{Satou-san’s Treasure (2-2)}

She answered hesitantly.

“Ah-kun, that’s what I call them… Is that weird?”

I unintentionally felt my breath catch.

Since we were former classmates, of course, Satou-san knew my full name: Atsushi Yamaguchi. She had never called me by my first name before—at least, not in front of me.

“It’s not weird.”

“Sometimes I call them Atsushi-kun or try other names…”

It gave me a small glimpse into how Satou-san usually spent her time in this room.

“I thought that maybe if I keep calling them that, it might become easier to call you by your name too, Yamaguchi-kun.”

Once again, something stirred deep within me. I felt like a switch had been flipped, and I cupped her cheeks with both hands, pulling her closer.

This time, I made sure no stuffed animals would get in the way, and quickly pressed my lips to Satou-san’s soft, natural-colored ones.

Several seconds passed without interruption.

When I finally pulled back, Satou-san lowered her head as if trying to hide.

“Y-Yamaguchi-kun… why all of a sudden…?”

Even though she was asking, technically, we were dating.

Sure, we didn’t do these things often, but that was mostly because we usually met outside. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to; I just didn’t think it always needed a reason.

Though, if I’m honest, maybe this time I did have a bit of a reason—an excuse, really.

“I wanted to make some memories in Satou-san’s room.”

That was my justification.

“I was hoping you’d think of me a bit more when you’re here.”

Satou-san’s shoulders shook as she giggled softly, still looking down.

“If I thought about you any more than I already do, I wouldn’t be able to think about anything else while I’m in this room…”

That was a knockout line, one that almost took my breath away.

With the switch inside me flipping again, I grabbed her shoulders and leaned in to look her in the eyes.

Satou-san hesitated for a moment but slowly, very slowly, closed her eyes. Yet, just as I moved closer, we heard a car pull up outside, and her eyes flew open.

“My mom is home!”

Suddenly, her face filled with panic as she began to fluster.

“W-what do I do, Yamaguchi-kun!? My face is so red, right!?”

“Yeah… well, kinda.”

There was no point lying, so I nodded.

In response, Satou-san quickly grabbed a glass of barley tea and pressed it against her cheeks to cool them.

“I have to calm down! Please go away, redness, go away!”

She muttered like she was casting some sort of spell.

I wasn’t sure if I should follow her lead, but before I could decide, the sliding door downstairs opened, and we heard her mother’s cheerful voice, “We’re home!”

Whether it was the cold barley tea that helped or just her mom being tactful, Satou-san’s mother didn’t comment on how we looked when we greeted her.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Miyuki’s mother. Thank you for always looking out for my daughter.”

Satou-san’s mom looked like an older version of her. Her modest features were similar to Satou-san’s, though her hair, tied in a simple ponytail, had streaks of gray, and her expression carried a hint of tiredness. But when she smiled, it was a kind, warm smile, one that didn’t show that fatigue.

She spoke more slowly than Satou-san, giving off a gentle, easygoing vibe.

“We don’t have any young men in the house, so I wasn’t sure how much to prepare… but please, eat as much as you like.”

True to her word, the dining table in the Satou household was covered with sushi—seven servings, to be exact.

Apparently, they had assumed I could eat that much, but considering Satou-san lived with just her mom and her grandparents, that meant I had to finish three people’s worth of sushi.

I wasn’t a particularly big eater, but I did my best to respond to their hospitality.

In the end, though, three servings were just too much, and I had to ask for Satou-san’s help.

“Sorry about that, Yamaguchi-kun. I think Mom got a little too excited.”

Satou-san whispered apologetically as she refilled my tea.

“Well, it’s just that I never imagined the day would come when Miyuki would bring home a boy,” her mom said in her relaxed tone, and Satou-san nodded in agreement.

“Neither did I. But you know, Yamaguchi-kun is really a good person.”

As I listened to that exchange, I found myself wondering what “a good person” meant in this context.

I hoped it meant I was someone good enough for Satou-san, not just that I was nice.

“But he’s a serious kid, isn’t he? I’ve heard all about it!”

That was her grandfather, sitting at the table with us. He was already over seventy and didn’t talk much, but when he did, his voice was booming, leaving a strong impression.

Whenever he spoke, Satou-san’s grandmother would laugh and chime in.

“Grandpa, you know Miyuki wouldn’t bring home a bad boy.”

“That’s right, exactly!”

Her grandfather, a bit hard of hearing, raised his voice and continued, as if remembering something.

“Oh, right! That thing in Miyuki’s room.”

“Ah, the photo? Yes, that’s right.”

Satou-san nodded.

As soon as I heard the word “photo,” I felt a wave of dread.

“That boy who played the mouse in the play! Of course he’s a serious kid!”

My worst fears were confirmed, and I choked on the tea Satou-san had poured me.

“Y-you saw that?”

“Yes, Miyuki showed it to me. You made a fine mouse, very dedicated to the role!”

Her grandmother gave me an approving nod, and her mom followed up in her gentle tone.

“I actually went to see the play during the cultural festival.”

“You came to watch the play!?”

“Yes, I wanted to see Miyuki’s performance. But she said the mouse was working hard too, so I paid attention.”

Her mom looked at Satou-san, who nodded along sheepishly.

“I saw how seriously you took your performance. I thought, just like Miyuki said, you must be a really good person. I’m glad I got to meet you today.”

The way Satou-san’s mom spoke was so genuine and open, just like her daughter.

I didn’t know whether I should feel happy about that or embarrassed that they’d seen my most cringe-worthy moment, but either way, I had mixed feelings.

Since I knew the Satou family liked to go to bed early, I decided to excuse myself shortly after dinner.

“Thank you for having me today.”

Satou-san came to see me off as I stepped outside.

The night had already fallen, and the dimly lit neighborhood was dotted with glowing lights from other houses.

“Thanks for introducing me to your family. I had fun, and the sushi was great.”

I said, and she laughed out loud.

“Are you sure? You really tried hard to eat all of it, didn’t you? Your stomach’s okay? Walking too much might make it hurt.”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t too much, thanks to your help.”

Then, I reached out and touched her cheek again.

This time, it was only slightly warm.

Satou-san blinked, as if recalling something, and looked a little embarrassed.

“I was happy to see your treasures today.”

“Yeah.”

“I hope you’ll think of today as another treasure too.”

“Yeah… today will be another memory I won’t forget.”

Hearing that from her made me smile as I let my hand fall.

“Goodnight then, Satou-san. See you.”

“Goodnight, Yamaguchi-kun. Come by again.”

As much as I didn’t want to leave, the night air was starting to get chilly. After exchanging short farewells, I walked away from her house.

When I looked back, I saw that Satou-san was still standing by her door, watching me. When she noticed, she waved at me with a big smile.

Until today, I had considered my role as the mouse in the Cinderella play a part of my embarrassing past.

But now, I think it’s fine to be remembered like this, even if I can’t erase it.

After all, I’m becoming part of Satou-san’s precious memories.

A little embarrassment seems like a small price to pay.