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Prologue

♠♠♠

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Yeah, the weather is nice today too.”

The morning after we slept side by side, as usual, we left my apartment and walked down the street. Shizuno-san squinted her eyes against the morning light as she looked up.

“It’s almost June… it’s going to be hot this year too.”

“Yeah, according to the forecast, it seems like there will be less rain too.”

“Really? I want to switch to summer clothes soon. I want to wear my summer outfit.”

As we exchanged such words, I stole a glance at the girl walking beside me.

Her black hair glistened in the sunlight as she walked rhythmically—Shizuno-san.

Her eyes were like crystals.

Her cute face was moderately made up.

Her lips were drawn in a somewhat cheerful curve.

It’s been about two months since we reunited in high school, but I feel a gradual sense of happiness that she is here beside me, that I can be with Shizuno-san.

“By the way,” I suddenly thought,

“We should probably switch to summer bedding too. Right now, we only have spring bedding.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

Shizuno-san nodded in agreement as if she just realized it.

“We should go look for summer bedding again. Sleeping side by side makes it hotter than sleeping alone.”

“Yeah. Maybe a thin quilt or a towel blanket.”

Side by side sleeping.

Since entering high school, both Shizuno-san and I had developed insomnia.

We realized that we could only sleep when we lay down together on the day of the entrance ceremony.

Even counting sheep, listening to music, or drinking milk did not help us sleep—only side by side sleeping did.

Since then, we have led a double life: somewhat distant in class but sleeping side by side at night.

We take turns staying over at each other’s places, sleeping in the same bed, and then leaving the house together in the morning, taking slightly different buses to go to school separately…

By the way, we are not boyfriend and girlfriend nor lovers.

Just childhood friends, and there were misunderstandings and moments of hostility when we reunited after five years apart.

At first, I was very hesitant about sleeping side by side with her.

I was tense, nervous, and honestly, there were times when I felt…erotic (and still do).

However, as time passed and two months since our reunion went by,

“Ah, so should we sleep over at your place today, Shinobu-kun? My bedding is thicker, so until we buy new ones, is it okay to sleep at your place?”

“Ah, no problem at all. So, should I come directly to your place from school? Without stopping by my house?”

We talked in such a casual tone as if it was natural.

For us, sleeping together gradually began to feel like “normal.”

My heart doesn’t race like before, and I don’t feel that strange sense of guilt.

The uneasy feelings are almost gone.

This change was actually a big relief.

It was hard feeling tense every night…

Maybe this is what fans of anime or idols mean when they describe their feelings for their favorites as “painful”…

Besides, since our sleep deprivation problems have almost disappeared, the quality of our life has significantly improved.

I no longer fall asleep during class, and my mid-term test results have improved, earning praise from teachers.

All of this is thanks to sleeping side by side with Shizuno-san.

I thought high school life would be uncertain at first.

There were times I worried I might have to return to my parents’ house… but finally, I feel like I can relax and enjoy every day.

I’m glad Shizuno-san is by my side.

I’m really saved by being able to sleep with Shizuno-san…

That’s why I was off guard. Because my senses had been numbed…

♡♡♡♡♡♡

“Hey, hey, those two…”

“Yeah, I see them from time to time…”

Walking with Shinobu-kun on the way to school.

Hearing that voice a few meters behind us…

Clearly, they were whispering rumors about us… I was startled.

Probably girls around our age…

They didn’t seem to think we could hear them, talking in a slightly excited tone—,

“They really look like a perfect couple.”

“Yeah, they seem so close.”

Couple!?

Shinobu-kun and I!?

Glancing sideways… as expected, it was a pair of girls.

They wore different uniforms from us, apparently students from another school…

Do we look like a couple to those girls!?

Do we seem that close to each other!?

Next to me, Shinobu-kun also seemed startled, his gaze wandering anxiously.

This is awkward!

This is so awkward, what do we do now!?

The air has completely changed!

But, unaware of our discomfort, the girls continued their conversation—.

“There’s quite a gap between the two, isn’t there?”

“True. But isn’t that nice? Like a stylish girl and a clumsy boy.”

“Yeah, I get it! Makes me want to support them!”

“That freshness probably means they just started dating. They’re not even holding hands.”

“That’s nice. It’s the most fun time, huh.”

—That’s not it!

We’re not like that!

Just because of unavoidable circumstances, we’ve ended up like this… sleeping together every night…

Well, that’s even more serious!

More serious than dating, the fact that we sleep together every night!

Next to me, trembling with embarrassment, Shinobu-kun’s face was bright red.

Ugh… there’s no way to recover from this…

Probably the rest of today will continue with this weird atmosphere.

What did those girls do to us, really…

But then, I thought,

“I also want a boyfriend. Someone reliable like that—”

“And isn’t the girl really cute? Plus, she’s stylish…”

While continuing to overhear the conversation behind us, I started to rethink.

Calmly considering, the misunderstanding of the two girls behind us was quite reasonable.

If a boy and girl are seen going to school together in the morning, especially if it continues for several days… it’s natural to assume they are a couple.

I would probably think the same if I saw a similar pair.

Rather, the strange thing is the behavior of Shinobu-kun and me—.

“Phew”

I let out a breath and decided to change my mindset.

Maybe Shinobu-kun and I—have been a bit careless.

Taking sleeping side by side for granted, we’ve ended up going to school together so naturally…

It’s become a part of our daily life, but that’s not really okay.

We must not lose the sense of tension.

We must not forget what it means to sleep side by side. And we must never forget how it appears to others.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be strange if problems arose someday—.

And so, that incident became the trigger.

From that day on, we were swept into a series of comical mishaps—.