“Takumi-san, are you free today?”
It was a little past 7:00 PM on a Friday when Mizuki Minase called. Takumi Aizawa had just left the office, walking amidst the sea of commuters heading toward the train station.
Loosening his tie slightly, he held his briefcase in his left hand. The town held a lighthearted, restless buzz on the eve of the weekend.
“Is that really the best way to ask someone out?”
“Oh, my apologies. Are you perhaps terribly busy, sir?”
“Don’t get all distant with me suddenly.”
Mizuki chuckled over the phone. Just hearing her voice made Takumi realize his lips were softening into a smile.
“So, what’s up?”
“You’re going drinking with Nao-san and the others, right?”
“How do you know that?”
“Nao-san told me.”
“If you two are close enough to bypass me and stay in touch, you could’ve just asked Nao yourself.”
“Can I join?”
Takumi stopped in his tracks. The pedestrian light turned red.
On the opposite side, a man and a woman who looked like they were on their way home from work were talking cheerfully.
“Do you want to come?”
“Yep.”
“Then come on over.”
“Yay! Where are you guys?”
Once he gave her the name of the izakaya, Mizuki simply said, “See you later,” and hung up. That was all.
Takumi glanced at the darkened smartphone screen for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket. The signal changed to green.
As he began walking again, he let out a quiet sigh. This is just how I am, he thought to himself.
Mizuki calls. I’m happy.
She says she wants to see me. I’m even happier.
So, there’s no reason to turn her down. It was as simple as that.
By the time he arrived at the pub, the three of them were already seated.
“You’re late!” Ryosuke Kubota said, beer mug in hand.
“It’s barely 7:30.”
“I’ve been here since 7:15!”
“Like I care.”
As Takumi set his briefcase down, Fujisaki Nao, sitting opposite him, looked up from the menu.
“Mizuki-chan said she’s coming.”
“I know.”
“Ah, did she contact you?”
“Just a moment ago.”
Nao made a strange face.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t say ‘nothing’ with a face like that.”
“It’s really nothing.”
Nao took a sip of her highball. Takumi didn’t press her further.
He and Nao went back a long way. If she had something to say, she would bring it up eventually.
About ten minutes after Takumi ordered a draft beer, the server guided Mizuki to their table.
“Thanks for waiting, everyone!”
In that instant, every man in the area except Takumi glanced toward the entrance. Takumi noticed, but said nothing.
She wore a thin beige blouse paired with a black skirt. Her shoulder-length hair had soft, delicate waves.
It wasn’t a flashy outfit by any means. Yet, she stood out effortlessly.
Mizuki had always been that way. Even without doing anything, she drew people’s eyes.
“Mizuki-chan, over here!” Nao pulled out the chair next to hers.
“Thank you so much!”
“Just coming from uni?”
“Yes! My fourth lecture ended just now.”
“Ah, to be young.”
“Nao-san, you’re still so young too!”
“Please don’t lump a twenty-seven-year-old with a university student.”
“Hey now, I feel like all of us just got stabbed at once,” Ryosuke chimed in, drawing a round of laughter from the table. Mizuki giggled too.
Then, she turned naturally to look at Takumi.
“Takumi-san, what are you drinking?”
“Beer.”
“Again?”
“What’s wrong with a beer for my first glass?”
“Didn’t they say something at your health checkup the other day?”
“They said nothing. You’re just convincing yourself I’m unhealthy.”
“Your tummy, though…”
“Quiet.”
Mizuki laughed. Watching their back-and-forth, Ryosuke spoke up.
“Man, you two really act like you’re dating.”
Takumi didn’t react. Mizuki kept smiling.
“No way, absolutely not.”
She didn’t hesitate for even a fraction of a second. Takumi raised his beer to his lips.
It wasn’t the first time he had heard those words.
“It’s not like that between Takumi-san and me,” Mizuki added without a trace of malice.
“Then what is it like?” another male friend asked. Mizuki paused, thinking for a moment.
“Hmm… like a relative? An older cousin brother?”
“Who are you calling an older brother?”
“An uncle then? Or dad?”
“There’s only a five-year gap between us!”
Laughter broke out again. Takumi smiled along with them.
Mizuki was smiling too. So, that was fine.
At least, for now.
The drinking party went on for about two hours.
They talked about university, work, and Ryosuke’s foolish love life. Mizuki mostly chatted with Nao at first, but soon joined in with everyone.
Takumi’s friends were generally very welcoming of her. Naturally, Takumi thought.
It wasn’t just because Mizuki was pretty. She wasn’t shy around new people, nor was she overly reserved around older adults.
Yet she wasn’t disrespectful either. That made her easy to invite along.
“Mizuki-chan, do you have a boyfriend?” Ryosuke asked.
“No, I don’t.”
“Seriously?”
“Is that really so surprising?”
“Well, yeah, anyone would assume you do.”
“Not right now.”
Ryosuke glanced briefly at Takumi. Takumi knew exactly what that look meant.
Takumi picked up a skewer of yakitori.
“Then how about someone like me?”
“Ryosuke,” Takumi called out.
“What?”
“Weren’t you chasing after another girl until last week?”
“That’s over already.”
“That was fast.”
Mizuki laughed. “Kubota-san, you’re out of the question.”
“Why?!”
“I just feel like I can’t trust you.”
“You can tell that much when this is only the second time we’ve met?!”
“Yep, I can tell.”
“Takumi, what did you feed this girl about me?”
“I didn’t say anything,” Takumi answered with a laugh. In truth, he hadn’t.
Mizuki could figure out what kind of guy Ryosuke was on her own. Besides, who Mizuki fell for was her own decision.
It wasn’t Takumi’s choice to make.
It was just before 10:00 PM when they stepped out of the pub.
Nao was heading in the opposite direction. The other two said their goodbyes at the station.
Only Takumi and Mizuki shared the same train line. Passing through the turnstiles, they descended to the platform.
Because it was Friday night, the platform was crowded. Mizuki walked slightly behind Takumi.
“Mizuki.”
“Hmm?”
“Over here.”
Just as she was about to bump into someone, Takumi guided her to the safer, inner side of the platform.
“Thanks.”
That was all she said. The train arrived.
It was packed, so neither of them could sit down, leaving them standing near the doors. Holding onto the strap, Mizuki spoke up.
“Today was really fun.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Takumi-san, your friends are so funny.”
“None of them are decent role models, you know.”
“I really like Nao-san.”
“I like her too. As a friend.”
“Specifying that sounds suspicious.”
“Nothing has happened between us in over ten years—what am I supposed to do now?”
Mizuki laughed softly. For a while, there was only the steady rhythm of the train.
Takumi turned his gaze toward the window. Their reflections were mirrored in the dark glass.
Himself and Mizuki. Side by side.
Just as Ryosuke had said, to a stranger, they might really look like a couple. Takumi quickly looked away from the glass.
“Hey,” Mizuki murmured.
“Yeah?”
“Is Kubota-san really that much of a player?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“That answer pretty much confirms it!”
“Ask him yourself.”
“No way.”
“Then don’t worry about it.”
Mizuki went silent for a moment. Then, she said,
“Takumi-san, what would you do if I started dating someone?”
Takumi looked at her. “What do you mean, what would I do?”
“Like would you feel lonely?”
Her tone was light. But Takumi didn’t answer right away.
Mizuki was staring at him.
“Well, of course I’d feel lonely.”
“I knew it!”
“But if it’s a guy you actually like, then isn’t that a good thing?”
Mizuki knitted her brows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What do you mean, what?”
“Normally, wouldn’t you hate it if the person you liked was taken away?”
Takumi let out a faint laugh. “Taken away? You don’t belong to me, Mizuki.”
Mizuki lapsed into silence.
“Besides,” Takumi continued, “just because I like you doesn’t mean you have any obligation to like me back.”
“…I guess so.”
“So, you should just date whoever you like.”
He ended the conversation there. Mizuki didn’t say another word.
At the next stop, a large crowd got off, freeing up some space in the carriage. They sat down side by side.
After a short while, something soft brushed against Takumi’s shoulder. It was Mizuki’s head.
“Hey.”
“I’m sleepy…”
“Don’t fall asleep until you get home.”
“Wake me up when we get there.”
“I’m getting off before you.”
“Then don’t get off.”
“Why should I ride an extra stop for you?”
“Please?”
Takumi let out a sigh. “Fine.”
Eyes still closed, Mizuki smiled faintly.
“You’re so gentle, Takumi-san.”
Takumi didn’t reply. Feeling the weight of Mizuki against his shoulder, he stared out at the passing lights outside the window.
The following Tuesday. Takumi was having dinner with Nao after work.
Nao had originally asked to meet up to consult him about something related to work. Once that topic came to a pause, Nao suddenly spoke up.
“Takumi.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you still like Mizuki-chan?”
His chopsticks froze mid-air.
“What do you mean, ‘still’?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“I do.”
Takumi didn’t hide it. Nao had known about his feelings for a long time.
“Aren’t you going to confess?”
“I already did once.”
Nao’s eyes widened. “When?”
“About six months ago.”
“This is news to me!”
“Because I didn’t tell you.”
“And?”
Takumi took a sip of water. “I got rejected.”
“…I see.”
Nao became quieter than expected. “What did she say?”
“Do I really have to spell it out?”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
Takumi hesitated briefly.
“She said I’m a precious person to her, but not in a romantic way.”
Nao remained silent.
“Well, she’s not wrong, is she?” Takumi chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I know it better than anyone.”
“Know what?”
“That Mizuki doesn’t look at me like that.”
Nao ran her finger around the rim of her glass on the table.
“Then why are you still doing all of this?”
“All of what?”
“Like the other day. When Mizuki-chan said she wanted to come, you brought her along, and you even walked her back home.”
“We take the same train line.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Nao’s voice sank lower.
Takumi fell silent.
Nao looked at him for a long moment.
“You know…”
“Yeah?”
“I really dislike that girl.”
Takumi was genuinely taken aback. “Mizuki?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Nao let out a small breath. “Do you really not get it?”
“I don’t.”
“Mizuki-chan knows you like her, right?”
“She knows.”
“And yet she keeps that kind of distance with you?”
Takumi’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong with that?”
“I didn’t say it’s wrong.”
“You said you dislike her.”
“I did.” Nao didn’t avert her eyes. “She has no intention of dating you. But if she’s bored, it’s Takumi. If she’s lonely, it’s Takumi. If she’s in trouble, it’s Takumi. If she wants to go out drinking, it’s Takumi.”
“Nao—”
“Listen to me until the end.”
Takumi closed his mouth.
“She knows you won’t turn her down, Takumi.”
“Mizuki doesn’t mean it like that.”
“I know.”
Her response was instant. Takumi lapsed into silence again.
“I know that. Mizuki-chan probably doesn’t have any bad intentions at all.”
Nao took a sip of water.
“And that’s exactly why it pisses me off even more.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“If she was taking advantage of you with malicious intent, she’d just be a bad person. But that’s not it, right?”
Nao lowered her voice slightly.
“To her, you being kind to her has just become the baseline. It’s taken for granted.”
Takumi said nothing.
“’Takumi will come for me. Takumi will listen to me. Takumi won’t get mad at me. Takumi won’t ever hate me.’”
“…”
“Isn’t that… pretty painful for you?”
Takumi remained silent for a long time. It wasn’t as if he had never thought about it himself.
When Mizuki calls, he’s happy. When she relies on him, he’s happy.
When she says she wants to meet, he’s even happier. Every single time, there was a small part of him hoping—maybe this time.
Yet when the next day came, their relationship remained entirely unchanged.
“It’s something I’m doing of my own free will,” Takumi finally said.
Nao knitted her brows. “So don’t talk bad about Mizuki.”
“See?”
“What?”
“You take everything upon yourself like that.” Nao gave an exasperated chuckle. “I suppose that’s your good trait, but I really hate it.”
“Now you hate me too?”
“I like you, Takumi.”
“How half-hearted.”
“As a friend, I mean.”
“That’s the last thing I wanted to hear today.”
Nao burst out laughing. Takumi laughed too.
The conversation ended there. Leaving the restaurant, he bade farewell to Nao and walked toward the station alone.
Inside his pocket, his smartphone vibrated. He pulled it out.
It was Mizuki.
【 Takumi-san 】
Directly below that, another message arrived:
【 Can you talk on the phone right now? 】
Takumi stopped walking. Nao’s words lingered in his mind.
—If she’s bored, Takumi.
—If she’s lonely, Takumi.
—If she’s in trouble, Takumi.
He stared at the screen.
The phone vibrated once more.
【 There’s something I really want you to hear. 】
Takumi hesitated for just a few seconds. Then, he placed the call.
The ringtone cut off after a single beep.
“Hello?”
“What’s wrong?”
He heard Mizuki’s voice. With just that, half of everything he had been agonizing over until now seemed to fade away.
“Today… something kind of bad happened.”
“Yeah.”
Takumi resumed his steps, walking toward the station once more.
“It might take a while to explain…”
“It’s fine.”
“Takumi-san, don’t you have work tomorrow?”
“It’s not even 11:00 PM yet.”
“…Thank you.”
“So, what happened?”
Mizuki began to speak. Takumi listened in silence.
He didn’t think what Nao had said was wrong. In fact, she was probably right.
Even so.
The vulnerable voice that the girl he loved reserved only for him—he wasn’t ready to let go of it just yet.