Chapter 18: Full-Throttle Boyfriend Life

 

♠♠♠

 

The rundown apartment complex Yamame-sou, located in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district.

It’s old as dirt, with drafts whistling through every crevice.

By late November, the cold wakes me up every morning. I sleep in the Yamame-ryu Heat Style, piling on layers of thin futons to keep my body warm, but my head still freezes.

Even if I wear a knit cap when I crawl into bed, it slips off during the night, and I’m jolted awake by the chilly air sneaking through the gaps in the poorly fitted window frame.

That day was no different—I woke up at eight in the morning, shivering as I climbed out of my futon. I washed my face with icy tap water, got dressed, and prepared for the day.

Heading out to attend university lectures, I made my way to Yamame-sou’s bike parking area and ran into Daidouji-san.

Daidouji-san is a graduate student who tirelessly researches the cosmos and is the longest-resident tenant at Yamame-sou. I inherited my kimono from him and even got some pointers on playing the kokyu.

“Good morning.”

When I greeted him, Daidouji-san tilted his head curiously.

“Hmm? I thought I knew every face in this apartment, but I’m sorry, which room are you from……?”

“No worries. I’m in a rush, so I’ll be on my way.”

With that, I hopped on my bike and pedaled out of Yamame-sou.

Riding through the crisp winter morning air, I headed east along Imadegawa Street. It was cold, but the clear skies made for a refreshing mood.

I arrived at the university in no time and managed to take my seat five minutes before the lecture started.

Next to me was Fukuda-kun, who had left earlier.

Fukuda-kun, another Yamame-sou resident, is a kind-hearted guy who came to university with the lofty goal of developing high-yield rice strains for his farmer parents back home. He’s also the one who helped me out when I was in a rough spot during my first year.

Seeing me rush into the lecture hall, Fukuda-kun gave a friendly nod with his good-natured face before turning his attention back to the textbook in his hands.

Soon after, the professor entered the lecture hall.

“Kirishima-kun, overslept, huh? He’s been pretty diligent with attendance lately……”

Fukuda-kun muttered to himself, then started tapping on his phone.

My phone, tucked in my pocket, buzzed almost immediately.

“Class has started~ I’m taking notes, so don’t push yourself if you’re feeling under the weather~”

The message was from Fukuda-kun, sitting right beside me.

I pretended nothing was up and focused on the lecture. I attended the second period as well, ate a plain udon at the cafeteria for lunch, and went to all my afternoon classes. By the time the day’s lectures were over, it was already evening.

After slacking off as a deadbeat college student for so long, diving headfirst into tough studies left my brain overheating and spinning.

I wanted to collapse and pass out right there, but I had a promise to keep, so I hopped on a bus to Shijo Kawaramachi.

Walking under the arcade of Kawaramachi Street, I arrived at the meeting spot in front of a large bookstore and spotted a strikingly eye-catching girl.

She wore a dark gray checkered coat with a light green scarf as an accent.

It was Miyamae.

She was fiddling with her phone, her expression sharp and aloof.

With looks on par with Kinkaku-ji, she stood out just by being there, like a living work of art. I watched her for a moment before approaching and calling out.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

But Miyamae gave me an openly annoyed look and started to walk away.

“Hey, wait, it’s me. Kirishima.”

She stopped, tilted her head, and stared at my face.

After a few seconds, recognition finally hit.

“Kirishima!”

Miyamae’s face lit up, and she bounced over, clinging to me.

“You’re not wearing your kimono, so I totally didn’t recognize you!”

That’s right.

Today, I wasn’t in my usual Kirishima Kyoto style. Instead of a kimono, I wore a sweater and jeans; instead of geta sandals I wore sneakers; and instead of a haori, I wore a trench coat.

That’s why neither Daidouji-san nor Fukuda-kun had recognized me.

It’s kind of wild to think about what people use to identify me, but I guess that’s just how humans work.

“It suits you pretty—”

As Miyamae studied me closely, her expression turned overwhelmed with emotion.

“Whoa! Whoa!”

She grabbed the sleeve of my coat and exclaimed,

“This is the one I gave you!”

I was wearing the coat Miyamae had gifted me, along with the watch.

“Yup, yup, it looks so good on you, Kirishima. Just like I imagined!”

“You didn’t even recognize me, though.”

“Thanks, Kirishima!”

Miyamae was so thrilled that I started to feel a bit embarrassed.

“Let’s go. We’re grabbing dinner together, right?”

“Yup!”

With Miyamae clinging to my arm, we started walking down the street.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Okonomiyaki. Since we’re in Kansai, I want to learn how to make it!”

Miyamae’s face was beaming with happiness.

Just wearing the clothes she gave me was enough to make her this happy.

It’s amazing how such a small thing can bring someone so much joy.

“Kirishima, Kirishima!”

With an excited Miyamae in tow, we entered an okonomiyaki restaurant.

When the waiter asked, “Would you like us to cook it for you?” Miyamae replied, “I’ll cook it myself!”

“Trying anything is important!”

She said, sitting right next to me at a table for four.

“……Oi.”

“Pork tama is the classic, right? Mochi cheese looks tasty too. Oh, and the special mix—”

“People usually sit across from each other, you know.”

“Can I have just one drink? It’s fine, right? I’m a college student!”

“This sitting arrangement is, like, peak cringey-couple vibes.”

“I won’t get drunk off one beer! Kyushu girls are strong drinkers, you know!”

“Are you even listening?”

“Excuse me~ Can we order~?”

Miyamae had a blast cooking the okonomiyaki. She was a bit clumsy since it was her first time, but the finished pancake had the warm charm of something handmade.

“Kirishima, eat tons, okay?”

Miyamae eagerly served heaps onto my plate, so I ate until I was stuffed. She watched me eat with a delighted smile. And then—

“You’re totally drunk!”

One beer, and Miyamae was plastered.

“Kirihima……”

On the way back, she slurred my name, stumbling and leaning against me.

“Where’s that strong Kyushu girl now?”

“But~ when I’m with Kirihima, I just feel so safe~”

I’d planned to walk along the Kamogawa River to sober her up, but that wasn’t happening, so we took the train instead. On the train, she hugged me from the front, wrapping her arms around my back, clinging tightly and burying her face in my chest.

“This is another one of those cringey-couple things, you know.”

“……Kirihima.”

“What, that’s all you can say now?”

I dragged a vocabulary-deprived Miyamae back to her place at Sakura Heights.

As we stepped into the entryway, Miyamae kicked off her shoes, went inside first, and said, “Welcome home!”

“I’m home.”

When I replied, she giggled shyly, “Ehehe.”

While getting ready for bed, Miyamae was in high spirits the whole time. She seemed thrilled just to have me in her apartment.

After I showered and changed into matching pajamas with a heart design, Miyamae’s eyes sparkled as she squealed, “Wow! Wow!”

“Kirishima, want some tea before bed?”

The mugs she brought out were a matching pair in different colors.

“Isn’t this a bit much?”

“Not at all. We’re super close!”

Miyamae clearly loved this kind of thing. Sitting side by side on the heated carpet, sipping tea from matching mugs, she beamed with happiness, saying, “This is bliss!”

“Alright, time to sleep.”

“Yup!”

We climbed into bed together, sharing the futon. Miyamae snuggled up close to me.

Fresh from the bath, she was warm and cozy.

“Seriously, we’re just sleeping, okay?”

“Yup,” Miyamae nodded, seeming perfectly content with that.

“Your toothbrush and mine are side by side, right?”

She’d set up a stand in the bathroom with two toothbrushes of different sizes next to each other.

“Just seeing that makes me so happy~”

She playfully hooked her leg around mine and nudged her head against me.

After messing around for a bit, Miyamae’s movements slowed.

“……Getting sleepy.”

“Let’s sleep. Early to bed, early to rise, you know.”

“……Yup.”

Just as we were about to drift off—

“What’s wrong?”

“Hang on just a sec, it’ll be quick.”

I got out of bed, grabbed two phones from my bag, and returned.

I operated the first phone, hitting the call button on a messaging app.

“Kirishima-kun, good evening.”

Hayasaka-san’s voice came through the phone.

“Already heading to bed?”

“Yeah.”

“Guess I’ll sleep too, then.”

“That okay?”

“Yup. I’m already ready for bed, and I just finished my assignments.”

I heard the sound of a laptop closing, followed by the rustle of fabric.

I pictured Hayasaka-san slipping into bed in fluffy pajamas.

“Here we go!”

Her voice suddenly got closer. She must’ve placed the phone right by her pillow. I could almost hear her breathing through the speaker.

“Ehehe, let’s sleep, then!”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

“Goodnight!”

I left the call connected.

Next, I operated the second phone and pressed the call button.

“Shirou-kun.”

Tachibana-san’s voice came through the other phone.

“What were you up to?”

“Reading some piano sheet music.”

“I can hear game sounds, though?”

“What’re you talking about?”

During her NEET days before entering art school, Tachibana-san had honed insane gaming skills. When we played online, she crushed me effortlessly, winning with a calm, almost mechanical precision.

“Shirou-kun, you heading to bed already?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’ll sleep too.”

The game sounds stopped, followed by the patter of footsteps. Knowing Tachibana-san, she was probably wearing those goofy monster-foot slippers.

A moment later, the rustle of fabric. She’d climbed into bed.

“Goodnight, Shirou-kun.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

Soon, I could hear her soft breathing.

And so—

Holding a clingy Miyamae in my arms, I placed both phones by my pillow, listening to Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san’s sleeping breaths as I drifted off.

 

♠♠♠

 

“My head’s gonna explode!!”

Hamanami screamed after hearing my story.

“Wait, so you were messing around in front of a love hotel and ended up making all three of them your girlfriends?”

“It was the only way to get things under control.”

“It’s not under control at all!!”

Hamanami’s got some solid comebacks.

“No, seriously, this is bad. It’s gonna fall apart and turn into a huge mess!”

“That’s why we made some rules to prevent that.”

“Rules again!!”

Hamanami’s eyes rolled back dramatically.

“You always mess things up with those rules! It’s impossible! Humans never learn!”

“It’s easy to start with denial or criticism. But to move forward in life and achieve something, you need a positive mindset, a big enough heart to accept things, and the will to act.”

“If anyone other than Kirishima-senpai said that, it might’ve sounded profound!”

“Anyway,” Hamanami continued, glancing around nervously.

“Where the heck are we!? This is a mountain!!”

She was right.

We were on a mountain. After attending morning lectures, I had no afternoon classes, so I spotted Hamanami walking around campus and dragged her along.

“If you’re asking where we are, I’d have to say it’s Amidagamine, one of the thirty-six peaks of Higashiyama.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about!”

Hamanami, waving a nicely sized stick she’d picked up on the trail, shouted,

“Why are we climbing a mountain!?”

“About that—”

“And what’s with that getup!? You’ve added even more accessories!”

Right now, I was in my Kirishima Kyoto style. Kimono, haori, tabi socks, and geta sandals. But that wasn’t all—I had a yanagigouri slung over my back and a woven kasa hat on my head. A yanagigouri is a kind of woven willow basket, basically an old-school bag.

“This is Kirishima Santoka.”

Hamanami’s face went blank.

I repeated myself.

“Kirishima Santoka style.”

“You mean like Taneda Santoka, right?”

Taneda Santoka was a haiku poet who wandered the land as a mendicant monk, composing free-verse haiku.

One of his famous lines is, “Getting further and further Into the mountains, But still deep blue mountains.”

“Wait, so you’re dressing up like Santoka, and because he has a poem about going into the mountains, you’re climbing one? And you dragged me along for this!?”

“There’s a preface to that poem.”

“I already have a mountain of things to say, but fine, I’ll hear you out.”

“In April of Showa 1, carrying an unsolvable turmoil on my back, I set out on a journey of wandering and begging. That’s what it says. In other words, Santoka-sensei was in the midst of an unsolvable turmoil.”

“Okay, and how does that connect to this hike?”

“If you knew the situation I’m in, Hamanami, you’d definitely ask, ‘Senpai, what are you gonna do about this!?’”

“Yeah, exit strategies are important.”

“And here’s how I’d answer.”

I cleared my throat and declared,

“In the winter of my second year at university, Kirishima Shirou was caught in an unsolvable turmoil.”

“Shut up!!”

Hamanami hurled the stick at me.

“Don’t make me climb a mountain just so you can say that!!”

“No, you’re right.”

“Wait, hold on a second.”

Hamanami’s face suddenly turned serious.

“You just said you’re in an unsolvable turmoil, right? To put it bluntly, you don’t know what to do, do you? You don’t see a way out, do you? Usually, you’d have some kind of plan—sure, they fail, but still. If you’re completely planless, that’s like having no brakes at all! Those monster girls don’t have brakes either, so you’re all just plummeting straight into oblivion on a rollercoaster!”

“You sure talk a lot all at once.”

I set the yanagigouri down, opened the lid, pulled out a thermos, poured some tea, and handed it to Hamanami. She drank it to soothe her throat, looking like a musician chugging water between songs at a concert.

“It’s not like I don’t have any ideas about how to handle this.”

I said.

“But first, I want to fully accept their feelings.”

Of course, I know there could be other approaches.

You always fail because of that. You should change your methods, right?

But that’s the perspective of someone watching the game from the stands or on TV.

When you’re actually on the field, playing the game, the view is different.

What’s there is raw, subjective emotion.

Sure, there’s a way to think like an outsider while standing on the field.

A bird’s-eye view, an objective perspective, looking at yourself from above.

I try to do that sometimes.

But—

When it comes to love, should you really do that? In a moment where you’re truly loving and being loved, is that the right approach? In a situation where fleeting emotions can become truth, that perspective loses its power.

Above all, there’s no way I can keep a cool head.

Because—

“I saw Miyamae crying.”

I once threw away a gift Miyamae gave me. She found it in the trash, picked it up sobbing, and hugged it as she walked back into Sakura Heights.

“I can’t forget the sight of her back.”

“Kirishima-senpai……”

“Miyamae smiles a lot now. She looks so happy when she smiles.”

Miyamae sleeps clinging to me. When I roll over, she follows, sticking to my back. In the morning, she’s still latched on, drooling on my pajamas as she sleeps. When I wipe her mouth and wake her, she grins, “Kirishima’s here~!!” with pure joy.

“Miyamae’s smile isn’t something to take away lightly. At the very least, it’s something I need to take seriously. And I want her to keep smiling. So this time, I want to take on the challenge of facing their feelings head-on.”

“I get how you feel, but—”

Hamanami put a hand to her chin, thinking, before continuing.

“Well, the essence of things lies in the process, right? Whatever the outcome of this love situation, maybe it’s okay for you to go through a phase of grappling with those girls’ feelings while struggling.”

Exactly.

I might fail again, like always.

But even if the outcome is the same, the process matters. Just like how life has meaning even though death is the only conclusion.

“Got it. I’ll support you on that. You might fail over and over, but maybe, just maybe, success will come at the end.”

“Yeah. I’ll give it my all for now. Full-throttle boyfriend life with a bunch of girlfriends.”

“That sounds so awful when you put it into words!”

As we bantered, the phone in my yanagigouri buzzed. I pressed the call button, and it was Miyamae.

“Kirishima~”

“What’s up?” I asked.

“So, I’m free on Saturday. I was thinking…… maybe we could go on a full-day date? Is that okay?”

“Sounds good.”

“Yay!”

Miyamae’s voice was brimming with joy. We set a time and meeting place before hanging up.

“You’re really spoiling her, huh?”

“I don’t have the right to say no.”

“Wait, you made more rules? It’s that ‘What we say goes!’ thing again, isn’t it? You’re doing that this time too!?”

“Yup.”

“Don’t just hand over your decision-making power to others like that~!”

Hamanami continued,

“I get that Miyamae-san seems happy. But what about Hayasaka-senpai and Tachibana-senpai? They saw you and Miyamae-san coming out of a love hotel and were super pissed, right? Are they actually okay with you being a full-throttle boyfriend to everyone?”

“So far, it doesn’t seem like an issue.”

“Really?”

As we talked, my phone buzzed again. An incoming call. The screen showed Hayasaka Akane. I pressed the call button.

“Hayasaka-san, need anything?”

“Yup. I’ve got a request for Kirishima-kun, who did that kind of thing with Miyamae-san right away but hasn’t with me.”

“See, she’s mad! She’s got a ton to say to you, Kirishima-senpai!”

“I was thinking, maybe a date on Saturday?”

“She’s throwing it right at you~!!”

“Sorry, I’ve got plans that day.”

“What plans?”

“I’m going out with Miyamae.”

“I see. But I really want to go on a date that day too.”

“Her tone’s all cheery, but she’s not backing down at all!”

“Yeah, guess I’ll have to figure something out.”

“So optimistic in the worst way!”

“I want a proper one-on-one date. All day.”

“She’s piling on impossible demands!”

“That’s…… pretty tough.”

“Kirishima, don’t give in! No double-booking!”

“Yeah, it’s tough, right? But you know,”

Hayasaka-san said in a bright tone that made it clear she was smiling, even over the phone.

“Kirishima-kun, what we say is……?”

“Absolute.”

And so, I ended up scheduling a date with Hayasaka-san for Saturday too, and the call ended.

“Idiot~!”

Hamanami, who’d been chiming in constantly, shouted.

“Cancel that rule right now! That ‘What we say is absolute’ thing! It’s only gonna lead to trouble!”

As Hamanami ranted, another phone buzzed. The screen showed Tachibana Hikari.

“Need anything?”

“Yup, I’ve got a request for Shirou-kun, who’s been going wild with other girls.”

“Fireball straight to the face!!”

“I want to go on a date on Saturday. Just the two of us, all day.”

“They’re out to crush you! These girls are coming for you, Kirishima-senpai!”

“Got it, I’ll figure something out.”

“Triple-booking! I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“Looking forward to it.”

And so, it was settled—I’d go on one-on-one, all-day dates with Miyamae, Hayasaka-san, and Tachibana-san on Saturday. The call ended.

I put the phone back in the yanagigouri and adjusted my woven kasa hat.

“Hamanami, shall we head down? I’ve got to prepare for the weekend.”

“Are you serious!?”

“As a full-throttle boyfriend, I’m gonna make all three of them happy on these dates.”

“That’s physically impossible, isn’t it!?”

“Where should we go?”

I started descending the trail.

“Hey, Kirishima, wait! Calm down! There’s no way you can date three people at once!”

“Tachibana-san was saying she’s into animals lately.”

“Oi, Kirishima, come back! You’re gonna die~!”

Hamanami’s voice echoed across Amidagamine.

 

♠♠♠

 

On Saturday, I left Yamame-sou in Western clothes again. I offered to wear my kimono with accessories, but all three of them shot it down.

I biked into downtown Kyoto and parked at a bike lot. When I got to the café where we were meeting, Miyamae was already sitting at a terrace table.

Miyamae seemed kind of fidgety. I always show up five minutes early for meetups, but today, prep took longer, and I barely made it on time. For Miyamae, me not showing up five minutes early must’ve made her anxious.

My phone pinged with a message.

“I’m already here~”

I saw Miyamae fiddling with her phone. She looked up, glanced around, but didn’t spot me, so she went back to her phone. Messages started pinging one after another.

“Hey, you still not here?”

“Did something happen?”

“You okay?”

“Wait, you didn’t want to go on a date with me, did you?”

“Sorry, sorry.”

“I won’t be selfish anymooore~”

Miyamae’s face looked like she was about to cry.

I approached the terrace table and called out to her.

“Miyamae~”

Her face lit up instantly.

“That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about~”

“I don’t even know what you mean-bai.”

Miyamae, with a nonchalant expression, started deleting her messages.

“Miyamae, you gotta have more confidence in yourself. If some guy ever brushes you off, don’t chase him—let him go. He’s no good if he does that.”

“Kirishima, you’re sounding preachy.”

“If it’s for you to become a strong, confident girl, I’ll keep saying it as many times as it takes~!!”

In this full-throttle boyfriend life, I’m not completely without a plan.

While accepting their feelings, I’m obviously thinking about how to resolve this situation.

Miyamae’s issue, in particular, is crystal clear. She’s an obvious mess of a girl who keeps getting caught up with bad guys—that’s the root of it all.

If Miyamae can become a stronger, more grounded girl, her dependency on me will probably fade.

So, every time she shows those hopeless-girl tendencies, I point them out bit by bit. It’s the Miyamae Education Plan.

And a moment that needed some educating came up right away.

“I wanna do a bit of shopping.”

Miyamae said, leading us into a department store inside the station building. I thought she’d be picking out winter clothes or something, but she stopped at the men’s section.

She browsed a display of brand-name wallets and pass cases, then picked up a leather key case.

“This one, maybe.”

“Huh? You’re getting men’s stuff?”

“Kirishima, didn’t you say you wanted a key case? I’ll buy it for you!”

“Hey~!!”

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly.

“A strong girl doesn’t just go around buying guys stuff willy-nilly!”

“But~! But~!”

“You gotta make the guy buy it himself!”

“Make him buy it…… Oh, I got it!”

Miyamae’s face lit up like she’d had a revelation.

“I’ll just sneak money into your wallet while you’re sleeping!”

“That’s some wild thinking!”

I patiently explained to her.

“You can’t give guys expensive gifts. If a guy leaves you because you don’t, he was trash to begin with. And anyone who accepts pricey gifts without batting an eye is just as bad. Got it?”

“Got it-bai.”

So, I ended up buying the key case Miyamae picked out with my own money. She’s got a knack for choosing nice stuff, so it was a painful hit to my wallet.

“So, where to next?”

Miyamae asked, so I suggested something I’d planned ahead.

“Haven’t you been tired lately?”

“Huh?”

“You’re attending classes properly, doing reports and assignments, and working your part-time job. Aren’t your shoulders or neck stiff?”

“Yeah, kinda—”

Miyamae made a thoughtful gesture before continuing.

“Now that you mention it, I think I’m feeling stiff!”

“Right? So, here’s the plan.”

I took Miyamae to—

A head spa salon.

The moment we stepped inside, the soothing aroma of the place promoted relaxation. It was a salon offering private rooms for head spas, head massages, and shoulder treatments.

“Kirishima…… you’re looking out for me this much……”

“Yeah. Let’s both get refreshed and meet up again feeling great.”

Miyamae was led to a private room. I saw her off, but instead of going into a room myself, I turned on my heel and bolted out of the salon. I sprinted to the bike lot and jumped on my bike.

This was where my real battle began.

 

♠♠♠

 

I parked my bike at a lot a little ways from where I’d been with Miyamae and ran to the meeting spot in front of the station.

Tachibana-san was standing there. Long skirt, jacket, hands stuffed in her pockets. Girly but with a slight tomboyish edge.

“Wait long?”

“About five minutes.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Tachibana-san grabbed my hand and slipped it into her pocket. Then she started walking with a cool expression.

As always, she’s calm, but the deep affection in that calmness came through from the way she held my hand in her pocket.

The adrenaline from biking started to fade.

Walking through the winter streets with Tachibana-san was enough to leave me speechless. It felt so natural.

Honestly, just walking with Tachibana-san like this might be all we need.

“I was thinking we could go somewhere you can interact with animals today.”

I said casually.

“You’ve been going to the zoo a lot lately, right?”

Tachibana-san attends an art university in Tokyo, so she’s there most of the time. She comes to Kyoto for errands or on days off. And she mentioned she’s been hitting up the zoo in Tokyo a lot.

But when I brought it up, she looked away awkwardly.

“What? You said you’ve been going to the zoo like crazy, didn’t you?”

“Yeah…… well, I do go pretty often.”

“That reaction…… wait, is the zoo just a convenient place to skip lectures because it’s near your university?”

“I like animals.”

She doubled down on her love for animals, so we stuck to the plan and went to a cat café. We sat side by side on a sofa. The place was filled with free-roaming cats, doing whatever they pleased.

“Not bad.”

Tachibana-san said, with a cat on her lap. She seemed to be a cat magnet—they came to her on their own. We sipped coffee while playing with the cats.

There were moments of silence.

We didn’t need to say much. With Tachibana-san, our relationship probably doesn’t require a lot of words. But because of that, there are feelings we need to put into words at some point.

I was thinking about that, staring into my coffee cup.

I looked up and was stunned.

“What the heck?”

“They just keep coming.”

Cats from all over the café were flocking to Tachibana-san. Not just on her lap, but around her feet and even one rubbing its head against her shoulder from the back of the sofa.

“Want me to pass you one?”

 

Tachibana-san lifted a cat from her lap with both hands. Its body and legs dangled limply. But the moment she held it out to me, the cat hissed and went wild.

In the end, all the cats gathered around Tachibana-san. She even ended up with one on her head.

“This…… might actually be kinda nice……”

Surrounded by fluffballs, Tachibana-san had a blissful expression. This was my chance.

“Tachibana-san, just keep enjoying that.”

Leaving Tachibana-san in her cat-induced happy trance, I slipped out of the cat café and ran to the bike lot. I pedaled hard and arrived in front of the aquarium.

Catching my breath, I looked up and saw a cute girl in a camel duffel coat waiting for me.

It was Hayasaka-san.

 

♠♠♠

 

In the dim space, white jellyfish floated in a glowing blue tank.

“It’s kinda soothing, isn’t it?”

Hayasaka-san said, gazing at the jellyfish.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

“No, it was just fifteen minutes.”

Hayasaka-san smiled brightly.

“It’s not like I got hit on by some guy while waiting for you, or felt lonely watching couples go into the aquarium or anything like that.”

Hayasaka-san explored the aquarium with obvious excitement.

“Is the aquarium okay?”

“Why?”

“You live near the ocean, don’t you?”

“Sure, but you can’t see jellyfish like this by the ocean.”

Plus, Hayasaka-san added,

“In the end, it doesn’t matter where we go for a date.”

“Huh?”

“Being with someone you love, spending time together in the same place, doing the same thing—that’s what matters. Well, even if someone showed up late.”

“My bad……”

“Let’s go!”

Hayasaka-san tugged at my sleeve, and we went on to see stingrays, a giant salamander, a sleeping seal we stared at blankly, and got properly splashed at the dolphin show.

At the gift shop, Hayasaka-san was eyeing a dolphin plushie, so I bought it for her.

“Ehehe, thanks!”

Her smile made me happy too.

“But is it okay? You’re a broke college student, right, Kirishima-kun?”

“I’ve been earning some lately.”

“From your job?”

“From softshell turtles.”

“Softshell turtles?”

“I catch softshell turtles and sell them on campus. Kirishima-brand turtle extract.”

“…………”

After leaving the aquarium, Hayasaka-san said she wanted to stop by a drugstore. She was out of makeup.

When I took her to the drugstore, she started seriously browsing the cosmetics section, muttering, “This looks good…… maybe I should try that too……” I knew from experience that girls take forever to pick out makeup.

“Kirishima-kun, sorry, this might take a while.”

“No worries, don’t mind me.”

I left the drugstore and started running again.

I dashed into the head spa salon just as Miyamae was coming out. Booking her for the long course was a good call.

“That felt so good~”

A refreshed Miyamae tilted her head as she looked at me.

“Huh? Kirishima, you look kinda tired.”

“Nah, I’m fine…… I’m refreshed too!”

From there, I was a whirlwind of activity.

I rotated between dates with Miyamae, Tachibana-san, and Hayasaka-san, seizing every opportunity to switch.

I slipped out while they were watching a movie, darted back and forth during VR experiences when they had goggles on, or took off the moment their backs were turned.

Lunch was the tricky part.

“There’s this famous Western diner with amazing omelet rice~”

Miyamae took me to a place known for its massive omelet rice. That part was fine.

But when I rushed back to Tachibana-san, she traced the corner of my mouth with her finger.

“You’ve got sauce on you.”

“Oh, uh, yeah.”

Tachibana-san looked up slightly, her expression thoughtful, before she spoke.

“How about yakiniku for lunch?”

“Didn’t you say we’d go to a place serving Kyoto-style obanzai? You wanted something light and Japanese!”

“Let’s do yakiniku.”

Tachibana-san wouldn’t budge. In the end, I ate yakiniku and then rushed to Hayasaka-san.

“I didn’t wait long at all. Just thirty minutes.”

Hayasaka-san said with a smile, then tilted her head, “Hmm?” She leaned in close, sniffing me.

“Yakiniku leaves a smell, doesn’t it?”

“Must’ve been when I passed by a yakiniku place earlier.”

“How about katsu-don for lunch?”

I ate katsu-don too.

That’s how it went, spinning around like crazy. Maybe because I overate at lunch and got sluggish, or maybe because the whole concept of one-on-one full-day dates with three people was impossible, the schedule kept slipping, and by evening, the girls started voicing their complaints.

“Kirishima~ Don’t disappear on me~!”

Miyamae clung to me, teary-eyed.

“Shirou-kun’s neglecting me……”

Tachibana-san pouted.

“Do you think I’m all smiles because I’m having fun, Kirishima-kun?”

Hayasaka-san’s vibe screamed three seconds from explosion.

It was a serious pinch. But as a full-throttle boyfriend, I had to see it through.

How, though? I was racking my brain when—

“Guess it can’t be helped.”

Hayasaka-san said. We were at a large bookstore. She’d wanted to stop by for a book, but now she was in the mood to read the novel she’d bought right away.

“I was really looking forward to it. Mind if I read for a bit?”

The bookstore had a café attached.

“I’ll be reading there. You’d get bored, Kirishima-kun, so feel free to go somewhere else for a bit.”

“Hayasaka-san…… thank you……”

“Come back before I finish the book, okay? And let’s have dinner together properly.”

“Yeah.”

Thanks to Hayasaka-san, a ray of light broke through.

I leapt back into the streets of Kyoto, determined to make this impossible triple-booked date a success.

 

♠♠♠

 

“No more massages! I’m so light I don’t have a single ache!”

When I went to pick her up at the chiropractor’s, an overly healthy Miyamae clung to my arm.

In this triple-booking mess, services like massages were perfect for slipping away unnoticed. So, I’d overdone it with Miyamae—head spas, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, you name it.

“I’m not letting go of Kirishima anymore!”

Miyamae took a toddler-like stance, refusing to budge.

Hayasaka-san was right—dates are about spending time together in the same place. I hadn’t been doing that, and I genuinely felt sorry.

“Miyamae, there’s one last place I want to go.”

“No way! You’re just gonna leave me alone again, aren’t you? No!”

“Miyamae, you don’t have my chopsticks at your place, right?”

“Yeah……”

At that, Miyamae’s expression brightened.

“I got it! I’ll buy them for you!”

“That’s not it.”

I flicked the forehead of Miyamae, whose skin was silky smooth from all the massages.

“This time, let me give you a gift.”

We went to a shop selling slightly upscale chopsticks. They even made custom ones with intricate designs and beautiful lacquer.

I’d ordered the chopsticks in advance.

“It’s a gift, so there’s a pair for you too, Miyamae.”

I handed her the paper bag from the shop assistant.

“Can I open it?”

“Of course.”

Miyamae carefully unwrapped the package and opened the box. Inside were a larger pair of chopsticks and a slightly smaller pair, engraved with “Shiori” and “Shirou,” our names.

They were more geared toward foreign tourists visiting Kyoto, but Miyamae—

“Wow! Wow!”

She let out a squeal of delight.

“Kirishima, thank you! This is the best gift ever, bai!”

Miyamae, who loves matching stuff, was instantly in high spirits.

After that, I ate dinner with a cheerful Miyamae and walked her back to her room at Sakura Heights. The middle part was touch-and-go, but since Miyamae was smiling happily at the end, I’d say her date was a success.

As we parted, Miyamae said,

“I’m gonna become a strong, reliable girl Kirishima can count on.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on it.”

And with that, I dove back into the streets of Kyoto.

 

♠♠♠

 

Tachibana-san was at a hedgehog café, holding a hedgehog in her hand.

“I like animals, but not to the point of losing myself in them.”

Seeing me return out of breath, Tachibana-san said,

“I only go to the zoo because it’s a convenient spot to skip lectures.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Tachibana-san turned her face away with a huff, then tickled the hedgehog’s belly with her fingertip.

The hedgehog patted her finger with its tiny paws.

“You’re a good kid. Unlike someone, you actually play with me properly.”

“……Sorry about that.”

“Maybe I’ll just hang out with these guys for the rest of the day.”

I’d been slipping away constantly, but Tachibana-san didn’t seem angry.

Still, her cool profile looked awfully lonely.

So, I pulled a case out of my bag and put on the glasses inside.

The round-framed Lloyd glasses Tachibana-san had bought me, supposedly a favorite of Truman Capote.

“What do you think?”

When I asked, Tachibana-san’s expression didn’t change, but she silently came closer and took my hand.

“Let’s go.”

We strolled down Shinkyogoku Street. Tachibana-san looked at my bespectacled face and said,

“Finally, Shirou-kun feels like the real deal.”

After that, we ate dinner together, and I walked Tachibana-san to Kyoto Station. She wasn’t staying at her Sakura Heights room—she was heading back to Tokyo.

The cultural festival season was over, and she probably didn’t need the Sakura Heights room anymore. Yet, she kept it and came to Kyoto because I was here.

Tachibana-san didn’t mention any of that, just quietly stayed by my side.

“See ya.”

At the ticket gate, Tachibana-san said,

“I’ll go with you to the Shinkansen platform.”

For the first time in my life, I bought a platform ticket. The button for it was tucked away in an odd spot on the ticket machine. A ticket for nothing but seeing someone off.

Sitting side by side on a platform bench, waiting for the Shinkansen, I said casually,

“I haven’t forgotten a single moment with you, Tachibana-san.”

“Yeah.”

As Tachibana-san nodded, the Shinkansen pulled into the platform. The doors opened, and she boarded.

“It’s not like I don’t have things to say.”

Tachibana-san turned her face away and said,

“Thanks for today.”

She reached out from the train, and I took her slightly cold hand, giving it a shake.

The departure bell rang, and I let go, stepping back from the train.

“Shirou-kun, you’re so careless.”

Tachibana-san said with a cool expression.

“Next time, I’m pulling you in.”

She gave a small smile.

I stood on the platform, watching until the Shinkansen disappeared.

Tachibana-san’s smile, her outstretched hand.

Next time, I’m pulling you in.

She said it jokingly, but when we held hands, maybe she imagined doing just that. Maybe she wanted to.

But for now—

I hurried out of Kyoto Station and headed to the bookstore.

When I rushed inside, it was almost closing time, and the place was nearly empty. I took the escalator up to the floor with the book café.

The last customer, Hayasaka-san, was sitting there.

Propping her cheek on her hand, she looked at me with a smile that said, “Kirishima-kun, you’re hopeless.”

The novel on the table had turned into three books.

Before I could say sorry, Hayasaka-san spoke.

“I said a date is about being together, but……”

Hayasaka-san continued,

“There’s a saying that the time spent waiting is part of the date too, you know.”

 

♠♠♠

 

Hayasaka-san had driven to Kyoto, and I rode in the passenger seat.

The nighttime scenery along the national highway flowed from front to back.

We were headed to her seaside town.

In this full-throttle boyfriend life, I’d been staying at Miyamae’s and Tachibana-san’s places on a regular rotation. Tonight was Hayasaka-san’s turn.

“I’m gonna stop by somewhere. I haven’t eaten anything yet.”

Hayasaka-san’s beloved Subaru pulled into the parking lot of a ramen shop. It was late, so the small place was empty.

We sat side by side at the counter.

“Kirishima-kun, just have some water. You’re stuffed, right?”

“Thanks, that helps.”

“What’d you eat for dinner?”

“Tonkatsu and chanko nabe.”

“I get why you’d end up like that.”

Hayasaka-san laughed.

Soon, her ramen arrived—a Taiwan ramen piled high with chives.

Hayasaka-san blew on it before digging in, her face full of happiness.

“I always thought, once I’m in college, I’d want to come to a place like this with my boyfriend.”

“And eat ramen together at the counter.”

“Exactly.”

I thought for a moment, then raised my hand toward the kitchen and ordered the same Taiwan ramen.

“You don’t have to force yourself.”

“I’m not forcing it.”

Even so, I finished way after Hayasaka-san. I chugged water, but somehow managed to eat it all.

Seeing that, Hayasaka-san gave me that troubled smile and said,

“Idiot.”

We reached the seaside town before midnight.

Hayasaka-san’s apartment was as neat as ever, with university textbooks lined up on the shelf and cute knickknacks on the desk and shelves.

We took turns showering and got ready for bed. I changed into the tracksuit I’d brought for sleepovers.

Turning off the lights, we climbed into bed together. When I switched off the heater with the remote by the pillow, the room got chilly fast. But that made Hayasaka-san’s body warmth in the futon feel even stronger.

“You’re not sticking out of the futon, are you?”

“I’m fine.”

On a winter night, in a small bed, we snuggled close to warm each other. Holding her, I couldn’t help but notice Hayasaka-san’s soft body. Her thin pajamas let me feel her contours clearly, and the texture of her underwear came through to my hands.

Her warm, moist breath hit my chest, carrying heat.

Hayasaka-san noticed, pressing her mouth closer and breathing heavily, playfully heating the spot like a mischievous kid.

“Ehehe,” she giggled, looking up at me.

But even that playful gesture only made us more aware of how close our bodies were.

Being with Hayasaka-san like this brought back high school feelings in an instant.

When I hugged her tightly, Hayasaka-san let out a sweet, “Ah.”

My hand slid along the curve of her back, down the smooth line to her waist, the raised edge of her underwear, her thigh.

Hayasaka-san’s body trembled slightly, instinctively pressing her lower abdomen against me. The soft sensation of her body.

“Kirishima-kun……”

Hayasaka-san looked up.

Strands of hair clung to her cheek, her brows slightly anxious, her eyes glistening like they held tears, her lips.

That feeling from when I was seventeen, the overwhelming love for this girl, flooded my chest.

Our faces drew closer, almost on their own. Hayasaka-san’s bangs brushed my forehead. Our lips were about to meet when—

“Let’s stop here.”

Hayasaka-san said, burying her face in my chest.

In this full-throttle boyfriend life, there were no restrictions on physical intimacy. We’re college students now, so we figured we could be free about that stuff.

So, I could do that with Miyamae or Tachibana-san. But—

“You haven’t kissed either of them, have you, Kirishima-kun?”

Hayasaka-san said, and I nodded, “Yeah.”

“Miyamae seems happy just being with me.”

Wearing matching pajamas, brushing our teeth together at the sink—Miyamae would beam, “So happy~” and go all melty.

As for Tachibana-san—

“It’d be unfair to Touno-san.”

That’s what she said.

I have a proper girlfriend.

That was the key difference from our shared relationship in high school.

And more than anything, Tachibana-san had said—

“This isn’t what I want.”

She didn’t want to share me as a second girlfriend with three others. That was her true feeling. But as for what she really wanted, Tachibana-san didn’t say more.

When I told Hayasaka-san about it,

“I feel the same as Tachibana-san.”

Hayasaka-san said, still burying her face in my chest.

“When I think about Touno-san, I can’t say how I really feel. I can’t kiss you, Kirishima-kun.”

But, she added,

“I can’t just cut things off with you completely either. I’m such a coward……”

Hayasaka-san fell silent, then after a while, said, “Sorry.”

“I know you’re trying to move forward, Kirishima-kun. I know I need to move forward too.”

And then, she continued,

“Just let me stay like this a little longer. I’ll graduate properly. This time, I’ll really graduate from you, Kirishima-kun.”

In the winter of my second year at university,

I wasn’t the only one caught in an unsolvable turmoil.