*****
"Huh? Sure, sounds fun. Ryosuke-kun, right?"
The next day during break, I went to Takuma's classroom to ask for permission, and he agreed immediately.
"Really? He seems pretty tough."
"Tougher than Marin-chan?"
"Uh, about the same..."
"Haha, well, that's quite something."
He laughed heartily, his well-tanned face crinkling into a grin. In the baseball team Takuma belonged to, hairstyles were free. Some members grew their hair long, but while Takuma's wasn't a buzz cut, he kept it short.
His determination to take baseball seriously while still wanting to look cool—Manaka smiled warmly, as if witnessing a declaration of intent.
A childhood bond forged in preschool. Personalities unchanged since childhood.
They became friends simply because their houses were close, never feeling the barrier between boys and girls. Their presence was just a given.
I always thought our relationship would never change.
He seemed rough around the edges but was kind to everyone. He wasn't just dedicated to baseball; he worked hard at his studies, too, even though they were difficult for him. I already liked him as a person, but once I started thinking of him as a boy, I was done for.
It happened during a baseball team training camp. After practice, the guys were showering off with a hose, shirtless. As a female team manager, it was a common sight. At first, Manaka didn't think anything of it.
But then...
When she handed a towel to the drenched Takuma, he took it with his usual smile. For the first time, she stared at his body, really stared. He looked thin in his clothes, but he had a sturdy frame and muscles toned from baseball. Long arms. Big hands. Strong fingers gripping the towel tightly.
Instinctively, Manaka understood that Takuma was a different creature from her.
For a while after that, she couldn't look him in the eye properly. Still, she managed to bridge the distance between them and confessed her feelings to him first—thus beginning their relationship.
After starting to date Takuma, they held hands and kissed on the way home from club activities. Beyond that... just a little. They hadn't crossed that line yet. But if they had the right opportunity...
"Manaka, what's wrong?"
"Huh? Nothing's wrong!"
She shook her head to clear her mind of those daydreams. She had to get back to her usual self.
"It should be fine on days without club activities."
"Yeah. Sunday's a day off for practice—oh, but will your mom and Nee-san be home? Will I be in the way?"
"Nope. They're out on a date."
I'm planning to go out, leaving my son and daughters behind. It's good to see them so happy—though whether that's just how adults are supposed to act is another question.
"Marin-chan is so responsible, and you're here, Manaka. You can't be worried, right?"
"Well, no, not really."
"...Still, that 'big sister' of yours is trying to bring a man home."
"Ah, Takuma? He doesn't count as a man."
"Hey, that's not fair! What about me? I'm your boyfriend, you know!"
He put on such a deliberately wounded expression that I almost burst out laughing.
This.
This easy banter, this casual back-and-forth, was what I loved so much. Even as lovers, my childhood friend and I could still maintain this unchanging relationship. It felt incredibly comfortable.
I really do love him...
Facing her boyfriend's smile, Manaka's face also softened into a warm grin.
*****
"Coming through!"
On a bright Sunday afternoon, Takuma arrived.
Even though club activities were canceled, he had apparently spent the morning training on his own.
Now, the real challenge lay ahead: smoothing out the relationship between Ryosuke, Marin, and Manaka. Would it go smoothly?
"Wow, this place is amazing. It's totally different from my place."
"Takuma. Come in."
As Manaka greeted him at the entrance, still feeling uneasy, a voice came from behind.
"Is that... Takuma?"
Manaka nearly gasped.
Ryosuke's presence itself wasn't surprising; it was natural for him to be home. But...
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My sister (...) always takes advantage of your help."
Ryosuke greeted Takuma with a refreshing smile.
Who...?!
The unfamiliar demeanor of my new younger brother left me struggling to understand him.
Takuma also stared for a moment before recovering.
"Right. Nice to meet you, Ryosuke-kun. I heard about you from Manaka. Sorry to interrupt your family time."
"No, it's fine. My sister apparently forced the invitation. Please, come to the living room. My younger sister-in-law seems to have been waiting for you."
His behavior was utterly natural, his manner impeccable.
While Manaka stood stunned, he retreated back into the living room.
Takuma, having removed his shoes, leaned over to whisper.
"Isn't he different from what we heard? He's actually a really cool guy, right?"
"W-Well, he's not usually like that..."
Just as I suspected, was he feeling uncomfortable being surrounded by women? Maybe he feels more at ease talking openly with another guy.
Or was it simply because she didn't like Manaka and Marin's personalities? Or perhaps she strongly opposed their parents' remarriage—
No.
Manaka suddenly realized something.
Could it be... that he's just incredibly good at pretending to be nice...?!
Ryosuke's demeanor was strangely... practiced. It wasn't his true personality; it was more like he'd perfected the act of being a "likable person."
...Am I overthinking this?
Feeling a different kind of unease than before, Manaka reluctantly entered the living room.
*****
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