Living with the Arrogant Queen from High School is Surprisingly Not Uncomfortable

[Hayashi POV]

***

The night I came home.

I decided to spend one night in my childhood home after such a long time.

“Dusty…”

My room, untouched for nearly half a year, was dusty. I decided there was no way I was letting Yamamoto into this room. If I let him in, he’ll likely throw a tantrum and refuse to leave until it’s clean. While it’s not a problem for me since I’m currently working part-time, he has his studies to worry about. If he decides not to go back, that’d be a problem.

“Thank you for the bath.”

Yamamoto’s voice echoed from downstairs. He had been helping take care of my father at the hospital until late.

As a result, with my mother’s permission, Yamamoto was going to stay at our house tonight.

Laughter and chatter could be heard from downstairs. Though he’s a bit eccentric, he doesn’t have trouble with communication… even my mother was engaging in jovial conversation with him.

I was a bit hesitant about going downstairs.

Honestly, it was awkward.

It wasn’t my mother that I was feeling awkward about. It was him. Recently, I’ve been really strange. Ever since I became aware of my hidden feelings, I’ve been unable to even meet his eyes.

I’ve never felt this way before… It’s so laughably ridiculous that I’ve been nicknamed “The Queen.”

Maybe I’ll just go to sleep now.

That’s what I thought as I lay in bed, but then I remembered I hadn’t taken a bath yet.

Sneakily, I decided to go downstairs to take a bath.

The door separating the living room and hallway opened with a creak.

“Hey, Hayashi.”

“Hyaa!”

I let out an embarrassingly pathetic scream in my own house. My face felt hot. I couldn’t meet his gaze.

The one who had just come out of the room was Yamamoto.

“…What’s wrong?”

“I was just going to take a bath.”

“I see. I went ahead, sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“…Yeah. Well, I’m going to go to sleep soon.”

“You’re going to bed early.”

“Well, I thought I might want to take a walk around here tomorrow.”

“…Hm.”

I wanted to go on that walk with him. But I stopped myself from asking him to take me along. It seemed like it would sound like a child’s pleading.

Moreover… Yamamoto is quite self-centered when it comes to things that don’t require delicacy, so there’s a very real chance he’d refuse. If I thought about what would happen if he said no, it’d be a disaster. I might even throw a tantrum.

“Do you want to come along?”

“…Eh?”

His invitation was unexpected. I didn’t expect him to ask me. I wanted to go. That was the truth.

…But.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Oh, really?”

…Can’t be helped.

Going for a walk alone with him would be too blissful. Not just blissful, but deadly blissful.

Honestly, it’s amazing that we’ve been able to live in the same room until now.

…I’d been trying not to think about it, but it came back to me.

What am I going to do from now on?

I sank into the spacious bathtub with a splash, pondering alone.

My future.

Should I return to Yamamoto’s room?

Or should I stay here at my parents’ house?

Yamamoto had told me.

What’s important is not what Yamamoto wants, but what I want. Honestly…

…By the way, why did Yamamoto ask me to go home in the first place?

and continued to: ChatGPT(bot)’], “The night I returned home.

I decided to stay overnight at my long-unvisited home.

‘It’s dusty.’

My room, which I hadn’t been in for nearly half a year, was dusty. I decided I absolutely could not let Yamamoto in this room. If I let him in, he would likely insist on not leaving until it was clean. Although I, being a freeter, wouldn’t have a problem with this, he has his studies. It would indeed be problematic if he didn’t go back.

‘Thank you for the bath.’

Yamamoto’s voice came from the first floor. He had been helping take care of my father at the hospital until late.

As a result, with my mother’s permission, it was decided that Yamamoto would stay at our home tonight.

The sound of cheerful chatter could be heard from downstairs. He does have his quirks, but there’s no issue with his communication skills… It seemed that my mother was also happily participating in the conversation.

Should I go down to the first floor? I hesitated a bit.

To be honest, it was awkward.

It’s not towards my mother. It’s towards him. Lately, I’ve been acting strange. Ever since I became aware of the feelings I was holding inside, I haven’t even been able to meet his eyes.

I’ve never experienced anything like this… It’s laughably ridiculous how I’ve been called a queen.

Maybe I should just go to bed for today.

With that thought, I lay down in bed, but then I remembered that I hadn’t taken a bath yet.

Slowly and carefully, I decided to head to the bathroom on the first floor.

With a loud creaking noise, the door separating the living room and hallway opened.

‘Hey, Hayashi.’

‘Ah!’

In my own home, I let out a embarrassingly frightened voice. My face was hot. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

The person who unluckily came out of the room was Yamamoto.

‘…What’s wrong?’

‘I was just thinking of taking a bath.’

‘Ah, I see. I went first. My apologies.’

‘It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.’

‘…Alright then. I guess I’ll head to bed soon.’

‘You’re going to bed early.’

‘Yeah. I was thinking I might want to go for a walk around here tomorrow.’

‘…I see.’

I thought I would like to join him on that walk. But I stopped myself from asking, worried that it might sound like a child’s plea.

Besides… Yamamoto is quite selfish when it comes to areas that don’t require tact, so it’s completely possible that he might refuse to go together. If I think about what would happen if he rejected me, it’s dangerous. I might throw a tantrum.

‘Do you want to come too?’

‘…Huh?’

It was an invitation I hadn’t expected. I never thought he would ask me. I want to go. That’s my honest feeling.

…But.

‘No, I’m okay.’

‘Ah, is that so?’

…Can’t be helped.

If I go for a walk alone with him, it would be so blissful that I might die. Not that I could die. I would die.

I truly wonder how we managed to live together in the same room until today.

…Even though I’ve been trying not to think about it, I remember.

What should I do from now on?

Immersed in the spacious bathtub, larger than Yamamoto’s room, I thought about my future.

Should I return to Yamamoto’s room?

Or should I stay at my parents’ home?

Yamamoto told me, ‘I don’t mind either way.’

That was his answer. As always, he made a vague and ambiguous statement. It’s very much like him, but it’s also a bit frustrating.

The decision was left entirely to me.

On one hand, going back to Yamamoto’s room is reassuring. It’s familiar, comfortable, and in its own way, it has become my home.

On the other hand, staying at my parents’ house… I haven’t lived here for a while, but it’s where I grew up. There’s a sense of nostalgia, but also a sense of… distance. Like I’m an outsider looking in on my own past.

If I stay here, would things eventually go back to the way they were before? Would I fall back into my old routines and habits? Is that what I want?

No, not really. I’ve grown since I left. I’ve changed. I’m not the same person I used to be.

But being here, it’s like… all of that progress is being erased. Like I’m reverting back to who I was before.

And yet, despite these complicated feelings, one thing is certain.

Wherever Yamamoto is, that’s where I want to be.

As I soaked in the tub, these thoughts continued to swirl in my mind. A whirlpool of doubt, uncertainty, and… love.

My chest was heavy. My heart was pounding. And the hot water of the bath wasn’t doing anything to soothe the turbulence within me.

It’s strange. I’ve never felt like this before. This… tension. This anticipation. This… affection.

I’ve never cared about someone this much. It’s new. It’s scary. But it’s also… exciting.

Even if it’s hard, even if it’s confusing, even if it’s overwhelming… I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to let go. I want to face these feelings. I want to confront them. I want to… embrace them.

After all, they’re my feelings. And they’re real.

As I finally stepped out of the bath, I made a decision.

I would return to Yamamoto’s room. After all, that’s where I feel most at home now.

And maybe… just maybe… I could muster up the courage to tell Yamamoto how I truly feel.”

“…So,”

My mother was smiling.

“I like Yamamoto-kun.”

“I-I don’t like him!”

Flushing red, I denied it. But my flustered reaction made my mom laugh out loud.

“It’s a wonderful encounter, isn’t it? Treasure it. There aren’t many who can hit it off with your tsundere father from the beginning.”

“He was hitting it off?”

“That’s the best communication.”

“That’s good for him?”

“…Your father is a bit curt, but you know what makes him the happiest? When someone compliments you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

I didn’t know that at all.

I realized that I hadn’t been trying to understand my father at all.

There was guilt too.

Despite what I did to him, I’m about to leave my parents’ house again…

But still. Even so, I still want to be with Yamamoto.

“Your resolve seems strong.”

“…Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s normal to leave your parents’ house. On the contrary, it would be a problem if you could stay here forever. At some point, people have to become independent and take responsibility. That time is now for you.”

“…Yeah.”

“But is it okay with him? You’re still friends, right?”

“Ouch…Don’t hit me where it hurts.”

Well, that’s indeed a concern.

…But Yamamoto told me before. Whether I stay in Yamamoto’s room or not, the most important thing is how I feel.

Yamamoto will surely…

“Well, anyway, I’m glad you seem to be doing well. And that we could meet again.”

“…Yeah.”

“Yes. Consulting with Akari-chan was the right choice, really.”

“…Eh?”

“You two have been close since the old days, right?…Megumi?”

When Akari’s name came up, a malicious feeling arose within me.

Had my mother been consulting with Akari about me?

At that time, was I asked by Yamamoto to return home?

…Isn’t the timing too good?

No, I don’t know.

As Yamamoto said earlier, he has been telling me to return home since the day we met. The timing is probably true.

…But.

I can’t help but remember.

Despite not wanting to, I can’t help but remember.

…The fact that they used to be together…

…Could it be.

Could they have started dating again?

Their relationship, their conversation, makes it painfully clear. It’s painfully clear.

If they started dating again, I…

I would be in the way.

…Were they planning to send me home to get rid of me? Can I no longer stay in that house?

I know.

Yamamoto never said such a thing.

Whether Akari and Yamamoto were involved in this matter at all is entirely my speculation.

But.

…But.

I can’t help but think that way.

When did I become such… a jealous person?

In the end, I didn’t sleep at all that night.

Last night, I told my mother that I would return to Yamamoto’s room. But even at this time of day, I still haven’t told Yamamoto that I’ll be returning with him.

I was scared. Scared of being rejected.

Even though there was no proof that it would happen. I was so scared that I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

…Yamamoto started preparing to return home about thirty minutes ago. He ate lunch, had a lively chat with my mother, and even asked her to drive him to the station. After that, he started preparing leisurely.

Time was running out.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

I was scared.

I was scared of what I might hear. I was scared of being rejected. I was scared of losing my place beside Yamamoto. I was scared of everything.

But even though I was scared, time didn’t stop.

“Ah, I think I’ve got everything,” Yamamoto said, putting his bag on his shoulder. “I had a really good time. Thank you for everything, auntie.”

“Come again any time,” my mother said with a smile. “Next time, bring Megumi along, okay?”

“Of course.”

Yamamoto turned to look at me. His eyes were so clear and innocent, they made me feel even more guilty.

“…Megumi. I’ll be going first. Take care of yourself, okay?”

His voice was gentle, but it was like a stab to my chest. I looked at him, my eyes wide, unable to say anything.

“Wait,” I finally blurted out, surprising even myself. “Wait. I… I want to… go with you…”

Yamamoto looked taken aback, blinking at me in surprise. But then, his expression softened into a kind smile.

“Of course. Let’s go home together.”

His words felt like a warm hug, calming my anxious heart. With a relieved smile, I stood up, ready to head back home with Yamamoto. Despite my earlier fears and doubts, I knew this was where I belonged. With him.

However, my fear and doubts about Yamamoto and Akari didn’t completely disappear. But for now, I decided to trust Yamamoto. After all, he was the one who had always been there for me, always supporting me.

And so, we left my parents’ house, hand in hand, ready to face whatever may come our way.