The Childhood Friend Incident

Today was the day.

The day my mother had been aggressively preparing for.

The day Yuna was supposed to come over for dinner.

And the day, I was absolutely, 100% sure something embarrassing would happen to me.

After mom and sis asked me for the 100th time, I finally invited her a few days ago.

I stood in my hallway, hesitating between the 2 doors: Yuna’s place or my parents' place.

Should I knock on her door first? Should we go together? Would that look weird? Would that make us look like some kind of couple? Should I just go alone? What if she’s waiting for me?

I stared at her door. Then I chickened out.

“She’ll figure it out.” I muttered and headed to my parents' apartment alone.

The moment I stepped inside the smell of my mother’s cooking hit me, like always, like a nostalgic punch in the face.

And then–

I froze.

Sitting at the dining table, waiving at me with a bright smile, was someone I hadn’t seen in years.

“...No way.”

“Ren!” she said, standing up. “It’s been forever!”

My childhood friend.

Her.

The girl who used to live in the apartment on the OTHER side of my parents’ place. The girl I used to walk to school with. Do homework with. Nerd out with.

The girl I used to have a crush on in middle school but never confessed because puberty hit me like a debuff on all social skills.

Sakura Nakamura.

She looked… different now. In the way someone goes from ‘cute classmate’ to ‘why do you look like you stepped out of a romance manga?’.

I swallowed.

“What… are you doing here?” I managed.

She laughed lightly. “Visiting my parents. Your mom saw me in the hallway and dragged me in. Is that okay? I mean, it’s been so long! I got so nostalgic. And apparently you became famous while the rest of us were busy growing up... so I wanted to congratulate you.”

“Oh...  Thanks. Yeah… It’s been a while. Of course it’s okay.”

Mom… what have you done.

She brushed her hair back. “You look good, Ren. Better than in high school.”

My brain short-circuited.

Then she leaned forward slightly with a teasing smirk.

“So, do you have a girlfriend now? Don’t tell me a famous streamer like you is still single?”

I nearly choked on air.

Before I could answer, my mother appeared with a platter of food.

“Ren, set the table! Yuna should be here any minute.”

Sakura blinked. “Yuna? Who’s Yuna?”

“Well… that’s… uh… she’s my pregnant neighbor.”

Her face flickered into several emotions at once.

Confusion, concern, suspicion.

“Pregnant… neighbor?... So you have a pregnant girlfriend you don’t want to tell me about because of fear I might make it public? Do you think so little of me?”

“Noo, that’s not it at all. It’s a long story.”

Suspicion was written all over her face at this point.

But before she could interrogate me further, the doorbell rang.

My mother clapped her hands. “Ah, that must be her!”

I was already dying inside.

Yuna stepped inside cautiously, bowing to my mother.

The 1st thing she did was thank my mom for all the great food she got lately and also for the invitation.

The 2nd thing she did… was freeze.

Her eyes landed on Sakura, my childhood friend.

She pointed stiffly.

“Um, R-Ren… is this your… other sister?”

I facepalmed.

“No, Yuna. I have exactly one sister. And she’s shorter, louder, and more dangerous than this girl right here.”

“HEY! What do you mean dangerous!?” my sister yelled from the kitchen, throwing a banana at me.

I easily avoided the banana.

Yuna blinked rapidly. “Ah… so she’s… your girlfriend then…?”

Sakura choked on her water.

Here we go.

“N-NO!” I stuttered. “No, no, no Yuna, she’s just my childhood friend.”

My sister came out of the kitchen, crossed her arms, and let out a deep sigh as she nodded.

“That’s what they ALL say. Childhood friend this, childhood friend that. They ruin EVERY plot…”

This girl…

She sat down, then she added, very casually:

“She IS just his childhood friend for whom he probably had feelings back then but never confessed.”

“WHAT!?” I lunged across the table and pulled her into a headlock, rubbing her scalp vigorously.

“OW! OW! OW! REN, STOP!”

"Take it back!"

“NEVER! YOU CAN’T OBLITERATE TRUTH. OW OW MY HAIR...”

My mom smacked the table.

“Boys & Girls! Food is ready!”

I let go of my gremlin sister.

Yuna exhaled slowly, visibly relieved.

I guess this would’ve made it super awkward for her, so I get it.

And Sakura… smirked like she knew EVERYTHING.

Oh no. Don’t tell me she’s evolved into the same species as my sister.

—----------------------------

The meal was amazing, as always. My mother could make anything taste good.

My mom kept fussing over Yuna’s plate. “You need more vegetables, dear.”

“Ah… thank you…”

“And protein!”

“Um… thank you!”

“And eat the soup while it’s still hot!”

“I… yes… thank you!”

My sister stared at Yuna like she was reading a romance manga in real time.

Sakura kept sneaking glances between me and Yuna.

And Yuna kept pretending to focus on her soup but clearly her brain was melting. It was pretty obvious...

Meanwhile, I was trying very hard to look normal. Which probably meant I looked extremely suspicious.

Sakura noticed everything. Especially how I kept checking if Yuna was comfortable, and how I talked to her softly, and how I kept asking if she needed anything else. Of course one would read too much into that…

Yuna noticed all of that too… but it seemed to make her nervous. She just sat a little straighter every time I checked on her, like she was trying not to take up too much space.

My sister, Yui, picked up on all of it: my behaviour, Sakura's reactions, and Yuna's growing nervousness... She looked like she was taking mental notes for some fanfic.

At one point, Sakura leaned toward Yuna.

“So… how long have you known Ren for?”

Yuna tensed.

“Um… a little more than… 2 weeks… I think.”

“And he’s already taking care of you like this?” Sakura smiled knowingly. “He’s always been like that. Reliable, kind, the type who always helps everyone.”

I wouldn’t say that…

Yuna’s face warmed so fast she nearly reheated the soup.

“H-he is… very kind, yes!”

My sister kicked me under the table.

“WHAT WAS THAT FOR?” I whispered.

She mouthed: “STOP FLIRTING BY ACCIDENT.”

It was me who INCREASED her allowance earlier this month. Betrayal.

—------------------------------

After dinner, the conversation shifted.

I learned that Sakura is studying law now. She'd clearly been making better life choices than I had.

Also, Sakura and Yuna made some smalltalk. They asked each other what they liked to eat. What their hobbies were… stuff like that.

Yuna… awkward, shy little Yuna… opened up a little. To someone other than me.

Sakura beamed.

“You know… I don’t have many friends around here. The ones at my university are all stiff and competitive. It’d be nice to know someone normal.”

“Normal…? Yuna blinked. “Me?”

“You’re sweet, and honest. And you feel… real. That’s rare.”

Yuna froze for a second, then let out a small, nervous laugh.

Sakura pulled out her phone. “Can I have your number?”

“Um… mine?”

“Yes, yours.”

Yuna slowly nodded and typed it into her phone. She looked overjoyed, like she just got an achievement she’d never gotten before.

“A… friend…” she whispered under her breath.

All I could do was smile and watch the whole thing unfold.

—-------------------------

Eventually, Sakura left.

My sister also retreated to her room, while mumbling to herself: “The plot only thickens when the little sister is not there, so I better go now.”... or something like that...

I walked Yuna back to her apartment.

She held her bag of leftovers in both hands.

These last couple of days, she looked genuinely happy.

“That was… really fun.” she said softly.

“I’m glad.”

“And your mother is so nice. And the food was incredible. And your sister… I mean, I already knew her. She’s kinda scary… but FUNNY! And your childhood friend is…”

She stopped.

I raised an eyebrow.

“...Is?”

She looked away, cheeks pink.

“At first I was… worried.”

“Worried? Why?”

“N– not in a weird way! I just… thought… maybe she was… your girlfriend or something…”

I blinked.

“I mean she’s pretty, and smart, and knows you so well, and she looked at me like she was analyzing me for weaknesses so I panicked and…”

“She’s just a friend. I think we made that pretty clear.”

“Good. I mean– not good, like GOOD good, but…yeah… you did make it pretty clear in the beginning.”

I gave her a teasing look. “You were worried? Why?”

“No! I mean yes! I mean… I thought she looked scary at first! And I don’t want you to have a scary girlfriend. But she’s actually very nice. And…”

She smiled gently.

“I’m glad I met her. I hope she can be… my first real friend.”

“Aren’t we friends?”

“I– I meant a female friend.”

“She's a nice person. I'm sure she'll be a good friend.” I smiled at her.

"Yes." she smiled.

Before she entered her apartment, she turned one more time.

“Ah, I forgot… I know I say this a lot to you… but I genuinely mean it… every time… Thank you, Ren! For inviting me! For helping me so much.”

She bowed her head slightly, smiling a little.

“I don’t think I’ve ever really felt included anywhere before… not like this.”

I swallowed.

“You’re welcome. Both places are open to you.” I said, pointing at my door and my family's. “Whenever you need them.”

She gave me another bow, this time, deeper.

Then, she slipped into her apartment.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, then turned around and went back inside my own apartment.

Only when I closed my own door did I realize something was off. Not just today. Lately, in general.

I hadn’t checked my phone once. Hadn’t thought about my streams, tomorrow’s schedule, or anything that usually refused to leave my head. That space in my brain is now occupied by something else.

Someone else.

For some reason… that scared me more than I expected.