My Childhood Friend Is Just Too CuteโI Canโt Have a Normal Relationship!!
โHmm, would Alice really do something that outrageous?โ
Iโm curious and interested in what she was up to.
But if I find out, Iโll probably end up learning something truly outrageous, so maybe itโs better not to pry.
โIs this what they call Pandoraโs box?โ
The Alice I know is always smilingโshe gives off the impression of being a bright, cheerful, and hopelessly honest person.
I just canโt imagine that kind of Alice doing anything strange.
โSo even with a childhood friend, there are still plenty of sides I donโt know about, huh?โ
I canโt possibly believe Fumika is lying.
She may be harsh with me, but sheโs not the type to tell lies that would bring others down.
Sheโs serious and has a strong sense of justice.
โHmm. โฆSo, does that mean I wonโt be able to get a girlfriend during high school?โ
Apparently, if I hang out with girls I donโt know, who knows what Alice might do.
But then again, if I donโt try to meet new girls, I wonโt be able to get a girlfriend as things stand.
โThis situation is pretty much a dead end. I have no idea what to do.โ
I feel like things are getting more and more complicated, but thereโs no point in dwelling on it here.
Itโs not like thinking about it is going to solve anything anyway.
โActually, our parents are seriously no good.โ
I heard a little while back that Alice and Fumikaโs parents went on a trip around the world with my parents, too.
Well, I do get my allowance regularly, so I canโt really complain.
โLeaving teenage girls all alone like thatโฆโ
Wait, maybe that way of thinking is outdated in todayโs world. Still, Alice and Fumika are both cute girls, so I canโt help but worry.
โThough I guess itโs a bit hypocritical of me to say that.โ
Is it too nosy for a mere childhood friendโnot even a boyfriendโto worry that much?
โWhat are you doing, muttering to yourself all alone? Thatโs creepy.โ
โYouโre as sharp-tongued as ever, Fumika-san.โ
โThatโs because youโre always doing creepy stuff. Anyway, hmmโฆโ
Pink pajamasโI think theyโre called loungewear, right?
Short-sleeved top and shorts that end above the kneesโsheโs showing quite a bit of skin.
I am, after all, a teenage high school boy. Doesnโt she have any sense of caution?
Or maybe I should take it as a sign that she trusts me.
โYeah, yeah. Should I start by drying it off?โ
โYeah. But if you scrub it roughly, Iโll kill you. A girlโs hair is delicate, so please be gentle.โ
โYouโre quite the high-maintenance princess.โ
Usually, when I do it myself, I just scrub it vigorously. Well, if thatโs what she wants, I guess I have no choice.
I gently pat her hair to blot away the moisture.
Maybe itโs because she just got out of the bath, but she feels different from the usual Ayaka, and my heartโs racing.
She smells sweet and nice, and Iโm starting to get all flustered.
This isnโt good. I need to stop thinking weird thoughts and focus on drying her hair.
โMakoto, why do you want a girlfriend so badly? You werenโt that type back in the day, were you?โ
โHmm, if you ask me โwhy,โ Iโd have a hard time answering. But now that Iโm finally in high school, isnโt it normal to want to live the kind of youthful life you see in anime and stuff?โ
โI wonder if thatโs true. Iโve never thought about it that way, so itโs a feeling I donโt really understand.โ
If asked exactly what I want, itโs hard to put into words.
But this is my high school life, after all. Even if I canโt say itโs exactly like the youth you see in fiction, the truth is, I want to live a life thatโs at least similar to that.
โWell, of course. Fumikaโs cute, serious, and good at housework, so you probably wonโt have any trouble finding a boyfriend.โ
โC-cuteโฆ? Makoto, youโre not exactly ugly yourself, are you?โ
โItโs kind of embarrassing to be complimented by Fumika all of a sudden. Thanks. It doesnโt feel bad to be complimented, though.โ
Thereโs no way I wouldnโt be happy to be complimented on my looks by my childhood friend, whoโs so stunning herself.
โHmph. I just said what I thought.โ
โYouโre not very honest.โ
Seeing Fumika suddenly turn her face to the side, I genuinely think that.
But that gesture is so typical of Fumika that I canโt help but laugh.
โWhatโs that supposed to mean? Anyway, hereโs the hair dryer.โ
โGot it. Let me know if it gets too hot or hurts.โ
I took the hair dryer from Fumika and started drying her hair. Unlike my own, it was silky smooth and felt amazing to the touch.
Thatโs proof she takes good care of it on a daily basis.
โHey, Makoto.โ
โWhatโs up? Was it too hot?โ
โNo, thatโs not it. What kind of girl would you like to date?โ
โWhatโs with the sudden question?โ
โJust answer me.โ
What kind of girl is my typeโฆ?
Hmm, I donโt really care that much about looks.
As for personality, I donโt think thereโs anything specific Iโd say is โperfect.โ
โIf I had to pick, Iโd say someone whoโs fun to be around.โ
Thatโs definitely the most important thing. No matter how pretty she is, if sheโs not fun to be with, the relationship probably wonโt last.
Iโm the type of guy who, if Iโm going to date someone, wants to take it all the way to marriage.
โHuh, really? Your standards are surprisingly low.โ
โAre they? I donโt think there are many girls who fit the bill, though.โ
โIs that so?โ
โYeah. To be honest, out of everyone Iโve met so far, the only ones I can think of who meet those criteria are Fumika and Alice.โ
Fumika has a sharp tongue, but she looks out for me, and I have a lot of fun when weโre together. Alice also gives me a boost of energy when Iโm with her.
โWell then, โฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โSorry, did you say something?โ
Since I was using the hair dryer, I couldnโt quite make out what Fumika was saying.
โNever mind. Anyway, thatโs enough. My hairโs dry now.โ
โGot it. Well then, I think Iโll head home. It wouldnโt be good to stay too late.โ
It doesnโt look too good to the outside world when a guy is constantly hanging out at a girlโs place, especially since she lives alone.
With that in mind, I stood up and started to leave Fumikaโs place at a brisk pace.
โThanks for today. See you tomorrow.โ
โYeah. See you tomorrow. Good night, Fumika.โ
โGood night, Makoto.โ
Fumika smiled and saw me off to the front door.
On my way home, I thought to myself that our conversation sounded a bit like that of a newlywed couple.
Then, I took a bath and fell right asleep.
ใโ
โMakoto~ Wake up already~ Come on!โ
โHmm?โ
My body was shaken back and forth, forcing me awake.
Thinking it must be Fumika doing this, I managed to pry my eyelids openโand there, right in front of me, was a beautiful blonde girl beaming with a huge smile.
โGood morning, Makoto.โ
โGood morning, Alice. So, whatโs going on here?โ
Alice was lying on top of me as I lay on my back. Because of that, we were pressed very closely together, which made me feel a little weird.
Plus, something soft and squishy is pressing against my chestโฆ
My heartโs racing like crazyโฆ?
Arenโt they being a little too vulnerable?
Both Fumika and Alice. I guess itโs a sign of their trust in me.
โEhehe~ I came to learn how to cook!โ
โDidnโt you have school today?โ
โYeah. But I suddenly felt like learning today. So thatโs why I came over!โ
โโThatโs whyโโฆ itโs super early in the morning, isnโt it?โ
โItโs fine, isnโt it?โ
โNo, noโdonโt you ever think I might try to take advantage of you?โ
Seeing how completely unguarded my childhood friend was, I felt compelled to give her a word of warning, so I said thatโฆ
โIf itโs you, Makoto, I wouldnโt mind being taken advantage of. Actually, Iโd probably welcome it?โ
โโฆโฆโ
Just as I was trying to figure out if she was joking or not, Alice leaned her face close to mine.
I glanced at the clock by the bedโit was 5:00 a.m. It was definitely early morning.
โBy the way, Makoto, did you meet up with anyone?โ
โHuh? No way. I was sleeping until just a little while ago.โ
โHmmโฆ I guess so. But I smell something on you Iโve never smelled before. Is it another girlโs scent?โ
โฆThis is super creepy. Sure, I went to a mixer yesterday, but Alice shouldnโt know about that. Plus, I took a proper shower yesterday, so there shouldnโt be even a hint of that scent left.
โI-itโs probably just your imagination. I didnโt meet anyone in particular. The only person I saw was Fumika.โ
โNo, this scent isnโt Fumi-chanโs, you know~ You werenโt on a date with some other girl, were you?โ
Alice, who was sitting on top of me, stared intently into my eyes. Her deep red eyes fixed on me as if piercing right through me.
โNo way. Look, Iโm going to cook, right? Iโm going to change, so wait for me in the living room.โ
โIt doesnโt add up, but I donโt have any proof. Okay, got it. Iโll be waiting, so come back soon~โ
After Alice left the room, I let out a sigh and quickly changed my clothes.
My heart was pounding like crazy, but I decided to ignore that for now.
โThat was really scary.โ
Even if I do meet up with a girl, Iโll make sure Alice never finds out.
Thatโs what I thought from the bottom of my heart.
Maigetsu