{Changing Clothes Together 2}

Now that I think about it, it feels like it’s always been this way.

In high school, when I first met Miyu on a holiday, she was dressed in a childlike outfit that made her look like a middle schooler, and it left a lasting impression on me for various reasons. On the day I chased her to the airport, on our first outing together, and on that day we swung together at the park—I always paid close attention to what she wore and remembered it well.

Now, Miyu hardly wears childlike clothes anymore; she has completely grown into a young woman. I think that suits her better and looks good on her now.

Unlike before, I’ve learned to praise her a lot. This has allowed Miyu to find clothes that suit her even more, and I get to admire how beautiful she becomes day by day. It’s truly a win-win situation.

“But there were many fall clothes of yours I didn’t recognize today.”

Suddenly, she murmured.

With a slightly serious expression, she continued to think.

“Maybe it’s because we weren’t living together last fall? There were several clothes I didn’t know about, and I was hanging them while wondering if you wore them to university.”

“Oh, that might be the case.”

Until last year, we weren’t living together.

In fact, we were on separate paths and couldn’t even meet every day.

Unlike during high school, when we could naturally see each other at school, no matter how much I went to university or Miyu went to work, we rarely met. The only times we ran into each other were when our drinking parties coincided, and we happened to cross paths at an izakaya.

There were times when we didn’t see each other for weeks at a time, so it was no wonder I would see unfamiliar clothes.

Now, the thought of not being able to see Miyu for a few weeks is unbearable.

I can hardly remember how I managed to get through those times.

“It’s okay. If we live together, you’ll see them often enough to get bored.”

I jokingly replied, and Miyu chuckled softly.

“There’s no way I would get bored.”

She then gently added towards me.

“On the contrary, now every time the season changes, we can reminisce. We’ll remember where we went in those clothes or what we did, and there won’t be any unfamiliar clothes anymore.”

No more unfamiliar clothes.

That might be what living together means.

We have already been together for a long time, yet there are still things we don’t know about each other. It seems today, one of the “unknowns” for Miyu has been filled in.

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

When I agreed, Miyu quietly said.

“I’m really happy that I can look back on things every time we change clothes.”

She said it with genuine joy and feeling.

“Yeah… me too.”

That was exactly what I was thinking just a moment ago while folding her clothes.

As we continue to live together, I’m sure we’ll think about these moments every time we change clothes. The unfamiliar clothes will gradually disappear, and each piece of our clothing will hold memories of the two of us.

I thought that must be what living together means.

And there was one more thing I thought about.

Back to last year, when we weren’t living together and could hardly meet—I wasn’t the only one who felt it was unbearable.

I’m really glad we can live together now.