《 Act Two: Our First Time Living Together 》
Saturday afternoon, just past two o’clock.
Dad’s driving brought me to a three-story apartment building about five hundred meters from Hazakura Station.
It’s a brick-style, Western-looking place. The pristine exterior screams “recently built.”
Looks are nice, but the interior’s what matters. The layout? “You’ll see when you get there,” they dodged. At this point, I’d settle for one bedroom. Just… please, let there be two beds…!
Praying under my breath, I step out of the car. A cool breeze cuts through as I heft my schoolbag, stuffed to bursting with textbooks. Dad circles to the trunk, hoisting a cardboard box with ease.
“I’ll take that.”
“You’ve got your bag, Haruki. Leave this to me. …It’s awfully light, though. Forget anything?”
Just one box. Inside’s enough clothes to last a few days without laundry, plus some unread paperbacks. When I moved back here after four and a half years, I needed five boxes. This time? A serious downgrade.
Last time, manga was the culprit. Not now. I’ve got hundreds of volumes, and sorting them was a pain. Packing them? Backbreaking. And honestly, I don’t have the mental space to kick back with comics. Not when I’m about to start living with someone who’s not even my girlfriend…
“Nothing’s missing.”
I packed properly, like they asked. Still, the reality of living together hasn’t sunk in.
Even now, I’m half-expecting someone to yell, “Surprise! It’s a prank!” I’d believe it in a heartbeat. Hell, I wish it was a prank. Then I could just say, “Oh, the long-distance relationship? Yeah, that was a lie too…”
“Remember something, call us. We’ll send it over.”
“Or buy it new! We’ll wire your living expenses every other month.”
Apparently, the Kousakas and my folks worked it out: odd months, the Hayakawas cover us; even months, the Kousakas.
“Let’s check out the place.”
“Right. —Oh, hold on. Looks like the Kousakas are here.”
Mom points down the road.
A sleek black car pulls up beside us. Out stepped Nanami’s parents, all smiles, and Nanami herself, her face clouded with unease. I feel you…
“Hey, Hayakawa-san! Perfect weather, huh?”
“Like the skies are celebrating their fresh start!”
Totally, my folks laugh back. Nanami, looking awkward, shuffles toward me, a heavy schoolbag in her grip.
“Need help with that?”
“Thanks, but I’m good.”
“Got it. …Did you sleep okay last night?”
“Not really. You, Haru-kun?”
“Same.”
I’m not the only one. Faint shadows linger under Nanami’s eyes. Bet she was up all night, nerves and anxiety keeping her awake.
“Nanami was so excited, she could barely sleep!”
“Oh, same with our Haruki. Kept asking, ‘Are we really doing this?’ Like he thought it was a prank.”
“No way we’d pull a mean trick like that!”
Mom and the others burst out laughing.
Not a prank, huh… Nanami’s eyes meet mine, saying the same thing. Yeah, I nod back weakly.
The Kousakas finish unloading. Nanami’s parents grab their cardboard boxes, while Mom, empty-handed, leads the way with an enthusiastic “This way!”
We climb the sturdy outdoor staircase and stop at Room 203, the last door on the second-floor hallway.
“Go on, open it!”
Mom’s practically vibrating, eager to see my reaction. I fish the key from my pocket, unlock the door, and push it open.
Sunlight streams through the balcony, bathing the room in a warm glow.
“Bright, huh?” I say, stating the obvious.
“South-facing, so it gets amazing light!” Mom beams, launching into a tour.
To the right of the entrance is the bathroom; to the left, a sink. Beyond that, a shower room.
Straight ahead, a twelve-mat hardwood room unfolds.
It’s a combined living area and kitchen. A low table sits between a TV and a sofa, with a vacuum cleaner propped against the wall.
The kitchen has a fridge, topped with a microwave. Cooking utensils are neatly arranged, and shelves hold dishes and small appliances.
“Bedroom’s this way.”
Mom opens a door to an eight-mat room. A large bed dominates the space, flanked by a long desk with two chairs. A wardrobe stands beside a full-length mirror, and an empty closet holds a row of hangers.
The bed… there’s only one bed…!
“Nice place, right?”
Mom’s grin leaves me and Nanami no choice but to nod.
“Y-Yeah, it’s awesome.”
“R-Right? It’s great. But… um, is this all the rooms?”
Nanami’s question hangs in the air as her dad sets down a box. “That’s everything.”
“There were places with more rooms, but you two have been apart for so long. Fewer rooms mean you’ll be closer, right? Bet you’re thrilled.”
So that’s why there’s one bed. It’s a semi-double, plush and comfy-looking, but sharing it with Nanami? Awkward. She’s sneaking glances at me, just as uneasy.
“Well, time for us meddling parents to clear out.”
“Right. Nanami, Haruki-kun, take your time building that love nest.”
“I know you’re excited about living together, but come home to visit sometimes.”
“Haruki-kun, take good care of Nanami.”
With that, they’re gone. The door clicks shut, leaving us staring at each other.
“We’re really doing this, huh…”
“No chance it’s a prank anymore…”
We both let out a sigh.
Pretending to be a couple was bad enough, but living together?
Back in the day, we’d crash at each other’s houses, practically half-living together. But at this age? It’s just plain awkward.
We know each other inside out, sure, but Nanami’s a girl. I’ve gotta be considerate. She was happy to see me again, but constant proximity? Probably not what she had in mind.
Still, it’s happening.
No backing out now, no confessing it’s a lie. Like it or not, we’re in too deep. All we can do is accept it and move forward.
I take a breath, forcing some cheer into my voice for Nanami. “Alright, let’s look on the bright side! Think of this as picking up where our old secret base games left off!”
“Secret base games?”
“Remember? Third grade, summer vacation. We built that secret base in my backyard.”
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“Oh, yeah… we made it out of cardboard, didn’t we? But then your cousins showed up and took it over. We tried to take it back with water guns, and it turned into a soggy mess…”
“Exactly. This place? It’s like the sequel to that secret base. No cousins to steal it this time. Plus, unlike back then, our parents can’t just barge in. This is our safe zone.”
“Y-You’re right…! No one’s watching us here! So we don’t have to feel embarrassed!”
“Yep. In here, we don’t need to pretend to be a couple.”
Sure, living with a girl is awkward, but… the real worry is our lie getting exposed.
“Let’s figure out our strategy while we can.”
“Strategy?”
“How to keep our lie from falling apart.”
The moment we step outside, we’re a couple. Gotta act the part.
This place is right by Hazakura High. We’ll run into people who know us all the time. Word’ll spread fast if we’re spotted.
So we need a plan to lower the odds of getting caught, even just a little.
“Like, what if only one of us goes shopping? The other stays home. Less chance of slipping up if we’re alone, right?”
Solid idea, I thought, but Nanami tilts her head, frowning. “Hmm…”
“What?”
“Won’t that make people more suspicious?”
“Why?”
“Word’ll get out at school that we’re living together. This place is practically next door to Hazakura High.”
“True… I saw some students on the way here.”
“Our school has club activities on weekends too. If we go shopping, someone’s bound to spot us. And if it’s always just one of us, people might start wondering, ‘Are they really a couple?’ I mean, I’ve been telling everyone I’d be glued to you if we reunited…”
“So going out alone could raise red flags…”
She’s got a point. If you’re head over heels and finally reunite after four and a half years, you’d probably stick together like glue.
Nanami hangs her head. “Haru-kun, I’m so sorry… I’m stealing all your alone time…”
“Don’t sweat it. I’d rather hang with you than be by myself anyway.”
She looks up, a shy smile breaking through. “Thanks. I love spending time with you too! …Even if we can’t be as chill as we used to be, with everyone watching.”
“Yeah. But in here? We can relax. No one’s spying.”
“Right…”
She dips her head again, probably feeling guilty for dragging me into this mess with her lie.
I’m not gonna tell her to just get over it, but I hate seeing her beat herself up. I want her smiling, like she used to.
“Hey, Nanami. Wanna play some games? Been a while.”
“Games?”
“Yeah! We’ve got all the time in the world for it now. Tomorrow’s Sunday, so we can stay up late. No parents yelling, ‘Go to bed!’ like when we were kids.”
“True…”
“We’ve gotta plan our strategy, sure, but for today? Let’s have a four-and-a-half-year overdue game marathon!”
“Sounds fun! I was kinda freaking out, but I brought some games too! …I just, uh, don’t remember which box they’re in. Didn’t exactly pack with a clear head.”
“Then let’s start by unpacking. Gotta hang up our clothes before they get all wrinkly.”
“Got it!”
Nanami nods brightly and dives into unpacking.
We each crack open our cardboard boxes, starting by hanging our uniforms in the closet. I’m done in one trip, but Nanami’s back and forth, hanging jackets, coats, the works.
“Winter clothes too, huh?”
“Won’t wear ‘em yet. Just autumn stuff for you, Haru-kun?”
“Yeah. Figured I’d get anything else sent over if I need it.”
“It might get cold quickly. I’ve got plenty, so I can lend you some.”
“Girl clothes?”
“Some are unisex. Like… this one’d look good on you.”
She hands me an off-white fleece jacket. I slip it on, and a sweet scent wraps around me.
“…You wash this?”
“I-I did! …Does it feel dirty?”
“Nah, sorry. It’s just… smells sweet. Wondered what it was.”
“Fabric softener.”
“Fabric softener, huh…”
For a second, I thought it was her scent, and my heart skipped a beat. Either way, wearing something a girl’s worn feels kinda embarrassing.
“Looks good on you, Haru-kun.”
“Yeah? …Guess it does.”
Not my usual style, all fluffy and stuff, but it’s comfy. Mirror says it suits me.
“Alright, lend it to me when winter hits.”
“Sure.”
Nanami smiles warmly. I hang the fleece jacket in the closet, and we get back to unpacking.
Clothes go in the bottom drawer, paperbacks on the desk, games by the TV stand… and just like that, we’re done.
As I fold the empty boxes, Nanami freezes, sneaking glances at me. What’s up? Bug in her stuff she wants me to deal with?
“Something wrong?”
I peek into her box—and it’s full of underwear!
Nanami slams the box shut. “N-Nothing!”
“R-Right! I’m gonna go check the bathroom!”
“Y-Yeah! Have fun!”
Her flushed face sees me off as I bolt from the bedroom. I grip the sink, letting out a heavy sigh.
Nanami’s into some bold underwear, huh… Wait, living together means we’ll be washing our stuff together, right? Do I hang hers up? Or does she?
And if it’s the balcony, fine, but what about rainy days? Indoor drying? Her underwear just… hanging around our living space? That’s intense. Every rainy day, I’m gonna be a nervous wreck.
“Done!”
Nanami pops into the bathroom, peeking at the tub. “Nice setup. I was worried it’d be a cramped unit bath. It’s empty, though, so we’ll need to grab shampoo and stuff.”
“Yeah. Let’s make a list of what we need. Game marathon can wait.”
We head back to the bedroom. I grab a pen and paper from my bag and sit at the desk. Nanami drags her chair next to mine.
“Got a favorite shampoo, Nanami?”
“Not super picky, but I use OneHair for shampoo, conditioner, and treatment.”
Fancy. I just use whatever shampoo’s around, and her hair’s all silky for it.
“I’m not fussy about brands. Wanna share OneHair?”
“Sure. For body soap, anything high-moisturizing works.”
“Got it. I like scrubby face wash. You?”
“Hmm… not a fan. Tried my dad’s once, and it was all tingly and stingy.”
“Separate ones, then. I’m a mint toothpaste guy, but you?”
“Too spicy for me.”
“Different toothpastes it is.”
“Yep. Plus hand soap, body towels, bath towels, face towels…”
“Bathroom cleaning stuff, laundry detergent too. Fabric softener?”
“We use a detergent with softener built in.”
“Cool, we’ll get that. And… toilet paper? Single or double ply?”
“Either’s fine, but… hold on.”
She steps out, then comes back. “Toilet paper’s already here. Double ply.”
“Nice. Guess our parents stocked the heavy stuff.”
“Oh, and the fridge has juice and tea.”
“Food?”
“Just some rice in the kitchen cabinet.”
The balcony’s got a drying rod and hangers. There’s tissues and a trash can under the desk. Toilet paper, rice—they must’ve set up the bulky essentials for us.
“Rice is great, but we’ll need ingredients for cooking.”
“Yeah. And… maybe another blanket?”
“There’s already one.”
“Need a second. I’m crashing on the sofa. You’re not cool sleeping together, right?”
“Y-Yeah… But you take the bed, Haru-kun. This is all my fault…”
She looks guilty. I’d prefer the bed, sure, but I don’t wanna pile more stress on her.
“How about odd days I get the bed, even days you do?”
“Okay. If that works for you.”
“Deal. So, blanket goes on the list. Anything else?”
“Hmm… not that I can think of.”
“Alright, we’ll shop for this stuff. You know the area?”
“Yup. There’s a mall nearby. Sun’s setting in a couple hours, so maybe we go now?”
“Good call. Shopping now, game marathon tonight.”
I tuck the list in my pocket and grab my wallet. Barely eight thousand yen. Not enough for all this stuff.
“Speaking of, this month’s living expenses get wired yet?”
“Dad said they sent it. I’ll cover payments.”
“On you, then. I’ll handle next month.”
“Deal,” she says with a grin.
She was all nervous when we got here, but talking loosened her up. Her tension gets me antsy, but that smile? It calms me down.
We get ready and head to the nearby shopping mall.
Buying supplies together for our new life feels… weirdly couple-y. Kinda surreal.
◆
Ten minutes from the apartment, a warm feeling in my left hand, we rounded toward Hazakura Station’s east exit. The shopping mall comes into view.
It’s small, but we’re not after anything fancy. Should have everything we need. Having a place this close is clutch.
“…Oh, there’s something I gotta tell you, Haru-kun…”
Just as we’re about to step into the mall, hand in hand, Nanami speaks up, sounding apologetic.
“What’s up?”
“I told my friends… that we promised to, um, link arms on dates…”
“Link arms? Like this?”
I strike a pose like a ramen shop owner from a poster. She blushes. “The couple-y kind…”
Figures. Holding hands already screams “together,” but better play it safe and do what she says. Gotta sell this fake relationship.
“Alright… let’s do it.”
“O-Okay. Here goes…”
She steps closer, hesitantly looping her arm through mine. It’s not even that close, but something soft brushes my arm, and I’m suddenly burning up.
Heart pounding, we step into the mall. It’s buzzing with voices—lots of families, probably because it’s the weekend. The grocery section’s right at the entrance, but where’s the rest of our stuff?
“…Looking for something?”
“The mall map.”
“No need. I’ve got it up here.” She taps her temple with a grin.
“For real?”
“Wow, rude. Don’t believe me?”
“Wanna believe you, but we’ve got history. Remember third grade, summer break? That trip to your grandma’s?”
“Yeah. Grandma’s still doing great, by the way.”
“Glad to hear it.” I keep going. “That day, there was a festival two kilometers away at some park. Your dad and mine offered to drive us, but you were all, ‘I’ve been tons of times, I won’t get lost.’”
“W-Was there something like that?”
She’s looking away. Totally remembers.
“Not letting you play dumb. We wandered forever, and when I finally snapped, ‘When are we getting there?’ you burst out crying, ‘I’m sorry, Haru-kun! I’m sorry, we’re loooost!’”
“Umm… doesn’t ring a bell.”
She’s totally faking it.
Sure, I get why she’d wanna play dumb. Getting lost was bad enough, but then she tripped, twisted her ankle, and I had to carry her. And on the way, she… well, let’s just say she had an accident.
No way we could enjoy the festival after that. A kind lady lent us her phone, I called Dad, and we headed home.
Nanami clears her throat with a loud ahem.
“A-Anyway! This place is like my backyard now. I won’t get lost. I’ve grown up a lot in four and a half years, y’know!”
Maybe she’s still riding high from me calling her “mature” the other day.
Worst case, we can check the mall map. For now, I’ll trust Nanami’s mental GPS.
“There’s a place I wanna hit before we load up on stuff. Can you show me the way?”
“Sure. Where to?”
“The arcade.”
“Got it, arcade—wait, the arcade?! We’re here to shop!”
Nanami’s mock outrage lands like a perfect comedic jab.
“Not kidding. This is right by Hazakura High. Someone from school might spot us here together. If they see us having fun at the arcade, it’ll sell the whole ‘we’re a couple’ thing, right?”
“Good call. You’re thinking about this way too seriously, Haru-kun.”
“Well, it’s not just anyone’s business. So, is there an arcade here?”
“Yup. Took some purikura with Ikeda-san and the others before. Look.” She flashes her phone. Tucked inside a clear case is a purikura of her and the gal-like Ikeda-san, both with comically huge eyes.
Nice.
“Lead the way to the arcade.”
“You got it. They’ve got tons of claw machines. It’s a blast.”
Nanami’s practically bouncing as we ride the escalator to the second floor. We pass a women’s clothing section, upbeat music hitting us as we step into the arcade.
“Man, it’s all claw machines.”
“So many kinds! You could just browse and have fun.”
“Yeah,” I nod, and we stroll past rows of machines. Plush toys give way to figurines, then a snack section.
“You been playing claw games lately, Nanami?”
“Nah, not really. I don’t come to arcades alone, and I keep my otaku side on the down-low. With friends, I might go for cute stuff, like Chiikowa plushies.”
“Chiikowa, huh? Those are hot right now. I got a rubber strap of one. You nab any plushies?”
She laughs, a little self-deprecating. “Gave up after a thousand yen. Claw games are my kryptonite. What about you, Haru-kun?”
“Last played two months ago. I was the claw king among my old school buddies. Gave a small plush to a friend once, and she freaked out with joy.”
“You’re sweet like that. What kinda plush?”
“Got a pic. Hold on… here.”
I dig through my phone and show her. Nanami’s face twists in confusion. “Wait, a girl?”
The screen shows a ponytail girl holding a tiny plush. I meant for Nanami to focus on the toy, but she zeroed in on the girl, her tone probing. “…You had a girlfriend, Haru-kun?”
“How’d you get there?”
“This looks like a date!”
“It wasn’t. She’s Natsukawa, just one of my otaku friends. I didn’t give her the plush to flirt or anything. She said, ‘This one’s super hard, try it, Hayakawa-kun,’ so I did, got it, and passed it to her.”
“Wouldn’t that make her fall for you?”
If giving a plush made girls swoon, my life’d be way easier. Then again, Nanami’s been fending off admirers without even trying.
“Nah, it didn’t. Is this really such a big deal?”
“It is! It’s not fair to Natsukawa-san. If she visits you during winter break or something, she’ll think we’re all lovey-dovey.”
Oh… she’s feeling guilty.
Natsukawa’s just a friend. No romance there. She’s too far to just drop by, anyway. But Nanami doesn’t know her, so words alone won’t convince her Natsukawa’s not into me. I need to show her there’s nothing to worry about, or that guilt’ll eat at her.
“Then let’s test it.”
“Test what?”
She tilts her head, and I nod. “I’m gonna win you a plush. Whatever you feel when I do, that’s what Natsukawa felt.”
“You don’t have to go that far…”
“Can’t leave you stressing. …Though I’m picking an easy one, alright?”
I scan the claw machines. Gotta be something simple but cute enough to make Nanami happy, like I did for Natsukawa.
“How about that one?” I point at a small machine with colorful chick plush keychains. They look soft, fluffy, perfect.
“Cute! You’re really gonna get it for me?”
“Would it make you happy?”
“I’d treasure it forever.”
“Then it’s yours.”
One play’s a hundred yen. From experience, this type should take fifteen hundred max. I’ve got eight thousand yen, but with a new game dropping this month, I’d rather keep it under a thousand.
I step away from Nanami, pop a coin in, and start. “Go for it…!”
Her cheers egg me on as I Patients are happy, but after three misses, the fourth try lands the sky-blue chick. “Haru-kun, you’re amazing! Four hundred yen!”
“Check it out!” I grin, handing her the plush. She beams, clutching it.
“So, how’d you feel?”
“Like… ‘happy,’ ‘thanks,’ ‘cute,’ ‘sweet,’ y’know?”
“Got a crush on me or what?”
“I’ve always liked you, Haru-kun. You know that.”
“Ugh, I mean romantically!”
Damn, that “I’ve always liked you” hits hard at our age. My heart skips a beat…
“Nope, not like that.”
“See? Same with Natsukawa. We were just good friends, no romance.”
Her cheeks soften with relief. “Good. So no girls are crushing on you, huh?”
“That’s the deal.” Ouch, Nanami, ease up on the phrasing.
It stings a bit, but four hundred yen for her smile? Worth it.
“Alright, what’s next? Wanna try a claw game?”
“Nah, I’m good. That was fun enough, and we’ve got shopping to do. Let’s go.”
She tucks the chick carefully into her cardigan pocket, and we link arms again, leaving the arcade.
Nanami leads us to the cart area, and I push one as we head to the daily goods section. We toss in the stuff from our list, picking up extras like trash bags and dish soap along the way.
“Think that’s everything.”
“Far as I can think. It’s nearby, so we can always come back if we forgot something… Oh, wait, don’t you need toner or lotion?”
“I brought my own. You?”
“Nah, I don’t use ‘em.”
“What? For real?”
“Too much hassle to slap on after a shower.”
Nanami unlinks our arms and touches my cheek. I must look surprised, because she lets out a soft “Ah!” and pulls her hand back, clearing her throat like it was just an old habit.
“It’s not rough yet, but… winter’ll dry you out.”
“Itches a bit, but I don’t get chapped.”
“Still, you gotta take care of your skin. Otherwise, it’ll age you fast, and some kid’ll be calling you ‘uncle’ before me. Use my toner and lotion starting tonight.”
Weird way to worry, but she’s looking out for me. Not wanting to stress her out, I decided to make my toner debut.
We finish checking out and head to the first floor.
Loading shopping bags onto the cart’s lower rack, we place the basket on top. Arm in arm, I push the cart toward the produce section.
“Kinda feels grown-up, huh?”
“We don’t usually buy our own groceries. What do you wanna eat, Nanami?”
“Hmm… how ‘bout curry?”
She sounds a little unsure. Does she think I hate curry or something?
“Curry works for me.”
Her face lights up, and with a slightly spoiled tone, she says, “I want kheema curry.”
“Kheema curry, huh? I’ve eaten it, but it sounds tricky to make.”
“Want something else?”
“Nah, if you’re craving kheema curry, let’s do it.”
I’m clueless in the kitchen. Nanami’s my only hope for home cooking. If she says she can make kheema curry, I’m all in.
“Kheema curry it is!” she says, beaming.
“For kheema curry, we need… onions, carrots, and ground meat, right?”
Can’t remember the last time I had it. It was all finely chopped, but I’m pretty sure that’s the lineup.
Seems I got it right, because Nanami doesn’t correct me, just points and says, “Meat’s over there.” We toss bagged onions and carrots into the basket and head to the meat section. No clue how much we need… but we can freeze extras, yeah?
I grab a 200-gram pack of ground meat and start toward the curry roux, but then I think a soft-boiled egg on top would be killer, so I add a six-pack of eggs to the basket.
“Eggs too?”
“Thought a soft-boiled egg’d make it tastier.”
“Nice! Now I’m craving it even more.”
“Same. Tonight’s dinner’s gonna be great.”
Hyping ourselves up for some killer kheema curry, we keep up our shopping date.
◆
We get back to the apartment around six, just as the sky’s fading from bright blue to dusk.
Flipping on the lights, we unpack the bags. Nanami handles the groceries while I set up the daily essentials in the bathroom and laundry area.
Once the bags are empty, we exchange a look. “Well then.”
“Dinner time?”
“Yup. Got an apron, Haru-kun?”
“Nope. You?”
“I do. I’ll lend you mine.”
I’m just on taste-testing duty, but it’s curry. An apron’s probably smart to keep my clothes clean.
“Lend it to me, then.”
“Sure!” Nanami darts to the bedroom.
…Man, Nanami’s got her own apron? Must cook a lot. This curry’s gonna be good.
As I’m getting excited, she comes back with the apron.
“Here you go,” she says, handing me a familiar one. Wait…
“This the apron we made in fifth grade?”
“You remember!”
“How could I forget? You begged me to help ‘cause you couldn’t finish it.”
“Thanks for that. I would’ve been the only one going home with an unfinished apron. You’ve always been so reliable, Haru-kun.”
Her bright smile and kind words make me blush. Cheeks warm, I slip on the apron, and she stares.
“Looks good on you, Haru-kun.”
“Thanks… Kinda embarrassing to rock a dragon-print apron as a high schooler, though.”
“Embarrassing? You were all, ‘This is so cool! I’m totally picking this!’ back then.”
It was cool at the time. When we picked out the aprons, I zeroed in on the dark dragon design. Nanami, scared of dragons but wanting to match, was the only girl to pick it too.
It meant a lot that she chose it despite being spooked. And… five years later, the apron’s still pristine. Like she’s been cherishing our elementary school memories. Gotta wear it carefully to keep it that way.
“Where’s your apron, Nanami?”
“This is the only one.”
Guess she’s so used to cooking she doesn’t worry about messes. If she’s cool without one, fine by me.
“Alright, let’s get this kheema curry started.”
“Yup! I’m counting on you for a tasty one, Haru-kun!”
“Counting on you… Wait, huh?”
“Huh?”
We both tilt our heads, a bad vibe sinking in. Nanami’s face clouds over, mirroring my own dread.
“…You’re making the kheema curry, right, Nanami?”
“N-No way! You’re making it, aren’t you, Haru-kun?”
“Hold up! I can’t cook to save my life!”
“Neither can I!”
“You serious?!”
“Dead serious! You’re not joking, are you? You shopped like some master chef…”
“What kinda shopping is that? Normal high school guys don’t cook!”
“I’m a normal high school girl! Cooking’s impossible! Not to brag, but I can’t even cook rice properly!”
“Watch out, or you’ll turn it into porridge,” she warns.
Can’t even cook rice? Her skills are worse than mine…
I mean, sure, I never thought Nanami was a chef back in elementary school. But she’s got that mature vibe, and she brought up kheema curry. To think she can’t even handle rice…
“Then why’d you suggest kheema curry…?”
“I-I didn’t say I’d make it! I just said I wanted it. You’re so dependable, Haru-kun, so I thought maybe you could whip it up…”
Thinking back, her tone was kinda needy. And she never actually said, “I’ll make it.”
“My bad, I misread you…”
I sigh, and Nanami slumps. “Ugh, sorry. Didn’t mean to mislead you…”
“Nah, it’s fine. Not your fault. Honestly, it’s kinda nice you suck at cooking too.”
“Huh? Why?”
“If you were a pro, I’d have dumped it all on you. Since we’re living together, we gotta tackle stuff as a team.”
“Spoken like a grown-up…”
She looks impressed, but still uneasy. I’m putting on a brave face for her, but I’m freaked out too. Also, I’m seriously appreciating how Mom and Dad made tasty meals every day.
“So… what now?”
“Three options.”
I count them off on my fingers.
“One: we munch raw carrots.”
“Ugh, that’s rough… At least get some mayo…”
“No such luck. It’s pure, unseasoned veggie vibes.”
We didn’t buy any condiments.
“The other two?”
“Two: we go grab some frozen food.”
“Easy fix.”
“Right? But it’s just kicking the can down the road. If we don’t try cooking, we’ll never get better. Plus, if we’re eating frozen meals every day, our parents’ll worry.”
“Don’t wanna stress the family… Last option?”
“We both dive into cooking, even if we’re clueless. Doesn’t have to be daily—some frozen food days are fine. But today, we make kheema curry. Otherwise, these ingredients go to waste.”
“But… do we even know how to make it?”
“If we don’t, we look it up. Follow a recipe, and it’ll taste decent, right?”
It’s curry, after all. Toss in the roux, and anything turns curry-flavored. As long as we don’t get fancy, it’ll be edible.
Hope sparks in Nanami’s eyes. “Listening to you, Haru-kun, I’m starting to think we can pull this off!”
“Alright, let’s do this! Nanami, you’re on rice duty. Watch the water so it doesn’t turn into porridge!”
“I’ll try…!”
Nervous but fired up, Nanami gets to work. She lugs the rice bag from the cabinet as I pull up a kheema curry recipe on my phone.
According to this, our 200 grams of ground meat makes four servings. Might as well use it all for four portions and save half for tomorrow’s lunch.
I scan the recipe. We’re missing some ingredients, but onions and carrots are good. Kheema curry’s basically “ground meat curry,” so the meat’s the star. We don’t have the listed spices, but we’ve got curry roux. That’s the ticket to curry flavor.
I set up a cutting board and knife, chopping carrots fine, then dicing onions…
“Ugh…”
“What’s wrong, Haru-kun?”
“Onions are stinging my eyes…”
“Hang on.”
Nanami grabs a tissue and wipes my tears. “Like surgery, huh?” I joke, and she giggles.
“You’re good at dicing, Haru-kun.”
“Just chopping small. How’s the rice?”
“Just gotta hit a button. But there’s so many—‘Menu’ is where I start, right?”
“No ‘Cook’ button?”
“There is.”
“Hit that. Then grab a frying pan.”
Nanami presses the button with a beep and grabs the frying pan. While she’s at it, I finish dicing the onions, drizzle some oil in the pan, and start sautéing the onions and carrots.
“Hands are full here. Toss in the meat.”
“Just dump it all in?”
I nod, and Nanami, looking a bit nervous, drops the ground meat into the pan. I keep stirring and say, “Can you get the water and curry roux ready?”
“How much water and roux?”
“No clue. It’s for four servings. Check the back of the package.”
“Um… got it! Says here. Can I add it now?”
“Hold off a sec.”
Once the meat’s cooked through, I tell her to add the water. When it starts simmering, she tosses in the roux, and we stir until it melts.
“Smells like curry already.”
“Totally. Super curry vibes.”
The scent’s reassuring, like we’re almost there.
I breathe a sigh of relief, stirring to spread the roux evenly. And just like that, the kheema curry’s done.
“We did it…”
“Yeah… Thought we were screwed for a minute there. Oh, what about the soft-boiled egg?”
“I can handle that much.”
“Nice one, Haru-kun! I can’t sleep with my feet toward you tonight~”
“With the bed’s setup, you’ll literally be pointing your feet right at me.”
I smirk, half-joking, as I fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Then I cut the heat, drop in the eggs, and we settle in to watch TV for about fifteen minutes.
Soon, the rice cooker chimes. Nanami pops it open, revealing perfectly cooked rice.
“Phew, it’s nice and fluffy!”
No porridge disaster. She scoops the rice while I fish out the eggs. I ladle curry over the rice, top it with a soft-boiled egg, and dinner’s ready.
“Looks so good!”
“We pulled it off!”
Feels like we leveled up as humans. This is a confidence boost. If we keep cooking every day, we might be pros by the time we move out.
We carry the curry to the low table, set out glasses of tea and spoons, and plop onto the sofa.
““Let’s eat!””
We clap our hands together and dig in.
…Yum! Perfectly spicy, textbook medium curry. The meat’s not dry, and the sautéing’s spot-on.
Knowing we made it ourselves makes it taste even better. Reminds me of the curry we cooked at summer camp—tasted amazing then too.
“So good!”
“We can face tomorrow’s lunch without fear.”
“Curry’s always better the second day, right? Wanna do curry for dinner tomorrow too?”
“Love it, but every day’s a bit much… How about we try simple dishes for dinner tomorrow and build our repertoire?”
“Simple stuff… like udon or yakisoba?”
“Yakisoba needs a lot of ingredients, and we’d have leftover veggies rotting in the fridge. How about katsu udon to start?”
We’ve got onions left. Just need to stir-fry some sweet-savory soy sauce beef. Tomorrow, we’ll grab sugar, soy sauce… maybe mayo and ketchup too.
“Can’t wait for tomorrow~”
Nanami’s cheeks are all relaxed now, despite her earlier nerves. Nailing the curry must’ve chased her worries away.
We polish off the kheema curry, clean up together, and sink back onto the sofa.
It’s just past 7:30 p.m. We planned a game marathon, but we both want to shower first.
“You wanna go first, Nanami?”
“I’ll take you up on that. No hot water yet, right?”
“If you didn’t fill the tub, it’s empty.”
“I’ll fill it while I’m in there, then.” She heads to the bedroom, grabs her pajamas, and calls, “See ya!” before vanishing into the bathroom. Soon, a robotic voice announces, “Filling the tub.”
Alright.
“Might as well tackle some homework.”
I say it out loud to psych myself up and spread my study stuff on the bedroom desk.
With all the chaos of this sudden cohabitation, I almost forgot: I’ve got homework due Monday, plus midterms Thursday, Friday, and after the weekend on Monday and Tuesday.
My old school had a slightly higher academic rank than Hazakura High. I’m keeping up with classes fine. If I stay sharp, I can hit above average. Plus, Nanami’s supposedly a top student here, so I can ask her if I get stuck.
First, homework. I blast through the math workbook, then move to English. I’m translating sentences, dictionary in hand, when I hear a noise from the bathroom.
Checking my phone, it’s been thirty minutes since I started. Nanami’s taking her sweet time compared to her old crow’s bath days in elementary school.
“Out of the bath!” she calls, stepping into the bedroom. She’s in loose sweatpants and a short-sleeved tee, a towel draped over her shoulders, black hair damp and glistening. Her flushed skin’s kinda… alluring, and the single tee highlights her figure. I can’t help but stare, my heart racing.
I’m alone with the Untouchable Beauty, the flower too perfect to touch. It’s hitting me all over again.
“…Got it. Short sleeves, though? Not cold?”
“I’ll throw on a jacket later. I fell asleep in the tub, so I’m super toasty. You… heading in now?”
“In like five minutes. Almost done with homework.”
“Oh, you’re doing homework. Was gonna join you.”
She leans in to peek at my notebook, her unfamiliar shampoo scent wafting over.
“Wow, you’re translating this right.”
“You can tell just by looking?”
“I’m kinda an English whiz. Hit me up with any questions.”
“Will do. Same goes for you—ask me anything.”
“Got it,” she smiles, heading back to the bathroom. The hairdryer hums as I finish translating. I grab my clothes from the wardrobe and sit on the sofa to wait.
“Done!” Nanami calls, reappearing. I head to the bathroom… and spot the open washing machine. Her underwear’s probably in there, and I can’t help but fixate.
“…Get a grip, man.”
She’s a girl, yeah, but she’s Nanami. Practically my sister, raised like family. Sure, she’s a stunning beauty now, but she’s still Nanami.
We’ve changed in front of each other countless times, bathed together, even seen each other naked as kids. No reason to get flustered now!
I shove the thoughts aside, toss my clothes in the washer, and step into the bathroom. Shampoo, lather up with the gray body towel I bought, and rinse off.
…
I glance at the tub. Knowing Nanami was just soaking in there sets my heart racing again.
It’s warm today, so skipping the tub’s fine, but it’ll get colder. By winter, I’ll need to soak to avoid catching a cold. Better get used to it now than wrestle with it in a freezing bathroom later.
Steeling myself, I climb in. The water’s lukewarm, but my nerves make me overheat fast.
I get out, slip into pajamas, and—per Nanami’s orders—slap on some toner and lotion before brushing my teeth and drying my hair. Then I head to the living room.
I figured she’d be doing homework, but Nanami’s sprawled on the sofa, TV still on, fast asleep. Guess the game marathon’s off… Oh well, another time. She barely slept last night, and seeing her peacefully snoozing makes me drowsy too.
It’s just past 9 p.m. Early for bed, but maybe we call it a night.
“Nanami, sleep in the bed. You’ll catch a cold on the sofa. …Nanami? Yo, wake up. Oi, Nanami, Nanami!”
No good. She’s not waking up.
I give her shoulder a light shake, but she’s out cold.
What now…? I could just throw a blanket over her, but today’s her night for the bed. Plus, she’s still in just a T-shirt. She’ll catch a cold like this.
“No choice, huh…”
I head to the bedroom, pull back the comforter, and return to Nanami. Slipping one arm under her back and the other behind her knees, I scoop her up princess-style.
“…Lighter than I expected.”
She’s grown taller since we were kids. I braced for her to be heavier, but she’s way lighter than I thought.
She’s taller than the average girl, with a pretty… prominent chest, yet she’s this light? Hardly any extra weight—she’s got a killer figure.
…
Trying not to stare at her chest rising and falling with each breath, I carry her to the bedroom.
Bending down, I gently lay her on the bed. Just then, Nanami’s eyes snap open. I’m practically hovering over her, our faces inches apart, locked in a stare.
Her cheeks flush red in an instant.
“—W-What!? Huh!? W-What’s going on, Haru-kun!? Y-You wanna sleep together like old times!?”
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“N-No way! You wouldn’t wake up no matter how much I called or shook you, so I carried you to bed!”
“O-Oh, got it. Thanks for carrying me… Was I heavy?”
“Super light. Alright, I’m crashing on the sofa.”
“Okay… Oh, wait, I haven’t brushed my teeth…”
“I’ll leave the living room light on. Turn it off when you head back to the bedroom.”
“Got it,” she says, getting up.
I grab the blanket by the bed and flop onto the sofa. Draping it over myself, I close my eyes. As I hear her brushing her teeth, the room goes dark.
“…Haru-kun, asleep already?”
I consider pretending to sleep, but ignoring her might make tomorrow morning awkward.
“…Still awake. What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to say goodnight.”
She sounded rattled in the bedroom, but her voice is calm now. Must’ve chilled out while brushing her teeth.
“Night, Nanami.”
“Night, Haru-kun.”
Exchanging goodnights like we used to eases the tension a bit.
Nanami heads to the bedroom with a satisfied step.
That close-up stare freaked me out, but… she seemed over it. Should make living together less awkward going forward.
The tension’s gone, but… that little incident blew my sleepiness away. Looks like another restless night.
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