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 18
“Hey, are you free?”
It was Friday night. Natsuki was studying, not out of necessity but simply because he had nothing else to do. The soft chime of his phone interrupted him, signaling a new message.
With exams not right around the corner, he wasn’t too stressed, so he picked up his phone to check the notification. It was from Shizune.
“I’m pretty free.”
“Want to call?”
“Sure.”
A call from Shizune was unusual. They rarely talked on the phone without a reason.
Moments after he sent his reply, his phone lit up with an incoming call. He barely let it ring before answering.
“Hey there,” Shizune’s familiar voice came through, light and warm.
“Hey. This is rare—what’s up with you wanting to chat?”
“I couldn’t really sleep, and… I just kind of wanted to hear your voice,” she admitted, her tone softer than usual.
Natsuki’s heart skipped at her unexpected words. It was the kind of statement that left him flustered and wishing she wouldn’t say things that could be so easily misunderstood.
“Oh… um, you think my voice is worth hearing?”
“Your voice is kind of low, you know? It’s calming. Plus… I like it a lot,” she said, the sincerity in her voice making his pulse quicken.
“Uh, I guess… if you say so,” he managed, unsure how to respond to such direct praise.
There was a short laugh on the other end of the line, as if she found his reaction amusing.
“I bet your face is red right now. You’re embarrassed, aren’t you?”
“Caught me. I’m not used to being complimented,” he admitted.
“Want me to compliment you more?” she teased.
“No, thanks. I’ll pass.”
Holding his phone to his ear, Natsuki could hear every little rustle as Shizune moved around in her bed. The sound was enough to make his heart pound. The combination of her voice, softer than usual with a hint of sleepiness, made him feel like his chest might burst.
“So, what were you doing?” she asked.
“Studying.”
“Oh no, did I interrupt? Sorry.”
“Not at all. I was just studying because I had nothing better to do.”
“Studying just because… you really are something, Natsuki.”
“When I don’t have anything else to do, I end up at my desk without thinking about it.”
He’d scroll through his phone sometimes, but boredom set in quickly, and studying was a familiar fallback.
“Lately, that’s been the routine. I don’t have anyone to hang out with, so…”
“Oh! Are you free the day after tomorrow?”
“Day after tomorrow…”
“With the four-day weekend, I thought it’d be nice to go out somewhere. Just the two of us.”
Her invitation filled him with an immediate rush of excitement. He wanted to say yes. More than anything, he wanted to go.
But with how dependent he had become on her, was it really okay to accept?
(I want to go… but should I?)
He’d been trying to distance himself, a step at a time. But moments like this felt like he was being drawn back in.
“Is that a no?” she asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.
“Hold on. Let me check,” he said, buying himself time.
Turning to his phone’s calendar, he realized he actually had plans on Sunday. It wasn’t a question of whether he should go; he physically couldn’t.
“Sorry, I’ve already got plans that day.”
“Oh… what about Monday?”
“I can’t then, either. I’m going out with some classmates.”
“Classmates…? You usually don’t go for things like that,” she said, a note of surprise in her voice.
“I don’t know, I felt like going for once.”
“Now I’m worried. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s nothing. I just thought it might be fun this time.”
“I see… well, that’s fair. I have things on Saturday and Tuesday anyway, so I guess it can’t be helped.”
There was a sigh on the other end of the line, faint but unmistakable.
He wanted to go out with her, but he couldn’t—not until he faced the consequences of always running away. It wasn’t fair to her or himself.
Because of that, he couldn’t bring himself to say, We’ll do something next time.
The conversation shifted to lighter topics, but the flutter in his chest hadn’t eased. Talking on the phone still made him nervous, especially with Shizune.
“By the way… what do you think of me, Natsuki?” she asked suddenly, her voice softer, almost drowsy.
“What do I think…?” He paused. “And your voice is all fuzzy. You should really get some sleep.”
“I will… if you answer my question,” she said, her words slurring slightly, as if sleep was pulling at her.
He could hear her exhaustion in the way her sentences trailed off. It was an innocent question, but it was also one he wasn’t prepared to answer honestly.
(If only I could just say I like you outright.)
“You’re an important friend… my childhood friend,” he said.
“…I see. So, just a friend?”
“Huh? What do you mean by—”
“To me… Natsuki is…” she mumbled, her voice fading away into soft, even breaths.
She’d fallen asleep. Her quiet, rhythmic breathing came through the phone.
“…Good night, Shizune,” Natsuki whispered before ending the call.
What had she meant to say? The question lingered as the ache in his chest returned, bittersweet and sharp. It stung to think he might never be the right person to stand at her side.
Yet even as he replayed the conversation in his mind, warmth bloomed in his cheeks.
Deciding he should try to sleep, Natsuki lay down on his bed.
But with his heart still pounding, sleep seemed a long way off.
Support "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."