This story takes place around the time Megumi returned to Yamamoto’s house after her trip home, following a series of various complications.
Inside the house, Megumi felt a lingering sense of awkwardness.
Yamamoto was currently at the university, right in the middle of a lecture.
Megumi was alone. She had just finished folding the laundry she’d brought in, and dinner preparations were well underway. It was only because she finally had a moment of peace that these feelings began to surface.
"I’m really living here with Yamamoto now, aren't I...?"
The words escaped her now that the housework had settled.
She had been watching one of those "satisfying videos" that everyone loved on a tablet her person of interest had lent her. However, the content failed to make any impression on her whatsoever.
Living together with the one she loved.
Technically, Megumi had been living with another man until just the other day, but the emotions currently dwelling in her heart bore no resemblance to what she had felt back then.
"If I wanted to, I could do whatever I liked with Yamamoto’s private belongings right now."
It was a truly wretched thought.
"No, I can't think like that. I’m acting like a total pervert."
At least she was self-aware; that was her only saving grace.
"...Whew."
With a deep sigh, Megumi stood up.
She decided to shake off her wicked thoughts. Not that she needed much help—she’d already vented about seventy percent of that energy through cleaning.
Megumi had one specific method for purging such distractions.
Throughout her childhood and high school years, Megumi had been in constant conflict with her nagging father. Consulting with Akari about her frustrations was how she had discovered this particular tool.
Yoga.
The act of holding unique poses, meditating, clearing one's mind, and finding inner peace.
Having practiced it since high school, Megumi knew exactly how effective it could be. She decided it was time to pick it up again for the first time in a while.
"I’ve been feeling a bit bloated lately anyway, so the timing is perfect."
In truth, her mind was already overflowing with distractions.
Listening to the steady ticking of the clock, Megumi breathed slowly and began her practice.
Virabhadrasana.
Parivrtta Trikonasana.
Natarajasana.
She lost track of how much time had passed.
Suddenly, the front door opened.
"Whoa!"
A man let out a small cry of surprise.
Megumi slowly opened her eyes.
There, staring at her with a bewildered expression, was Yamamoto.
"Welcome back," she said.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Clearing my mind of distractions."
"Huh?"
"I haven't been getting enough exercise lately... so I'm dieting a bit."
"Doesn't look like you've cleared those distractions at all."
Megumi continued her yoga for a while longer, feeling Yamamoto’s skeptical gaze upon her.
Normally, she would have been more self-conscious about someone watching her, but perhaps because the yoga had actually calmed her heart, his presence didn't bother her as much as she expected.
"Phew. That felt good."
Megumi finally stopped.
"...Oh, Yamamoto. Have you been standing there the whole time?"
With a refreshed spirit, Megumi turned to him. He was standing at the threshold between the living room and the kitchen, arms crossed.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
Yamamoto was staring at her with a very serious, intense expression.
After a moment, Megumi’s heart gave a violent throb.
She had been focused on her routine while he watched... but now that she thought about it, several of those poses were quite revealing. They emphasized the lines of her body.
And right now, she was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and short pants.
Had Yamamoto been watching her in that outfit, performing those poses from such a close distance...?
...Could it be?
Was this it?!
Megumi’s heart hammered against her ribs, loud enough to be deafening.
"Hey, Hayashi."
Yamamoto’s voice was steady.
"Yoga... how do you do it?"
"Wait, what?"
"How do you do yoga?"
"..."
"I asked how you do yo—"
"Shut up! Enough with the 'yoga' this and 'yoga' that!"
It was the exact moment Megumi felt a burning jealousy toward the concept of yoga itself.
However, she forced herself to calm down.
So what if he hadn't shown any interest in the body she was so confident in? So what if his attention had been snatched away by a workout?
Calm down.
C-C-Calm down.
Megumi took a long, deep breath and proceeded to explain yoga to him.
It couldn't be helped. Or so she told herself.
She was definitely jealous.
Jealous of the fact that he hadn't even glanced at her figure, choosing instead to focus entirely on the exercise.
Jealous of the yoga that had so effortlessly stolen the man she loved away from her.
Yes, Megumi was feeling very petty right now.
However!
No matter how jealous she was, she wasn't so far gone that she would teach him the wrong techniques!
"First of all, yoga is hard to do unless you have a dedicated block of time. I really don't think it's suited for someone like you, what with university and your part-time job."
She was totally lying!
"A-And... yoga actually takes a lot of stamina. Someone who hasn't exercised much recently like you will probably give up instantly."
She was absolutely fuming with jealousy!
"M-More importantly, I made stew for dinner tonight. Do you want to taste it?"
Megumi desperately wanted him to say it.
Stew, huh? In that case, the yoga can wait.
That was all she wanted to hear.
"Nah, I'll try it later."
It was the moment Megumi Hayashi suffered a total, crushing defeat to yoga.
Dejected and discouraged, Megumi reluctantly taught Yamamoto the basics.
From that day forward, Yamamoto became so obsessed with the practice that he would perform yoga religiously after every single cleaning session.