Two outcasts who look down on each other share an innocent first kiss. - Chapter 16

“Taiyo~, your father and I are going to a class reunion today, so we’ll be back late, okay~?”

Hearing that lazy morning announcement from Mom while lounging in the living room immediately snapped me to full alert.

Trying to act casual, I asked as she stirred noodles in a pot:

“Uh… how late are we talking?”

“Hm…? Probably back before midnight, I guess?”

“Got it…”

“So you two can figure out dinner on your own, okay? I left enough money for you and Hazuki~”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks…”

Wait. Don’t panic yet.

I still need to check Kana’s plans…

As if on cue, my sister walked into the living room.

“I’m heading to a friend’s place today, so you’ll be home alone till evening, bro.”

She casually placed her cup on the dining table.

Internally, I was in chaos. My heart just about exploded—but I somehow kept it together.

“O-Oh yeah? What about dinner?”

“I’ll probably eat at home. Want me to pick something up on the way? You hate going outside, right?”

So the latest she’d be home is around 7 p.m., huh…

I kept the small talk going while calculating everything in my head.

“Yeah, that’d help. Thanks…”

“What do you want?”

“Hmm… let me think…”

While pretending to ponder, my mind was definitely not on food.

I couldn’t believe it. My house was going to be the one with no one home first.

And of course, Kana was watching me with those cool, knowing eyes.

After the school retreat, Mikage and I had made this agreement regarding her long-dreaded “coming over” visit—the thing that kept us awkward for over a month.

“Alright then… whichever of us ends up with an empty house first, that’s where we’ll meet.”

“Fine, I guess… but can I ask something?”

“What?”

“An empty house meaning…”

“Don’t get weird! Our parents are friends, remember?! If either of them finds out, the other one definitely will, and it’ll be super annoying!”

“Okay, okay! Chill, I get it…”

Normal people probably just pick a date that works for both of them, but for us antisocial weirdos, “scheduling” is barely a thing.

So we left it up to fate: the first empty house wins.

But I really didn’t expect my house to meet the conditions first—not with both parents and my sister needing to be gone.

I had totally let my guard down. That whole “I’ll prepare” comment during the retreat? Yeah, I didn’t do any of that.

I hurried back to my room, messaged Mikage, then sprinted into a frantic cleaning mode—picking up the clothes I’d left lying around, taking out the trash, vacuuming the floor. Alone and panicked, I waited for the moment to arrive…

“I’m heading out now, bro.”

“’Kay.”

I lazily flipped channels on the TV, trying to act like I didn’t care at all.

It was the perfect reply. Still, Kana stopped at the doorway and stared hard at me.

A bead of sweat crept down my back as I looked back at her.

“Wh-What is it?”

“…Nothing. I’m going.”

She left through the front door like it was no big deal.

What the hell was that about? I freaked out for nothing…

But now came the real deal.

I went to the entryway and confirmed all the shoes were gone—Kana’s and my parents’.

Then I bolted upstairs to my room.

The window was already open, and through it, I saw Mikage spinning around in a desk chair in her room.

When she noticed me, she stopped spinning.

I walked up to the window and gave her the “okay” signal.

Mikage nervously brushed her bangs aside with her fingers, stood up, and yanked her curtains closed.

She vanished from sight, and I let out a long breath.

I felt so jittery.

We weren’t even going to do anything crazy, so why was I freaking out?

Just act normal. If I don’t, she’s gonna think I’m creepy again.

Once I calmed down a little, I left my room, headed downstairs, and slipped my shoes on at the front door.

And then I waited.

One minute? No, maybe three?

I expected the doorbell or a message on my phone… but nothing happened.

Maybe she was still getting ready?

No, she had plenty of time.

Then it hit me.

I took a step forward and opened the door.

“Ah.”

Just as I thought—right outside the door, Mikage was standing frozen.

She wore a plain short-sleeve shirt and some soft, pajama-like shorts that made her look like a grade schooler on summer break.

She held a pouch under one arm—probably not a purse. If I had to guess, it was holding a game controller.

She averted her eyes awkwardly, so I gave her a small, reassuring smile.

“When I was a kid, it took me thirty minutes to ring my friend’s doorbell.”

“…Shut up. If you knew, you should’ve come out sooner.”

People who aren’t socially anxious have no idea how terrifying it is to visit someone else’s house.

“Anyway… come in.”

“’Kay…”

I held the door open and let her inside.

When I moved here, I’d visited her house once—but this was Mikage’s first time stepping into mine.

Maybe it was the right call not to dress up and just come in my usual loungewear.
If I’d shown up in some kind of effort-heavy date outfit, I probably would’ve been too nervous to handle it.

I mean, think about it.

I picked a day when no one would be home just to avoid getting teased by Mom, but like…
Doesn’t that just scream “We’re totally going to hook up”?

Isn’t that literally the textbook setup for doing it?

I swear—seriously, I swear—I wasn’t thinking about it like that!
I mean, maybe I thought something might happen, like vaguely, in the back of my mind, but still!

Actually going through with it, though?
It turns out this situation is way more like that than I expected!

…Crap. I’m wearing my dorkiest, everyday underwear.

I’m gonna shatter some poor virgin’s fantasy of what a bra looks like.

No, no—it’s fine. There’s no way someone like Hashiyama would have the guts to try anything.
We’re just hanging out. That’s all. Not even a date…

“This way.”

Hashiyama opened the door directly at the top of the stairs.

Hunched over in full gremlin mode, I stepped through the doorway and looked around.

It was the same room I always saw through the window.

So it didn’t exactly feel new.
But it was still… a weird feeling.

“Kinda feels like…”

“Hm?”

He responded from behind as he shut the door.

“…like I’ve stepped inside the monitor.”

“…Huh?”

“No, like—I’ve only ever seen it through your window, y’know?”

I looked over at the window across from the door.

The curtains were closed, but I could picture my room right there.

I was inside the room I always looked into.

“It’s like one of those moments in games where you finally get to explore the villain’s hideout near the end, and it’s all like—whoa.”

“I mean… I kinda get that, but could you not describe my room like it’s an evil lair?”

Hashiyama gave me a slightly pained laugh, walked past me, and sat down beside a cushion in the center of the room.

“You can use this cushion if you want.”

“…What, trying to be polite? Acting all proper now?”

“Shut up. I’m just being a decent host, okay? Sorry it’s the one I always use…”

He muttered that, not looking at me, but at the monitor sitting on the TV stand.
He was probably just trying to figure out how to act.

Be too polite, and it looks like you’re trying something.
Be too casual, and you feel like a rude host.

He’s… seriously easy to read sometimes.

I sat down on the cushion like he offered.

We had over fifty centimeters between us—an oddly perfect measurement for our current comfort level.

When we eat lunch together out by the bike racks, we sometimes sit way closer, but somehow just being in the same room alone like this stretches the space between us.

God, being a guy and girl is such a pain.

If we were both girls, maybe this wouldn’t feel so awkward…
But then again, if Hashiyama was a girl, he definitely wouldn’t be a cute one like Shirakawa. So. Yeah.

“………………”

“………………”

Silence.

Awkward silence.

But honestly? I didn’t mind it.

It’s not like we’ve ever been super chatty.
Still, for some reason, the usual quiet felt different this time—like it meant something.

Maybe because this is a kind of awkwardness I never thought I’d get to feel.
And sharing that awkwardness with him… felt kinda nice.

…Oh no.

I’m being way too much of a lovestruck girl right now.

“…What are you smiling about?”

“Ha—?”

Before I knew it, Hashiyama was looking at me with this confused expression.

Was I smiling?

Guess I was. The weird mix of amusement and nervousness must’ve made me grin without realizing.

“N-Nothing! Just… remembered something funny!”

“…Okay then…”

Pull yourself together, girl!

You’re acting like some giggly high school girl visiting her crush’s room for the first time!