Chapter 4: Shopping Like a Married Couple

I’ve been practicing skincare and light makeup, started using shampoo and conditioner properly since yesterday, and doing all the aftercare — honestly, it’s a pain. Do women really spend this much time doing all this every day? Well, maybe I’ll get used to it eventually, but I can barely see any noticeable difference. At this rate, there’s no way I’ll keep this up. I feel bad for Kanata since they bought me all this stuff, but… I’ll probably give up after three days.

Just as I was thinking that and stepped out of the washroom-slash-changing area, I ran into Kanata. They stared intently at my face and hair. Ugh, don’t stare like that, it’s embarrassing. Then, gently, Kanata stroked my hair, picked up a strand, and brushed their fingers across my cheek. Wh-what… what the hell is going on!?

"Yeah, that’s nice. You definitely look over eighteen now, and since you’ve always had good features, you’re beautiful, cute, and honestly, stunning. Mhm. That glossy black hair really suits you too. You’ve become seriously gorgeous."

"!? Y-you—K-Kana!!"

Y-y-you idiot!! Don’t just suddenly compliment me like that!! And what’s with this barrage of compliments!? Are you trying to kill me with embarrassment!? My heart was pounding, my vision was trembling from nerves, and—wait, your face is way too close!

"What? You’re not happy about it?"

"!? …No, I… I am happy, but…"

"Then it’s fine, right? If you look like this, we can live together without any problems. Probably."

"…"

With that, Kanata casually stepped into the washroom, while I stood frozen, face blazing red, unable to move for a while. Once I finally calmed down and started thinking straight, I realized… I was actually really happy to be complimented that much. Yeah, I see now — maybe I can actually keep this up. Having your efforts acknowledged feels good, makes you want to keep going. I want Kanata to praise me more. A good cycle, huh? Alright! I’m motivated now! I’ll make myself even prettier — so pretty that Kanata falls for me at first sight!

I ended up handling the moving paperwork for both myself and Kanata. I don’t have a job right now, so I’ve got the time anyway, but there isn’t much leeway in the schedule, so things are going to get busy.

The address change forms? I had to do both mine and Kanata’s. On top of that, there were two sets of cancellation forms for utilities and stuff, and I also need to set up the internet contract — though honestly, that might not make it in time.

Then came Friday, moving day. Kanata even took the day off work, helping direct the movers and carrying the smaller stuff in their car.

Surrounded by unpacked boxes and paper bags scattered around my new room, I was already thinking about how I’d need to buy a closet, plus some other furniture. Now that I’m a girl, I have way too many clothes. And it’s autumn heading into winter, so everything’s bulky. After the move, we were planning to hit the home center and furniture stores to pick up the essentials.

Thanks to the small amount of luggage, the move went smoothly. Before I knew it, we were already at the furniture store.

"This one feels really soft and fluffy. I like it."

"Yeah, it’s not bad. Might be a little too soft for me, but if you like it, let’s go with this one."

"No, no, you’re the one paying, Kana. You’ve gotta choose something you’re satisfied with. Let’s look for another."

"Really? Hmm…"

Going back and forth like that, we bought not just furniture for our individual rooms but also a sofa we could lounge on together in the living room, and a dining table and chairs so we could eat together. At first, I thought the store clerk was giving us weird looks, but after overhearing our easygoing back-and-forth and seeing how close we were, they must’ve assumed we were a slightly older married couple. From then on, they treated us exactly like one. Kanata, apparently finding it too much trouble to correct them, just responded vaguely and went on with the shopping.

I guess us calling each other "Kana" and "Nobu" added to that married-couple vibe, huh? Well… I wouldn’t know what an actual married couple is like, though. That said, for some reason, people tend to assume I’m Kana and Kanata’s Nobu, probably because of how the names sound. I should just change my nickname to Chika or something. That’d clear up the confusion.

As for me… even before the clerk said it, I was starting to get this feeling like, "Buying furniture together like this… isn’t this kinda married-couple-like?" But the moment they said it out loud, I couldn’t unsee it anymore. Damn it, we really do look like a couple!

Right now, we’re choosing dishes, and Kanata’s giving a passionate lecture about how we should buy at least two of the same kind. Apparently, mismatched ones are a pain to stack and take up too much space — maybe that comes from their college days. So we’ve been picking out either sets of two or grabbing two of each design, and honestly, that just makes us feel even more like a married couple. Somehow, I started noticing this strange rush, like I was getting excited for no reason… no, wait, I am excited.

But no, no. This is just because shopping is fun. That’s all. That’s what I decided to believe.

After finishing up with the dishes, I went back to where Kanata was — only to find them stuck in the bedding section, looking conflicted.

"Hey, you’re back. Done picking out the dishes?"

"Yeah, somehow. We got everything in sets of two or grabbed two of the same. What’s got you stuck here, Kana?"

"Now that I’ll finally have a proper room of my own, I was thinking of getting a bigger bed this time. Maybe a semi-double."

"Well, yeah, you’re a big guy, so that makes sense. But is that really something to agonize over?"

"Not exactly… it’s just, you know, throwing away my current bed feels like a waste. I was thinking of giving it to you, Nobu. What do you think?"

"Ah… yeah, that’s fine. Saves me the trouble of buying one anyway."

"That’s a relief to hear. Alright, I’ll get this one then. But I need the same mattress as the one I’m using now — wonder if they have it here?"

"That mattress is great, honestly. I crash on it every night, and it’s crazy comfortable."

We called over a clerk and told them we wanted a semi-double bed, the specific mattress, and a futon set. The clerk nodded after glancing between us.

Hey, wait a sec—don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not like that!

Once Kanata finished talking to the clerk, we circled the store together to check for anything we might’ve forgotten.

"Oh, right. We didn’t get a pillow for you, did we, Nobu?"

"Ah, crap, totally forgot since I’m getting your bed. Yeah, guess I need a pillow and a futon too."

"My semi-double bedding won’t fit your size anyway. Might as well take the whole set — mattress, futon, everything."

Hmm… yeah, guess I’ll just take it all. Saves me the cost and the hassle of shopping.

"Alright, I’ll take the whole set off your hands then."

"Sweet. In that case, I’ll just grab myself this pillow."

"…Huh? Wait, the ‘whole set’ includes the pillow too, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"…I mean, sure, fine, but… still…"

The thing is… Kanata’s pillow reeks of him. Same with the futon and the blanket, but the pillow’s the strongest by far. It’s not a bad smell though — actually, it’s… kind of nice. Comforting, even. Which is weird. The problem is… every time I catch that scent, it’s like my awareness of being female gets sharper. That’s not a good thing.

Whenever we’re close, sometimes I catch Kanata’s scent, and it makes me feel calm. Safe. …Makes me want to get even closer to him. And that’s… bad. Really bad. Kanata wants his best friend Nobuchika, not… female Nobu. If I start becoming the latter, we won’t be best friends anymore. He might even kick me out. I… I don’t want that.

"Alright, I think that’s everything. We bought quite a bit. You good, Nobu?"

"Y-yeah, I’m fine. Don’t think we forgot anything."

"Alright, it’s getting late. Wanna grab something to eat before heading back?"

We loaded up the car and headed to a restaurant, grabbed dinner, then started driving home.

While we were chatting casually here and there, the topic of the furniture store came up, and I finally asked what had been bugging me.

"Hey… why didn’t you deny it when they started treating us like a married couple?"

"Honestly? Part of it was just too much of a hassle to correct them… but also, denying it would’ve made it even weirder, don’t you think?"

"…Huh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Yeah… that’s true. Easier to just let them assume what they want than to stir up unnecessary suspicion. And being mistaken for a married couple… well, that’s still way better than being mistaken for some kind of sugar baby arrangement. Besides, since we’ll be going places together a lot from now on, people are probably gonna keep thinking that anyway. Might as well stop worrying about it.

Once we got home, Kanata suggested, “Let’s at least move the bed into your room right away.”

I figured, sure, why not. The two of us somehow managed to lug it over, but… man, the whole time I was just reminded of how weak I’ve gotten. Honestly, I think Kanata was just as shocked about it as I was. He muttered something like, “Guess I need to rethink my assumptions…”

After that, we spent a while unpacking boxes, sorting through the new stuff we bought, and tidying up until pretty late at night.

Finally, we took turns in the bath, then decided to call it a night.
After exchanging a quick “’Night,” we each went into our own rooms, got into bed, and closed our eyes…

…But something felt off.

A new room.
Sleeping alone for the first time in ages.
It was quiet. Too quiet.

And… somehow, it felt lonely. I couldn’t sleep.

I glanced at the space next to my bed, and of course, Kanata wasn’t there.
…Damn it. What do I even do about this?

Ugh, screw it. I didn’t know I was this bad at being alone.

I threw off the blanket, got up, and headed for Kanata’s room.

He was lying on the floor on top of a blanket when I opened the door.

"Huh? What’s up? Something happen?"

"…Kana, I, uh… need to talk to you about something."

"Alright, what is it?"

He gave me this dead-serious look. Sorry, man… this is such a dumb reason.

"I… can’t sleep. New room, all by myself… I feel lonely."

"…Huh? Come again?"

"I said, I can’t sleep! It’s a new room! I’m all alone! It’s too lonely!"

"Nobu, you’re… you’re thirty. Do you hear yourself right now?"

"Believe me, I know exactly how pathetic it sounds for a thirty-year-old guy to be saying this… but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t sleep."

"…So, what do you want me to do?"

"If possible… could you, uh… sleep in my room tonight?"

"Not in the same bed, though, right?"

"Right."

"Alright. If that’s all it takes, I’ll sleep in your room. That okay?"
"Yeah… thanks."

Kanata grabbed his blankets and followed me into my room. He spread them out next to my bed—

—then climbed into my bed instead.

"Whoa, whoa, no. You’re supposed to sleep on the floor next to me."

"I know, relax. Just messing with you."

"Dude, don’t joke like that, I panicked for a sec."

"How do you not get that’s a joke… Anyway, though—" Kanata paused, sniffing slightly, "Huh. Guess the bed still smells like you. Figures, since you were sleeping on it for a whole week."

"…Wait, really? It smells like me? I don’t… smell your scent at all. I mea—" I cut myself off before I said something stupid.

"—Never mind. Forget I said anything."

Well, they say you can’t really notice your own scent anyway.

Kanata finally slipped into his own blanket on the floor, and I lay down on what used to be his bed up until a week ago, closing my eyes.

…Ah. Yeah. This is way better.

Just knowing Kanata’s right there next to me makes such a huge difference.

"Yeah… thanks, Kana. Feels like I can actually sleep now."

"Glad I could help. ’Night."

"…’Night."

Wrapped up in Kanata’s scent and calmed by his presence, I finally drifted off to sleep.