I Drink Every Night With a Lookalike of a Popular Idol on the Riverbank
Nanase and I were drinking the same canned chuhai as usual on the riverbank as usual.
Today, we both felt that the alcohol was going to our heads a little faster than usual. Perhaps it was because the afterglow of last weekend’s extraordinary events was still lingering.
I picked up a flat stone the size of my palm that had fallen at my feet and, still holding my canned chuhai, slowly approached the river.
“…Here goes.”
I snapped my wrist and threw the stone horizontally toward the river.
The stone made a light sound as it bounced four times on the water’s surface. Then, as if it had used up all its energy, it quietly disappeared into the water.
“What do you call that?”
Nanase came over to my side and asked as she stared blankly at the water’s surface.
“Skimming.”
“Hmm. Something like that. I’ve tried it before, but I’ve never succeeded.”
Nanase said regretfully.
“Want to try?”
“Hmm!”
“Then… let’s start by gathering some flat stones.”
We crouched down with slightly wobbly steps from being a little tipsy and searched for flat stones.
“Yousuke, how about this one?”
“Yeah, that’s good.”
“Hmm. Let’s try it.”
She decided to give it a go and swung her arm.
The stone, thrown into the river with a beautiful sidearm throw, made a pitiful splash and sank immediately.
“Hmmm… Why?”
She puffed out her cheeks like a child, looking like an idol about to receive a penalty game on a variety show.
“There’s a trick to it.”
“Then teach me, Yosuke. What’s the trick?”
“Practice, practice, practice.”
Nanase glared at me with a stern look.
“Well, um… Lower your hips. Then use your wrist to slide it sideways… Like a baseball sidearm throw.”
“You mean a baseball sidearm throw?”
“Yeah, but you’re just parroting me!”
“Hmm… Lower my hips… Sideways… This is hard…”
I tried to explain it with words alone, but it just wasn’t getting through.
(Ugh, I should just take her hand and show her…)
Of course, touching her is out of the question. I felt like there was still an invisible wall between us.
As I hesitated, Nanase seemed to read my mind and said,
“Huh? Oh, Yosuke. Don’t worry about it. You’re going to teach me, right? Show me how to move my body.”
She smiled mischievously and pointed to her waist. Her smile made me feel at ease and encouraged me.
“…Then, excuse me.”
“Hmm. Just the tip.”
“Can I stop now?”
“No, I’m just joking.”
As usual, I stood behind her, joking around.
She was right in front of me, and the sweet scent of her perfume filled the air. My heartbeat quickened slightly.
With trembling fingers, I gently placed my hand over hers, which was holding the stone.
It was small. And surprisingly soft.
“Um… first, hold it like this…”
My voice cracked slightly. I placed my left hand on Nanase’s waist.
“Then, lower your hips… That’s right. Then, swing your arm. Then…”
“Does the opponent die?”
“I didn’t teach you how to use Eternal Force Blizzard!”
“Hehe… Then, let’s try throwing it. Can you teach me again?”
I gently guided her hand as she urged me to. Our arms bent together, and the stone was thrown.
Ton, ton, ton, ton, ton…
The stone bounced off the water’s surface many more times than when I did it. Gradually, the sensation of jumping on the water’s surface became shorter, and eventually disappeared from the surface.
“…! I did it! Amazing! Thanks to Yousuke!”
She turned around with a beaming smile. Then, with that momentum, she raised her right hand high toward me and shouted, “Yay!”
High five.
I was happy too, so I placed my hand on her small palm.
A dry sound echoed, “Pang.”
The next moment.
“…Ah.”
Was it the aftermath of the high five, or had she had a little too much to drink?
Her body swayed.
I instinctively caught her slender body.
Her body fit perfectly in my arms.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
All that could be heard was the sound of the river and the chirping of insects.
A quiet, sweet moment passed, as if there were only the two of us in the world.
I wished time would just stop like this
Just as we both seemed to be thinking that, time began to accelerate.
“…What are you doing?”
A flat, emotionless voice came from right behind us.
Nanase and I jumped apart as if we had been electrocuted.
Standing there was Asagiri.
She was dressed in black with lots of lace. In her hand, she held a can of energy drink instead of canned chu-hi.
“Hii, Hiori!? Why are you here!?”
Nanase asked in a clearly shaken voice.
“…Nag—.. I just came to see if Nanase was being harassed by some weird guy.”
Asagiri-san gave me a sleepy glance. She must have misunderstood, seeing me holding Nanase-san.
“No, that’s not it! We were just… you know…”
I stammered out an excuse and returned to my usual seat.
She just snorted in response.
“…Whatever. I didn’t say you were weird.”
Saying that, Asagiri sat down next to Nanase’s usual spot and popped open an energy drink.
The sweet atmosphere from earlier was gone.
“Why don’t you ask Yosuke to teach you too?”
“…How to do that?”
“Yeah. It’s fun.”
“…I’ll pass. If I let him hug me, it’ll cause a scandal.”
“You’re a real idol…”
When I said that in admiration, the two of them giggled softly.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Nanase. This girl is an evolved version of Gomazou.”
“Don Juan!?”
I immediately interjected, and Asagiri-san smiled.
“No, it’s the Temple of Bargains.”
“Don Quijote!?”
The two of them laughed happily. I didn’t understand what was going on, but as long as they were having fun, that was all that mattered.
And so, the three of us sat together, talking about our respective grievances as time passed.
Maiasa