The weight of Eriri's silence was palpable on the walk back. Tanaka Masao could feel the gloom radiating from her, a stark contrast to her bubbly energy from earlier.
He wanted to say something to lift her spirits, but every phrase that came to mind felt hollow or, worse, wildly inappropriate. 'Just forget about Tomoya, Eriri. I'm here for you.'
He could already imagine the look of scorn she'd give him before blocking his number for good.
So he followed a step behind, his mind racing for the right words. But his focus, the treacherous thing that it was, began to drift.
His gaze, meant to be fixed on the pavement, kept snagging on the girl walking ahead of him.
'She might be slender, but the curve of her hips are actually quite graceful… the kind that…'
He shook his head, physically dispelling the thought.
'What is wrong with me? This is not the time. Think about how to help her, you idiot.'
'Helping her… helping… Hips for—'
The entire journey was a battle between his noble intentions and his baser instincts—a battle his eyes kept losing.
Unsurprisingly, he arrived at the Sawamura residence no closer to a solution. Eriri, lost in her own somber world, remained oblivious to the conflicted boy in her wake.
—
"I'm home."
Eriri's announcement was a lifeless murmur as she toe-heeled her shoes off and trudged upstairs without another word.
Sayuri Sawamura emerged from the living room, her welcoming smile faltering as she watched her daughter disappear.
Her sharp eyes immediately found Masao. She gently pulled him aside, her voice a hushed, concerned whisper.
"Masao-kun, what happened? Did you two have a disagreement?"
"No, not at all," Masao was quick to assure her.
"We had a really good day." He explained the brief, fateful encounter on the street. "After she saw him, she just… shut down."
Sayuri released a soft, weary sigh.
"That would be Tomoya, I suppose."
Her shoulders slumped slightly. She had been hoping today's outing was a step in a new direction, but the ghost of that boy still had far too strong a hold.
Getting them together now seemed a fantasy; just getting them to speak civilly would be a monumental task. She looked up at Masao, her expression full of apology.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Masao-kun. That boy is Tomoya Aki, Eriri's childhood friend. They had a… falling out some time ago. They still haven't patched things up."
Seeing the genuine worry etched on Sayuri's face, Masao felt a pang of sympathy.
"Please don't apologize, Sayuri-san. Friends have arguments. I'm sure they'll find a way to work it out."
His words seemed to open a floodgate. Sayuri led him to the sofa, sitting down as if the weight of years had finally caught up with her.
For so long, she had watched her daughter carry this burden alone. Her only child, and that child's one-time closest friend, locked in a stalemate she couldn't break. It was a helpless feeling. Now, finally, she had someone to talk to.
Masao listened intently. While he knew the broad strokes of their history from the anime of his past life, hearing the mother's perspective added new, poignant layers.
As her story wound down, Sayuri turned to him, a searching look in her eyes.
"Masao-kun, when you and your friends have a fight, how do you usually make up?"
"Well…" Masao hesitated, the question striking an unexpected chord. He finally answered, his voice even. "I don't actually have any friends."
Sayuri, still wrapped in her own narrative, blinked. It took a moment for his words to register.
"Masao-kun… What did you say? You don't have any friends?"
He nodded.
"That's right. So I don't really have any experience resolving that kind of conflict."
It wasn't a lie. His current self had never maintained a friendship long enough for a real conflict to arise.
His past life was a different story, but those memories felt distant, and their minor squabbles had always faded within a day, resolving themselves without any grand gestures.
A heavy, awkward silence filled the room.
Sayuri had thought Eriri's situation was a tragedy—to lose your only confidant. But the reality facing the boy in front of her was somehow more profound in its loneliness.
To have no one to lose in the first place. She felt a hot flush of shame, realizing she had been complaining about a sprained ankle to someone who had never learned to walk.
'Oh, I am a terrible person.'
"Masao-kun, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you…" she began, her voice thick with mortification.
He waved a hand, dismissing her concern.
"Really, Sayuri-san, it's fine. It's not that big of a deal."
"Not a big deal?" she repeated, incredulous. "Not having any friends is… by any measure, that is a very unusual thing."
"Is it?"
Masao considered the people he knew now: Yukino Yukinoshita, Kawasaki Saki, and the two Sawamuras. A fifty percent friendlessness rate seemed pretty standard in his circle.
"I suppose I'm starting to make some friends at school now. And there's Eriri, and you, Sayuri-san. I'd count you both as my friends."
A warm, gentle smile finally broke through Sayuri's troubled expression.
"Of course. I am proud to be your friend, Masao-kun. And so is Eriri."
Suddenly, an idea lit up her eyes, a plan visibly forming.
"Masao-kun, you live all the way in Chiba, don't you? You've come such a long way to visit. You should stay the night!"
"Stay the night?" Masao's hesitation was genuine, if slightly performative. "Wouldn't I be imposing?"
In truth, the offer was a blessing. He was exhausted. The early start, the long commute, and a full day navigating Eriri's emotional landscape had drained him.
The thought of the long train ride back to Chiba was depressing.
"It's no trouble at all!" Sayuri insisted, seizing his reluctance. "You must be worn out. You should rest here. It's decided! I'll go and prepare the guest room immediately."
She stood up, not waiting for a reply, and hurried off before he could protest further.
Left alone in the quiet living room, a knot of nervous tension coiled in Masao's stomach.
This was his first time staying over at a girl's house. A cascade of practical and slightly thrilling questions tumbled through his mind.
'What will they have for dinner?'
'Does Eriri's father come home in the evening? How should I act if he does?'
'I didn't bring a change of clothes… I'll have to use their bath. What's their bathroom like?'
And beneath the nervousness, a flicker of excitement and anticipation stirred.
'Could something… unexpected happen tonight?'
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