Bonus Short Stories

Side: Sanae

Sanae clinging to Koutarou was an old habit from her days as a ghost. She’d grown so accustomed to the practice that she kept it up even after getting her body back. She even did it at school, so everyone had come to accept it as standard Sanae behavior. In fact, a teacher had just walked past while she was on Koutarou’s back, but hadn’t said a word.

“Say, Sanae...”

“Hmm?”

“Thinking about it, there’s no real point in you clinging to me anymore, is there?”

“How rude. Of course there is.”

“There is?”

“Like I said, of course! Yours truly, Sanae-chan, is sharing some of her overflowing love with you.”

“Oh, right. Of course.”

“That’s what I said!”

Back when she was a ghost, Sanae clung to Koutarou to replenish her energy and share his senses (primarily so she could enjoy the taste of food). There were bona fide reasons for it. But now that Sanae had energy and senses of her own, those reasons were moot. Now, she was simply doing it because she wanted to.

“But what do you think about me doing this, Koutarou?”

“Hmm. Well, you’ve been doing it for almost two years, so I guess I don’t really think about it anymore.”

“Think about it a little, will you? It’s thanks to me doing this every day that your circulation’s improved and you don’t get stiff shoulders, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true. I’m not even sore after playing baseball anymore.”

Before anyone knew it, Sanae clinging to Koutarou was the norm. And they were okay with that. Neither Sanae nor Koutarou saw a reason to change it. In fact, Koutarou was sure it’d feel a little lonely if she stopped doing it... not that would admit that.

“By the way, Sanae, there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

“Whazzat?”

“Whenever you’re on my back, you get lighter, right? How does that work?”

“I can’t say that I approve of you asking about a girl’s weight.”

“Come on. That’s not what I mean.”

Koutarou passed through the school gates with Sanae still on his back. He didn’t have his part-time job today, so they were headed home together. As they went, the lowering sun cast one long shadow behind them.

“Oh fine... The truth is that I’m secretly using my maiden powers to lift myself.”

“I see. I thought you borrowed some device from Clan or something.”

“You should pull your own weight, you know?”

“You say some pretty insightful stuff every now and then.”

“Don’t I?”

Despite the fact that he was carrying someone, Koutarou didn’t feel weighed down at all. He could feel the increased momentum when he turned, but it was like she was barely there otherwise. The reason, as it turned out, was Sanae’s psychic powers.

“But isn’t that a lot of work? I mean, you weight four―”

“Stooooop!”

“Mhgm!”

“I’ll squeeze harder if you say one more word!”

“Mmm, mmph!”

“Good. I forgive you.”

“Phew! All I meant to ask is... isn’t it hard to be lifting someone up all the time?”

“It is, but I’m used to it.”

“You’re wasting a bunch of psychic power on something so trivial.”

“But I don’t want you to think that I’m heavy.”

“I’m a guy. You’re not heavy to me.”

When Sanae was clinging to Koutarou, the most prominent thing he could feel was her body heat. He’d felt nothing when she was a ghost, but her warm body was unmistakably there now. It reinforced the idea that she was right there with him, and the warm feelings that generated were in turn conveyed to Sanae.

“So what would happen if you pushed harder?”

“Huh?”

“Would you be able to lift even me if you used more of your maiden powers?”

“Ooh, that sounds fun. Here goes!”

“Wh-Whoa! I’m floating!”

Their reciprocation was the reason their relationship had grown since Sanae’s ghostly days. Really, all she needed was be at his side, but neither of them knew that. And so the antics between them would continue for some time yet.

Side: Yurika

Yurika was a complete and total freeloader. She relied on Koutarou for both room and board, which had actually gone a long way to improving her diet. She no longer survived solely off of instant noodles.

“So why do you keep buying them?”

Three square meals a day were served in room 106. Ruth, Kiriha, Shizuka, and Harumi all took turns cooking, and each of them made healthy food—and plenty of it. In other words, Yurika had no good reason to be purchasing instant noodles these days. So when Koutarou saw her stuffing them into her shopping cart, he couldn’t help asking why.

“This is different!”

But Yurika had her reasons, so she pled her case.

“I can’t rest easy unless I’m all stocked up!”

Yurika was living out of the wardrobe in room 106. She’d filled it with her personal belongings, which included a robust supply of instant noodles. Without them, the wardrobe felt empty. That’s why she kept a minimum stock on hand at all times.

“Is this just some sort of trauma left over from living as a vagrant?”

“I’m not a vagrant!”

“I know. You’re taken care of now. And that includes getting fed, so there’s no reason to buy instant noodles anymore.”

“Ugh, th-that’s...”

Yurika always got her fill at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There really was no reason for her to buy any more instant noodles—especially not when she still had some from the last time she bought them. Koutarou pointing that out sent her into a tailspin as she floundered for an explanation.

“That’s what?”

“That’s, um... There are a lot of reasons, like, you know...”

“Use your big girl words.”

“Sometimes I just get hungry, okay? I like having a snack around, so I need these.”

“How do you get hungry when you glut yourself at every meal?”

“...”

Yurika averted her eyes, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Wait, don’t tell me she’s—

Seeing Yurika behave this way, something finally dawned on Koutarou and a harsh tone took hold of his voice.

“Don’t tell me you’re supplementing your diet with instant noodles because you’re picking out all the foods you don’t like at mealtime!”

“...”

“That’s exactly what you’re doing, isn’t it?”

“...”

Whap!

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’m sorry for ever being born! I didn’t mean anything bad by it!”

“If you did, I’d hit you again!”

“Wait, does that mean that I can be picky about my food?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Waaaaah!”

Yurika was an extremely picky eater. She particularly disliked anything smelly or bitter, such as celery or bitter squash. And worst of all was anything that fit both categories, like green pepper. Whenever such vegetables were part of dinner, Yurika was very careful to eat around them. Then, after dinner when Koutarou fell asleep, she’d have herself a secret feast of instant noodles. Since he slept like the dead, he had no clue what she was up to at night.

“I’m asking Kiriha-san to make stuffed peppers tonight.”

Koutarou took Yurika’s noodles out of the cart and returned them to the shelf before heading to the produce aisle. Yurika, in tears, grabbed his arm and begged clemency.

“Please! Anything but that!”

“Nope.”

“Have mercy! At least overlook the noodles!”

“Why would I? Idiot.”

That night, Yurika would be forced to eat stuffed peppers. Koutarou would hold her mouth open and put them in himself if he had to.

“Do you not love me, Satomi-san?!”

“I’m doing this out of love, Yurika. It’s so we can have a bright, happy future together.”

“Nooo! You’re lying! It’s all lies!”

Her fate was sealed, yet Yurika couldn’t help but protest it in vain. Struggle though she might, however, it would be stuffed peppers for dinner tonight.