Volume 1 - CH 1

“We were almost there and you should have at least made sure you had your wallet with you before you left!”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I apologized many times. I’ll go to my room to get it, please wait here.”

“If we can’t get the limited edition roll cake, I won’t forgive you, okay?”

My childhood friend, Miyama Kanade, was angry with me, Yamagishi Yuuri, as if she were my mother. It all started when we left the house to buy a limited edition of 20 roll cakes from a nearby confectionary store, but I made the mistake of forgetting my wallet. We rushed back to the house together, but it may be a close call whether we can buy the roll cake or not. It was no wonder that Kanade, who loves sweets, was so worked up.

However, even though she’s prickly now, I know she’s not really angry.

Kanade and I have been friends since we met in the fourth grade at a local soccer club. In elementary school, she wore her hair very short so she looked like a boy, but when she entered junior high school, she grew her hair to medium length and made a magnificent job of transforming herself into a very pretty girl. There was no way that the guys around Kanade would leave her alone, and numerous boys confessed their feelings for her.

After graduating from junior high school, Kanade and I went to the same high school and were classmates for two consecutive years. We were also both on the soccer team, and I think we may have been in the same class most of the time since we entered high school.

Since we know each other so well, it’s easy to tell how angry Kanade is.

———

In a hurry, I asked Kanade to wait at the door and vigorously opened the door to my house. Then I heard a loud thudding sound coming from the back of the house, specifically from my room.

Startled, Kanade and I froze for a moment, but quickly came to our senses and went to the front of my room and opened the door hesitantly. They were not thieves… but two people, Hazuki and Mitsuki, who were waiting for our return.

“What the hell were you guys doing slamming around and making loud noises?”

I was relieved to hear that no one seemed to have been hurt.

“No, it’s a… bug, yes, a big bug came out suddenly, and the two of us were struggling to do something about it!”

“I was just trying to get rid of it. I’m not sure what to do about it. But Kouki threw it out of the window, so it’s all right now.”

Kouki was amused that Hazuki, who is always so calm, was saying something he didn’t quite understand, “Insects,” as he was getting flustered, and he said, “What the heck is that! Hahahahaha” and they burst out laughing.

Seeing this, the two looked somewhat relieved and laughed together, saying, “Yeah.”

Kouki Kitajima has been my best friend since I moved here when I was in the fifth grade. He transferred to a different school for his ninth-grade graduation but came back here in July of his second year of high school, and we are playing well together again as before.

The other person in the room is Hazuki Sakashita, my second childhood friend and also my beloved girlfriend. Hazuki and I were born a day apart, live next door to each other, and have been close to each other since we were little, making her my closest and most precious girl. She has long, silky hair and is, in my opinion as her boyfriend, a very beautiful girl.

“I forgot something, and I just came back to get it. Well, the rolls will be sold out, so I should hurry and go rushing off again! Don’t you guys mess up the room with your slamming antics again!”

“Oh! Be careful!”

“Have a safe trip. I’ll be waiting for you.”

I heard their words and said to Kanade, “Let’s go,” to which she responded, “Yes,” as if she was not even in the room. I questioned Kanade’s attitude, but I didn’t pay any attention to it and headed for the front door. I was so absent-minded that I did not notice that Kanade did not utter a single word during our earlier exchange.

Well, even if I had thought something was fishy at this point, it was too late for anything.

———

“What the hell are those guys doing running wild in someone’s room!”

“Yeah.”

“They’re doing whatever they want just because it’s my room. I’m going to have to give them a stern talking-to.”

“Right.”

I managed to buy the last cake roll and was walking home with Kanade with a relieved look on my face. But in contrast to me, Kana’s face was looking down the whole time.

What’s wrong with Kanade, she suddenly lost her energy even though she was able to buy the limited edition roll cake that she loves so much. I guess she’s mad because I made her run so hard.

“What’s wrong, Kanade? Did you really hate it that much that I made you run?”

“I’m sorry. It’s not that. I was just thinking.”

“That’s a bit sudden to be thinking. You were complaining to me just a few minutes ago. But it is rare for Kanade to be like that.  If you feel comfortable talking to me, please feel free to talk to me anytime. I’ll help in any way I can.”

“Yes, thanks. I’m sorry I’m acting weird all of a sudden. Once I’ve got my thoughts together, I’ll talk to Yuu-kun about it.”

Kanade smiled with a somewhat troubled expression on her face.

I was a little worried to see Kanade like that. Kanade was cheerful and energetic, and she was able to look at her problems in a positive light. And she was the kind of girl who would tell me everything, good or bad, about her thoughts and feelings head-on. I had never seen Kanade hesitate to say things like this.

She seemed so happy just a few minutes ago.

Even after returning to her room, Kanade was always one step behind me from beginning to end.

⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘

[Kanade’s point of view]

What was that all about?

Hazuki and Kouki were very upset when we returned home to pick up the forgotten items.

They said that they had “found a bug” and that they were fine because they had thrown it out the window, but the window was not open, and it was not natural to think that the bed just below the window was not in disarray.

What I found even stranger was that Hazuki’s clothes were slightly disheveled. Before we left the house, her shirt was neatly tucked into her skirt, but when we returned to pick up our forgotten items, I could see Hazuki’s shirt sticking out of her skirt a little.

I have actually arrived at one answer. But it was one that was terrifying and disgusting to even think about.

“Hazuki-chan, could she possibly be…”

I shook my head buzzing to the side as if to shake off the thoughts in my head.

I don’t think Hazuki is the only one like that. Because Hazuki-chan and Yuu-kun have been together for a long time, and especially after they became a couple, they seemed so happy that there was no room for anyone else.

“I wonder if I should tell Yuu-kun about this…”

I trust Hazuki-chan.

But I just couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the two of them at that moment. And I need to get to the truth of that feeling of discomfort.

“Hazuki-chan might be having an affair.”