Chapter 1: The Daily Girlfriend
A wooden, old school building stood a little distance from the new one at Hoshinomiya High School, where we attended.
The storage room on the second floor of that old building was the clubroom for the “Brain Psychology Research Society”, and it was my sanctuary.
Dust motes sparkled in the soft morning sun. The stacks of old books created a unique scent that defined the space. Encouraged by this nostalgic atmosphere, I sat on a hard wooden chair, writing in my diary.
“All done.”
I finished writing down the events since I woke up, before homeroom, and took a breath.
I could go straight to the classroom and write the diary, but the clubroom, where I could be alone, allowed me to focus better.
The moment I stood up, intending to head to class, I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“President~ Excuse me for intruding~”
Yuki entered with a light voice, her amber ponytail and miniskirt swaying.
“I’m only a President in name, though.”
I was the only member of this club. There had been a third-year senpai and a classmate in my first year, but now I was alone, which was a little lonely.
But sometimes Yuki would drop by, so I wasn’t completely isolated.
“It’s got a grand name like ‘Research Society,’ but it’s basically just my reading room.”
“If you call it a ‘study,’ it sounds cooler!”
“Is it really necessary to be pretentious about it?”
The bright atmosphere she had brought in suddenly broke, and a shadow crossed Yuki’s face.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. You know, for pushing you so hard.”
“No, I should be the one to apologize.”
I was partly to blame for what happened.
“I wish I could have made you my proper girlfriend.”
“It can’t be helped. You don’t have your old memories, Shinya.”
Yuki and I had met in middle school and apparently dated briefly during the summer of our first year of high school. But due to a certain incident, I got amnesia and forgot all about it. All I remembered was the promise not to lie and a few other minor things.
“It’s okay that I can’t be your real girlfriend. Because the Shinya of now likes Sara, right?”
However, it was also true that Yuki had been my girlfriend once. And I, with my amnesia, only learned that I had dated Yuki after I started dating Segawa-san.
So, partly as atonement, I was secretly dating Yuki on a rotational basis, without Segawa-san knowing. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—the days Segawa-san had her violin lessons—Yuki would secretly become my girlfriend.
“I’m fine with things as they are,” she said, forcing a smile.
“Because I get to date you again, Shinya. Even if it’s a little twisted, my first love is still going.”
Seeing that smile gave me a sharp pang in my chest.
This time, no matter what, I didn't want to forget Yuki. That’s why I was writing a diary.
If I were to lose my memory again, I could still remember Yuki.
And the reason I was in this club was also because of my amnesia. I thought that by studying neuroscience, I might learn something about memory, and that psychology, which is closely related to the brain, might also be useful.
“You really were my first love. My heart feels so warm when I’m with you, Shinya.”
“Mine too. That’s what first love is all about, isn’t it?”
“Maybe because you’re that person. I want to support you in everything, and I want you to be happy with Sara.”
“So,” she murmured, her eyes softening as she opened her arms wide.
“Want to ‘practice’ again? ‘Practice’ getting close to a girl, like yesterday?”
“No, it’s fine. It feels wrong to use you for practice, Yuki.”
Before I got amnesia, my relationship with Yuki had been brief. Since I had amnesia, I had forgotten even how to interact with girls.
So, before I did anything with Segawa-san, I would practice with Yuki. We had this kind of relationship alongside our secret dating.
“It’s not wrong at all. Just being able to touch you, even if it’s practice, makes me incredibly happy, and most importantly, it’s helping you with your love life. No one loses, and no one gets sad.”
Furthermore, Yuki didn't want to betray her friendship with Segawa-san.
That’s why she settled for this secret arrangement instead of becoming my real girlfriend.
But I wasn't comfortable with this ‘practice.’ I didn't want to treat the girl who had taken care of me after my amnesia—my benefactor—so casually.
However, Yuki was adamant and, above all, she was doing this out of goodwill. She even said, “I’m perfectly satisfied with things as they are, so please get closer to Sara without worrying about me.” I couldn’t reject her kindness, and so I had been using her as my practice partner until today.
“Besides, you’ve been on dates and practiced talking with me, and that’s why things are going so well with Sara, right?”
“Thanks, always.”
Upon receiving my thanks, Yuki closed her eyes and tilted her chin up. She was asking for a reward.
“Mmm~…”
I stroked her head as a sign of my gratitude, and Yuki narrowed her eyes happily.
“Being praised by Shinya is the happiest thing of all, after all~”
Coming from a family where both parents were busy with work, Yuki hadn’t received much parental affection. That's why she had a sort of longing for having her head stroked and often requested it from me.
“Let’s keep getting used to girls more and more, with me.”
“I need to graduate from this practice soon, though.”
“Ehehe, the Yuki Aiba Driving School never lets its students graduate and keeps billing for tuition forever~”
“Hey, hey, that sounds like a shady business.”
“You can’t get a cleaning-off period!”
“You mean a cooling-off period.”
We exchanged lighthearted jokes, but there was no physical intimacy like the day before.
“Sorry for always making you hold back.”
“It’s fine. That’s the line we drew. That’s the Daily Girlfriend.”
After school, a crowd had gathered in the hallway.
The midterm exam results were posted on the bulletin board, and students were reacting with a mix of joy and despair.
Posting a ranked list like this was apparently met with some backlash from parents, but our Hoshinomiya High School seemed determined not to change its policy. The top ten students in the grade were posted in huge letters, complete with their scores.
Despite the controversy, the rankings were a matter of interest to the students and always a hot topic after a test.
I was a little curious and peeked at the board. Right at the top, it was written in huge letters: “1st Place Sara Segawa 791 Points”. Neither Yuki nor I were on the list, by the way.
“Segawa-san is first place again.”
“I wonder what she lost those 9 points on, with 791.”
“She’s a great athlete and a violinist, too. It makes her kind of unapproachable.”
“If she’s that smart, her boyfriend must have a hard time keeping up with the conversation.”
At that comment, everyone turned to look at me.
Unlike my relationship with Yuki, my relationship with Segawa-san was not a secret.
I quickly retreated, trying to escape the jealous stares directed at the ‘perfect superhuman’s boyfriend.’
“A panda is just an obese bear with different coloring, isn’t it?”
In a way, there were times when I couldn’t keep up with Segawa-san’s conversation.
This was during our strange habit of a clubroom date after escaping the public eye.
We were sitting side-by-side on an old sofa we’d gotten from the reception room, but the distance between us was still a little too much for a boyfriend and girlfriend.
“The black and white coloring gives it charm, but if it were all black…”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Some girls in class were talking about how cute pandas are during break, and I was just thinking about it vaguely.”
Why would the thought process jump from ‘Pandas are cute’ to ‘An obese bear with different coloring’?
We had been dating for a month, but sometimes I just couldn’t figure her out.
“If you heard that much of the conversation, why didn’t you join in?”
“Do you think I’m capable of that?”
“Sadly, I can’t imagine it at all.”
Segawa-san was amazing—not just academically excellent and athletically gifted, but also a violinist and an ojou-sama.
Many people found such a perfect, quiet girl unapproachable. Because of this, she had almost no friends other than Yuki and me. And as you could see, she didn't seem to mind being a loner, but… there was one thing even Segawa-san worried about.
“Could I move over a little closer?”
I nodded to her, her cheeks faintly flushed, a rare sight.
She moved just a few centimeters closer. The distance between us closed to about 30cm.
“I’m sorry, but I’m a little nervous even at this distance…”
“Psychologically, anything within 45cm is called the intimate distance, which signifies a very close relationship. So you don’t have to apologize.”
But still.
“Segawa-san, you’re so incredibly innocent.”
“I was in an all-girls school from elementary school, so I might not have had much contact with boys.”
Segawa-san spoke as if it were nothing, but she looked a little embarrassed.
Yes, despite being a perfect superhuman, Segawa-san was what you might call The Ultimate Romance Novice. Even this small distance was enough to break her usual poker face.
Perhaps to cover her shyness, Segawa-san pulled a cheese soufflé from her school bag, which she had bought at the convenience store near the school.
“Convenience store sweets are my new favorite!” she exclaimed, a rare snort of excitement escaping her nose.
Her eyes shining, Segawa-san took a small bite of the soufflé.
“Mmm! So good! It’s super fluffy, I tell ya!” she exclaimed, slipping into her Hakata dialect.
Her mannerisms while eating were exactly what you’d expect from a lady, but when she got excited, she reverted to a thick Hakata dialect.
This innocent side of Segawa-san was what made her so cute.
“Hehe.”
“H-Hey, don’t laugh, Hayasaki-kun.”
“Sorry, I just think your Hakata dialect is cute.”
“M-Mooom! Hayasaki-kun, you’re such a pervert!”
“A pervert!?”
Thanks to the ‘practice’ with Yuki, even I, with practically zero romantic experience, could joke around with Segawa-san like this. The practice seemed to be working.
“I actually like the Hakata dialect. It’s a nice contrast to your usual self, Segawa-san.”
“If Hayasaki-kun likes it, then that’s all that matters…”
Ah, she was back to normal.
“I lived in Fukuoka until middle school, so the habit just comes out sometimes.”
Segawa-san apparently moved here at the time of her high school entrance.
“So, please don’t mind it if you hear words you’re not used to,” she said with a wry smile.
Since I was dating such a cute Segawa-san, I often got envious stares. That would be fine, but there were even guys who said things like, “The rumor about Hayasaki and Segawa dating must be fake. He’s that nerdy Hayasaki who just hides in the clubroom, right?” How rude.
In any case, because of those circumstances, there were still people who didn't believe Segawa-san and I were dating.
And naturally, that meant guys still confessed to Segawa-san.
“I was confessed to by a third-year senpai today.”
“I know. I saw it.”
I had actually witnessed it.
I think he was the basketball club captain, a pretty flashy-looking guy.
“I only need Hayasaki-kun… I’m just troubled when I get confessed to.”
“It’s because people don’t believe we’re dating, though.”
Part of the problem was my own low profile, but another cause was that Segawa-san was so innocent that we had no public displays of affection.
“In that case… perhaps I should try to behave more like a real girlfriend.”
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Segawa-san was so innocent that she called me by my last name even after we started dating. Now, she was summoning her courage. To reward her, I took her hand and laced my fingers through hers.
“Hayasaki-kun, your hand is big,” Segawa-san said, still blushing but speaking with curiosity.
We held hands, feeling the texture of each other’s skin. Her profile was one of pure innocence, a look she never showed in the classroom. My heart leaped, and my face grew warm.
“When I’m with Hayasaki-kun, I feel so calm. It’s a little exciting, but it’s also comforting, you know… I’m sorry, I can’t explain it well, but I just know I love Hayasaki-kun.”
“Me too. I love spending time with you, Segawa-san.”
Segawa-san was certainly a genuine ojou-sama and a little unapproachable. She was the complete opposite of the friendly Yuki.
But in reality, she enjoyed convenience store sweets and got nervous just holding hands. She was a normal girl.
Most importantly, she enjoyed sharing time with me.
That side of her was so cute that I became completely devoted to Segawa-san.
What can I do to make Segawa-san happy? How can I get her to show me that adorable smile? Even when I wasn't with her, I thought about things like that at home. It felt good to have my head filled with her.
That’s why, even when I was in bed at night, I worried about whether she had sent me a message, and if she did, I would spend about an hour drafting a reply. That was my life now.
“Hayasaki-kun, are you having fun on our dates? They’re always so plain, like today, because of me…”
“I have fun just being with you, Segawa-san.”
“I like that your words are always honest.”
Segawa-san hated lies because her parents divorced due to her father’s infidelity.
That’s why, like Yuki, Segawa-san liked my words because I never lied. But…
“Just because I don’t lie, doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes hurt your feelings, right?”
I started interacting with Segawa-san after entering high school, but because of my amnesia, I had forgotten many things, which sometimes caused her distress. I often thought it would be better to lie and spare her feelings.
“It’s true that some things are shocking. But the fact that you have amnesia is part of ‘the Hayasaki-kun of now.’ I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
“Seriously, thank you. You always save me, Segawa-san.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Segawa-san treated me as ‘the Hayasaki Shinya of now,’ not ‘the Hayasaki Shinya of the amnesiac past.’
Of course, Yuki was also worried about me when I got amnesia. But that was how she treated the amnesiac me, ‘the Hayasaki Shinya of the past.’ Since she was my former girlfriend, her anxiety was understandable, and I was happy that someone cared.
I did think it would be good to recover my memory.
But I also wanted people to look at the me of now, rather than the incomprehensible Hayasaki Shinya of the past. Though I couldn't say that, having caused them so much worry.
While everyone else treated me that way, only Segawa-san accepted ‘the me of now.’ Segawa-san found the lonely, empty me.
That’s why I wanted to touch her more, to get closer to her, at her own pace.
Segawa-san also said she wanted to get closer, so there was no need to rush.
“Speaking of which,” Segawa-san murmured, as if she had just remembered something.
“Someone was saying they saw Yuki enter the clubroom this morning.”
I flinched at her words.
Could they have overheard our conversation?
I racked my brain, wondering if we had talked about anything problematic, but Segawa-san wore a fond, gentle smile.
“You two are close, aren’t you? I’d like to go too, but I’m not a morning person…”
“Your boyfriend was alone with another girl… and you’re okay with that?”
“What? Do you want me to be jealous?” she teased. But I didn't want her to be jealous.
In most cases, jealousy was a chilling feeling, especially from the person you loved most. It made you timid, afraid that you might be disliked.
“It’s fine. Yuki is my best friend. There’s no way anything is going on between you and Hayasaki-kun.”
And besides, she added.
“The honest Hayasaki-kun, who never lies, wouldn’t cheat, would he?”
Before going to sleep. I lay in bed, grinding quests in a social game, sinking into a sea of thought.
Segawa-san didn’t know that the reason I couldn’t lie was because of a promise to my first love. In fact, everyone except Yuki just saw me as ‘Hayasaki, the weirdo who doesn’t lie.’
But I had no intention of telling Segawa-san that the reason I couldn’t lie was a promise to my first love. It would definitely complicate things.
I didn’t lie, but I hid things. It didn’t break the promise to my first love.
I knew that, but my heart still gave a sharp pang.
As if to call me back from my thoughts, a message notification sounded. It was from Yuki.
“It’s midnight, so can I come over to your place?”
I realized the date had changed, and it was now Yuki’s day.
I texted back okay, and a few minutes later, I heard the sound of the front door opening, accompanied by Yuki’s hesitant voice saying, “Excuse me for intruding.” Yuki had a spare key to my place and lived in an apartment nearby, so she often came to see me on lonely nights like this.
“Hehe, going to a guy’s room late at night feels like I’m doing something bad.”
Yuki, who had entered the room, was wearing thin, pink pajamas.
“Well, it’s not exactly good, but… are your parents okay with it?”
“Yeah, they’re fast asleep. I don’t think they’ll notice if I’m back by morning. Are you okay, Shinya?”
“My parents are still away on a business trip. I’m fine.”
I see, I see, Yuki nodded, then stood awkwardly with her toes pointed inward.
“Um, can we sleep together?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
When it was time to sleep, I inevitably got lonely and craved human warmth.
But we were high school students our age. The moment Yuki slipped into the futon, our conversation instantly stopped. We faced each other, maintaining a slight distance, yet close enough to feel each other’s breath.
We had done things that were somewhat advanced, but the quiet of the night created a delicate atmosphere.
To break the tension, Yuki spoke up.
“O-Oh, right. I put breakfast in the fridge for tomorrow morning, so make sure you eat it~”
“Thanks, as always.”
“Don’t worry about it. Besides, if I leave you alone, you’ll just eat cup ramen all the time~”
When I first got amnesia, my parents were worried and didn’t go on business trips.
But since Yuki, who had been my friend since middle school, offered to look after me, they eventually started going on trips as usual.
That was why Yuki had a spare key to the Hayasaki house.
“That nikujaga the other day was delicious, too.”
“Fufufu~ I’ve been working hard on my cooking since I retired as an idol~”
Yuki had been focused solely on her idol career until her retirement.
Because of that, she hadn’t been good at studying or cooking, but she apparently learned household chores like cooking to take care of the amnesiac me. I thought she could do something about her grades if she applied that same effort to studying…
“Shinya, Shinya~ The food was delicious, right?”
She tilted her chin up, asking to be praised, so I stroked her head.
Seeing Yuki narrow her eyes blissfully made my own face soften.
“Segawa-san praises my cooking, too, so does my praise really mean anything?”
“Yours is the best~ You’ve made it so my body can’t be satisfied by anyone but you~”
“That sounds dangerously addictive.”
“Swoosh-haa, swoosh-haa.”
I didn’t think it was something you were supposed to inhale.
I could talk casually with Yuki. She had a different kind of charm than Segawa-san.
“Seriously, thanks for the cooking, always.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I made it all in one go using discounted ingredients, so I need to eat it soon anyway. I’m happy if you eat it before it goes bad.”
And, she added with a sunflower-like smile.
“It makes me feel a little bit like a girlfriend, too, right?”
Segawa-san was a cute girlfriend. But Yuki was cute, too.
I thought every day that I loved them both.
“But I won’t ask you to make me your real girlfriend.”
Yuki knew I was struggling with the two of them. That’s why she said that.
But there was another reason.
“Sara helped me so much. I don’t want to betray her friendship.”
Yuki was a former idol, and the attention sometimes caused her trouble. But I, as a guy, couldn’t always be with Yuki. In those times, Segawa-san had helped her.
To Yuki, Segawa-san was a best friend who helped her in tough times.
“Sorry, I’m always making you put up with things.”
“It’s okay. I’m satisfied enough with things as they are.”
And, she smiled.
“The happiest thing for me is seeing you happy, Shinya.”
“So,” she said, a little wistfully.
“I just need to be by your side, Shinya. It doesn’t matter what number I am. Pity is fine, too. Just please, this time, don’t forget me.”
According to what Yuki told me, I had done something terrible in the past.
—It was during middle school.
I knew the idol Yuki was at my school, but we didn’t have any particular contact.
My first encounter with Yuki was apparently in the third year of middle school, when we were in the same class.
However, Yuki had retired from being an idol at the start of the third year, citing a focus on academics.
Yuki was quite gloomy back then. She didn’t respond much when spoken to and was always alone, avoiding contact with others.
At first, everyone in the class paid attention to her, but eventually, they decided, “She’s burnt out from quitting her idol career,” and left her alone to focus on their entrance exams.
But I, who wasn’t the type to have many friends, felt a sense of camaraderie and couldn't leave her alone, so I kept talking to her.
After continuing that for a while, she slowly began to open up to me.
We ended up on the same committee, in the same group for the school trip, and worked hard together during the sports festival, spending a short but intense period of time together.
During those days, she gradually returned to her original, bright self.
One day, Yuki told only me, her close friend, the real reason she retired as an idol.
It was because of the world she lived in: a character built on lies, publicity full of lies, and relationships steeped in lies.
“I think a few lies are unavoidable, and some are necessary. But that was too much…”
The bright and honest Yuki couldn’t bear a world cemented in lies and had retired.
That had caused her to develop a distrust of people, making her avoid contact with others.
But I was famous for being ‘the weirdo who never lies,’ and I had never actually lied in front of Yuki.
“You saved me, Hayasaki-kun.”
By being with me, Yuki learned to trust people again.
Feeling safe with the me who never lied, Yuki was apparently always with me.
And by a miracle, considering her grades, Yuki passed the entrance exam for Hoshinomiya High School, the same school as me, where she would meet Segawa-san.
Yuki's natural brightness acted as a lubricant, and the three of us quickly became close.
I deepened my friendship with Segawa-san, but my relationship with Yuki developed even more rapidly.
“H-Hayasaki-kun! I want you to go out with me!”
It was a confession in the twilight classroom, while we were working on committee tasks alone.
We started dating after that—
“Let’s keep it a secret from everyone.”
It was partly because she was a former idol and worried about attention, but also…
“It wouldn’t be good if Sara found out and things got awkward between the three of us.”
“Right. We don’t want Segawa-san to feel left out.”
“Ehehe, having a secret just between the two of us is fun, like we’re doing something bad.”
Then, summer vacation started, and Yuki and I went to the beach.
We were a fresh, new couple, and we got so carried away that we found ourselves far out in the ocean.
Worse, Yuki got a cramp in her leg and started drowning. Panicking and flailing only made her sink faster. There was no time to wait for a lifeguard, so I somehow managed to lift Yuki and secure her breathing. Thanks to that effort, Yuki was safe.
However, because I prioritized Yuki, I ran out of air and lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen, ending up in the hospital.
When I woke up in the hospital bed, Segawa-san and Yuki both cried hysterically.
Seeing them, I said,
“Why are you two crying? Who are you, anyway? …Who am I?”
Having suffered severe damage to my brain, I had apparently developed amnesia.
My memories of both of them were gone.
Except for the memory of my first love, I was almost completely blank. The empty me was terrified, and Yuki gently hugged me and said,
“You are Shinya Hayasaki. I am Yuki Aiba.”
—And your friend. Nice to meet you.
It must have been painful for Yuki, too. But she never showed it.
I think that because Yuki was the kind of person who still worried about her fans even after quitting her idol career, the kind of person who cared about others, she must have thought: If Shinya finds out we were dating, he’ll feel responsible and try to remember.
So, she must have pretended we were just friends to not burden me.
And I continued to live that way.
My memory was completely erased, but I could still do things that my body ‘remembered,’ and thanks to Yuki taking care of me in place of my busy parents, I was able to live a normal life.
Segawa-san also helped me with my studies, and the three of us built new memories together.
The time I spent laughing with the two of them filled the hole in my heart. It was warm.
We toured the cultural festival together. We went to the first shrine visit of the year together. We went cherry blossom viewing together in the spring. In all of those moments, their smiles were right beside me.
They covered up the loneliness, the emptiness, and the chilling isolation I felt.
During that time, Segawa-san, who cherished the time she spent with ‘the me of now,’ and I began to become conscious of each other as a couple, and last month, in May, we started dating after she confessed to me.
And when I told Yuki about my new relationship when we were alone…
“…Huh?”
I would never forget the look on Yuki’s face then.
She froze, looking utterly confused, as if her brain couldn’t process what I was saying.
And the moment Yuki understood what I had said, she burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
It was a natural reaction for a best friend whose former boyfriend had started dating her.
After Yuki finally calmed down, she told me the whole story, and I finally learned the truth. I told her, “I’ll do anything I can,” to atone for what I’d done.
“Then, date me again. Even if it’s out of pity.”
That’s how the “Daily Girlfriend” started.
The vows were only three:
- Yuki Aiba would secretly be Shinya Hayasaki’s girlfriend only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—the days Sara Segawa had her violin lessons.
- To draw a clear boundary between the Daily Girlfriend and the real girlfriend, there would be no kissing.
- Since it was a secret just between the two of us, we would remain friends unless we were alone on one of Yuki’s days.
Yuki also didn’t want to destroy her friendship with Segawa-san. That was the reason for the vows.
But besides these vows, I made a personal promise.
It wasn’t just Segawa-san, who sought ‘the me of now.’ Yuki’s smile had saved me, too.
Otherwise, seeing Yuki’s tears wouldn't have hurt my heart so much.
So, I would never make her look like that again. I wouldn’t let it happen.
I would protect the smiles, the friendship, and the happiness of the two girls who had brought warmth to the empty me.
Even if I was met with difficulties because I couldn’t lie.
That was the only thing a plain high school student could do.
◇◇◇
The three of us, the close-knit trio, moved to the clubroom for lunch during the break.
Yuki and Segawa-san sat side-by-side on the sofa, and I sat opposite them, separated by the low table.
And the biggest interest for both Yuki and me was Segawa-san’s lunch.
“Sara’s lunch box is amazing again~!”
I hesitated to even call Segawa-san’s food a ‘lunch box.’
It was a tiered lacquer box, and the contents looked like osechi (New Year’s food). She clearly lived in a different world from me, who was munching on a pastry from the school store, and Yuki, who had a common, homemade lunch.
“My housekeeper prepares it,” she said casually, as if it were nothing.
A housekeeper. Segawa-san really was a lady.
“I’ve always wondered,” Yuki said, borrowing a side dish from Segawa-san’s lunch as usual. “Your family is super rich, so why did you come to a common school like Hoshinomiya High?”
Segawa-san had moved here from Fukuoka at the time of high school entrance.
Her parents’ jobs were apparently the kind that could be done anywhere, and they had moved at their daughter’s request.
“Our school is pretty normal. Couldn’t Sara have gone to a better school?”
“Actually, I lived in this area, Hoshinomiya City, before.”
“…That’s it?”
“That’s important.”
Just for that reason? I thought, but it seemed to be a big deal to Segawa-san. She had apparently convinced her parents on the condition that she continue to get top scores on practice exams.
“Yuki’s lunch looks delicious today, too.”
Before I knew it, Segawa-san’s interest had shifted to the lunch box Yuki was holding.
“Do you want some, maybe?”
“I’m on a diet, so I’ll pass.”
“Hehehe, is that so you can show Hayasaki-kun your swimsuit~?”
“N-No, that’s not it at all!”
It was an obvious tease, but Segawa-san’s face turned bright red.
“Then it’s fine~ Come on, Aang.”
Yuki picked up a perfectly shaped piece of tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) with her chopsticks and brought it to Segawa-san’s mouth.
“I-I’m fine.”
“Don’t be so cold~ Here, here~ It’s an omelet made with sale eggs, ten for 168 yen~”
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“When you put it that way, I am curious.”
It would be crude to point out what exactly was so intriguing about that description. It was Segawa-san, after all.
In the end, the two of them were feeding each other, as usual.
They were truly close friends, and it was a heartwarming sight.
At that moment, Segawa-san murmured something quietly.
“In middle school, I never got to eat lunch with everyone, but this is nice.”
She must have had an unapproachable air about her even back then, being a perfect superhuman.
From what I’d heard, Segawa-san had attended a high-class girls’ school, but the fact that she was an outcast even there was astonishing.
But I wasn't the only one who felt that this was a topic we shouldn’t press further.
“L-Let’s watch a video!”
To change the subject, Yuki pulled out her smartphone. She opened a video site, and a short clip started playing.
“We’re getting to the bottom of that famous actor’s cheating scandal~!”
The exposé streamer enthusiastically began to talk about the scandal.
“Believe it or not, he was selling himself as a loving, hands-on dad who whispered sweet nothings to his wife every night! It’s shocking!”
“Cheating and lying are the worst,” Segawa-san said.
Her poker face crumbled, and a shadow fell across her face.
There was a reason she hated lies. Segawa-san’s father had lied and cheated, which was the cause of her parents’ divorce. Because of that, she was separated from her beloved younger sister, which must have been a severe shock. Her mother, who had taken custody of Segawa-san, had since remarried, but she was still separated from her sister.
Given her family history, Segawa-san absolutely despised cheating and lying, which was why she was so fond of me—the guy who never lied.
But if the Daily Girlfriend secret got out, the trio's relationship would shatter, destroying both their smiles and their friendship.
“A-Ahaha. Let’s find something more fun!” Yuki swiped the short video—only for a new one to pop up:
“About the Retired Yuki~!”
Seriously, why does this video site keep showing us the most awkward shit! What is wrong with this video site!
“Speaking of which,” Segawa-san offered a lifeline to the grimacing Yuki.
Thank you, Segawa-san! Segawa-san and Yuki really are the best of friends—
“When was one’s first love?”
That’s even worse!
It would be disastrous if my first love was revealed. It would cause a rift in the trio's relationship.
If that happened, I could forget about my goal of making both of them happy. That, at least, had to be avoided.
“I keep seeing first love pop up in dramas, and it made me curious when yours was.”
That’s an adorable reason! Is she a grown-up elementary schooler?
But this reaction was understandable.
Segawa-san, who had no connection to romance due to strict school rules at her ojou-sama school that prevented interaction with boys from other schools, seemed deeply interested in the topic of first love.
The Ultimate Romance Novice (Kyuukyoku Ren’ai Shoshinsha Arutimetto Ubu), Segawa-san, blushed and gave me a hesitant look.
“When was your first love, Hayasaki-kun?”
“Well, you see…”
I could feel her expectant gaze, the look that said, Hayasaki-kun never lies, so he’ll tell me.
This was bad. Extremely bad.
I had to find a way to dodge the question. But I couldn’t lie.
In that case—
Yuki and I made quick eye contact, and Yuki immediately cut in with a counter-question for Segawa-san.
“When was your first love, Sara?”
“M-Me?”
“Well, you’re the one who brought it up! You have to go first, or it’s a total romance-talk foul!”
What the hell is that rule? I wanted to retort, but I was saved.
Yuki gave me a triumphant thumbs-up.
“It was when I was in elementary school, but I never even spoke to him…”
“Ooh! A classic~”
“Actually, I used to live in this area, Hoshinomiya City, before.”
She had mentioned that a moment ago.
“It was Hayasaki-kun, who I saw in the park back then, who was my first love.”
“«Seriously?!»”
Both Yuki and I stared at her, wide-eyed.
“T-Then, the reason Sara came to Hoshinomiya High was…”
“I thought I might get to see Hayasaki-kun again.”
“That’s so fated~”
“A-And with that, I’m ending this conversation right now!”
Segawa-san, whose ears were bright red, slammed the lid on her tiered box and quickly left the clubroom.
“We managed it somehow.”
Both of us sighed in relief.
I knew that the Ultimate Romance Novice, Segawa-san, would flee in embarrassment if the topic of her first love was brought up.
With that quick eye contact, I had signaled Yuki to counter the first love topic. The calculation was that we could get through this without me having to lie.
And so, our Daily Girlfriend secret was protected for another day.
First love is special. In some ways, more so than any other love.
That’s why, even while maintaining the Daily Girlfriend arrangement, I continued to uphold the promise not to lie.
I knew this kind of relationship couldn't be justified. Still, the Daily Girlfriend was necessary to protect both their smiles.
Then, during P.E. class in the gym after lunch break.
“Whoa, Segawa-san’s amazing.”
“Aiba-san’s got great athletic skills, too, being a former idol and all.”
“Both their tits are bouncing—it’s the best. Man, they’re huge…”
It was the girls’ turn to play volleyball while the guys rested.
Segawa-san and Yuki were on the same team, fighting hard, and they were the center of attention for the boys.
“Seriously, I still can’t believe Hayasaki’s dating Segawa-san.”
“That lame brain-science geek?”
Hey, I can hear you! And ‘brain-science geek’ is a misconception. Probably.
The moment I sent them a glare, the game shifted again, and a cheer went up.
“Sara, chance ball!”
Segawa-san leaped high for the ball, which Yuki had received and sent soaring.
Her back arched like a bow, her torso twisted slightly, and the powerful spike she unleashed slammed into the opposing court.
“Nice one, Sara!”
Segawa-san and Yuki high-fived.
The athletically gifted Segawa-san looked perfect even playing volleyball. She was in no club because of her violin lessons, but if someone said she was on the volleyball team, I’d believe them.
However, Yuki was the only one who approached Segawa-san, while the other teammates just called out, “Nice!” There was a certain distance. Of course, Segawa-san didn’t seem to mind.
Yuki, though, was the opposite of Segawa-san. When she scored a point, cheers erupted.
“Aiba-san, you’re the best!”
“So cute~!”
“Give us a look~!”
Yuki waved and winked, responding to the cheers.
Even after retiring as an idol, she gave her all to the people who supported her. That was so like Yuki.
But I had to cheer only for Segawa-san. Because she was my girlfriend.
A little later, when the girls’ game ended, a friend who had been watching next to me spoke up.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Yeah, I’m counting on you.”
I rotated my shoulders and headed onto the court, replacing the girls.
“Hayasaki-kun, good luck.”
Segawa-san called out to me before I entered the court.
In response, I gave her a thumbs-up.
My cute girlfriend was watching. I was terrible at sports, but I couldn’t let her see me look pathetic.
Besides, if I managed a decent play, Segawa-san might let out a high-pitched cheer. That would be so great.
“Hayasaki!”
My teammate’s voice snapped me out of my fantasy. I turned around, only to find the game had already started.
And then, a spike hit my shin directly, and I crumpled to the floor.
White sheets and curtains.
A quiet space faintly scented with antiseptic.
“Just sit down for now.”
Yuki instructed me, and I sat on the infirmary bed.
Yuki had brought me to the infirmary and was treating me. The school nurse was absent, by the way.
“Shinya, you’re such a klutz. A spike doesn’t usually hit you there~” Yuki teased, applying a cold compress to my shin, which had been hit by the volleyball.
“Just kidding. That was on purpose, wasn’t it?”
“You figured it out, Yuki.”
Yes, the injury was intentional.
Before the game, I had asked my friend, “Make sure you hit me directly with the spike.” It was all pre-arranged.
Yuki and I were on the Health Committee. So, an injury meant Yuki could leave class to treat me. The plan was to get us alone together.
“It’s Yuki’s day today, after all.”
Yes, today was Segawa-san’s violin lesson day, which meant it was Yuki’s day to be my girlfriend.
Yet, because we were in front of everyone, I could only cheer for Segawa-san, and Yuki couldn’t cheer for me. Cheering for a specific member of the opposite sex could be interpreted by those around us as a sign of affection.
I thought that would be frustrating for her, so I wanted to give her some time as my girlfriend, just the two of us. I wanted to see Yuki smile.
Yuki finished putting the compress on my shin and smiled, her eyebrows drooping slightly.
“You don’t have to go that far just out of pity, you know.”
“Nobody feels good when someone else is sad.”
Yuki was mistaken about one thing.
She thought I was continuing the Daily Girlfriend out of pity.
And she thought my kindness stemmed from that same pity.
It was true that I couldn't remember the time I spent with Yuki as my lover.
But ‘the me of now’ had come to love Yuki while continuing the Daily Girlfriend arrangement. To an extent that I couldn’t rank her above Segawa-san.
But I couldn’t let Yuki know that.
If she found out I had feelings for her, her emotional dam would break.
It was embarrassing to say myself, but Yuki was completely smitten with me.
Because if she knew the feeling was mutual, she would easily break their friendship and stop at nothing to steal me away from Segawa-san.
If that happened, the trio's relationship would shatter, and no one would be happy. Yuki must want to avoid that, too.
That’s why I couldn’t express my affection to Yuki.
I couldn’t tell her I loved her.
“I’m sorry. We promised to be friends at school.”
“It’s fine. We also promised that today is your day to be my girlfriend.”
“Ehehe, thanks. I’m so happy to be with you, Shinya.”
She said that, and then murmured softly.
“I want to give you a thank you gift.”
Yuki’s cheeks flushed, and she gently pushed me down onto the bed.
She pulled the futon over us, and we were lying down together.
“Y-Yuki?”
Yuki turned her back to me and whispered in a soft, moist voice.
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“Let’s ‘practice.’”
Yuki always wanted to ‘practice.’
It was partly because she got to touch me, but also because she still felt a debt of gratitude for the past me who had helped her.
“Okay. Let’s practice.”
Yuki took my arm and guided it around her, so I was hugging her.
A back-hug—zero-distance contact—was achieved.
“This way, we won’t almost kiss like last time, right?”
Kissing was special. It was something boyfriends and girlfriends did, a symbol of mutual love.
That’s why we would touch each other, but we wouldn’t kiss.
“Ehehe, being hugged from behind by Shinya makes me feel so calm~” she said, in a sweet, cooing voice.
When Yuki was suffering from her distrust of people, hugging her or holding her hand made her feel safe, just like now.
That’s why Yuki still liked physical contact with me like this.
But that created a different problem.
Yuki’s neck was right at the level of my nose, and I could smell her wonderful citrus scent. And her soft thigh pressed against my groin. Her chest, through her damp gym clothes and bra, pressed against my arm.
It was bad to be feeling like the girl I liked this much.
Because I might get a physical reaction, and things might get stiff.
If that happened, it could be interpreted as a sign of my affection, and that had to be avoided.
“Ehehe, being hugged from behind is kinda exciting. I wonder what you’re gonna do to me…”
“I-I’m not gonna do anything!”
“You’re not going to do anything?”
She sounded anxious and sad.
“You’re right, I’m probably not good enough for practice. I’m not as graceful as Sara, and I’m childish…”
You’re petite, but you’re definitely not childish. You should look in a mirror.
Instead of saying that, I offered reassurance.
“It’s fine. Let’s practice.”
“Okay!”
Yuki’s voice brightened, and I felt relieved.
Yuki had recovered from her distrust of people by spending time with the me who never lied, but she still had an element of dependence on me. That’s why she sometimes got anxious, and I wanted to comfort her.
“Hug me tight.”
When she said that, I increased the pressure of my arms slightly.
“It’s okay if you hug me tighter.”
I squeezed harder.
“More, make it even tighter. Do it with all your might.”
“B-But…”
Yuki was small, and her waist was thin. She felt so delicate that I worried I might break her bones if I hugged her.
“It’s fine. Girls feel good when the guy they like hugs them.”
Hearing that, something surged within me, and I couldn't help but put more strength into my arms.
“Ugh… Ahh…” she moaned, her voice sounding faintly strained, yet laced with a sensual ecstasy.
My lower body almost reacted, but I firmly held back.
“This is amazing… I can feel all of you, and I can feel a boy’s strength… Being hugged from behind like this, your breath on my neck makes my heart pound…”
“This is just… practice, right?”
“T-That’s right! I figured if innocent Sara was suddenly hugged, she’d panic, so you should get used to it! This is all for you and Sara!”
Yuki’s rationality seemed a little questionable, but as long as I could control myself, it was fine.
I couldn’t keep hugging her with all my might, so I loosened my grip.
“There’s something I want to do, too.”
“Okay, tell me what you want to do, Shinya.”
“I want to lick your neck. It smells really good.”
“Fweh!?”
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Y-Yes. It’s okay, you can do whatever you want, Shinya-san.”
Why the honorifics? I wondered, but I gave the nape of her neck a quick lick.
“Hyaa!”
Yuki shivered and cried out at the unfamiliar sensation.
“I’ll stop if you don’t like it?”
“Ugh, Shinya’s turned into a total pervert…”
She groaned, yet she made no move to escape.
Next, I licked the area near her ear. Yuki cried out sweetly and shivered again.
I turned her around and licked her throat. Yuki became adorable again.
I licked her neck deliberately and slowly, teasing her. Yuki became more and more adorable.
Yuki, who had been an idol for everyone, was showing me this disheveled side of herself, only to me.
“Sh-Shinya…”
A sweet voice filled with shyness escaped her lips. But I didn’t stop.
This time, I licked her arm, not just her neck. I tried to shift the collar of her gym clothes and lick her shoulder.
“N-No! I’m sweaty, so stop!”
“No, you’re not. You smell great.”
“Sh-Shinya, you’re getting more and more perverted…”
And so, I licked her shoulder, too.
Everywhere I licked, I felt the delicate texture of her skin.
It was so feminine, so sweet.
And then, the devil took over. What about her feet?
“Sh-Shinya!? Where are you trying to lick!?”
I burrowed under the futon, aiming straight for Yuki’s feet.
“N-No, stop! Not my feet! At least let me wash them first!”
“There’s no shower here.”
“But—!”
The futon was filled with Yuki’s scent.
And right in front of me were two healthy thighs. They were very shapely.
When I touched her thigh, she reacted more sensitively than usual.
I could feel Yuki’s body stiffen with tension.
But I didn’t stop.
It was just as I reached for Yuki’s socks.
“I-I can’t take it anymore!”
Yuki shrieked, leaping out of the futon and bolting out of the infirmary.
“Phew… We managed it.”
Yes, the plan was to end this ‘practice’ before I lost control. And to do it while making Yuki feel desirable. Without hurting her feelings.
In other words, I made Yuki embarrassed enough to give up.
Mission accomplished.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I did something weird again.”
Yuki looked dejected, her shoulders slumped.
After school, Segawa-san had gone home for her violin lesson, and Yuki and I headed to the clubroom.
We sat side-by-side on the sofa, holding our post-mortem meeting.
“Well, I shouldn’t have suggested licking your neck, either. We’re even.”
“You didn’t hate the practice itself, did you?”
“No, I didn’t hate it.”
Relieved by my words, she clung to my arm.
“I stopped the practice earlier, so let’s start over~”
Wait, where did the reflection go? I wondered, but seeing Yuki happily clinging to me made the question irrelevant.
“But no feet, okay? No feet.”
Yuki said teasingly, puffing out her cheeks.
We could be this close because I had confirmed with a friend connected to the Student Council that no other clubs were using the old school building today.
So, Yuki knew there was no need to hold back.
“You worked hard in volleyball today.”
When I stroked her head, she narrowed her eyes happily. The grip on my arm tightened further. Her chest squished and changed shape, and my gaze was involuntarily drawn to it.
Noticing where I was looking, Yuki murmured softly.
“I was a B-cup in middle school, but now I’m an F-cup.”
“What are you suddenly talking about!?”
I retorted, but Yuki’s words didn’t stop.
“I might not be able to beat Sara, but I’m working hard to have a body that Shinya loves.”
She said she was paying close attention to her diet, exercise, and sleep, just like when she was an active idol.
“Shinya, you like big boobs, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“The videos you secretly watched in middle school were always full of girls with big boobs, weren’t they?”
So, amnesia doesn’t change your sexual preferences…
“I love my big chest. I don’t like it when other guys look at me in a perverted way, but I love it because you look at me.”
“So,” she said softly, leaning into me.
“You can touch me. No, please touch me. I worked hard for you, Shinya. I want you to touch this body a lot. I want you to feel me.”
Hearing that, I hugged Yuki.
Her warm, proud chest was crushed against mine. Because of that, we could hear each other’s heartbeats. And our breathing.
Before we knew it, we were staring at each other in silence.
We could hear the cheers of the sports clubs from the field and the band club practicing in the new school building.
But this room was dominated only by the sound of our breathing. It was a space just for the two of us.
—Until this moment.
“The Student Council is bitchin’ ‘cause they want the activity report, ya know.”
The clubroom door opened.
Yuki and I sprang apart, but it was too late. We had been clearly seen.
“What the hell are ya doin’…?”
Standing there was my Kansai-dialect classmate. Behind him was a girl with blonde hair.
And the girl, in particular, was the type who loved gossip.
It was a blind spot.
It was true that no other club was active in the old school building today. But I should have anticipated unexpected visitors.
I had been completely careless because no one usually came to the clubroom, but the deadline for the activity report was approaching. These two had come to hurry me up.
“Hey, Hayasaki.”
The guy gave me a stern look.
“Ya got Segawa as yer girl, but yer messin’ with Aiba too?”
“That’s right. I’m dating Yuki, too.”
I couldn’t lie.
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