28 Chapter 27: A Surprise Visitor 2

"I-It's not like I came here to check on you or anythin' like that… So don't go gettin' the wrong idea, stupid Fuyuki."

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

Why is Yamaguchi here at my house? Actually, how does she even know where I live? Did Kyoko ask her to come check on me since she couldn't make it?

"Er, did uh… Did Kyoko ask you to come here?"

"Huh? N-No, I uh…," Yamaguchi stutters as she swiftly averts her gaze. Her cheeks become slightly red as she casts her head down and whispers in a barely audible voice, "…I came here on my own…"

"Hah…"

"W-What?! You gotta problem with me or something?!"

To be honest I didn't think she even cared enough to come and visit. We've had each other's contact info for almost a year and I can count on one hand how many times we've called or texted each other.

"No, I appreciate your concern," I answer, slightly bowing to express my gratitude.

"H-Hmph, you better, stupid Fuyuki," Yamaguchi says pompously, flicking her long purple hair behind her shoulder. How modest of her… "But…I'm glad."

"Sorry, I didn't catch that last part, could you repeat it?" I ask.

"I-I-It's nothing!" Yamaguchi stammers, her face flushing a bright shade of red. "Anyway, are ya gonna let me in or what?"

"Oh, right… Come in," I offer, gesturing for Yamaguchi to come inside.

Yamaguchi warily takes a few steps back. "It sounds kinda creepy when ya say it that way…"

"Um… Please come in?"

"What are you, an idiot?"

A sigh escapes my lips as I rub the bridge of my nose. Why do I even try… "Just follow me into the living room. Are you ok with barley tea?"

"Y-Yes, thank you," Yamaguchi nods. "P-Pardon my intrusion…"

Is it just me or is Yamaguchi being extremely polite today? I don't think she's ever acted this bashful around me. To be honest, it's kind of throwing me off, but… Well, I can't deny that she's cute when she isn't mouthing off.

As the two of us make our way into the living room Yamaguchi nervously looks around whilst holding her forearm with the opposite hand.

"You can just sit anywhere," I call out to Yamaguchi from the kitchen.

"O-Ok…," she replies coyly.

I bring over two cups of tea and place them on top of the kotatsu. I take a seat opposite Yamaguchi who is sitting on the couch. Her posture is unnaturally straight and her movements are clearly fidgety. There's no doubt that she's nervous for some reason, but for my own safety, I opt to not comment on it.

When the two of us make eye contact, Yamaguchi quickly looks away and an awkward silence follows.

I take a swig of my tea and let out a satisfied 'ahhh', which doesn't particularly help the stiff atmosphere. "So, what's up Yamaguchi?" I finally ask, breaking the ceaseless silence.

"Huh? Oh, um… How're ya feeling?"

"As you can see I'm completely fine," I reply, nonchalantly shrugging, "I should be able to go back to school tomorrow."

"I see. That's good to know," Yamaguchi mutters with a faint smile, holding her cup of tea in her lap.

Woah… Was Yamaguchi always this cute? For a second my heart skips a beat from seeing the normally abrasive Yamaguchi make such a gentle expression.

"Yamaguchi… Could it be you're actually—"

"I-I mean for Kyo-chan of course! You know how she gets all worried about you and whatnot. She's been a total mess without ya at school. She keeps acting all lonely even though she has me and Kotori, tch…"

"I wonder about that…," I mutter curtly.

"Whaddya mean?" Yamaguchi asks, giving me a curious look.

"Well…"

I wonder if Yamaguchi would get mad at me if I tell her how I've been feeling. Then again, she's probably the only person I could even talk to about this. I know she isn't the type of person to go behind my back and tell Kyoko something I said if I ask her not to. She always attentively listens when I talk to her about something. And she might even feel the same way I do. I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell her… We're friends after all.

I put my cup of tea down and let out a disheartened sigh. "You know how Kyoko's been super busy with the student council lately?"

"Mhm," Yamaguchi nods.

"Well… I guess I was just wondering if that would become a common occurrence. Is she always going to be this busy? Is the time she has to spend together with us going to keep decreasing? Is a stupid meeting more important to her than visiting her boyfriend when he's sick… Is she… Is she really going to prioritize something so insignificant over the people close to her…," I let out another sigh, lowering my head to hide my shame.

I know how bad what I'm saying probably sounds to her. I feel like shit just listening to myself say these things. Even now my chest hurts so much that I want to crawl into a hole and die for feeling this way about Kyoko…

But… I can't help it. I can't control how I feel. I can lie to Yamaguchi. I can lie to Kyoko. I can even try to deceive myself. But no matter how hard I try to trick myself, the truth in my heart will always speak louder than any deceit I try to convey. From her perspective, I'm sure I just sound like a needy boyfriend. Like a sad dog coping that its master can't spend as much time with it because of work. I know it's pathetic. I wouldn't be surprised if she started lashing out at me right now. Maybe she'd yell at me and call me an idiot. Maybe she'd slap me before getting up and leaving. I wouldn't blame her for it either. I'd want to slap me as well.

After confirming that I'm done talking, Yamaguchi finally opens her mouth to speak.

"Hey Fuyuki…," she calls out to me in a monotonous voice, completely devoid of any emotion.

"..." I say nothing and avert my head, unable to meet her stern gaze.

If I knew she would make that kind of face then I wouldn't have said anything. She isn't angry. She doesn't look like she's going to lash out or hit me. She just… looks deeply disappointed. Being looked at with such a reproachful expression as if I were a child being lectured for saying something bad, and by Yamaguchi of all people… I think this hurts far more than any slap or curse she could've possibly thrown at me.

I continue to sit in silence, awaiting the inevitable scolding she would admonish. One that I very much deserved.

"Fuyuki, don't ever say something like that in front of Kyo-chan," Yamaguchi says whilst intently staring at me. It feels like her gaze could burn a hole right through me.

"As if I could…" I grumble.

"You know how selfish you're being right now, don't you?"

"…"

"Hey Fuyuki, don't you think it's hard for Kyo-chan as well?"

I turn to face Yamaguchi. "…How so?"

"Kyo-chan is the type of person that always puts others before herself. She goes out of her way to help people, and she's always very considerate."

"I know all of those things already…"

"Then you should also know that nothing is more important to her than her close friends. Me, Kotori, and especially you Fuyuki. I hate to admit it, but she loves you more than anyone else. Do you think it's easy for her to not be able to visit you when you're sick? Or for her to have to spend less time with us—her closest friends? Someone as affectionate and caring as her… Do you really think it doesn't affect her at all? That she doesn't feel much worse about it than any of us? Well, Fuyuki, do you?"

My frustration hits a breaking point and I can't hold back anymore. "Then why!" I snap at Yamaguchi, raising my voice. "Why doesn't she prioritize us… Why does she choose those stupid meetings over me… I don't understand Yamaguchi…"

"Because those stupid meetings are important to her as well. The fact that she's choosing to make it a priority shows just how important it is to her. She finally found something that she's really passionate about and she's giving her all toward that. That idiot… Even though I can tell how much it hurts her, she still continues to face forward unwavering. Because she wants to see this through. Because she genuinely cares about all the students. And because she's trying real hard to improve herself. You can tell that much, can't you, Fuyuki?"

"…" I avert my head as my face twists into a self-deprecating grimace.

Of course, I know that… I know how much effort she's putting in. I know that she's trying her best to make life better for the students. And I know that she's working hard to improve herself. It's because I know that I…

"If you know that much then don't say it's insignificant. To Kyo-chan it's important. That's why she's trying so hard—why she's trying to do everything properly without half-assing it. And… That's why she's making temporary sacrifices even though it pains her. So don't say it's insignificant. Don't be so self-centered. Don't ignore how much she's hurting. And don't you dare disregard all the effort she's putting in, or else I won't forgive you no matter how much you apologize…"

I lower my head in shame. "…I'm sorry," I apologize, voice low.

"Don't apologize to me. If you feel bad then you can apologize by supporting Kyo-chan. Although that's something you should be doing anyway, you idiot."

"Right…"

She's completely right. I was being so damn self-centered. I didn't even stop to think that Kyoko was feeling sad about not spending time with us. Or about how important that student council stuff is to her. I only thought about myself when I should've been rooting for and supporting her as her boyfriend. God…I'm the worst.

Suddenly Yamaguchi reaches her hand out towards me and—

Flick

—she plucks my forehead.

"Don't make that face, stupid Fuyuki," Yamaguchi says.

"Ouch! Hey, what the hell was that for?!" I complain.

"Fuyuki, it's not like I don't understand how you feel," Yamaguchi explains, ignoring my complaints.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It's frustrating for me as well, ya know? I want to spend more time with Kyo-chan, and sometimes I wonder why she can't just skip her duties once in a while. I want to root for her, but deep down, It's hard for me to support her one hundred percent. So I understand how you feel."

My eyes widen in disbelief. "Yamaguchi…"

"I want you to support Kyo-chan and I don't want you to say something like what she's doing is 'insignificant' or whatever," Yamaguchi says, her tone stern. However, her expression softens soon after, and a faint smile forms from the corner of her mouth. "But… If you ever feel frustrated and want to vent what's on your mind, I don't mind hearing you out. I know you're only saying those things because you really care about Kyo-chan and just want to spend time with her. It's the same for me. That's why I um… That is, erm… T-That's why I want to support you as well. We're friends after all..."

"I see. I think… I'd like that," I say, flashing her a small smile. Even though she acts so prickly, Yamaguchi really is a kind-hearted person. I'm glad I told her how I felt. "Thank you… Yurika."

Yamaguchi's face flushes bright red. "Y-Y-You… M-My… F-First name… W-W-What are ya tryin' ta pull here?!" Yamaguchi stammers over her words whilst pointing at me with a bashful expression. Her face is so flushed that she almost looks like a tomato. Although she'd definitely be furious if I said that out loud.

"Haha, sorry, sorry," I laugh teasingly, "I just wanted to try saying it once."

"D-Don't get ahead of yourself…," Yamaguchi pouts as she flops back onto the couch. "…Stupid Akira…"

"Eh?"

I feel my cheeks become slightly warm as she calls me by my first name. Our gazes dance around the room until our eyes finally meet.

As I gaze at her flustered expression, I feel something begin to arise from deep inside my chest. A feeling that I can't hold inside any longer, and one that it seems she's feeling right now as well.

"Pfft…"

"Pfft…"

"Hahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

No longer able to hold it in, the two of us burst out into a spontaneous laughter.

"Haha, what the heck are we even saying?"

"Heheh, it's yer fault for startin' it, you idiot."

The tension around us suddenly dissipates and quickly changes to a pleasant atmosphere. The two of us continue to happily chat about nothing of real importance. Inconsequential topics that we're both sure to forget the following day. But that's ok with me because right now the two of us are having fun and that's all that really matters at the end of the day.

******

"By the way, what's been going on at school?" I ask.

"Hmm, nothing crazy," Yamaguchi shrugs. "Just the same old boring lectures and whatnot."

"Yeah, that figures."

"Ah!" Yamaguchi sounds. A wide grin forms on her face as she laughs to herself. "Actually, there is one thing, but you'll have to see when you come back to school."

I raise my brow inquisitively. "Now you've got me all curious. What is it?" I ask.

"You'll just have to wait and find out tomorrow."

"Tch, stingy."

"Heh-heh~"

At some point, Yamaguchi joined me under the kotatsu. We've been chatting away whilst eating tangerines and watching TV.

"I'm gonna get some more tea. You want some?" I ask.

"Yeah sure," Yamaguchi responds nonchalantly, waving me off. Seems like she's absorbed in a show that just came on. Since when did she get so comfortable in MY house? Does she think she's a Queen or what? Well, I guess I'm the one that asked her, but still…

"Right away, your majesty," I jokingly say under my breath.

"I know yer fond of being ordered around, but don't call me that," Yamaguchi says, her eyes still glued to the TV.

"Ugh…"

As I stand up and reach to grab the cups my body suddenly starts to feel extremely heavy. My vision becomes hazy and I begin to lose my sense of self all in a single instance.

"What the hell…" Before I knew it I lost control of my body and began falling over.

Shit, this isn't good. I was so caught up talking with Yamaguchi that I completely forgot I hadn't fully recovered yet. I even lied and told Yamaguchi I was fine…

I brace myself for the incoming fall by using what little strength I have left to put my arms in front of my body to lessen the impact. Damn, I'm really gonna feel this later.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Fuyu— Kya!"

However, that impact never comes. Instead, I can feel a soft sensation—Or more specifically two soft sensations pressing against my cheek. It felt like my face was being enveloped by two incredibly squishy, round pillows. It truly is a delightful feeling. And that's not to mention the sweet fragrance being emitted from those pillows. If I were to die this sure as hell wouldn't be a bad place to kick the bucket

"W-w-w-what the hell do ya think yer doin', Fuyuki?!"

"…"

This is bad… My body isn't listening to me. I don't have the strength to even speak, and I can barely keep my eyes open for much longer. "Completely fine", my ass… Sorry about this Yamaguchi…

"Huh? Fuyuki? Hey, Fuyuki, what's wrong? Fuyuki, are you alright?! Answer me, stupid Fuyuki!"

Yamaguchi's voice begins to sound like a distant echo as my fever-ridden mind slowly becomes hazier and hazier and I eventually slip out of consciousness.

******

"Mmmm…" I slowly open my eyes, letting out a sluggish groan.

My body feels warm, but my head is cool. Comparatively to the past two days, my body feels like it's regained some strength and my mind is cleared up

"Ah! Fuyuki are ya awake?" A voice riddled with concern calls out to me. I know that voice.

I turn my head in the direction of the voice and find a girl sitting beside me, wearing an apron over her school uniform. It's Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi places her hand on her chest and lets out a sigh of relief before quickly rubbing her eyes.

"Yamaguchi?" I ask, half asleep.

"Yeah, it's me," she says reassuringly.

"…Where…?" I mumble as I try to sit up, causing the warmth enveloping my body to dissipate.

"H-Hey, don't try to get up so fast dummy. This is your room," Yamaguchi tilts her head, making a curious expression as her eyes land on one of my Aku-tan posters, "…Well, at least I think it is."

A wave of embarrassment hits me as I realize it's the first time a girl has been in my room. Not to mention she had all the time to look around while I was sleeping…

I quickly try to think of a different topic to talk about in an attempt to hide my flustered state. However, something important clicks in my head.

"Wait. You carried me up here?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sorry for coming in your room without askin', but it was an emergency."

As I thought, she really did carry me up here...

"And this?" I ask as I take a cooling pad off of my forehead.

"I saw some in the kitchen and I thought it might help."

"I see…"

Now that I really think about it, Yamaguchi carried me up to my bed, made sure my temperature wouldn't rise by putting a cooling pad on my forehead, and watched over me this whole time.

My gaze falls to the ground where I notice a bunch of medicine for colds/fevers.

I thought she didn't even care enough to visit, but Yamaguchi really did all of this for me…

A feeling of guilt arises in my chest. "Sorry for all the trouble…," I say, lightly bowing my head.

"Hmph, you better be, stupid Fuyuki." Yamaguchi narrows her eyes at me with a sour expression. "You told me you were totally fine. Why'd you lie to me?"

"...I didn't want you to worry about it, and it wasn't a big deal."

Yamaguchi clicks her tongue and shoots up. "Don't be stupid!" Yamaguchi exclaims, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. "Of course, it's a big deal if you're still not feelin' well! Don'tcha think not tellin' me and then suddenly collapsing would make me worry even more?"

"Sorry…," I apologize, remorsefully.

Yamaguchi deeply sighs before sitting back down. "Both you and Kyo-chan have a bad habit of trying to handle everything on yer own, ya know that?"

"I can't deny that…"

"Hah… Don't make me worry like that again, dumbass."

"You were worried about me, Yamaguchi?"

"Ack! N-No, I wasn't worried one bit!" Yamaguchi's face flushes back to its tomato shade as she sporadically waves her hands in front of her trying to retract what she just said. "I was just uh… You know, er… Ah, that's right! I was worried about how Kyo-chan would react. Yeah, that's it. S-So d-don't get the wrong idea!"

This girl… Is it really that hard for her to be honest?

I inadvertently let out a sigh. She really is something else.

"H-Hey?! Why do you look like you don't believe me?!" Yamaguchi complains, stomping her foot on the floor with a pouty expression.

"Yes, yes, you weren't worried, I got it," I say, sarcastically.

"H-Hmph! As long as you understand," Yamaguchi nods as if satisfied with my response. I guess she didn't pick up on my sarcasm.

"By the way, Yamaguchi?" I call out to her. There's been a burning question lingering in the back of my mind ever since I first woke up. I just have to ask her.

"Yeah?" Yamaguchi replies.

"Um… How do I say this…"

"Hm? If ya got somethin' ta say just spit it out."

"Right… Then uh… Why are you wearing my mom's apron?" I ask, pointing out her attire.

"Ah."

Yamaguchi alternates between looking at me and the apron. After doing this a couple of times her face instantly flushes bright red up to her ears as if she only just realized what she was wearing. What does that bring our Tomato Yamaguchi counter to, three? Something like that.

"...d-d-don't look at me, stupid Fuyuki!" Yamaguchi cries out as she cutely covers her face with both hands.

Woah… Was Yamaguchi always this cute?

"Don't be unreasonable. It's your fault for not noticing until now," I retort.

"Uuuu, I won't forget this Fuyuki…"

Seeing the usually blunt Yamaguchi acting so reserved causes a weird feeling to clutter up in my chest. My face starts to feel hot, but it's certainly not due to my cold.

(Ba-dump)

I know I've asked this already but like… Woah… Was Yamaguchi always this cute?

I clear my throat with an ahem to regain my composure. "A-Anyway, did you just wanna try it on or something?"

"Of course not!"

"Then?"

"I thought it might help if you ate something after you woke up, so…"

"Wait, you made something to eat for me?"

"Mhm… Sorry for using your kitchen without permission…" Yamaguchi says, apologetically.

"No no, it's totally fine. I just like, didn't expect you to do that much for me I guess."

"Well, your stomach was growling while you were sleeping so I figured you were hungry."

"Haha, yeah right."

"..."

"Y-You're joking right…?"

"..."

"Please don't tell anyone about that…"

"Don't worry, I've already noted it in my Fuyuki Leverage Folder."

"Since when did you start keeping one of those?!" I ask, flabbergasted.

"Hmm, you really wanna know?" Yamaguchi asks, wearing a mischievous grin. That alone tells me I probably don't want to know the answer to my question.

"On second thought, I don't think I want to know…"

"Um…so like, are you hungry at all?" Yamaguchi asks.

"Oh, no, I'm not really that hung—"

(Rumble)

"…"

My stomach growls so loud that the echo can probably be heard in Aomori where my grandparents live. Stomach… You damn traitor!

"Pfft…hahaha!" Yamaguchi burst out into uproarious laughter. Wow, could you laugh any louder Yamaguchi?

"Damn you stomach…" I curse under my breath.

"So, you sure you don't want any? You don't hafta eat my cooking if ya don't want to."

"I'll eat it! Please let me eat it!" I exclaim.

"…It sounds creepy when you say it like that," Yamaguchi says with a disgusted expression. Ouch, I got called creepy twice in one day; that's a new record. "I'll go down and get the food. It should still be warm since it hasn't been that long since I made it. Take your temperature while I'm downstairs; you can do that right?"

"Yeah I can do that much," I assure her as I start to unbutton my shirt

"A-a-a-are you stupid or what?! Wait until I leave the room, you dumbass!" Ah, make that four on the counter.

"…Then could you go get the food?"

"Y-You don't have to tell me," Yamaguchi stammers, blushing. "I'll be back in a second." Yamaguchi quickly exits the room, leaving me by myself.

"If only she was always this cute," I thought to myself as I reached for the thermometer.

******

"37.4, huh."

Looks like I've recovered for the most part. If I get some more rest tonight I should be able to go back to school tomorrow without any issues.

Shortly after I finish taking my temperature, a hesitant knock comes from the direction of the door.

"A-Are ya done taking yer temperature?" Yamaguchi asks nervously.

"Yeah, you can come in."

Yamaguchi walks in holding a tray with a bowl sitting on top. Even from here, I can smell the pleasant aroma being emitted from the bowl. "How's yer temperature?" Yamaguchi asks.

"37.4," I reply, pointing at the thermometer.

"I see. You should be fine as long as you get some more rest."

"Yeah."

Yamaguchi places the tray beside the chair and hands me the bowl. "Here."

"Mm. Thanks."

Looks like Yamaguchi made rice porridge. The bowl isn't steaming hot, but still has a faint warmth to it. She must have made it around 30 minutes ago.

I silently give Yamaguchi my thanks before taking up the spoon and downing some porridge.

"It's good," I thought to myself.

The porridge has been slightly watered down, but not enough to deter the taste. I don't know if she did that on purpose to make it easier for me to digest whilst still keeping the flavor, but nonetheless, it's delicious. I guess Yamaguchi really can cook after all.

"What's wrong, Fuyuki?" Yamaguchi asks.

Unknowingly I had been staring at the porridge with the spoon hovering by my mouth after taking that first bite.

"Huh? Oh well… Erm, how do I say this…"

Yamaguchi gives me a puzzled look, and in the next moment, her cheeks begin to tint red. Make that five. "W-Wait…d-don't tell me…y-you want me to…f-f-feed you?!"

"Huh?!" How the hell did she even get to that conclusion?

Yamaguchi holds her hand out, spreading out all five of her slender fingers. "Sorry, but that option ain't on the menu."

"Sigh…"

"W-What? Why're you sighing like that?"

"I was just thinking that you really can cook and that the food's good, that's all."

"Eh? I-Is that so… T-Thank you…"

After 10 minutes of eating in an awkward atmosphere whilst Yamaguchi silently twiddled with her fingers, smiling to herself, I finally finished the porridge.

Yamaguchi takes the bowl and tray and brings them downstairs. She doesn't come back for a few minutes, so I assume she's washing the dishes.

"You've already done way too much, you idiot. I really owe her big time…," I mutter to myself, letting out a big sigh.

******

"It's getting pretty late. Shouldn't you start heading back home soon?"

It's already past six and the sun will go down soon. It would be dangerous for a girl to walk home at night by herself. Although, I have a strong feeling no one would try to mess with someone as intimidating as Yamaguchi. She'd kick their ass if someone even tried to lay a hand on her.

Yamaguchi's smile immediately vanishes the moment I mention going home. "...That's true. I probably should head home," Yamaguchi says with a forlorn expression. Does she not get along with her family or something ?

"Won't your parents be worried if you come home too late?" I ask.

"Hmph, yeah right. It'd be a miracle if they noticed I was gone even after a week."

"I see. Sorry, it seems like I said something I shouldn't have," I apologize, intent on not delving any further into a topic she's clearly not fond of discussing.

"No, I…" Yamaguchi's bitter expression softens. "Sorry, I got too worked up. You didn't do anything wrong, Fuyuki."

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to your hostility by now. It feels almost comforting at this point."

A small smile returns to her face. "Stupid…"

That's good. She's smiling again. I don't think I've ever seen her make an expression like that before. It almost seemed like she… No, I shouldn't jump to conclusions like that.

Yamaguchi stands up, grabbing her bag. "Well, I'll be going now. Will you be fine on your own?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I'll be fine."

Yamaguchi raises her brow doubtfully.

"I'm telling the truth this time. Besides, my mom should be back any minute now."

"I see. That's good then." Yamaguchi nods to herself. "Kyo-chan seems to like yer mom a lot, so I'd like to meet her, but I really should be going."

"You can always meet her another time," I say without much thought.

"Eh?" Yamaguchi's eyes widen as she stares at me with a dumbfounded expression.

"Hm? What's up? Did I say something creepy again?" I might as well turn myself in to the NPA if I get called creepy three times in one day.

Yamaguchi shakes her head. "Then… Maybe I'll visit you again. Next time with Kyo-chan."

"For sure," I say, giving her a thumbs up.

Yamaguchi places her hand on her heart and closes her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again.

"I'm gonna go now," Yamaguchi says.

"Yeah, see ya."

"Don't expect me to be this nice to you when you come back to school tomorrow. Today was a special exception because you were sick. A special exception, got it?"

"That's almost a relief to hear."

"Hmph, as long as you understand."

"Yes, yes." A tsundere until the end huh?

Yamaguchi crosses her arms and averts her gaze sheepishly. At this point, you could probably call that her signature pose. "And…one more thing."

"Hm? What's up?"

"About what I told you earlier… I…really meant it, so don't forget it, okay?"

"Earlier?" I ask.

"Y-You know the stuff about Kyo-chan…"

"Uh, what was it again?"

"Y-You… You really forgot?"

"Just kidding~" I tease.

"Fuyuki…" Yamaguchi mutters, emitting an almost palpable murderous aura. Scary! Girls are terrifying!

"D-Don't make that face, Yamaguchi. I remember I remember, alright? I wouldn't forget you calling me by my first name."

"Wha—!" Yamaguchi's murderous aura vanishes as she starts furiously blushing. "Stupid! Whatever I'm leaving!"

And just like that Yamaguchi storms out of the room, her face red as a tomato up to her ears. And the final tally would be six. I wonder if I could've made a wish if we had gotten to seven.

"She didn't have to get so upset over a joke. Of course, I wouldn't forget something that important," I mumble to myself.

I lazily roll out of bed and head downstairs to close the door. After locking the door behind Yamaguchi I went back to my room and collapsed back onto my bed. As I stare at the ceiling, my mind begins to reflect on the hectic day that had transpired.

I was nervous about how things would turn out when Yamaguchi first showed up, but I'm glad she was the one that came to visit. I feel like I've just gained a new partner in crime. Of course, I have no intention of complaining to her every chance I get, but if there's anyone I trust to talk to about those kinds of problems it's her.

We both suck at opening ourselves up to other people—at letting them past the front door. And because it's hard for us to express ourselves, we naturally tend to keep things inside. But it's different with her. I don't have to give her a key and neither does she need to give me one. Not when the two of us already live in the same house.