When I started High School, My Childhood Friend, who had suddenly become distant and cold, was harassed by a stranger. I stepped in to help, and as a result, from the following day, My Childhood Friend's behavior became unusual. - Chapter 11

“Hey, are you free this weekend?”

It was early morning, and as they walked to school side by side, Shizune’s voice broke the gentle quiet between them. Natsuki glanced at her, the memory of the scene he’d witnessed a few days ago still lingering in the back of his mind. He had braced himself for any potential fallout, expecting Yuka’s scorn or whispers of retribution. But nothing came. Even when they crossed paths, it was as if they were strangers, the space between them heavy with silence but devoid of tension.

Word had spread about Yuka’s infidelity, isolating her from most of their peers. Natsuki, on the other hand, found himself the object of sympathetic glances, a strange, unwelcome spotlight.
Yet, through the storm, his bond with Shizune had been rebuilt, strong and familiar, like an old bridge mended. The final break with Yuka seemed to have paved the way for this renewal.

“I’m free,” he answered after a moment.

“Great! Want to come over to my house?”

“Your house?” He raised an eyebrow. “Sure, but what would we do?”

“Well… remember how we used to play games together all the time? I thought it’d be fun to try those again with you.”

Natsuki’s eyes lit up as memories surfaced—countless afternoons spent in front of screens, their laughter filling the room, their young faces alight with the glow of the game. “Yeah, we did. There’s that one game we never managed to beat, right?”
“Exactly! So, I thought it’d be fun to tackle those games again.” Shizune’s smile was warm and inviting, stirring a familiar comfort in Natsuki.

“Alright, I’ll come over.”

“Really? Awesome!”

Shizune’s face brightened, her grin as pure as he remembered from when they were kids.

Digging out their old games could be interesting, he thought. They had spent countless hours in each other’s houses back in elementary school, battling through levels and shouting in triumph or defeat. Now, with midterms over and finals still a ways off, it seemed like the perfect time to let loose.

“I’ll bring some of the old cartridges we played. The unfinished ones,” Natsuki added.

“Please do! I’m not sure how many we can get through, but… oh, um, what if you stayed over?”

She twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, an action that belied a subtle nervousness. Natsuki blinked, slightly taken aback.

It had been years since he’d stayed at Shizune’s house, not since they were kids. High school brought with it a different set of unspoken rules, especially between boys and girls. It wasn’t that he felt that way about her—romantic or otherwise—but staying over now? It seemed different. He imagined how it might look or feel: the shared space, the quiet moments at night.

“Staying over would mean we could actually beat those games, right?” Shizune’s voice was light, almost teasing, but there was a hint of uncertainty there.

“Ah, it might be tough. I’ve got family plans early on Sunday,” he said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

“Oh, that’s too bad. Well, how about just Saturday, then?”
“Sure. Mind if I come over in the morning?”

“Not at all. I’ll be waiting.” Her cheeks were a shade pinker, and she looked away, smiling to herself.

“Good morning, Natsuki! Come on in.”

On Saturday morning, he stood at her doorstep, a familiar yet distant sight. The last time he had entered this house, they were barely teenagers, and the memories of old afternoons seeped back in as she led him inside. The room hadn’t changed much—a collection of games and books lined the shelves, a few plush toys perched as sentinels.

“Did you bring the games?” she asked eagerly.

“Yep. Not the ones we already beat, but there are a few we didn’t finish.”

“Perfect!” She peeked into the bag, gasping as she recognized the cartridges. “These… oh wow, these bring back memories!”
Natsuki chuckled, feeling a rush of nostalgia as he watched her sort through them, her eyes wide with excitement.

“So, what do you want to start with?” she asked, spreading the games out on the table.

“Let’s go for something action-packed,” he suggested.
Shizune picked up a cartridge, the one with a notoriously difficult boss battle. “How about this? We almost beat it back then, but we got stuck. Maybe we can finish it now.”

Natsuki nodded, and she connected the old game console to the TV. For the next few hours, they were absorbed, the world outside their childhood revisited through button-mashing and concentrated silence punctuated by laughter.

“Finally! We did it,” Natsuki exhaled, leaning back as they took down the last mid-level boss.

“That one was way closer to the end than I thought,” Shizune said, eyes bright and alive. She glanced at the clock. “It’s already past noon. Time flies when you’re having fun, huh? Are you hungry? I’m not, actually.”

“Same here. I had a late breakfast. Want to keep playing a bit longer and then grab something from the convenience store?”
“Sounds good to me.” She stood up, stretching with a satisfied sigh. Turning toward the shelf, she began scanning the titles. “This reminded me, there’s a sequel to that game we just played. I bought it a while back but never got around to trying it.”

She reached for a cartridge on the top shelf, standing on tiptoes. It was just out of reach, her fingers brushing the edge without success.

Natsuki stood, moving beside her to grab the game. “This one?”
“Yeah, thanks… you’re tall, you know. Kind of reliable.”

“Appreciate it,” he said, smirking.

“…Even if you’re kind of scrawny,” she added playfully.
“That’s uncalled for,” Natsuki said, feigning hurt as he nudged her lightly. It stung, but only a bit; he knew it was part of her teasing nature.

(Still, she’s not wrong… I should probably do something about that.)

As he stepped back to his seat, the day took an unexpected turn. Shizune, caught off guard by the cord of the game console, stumbled forward. Natsuki’s instincts kicked in, and he reached out, his arm circling her to keep her steady.

But the floor was slick, and he, too, lost his footing. They tumbled to the ground together, the soft thud echoing in the room.

“Ouch…” Natsuki muttered, grabbing the nearby sofa to steady himself. It wasn’t a hard fall; the impact had been cushioned, but when he looked down, he realized the awkward position they had ended up in.

His eyes met hers. Shizune’s face was flushed, eyes wide with something unreadable. Her breath caught, and she bit her lip, averting her gaze.

For a moment, time seemed to halt. The world shrank to just the two of them, their proximity, and the pounding in his chest that refused to subside.

“S-Sorry. Are you okay?” he finally stammered, breaking the silence.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She stood quickly, smoothing out her shirt and turning away.

Natsuki felt his own face flush as the memory replayed, vivid and warm. The look in her eyes… it stayed with him.

“I… I’m just going to use the restroom,” Shizune said, her voice shaky as she slipped out of the room.

As he sat there, waiting for the sound of her return, the beating in his chest refused to calm.