"I'm hungry..."
After hanging up the phone with Azuma, I walked down the hallway of my house, patting my stomach while the song I just finished played through my headphones. I had ended up pulling another all-nighter without eating anything.
Come to think of it, today (or rather, last night) was supposed to be a day when both my parents were out. I wonder if Yuzu ate dinner by herself... It was Yuzu's turn to cook, so it should be fine.
"I wonder if there's anything..." I thought as I reached the kitchen. On the counter, I found a flat plate covered in plastic wrap.
On top of it was an A4 piece of paper. In large letters, it said: 'Takkun's'.
She saved a portion for me...
"Thank you, thank you," I muttered, bowing my head as I moved the paper. There, written in ketchup on the omelet rice, was a single word in big letters:
'Stupid.'
"'Stupid Takkun,' huh..."
With a wry smile and a sense of apology, I imagined my sister's face scowling while she set up this little prank, and a different kind of laugh bubbled up inside me.
I put it in the microwave and leaned my back against the counter. I yawned and suddenly realized something. It was obvious since I hadn't changed, but I was still wearing my school uniform. I have two pairs of trousers, so I'll change before I go...
The moment I took the warmed omelet rice into the living room.
"Hic...!?"
I involuntarily gasped.
On the sofa, two girls were sleeping, leaning against each other.
One was, naturally, the eldest daughter and youngest child of our house, Yuzu-chan. However, the person lending her shoulder to Yuzu, and in return resting her own head on Yuzu's, was...
"When did you get here...?"
It was none other than my blonde childhood friend.
"Hey..."
Taking off my headphones, I peeked at her face while calling out in a low voice, not even sure myself if I really intended to wake her up or not.
It was dark so I could barely tell, but the area around her eyes looked a bit red.
...Had she been crying?
Well, naturally, she must have received a detailed report from one of them after that incident.
As I hesitated over whether I should seriously wake her up, those cat-like eyes snapped open.
"...Takuto."
"Oh, morning... You're a quick waker, Sako."
"Mmm..."
After a slight shift, she noticed Yuzu, who was leaning against her and sleeping with her mouth open.
She supported Yuzu's head with her hand and gently laid her down on the sofa.
Sako slid down to sit on the floor in a crouched position. Then, she pulled her bent knees completely inside the oversized hoodie she was wearing.
"By the way, those are my clothes... You're going to stretch them..."
I placed the omelet rice on the coffee table and sat on the floor as well, whispering my retort so as not to wake Yuzu.
"It's fine, isn't it? Yuzu lent them to me when I said I was cold."
Saying that, she let out a snort and buried her face in her knees—or rather, inside the hoodie.
"I wore those last night, so they were in the laundry basket. They aren't clean, you know?"
"I don't mind. It's a childhood friend's... privilege."
She mumbled her claim to some mysterious right with her mouth still pressed against the hoodie.
"I'm the one who's going to get scolded, though..."
"...Just don't tell. I won't say anything either."
"Don't try to plant guilt in me... Yesterday and today have been crazy enough as it is..."
Hehe, I felt like the face pressed against the hoodie smiled. Sako-chan, weren't you supposed to have a poker face?
"So, why are you at my house?" I asked, still in a whisper.
"Yeah... After that, Erina contacted me too. So, I came to ask Takuto for a favor, but it looked like Takuto was in the middle of making a song, so I thought I'd wait until it was done."
"A favor?"
"No, it's fine now. ...I was going to ask Takuto to make a song."
"...I see."
I wasn't sure if it was for Erina's sake or for the sake of the three of them, but she probably arrived at the same conclusion as I did. If that's the case, then what I'm doing isn't that far off. That's a relief.
"Yeah. While I was waiting, I talked with Yuzu about various things and fell asleep before I knew it. Apparently, childhood friends are trendy among middle schoolers lately."
"Is 'childhood friend' something that becomes a trend...?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
"So... is the song done?"
"Yeah, it is."
Sako's stiff expression softened by just a fraction of a millimeter.
"That's good..."
"Want to hear it?"
I lifted the headphones hanging around my neck slightly.
"Is it okay? If I hear it before that girl, won't she be mad?"
The 'Is it okay?' and 'Won't she be mad?' were likely questions. As usual, she was hard to read.
"Stop calling Ichikawa 'that girl'... Band members are equal. I've already sent it to Azuma, too."
"I think she'll be mad because I'm not the very first, though. She can't be satisfied unless she's number one in everything. Well, I won't tell her I heard it, so it's fine."
Saying that, she reached out both hands toward me.
"Fine, fine..."
I thought about how I was adding to my sins again as I handed over the headphones.
"I'm starting it, okay?"
"Yeah."
I pressed the play button and waited while Sako listened, eating the omelet rice that had cooled down a bit more.
After the song finished, Sako took off the headphones.
Now then, did she like it? While I was anticipating her reaction, the first words out of her mouth were:
"...The bass isn't in it."
"Well, I'm not a bassist, after all..."
Feeling a bit of an anticlimax, I added my intention.
"...Give me your feelings, too, Sako. That's how the song will finally be complete."
"...Understood."
I realized I had said something a bit cheesy. Late-night energy is scary when you look back on it later...
"...So, how was the song?" I asked to cover my embarrassment.
"...It was very good. It felt like Takuto when he's being kind."
"Is that so..."
Sako's overly honest remark didn't hide my embarrassment; instead, it made me turn even redder.
"Hey, Takuto."
Sako, with the headphones still around her neck, gave the hem of my trousers a little tug.
"Hmm?"
"Once more, I'm asking you. About Erina... I can't do it alone anymore..."
As Sako's face contorted with frustration, I gave her a resolute smile in return.
"Don't worry, Sako."
"Mnh..."
Because there was a reason to be confident.
"Apparently, Azuma is going to take care of the rest."
"Eeh... You've got to be kidding..."
Sako looked at me with an expression of pure exasperation at my words.
"...Even though you're actually doing something really cool. Why do you have to be like that..."
I ignored Sako's grumbling and shoveled down the rest of the omelet rice.
"Ah—... so, what about school? Shouldn't you go home and sleep for a bit before going?"
"Ah, yeah, I'll head back for now."
Saying that, Sako stood up briskly and walked to the entrance. She switches gears fast, I thought as I followed her to see her off.
When I opened the front door, the chilly dawn air flowed into the house.
"Whoa, it's cold..."
In sync with my shivering, my smartphone vibrated once.
As I looked at the screen, Sako peeked over as well. "That girl is an early riser, isn't she?"
However, the sender of the message wasn't 'that girl'.
Yuri: [Konuma, can we go to school together today?]
"...And so, Takuto added to his sins, and eventually, that girl will lose all patience with him."
Withdrawing smoothly, Sako stepped outside the door.
"Hey, can you stop adding ominous narrations?"
"See ya, Takuto."
Then, she gave a small wave with her palm half-hidden by the sleeve.
"Yeah, good night."
I wondered if I should have said 'good morning' as I waved back, and as Sako closed the door—
"Ah."
I let out a cry.
"She's still wearing my clothes..."