196 - The Difference Between a Girlfriend and a Wife

RAW

After finishing the practice for the mixed relay, Haruto was changing in the locker room with Tomoya.

"Fuu~ that was a good sweat."

"It wasn’t even that much exercise."

Haruto replied in his usual tone next to Tomoya, who was acting overly refreshed.

"It’s not about the amount, it's the tension, you know?"

"It’s not the actual event yet."

"Not that kind of tension. I mean the exciting-and-embarrassing kind—the tension of bumping into Aizawa-san."

"Exciting and embarrassing? That’s just a dangerous accident."

As Haruto changed into his shirt, he added, "If you’d fallen, you could’ve gotten hurt."

"Yeah, maybe, but still—you hugged a girl. Obviously your heart races, right?"

Tomoya grinned as he buttoned his shirt.

"Aizawa-san smelled really nice too."

"If she saw your face right now, she’d be seriously creeped out."

Haruto said with a sigh while changing his shirt.

"I’m just saying—"

Tomoya rolled up his sleeves and casually asked:

"Hey Haru, how do we look from the outside? Me and Aizawa-san."

"What do you mean, how?"

"Like… do we look close?"

Even Tomoya tilted his head while asking.

Haruto glanced at him briefly.

Though he understood… he also didn’t.

"You two get along, don’t you? Lazy you and Aizawa-san getting annoyed at that—it kinda looks like a good balance."

"I see, then that means we’re connected from a past life."

"I didn’t say that."

Tomoya joked; Haruto responded calmly.

Since they’d known each other so long, Haruto decided to go straight at him.

"So, Tomoya—what do you think of Aizawa-san?"

"…A goddess?"

"Huh?"

Not the answer he expected—Haruto froze mid-change.

"So… that means you like her?"

"Not 'like'—more like worship?"

"A real goddess then."

"Just folding my hands and praying to her is enough to bring peace to my heart."

Tomoya knelt, clasping his hands reverently. Haruto grimaced.

"Are you… okay?"

Haruto looked at him pitifully.

"Don’t look at me like that. That part was a joke."

"Don’t make jokes that don’t sound like jokes."

Haruto gave him a deadpan look.

"No way, that obviously sounded like a joke."

"Recently, when Aizawa-san scolds you, you look happy. So it wasn’t impossible to imagine."

Tomoya crossed his arms thoughtfully.

"Well, she’s just easy to be around, I guess. We vibe. She’s comfortable."

"So that means you like her?"

Haruto shot straight again—Tomoya tilted his head harder.

"If that’s the definition, then I like you too."

"Ugh, stop."

Haruto made the most disgusted face.

"Hey hey, harsh. After everything we’ve been through?"

"I already have the best girlfriend—Ayaka."

"Not girlfriend. Wife."

Tomoya corrected instantly, pointing at Haruto.

"And seriously—what high schooler is already living with his wife?"

"I mean… nothing particularly unusual—"

"It’s unusual!"

Tomoya cut him off and leaned in.

"She’s not just a girlfriend—a wife. Approved by both families. Meaning, you can do whatever you want with Tojo-san!"

"W–what do you mean, whatever I want—"

Haruto pushed him away.

"I don’t want to do anything Ayaka dislikes."

"No no no! Tojo-san is head over heels for you! She might be waiting for you to do ‘whatever you want’!"

Haruto sighed, rolling his shoulders.

"Stop projecting your wishful fantasies on me."

"It’s not fantasy. If Tojo-san came onto you—you wouldn’t hate it, right?"

"Well… I wouldn’t hate it."

"You’d be happy, right?"

"…"

Haruto couldn’t bring himself to answer. Tomoya placed his hand on his shoulder smugly.

"And that goes both ways."

Haruto recalled when Ayaka had been very forward with the excuse of “practicing for being a couple.”

"…shut up."

Flustered, he brushed Tomoya’s hand away.

Tomoya leaned back, hands behind his head.

"Man, I envy you. A father- and mother-in-law who accept you, a little brother who adores you, and a cute wife who says ‘I love you’ all the time…"

Tomoya stared with mixed envy and disbelief.

"What even is this situation? What kind of karma gets you this cheat route? Did you save the world in a previous life?"

"If there is a god, meeting Ayaka is something I’d thank him for forever—but that’s how encounters are, aren’t they?"

Haruto replied calmly.

"I’m jealous, man. Tojo-san must be ridiculously cute when she’s clingy."

Tomoya ended the conversation, finished changing, and walked toward the exit.

Haruto called out:

"Hey, Tomoya."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Ayaka became even cuter after we started dating?"

At lunch someone had mentioned it—that Ayaka grew more charming after being with Haruto.

Tomoya paused, hand on the door, thinking.

"Well… Tojo-san when she’s next to you looking all happy—modestly speaking, she’s a goddess."

"I see…"

Haruto nodded—then chuckled.

"Again with the goddess thing."

"Modestly speaking she’s a goddess. If I wasn’t modest—she’d be a god."

"That’s the same thing."

Tomoya blinked, then shrugged.

"But yeah, her ‘ultimate cute smile’ is something only you get to see—so it’s easier for me to look at her casually."

"Casually?"

Haruto tilted his head. Tomoya explained.

"Before, dudes could still hope, right? Like ‘maybe I have a chance?’ But now that possibility is zero. Meaning we can admire her like a celebrity."

"Hmm… I guess?"

Haruto understood with his head—but not his feelings.

Tomoya smirked.

"Cheat rom-com protagonist Haru wouldn’t get it."

He tossed the line and walked out.

Haruto followed.

Ayaka and Saki were waiting in the hallway.

"You two were slow. What were you doing?"

Saki asked suspiciously.

Tomoya grinned.

"Discussing the goddess seriously. Right, Haru?"

Haruto just went along.

"I was listening to Tomoya passionately analyze the goddess’s charms."

"Hey! You wanted to know about the goddess too!"

Tomoya grinned at Ayaka.

"And by the way—Haru’s goddess is Tojo-san."

"Eh!?"

Ayaka blinked wide, then turned to Haruto.

"Really?"

Her eyes sparkled with joy. Haruto gave a strained smile.

"More like… I was curious about how someone else sees your cuteness."

Tomoya smirked.

"Just say you can’t stop thinking about Tojo-san!"

"You’re noisy."

Haruto muttered, embarrassed—but Ayaka looked truly happy.

Watching that, Saki muttered to herself:

"I’m buying coffee on the way home."