Digital Book Bonus: Original Short Story
[The Definition of Childhood Friends]
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
“Come to think of it, until when did we take baths together?”
I asked my childhood friend walking next to me on our way home from school.
Remi stared at me with disbelief.
“…Sorry, could you say that again?”
“I said, until when did we take baths together?”
“Don’t just repeat it verbatim!”
This time, Remi took two steps away from me, looking thoroughly put off.
A chill ran down my spine, and I hastily shook my head.
“No, sorry, I didn’t mean it in a weird way! We’re genuine childhood friends, so that kind of thing is normal, right? I mean—”
“Just because we are, doesn’t mean it makes sense to bring that up out of the blue at our age! Even I’m taken aback by this, think about the time gap!”
Remi scolded me furiously before finally lowering her voice.
We were already quite far from school, just two or three more turns before reaching the intersection leading to our homes.
If this exchange had happened ten minutes earlier, it would have been dangerous for Remi, who was putting on airs.
“Besides, there’s no such thing as ‘genuine’ childhood friends, is there?”
“You… you don’t get it.”
“…I’m actually curious about what exactly I don’t get. Do tell.”
Remi tilted her head.
…It’s too late to back down now.
If I show any weakness, the notion that I asked about the bath with perverted motivations will become more plausible in my childhood friend’s mind.
I need to answer confidently and logically to implicitly assert that the question arose from a different intention.
“Well, it’s about the definition of childhood friends. You know how some people call themselves childhood friends just because they’ve known each other since elementary school? Like, from first grade or something.”
“Yeah, I guess there are people like that.”
So what, it doesn’t really matter.
Whatever others claim, it has no bearing on our lives.
Remi’s expression conveyed this sentiment, and honestly, I agreed.
But I forced myself to continue.
“We’ve known each other since we were aware of our surroundings, right? Probably since the age when we could bathe together. But if we had become distant right after that, we wouldn’t even be childhood friends. I think how long we bathed together is quite important. I mean, you wouldn’t bathe with someone you don’t get along with, right?”
“Normally, you wouldn’t bathe together even if you get along. I get it now, so erase any memories of bathing together, okay?”
“I’m asking because they’re already erased…”
“I can see right through you. You probably asked with impure thoughts, and because you didn’t intend to, you’re now wondering how to cover it up.”
“Oh… oh! That’s right, exactly right! As expected, childhood friends are amazing!”
“Your imagination didn’t go beyond that. I guess it’s still too much to expect you to be adaptable in the future.”
“That’s harsh!”
Was she deliberately letting me flounder for future reference?
Remi chuckled at my reaction.
“Besides, there’s no need to be hung up on being childhood friends, is there?”
“Huh? Don’t you think ‘childhood friends’ has a nice ring to it?”
Remi turned to face me and opened her mouth.
“You think so? What’s most important is that we’re not distant now.”
“Well… that’s true.”
Surprisingly, that was quite a pleasant statement.
As we turn right at the intersection, Remi’s apartment building comes into view.
Perhaps out of embarrassment, I blurted out something strange.
“Then—if by some miracle I got a girlfriend, you wouldn’t be jealous?”
I felt even more embarrassed.
Why do people make consecutive mistakes when flustered?
“…How did it come to that? And why do you think I’d be jealous?”
“No, well, um…”
Words that unconsciously slip out, like just now, probably aren’t completely unfelt.
Does that mean I want Remi to be jealous?
I started to search for that emotion in my heart but stopped.
For me, my childhood friend is my first love.
Nothing more, nothing less.
“It’s just that a childhood friend of the opposite sex seems like it could be an awkward position for a girlfriend, you know? Since you’ve known each other longer than her. Like a defensive instinct against those feelings?”
“I don’t really understand, and I’d hate to think it would shake someone’s confidence. But, in the unlikely event, I’ll be careful.”
“Yeah. …Wait, the way you said that makes it sound like me getting a girlfriend is an ‘unlikely event’!?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, you noisy thing.”
Remi says to me, slightly exasperated but with the corners of her mouth turned up.
—Nothing more, nothing less.
But I’m glad this atmosphere has returned.
I guess I like my childhood friend at least that much.
I walk Remi to the entrance of her apartment building.
For some reason, the vegetation growing around the apartment seemed to shine particularly brightly.
TLNOTE : English translation of Classmates With the girls I Was Close to Loving (LN) Volume 2 will begin when the bar above reaches 100%
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