"I got accepted into the same university as you, big bro!!"
Tōru’s voice was so loud it was on the verge of distorting.
My ears rang, and I reflexively moved my phone away from my ear.
I wanted to shout “You’re too loud...”, but considering the circumstances, I held back.
Instead, I decided to respond with an equally loud voice:
"Congratulations!!"
It was truly something to celebrate. A moment so joyful that it felt like my monotonous, black-and-white life—just working and sleeping—had been splashed with vibrant colors.
"You’re too loud, big bro."
"Come on, that’s completely unfair!"
I retorted, and Tōru burst out laughing in that same boisterous way.
I sighed deeply. Some things never change, even though Tōru was about to start university. In this regard, he’s still the same as before.
"So anyway, I’m going to be your junior from now on, big bro. Take care of me~."
"Yeah, yeah. Once you move to Tokyo, I’ll treat you to some yakiniku."
"Really!? Can we go to Jojoen!?"
(T/N: Jojoen is a famous and high-end yakiniku restaurant in Japan.)
"If I, a second-year working adult, took a growing boy like you to Jojoen, I’d go bankrupt. But I’ll take you somewhere decent, so look forward to it."
"Yay!!"
There was a sudden whoosh sound from the other side, probably from Tōru raising his hands in victory. Even though it’s been around six years since I moved to Tokyo, I could clearly picture the expression on his face just from his voice. That’s the bond we have as childhood friends, despite the age difference.
"By the way, Tōru..."
"Yeah?"
"Your voice never changed, huh?"
Although it’s a bit lower than it used to be, Tōru’s voice is still high-pitched for a guy.
"Hmm... Ah, that’s right... now that you mention it, your voice did change, big bro."
"What, are you complaining about my scratchy voice?"
"No, no, it’s not that... I was just thinking, if you still believe that, then it’s fine..."
"What are you mumbling about?"
"Nothing, nothing at all!"
His habit of muttering to himself hasn’t changed either. As the saying goes, “The soul of a child lasts a hundred years” (i.e., some traits stick with people for life). Compared to when he was a mischievous brat always causing trouble, he’s calmed down quite a bit... but now that Tōru’s starting university, I must be getting old.
As I was feeling sentimental, something important crossed my mind. The hardships of moving to Tokyo.
"Tōru, if you’re moving to Tokyo, you should start looking for a place to live soon."
"Ah, Dad said that too..."
"If you get too excited, you’ll end up living in a place with too many rooms like I did."
"What’s wrong with that?"
"It’s not good. I went over my rent budget and had to work part-time to cover my living expenses."
"Haha, that’s hilarious!"
"It’s not funny. Don’t underestimate the cost of living in the city."
Even though I was giving him the wise words of someone with experience, Tōru wasn’t paying much attention. He’ll regret it by April, I thought, when suddenly a brilliant idea popped into my head.
"Hey, Tōru. If you’re too lazy to find a place..."
"Yeah?"
"Why don’t we share a room?"
It was a genius idea, if I do say so myself. It was a win-win situation for both of us. Unless he was absolutely dead-set on living alone, which could be tough for someone just starting out, this would let him transition more easily, and I could make use of my spare room.
"Wait... are you serious?"
"Yeah? It’s a spontaneous idea, but I’m serious. If you’re okay with it, I’m all for it."
"Really!? Then I definitely want to live with you, big bro!"
"You should talk to your dad first, though."
"...Wait a sec, I’ll go ask him right now."
—Dad!!
I heard Tōru’s voice fading as he ran off.
Such a scatterbrained guy... I bet he’s still riding the high from getting accepted into university.
Before long, I heard two sets of footsteps approaching.
"Hello, is that Shō-kun? Can you hear me?"
Unlike Tōru’s boisterous voice, this one was deep and calm. It was his dad—nostalgic.
"Yes, I can hear you. It’s been a while."
"Yes, it has. It’s good to hear you’re doing well... but, Shō-kun."
"Yes?"
"You’re really serious about living with Tōru, aren’t you?"
"Yes, I am. I’ve got a spare room, and if you’re worried about your son living alone right away, I’d be happy to keep an eye on him."
"I see... but..."
"...? What is it?"
"Well, now that we’re talking, there’s something I should probably mention... Tōru is actually...mmph! Mmph!"
Suddenly, there was a commotion. It sounded like Tōru was covering his dad’s mouth.
I could hear Tōru muttering something on the other side.
"Hey, Tōru! What are you doing?"
"It’s nothing! I’ll call you back in a bit!"
Beep, beep...
"...He hung up."
"What the heck was that?"
It sounded like Tōru’s dad was about to say something, but...
I waited for a few minutes, still puzzled.
Then, Tōru called again.
"Hey, Tōru, what was that all about earlier?"
"Sorry, sorry, I just had to deal with my dad a bit."
"What do you mean ‘deal with him’?"
(I was baffled by his choice of words.)
"I got permission from my dad about the room-sharing, so we’re all good!"
"Oh... I see. That’s a relief."
"So, from spring, I’ll be counting on you, big bro!"
"Y-yeah. Looking forward to it."
And with that, we decided to discuss the finer details with his dad via LINE, and that’s how the conversation ended for the day.
Later, when I spoke with his dad to go over the specifics...
"Shō-kun... Tōru may be a bit of a handful, but please take care of him."
He sounded strangely serious, which caught me a little off guard.
His melancholic voice echoed in my mind. In the end, I never figured out what had made him act that way.
Finally, it was late March, the day Tōru was going to move in.
I took a well-timed day off and finished tidying up the apartment, so I was all set to welcome him. As I sipped coffee and thought about how much he must have grown, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.
I never used to drink coffee before moving to Tokyo, but now it’s become one of my favorite things. Time really does fly.
Now, how should I show off my seniority to Tōru, who probably can’t even do basic household chores? As I was eagerly contemplating that...
I received a message from Tōru:
"I’ve arrived at the station!"
The message was accompanied by a cute sticker.
My apartment wasn’t too far from the station, so it wouldn’t be long before he arrived.
"Should I come pick you up?"
(I offered, thinking it would be nice to welcome him.)
"How old do you think I am?"
With that, my offer was politely rejected.
I had been treating him like a child, based on my old image of him, but I guess it wasn’t right to be so overprotective—after all, he was already a university student. So, I decided to just wait at home.
Meeting my much younger childhood friend after so long... I was getting a bit nervous. To the point where I almost refilled my empty coffee cup out of restlessness.
Even though I’ve settled down a bit, I’m still only in my second year as a working adult, and I’m entering my third year now. I’m far from being a calm, composed adult.
Ding dong.
Just as I was about to brew my second cup of coffee, the doorbell rang. Perfect timing.
"Coming!"
I called out as I opened the door, and standing there was...
"Is that really you, Tōru?"
"Ehehe, surprised, big bro?"
His once deeply tanned skin was now pearl white, and he had grown almost as tall as me.
Standing before me was a fully grown version of Tōru.
"Wow, you’ve really changed..."
A voice of amazement escaped my lips.
Before me was a beautiful, androgynous young man. His short, silky hair swayed lightly in the breeze. His slim silhouette was outlined by tight jeans. Although the baggy hoodie he wore obscured his upper body’s shape, I was sure he was just as slender there.
"You look a bit worn out, big bro. Are you eating properly?"
"Yeah, I’m cooking for myself, at least."
"That’s not good enough! You need to think about nutritional balance."
You’re not young anymore, he added with an unnecessary comment, then laughed mischievously.
It was the kind of remark that should have annoyed me, but for some reason, it hit me right in the heart.
Ah, it’s Tōru.
That familiar expression made me feel at ease. Even though he had grown up, some things never change.
"Come on in. I’ve got a room ready for you."
"Sure thing!"
0 Comments