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Episode 3: Childhood Friend, Sets the Rules

A week had passed since then.

It had been a week since Shizuno and I began sleeping together every night.

Every evening, after dinner and a bath, Shizuno would come over in a taxi. We’d sleep together until morning and then go to school separately as if nothing had happened. Thanks to this, my sleepiness was completely gone. The headaches and dizziness had vanished too.

Two weeks into high school, I had finally managed to lead a minimally healthy life.

However, the excitement of sleeping next to that girl hadn’t changed. As the time for Shizuno’s arrival drew near, I grew restless, and my heart raced as we lay together under the covers. This feeling didn’t seem to fade; in fact, it might have intensified now that my sleep deprivation had eased.

By the way, Shizuno seemed unaffected as ever. Even after that night, she appeared to be calmly accepting this situation and remained distant, except during our shared sleeping times.

I guess she’s still hung up on that promise we made. The completely misunderstood promise about the ranch and the Tokyo incident. I suppose it can’t be helped. Even now, I wonder why things turned out that way, and I haven’t come to terms with it either.

But it felt lonely in a way, being so close to her, even physically clinging to each other all night, yet she remained so calm. To her, I might be just a big, warm living thing to sleep with – like a cow, perhaps.

And then there was one troubling change.

“Ugh…”

That morning, waking up before my alarm, I groaned at the situation I found myself in.

I was being clung to. Shizuno, still asleep, was clinging tightly to me inside the futon.

Holding onto my arm, she breathed softly in her sleep. A slight drool was visible at the corner of her mouth.

Well, she had relaxed a bit. Perhaps she had gotten a bit used to sleeping together, or her guard was down.

Her tension seemed to have generally loosened. She would cling to me like this, and her pajama buttons often came undone. As someone already flustered by the co-sleeping, this was like a knockout punch.

At that moment…

“Ah!”

Looking down, I saw more than I should have. From the opening of her pajamas, her cleavage was prominently visible, and due to a gap, much of her skin was exposed.

Shizuno, slender as she was, seemed to have considerable volume there. It was almost spilling out, a dangerously precarious situation.

This isn’t good. If we stay like this, it’s all sorts of wrong. Especially in this close position, it’s… well, complicated.

With the strong mental fortitude honed from my family’s business, I averted my gaze from Shizuno and slowly, millimeter by millimeter, tried to escape her grasp.

If she woke up in this state, it would be even more awkward than before. Worse, she might suspect something strange.

After about five minutes of struggle, I managed to free myself from Shizuno’s arms, crouched beside the bed, and caught my breath just as my phone’s alarm rang.

“Mmm, hmm…”

Shizuno woke up, sat up, and looked at me, tilting her head.

“Good morning, Shinobu… What are you doing?”

She looked puzzled. Well, there I was, beside the bed, breathless and looking exhausted. It must have been confusing.

For the moment, I demonstrated some knee bends and stretches.

“Just doing my daily workout! I can’t get lazy with it, after all.”

“Didn’t you use to not do that?”

“Well, that’s… you see, I did it when you weren’t here, or when I woke up first!”

“Hmm…”

Shizuno looked skeptical. She seemed to accept it, but her expression still held a trace of doubt.

This might be problematic. If Shizuno continues to lose her tension and becomes more vulnerable…

I might slip up one day, and she’ll notice something.

What should I do?

As I continued squatting endlessly, I pondered this alone.

♠♠♠♠♠♠

“Doing workouts in the morning…”

While waking up and stretching, I let out a small sigh.

It’s been a week since we started sleeping together. My health is fully back to normal, and I’m finally starting to enjoy high school life. But…

“Huff… Puff…”

There’s Shinobu, continuing his solo workout beside the bed…

Even though he’s my childhood friend, to whom I’ve promised a future, and even though he must have seen me in a quite defenseless state… he doesn’t show any signs of being flustered or embarrassed, just carries on with his everyday life as usual.

I still get nervous around him. Every time I arrive at Shinobu’s house, every time we get into bed together, my heart feels like it’s going to burst… Isn’t that a bit harsh?

Couldn’t he treat me a little more like a girl…?

“I’ll make breakfast.”

Letting out another sigh, I stand up to head to the kitchen.

“Is Japanese cuisine okay? I saw some eggs in the fridge, so maybe an omelet and miso soup…”

“Ah, no, I’ll do it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you did it yesterday.”

“Okay, then. Please.”

Nodding, I graciously accept his offer and sit near the low table, starting to idly check my phone.

This casual treatment, becoming the norm, seems to lessen the freshness and appreciation. It’s like gradually being taken for granted, and one day, he might just start thinking of me as someone not that important.

“So, how’s it been lately…?”

It’s lunchtime, and while eating with Kanon in the classroom, she tentatively asks me this.

“Are things going well? What’s it like…?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s it like’?”

“Well, of course, I mean…”

Kanon glances briefly towards Shinobu across the classroom.

“About him…!”

Shinobu was eating with Komine-kun at his usual spot near the corridor, chatting and laughing, oblivious to our conversation.

By the way, we still don’t talk much at school. To an outsider, we might just seem like regular classmates, who’d never guess that we spend every night together.

But Kanon, with a tense expression and a hushed voice, asks,

“You’ve been sleeping together every day, right? How are things with him…?”

I had told only Kanon about sleeping together with Shinobu. I didn’t want to keep too many secrets, especially after worrying her so much in the nurse’s office.

Kanon was quite shocked at first, saying things like “What!?”, “Is that really okay?”, “I’ll remember that name, Ootaki Shinobu…”. Eventually, she accepted it, thinking if it helped me feel better.

So, wanting to reassure her a bit, I smiled and said,

“Yeah, I’ve been sleeping well. Thanks for worrying about me.”

“What… really?”

Kanon’s eyes widen in surprise.

Then she glares once more in Shinobu’s direction,

“Ootaki Shinobu, I didn’t know what kind of guy you were, but you’re doing quite well…!”

“That sounds like a villain from a battle manga…”

“Even I couldn’t get Shizuno to sleep peacefully!”

“Are you really taking it as a competition…!?”

Indeed.

Before asking Shinobu, I had requested Kanon to sleep with me. However, it didn’t go well.

We ended up not sleeping well at all, and Kanon, for some reason, got too excited about sleeping together… In the end, we just stayed up all night for nothing.

But still…

“It just happened that way, don’t worry about it… It’s not like Kanon did anything wrong.”

“Still, it’s not easy to feel calm about it!”

And then, Kanon leans forward towards me,

“Hey, what kind of person is Ootaki? Is he reliable enough to leave Shizuno with him?”

“Shh, lower your voice! And what’s with that stance?”

“Of course I’d be worried if my usual pushover friend starts sleeping with a guy! Are you okay? Has he done anything weird?”

“…No, nothing weird. Actually, it seems like he’s not even interested in me…”

As I say this, I recall this morning’s events.

Shinobu was squatting endlessly, not even glancing my way…

It’s kind of irritating.

“He just carries on, as if nothing happened, even after we slept together. He just works out casually. What’s with him…?”

“…Grrr!”

“Hey, what happened!? Why are you taking damage…?”

“No, it’s just… that expression of Shizuno… it’s effective…”

“What do you mean…?”

“So, Ootaki is like a tactless, insensitive guy? Someone who doesn’t understand a girl’s heart at all?”

“…Well, no, not exactly. He always says ‘thank you’ and ‘it’s delicious’ when I make breakfast.”

“Ugh…!”

“Actually, he often cooks. Much more elaborate stuff than I do.”

“Ouch…!”

“And he even covered the costs related to our sleepovers, like the taxi fare and the body soap and all those small expenses…”

“Arghhh…!”

Kanon collapses onto the desk, letting out a scream like a final boss in defeat.

“Are you okay!?”

“I’m fine… But to think, Ootaki is unexpectedly impressive…”

Kanon lifts her head, and there’s… blood dripping from her mouth.

Wait, actual physical damage!?

But upon closer inspection, it turns out to be ketchup from the omelet she ate earlier.

Then Kanon, wiping it off elegantly with a handkerchief, says,

“However, based on what you said, isn’t he like an incredibly nice guy? A rare breed of gentleman in our generation?”

“Eh!? No, not at all!”

Frustrated, I shake my head vigorously.

“He’s not as nice as Kanon says! A gentleman… well…”

As I speak, I recall his actions so far.

“He’s weirdly considerate in certain things… respects me… and sometimes he’s incredibly kind…”

Yes, that’s just it. Just a few good qualities.

Isn’t Kanon overestimating him a bit?

But Kanon looks at me with a warm gaze and says,

“…Isn’t that what you call a gentleman?”

…

…

…

“…Ah…”

I find myself conceding.

“Maybe… that’s right… that’s what a gentleman is…”

Now that I think about it, even though I can’t accept the forgotten promise and the need for sleeping together… a gentleman.

Yeah, I might have to admit that.

“Indeed… ever since I started going there, Shinobu has been cleaning his room more often than before… In that sense, I am… somewhat grateful.”

“Damn it, there’s no fault to find!”

Kanon exclaims, holding her head.

“A girl coming to his house every day is a burden for any guy! And yet he handles it so gently… I can’t help but support… their sleepovers…”

“Seriously, what’s with that enthusiasm…?”

I can’t help but laugh.

Kanon has been a bit too emotionally unstable.

Certainly, if a close friend started sleeping with a guy, I’d be a bit shaken too…

Then,

“…A burden, huh?”

I repeat Kanon’s words in my mind.

Ever since that day, I’ve been regularly staying over at Shinobu’s house every night. But as Kanon said, it might indeed be confusing.

Especially since I’m the opposite sex and someone with emotional barriers.

So, I thought, glancing at Shinobu.

Maybe I should suggest something different.

“Are you really okay with this?” Shinobu, backpack in tow, still seemed uncertain, even at this point.

Standing in front of my house, he started to express his concerns.

“Is it really alright for me to suddenly intrude and even stay over? Are you sure about this?”

I understand his anxiety.

Normally, for high school students, staying over at the opposite sex’s house is somewhat unthinkable.

But we’ve already strayed from what’s “normal,” repeatedly doing the “unthinkable.”

Worrying about it now is pointless.

Moreover, as Kanon said, it must be confusing for him to always sleep at his place.

So, I wanted to properly offer him a place to sleep together.

“Don’t worry about it. Like I said before, my parents aren’t home, so there’s no need to be considerate. Besides, standing in front of the house hesitating will make us look weird to the neighbors.”

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Shinobu nodded solemnly, his face taking on a determined look.

“Then… thank you, I appreciate it!”

He said with the enthusiasm of an athlete before a game.

“Wow… so spacious! Is this an entrance hall? Do private houses even have these?”

“Is that TV huge! Is that… tatami size?”

“This is what indirect lighting is? I’ve heard about it but seeing it in person is something else…”

Shinobu, visiting my house for the first time, reacted dramatically to everything he saw, like a primitive man encountering civilization for the first time.

He was astonished by the layout, the appliances, the furniture…

Isn’t that a bit too much?

I mean, I was happy when we moved in, but this level of excitement is somewhat embarrassing…

Finally, showing him my room,

“Tonight, you’ll sleep here.”

I explained as he looked around with a subdued “Wow…” and “It’s big…”

“Leave your stuff here, basically. The washroom is fine for your toiletries.”

“Okay, got it!”

“If you want, you can browse the books on the shelf or use the computer or tablet. Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Wow, you’re really prepared… Thanks.”

Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he said,

“Alright… then, I’ll go home for now.”

“I’ll come back after dinner and a bath. It might be a bit late since I’m walking back, not taking a taxi.”

“…You’re not staying? You’re going back home?”

I asked reflexively.

“Uh?”

“Why go through the trouble of going back? I thought you’d stay here until bedtime…”

He looked dumbfounded.

Did I say something strange?

I had assumed that’s what he’d planned…

“No, it’s just that…”

He started to explain, glancing around uneasily.

“Shizuno always goes home, right? I thought maybe it’s better just to be here for sleeping…”

“Ah… Well, I have things to do, like skincare and hair care. I can’t just leave all that at your place. It was out of necessity.”

“Oh, I see…”

“Is there something you need to do at home, Shinobu?”

“Not really, but… there’s still a lot of time before bed, isn’t there? Is it… okay?”

Shinobu asked cautiously.

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

“…Do you not want to be with me?”

“What?”

“Do you find it unpleasant… to be in this house with me?”

That seemed like the only explanation.

Sure, there’s a distance between us now.

Maybe we can’t be as carefree together as we used to be.

But him wanting to go back home and then come again… does Shinobu really dislike being with me?

We only sleep together out of necessity. Maybe he never wanted to come to my house in the first place.

That would explain why he seems so disinterested…

“It’s not like that!” Shinobu quickly objected, looking flustered.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be with Shizuno, I just thought… is it really okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well, you know, there’s a lot to consider… at our age!”

“We’re already sleeping together, isn’t worrying about that now a bit too late?”

“There’s more to it than just sleeping together…!”

“What exactly?”

“I mean… no, nothing! Forget I said anything!”

Scratching his head vigorously, Shinobu finally seemed to give in.

“Alright, I get it! I’ll stay! I’ll stay until night!”

“You don’t have to force yourself.”

“I’m not forcing anything!”

He said somewhat defensively.

Uncertain if he was being genuine or just making excuses,

“Hmm, okay.”

I nodded at him, still feeling a bit doubtful.

From that point on, I don’t think anything particularly unusual happened.

We borrowed each other’s study materials and did our homework together.

We ate dinner, watched a little TV, played some light games.

As the night grew late, it was time for a bath, taking turns since Shinobu was a guest.

After he had his turn, it was mine.

I bathed my body and, as usual, soaked in the tub.

The thought that Shinobu had just used this bath…

That thought made me say out loud, unexpectedly,

“We used to bathe together when we were younger, didn’t we…”

I think it was around third or fourth grade in elementary school.

Back when we lived in our hometown, after getting covered in mud, we always bathed together. Shinobu, ever so innocent, seemed a bit embarrassed, but I never found it unnatural. I thought that kind of closeness would always continue.

Of course, it’s different now.

Even if our relationship is as close as it was back then, we’re high school students now.

Bathing together is absolutely out of the question… and to be honest, just the fact that I’m using the bath after Shinobu is enough to make me feel a little thrilled, though I’m ashamed to admit it.

Still, the fact that we, who were so close, have become like this…

That we had a fight, created a distance, and became awkward around each other…

And also,

I wish Shinobu would show a bit more emotion.

The body that’s soaking in this tub has grown quite a bit since those days.

Not quite like a gravure idol, but I have a decent figure, and I think my skin is pretty nice…

Wouldn’t it be okay for him to pay a little attention to me? As a girl, to be conscious of me…?

Well… with a sigh, I ridicule myself.

“Shinobu is more interested in cow’s milk than me, after all.”

It’s always been that way.

Even after we started elementary school and everyone began to talk a little about love, Shinobu was more fascinated with cows than girls.

Honestly, I don’t have much confidence in competing with that.

Both in terms of volume and his interest.

“Soon, I should get out.”

Thinking too much made me feel a bit dizzy.

It’s late, I should get ready and go to bed.

I quickly get out of the bath, dry myself off, get dressed, and dry my hair.

Then, when I reach my room where Shinobu is waiting,

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh…!”

For some reason, Shinobu straightens up abruptly and looks away from me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing!”

Why is he acting so brusquely?

Did I do something to offend him?

I don’t understand.

But feeling the distance between us, I say,

“Whatever, it’s fine.”

With that, I climb into bed before Shinobu, laying down under the covers.

♠♠♠♠♠♠

I think I might seem a bit brusque.

The morning after my first night staying at Shizuno’s house, I lay in bed pondering this.

Building walls, treating her roughly… it might seem like I’m avoiding her.

So, it makes sense that Shizuno would seem lonely or unhappy.

Yesterday, she looked really dissatisfied… I feel genuinely sorry.

And truthfully, I don’t want to act like this.

I wish I could interact more naturally with Shizuno, without creating any distance.

But,

As I look over at Shizuno again under the covers, I realize,

No, this is impossible.

It’s impossible to act normally under these circumstances.

I have no choice but to be brusque and build walls.

Because… I take a deep breath and reevaluate my situation.

She’s clinging to me.

Shizuno, under the covers, is clinging tightly to me with both arms.

Not just with her arms, but her legs too, wrapping around me, pressing her whole body against mine.

I can clearly feel the contours of her body.

The rounded shape of her arms and legs. And unmistakably, the softness of her chest…

Why is this happening?

Maybe she always clings to blankets and such, but for the one being clung to, this is like a ticking time bomb!

And the way she looks right now, it’s beyond words.

Her clothes are all disheveled, it’s almost like she’s half-naked.

Dealing with this situation is tougher than any of the farm work I’ve done.

And so, I decide.

This can’t go on.

It’s impossible to keep sleeping together like this.

I need to talk to Shizuno properly.

To continue sleeping together in a healthy way, we need to discuss what should be done.

“Nh, hmm…”

At that moment, Shizuno spoke up.

She wriggled her body and slowly opened her eyes, looking up at me. With a sleepy expression, she mumbled,

“…Mm, good morning… Shinobu…”

“…Yeah, good morning…”

“Yawn… I slept well…”

Shizuno yawned softly and then, while saying,

“I’m still a bit… sleepy…”

She gradually began to realize her own position.

Her eyes widened, her face flushed red, and she stammered,

“…S-sorry!”

In a panic, she unwrapped her arms from around me, sat up abruptly on the futon, and started to explain in a flustered manner.

“It’s not, you know, what it seems…! It’s just that… I find it comfortable to sleep like this! I didn’t mean anything by it, it just happened…”

“Okay…”

“If you could just forget about this as a one-time mistake…”

“…Well, it’s kind of usual for you…”

“Really!? I, I’ve been like this before…!?”

“Yeah, actually…”

I sat up, faced Shizuno, and cleared my throat softly. Then,

“I have something… to discuss with you.”

“What…?”

“We need to set some rules for sleeping together.”

“Rules… why?”

“First of all… Shizuno…”

While saying this, I avoided looking at her,

“Look at your current clothes…”

“My clothes?”

She tilted her head and looked down at herself. Then she realized,

“…!”

In a rush, she fixed her pajamas.

Most of the buttons were undone, revealing her body.

Only one button near her chest was holding, the rest had come undone, exposing her from the cleavage to the belly.

And there was more.

Perhaps because she was at home and felt unguarded, Shizuno hadn’t worn a bra today. At my house, she always made sure to, but today she was in a borderline skimpy outfit.

It was impossible for me, as a guy, to look straight at her.

“…By the way, your pajama buttons were undone since you came out of the bath.”

“They were…?”

I was surprised when Shizuno returned to the room like that.

Her chest and stomach were exposed. It wasn’t just a glimpse. It was completely out there.

Honestly, I wondered if she was doing it on purpose, maybe to tease me or see my reaction…

But Shizuno just acted naturally.

Just as she always does… I realized then.

She’s simply careless, not even aware of the potential danger…

“You could have told me then!”

“I couldn’t bring myself to say it! It felt like it would create a weird atmosphere!”

“Still, it was way more embarrassing to be like this until morning! It was tough for me to sleep next to you like that!”

To think I made such a bold proposal, inviting a guy over to my house, saying we could stay up all night together…

And during the game, she clung to me, even suggested we take turns in the bath…

For a high school boy, these are all too stimulating.

“So, I need to say this clearly!”

I took a deep breath and then,

“Shizuno, you’re too unguarded. You let your guard down too much in front of a boy!”

I sternly told her.

“Really? Is that so…?”

“Absolutely! It’s one thing to sleep together, given our circumstances. But we’ve gotten too lax in just a week. That’s not okay!”

“Too lax…!?”

Shizuno looked shocked, as if she had never thought of herself that way.

“We’ll keep sleeping together, but as a man and a woman, there needs to be a line. That’s why I want to establish some rules!”

“…Okay, I understand.”

Shizuno nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed by my intensity.

It seemed my sense of urgency got through to her.

“So, what kind of rules should we make?”

“First… make sure you’re properly dressed in your pajamas. After changing, check that all the buttons are fastened, and your pants are pulled up!”

“Okay…”

“And always wear underwear! It might be uncomfortable, but find something comfortable. I mean, it’s really distracting…”

“I understand…”

She nodded again, hugging herself and covering her chest.

“And try not to cling too much when sleeping! Of course, accidental touching or bumping is okay, but hugging or clinging, that’s…”

“But! I didn’t realize I was clinging to you. How can I be aware of that in my sleep?”

“Well… do your best to keep it to a minimum!”

“Okay, I will!”

Feeling guilty, Shizuno nodded again with a resigned look.

We then went on to establish other rules.

“Don’t leave your underwear in the washroom before I take a bath…”

“Also, clinging too much during gaming is a bit too much…”

“Hang up the laundry in your room before I come over…”

After discussing everything and listing the rules in a note on her phone, Shizuno said,

“There are so many rules…”

She looked a bit dissatisfied.

“Why do we need to be so strict? It’s my house, but it feels so restrictive…”

“I’m sorry, but I need your cooperation.”

Indeed, following all these rules might be a hassle.

Apart from not clinging, many of the rules intrude into Shizuno’s daily life. I do feel sorry about that.

“But it’s hard for me too. Seeing too much is troubling…”

“Troubling? What do you mean…?”

Curiously, she leaned forward to look at my face.

Hesitantly, with a bit of wonder, she asked,

“Do you mean… it makes your heart race?”

“Yeah, kind of.”

Blushing slightly, I admitted it frankly.

“When it’s that exposed, it’s hard to handle. So, your help would be appreciated.”

“Hmm, I see…”

She said, smiling.

For some reason, her expression seemed cheerily mischievous.

“Huh, so it makes you excited, Shinobu.”

“Yeah…”

“Hehe… Interesting.”

Shizuno nodded repeatedly, almost singing.

What’s with that reaction?

I didn’t understand her mood…

“So, this rule list is also a list of things that excite you, Shinobu!”

“Don’t interpret it like that!!”

Flustered by her cheerful demeanor, I couldn’t help but raise my voice.