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“We’re home,” I called out.
“Hello,” Nanami also said softly, then added, “Wow, we made it just in time to beat the snow, huh?”
“Seriously. I’m so glad we got home before it really started coming down.”
Once we got our fill of the holiday lights, we walked home together while carrying bags of delicious foods in our hands, joyful from each other’s company.
The front door was locked, of course, so I unlocked it to let both me and Nanami enter...but we couldn’t help looking at each other as we did so.
It really hit home then—that we were alone, just the two of us. The fact that we came home together seemed to emphasize that fact even more strongly. Plus, we both had a feeling that the other person was thinking the exact same thing.
We moved awkwardly into the living room and placed all the bags we were carrying on the table. Wow, the owner really made us a lot of food.
“Oh, here, I’ll take your coat,” I offered, reaching out toward Nanami as she began removing her coat. In that moment, though, I couldn’t help staring at her in awe.
The moment Nanami took off her white down coat, her lovely shoulders became exposed. Today she was wearing a tiny shirt that showed off her neck and shoulders, as well as the top part of her chest. As for the bottom that had been covered up until now... It was a denim miniskirt. At least, I thought it was denim.
They were both short, boldly showing off her thighs and navel. I never expected her outfit underneath her outer layer to be so light...or, rather, revealing.
Having assumed that she had on more layers beneath her coat, at least a sweater or something, this outcome totally flabbergasted me. I mean, why would you wear a coat to protect yourself against the cold, but then wear such light clothing underneath it?
“What’s wrong, Yoshin?” Nanami asked.
“Hah?!”
My mind, which had taken a hike when it processed the gap between the heavy outerwear and the light outfit, returned when Nanami peered into my face with concern.
She was bending forward at an angle and looking into my face, creating...quite a picture. I didn’t want to be direct about it, but they almost looked like half-moons. Or was that not the right way to describe their shape?
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Out of fear that my face was doing something entirely inappropriate, I slapped both of my own cheeks with all my might, creating an explosive sound that instantly burst into the room as well as an impact on my face that shook me to my core, shocking me awake.
“Yeah, here, I’ll take your coat,” I repeated.
“Um, what was that just now?” Nanami asked with worry.
Just, you know. Pulling myself together. An expression of strong will against a nearly insurmountable situation. Please don’t worry about it.
When I tried to take Nanami’s coat to reassure the whole world of my will, though, Nanami suddenly pulled her coat back and exclaimed, “Does my coat smell sweaty or something?!”
Wait, what in the world leads you to that conclusion?
Nanami looked down at herself in a panic and wrapped her arms around the exposed parts of her body. Jeez, she looks sexy doing even that.
“No no, don’t worry. I was just surprised because your outfit is actually kind of revealing. But you smell great,” I reassured her.
“Really? Are you sure it’s okay?” she asked.
Was she wearing light clothing under her coat because she would sweat too much otherwise? I guess I was a little sweaty inside my coat, but I hadn’t thought too much about it.
Shoot, now I’m worried about smelling bad...
“If you’re that worried, do you want to shower first?” I asked.
“Huh?!”
Oh, crap. That was not the right suggestion. It’s like I’m trying to get back at her for Hawaii. But it’s different! Saying that while we’re alone is not okay.
“Sh-Should we call our parents before that?! Since that’s what we agreed to and all?!” I shouted.
“Y-Yeah! Let’s! It’s important to keep in touch!” Nanami agreed.
Before we fell into awkward silence, we called our parents to check in. I had thought that it would be a pain, but now I was extremely grateful for having to do so. I dialed my mom for a video call, all the while mentally thanking her for inadvertently giving me a way to change the conversation.
“Hello? Yoshin?” my mom said as she came on the line.
“Hey, mom. Just calling to let you know that we made it home,” I reported.
“And I’m here too,” Nanami said, standing next to me.
In that moment, loud cheers went up on the other end of the line. I thought maybe they were watching TV or something, but all the adults behind my mom were looking toward us.
“Mom?” I whispered, confused.
“I didn’t think you would actually, seriously, diligently get in touch with us,” my mom muttered.
“Huh?”
“Looks like I won the bet. For my son to be so straitlaced is a bit of a surprise, but...regardless, it’s wonderful that you keep your promises,” she said.
“Excuse me?” I let out.
That was when I finally realized that my mom’s face was completely red. All the adults behind her seemed flushed as well.
Th-They’re drunk! And they’re the annoying kind of drunks!
It seemed the adults had had an ongoing bet over whether we would actually call them. How did that even happen.
And now our parents, all completely sloshed, kept talking over each other trying to talk to me and Nanami over the phone about nothing and everything. In short, they were being a total pain.
My mom and Tomoko-san were both looking into the phone camera, squeezing their faces together to try to fit into the screen. Wow, Tomoko-san is definitely wasted...
“Nanami...what are you doing?” Tomoko-san began. “You’re supposed to use your feminine wiles to seduce Yoshin-kun... Your mother has given you such a great opportunity...”
“Mom?! That’s not what you said last time!” Nanami yelled.
“That’s exactly what I did with your father...oh, Gen-chan,” Tomoko-san said, her sentence uncertain.
“True, that’s what I did as well,” my mom added.
On the other end of the line, we heard the two fathers exclaim “Mother?!” in a chorus.
Nanami, exasperated and holding her head in her hands, protested, “Mom, I hope you know that’s a crime.”
“Please, Nanami...it’s not a crime if it’s consensual. Besides, when you’ve got a total wuss on your hands you’ve got no other choice. He’ll never make the first move, you know that...and there you are, dressed to kill—”
Nanami hung up the phone then and there. I would have done the same thing. What heinous act did I commit in a previous life that made me have to listen to such stories about my own parents? I had zero interest in hearing any of that.
In any case, this wasn’t actually as bad as the last time they got drunk. Was it Christmas or just general end of the year vibes that made them like this? Either way, now that we had hung up there was no way to know. Perhaps it was best just to assume that adults had it rough, too, and leave it at that.
“How about we get dinner ready? I’m kind of hungry,” I suggested.
“Yeah, let’s! Jeez, seriously! What’s wrong with those people?! I’m so sorry about what my mom said, Yoshin,” Nanami groaned.
“Oh, no way. I’m sorry about my mom too.”
When we found ourselves bowing to each other in apology without realizing it, we couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Once we’d gotten it out of our system, though, we got to prepping our meal.
But right in the middle of all that...