replayed my words in my head—
Е̊ nu.m а̇ .і́d́
'...Didn’t I just say something really damn depressing!?'
I’d been so desperate to articulate my feelings that I hadn't considered the impact such a bleak confession would have on Mamiya-san. All I did was talk about all the things I’d lost—and there was no way she wouldn’t worry!
“S-sorry! Um, forget all that depressing stuff... Anyway, I’m grateful to you, Mamiya-san. If you hadn’t been there, I probably would’ve spiraled into becoming a total recluse by now. Or worse, I might’ve clung to that childhood friend excuse of Karen’s and forced myself to accept her relationship with Shibaki...”
I give a wry smile, but it isn’t funny at all—because it really could’ve happened.
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Even with the raw wound of Karen’s betrayal, I likely would’ve had no choice but to cling to her.
“Using our relationship to push forward with ending your engagement... using does sound too cold, sure, but in that case, you could say I’m using you to get back on my feet too, right?”
Ӗn úm̌ а̃
“Maybe... but...”
“So I really am grateful to you, Mamiya-san. I doubted you once, and even if I end up getting hurt by some cruel betrayal again someday, that feeling won’t change anymore. Because the fact that you saved me won’t disappear.”
That was how I laid my doubts from yesterday to rest. So I’m sure I don’t have a good eye for people... but even so, I want to trust Mamiya-san to the very end.
And even if I really do get betrayed...
In that case, I can accept it for what it is.
“Watanuki-kun...”
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Mamiya-san lowered her gaze and clenched her fist tightly.
Like she was searching for words, like she was hesitating, she opened her mouth and closed it again, over and over—
“It’s true—it was all a coincidence. Running into Soichi cheating, and you being there too, all of it............... But choosing you wasn’t because of only that.”
“Huh?”
“I... I’ve known you for a long time. If I say this, it might make you uneasy again, but... the idea that you have nothing—there’s absolutely no way that’s true.”
Words from Mamiya-san that felt like she was hesitating, yet surrendering herself to honesty anyway.
Ѐn_ú m̀а̀ . ì d.
Awkward, and like she was desperately trying to put it into words—
“...!”
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Right then, her phone vibrated.
“...Hello, Oniichan?”
It seemed like it was a call from Takayuki-kun.
Mamiya-san answered with an apologetic look, listened to the voice on the other end, and nodded a few times.
Е nů_m̆ а̌ . i d
“Yes, got it. Anyway... phew, sorry. I just stepped away for a moment.”
“No, no. More importantly—what did he want?”
“He said if you’re heading to the convenience store, you should pick up some underwear while you’re at it. That’s all.”
“Ah... Yeah, I guess I do need that.”
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“You can borrow sleepwear from Oniichan. And then, about what I was saying earlier...............”
“...Heh.”
W̆ е̌ b̆ n.о̊v ē l̆ .Ѐ n̈ũm а̊
“Huh—why are you suddenly laughing!?”
Mamiya-san looked flustered as I suddenly burst out laughing.
“Ah, um, it doesn’t have anything to do with where the conversation was going, but...”
“If it has nothing to do with it, that just makes me more curious.”
“Ah—no... It’s just, the way you’ve been calling Takayuki-kun Oniichan this whole time is kind of cute.”
“C-cute...!? Besides, it's perfectly normal to call him that!”
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“No, yeah, I know, but...”
Considering Mamiya-san’s usual demeanor, I’d have thought a more mature term like Nii-san would suit her. Oniichan sounds a bit childish... and perhaps it’s that contrast that makes it stand out.
Unable to help myself, I burst out laughing, prompting Mamiya-san to turn bright red and protest.
Her argument, apparently, was that she’d been raised calling him that since she was a child, so changing it now would feel completely unnatural—and while that was fair, it didn’t make it any less cute.
“Hey, how long are you going to keep laughing, Watanuki-kun!?”
Ẇ ё b̂ńо̆ v е̄ ľ Е̊ n̂u m a
“Ahaha, I’m not laughing, I’m not laughing.”
“You’re literally laughing while you say that!”
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The mood shifted entirely. The heavy atmosphere from earlier dissipated like mist, and whatever Mamiya-san had been about to say drifted away... but that was fine.
A sense of heavy resolve had been lingering in Mamiya-san’s expression.
I had no idea what she’d been about to reveal, but I felt certain I’d hear it one day, whenever she felt more comfortable sharing it.
At the very least, it wasn’t something she needed to offer up as a price for me baring my own past wounds.
Ẇe b̆ n о v̆еl Ė n̄ ū mа
Once again, I’d learned a little more about her—about her family, and the situation with Shibaki’s parents.
In this moment, simply seeing Mamiya-san wear an innocent, age-appropriate smile was enough to make me happy.
Right now, just seeing Mamiya-san wear an innocent, age-appropriate smile was enough to make me happy.
'That I have nothing… even though I said that...'
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Just looking at her smile made me feel like I’d found, even if only slightly, a reason for being here too.
