“Haa, Tororo-kyun, you’re so precious. So beautiful…”

Yuika put her laptop beside her pillow, her pajama legs flapping.
It’s just another day, and my childhood friend is holed up in her room.
She’s watching late-night anime on the Internet.
Since a while ago, I’ve been hearing something that can’t be described as an exhale or a sigh over my back.

“Hey, Souta, let’s watch it together. Let’s share the preciousness of Tororo-kyun and human karma.”

She pulled my back collar from the bed.

“I wonder.”

I arched my back as I was pulled, and gazed at her with my inverted vision.

“I’m working on a school project. If you want to watch anime behind me, please don’t interrupt me.”

I put my textbooks and notebooks on the small table and got down to the business of being a student.
I always stay late at Yuika’s room, so I usually do my assignments here.

“But Tororo-kyun is really precious, you know? You can learn about the depths of human karma in this profound story, you know?”

“I don’t know about Tororo-kyun, but I’m already familiar with human karma from the laziness of my childhood friend.”
“Ehh, Souta’s not very flirtatious today.”
“I don’t care if you like it or not. I’m the type of person who never misses an assignment or homework.”
“Souta has always been like that, haven’t you? It’s like you’re serious in a weird way, or that you have too much self-control.”

I shifted on the bed and Yuika pinched my cheek with both hands.

“What’s more important, me or school?”
“Oh, there it is. That’s one of the top five most annoying questions a person can ask.”
“You’re not leaving your wife yet!?”
“That scope is too narrow, maybe top ten.”
“Is there something different about me today?”
“Yeah, that’s a top three. Guys never get it.”
“What, you don’t get it?
“What, is that supposed to be a serious question?”

I blinked, and Yuika peeked at me.
It was as if she is surveying me.

“Here’s a question. What’s different about today’s Yuika-chan?”

…Wow, what a pain.
I was just joking, but then I poked a bush and a snake came out.

“…pajamas with a panda print or something?”
“Incorrect. That’s always the case, isn’t it? I change my pajamas every day because Souta’s coming over. Didn’t you notice?”
“I didn’t know you cared about such things… I mean, you should change your pajamas every day even if I don’t come over.”

I thought about it, but I don’t know.
It’s the same face of my childhood friend, only upside down.
Yuika’s cheeks gradually puffed up. …Oh man, She’s in a bad mood.
I’ll have to fake something.

“Ah…maybe I should watch anime after all?”
“Eh, really?”
“Really, really. I need to relax a little.”
“Yes! Souta will definitely get into it! The demon gods will get to your arms and make you want to carry a sword!”

“I don’t want to be like that…”

She is in a good mood now.
Oh well… I cleared the table.
Yuika was moving her laptop around with an excited look on her face.

“A good anime needs to be watched with someone. You want to share the thrill and excitement, right?”
“That’s fine, but isn’t it difficult to watch… with someone? It’s a small screen, after all.”
“Oh, that’s right. Hmmm, well then…”

What Yuika came up with was a very strange position.
I put my back on the wall, Yuika put her back on me, and the laptop on the table.
It was as if I was hugging her from behind.

“…Hey, is this even okay?”
“I know it’s a gray area… but it’s okay! We have to watch the anime together!”
“Okay, I get it, but don’t turn around! Too close! We’re too close everywhere!”
“I can’t help it, can I? I want to see how Souta reacts in a good scene! If I’m about to kiss you, you’d better turn around and avoid it!”
“I’m in bed with my back to the wall. If I turn my back in such a reckless position, my neck will fall off!”

In the end, I don’t remember the content of the anime at all.
Whenever there was a crucial scene, Yuika would really turn around and I couldn’t concentrate on the screen at all.
By the time we were halfway through the first episode, we were both exhausted from the weird tension.
Yuika was on the bed, and I was slumped on the carpeted floor.

“You know…”
“What…?”
“What was the answer to the question? What’s different about Yuika today?”
“Oh, that…”

Yuika said as she wrapped herself in the futon.

“The correct answer is——I’m not wearing a bra today.”
“How could I know! I mean, why don’t you just put one on!?”

 

P.S.
The next day, I went to school and realized that I hadn’t done my assignment.