We spent a while chatting comfortably in Yamamoto's room.
It had been a few hours since we arrived at his parents' house. I was incredibly nervous at first, but Shiho-chan was sweet, and since I was used to being alone with Yamamoto in our Tokyo apartment, I had finally managed to regain my composure.
"Still, I never imagined the day would come when I'd be visiting a male friend's childhood home."
The thought slipped out just as I was finally beginning to relax.
"What? Did you never go to a boyfriend's house back in high school?" Yamamoto asked.
"I-I didn't have a boyfriend in high school."
"Wait, seriously?"
"You're judging a book by its cover, aren't you?"
"Well... considering what I knew of you back then, I suppose I was."
Sure, back in high school... I probably looked like I had a guy or two on the hook. Actually, I probably looked like the type who changed boyfriends as often as her clothes! But it hadn't been like that at all.
It was a bit of a shock, mostly because it was Yamamoto, of all people, who had thought that of me.
Still, I suppose it couldn't be helped. It was a mistake I could have avoided if I hadn't brought up our high school days to him in the first place. But even so, he didn't have to say it right to my face.
"Hmph. Anyway, I bet you were over at Akari’s room all the time back then," I retorted.
"...No, not at all. I never went."
"Really?"
Yamamoto fell silent, an awkward expression crossing his face. I’d seen it enough times over the last two months to recognize it. Right now, that look meant he definitely wasn't lying.
"Oh, I see. How interesting," I teased.
"I'm telling you, you've got a pretty terrible look on your face right now."
"What kind of face?"
"The face of a villain plotting someone's downfall."
"W-Who are you calling a villain!"
Well, while I wasn't actually trying to destroy him... I was at least planning to tease him. Snapping at him as if the thought had never even crossed my mind was a bit hypocritical, but I just went with the flow.
"I can't believe you'd just call someone a villain like that. No wonder you aren't popular with girls."
After snapping at him with a beet-red face, I suddenly remembered—he'd been liked by Akari, and even I-chan had feelings for him. It occurred to me a bit late that the word "unpopular" didn't really apply to him.
"...Being unpopular has nothing to do with this, does it?"
It seemed my comment had struck a nerve anyway. He claimed he didn't want a lover right now, and he certainly wasn't unpopular to begin with. The man's sheer denseness was enough to make me exasperated.
But perhaps it was because he was that kind of man that so many people were drawn to him and held him in such high regard.
And now, I was about to meet his parents. It would be our first time meeting.
I'd been relaxing just a moment ago, but the sudden reminder of what was coming made my heart feel heavy again. Why was I like this? Usually, I couldn't care less about meeting new people, but today, I was terrified of failing.
Whenever I tried to think it through, I just saw myself being scolded by Yamamoto’s parents—people I hadn't even met yet.
I let out a long sigh to try and ease the tension.
"Sorry," Yamamoto said suddenly.
"For what?"
"For asking you to come along. It must be a burden, meeting the parents of the opposite sex and all."
"...Not really. I'm staying in your apartment, which is paid for by your parents' pockets, so it's only right."
"You're so conscientious, Hayashi," Yamamoto said, letting out a small, weary laugh.
...No. You're wrong, Yamamoto.
Sheltering a girl who's a domestic violence victim in your room when you didn't have to. Being kind to a girl you were like cats and dogs with in high school. Being my pillar of support.
The conscientious one is you, Yamamoto.
It's because it's you. Because you're so sincere and kind.
That's why I can't run away. Even though I'm this scared. Even though I'm terrified. I have to face it.
Besides, I knew one thing for sure.
"Hey, Yamamoto?"
"Yeah?"
If it was Yamamoto, then surely...
"If... if it looks like I'm about to say something stupid, you'll back me up, right?"
He would lead me to success. If Yamamoto was there, I was sure of it. With Yamamoto’s family... I'd be able to keep living in these happy moments.
Yamamoto replied, "First, it might help if you try to identify some NG words beforehand—things that would be bad to say—and keep them in your head."
It was a characteristically rational, logical solution from him.