“Fufu, Fufufu~♪ EO rounds left, rounds left. Aiming to be a ranker, First Army equipment~♪”

I have my laptop on my bedside table, and I’m busy with my game.
Souta has just arrived and is hanging up his blazer on a hanger.

“You’re in a good mood. What’s going on?”
“Eh-hehe, I’m finally seeing the tail end of being in the First Army. You see, I can do laps for as long as I’m awake. Time is a weapon! The fleet that never sleeps is the strongest!”
“Yeah, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I do know that you’ve become a recluse…”

It’s been a few months since I started to be a recluse.
As promised on the rooftop, Souta comes to see me every day.
I can play as many games as I want, and my level of skill is increasing rapidly, and my days are surprisingly fulfilling.

“Maybe I shouldn’t give her any souvenir at all… my childhood friend who is a bad person is going to become even worse.”
“Eh, a souvenir?”

I looked up with a flash.
Souta tried to start his school work with a plain face.

“Did you just say ‘souvenir’? Didn’t you say that? Yes, you, did, yay!”
“Don’t you dare jump on me! What are you, a puppy?”
“Give me the souvenir! Bring out the souvenir, or the 101 little Yuika-chans will start their march!”
“Clone? You’re cloning yourself? Give me a break. One reclusive childhood friend is enough for me…”

With a look of resignation on his face, Souta reached into the chest pocket of his shirt.
What came out was a prepaid card that seemed to be shining gold.

“I thought you said you wanted this.”
“Wow, you sure? Really? I can spend all I want?”
“It’s not unlimited. It’s finite. I’m an oil tycoon. … You can use it as you like. I just got paid for my part-time job.”
“Yay! Thank you, Souta! It’s a great way to buy a new ring and limit break for Kasumi!”

I held up the card and danced with joy.
But in the middle of it, I suddenly realized.

“But Souta, did you ever have a part-time job?”
“Oh, I started at the end of last month. … I thought I told you, didn’t I tell you?”
“No way.”
“Yes way.”

With the bland look returning on his bland face, Souta sighed.

“You were probably too busy playing the game to listen.”
“Oh… it’s true that at the end of the month, I was absorbed in the last part of the lap…”
“You should listen to what people have to say. Well, I was introduced by the student council president. I heard they were short on staff, so I decided to help out for a while.”
“Wow.”

“It’s pretty funny. The manager is flamboyant and the puppy he has is cute.”
“A puppy?”
“Yeah, a puppy. His name is Mint, and he wags his tail and pounces on me. Anyway, I’m going to keep my job for a while, so I’ll get you another one.”

And then Souta patted me on the head.
Well, I’m glad you’re petting me, but… I have a bad feeling about this.

Is it possible, that he’s starting to treat me like a puppy.

He called me a puppy earlier, and come to think of it, I haven’t shown him any cute clothes in my pajamas for a long time, so maybe I am starting to feel like a pet.
This is not good. It’s very bad for a girl.

“Souta.”
“Hmm?”
“You can hug me.”
“Whaaa!?”

I stepped in between the notebook and Souta and held out my hands.
I was amused at how shaken Souta was. This is fun.

“What’s with a hug all of a sudden? What kind of game is this?”
“It’s not a game, it’s a price. I’m not a pet and I don’t take things for granted. So I’ll give you permission to hug me for a little while.”

“Eh, permission, you, uh…”

Souta was reluctant at first, but after some thought, he pulled me into a hug.
Hmm, I know, I know. Even though we are childhood friends, if Souta could hug this super beautiful girl, he should not be able to refuse her as a boy.

I’m not really in love with Souta, but I was thinking that I don’t want Souta to realize his feelings for me because of this…

“—Yuika”
“…!? !! !? ! ! ! …!”

The moment he hugged me tightly, our bodies were close together, and he called my name in my ear, my head boiled and I felt like I was going to plunge into the atmosphere.

Ohhhh, I was so careless! My head is going to be filled with Souta even more than before! I’ve been thinking about Souta all day, every day!

“Yes, that’s it!”
“O-oh.”
“You know, Souta…”
“Wh-what is it?”

I jumped away from him and said out loud.
It was as if I was warning him.

 

“—You can’t fall in love with me, okay?”

 

Um, yeah, that’s it. This is not for me, but for Souta. I’m fine, but I don’t want Souta to get the wrong idea, so I’m telling him in advance.

“I-I get it.”

Souta nodded with a slightly red face. He’s so cute, this boy.
Oh, and what if he can tell how I’m feeling right now? I’m sure he knows. But I’m at the point where I can’t do anything about it.

“And in case you’re wondering…”

I continued without thinking.
I pinched the sleeve of my shirt, aware that my cheeks were turning red as well.

“… You have to keep buying those prepaid cards.”
“For a hug?”
“I’ll give you a hug.”
“I understand.”

And so our monthly routine began.
Souta seems to have thought about it since then, but we have our reasons!