Chapter 71: I revisited the nostalgic middle school with my childhood friend

I revisited the nostalgic middle school with my childhood friend

Woken by the gentle caress of the breeze on my face, I open my eyes.

An unfamiliar fluorescent light on the ceiling catches my attention.

This place… it’s the school infirmary.

Seems like I’ve been sleeping on the bed in the infirmary.

The window is open and I can see a cherry blossom tree outside. Pink petals dance in the gentle breeze.

…Cherry blossoms?

No, it’s just November. It should still be autumn.

“Ah, the usual dream.”

Suddenly, I realize that this is one of those dreams I’ve been having almost every day since the day I prayed at the Buddha on our school trip.

It’s a memory of the future that intuition shows me — a simulation among the tens of thousands that exist.

“Hmm… Boyan?”

A brown head moves around my stomach area.

Aya is looking at me with one eye rubbed, seemingly having come to visit. She’s sitting on the chair beside the bed and at some point, she used my stomach as a pillow for a nap.

“Good morning, Aya.”

“Mmm, that’s my line… Good morning, Boyan.”

She, dressed in a long-sleeved blazer, sits up.

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Her white blouse has its second button undone, revealing a glimpse of a deep cleavage. I can’t help but fixate on her large breasts, slightly hanging due to gravity.

In the spring breeze, her slightly lengthened chestnut hair sways.

Perhaps due to just waking up, tears glisten in her clear double-lidded eyes.

Suddenly, the flawlessly featured beauty gives a soft smile, a smile with a hint of melancholy.

It seems Aya is captivated by me even in my dreams.

“Boyan…”

“What is it?”

“There’s something I need to tell you, Boyan.”

Holding one hand in front of her ample bosom, she gazes at me with a lack of confidence.

Frowning, as if trying to say something important, she seems to be gathering her resolve. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Eventually.

“Um, Boyan…”

Click! I wake up abruptly.

I find myself surrounded by a wide expanse of blue sky. It’s a clear autumn sky.

Seems like I’ve been taking a nap on a bench in the park.

Yellow leaves flutter in a deeper blue than the sky. Although it’s mid-November and getting chilly, wearing a jacket while sitting here makes me a bit sweaty.

“…Guess the break is almost over.”

Today, I’m helping my sister on a photo shoot.

A part of the large park has been reserved and models are showcasing winter’s new outfits.

Buzz! My smartphone vibrates in my pocket.

Pulling it out, it’s a message from Aya.

“Sorry, I’ve got to deliver something to Hiroto. Sorry for being late for our meeting.”

Her younger brother Hiroto must have forgotten something at his middle school. Probably something related to his club activities since he should be at soccer practice.

From the consecutive messages, it’s evident she’s quite flustered.

Today is our long-awaited date.

Both Aya and I have been busy with part-time jobs lately, so we can only properly meet on weekends.

…However, two weeks ago, I helped her with her bridal job and last week she had an overnight party with her friends, so it’s been a while since we had a real date.

Even sex has been rare since the time we did it at her workplace, a wedding venue.

So, I wanted to enjoy our date in the morning and spend the afternoon cuddling with Aya.

But my sister begged me to help with the shoot from morning, so there’s nothing I could do.

I reply to Aya’s message.

“If you’re delivering something to Hiroto’s middle school, let’s make that our meeting place.”

Almost immediately, the screen shakes and her reply appears.

“Middle school is boring. Okay. I want to see you soon.”

There’s a cute pig stamp at the end of her short reply, looking apologetic.

Lately, she often says “I’m sorry.”

It feels like she’s burdened with something and it’s a bit concerning.

I suddenly have the urge to hug Aya tightly.

But if I do that now, it won’t be enough.

“Ryuji, break’s over! The next shoot is starting, come over!”

“Ah.”

My sister rushes over to call me.

I switch to work mode, standing up.

“Alright, that’s a wrap for the shoot! Good job, everyone!”

With the call from the photography staff, the dismantling of the set begins. Some models, along with photographers, huddle around tablets to review the photos.

I quickly start preparing to leave with my sister’s permission. If I head out now, I should reach Hiroto’s middle school by early afternoon.

As I’m setting the route on my smartphone, cream puffs come into view.

“Ryuji-kun, you tired? Want one of these?”

It’s one of the models. She’s wearing a white outer jacket with a high-neck black knit underneath and blue denim stretches down below.

I recall my that my sister mentioning she’s around twenty. Despite her perfectly arranged face with intense makeup, there’s a somewhat childlike impression, probably because she’s happily smiling.

Her name was… Chiharu, I remember that.

“Thanks, Chiharu-san. Is it okay if I check the photos?”

“Oh, sure thing. But Ryuji-kun seemed in a hurry. Going on a date with your girlfriend, huh?”

Chiharu asks while placing the wrapped cream puff on my palm.

She probably heard about Aya, maybe from my sister. I’ve seen her often on set lately and she seems to have a friendly chat with my sister.

“Yeah, heading out for a date.”

“Oh, nice. Youth is such a wonderful thing.”

Her perfected beautiful face forms a wry smile. With a variety of expressions, it’s clear why models with an amiable personality like hers become popular.

“Well then, excuse me.”

“Wait, here, take this.”

Chiharu takes out another cream puff from the plastic bag she was holding and presents it to me with both hands.

“Bought too many at the convenience store earlier. This one’s for your girlfriend.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay—”

—Accept it.

Suddenly, intuition whispers to me.

I don’t understand.

I don’t understand, but by receiving this cream puff, it seems my relationship with Aya will move in a more favorable direction.

“…Thank you.”

As I take the cream puff, Chiharu lets out a little “hehe” laugh. It’s a mischievous smile, as if a child succeeded in a prank.

“Just remember me as the cream puff person, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Oh, by the way, on a different note, Ryuji-kun, do you have any intention of working exclusively for me?”

“…Huh?”

“Well, to be precise, it’s for Kaede-san… I was thinking of making you both exclusive. You see, you’re like a bonus for Kaede-san, a handyman, an all-around helper. Ryuji-kun, you’re considerate and having you around makes the shoot go smoothly. Oh and everyone else is saying the same.”

“Uh-huh.”

Exclusive, huh?

Chiharu is quite a popular model among the younger ones. Being exclusive would increase my income, which is quite welcome.

—Don’t refuse.

Intuition is urging me a bit more strongly now.

Surely, it must be a good thing for Aya and my future.

But, it will undoubtedly make me busier than I am now.

“Of course, Ryuji-kun, you’re still a student, so take your time to think about it.”

“Understood. Well then, excuse me.”

I bow slightly and leave the park.

-- - - -

Getting off at the nearest bus stop, Hiroto’s middle school came into view.

“Nostalgic”, I mutter.

This is our mothers’s school, where Aya and I also attended.

Entering through the gate and heading towards the schoolyard, I spot students who seem to be from the soccer club running around.

Scanning the schoolyard, Aya is nowhere in sight. Checking my phone, a message reads, “Sorry, running a bit late!”

No other option, so I decide to observe the soccer club’s practice.

It seems they’re conducting compact mock matches in small teams and some students are sitting in the corner of the schoolyard, waiting for their turn.

Among those waiting, I see Hiroto. I approach to strike up a conversation.

“Hey, is Hiro’s sister coming today?”

They seem to be discussing Aya while following the mock match with their eyes.

“Yeah, the teacher told me to bring the thing I forgot to submit yesterday.”

“Forgot, huh?”

“Yep, forgot.”

“Hiro’s sister, is that Aya-san?”

“Yeah, that’s her.”

Hiroto’s tone drops. He looks bored as he stares at the mock match.

Bringing up someone’s sister in conversation is always awkward. I empathize, having been in similar situations. Hiroto seems more relatable to me now.

“Aya-san did that haunted house at the high school cultural festival, right?”

“The zombie one.”

“Yeah, the zombie. I got scared. Out of nowhere, she’d roll her eyes back and attack. It was intense. She put a lot of effort into it.”

“I’ll tell my sister. She’ll be thrilled.”

“Great, ask her to come over sometime.”

“Is it okay to visit your sister?”

“Sure, but she has a boyfriend.”

“Huh, really?”

Hiroto casually drops this information.

“Yeah, it’s that guy, Tokita, from the soccer club, right? I heard they were a famous couple even in high school.”

“Oh, I heard that too. Have they been together since then?”

“No, they broke up.”

“Eh, so Aya-san is currently single!?”

“Yeah, but she has a new boyfriend now.”

“Really?”

Several of them look up at the sky with exaggerated reactions.

“What’s Aya-san’s current boyfriend like?”

“…He’s a good person.”

“Really?”

“And tall.”

Hiroto’s speech gains more fervor. He’s probably trying to chase away any unwanted bugs as the little brother.

“Is he handsome?”

“Well, um—”

“Seriously, you’re so lucky, Hiro. I wish I had a sister like Aya-san.”

“Why? She’s just my sister.”

“No, man, she’s got a great personality, she’s super cute and—”

Don’t say it now, kid.

“Seriously, spare me from that kind of talk…”

“Why, Hiro? It’s something to envy, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, like I’d want a sister like that.”

A whistle blows and the chit-chat comes to an end.

At that moment, my phone vibrates.

“I’m here~”

I quickly shift my gaze toward the school gate.

From a distance, a strikingly beautiful girl stands.

“Hey, isn’t that Aya-san?”

“Wow… she’s so cute.”

Our eyes meet and she smiles, raising her hand towards her chest.

Swiftly lowering her arm, she rushes towards us.

Aya is so captivating.

She’s dressed in a fall outfit, a black long-sleeved sweatshirt paired with a blue knee-length skirt. Instead of her usual baseball cap, she’s sporting a beige one.

These wardrobe choices are new to me. Have she recently made these additions?

One of the club members can’t help but blurt out, distracted by Aya’s presence. His gaze remains fixed on her chest as she moves with light steps in her pure white sneakers. Her ample bosom sways with each step, accentuated by a small black bag worn diagonally.

This is quite the spectacle, especially for middle school boys.

Aya approaches me with a smile and as she reaches me, she raises her eyebrows in a playful manner.

“Sorry for making you wait…”

Aya touches my arm, catching her breath.

“Nah, I’ve just been here for about three hours.”

“Wait, that’s too long.”

She responds with a mixture of bafflement and an awkward smile.

“That skirt is cute. Blue suits you so well.”

“Oh, um, thank you. Kanappe and Yukari recommended it to me.”

Now she looks partly embarrassed and partly pleased.

Aya’s expressions change so quickly – it’s genuinely amusing. I want to see more.

“And you cut your hair. It looks a bit neater.”

“Yeah… I cut it this morning.”

Blushing, she lowers her head a bit. Her chestnut hair, beneath the cap, sways softly.

Aya’s hair is about an inch shorter than yesterday. The volume has lightened a bit.

“Did you change your lipstick too? The color and gloss are completely different from last week.”

“Uh… I tried something new. Thanks.”

Her face finally gets obscured by the cap’s brim.

Emotions flow from her fingertips touching my arm.

—Such a blur. A blur.

—Why do you notice everything?

—You always say happy things.

—It’s embarrassing.

—No, look properly.

—I want you to see.

Aya lifts her head and looks at me.

“Hey, sorry… I was preparing for this, so I ended up being late.”

—Embarrassing.

—Trying to dress up for a date.

—I must look so stupid.

—But Boyan will surely say…

“Ah, you look really cute.”

“Ugh…”

Aya furrows her brows and moistens her eyes.

She seems happy but somewhat frustrated.

Why is she so incredibly cute?

“Oh… sis.”

Behind me, I hear Hiroto’s apologetic voice. When I turn around, male middle school students are staring at Aya and me in amazement.

“Hey, Hiroto’s here!?”

Aya, also with an awkward expression, peeks out.

Right, she did mention that.

Aya had completely captivated my attention and I had almost forgotten about Hiroto and the others.

“Well, I’ve been here the whole time… Did you bring it?”

“Oh, right.”

Aya rummages through her bag.

“Here, this is your career path preference form.”

“Thanks.”

A peculiar silence ensues, broken by a boy standing next to Hiroto.

“Well, we still have practice to attend!”

“Yeah, good luck!”

They say “hi” with bright smiles and dash off. Their profiles uniformly reddened.

“Well then, Boyan.”

Hiroto gives a curt nod and follows them.

“…So, Boyan, ready to go? There seems to be time for the next showing of the movie.”

Aya asks, her cheeks still flushed.

Today marks our first movie date. We planned to watch the CG animation she had been eager to see.

“If you’re up for it, Aya, how about checking out the school a bit longer?”

“Hehe, I was thinking the same thing.”

“Then let’s go say hi to our old homeroom teacher or something.”

“Great idea!”

She rolls up her black sweatshirt sleeves. I wondered why she did that here, but her enthusiasm was amusing, so I didn’t comment.

“Excuse us. We’re graduates, Nanto… Oh Ando-sensei!”

Aya cheers as she enters the staff room.

“Oh, Nanto! Ah, Boyan, still growing, I see.”

“Long time no see, Sensei.”

A middle-aged teacher, broad-shouldered, appears at the entrance with a gentle smile.

Ando-sensei was our homeroom teacher back in our first year of junior high, popular among students for his calm demeanor. Aya had a particular fondness for him, often giving him nicknames and consulting with him or helping with class preparations.

“Both of you have grown up… or maybe Nantor is still as lively as ever.”

“Ando-sensei hasn’t changed.”

“I’m already an old man. Old men don’t change much over a few years.”

Aya and Ando-sensei chat happily. He seems to be one of the few male teachers she can comfortably talk to.

“By the way, what brings you here today?”

“I came to deliver my little brother’s forgotten items and also to visit Ando-sensei.”

“Aww, you’ve been working hard. Nice to see you, Boyan.”

Aya seems to tease him like a high school girl would a teacher. It’s rare to see her so casually interacting.

“Oh, well, you’ve worked hard then.”

Ando-sensei seems to hesitate before attempting to pat her shoulder but retracts his hand. He must have hesitated to touch the grown-up Aya.

It’s clear she has matured since middle school, enough to make even a teacher inadvertently conscious of it.

“Since you’re here, how about touring the school a bit?”

“Huh, is that okay?”

“It’s fine. Today, it’s just me and the club advisor. Yep, I approve.”

“Ando-sensei, you’ve moved up in the world. Alright, let’s go, Boyan.”

Aya grabs the hem of my jacket and we exit the staff room.

In these situations, I’m impressed by her brightness and friendliness.

Loved by people of all ages, she’s someone everyone likes. It’s one of her many charms.

In the end, I didn’t say a word to the teacher. I thought I might be asked something like, “Are you two dating?” but I didn’t feel any indication of that from the teacher.

Since it’s known that we’re childhood friends, people probably thought, “Oh, these two get along well”, even when we entered high school.

Surely, from an outsider’s perspective, we must seem that way. No one would think we’re in a passionate sexual relationship.

“Aya likes Ando-sensei, huh?”

I ask her as she walks down the hallway in high spirits.

“Yeah, he’s a really good teacher.”

“I kind of got that feeling.”

“Hehe, jealous?”

She raises an eyebrow and smiles mischievously.

Maybe it’s because her excitement has returned to that of a middle schooler. It feels like she’s asking not as a lover but more like a close childhood friend.

“Oh, I can leave Aya with Ando-sensei for three days.”

“I haven’t said anything like that at all!”

Aya leans against my shoulder. It’s our usual childhood friend banter.

But she doesn’t try to move away from the touching shoulders. Gradually, our arms press against each other and the backs of our hands lightly brush. Without realizing it, we hold hands.

I grip Aya’s slender and soft hand tightly and she responds with a gentle squeeze. With just that warmth, you can feel how much we wanted this.

We walk through the deserted school building without a destination.

It’s already autumn, so I thought it might be cold inside the school building, but perhaps because of the afternoon sunlight streaming into the hallway, it’s softly warm.

Walking through this empty school building, I’m reminded of the morning after the cultural festival.

The time when I held Aya in an empty classroom all night, that moment.

“Oh, right. This school doesn’t have vending machines.”

She mutters at the end of the hallway, just before the stairs.

She’s probably remembering the same thing as me.

As evidence, the palm of the hand she’s holding is sweaty. I can feel her pulse getting faster.

Aya is probably sensing the same thing from my palm right now.

“If it’s drinks you want, I have them, enough for both of us.”

“Oh, yeah… I brought some too. Enough for both of us.”

While holding hands, we climb the stairs.

It feels like we’re looking for a place without anyone else, like we’re exploring.

The second-floor hallway is warmer than the first floor.

Suddenly, a sweet fragrance emanates from her.

Did she wear perfume for the date? I briefly thought so, but reconsidered when I recognized the familiar scent.

This is Aya’s scent.

Upon closer inspection, the nape of her neck extending from the black sweatshirt is slightly sweaty. It’s the sweet aroma that permeates when kissing, hugging, undressing – a captivating, sweet scent.

My entire body… my groin is gradually warming.

“It feels like we’re exploring, doesn’t it?”

Aya murmurs while looking ahead down the hallway.

“…And a little like we’re doing something naughty.”

Her voice is incredibly seductive, causing my groin to swell even more.

She may not have that intention, but her tone and fragrance contain elements that seduce a man.

I grip her hand tightly and briskly walk down the hallway.

“Huh, Boyan? Where are we going?”

While pulling her small hand, we stop in front of a door.

“Aya, do you remember this classroom?”

“Oh, it’s 1-2, our class in the first year of junior high.”

This is the classroom from when Aya and I were in the same class in junior high.

Following my intuition, I place my hand on the door. When I pull it to the side, it opens smoothly.

“Huh, I thought the classroom was supposed to be locked…”

“I guess they forgot to lock this one.”

Is this another one of those whimsical interventions of god? I can intuitively sense that nobody has been here for a while.

“…Should we go in?”

“Let’s go.”

Aya, too, probably anticipates what will happen next. The palm of her hand holding mine trembles slightly and her face, now slightly reddened, looks down.

“…Yeah.”

She nods shyly.