6

“Thank you for indulging me today,” Kokoro’s mom said when we got back home. “I was happy to see how close you are to each other.”

“Oh... No problem,” I replied.

Running into Kokoro’s friends had been a complete accident, but it had worked in our favor in the end. Her mother’s doubts about our relationship had all been swept away.

“By the way, Mom, you’re fine sleeping on the couch, right?” Kokoro asked.

“C-Couch?!” her mother replied, shocked. “I was looking forward to finally being able to sleep on a proper bed. I’m still so tired from the plane trip.”

“That’s your fault for showing up out of the blue, though.”

My parents used to have futons in their bedroom, but they’d taken those with them to India. That only left Kisaki’s bed—the one that Kokoro was currently using—and mine. Since we didn’t have any extra beds, Kokoro’s mom would have to sleep on the couch in the living room.

“Okay then, Kokoro, I’ll use your bed. This once, I will allow you to sleep together with Ichigaya in his room, since you have an adult in the house supervising you. Aren’t you lucky? Just behave yourselves, all right?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

“WHAT?!” Neither could Kokoro.

“After behaving yourselves all this time, I’m sure you’ll be good, especially since I’m in the house with you. So I’ll allow the two of you to sleep in the same bed just this once. I’ll even forgive a kiss or two, since it’s a special occasion!”

“Wh-What?! You can’t just decide something like that!” Kokoro cried.

I’d been stunned into silence, but I was thinking the exact same thing. Her mom had phrased it like she was doing us a favor, but I suspected she just wanted to steal the bed, even if she had to make her daughter sleep in a guy’s bed to get what she wanted.

Nishina sleeping in my bed? N-No way that’s okay. No way she’s going to be okay with it either.

“Looking at the two of you... I’m sure of your feelings for Ichigaya now, and I know that things are going well between you. You’re just... still a bit awkward with each other, you know? You act more like friends than boyfriend and girlfriend. That could be because you so diligently followed what your father and I told you, but this is a rare chance to enjoy your love! Don’t worry, I’ll keep it a secret from your dad!” Mrs. Nishina winked, then gave Kokoro a devious look. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to sleep together?”

“N-No, it’s not that!” Kokoro quickly replied.

“It’s decided then!”

Arguing any further would have made her mother suspicious. Kokoro knew this, and her only choice was to sleep in my room.

“I-I’ll sleep on the rug,” I suggested once her mother went to take a bath. We each had our respective sweethearts, so actually sleeping in the same bed was out of the question. “That way, you can use the bed. Unless you have any problem with sleeping in the same bed I’ve been using...”

“A-Absolutely not!” she replied. “I’ve already caused you so much trouble; I can’t let you sleep on the floor.”

“As I’ve already said, the responsibility for all this is also mine.”

“Forget about it! I’ll sleep on the rug, and you’ll sleep in your bed as usual! Just pretend I’m not there, okay?”

“N-Nishina...”

She sounded like she had already made up her mind, so we ended up doing as she’d said.

A few hours later, I was lying right there, phone in hand, when I heard someone knock on the door.

“C-Come in,” I said, already expecting it to be Kokoro. Even though I’d been trying to distract myself with my phone, I was terribly nervous.

Kokoro, who had finished taking a bath and changed into her pajamas, walked in.

She’s going to sleep here... with me. I’m sorry, Minami... I thought, so tense my whole body was shaking.

“S-Sorry. I guess you had to wait for me before you could go to sleep,” she said.

“N-Not really,” I replied, taking a better look at her clothes. She was wearing a baggy T-shirt and a pair of hotpants. I had been praying that, for once, she would choose to sleep in something less revealing, but, it being summer, my prayers had gone unanswered.

“Here,” I said, handing her a blanket, then a cushion to use as a pillow, knowing full well that it wasn’t going to make sleeping on the floor much better.

She lay down on her side, facing away from me. Since my room was so small, she felt uncomfortably close.

C-Calm down, Kagetora! You already have a girlfriend! What are you getting so worked up about?! ...I-I can’t help it! There’s gonna be a girl sleeping in my room! No high school boy could keep his cool with a girl sleeping in his room! Even if... he doesn’t like her or anything. I wonder if I’ll be able to sleep at all tonight...

“S-So, I’m turning the light off,” I said, trying and failing to hold my nerve.

“Okay...”

I flicked the switch and the room instantly went dark, making me even more nervous. I turned away from Kokoro and tried to forget about the situation, when suddenly, her shaky voice cut through the silence.

“I’m... so sorry. Sorry to you, sorry to Minami...”

While I was busy fighting my impure thoughts, she was troubled by all this...

“Y-You don’t need to apologize.”

“B-But...”

“We’re in the same boat, aren’t we? Y-You also have a boyfriend after all. That Yuya guy...” I still didn’t know whether they were boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but I thought saying it like that would be a good way to make sure. Somehow, this felt like my last chance to ask about her and Yuya.

“W-We aren’t dating yet though.”

“But you said you’re gonna go on a date. Where are you going?”

“That café that’s doing a Lemon Slayer collab, and after that, to karaoke...”

K-Karaoke?! They’re going to be shut in a small, soundproof room on their first date?! M-Maybe I shouldn’t think about it. She likes him, and he looks like a nice guy... It’s none of my business anyway.

“O-Oh... Good luck then...”

“Good luck to you too... Try not to get dumped by Minami.”

“H-Haha... right.”

Kokoro and I had been forced to spend pretty much the whole day together because her mom had visited us unexpectedly. Had it not been for her, Kokoro would have already left, and we would have parted ways forever without even a last chance to talk about these things. I was grateful for the opportunity, even though I knew I shouldn’t be.

Suddenly, we heard heavy footsteps approaching the room.

Mrs. Nishina?!

Before we could comprehend the situation, Kokoro’s mother had already knocked on the door.

“Kokoro?! Are you still awake?” she shouted. Something was obviously wrong, but I had no idea what could have happened this late at night.

“M-Mom?!”

“I’m coming in!” she said, then immediately entered without even waiting for a reply.

“Mom, what are y—”

“Kokoro, what is this?!” she said, holding something to her daughter’s face.

I was at a loss for words. Even though the room was still dark, the light coming in from the hallway was enough for me to make out two things: the rage on Mrs. Nishina’s face and the doujinshi in her hand. The two boys featured on the cover were from HypMic, the franchise that Kokoro loved so much. More importantly, they were buck naked, and there was a huge “18+” logo drawn next to them.

“Th-That’s... Wh-Why do you...?!” Kokoro leapt up, scrambling to come up with an excuse.

Didn’t you hide all of your otaku stuff?! Of all the things that you could forget, did it have to be that?!

“I felt something hard under the pillow, so I checked and found this. Judging from your reaction, it’s safe to assume this belongs to you.”

“I, er...”

Why?! I get that you’d want to read that before going to sleep, but put it away properly! Or at least pretend like you don’t know! We could have told her it was my sister’s if you hadn’t reacted like that!

“Kokoro, you... like this kind of book? Is this the kind of thing you enjoy in life?”

Kokoro started shaking with fear.

“Were you hiding this... hobby of yours all along?”

“W-Well, I...”

I had already heard that Kokoro’s mother didn’t take kindly to otaku stuff, and the terrifying look on her face definitely proved that.

“Did you read things like this back at home too?! I would never have thought my own daughter...”

After spending a whole day with her, the impression I’d gotten of Mrs. Nishina was that of a kind and loving mother. She definitely worried about romance far too much, but she didn’t seem very strict or anything. And yet, one single piece of otaku literature had been enough to change her into another person.

Why does she hate otaku stuff so much? She should at least try to understand her daughter’s hobby!

Frustration took over me, and I clenched my fists. Kokoro was staring at the floor, saying nothing. Even though I couldn’t see her face, I could tell how scared she was.

“I-I’m sorry to barge in,” I said, jumping out of my bed. “But being an otaku is nothing to be ashamed of!”

I couldn’t just stand there without saying anything while Kokoro was being scolded for a hobby I shared with her. If Mrs. Nishina loved her daughter, she ought to also try to understand the things she loved.

“I-Ichigaya...” Mrs. Nishina was staring at me, surprised.

“O-Otaku culture is an important aspect of Japan’s uniqueness! We should be proud of it! Please, don’t assume it’s bad without learning about it!”

“My word...”

“Y-You may be prejudiced against it, but nowadays, being an otaku is a very normal thing! I’m one too, as are a lot of people in our school! Your daughter had to hide this part of herself just because she didn’t want you to hate her for it! Please, try to understand! There’s nothing as devastating as when people who are important to you hate the things you love...”

“I-Ichiga—”

“It’s just a hobby! She’s a kind girl who’s always helping people out! I owe her so much! I beg you, don’t be so harsh on her because of the stuff she likes...”

In my excitement, I had started a whole tirade and maybe even said too much. However, I really believed all of it. Kokoro’s words at the amusement park earlier that day had felt like salvation to me, and for as long as I’d known her, she’d boosted my self-confidence time and time again. I could only hope that her mother would listen and that I would be able to help Kokoro as she had helped me. That was all I could do.

Kokoro turned around and stared at me with tears in her eyes. “Ichigaya... Thank you...” she said in a feeble voice.

Her mother began talking again, but she didn’t look angry anymore, just... confused. “Look,” she said. “I don’t mind otaku stuff. Anime, manga, games, and what have you... they’re all fine in my book.”

“Huh?”

“Wh-What?!” Kokoro exclaimed in disbelief.

Did she just say that... she’s okay with otaku stuff? Did I hear that wrong?

“B-But then why are you so mad about my doujinshi?! And you reacted the same way years ago when you found that other one!”

It was a reasonable assumption considering it’s not the first time she’s found out about this...

“The one you told me a friend had given you? So that was yours... Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is you’re still in high school! You’re just a student! You can’t go reading these... these lewd books! Much less buy them!”

Mrs. Nishina’s extremely reasonable opinion left both of us speechless.

“If you like anime and manga, sure, go ahead and enjoy them. You can use your allowance or the money you get from part-time jobs to do what you want. But you’re too young for this sexy stuff, miss! You’ll have to wait until you’ve graduated high school. After that, it’s up to you.”

No way...

“S-So... you never hated otaku culture?!”

“Why would I? I never said that!”

Kokoro’s jaw fell through the floor. “I... I’m so stupid!” she said, her voice brightening up so much that it sounded like she might burst into laughter any moment now. “I went through all that trouble to hide it... for nothing!”

If you read something that says “18+” on the cover before turning eighteen, of course your parents wouldn’t approve—especially when there are two naked dudes on there... It was all a misunderstanding. So this means that, from now on, Nishina will be able to enjoy her hobbies at home... the non-lewd ones at least. She’ll be able to be herself in front of her family. Isn’t this great? As a fellow otaku, I know how much that matters.

I was so happy for her that I found myself smiling too, but then Kokoro turned to look at me again, with a concerned look in her eyes. After a quick glance, however, she immediately turned back to her mother.

“M-Mom... Actually, there’s something I should tell you.”

I had no idea where this was going, so I quietly waited for her to continue.

“After all Ichigaya’s done for me... I can’t keep bothering him like this. I’ve been such a pain in his ass all this time... so I’ll tell you the truth.”

“N-Nishina?” I stuttered. The truth? Is she really going to tell her everything?

“I’m sorry, Mom. I lied to you. Ichigaya and I... We’re not dating. We never were. He offered me his kindness, and I took all of it.”

I looked at her, surprised and confused as to why she’d decided to reveal the secret now of all times. She turned back to me, forcing herself to smile.

“Sorry I went ahead and told her without asking you first...”

“What do you mean?” Mrs. Nishina asked, looking from one of us to the other. Her face looked calm, but I could almost feel the anger silently building inside her.

“It’s all my fault...” Kokoro said.

“Explain it in a way I can understand.”

Is she really going to tell her the whole story?

Kokoro continued, her voice shaking. “I didn’t want to leave Japan. I love otaku culture too much... It’s something I couldn’t live without. But I thought you hated it, so I couldn’t tell you... Ichigaya has the same hobbies as I do, so he understood how I felt and why I didn’t want to go. That’s why he tried to help me. The only way I knew how to convince you and Dad was to tell you we were dating. I lied without really thinking about it.”

Her mother didn’t reply immediately. My heart beat faster and faster as I anxiously waited for her to do so. Then she finally found the words she was looking for.

“Are you serious...?” Kokoro’s mother said. “Do you understand what you’ve done? You lied to me and your father, you lived with a boy who isn’t even your boyfriend... Didn’t you think of how this might affect Ichigaya and his parents?”

Mrs. Nishina’s voice was shaking too, but I couldn’t tell if it was from surprise or from anger. She was, however, doing her best to at least appear calm as she bombarded her daughter with questions.

“I’m sorry!” Kokoro exclaimed, lowering her head.

“I-I’m sorry as well!” I added. “I shouldn’t have suggested something like that.”

Maybe her mother wouldn’t forgive us, but I also owed her an apology nonetheless.

“Y-You shouldn’t apologize!” Kokoro said to me. “It’s all my fault! You just wanted to help me! And, Mom... I’ll take responsibility, but please, don’t blame him for this.”

Her mother looked at her daughter, then at me, then at her daughter again. “Okay. But now, you and I need to talk by ourselves, Kokoro,” she said.

Kokoro nodded, flinching with fear.

“I knew there was something weird going on. No couple behaves like that.”

She was still suspicious the whole time...

“And to think I was so happy today, when I saw the bond between you two.”

Bond? What’s she talking about?

“We just didn’t want you to find out... I’m sorry.”

“Anyway... Good night, Ichigaya,” Mrs. Nishina said, with a completely expressionless face. Kokoro also looked at me, but she didn’t say anything.

“A-Ah... Yes, good night.”

They left my room together. I could only imagine what was going to happen. Kokoro was going to be questioned and scolded, no doubt about it. Why she had chosen now to reveal this to her mother, I had no idea. I’m just as responsible for all this as she is, but she took all the blame. I hope she’ll be fine... Her mom looked really mad.

I felt extremely tired, but the thought of what Kokoro might be going through kept me awake for most of the night.

＊　＊　＊

The next day, I woke up around seven. Having only slept for three hours or so, I was still drowsy, but I really needed to go to the bathroom, so I dragged myself downstairs.

As I got closer, I heard a noise coming from the living room.

Are they awake already? Seems a bit too early...

It was Kokoro’s mother who opened the door and greeted me. She’d probably heard my footsteps.

“Good morning, Ichigaya.”

“G-Good morning!” I replied, startled by the aura of silent rage that still loomed around her.

“Thank you for taking care of Kokoro all this time.”

“N-Not at all...”

“You’ve been very kind to her, but don’t worry. She’ll be leaving with me today.”

Today?! I was surprised that they would leave so soon, but if Mrs. Nishina knew the whole truth, it didn’t really make any sense for them to stay in my home any longer.

“We’ll take as many of her things with us as we can, but we’ll have to send someone to pick up the rest later on. I’m sorry to trouble you like this.”

“D-Don’t worry about it.”

Right then, Kokoro came down the stairs and joined us. She was already dressed and had her makeup on.

“Again, thank you for everything,” Mrs. Nishina said. “Kokoro, you should thank him too before we leave.”

“Wait, you’re going already?” I asked.

“I can’t let Kokoro stay here. We’ve imposed on you long enough,” she coldly replied.

Now that Mrs. Nishina knew I wasn’t dating her daughter, I was basically just a stranger. She hadn’t said that, but it seemed like it was for that very reason that she didn’t want her daughter staying with me anymore.

“Thanks, Ichigaya. Good luck with everything,” Kokoro said. She had a smile on her face, but it didn’t look particularly genuine.

As for me, I was so shocked to learn that they were leaving so soon that I didn’t know how to respond at first. I didn’t feel ready to say goodbye yet.

“O-Oh, yeah... Good luck to you too,” was all I managed to say.

My two guests bowed and left the house. Seeing them off would have been the polite thing to do, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just stood there, alone and confused.

And thus ended my time living together with my roommate, Kokoro. She’d finally moved out.