Bonus Short Story: My Childhood Friend Who Happens to Be Way Too Good-Looking, and the Best Birthday I Could Give
"—Let's go on a date."
It happened one day during our first year of high school.
When I blurted those words out with a do-or-die look on my face, Mizuki blinked at me in blank surprise.
"...A date?"
Plenty of times before, the two of us had walked around town together—whether to go shopping or just to hang out.
Never once, though, had I explicitly used the word "date."
We were childhood friends. We weren't lovers, or anything like that.
This time, however, was different.
"Tomorrow's your birthday, right?"
When I pointed that out, Mizuki let out a tiny "Ah" and glanced at the calendar as if she had only just realized it.
...As usual, she was completely indifferent to this sort of thing.
Even so, I had deliberately chosen the word "date" because I wanted to make the day feel special for her.
Mizuki looked back at me and tilted her head curiously.
"And so... we're going on a date?"
"...Uh, yeah."
Having her repeat the word back to me made me lose my nerve a little.
Wait, was that a bad call? Cold sweat trickled down my back.
Then, however, Mizuki let out a soft, amused little laugh.
"Mm, sure."
"Huh?"
"You'll take me out on a date, right?"
Seeing her nod like that made me let out a quiet sigh of relief.
—And so, when the day of Mizuki's birthday finally arrived, the two of us headed out into town together.
"...Mizuki."
"Hm?"
Despite my reproachful stare, Mizuki turned to look at me in what seemed like remarkably high spirits.
Her hair was styled in loose curls. She was wearing light makeup, which she almost never bothered with. And she had paired a black sleeveless knit top that accentuated her chest with a brand-new pair of jeans that highlighted her long legs.
T-This girl, seriously...
"You didn't have to go that all-out, you know."
"Well, it's a date, isn't it?"
Mizuki replied, sounding thoroughly pleased with herself. Well, sure, I was the one who had called it that in the first place, but still.
Every single person we passed on the street had been doing double takes—young and old, men and women alike.
"Iori."
"—?!"
"Escort me, okay?"
Saying that, she did the unthinkable and linked her arm right through mine.
My heart leaped into my throat. Feeling the soft press of her chest against my arm made my breath catch for a second.
"...Got it."
Apparently, this childhood friend of mine was actually a little excited today.
Glancing at her nearly expressionless face, I swallowed a sigh and nodded.
—And as for the very first place we visited together...
"...Iori."
On this day—no, for the first time in the last several years—Mizuki wore an utterly bewildered expression.
Clattering, deafening electronic noises echoed all around us, accompanied by flashing, multicolored lights.
『Game Center GIO』
It was a place that couldn't have been further removed from a girl like Yukimura Mizuki.
When Mizuki looked up at me with a troubled frown, I couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
"You've never been to a place like this before, right?"
At my question, Mizuki glanced restlessly around the arcade.
She looked just like a cat dropped into unfamiliar territory, which was honestly kind of amusing.
"Um..."
Her anxious expression clearly asked, What am I supposed to do here? Watching her made me nearly burst out laughing.
"For now, let's just play whatever catches our eye."
When I started walking, Mizuki trailed timidly right behind me.
Even the way she stayed glued to my side was funny. What would the kids at school say if they saw the aloof ice queen acting like this?
"It's kind of... amazing in here, huh?"
"...Pfft."
"...Why are you laughing?"
Hearing an innocent comment that sounded straight out of our childhood, I couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. Mizuki stared at me with a slightly displeased pout.
We used to have exchanges just like this all the time when we were kids. Looking at her now, I could easily see the little girl she used to be overlapping with her present self.
"Here, how about we try this one?"
"...A racing game?"
The first cabinet I guided her to was a world-famous racing game starring a certain plumber whose name started with M and ended with O.
Mizuki stared at the screen in genuine fascination before gingerly lowering herself into the driver's seat.
Stifling another laugh, I sat down in the seat next to hers. After walking her through the basic controls, we decided to do a casual practice race first.
"...So I just have to hit Iori's kart with this shell, right?"
"Well... technically yes, though I'd really appreciate it if you didn't."
One way or another, Mizuki got surprisingly absorbed in the game, and by our third race she was actually giving me a run for my money.
When I barely managed to edge her out in the overall score and stood up from my seat, Mizuki was visibly sulking.
Finding her reaction adorable, I won a plushie from a crane game nearby to cheer her back up.
It was a plush cat with a weirdly indecipherable expression, yet Mizuki beamed and said, "It looks just like Iori," which put her right back in a good mood. I didn't see the resemblance at all.
After that, we sang karaoke together and played a few rounds of billiards.
Finally, to cap off the day, we went to a slightly upscale Western-style restaurant and had beef stew together.
"Mizuki... here, if you'd like."
"?"
I pulled out the present I had kept hidden in my bag all day and held it out across the table.
Seeing the small box, Mizuki froze for a moment—then slowly reached out and accepted it.
"Happy birthday," I said.
"..."
"Um, I worried it might feel a little heavy as a gift, but... it's a pendant. I thought it would look good on you."
What Mizuki lifted out of the box was a crescent-moon pendant in red and gold.
Holding the piece of jewelry that had wiped out half of my savings, Mizuki went completely still.
"...Mizuki?"
Did she not like it? A wave of nervous panic washed over me.
Then, however, Mizuki lowered her gaze for just a brief instant.
"...I'm so happy."
Looking almost on the verge of tears, she whispered the words as if treasuring every syllable.
"N-No, it's really nothing that special..."
"That's not true at all."
Saying that, Mizuki carefully lifted the pendant by its chain and fastened it around her neck, letting it rest against her chest.
"Does it suit me?" she asked.
"...Yeah. It looks great on you."
"I see."
With that, Mizuki broke into a warm smile.
Thank goodness she liked it. All the hours I had spent agonizing over what to get her felt completely worth it.
"Iori."
"Hm?"
"Thank you. For always treasuring me so much."
"...Yeah."
There was no need for her to thank me for that now.
The childhood friend I had grown up with my whole life. My first love. Words like those didn't even begin to cover what she meant to me.
Mizuki gently traced the crescent pendant with her fingertips.
"—I'll treasure it forever."
She whispered just those quiet words.
Post a Comment