Chapter 409 - Resonating Souls
(1)
"Well then, please be careful and have a safe trip."
"Yeah, I'll go and do my best."
From early morning, I took my luggage and headed to Kumamoto, where the tax accountant exam was being held.
The exam is held over three days.
I will take three subjects today, and one subject each tomorrow and the day after, for a total of five subjects.
When I arrived at the venue, there were already many people.
Everyone is desperately reading reference books as a final, futile struggle.
I was exchanging messages with Airi.
And then I enter the exam venue.
The exam is two hours per subject, with a rough time allocation of fifty minutes for theory and seventy minutes for calculation.
The exam began.
I solve them carefully, one question at a time.
For two hours, I felt like I was suffocating.
Only the sound of writing with ballpoint pens flows.
The first subject finished.
I go outside to eat lunch.
I had checked out a ramen shop to target.
After eating lunch, I return to the venue and strive to refresh my mind.
I absolutely do not do things like reviewing.
So that I wouldn't have to, under Airi's management, I had desperately made it second nature to my body.
I take the second subject and the third subject.
The time was past 19:00.
After eating dinner, I stay at a business hotel.
And then I call Airi.
"Thank you for your hard work, how was it?"
"For now, I felt like I did well."
"That is good to hear, please do your best for the remaining two days."
"Yeah, did anything change over there?"
"No, nothing in particular."
"I see, make sure to lock up properly."
"Geez, I am not that much of a child, you know."
"Sorry, well, I'll call you again tomorrow."
"I'll be waiting for good results."
"Well then, good night."
"Good night."
After setting my smartphone alarm, I fall asleep.
I won't make any useless struggles at this point.
I should be careful about my physical condition tomorrow.
It is difficult to maintain concentration for two hours.
Airi said that it is important to get even a little sleep and stay relaxed.
If I can execute what Airi is saying, I should pass.
And so, the first day of the exam ended.
(2)
"Good morning."
I greet Junichi-san, who woke up and came over.
"Morning, sorry as always."
"Don't worry about it, making for one person or making for two people is the same. It'll be ready soon."
"Understood."
Saying so, Junichi-san sits at the table.
Even though I say making breakfast, it is just toasting bread and pouring coffee.
When we finish eating breakfast, I do the cleaning up.
After that, I finally enter my own preparation time.
Even though I say preparation, it is just changing clothes and washing my face.
Junichi-san is watching television in the living room.
"Is the test okay?"
"Yes, I'm managing somehow."
"That's good."
"Are you okay yourself, Junichi-san? It seems you're going to the fireworks this weekend."
"I have at least that much leeway left."
Junichi-san says so and laughs.
When it's time, I leave the house and head to the station.
Since we started living together, my commuting time has been shortened.
Though the morning congestion is the same as always.
And so, when we arrive at school, we separate and head to our respective classrooms.
When lunch break comes, everyone gathers at the school cafeteria.
I kill time while listening to everyone's stories.
I nod while listening to Umemoto-kun and Haruto-senpai's stories.
Umemoto-kun occasionally fiddles with his smartphone. He is probably exchanging messages with Sakuragi-san.
When it's time, we move to the classrooms again.
And when I finish today's subjects, I go to my part-time job.
I change into my uniform and start my part-time job.
When I finish my part-time job, I take the train and go home.
It is not that far from the station to the house.
When I return home, Junichi-san says, "Welcome back~" to me.
"Dinner will be ready soon, so go take a bath first."
I take a bath as I was told.
This kind of natural, everyday life continued for several months.
They were showing it on television. That being able to think of natural things as natural is because there is someone supporting you underneath.
I think so too.
Pushed on the back by the Watanabe group, this daily life that I finally obtained.
If I go home, there is someone waiting.
How much struggle did it take to obtain such a natural thing.
I talk with Junichi-san while having a meal.
When the meal is finished, I do the cleaning up.
Junichi-san is watching television in the living room.
When I also finish cleaning up, I sit next to Junichi-san and watch television.
I didn't care at all about the content of the television.
At most, it was just enough to add to the conversation.
When it's time, I go to the bedroom.
When I get into bed, I fall asleep in Junichi-san's arms.
Tomorrow will come again.
Without the anxiety like before.
I was placing my expectations on the tomorrow I have yet to see.
(3)
"Just having exams every day like this is tough, isn't it?"
"That's true."
"Well, once the exams are over, a boredom called vacation is waiting, though."
"Yutaka, do you not want to rest?"
"I want to rest, but isn't a vacation with absolutely no plans boring?"
"There are the Watanabe group's plans, and above all, you have your part-time job, don't you?"
I am walking with Yutaka while having that kind of conversation.
After parting with Yutaka, I go to my part-time job.
A part-time job at a gas station.
I work while talking with my colleagues.
Outdoor work at this time of year is tough. Though I think winter is also painful. Since we have to use water.
While serving customers and washing cars, time passes.
When I finish my part-time job, I go home.
While eating a bento bought at a Convenience Store and watching television, my smartphone rings.
It's from Yutaka.
It seems his part-time job just finished.
He says he is about to head home now.
Yutaka does not have a car.
"Because I live in a place where it's not necessary, so maintenance costs and stuff are just a waste, right?"
For that kind of reason, he hasn't even gotten a license.
As a result, we go out on dates in my car.
Not having a car in one's hometown is close to a fatal wound.
Much less around the Private University, where let alone trains, even buses don't run that much.
"Close to the nearest public transportation" is all it says, it doesn't write "the nearest public transportation is convenient."
I pick him up and drop him off for school.
My apartment and Yutaka's are not that far apart.
I tried asking if it wouldn't be better to just live together to save on various things, but...
"Isn't a space where we can both be free necessary?"
I was rejected by that single word from Yutaka.
For all that, my freedom, acting as Yutaka's legs, is restricted.
I don't have any particular complaints either.
Leaving him to be free is just about right.
And then the call ends.
"Well, I'm going to have dinner and sleep now. See you tomorrow."
When the call ends, I take a bath.
And then I watch television again.
And when time passes, I turn off the television, turn off the lights, and get into bed.
As if timing it perfectly, a message comes in.
It's from Yutaka.
"Good night~"
"Good night."
I reply with that and fall asleep.
And the next morning, a new day begins along with a "Good morning" message.
(4)
"Well, see you tomorrow."
Kasumi said so and went home together with Ohara-kun.
I wait for Koizumi-kun in front of the school gate.
After a while, Koizumi-kun's white car stops.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
When I get into the passenger seat, it starts driving.
We talk about things like the content of today's test.
On the way back, we stop by the supermarket, do some shopping, and go home.
When we get home, I prepare the meal, and Koizumi-kun takes a bath.
During the test period, I have been given time off from work.
Since I only take about two subjects a day, there is no need for that, though.
Instead, once the vacation starts, a hard schedule is waiting.
Even though it is a local program, a regular appearance has also been decided.
When Koizumi-kun comes out of the bath, we eat dinner.
Since food reporting seems to be my main job, I practice explaining the dishes I made myself.
Koizumi-kun listens to that and points things out to me.
When the meal is finished, Koizumi-kun takes care of the cleaning up while I am in the bath.
After that, the two of us relax in the living room.
While watching television, we exchange impressions, like how this comedian is.
To us, television programs are teaching materials.
Is it funny? What was funny about it? What drew you in? We talk exhaustively about the talk.
We watch various programs.
What we lack—it was pointed out to us that it is our repertoire of topics.
For that purpose, we are told to gather various information, read books, and actually go to the locations to experience it.
That said, messing up a test due to lack of sleep is no joke.
Around the time the date changes, we get into bed.
Koizumi-kun is still nervous.
While looking at such a Koizumi-kun, I was sleeping.
(5)
After parting with Mizuki and the others, we stop by the supermarket and go home.
While I am cooking, he, Kizuna, is in the bath.
When Kizuna comes out of the bath, we have dinner.
While I am in the bath, Kizuna does the cleaning up.
When those are finished, we watch comedy DVDs.
It's not that we steal material.
We research what kind of material is popular now.
And then we write ideas in a joke book and have a meeting with Mizuki at a later date.
Our lives existed for the sake of comedy.
We examine whether school life, daily life, and even the events of the Watanabe group can become comedy material.
Work is personal business.
Is he not getting tired of such a daily life?
I had that kind of anxiety.
The search for material, which was fun with just Mizuki and me during high school, is now done with our respective boyfriends after we both got boyfriends.
When Mizuki and Koizumi-kun started living together, I panicked.
A feeling of being left behind all by myself.
When is Kizuna going to invite me?
It was that kind of impatience.
It's not that I'm competing with Mizuki, but I end up comparing us no matter what.
It is the same even now.
What are Mizuki and the others doing right now?
I was thinking about such things.
"What's wrong, Kasumi?"
I was immersed in my own world until I was called out to.
"What's wrong, Kizuna?"
"No, because you suddenly had a brooding look on your face."
I didn't know how I should reply.
And what I voiced was anxiety.
"Will we really be able to make it as comedians?"
Kizuna was bowing his head.
"If only I were a proper manager... sorry!"
I didn't say it with that intention.
I tell Kizuna to raise his head.
"Sorry, I just felt a little anxious, that's all."
I reveal my inner thoughts to Kizuna.
Kizuna was laughing.
"You don't have to worry, offers are coming from the other side, albeit gradually. Besides, there are many repeaters."
Kizuna said so.
That even if I don't worry about anything, fans are definitely sticking with us.
He desperately encouraged me.
Kizuna says it would be fine if we just concentrate on our work.
"But, if we do that, we'll end up neglecting Kizuna..."
That is what I'm anxious about.
Kizuna squeezes my hand.
"Even if you don't worry, I am properly watching the two of you by your side."
Kizuna says.
"Shouldn't you say 'I'm only looking at you' there, even if it's a lie?"
"Ah..."
I was laughing while looking at the flustered Kizuna.
"Shall we call it a day for today?"
"That's true."
When we turn off the television, we go to the bedroom and get into bed.
Kizuna is at the very edge of the bed.
"If you sleep on the edge like that, you'll fall, you know?"
"B-But..."
"Emi-san also said it, didn't she? 'Our company doesn't have a ridiculous company regulation like a ban on romance'... you don't have to worry about it at this point."
"But if there's a mistake..."
"I wouldn't live together with someone where it would be a problem if there was a mistake! Or what? Are you going to make me say 'I want you to make a mistake'?"
Though I already said it.
Kizuna gave up and came next to me.
I bury my face in Kizuna's chest.
"Promise me, support me properly."
"Understood."
Once we exchanged our promises, we fell asleep.
(6)
"Towa, are you free today?"
"What's up?"
"Want to go out drinking for the first time in a while?"
"I don't mind?"
"Alright! Then let's hang out until morning!"
"Sounds good!"
Anyway, tomorrow I start from noon.
Drinking with a friend once in a while should be fine.
When I return home, I put down my luggage and take a shower. I get ready and go out drinking.
A pre-party at a gyoza shop with just my friend.
After that, the main party at a yakitori shop.
"Wow, Umemoto-kun is super handsome. Aren't you popular?"
I am surrounded by the female group.
"Not really. There are plenty of better guys, aren't there?"
"Oh, stop it~. You're being so humble~"
While I'm having a blast with everyone, there's an incoming call.
It's probably the Watanabe group anyway, right?
It's fine to leave it alone.
The stage continued to the second and third after-parties, and dawn was about to break.
"Well, thank you for your hard work~!"
Saying so, I part with everyone.
There's still time before the first train.
It was at that moment.
My smartphone, ringing as usual.
Everyone is energetic until morning.
I look at my smartphone.
Eh?
They were all messages calling for me.
"What's wrong?"
"It's not 'What's wrong!' What the hell have you been doing until now, leaving your girlfriend behind?!"
Mika-san says.
As I traced my memories, the blood drained from my face. My drunkenness also vanished instantly.
"You probably eat Convenience Store food every day anyway, right? I'll go make something for you tonight. My part-time job is off."
"Seriously? Thank you."
Such a log of personal messages remains.
I had completely forgotten.
"Today, you know, you can take me home with you."
It's not the time for that!
"Sorry! I remembered I have something to do!"
"Then, won't you at least exchange IDs?"
"Seriously sorry. Thanks for today!"
I can't wait for the first bus. I'll go back by taxi.
Shoko's car is parked in front of the apartment.
When I enter the room, Shoko is sleeping alone, slumped over the desk.
On the table, dinner is placed...
The clock was at 8:00.
"Shoko!"
I wake Shoko up.
Shoko opened her eyes.
"Making someone cook a meal for you and then coming home in the morning, you've got some nerve."
"Sorry!!"
I bow my head.
"Well, whatever, let's eat quickly. I haven't eaten since last night. I'm hungry. I'll reheat it now, so wait."
Saying so, Shoko was reheating it in the microwave.
"Is your test okay today?"
"Are you one to talk? It's from the second period, so it's fine."
The two of us eat a meal that is far too heavy for breakfast.
"How is it?"
"Delicious!"
"That's good. It's my first time cooking a meal for a boyfriend, so my heart was pounding."
Shoko says so and is laughing.
After that, the two of us clean up, and by the time Shoko finishes her preparations, it was already a time where Shoko wouldn't make it unless she left.
"I'll come again, make sure you're properly at home next time."
"Yeah, I'll be careful."
"...Next time I come, I'll prepare to stay overnight."
"Understood."
Saying so, I watch Shoko's car drive away.
"...So, what were you doing?"
Kanna-san asked.
"...You're not going to say you were playing around, are you?"
Ai-san presses.
"I was just meeting a friend."
I could never say I was at a group date, even if it killed me.
Because even just hanging out with a friend, I was scolded terribly...
A message came from a different person.
It's the person who asked for my contact info when I was leaving.
She was a slightly cute girl.
I try consulting the boys' association.
Then, I was scolded in the boys' association as well.
"That's why I'm telling you to stop bringing up those kinds of stories to us!"
"Delete this message right now! My wife will see it."
I hurriedly delete the message.
However, it seems it was too late.
"Just when I thought Makoto-kun and Eita had quieted down, next is you, Towa!"
"Come to the Blue Bird after school ends today! I'll educate you thoroughly! This is an order!"
Ai-san and Emi-san say.
"I'm off today. I'm going too. Dealing with this kind of thing early is crucial, after all."
"That's right, I should go too. They say to nip bad buds in the bud early."
Mika-san and Akira-san are also saying.
Shoko is saying.
"...We're moving during summer vacation! I won't let you say no!"
Are you serious.
"A wise decision. You never know what this kind of fellow will do if left alone."
After that, I was showered with criticism from the female group.
On the way back, I was caught by Saki-san, forcibly dragged to the Blue Bird, and on top of that, lectured for nearly two hours.
(7)
The doorbell rings.
I had a general idea of what to expect.
I open the door.
Mikoto was standing there holding shopping bags.
"Excuse me~"
Saying so, Mikoto walks in on her own.
"Heh, it's unexpectedly clean."
Mikoto looks around the room.
"Do female college students these days walk into a single man's house defenselessly and feel no sense of danger at all?"
When I say so, Mikoto turns around.
"Let me correct that to 'her boyfriend's house who lives alone.' Coming over to cook a meal is no big deal, right?"
I had a hard time, since there are no supermarkets around here, Mikoto says.
"I can make meals myself, you know."
"Isn't a girlfriend's home cooking something you want to eat?"
I'm borrowing the kitchen, she says, lining up the ingredients and starting to cook on her own.
I was nervous.
Because I had never let a woman into my house before.
As I stand there blankly, Mikoto turns around.
"If you watch me that much, I'll get nervous, so watch television or something!"
I turn on the television and watch.
I occasionally look toward Mikoto.
I feel like I understood a little bit of the romance Makoto-senpai talks about.
Even I, who had never held that kind of desire before, ended up thinking, "I want to hug her."
"It's ready."
What Mikoto made was curry rice.
It's wonderfully cliché.
"This keeps well, right?"
Mikoto says.
I try taking a bite.
It's unexpectedly delicious.
"It's delicious."
It was an impression with no twist at all, but I conveyed it straight.
"I'm glad."
I can tell that it's not just out of politeness.
She even did the cleaning up after we finished eating.
My smartphone keeps ringing.
I look at my smartphone.
It seems they have business with Umemoto-kun.
I thought she would go home when the cleaning up was finished.
Though I felt a little lonely.
But when the cleaning up was finished, she said something outrageous.
"I'm going to borrow the bath for a bit."
Huh?
Making her do the bath cleaning as well would indeed be pitiful.
"W-Wait a moment."
"What's wrong?"
Mikoto was preparing towels and things.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean? I'm taking a bath. It's fine, I brought an overnight set."
What did she just say?
"Overnight set?"
Mikoto's expression becomes stern.
"Gaku... you didn't seriously think of making your girlfriend cook, making her clean up, and then sending her home, did you?"
"I was thinking of doing the cleaning up myself, but..."
Was there no better excuse?
"Too bad for you. I properly brought an overnight set. I figured since it's you, you wouldn't even have condoms, so I bought some."
There was absolutely no way out.
"T-Thank you for that."
Mikoto smiles mischievously and starts fiddling with her smartphone.
Then, my smartphone won't stop ringing.
While I am looking at my smartphone, Mikoto went into the bathroom.
"If you want to go in together, that's fine too, though?"
I pretended I didn't hear that and looked at my smartphone.
"My boyfriend, when I came to stay overnight, told me to just make dinner and go home."
I think there are various places to correct in this explanatory text, though.
However, without even time to correct it, messages come in one after another.
"You idiot! At least prepare condoms!"
"Are you planning to embarrass a woman, you coward!"
"Well, do your best."
"Well, that kind of experience is also necessary, right?"
The angry female group and the male group who seem not to care.
I am looking at such a storm of messages.
It seems Umemoto-kun still has no response as usual.
"Thanks, Gaku, you should finish your bath too."
Mikoto, fresh out of the bath, said.
For now, I take a bath.
What do we do after this?
There is no spare futon.
Rather, even if there were one, I don't think it would have a turn.
After worrying for a while, I get out of the bath.
Mikoto is drinking a beverage and relaxing while watching television.
Naturally.
"Mikoto, I'll sleep in a sleeping bag, so use the bed..."
I try proposing timidly.
No reaction comes back.
I was preparing for the words of anger that would come sooner or later.
But what was waiting for such a me was Mikoto's embrace.
Warm...
"Is it that scary... since your first time was like that, after all."
Mikoto's arms are trembling.
"Don't be freaked out. Even for me, it's my first time behaving like this, and I'm scared..."
Without saying anything, I get into the bed.
After that, Mikoto comes in.
And then...
"This was fine, right?"
Did Mikoto suddenly let slip?
"Gaku, that time was your first, right? I was worried whether it had become a fear, or if it had become a trauma."
So that's what it was.
"I'm fine..."
"I see..."
A moment of silence flows for a while.
"It's okay if I come again, right?"
Mikoto says.
"Next time, I'd be happy if there was an appointment before you come."
"Understood. Well, shall we sleep?"
"Yeah, good night."
I fell asleep.
When I woke up in the morning, Mikoto was preparing breakfast.
"Good morning."
"Oh! Morning. Wait a bit. It'll be ready soon."
We eat the breakfast Mikoto made and clean up.
"Gaku, I have a favor to ask."
"What?"
"Could you drive me to the Private University? Please!"
"I don't mind."
I put Mikoto in the passenger seat and head to the Private University.
"I wanted to try it once, you know. Going to school with my boyfriend picking me up and dropping me off."
"...I see."
When we arrive at the Private University, I let her off.
"Well, I'll contact you again."
"Yeah."
I hurried to the local university.
Again, huh...
Next is the weekend fireworks, I guess?
Today was also hot sunlight.
(8)
"I'm home~"
"Welcome back, thank you for your hard work... Kyah!"
I was hugging Airi.
"You mustn't, please leave that kind of thing for later."
Saying so, Airi pushes me away.
"Airi is cold."
"That's why, please let me pamper you slowly later. Because even I was lonely."
Since she told me to go take a bath, I took a bath and then had dinner with Airi.
"So, how was it?"
"Yeah, I felt like I did well."
"That is good to hear."
When we finish eating dinner, Airi takes a bath.
In the meantime, I look at my smartphone in the bedroom.
After Eita, next is Umemoto-kun...
One after another...
"Towa! Don't think there is such a thing as privacy in the boys' association. Think of yourselves as constantly being monitored!"
Kiritani-kun says something unnecessary again.
"Don't you write unnecessary things either! Eita!"
Watanabe-kun is cautioning him.
Everyone else is pretending not to notice.
However, it seems they were seen by Ai-san and Mika-san.
"You men, stop whispering and come over here!"
"You guys are banned from the boys' association group!!"
The two of them are angry.
When that kind of thing is posted in the Watanabe group...
"Oh? A message..."
Airi looks at her own smartphone.
It seems the other men had already been censored.
"Toya-san, please show me your smartphone."
I hug Airi.
"It's fine now, right? Tonight, I'm going to let you act spoiled, Airi."
"First, please show me your smartphone."
"I'm already exhausted, I feel like sleeping just like this."
"Toya-san."
I resign myself and show my smartphone to Airi.
Airi looks at the boys' association.
"So this was what it was about..."
"Eh?"
I hear from Airi about the events that happened at the Blue Bird in the evening.
"I see..."
"Well then, this matter is finished."
Is there still another matter?
"Have you forgotten? That you would let me act spoiled tonight..."
"Yeah, that's right."
"And yet, saying you want to sleep just like this is too cruel."
I see.
"Shall we get it over with before we fall asleep?"
"Yes."
We turn off the lights and get into bed.
Airi thoroughly healed my fatigue from the exam.