Chapter 36

"……What am I supposed to do?"

I let out a sigh and clutched my head. I was genuinely at a loss.

"Ugh…"

Three days had passed since we returned from Shin’s parents’ house. It hadn’t been a long trip, and any travel fatigue had long since faded—life was back to normal.

Shin had even gone to campus today to pick something up. Unlike me, who was here, drowning in my own thoughts.

"...Boyfriend, huh?"

Those words I’d blurted out to Shin’s mother had haunted me for the past three days.

...What am I going to do about New Year’s?

I’d already promised we’d visit again. Backing out now would be awkward.

"I have to tell Shin, don’t I…?"

Shin’s mother probably thinks I’m his girlfriend. Next time we visit, she’ll definitely treat me that way. So I need to explain this to Shin beforehand—whether we’re pretending or dodging the issue, he has to know.

...But how am I supposed to say that?!

"Hey, I accidentally told your mom I’m your girlfriend, so play along?" Yeah, right.

"Haaah…"

Maybe I should just come clean to his mother. Admit I misunderstood the word boyfriend. That’d solve everything.

"...Except if I could do that, I wouldn’t be suffering like this."

On the fifth day of our visit, Shin’s mother had said, "Take care of him for me." And how had I responded?

"Yes. Because Shin is… my… boyfriend."

"……Aaaaaaaaaah."

No way. I can’t go back after saying that in such a heartfelt moment.

His mother had been so gentle, so sincere. She’d genuinely entrusted Shin to me—as his girlfriend. My conscience isn’t strong enough to backtrack now.

"...I’m really doomed."

Maybe I should just stop overthinking it. Kick the problem down the road. Let Future Me handle it.

Overwhelmed, I flopped facedown onto the couch—just as the front door clicked open.

"I’m back."

Shin’s voice echoed through the apartment. Summer was at its peak, so he was probably drenched in sweat. I grabbed a chilled towel from the fridge and headed to the entryway.

"Welcome back."

As expected, Shin was glistening with sweat. He carried a bag he hadn’t left with—probably books or something.

"Thanks."

He wiped his face with the towel. The faint musk of sweat reminded me, Oh right, he’s a guy.

...A boyfriend, huh?

The thought I’d been wrestling with resurfaced.

That would mean I’m Shin’s girlfriend. Not just his best friend anymore, but something… different.

Holding hands. Linking arms as we walk. Or even—

—Wait, WHAT am I imagining?!

My brain conjured an image of us strolling arm-in-arm, and I frantically shook my head to dispel it.

...What’s wrong with me?

My face burned. I swear my body temperature spiked by several degrees.

"...Gotta calm down."

I needed to cool off—literally. I retreated to the living room.

...Something cold to drink. That’ll fix this. Probably.

A short while later, Shin was sprawled on the living room floor, flipping through a travel brochure.

"So, about the trip—where should we go?"

Seemed he was finally planning that vacation he’d mentioned. The brochure was crammed with photos and descriptions of destinations.

"...There’s a lot here," I murmured, though my eyes barely registered the text. I’d never been on a proper trip before—this was all new to me.

"Which spots are popular?"

Best to ask directly. Popular usually meant reliable, right?

"The classic choice is probably this one."
"...Huh."

Shin pointed to a theme park I’d heard of—the kind plastered all over TV commercials.

I didn’t know much, but this seemed fine. I’d never been to a theme park before, so it might be fun.

The brochure showed photos of grinning visitors and flashy rides. But then—

...Wait. What’s this?

A single line of text caught my eye, highlighted in bold:

『A top pick for couples!』

"......"

My brain helpfully supplied an image of Shin and me, arms entwined.

"...N-Not this one!"

"Huh? Why?"

I shook my head violently, as if that could dislodge the mental image. What’s wrong with me lately?! This had to stop.

"L-Let’s go… here instead!"

Too flustered to look properly, I jabbed a random page. It featured a hot spring resort.

"You mean… the onsen?"

Shin tilted his head, studying the page.

My pick had been impulsive, but maybe it wasn’t bad. This felt safer. Probably.

"Let’s do this one, then."

He folded the corner of the page and closed the brochure. Apparently sold.

Relief washed over me. Thank goodness it’s not the theme park.

"Alright, let’s get ready. Wanna head out now? You free?"

"...? Yeah, but where to?"

Shin stood abruptly. Preparations already? We hadn’t even set dates yet.

"We’re buying you a smartphone."

...A smartphone?