A Single Footprint in the Snow (10)
NINE
TEN: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 14 -- Aiba Masaki, Age: 15
Ever since the afternoon they have shut themselves inside Nino's bedroom playing games. Only once when his mother threatened him did Nino leave the room to carry up the tray of sandwiches his mother had prepared for them.
In the later evening, Aiba surrenders and sits out, finishing the sandwiches while he watches Nino play. The younger boy settles on his side with his head in Aiba's lap. The position cannot have been comfortable for him, but he doesn't move away, effectively trapping Aiba also.
Aiba swallows the last bite and says, "I need to pee."
Nino doesn't move. "Give me a minute. I'm almost finished with this stage."
Aiba shakes his legs. "I've been holding it in since this morning," he whines.
"You idiot. Why'd you hold it in for so long," Nino retorts, but still doesn't move. Aiba doesn't push him off either.
Nino defeats the game master a minute later and finally sits upright. Aiba races to the bathroom.
"Idiot," Nino mutters as he saves the game. He moves to Aiba's spot and his hand hits something. He sees that his friend's mobile phone have dropped out of his pocket and picks it up. Nino indifferently flips open the phone. He sees a girl, a classmate, as the wallpaper. Immediately, Nino closes the phone shut again.
"What are you doing?" Aiba asks as he enters Nino's bedroom tugging at the top of his pants.
Nino throws Aiba's phone at him and the older boy barely just catches it. "You have a crush on Asano?"
Aiba stops and his face heats up. "I d-don't!" he stammers.
Nino glares at him and then pretends he doesn't care. He turns back to his game and continues on to the next stage. Aiba settles down next to him and Nino almost pulls away, unhappy to have his best friend so close to him suddenly. He feels betrayed, even though he shouldn't, and not because Aiba prefers to keep his secret.
"Let me play," Aiba says.
"No," Nino retorts. "Go home."
"Eh? But I want to play," Aiba whines.
Not unless you get over her, Nino thinks, but knows he cannot say it. Something in his chest aches and he tries to tamper it down.
* *
ELEVEN
TEN: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 14 -- Aiba Masaki, Age: 15
Ever since the afternoon they have shut themselves inside Nino's bedroom playing games. Only once when his mother threatened him did Nino leave the room to carry up the tray of sandwiches his mother had prepared for them.
In the later evening, Aiba surrenders and sits out, finishing the sandwiches while he watches Nino play. The younger boy settles on his side with his head in Aiba's lap. The position cannot have been comfortable for him, but he doesn't move away, effectively trapping Aiba also.
Aiba swallows the last bite and says, "I need to pee."
Nino doesn't move. "Give me a minute. I'm almost finished with this stage."
Aiba shakes his legs. "I've been holding it in since this morning," he whines.
"You idiot. Why'd you hold it in for so long," Nino retorts, but still doesn't move. Aiba doesn't push him off either.
Nino defeats the game master a minute later and finally sits upright. Aiba races to the bathroom.
"Idiot," Nino mutters as he saves the game. He moves to Aiba's spot and his hand hits something. He sees that his friend's mobile phone have dropped out of his pocket and picks it up. Nino indifferently flips open the phone. He sees a girl, a classmate, as the wallpaper. Immediately, Nino closes the phone shut again.
"What are you doing?" Aiba asks as he enters Nino's bedroom tugging at the top of his pants.
Nino throws Aiba's phone at him and the older boy barely just catches it. "You have a crush on Asano?"
Aiba stops and his face heats up. "I d-don't!" he stammers.
Nino glares at him and then pretends he doesn't care. He turns back to his game and continues on to the next stage. Aiba settles down next to him and Nino almost pulls away, unhappy to have his best friend so close to him suddenly. He feels betrayed, even though he shouldn't, and not because Aiba prefers to keep his secret.
"Let me play," Aiba says.
"No," Nino retorts. "Go home."
"Eh? But I want to play," Aiba whines.
Not unless you get over her, Nino thinks, but knows he cannot say it. Something in his chest aches and he tries to tamper it down.
* *
ELEVEN