“Must be good to be you, Sora. You get to be with Masaya all the time, forever.”

One day, when Masaya had gone down to the first floor, I found myself alone with Riku. He started talking to me. Riku was always a cheerful and gentle person. However, he seemed depressed that day. It reminded me of how Masaya was after Riku went home.

“I’ll miss you a lot.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying.

Why would he miss me?

“I’ve had a crush on Masaya since middle school. When I became a high schooler, I asked him out, and we started dating. But.. it’s probably just because of our special circumstances. We’re now in senior year of all-boys high school. When he graduates and goes to college, he’ll be surrounded by girls. Unlike me, Masaya is not gay. And he’s really handsome, so I’m sure the girls won’t be able to leave him alone.”

Riku laughed quietly, his face looking soundly defeated.

Masaya sometimes made that face, too. It would show up when his mother handed him an envelope full of money, saying that it was “this month’s living expenses.” Or when his father looked over his plans after graduation and, without a hint of interest, would ornament it with the opinion that “it seems okay.”