Episode 23: When Did I Become Yui-san’s?

“…So, despite Ritsu-san kindly offering to help, it seems I won’t be preparing anything for Yui-san’s birthday after all.”

An evening café.

Muttering discontentedly over the counter, Ritsu-san — who’d dropped by after university — stared at me with a puzzled expression while poking at her cake with a fork.

　Yui-san’s birthday was now just around the corner.
It was only the other day that when I’d asked her directly what she wanted for her birthday present, she’d told me not to prepare anything.
I’d wanted to give her something tangible myself, and frankly, I couldn’t deny feeling rather put out.

“…What on earth is she up to?”

Leaning one elbow on the counter, Ritsu-san tilted her head in puzzlement.

“What advice did you give the other girls? About presents for Yui-san?”

Ritsu had previously said, “If the other girls ask for my opinion, I’ll just tell them something Yui probably wouldn’t want.”

Since I couldn’t give Yui-san a present directly from my hands, I must admit I wasn’t exactly thrilled about someone else’s gift leaving a tangible trace.

So I was a bit curious. What would the other girls give her?

“Well, a historical drama Blu-ray set. I told every girl who asked me to suggest a different series.”

“Eh, historical dramas…?”

Why historical dramas?

Yui does like films, true. But even after living together for a while, I’ve never once seen her watching a historical drama.

“Ritsu, I reckon Yui’s more into Western films. Just the other day, she was watching something incredible. Full of motorbikes and trucks, and people in weird masks and white makeup…”

“Ah, I know that one. I’ve seen it too. What was it called… can’t remember now.”

Ritsu didn’t seem surprised at all. From the look of it, she seemed to have known all along that Yui was into Western films.
　So why the historical drama? Noticing my puzzled look, Ritsu gave a knowing smile.

“Well, historical dramas… I’m hooked on them.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise. Only Ritsu would do something like this… It seemed her plan was to simply divert the gift meant for Yui to herself. I couldn’t help but laugh at how thorough she was.

“…What were you planning to give Yui-san, Ritsu-san?”

As Yui-san’s best friend, Ritsu-san surely had something prepared.
Understanding their wonderful relationship, I strangely felt no rivalry towards Ritsu-san.

“Salmon jerky.”

With the last bite of cake in her mouth, Ritsu told me this with a deadpan expression. For a moment, the word felt so utterly unrelated to birthdays that I couldn’t comprehend it.

“Salmon jerky…? That’s not a present, it’s a souvenir from Hokkaido, right…?”

Ritsu had just returned from a “trip” to Hokkaido with Yuri the other day.
　Yuri gave me a brown bear keyring as a souvenir too. I haven’t quite found a use for it yet, so it’s sleeping in a drawer in my room.

“It’s fine, really. No need to give me anything special.”

Is that how it is? I’m not sure. But then again… it is Ritsu-san and Yui-san’s third birthday, and thinking about it, that makes sense.

　Perhaps it’s just that I feel this particular birthday of Yui-san’s, the first one I’m celebrating with her, holds a special significance.

“…Yui-san, she’s having a dinner party that day, right? So it seems she’ll be coming home late.”

“Ah, with her father, right? It is her birthday after all.”

“She’ll be having a lovely meal, won’t she? And I won’t be able to do anything particularly birthday-like for Yui-san…”

Prioritising family is only natural. There’s no way her father wouldn’t want to celebrate his daughter’s birthday, which only comes once a year.

But if I can’t even manage a meal, let alone a present, there really isn’t much I can do.

“Ah, I know. How about I go and buy some champagne for you? Kanata-chan, you’re nineteen, so you can’t buy alcohol yet, right?”

“Eh, is that alright?”

“Of course. When she gets back, have another drink and celebrate properly. Yui will absolutely love it.”

Somehow, I felt that Ritsu-san still cherished Yui-san as a friend, despite everything.
I was sure Yui-san must also think of Ritsu-san as special, in a different way.

When I finished my part-time job and got home, Yui-san had apparently just returned too, and we bumped into each other right at the front door.

“Ah, Kanata, welcome home.”

“Welcome home, Yui-san. You were late today, weren’t you?”

Yui-san opened the door and gestured for me to go in as if it were the most natural thing, so I went in first, just as naturally.

“My dad called me in today, so I had to pop by the office and ended up late.”

Bending down slightly to take off my shoes, I caught a faint whiff of Yui-san’s scent. It smelled different from when she was at home, and as always, it made my heart flutter.

　The pink perfume bottle, which should have been nearly empty, had been replaced with a new one. Realising my request for her not to change it had been granted made me truly happy.

As soon as I got home, I plopped down on the living room sofa. Yui called from the kitchen, “Would you like something to drink?” Taking her up on the offer, I asked for hot milk today.

　Yui-san is so quick to oblige, doing anything without complaint, that I feel myself becoming increasingly useless.

But — I’m glad she spoils me. I can’t help feeling that way, so there’s nothing I can do about it.

A highball and hot milk are placed on the coffee table.

The age gap separating her and me. Just two years, yet that two-year difference shows itself here too.

　After Yui-san settled beside me, she tilted her glass and sent the alcohol straight down her throat in one gulp. Her pale throat moved, and my gaze was transfixed. Is it really alright for her to drink like that? She never shows it, so she must be incredibly strong with alcohol… though it seems she does overdo it occasionally.

“Come to think of it, will your brother be coming to your birthday dinner?”

　I’d been wondering about it, so I asked.

Yui-san has an older brother. She’d mentioned before that he didn’t get on with her father, but I’d assumed she’d spend her birthday with her family.

But, ignoring my thoughts, Yui-san laughed and shook her head.

“Yuki-nii and Dad really don’t get along. If we had dinner together, it wouldn’t be a birthday celebration, it’d be a wake.”

　Eh, that bad? I was honestly a bit surprised. I recalled something my own father had said when I visited home.
I think he mentioned they still hadn’t reconciled.
The fact my father was aware of it suggested it must be a deep-rooted problem going back a long way.

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s really tough being caught in the middle, you know.”

Yui let out a deep sigh. She must be going through a lot. Family discord isn’t exactly desirable. Especially in a family of only three.
It’s sad to see them drift apart.

Thinking that far, I suddenly found myself wondering what kind of person Yui-san’s brother was.

I want to meet him, talk to him. My desire to know more about Yui-san just keeps growing.

“…I’d like to meet him, Yui-san’s brother.”

As I murmured that, Yui-san’s hand, which had been about to touch her glass to her lips, froze completely. I stared at her, wondering if I’d said something odd.

“Um, Yui-san?”

Feeling puzzled, I continued, “Is something wrong?” Yui-san furrowed her beautifully shaped brows. The glass remained suspended in mid-air, never reaching her lips.

“Do you want to see him? Yuki-nii?”

“Eh… yes, I suppose I’d like to meet you…”

“…Kanata, do you like my face?”

“Eh?”

What on earth? Asked such an abrupt, out-of-the-blue question, I found myself staring back intently at the face looking straight at me.

“…On the contrary, is there anyone who dislikes Yui-san’s face?”

　The truth slipped out. When we first met, I was genuinely stunned. I thought, ‘People this beautiful exist outside of celebrities?’ Now I can look back at her, but at first, she was so beautiful I couldn’t even meet her gaze.

But, even though I meant it as a compliment, Yui-san’s brow furrowed even more, which I found odd.
When I complimented her appearance before, she didn’t seem particularly bothered, probably used to it.

“So, if I were a man, would you want to date me?”

The sudden question made me stiffen. If she were a man? I’d never considered that. Because Yui-san is unmistakably a woman, both in appearance and character; I’ve never even sensed any masculine traits about her.

“…Regardless of gender, I dislike people who are unfaithful.”

I blurted that out, desperately trying to dodge the question, but Yui-san pressed on.

“What if he were devoted?”

My escape route was cut off. I felt cornered on a sheer cliff. Given that condition, my answer could only be one.

Frankly, Yui-san is popular even as a woman, so am I the only one who thinks gender doesn’t matter at this point?
Whether Yui-san were a man or a woman, I don’t think she’d be much different from how she is now.

“Er… a handsome, kind, devoted heir to a major corporation, right? If someone like that existed in real life, wouldn’t it be impossible not to like them?”

There’s no one in Japan who’d turn down such a prime catch. Assuming such a perfect person actually existed, that is.
Having said that much, Yui-san made a face like she’d swallowed a bitter pill and sighed deeply.

“Then, no.”

Eh? No? What? I couldn’t follow the thread and tilted my head in confusion.

“I absolutely won’t let you meet Yuki-nii.”

Hearing that, it clicked – this wasn’t about “if Yui-san were a man,” but about “Yukiya-san.”

Hang on, if that’s the case, I might have just said something incredibly stupid. About Yukiya-san, saying “it’d be impossible not to like him”…

Yui-san downed her highball in one gulp.

“…Yeah, I suppose so. Kanata, you’re heterosexual, aren’t you? If there was a man with the same face as me, you’d prefer him, wouldn’t you?”

She said it with a sulky, pouty expression, so I instinctively grabbed Yui-san’s hand in panic.

“Yui-san, it’s a misunderstanding. When I said I wanted to meet your brother, I didn’t mean I wanted you to introduce us…”

She slammed her highball glass down on the coffee table and glared at me with a look of pure resentment.

Had I perhaps stepped on Yui-san’s landmine? I could feel sweat trickling down my back.

“Kanata”

“Y-yes…”

Yui-san’s white arm stretched out, drawing my body close. Without resisting, I slipped completely into her embrace. The sweet scent of her perfume filled me, and timidly, I wrapped my arms around her back and held her back.

I had to make it clear that wasn’t my intention. The strength of her arms squeezing me tight felt like it was clenching deep within my chest.

“…I thought you meant what if Yui-san were a man. I wasn’t imagining your brother, you see.”

Ah, no. That’s not it. That’s not what I meant to say. I’ve never once thought I’d want to date her if she were a man.
Whatever I say now, it just feels like digging myself into a hole.

“Hmm…”

　A dissatisfied voice murmurs close to my ear. It tickles me to realise even Yui-san can sulk sometimes. It’s like everything’s reversed.
Come to think of it, when she kissed me for the first time, she was definitely like this too.

“…I won’t fall for your brother.”

“Really?”

Somehow, Yui-san sulking feels unbearably endearing, and my cheeks relax. I never thought Yui-san was the jealous type.

“…Well, I suppose I won’t know until I meet them, though.”

Since she’s always being mean to me, I might as well get my own back for once. With that, she pulls me even tighter and tighter.
I like the gentle Yui-san, but I also like these arms that occasionally pull me close like this – though that’s still a secret.

“I absolutely won’t give you to Yuki-nii.”

“…Since when did I become yours, Yui-san?”

“From the very start. From the moment you came to this house.”

I laugh at the absurdity. But then I realise I don’t dislike this forceful side of Yui-san either. Perhaps I’m rather soft on her.