Chapter 12 – Nakamura Wataru: Isn’t This Something I Shouldn't Be Watching? (1)
Last night, Haruka brought us two yogurt puddings, which we had for breakfast while Aoi and I practiced our game.
"Even I'm terrible at this, but is it still good practice?"
Our play, missing each other's chances, now looked more like frolicking than anything else.
"It's good practice! I practice while streaming with the people from the office at night, but everyone's so good that I get beaten before I even understand what's happening. An opponent like Wataru is just right for me."
Is that so?
Indeed, being one-sidedly beaten would be meaningless time for Aoi, who is still not steady with the controls.
"Isn't there anyone bad at the office?"
"There are, but those kids will be rivals in the upcoming event. We have to do secret training!"
"But there's a joint practice tonight, right?"
"Yeah, there is, but I'll hide my true abilities."
"It doesn't seem like there's much ability to hide..."
"I'll get stronger by tonight!"
"You have school, don't you?"
"Imagery training! I'll become the strongest with imagery training!"
"Make sure to listen in class..."
In such a manner, our short morning practice time flew by.
"Alright, at least I've stopped pressing the wrong buttons!"
"Not shooting our allies from behind by mistake, thinking it was a healing item, is already a big improvement."
"Right! Before, I was shooting allies and causing harm, but now I can heal properly, which is a plus! It's like double the growth!"
It's amazing that she can be so proud of that, but it's nice to see her having fun.
I suddenly wish Haruka was here too.
"This steamed egg custard is sweet and delicious. It's unusual to have a bit of sourness."
Aoi, having eaten the last bite, licked the spoon with a look of longing.
"That's yogurt pudding, though."
She thought she was eating steamed egg custard?
"No way, because it's closer in color to steamed egg custard than pudding."
"You judged it just by the color?"
"Then let's call it a compromise and say it's 'yogurt steamed egg custard.'"
"Isn't that just steamed yogurt...?"
I don't understand the meaning of compromise here.
"Where did you buy this?"
"Haruka gave it to me. She said sorry for her strange behavior yesterday."
"I see..."
While looking at the two empty containers on the table, Aoi smiled faintly.
Hmm. If there's a chance, it seems like they could make up.
Actually, they're both stubborn, so maybe they need some significant trigger.
After finishing our morning practice and leaving the entrance, I ran into Haruka again today.
"Good morning. Morning practice again?"
Haruka had her usual bright smile.
But I didn't miss the momentary flicker in her eyes.
Because she's a childhood friend.
"I told you not to worry about yesterday. The yogurt pudding was delicious."
"Mmm... thanks. I'll go ahead then."
"Wait."
I found myself grabbing Haruka's wrist.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
And then Aoi came out of the entrance.
"..."
The two exchanged a glance for a moment, then gently looked away from each other.
"Well then..."
As Haruka tried to go ahead, I didn't let go of her wrist.
"Let's go together, all three of us."
I had proposed it entirely on impulse, without thinking about the consequences.
To my left was Haruka, and to my right was Aoi.
Being flanked by two beauties was enough to attract the attention of the students who were in the middle of posting.
We’re getting a lot of looks!
The fact that I’m childhood friends with both of them is only known to some.
We were in different classes in our first year, and we hardly ever spent time together at school.
“It’s been a while since we went to school together.”
Haruka said with a smile.
Just that was enough to draw sighs from the boys around us.
“Since Haruka debuted, she’s had a lot of irregular school attendance.”
Due to her work, Haruka often arrived late or left early, and we gradually stopped going to school together.
Given Haruka’s personality, it seemed likely she would invite me on the days she could go together.
In fact, that’s how it was initially.
We stopped going to school together around the time Haruka and Aoi started feeling awkward around each other.
Naturally, Aoi also stopped joining us.
For Aoi, ever since becoming a Vtuber, her activity time often extends into the night, so she’s always just barely on time in the mornings.
We used to go to school together when we were in elementary school.
Being teased by the other boys is now a fond memory.
It was a matter of life and death for a boy in elementary school, but I did well.
“Everyone says there are bodies buried under the sakura trees.”
Aoi suddenly said something while looking at the sakura trees that were almost completely leafed out.
“I don’t think ‘everyone’ says that... So?”
“It seems difficult to bury something because the roots are in the way. I wonder if the shovel gets caught.”
“Maybe they dig around them...”
She always worries about strange things.
“If I die, you don’t have to bury me under a sakura tree.”
Aoi said, almost in tears.
“In Japan, cremation is the norm.”
“Eh!? Then zombies can’t come out!”
“That’s right.”
“I wonder if I can throw away the disaster prevention goods I bought when I moved...”
“You should keep those.”
Shee thought they were for zombies.
Well, it seems like a fun morning conversation...
But these two don’t talk to each other at all.
Conversations with Haruka and me, and Aoi and me, are separate.
Neither of them gives off a tense atmosphere.
They don’t interrupt each other’s conversations.
But they also don’t try to make eye contact.
Mediating between these two seems incredibly difficult...
“Hey Haruka, let’s cancel tonight’s study session.”
“That’s fine... What’s up?”
“Aoi’s practice―”
“Never mind the reason. You’re busy too, Wataru.”
Isn’t that a bit too preemptive?
I thought it would become a common topic of conversation.
“You three seem to get along well. I’m jealous.”
That was Sato, speaking from behind us.
We’re not on bad terms, but to make such a comment after seeing us now?
...Maybe.
On the surface, we seem to be chatting happily together.
I want us to be truly like that, not just in appearance.
For now, I’ll leave it at that for today.
My heart can’t take it.