The sumr heat was so intense that even the air seed to boil, making it feel as if they were trapped inside a steaming furnace. It was hard to even notice the air's presence.
The cicadas' cries rang out especially loud.
Rinichi crouched down, gently petting a stray cat. The cat obediently accepted his touch.
Nearby, Narumiya i adjusted the brim of his cap. Sweat was already running uncontrollably down his forehead, his expression showing his discomfort.
Seeing Rinichi completely absorbed in petting the cat, i stayed quiet for a mont.
Rin really does like cats…
But he couldn't take it anymore.
"Ugh, it's so hot…"
"Rin, let's go back. I can't stand it."
Completely imrsed in the joy of petting the cat, Rinichi didn't pay much attention to him and answered absentmindedly,
"Just a little longer."
i's temper flared.
"Fine, do what you want. I'm leaving."
He turned to go—
"Three hundred yen," Rinichi suddenly said.
i stopped mid-step, blinking in surprise. His face couldn't quite hide the delight in his eyes, though he tried to act calm.
"What's 300 yen?"
"Ice cream."
i made a show of reluctant surrender.
"Ah… fine, I can't say no to you."
He turned back and squatted beside Rinichi, eyeing the purring cat with slight disdain.
"Hey…"
"What?"
"If you like cats so much, why don't you just get one? Why do you have to co outside to pet strays?" i muttered.
Logically speaking, Rinichi's parents were pretty open-minded. They probably wouldn't forbid him from having a cat. At least, that's how i rembered them.
"Because my brother doesn't like them."
i blinked.
"Ryu-niisan?"
"Mm. When he was little, a cat scratched him. He's been traumatized ever since."
i: "…"
For so reason, when Rinichi said it, it carried an almost natural hint of mockery.
"What about rhinoceros beetles? Do you like those?" i asked without much thought.
Those things were more common in the countryside.
Not long ago, he'd even seen so classmates crowding around a box containing one.
"Well… no."
Rinichi added, "I don't like any kind of insect."
"Why not?"
"Because they're gross."
i: "…"
He thought for a mont.
"True… enough."
Rinichi suddenly gave him a sideways glance.
"You like bugs?"
i: "…"
"No."
Rinichi fell silent. After a while, he withdrew his hand from the cat's fur and stood up.
"Let's go."
When he said "just a little longer," he really ant just a little longer.
That was one thing i really liked about Rinichi—he never went back on his word or dragged things out once he'd agreed to sothing.
They walked side by side.
You could almost see the heat in the air. Their pace was slow. Sweat kept pouring down i's face, and Rinichi didn't look much better.
"Ah… so hot… we should've just stayed ho with the air conditioning."
Rinichi glanced at him.
"Weren't you the one insisting we co out to play?"
i had no coback for that. He simply ignored the comnt and kept muttering under his breath,
"Ice cream… ice cream…"
"Honestly… I don't know who's supposed to be the 'older brother' here."
"Obviously !" i shot back imdiately, oddly sensitive about the topic.
They fell silent again.
"Rin."
"What?"
"When are you going back to Kanagawa?"
"Of course, just a few days before school starts."
i grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"It'd be so much better if you just stayed in Tokyo. We could go to the sa school and everything."
Rinichi was a little surprised by that. He smiled.
"Mom likes Kanagawa."
"But, we'll definitely move back to Tokyo soday… at least, that's what Dad says."
"How long is soday supposed to be…" i sighed.
"No idea." Rinichi's answer was blunt and honest.
As they walked, they passed a soccer field. Soone on the field called out,
"i!"
Rinichi glanced at him. Unexpectedly, i seed pretty popular.
i bead and waved at them, his golden hair making his smile shine even brighter—like a little sun.
The sun…
For so reason, that image made Rinichi think of soone else.
"i, want to co play soccer?" one of the boys shouted.
Rinichi thought he'd refuse, given how hot it was.
"I'm in!" i replied.
"Hey, one more!"
"Bring my little brother too!"
Whenever there were people around, i loved emphasizing the "little brother" part.
Rinichi: "…"
He really dares to say that…
"I'm not going." Rinichi frowned. Sports were the thing he hated most.
But i didn't wait for his answer—he just grabbed him and dragged him over.
Rinichi's slow, unenthusiastic movents earned a few looks of disdain from the others.
"I told you, I don't know how to play soccer."
He must have said that countless tis on the way to the field.
"It's fine, it's fine. Any goals my little brother lets in, I'll score back myself!" i thumped his chest confidently.
Rinichi couldn't understand him at all. If he couldn't play, why force him in? And yet, i kept passing him the ball.
Dragging soone who couldn't play into the ga…
That was just like i.
Still, Rinichi was smart enough to keep up.
After a few back-and-forth plays, all the goals really did co from Narumiya i.
Rinichi: "…"
i's face, wearing a grin and smudged with a streak of dirt, turned toward him.
"So? Starting to like soccer yet?"
Rinichi averted his gaze, rubbing his fingertips together, and answered sluggishly,
"It's… okay."
Truth was, not long after he started playing, he found he actually kind of liked it—especially the part where he could pass the ball to soone else.
"That's your answer?" i frowned. "If we end up going to the sa high school, how about we play soccer together? I bet we'd make the perfect duo."
Does soccer even need 'duos'? Rinichi wondered.
Besides, they were only in elentary school—wasn't it way too early to be talking about high school?
—Luckily, because of the heat, i didn't plan on playing for too long.
The two of them headed to a small shop.
i happily dug into the ice cream he'd been craving, looking completely satisfied. Rinichi, on the other hand, bought a bottle of orange juice.
"Huh? Rin, you're not getting ice cream? Don't tell you skipped it so your big brother could get the one he wanted—"
"No!" Rinichi shot back imdiately.
Of course, i was only teasing. He knew full well that Rinichi's pocket money wasn't anywhere near running out.
And so, eating and drinking, the two began walking ho.
The sweltering air was so hot, Rinichi felt like it was going to turn his orange juice into room temperature water.
Out of the blue, he asked,
"You like soccer?"
Do I? i thought.
He realized he didn't have anything he was really into. No real hobbies. Maybe only people with hobbies could truly be called special.
"It's okay… I wouldn't say I love it… but for now, yeah, I like it."
Rinichi was a little surprised by that answer.
"So, did today change how you feel about sports?" i asked.
"It's… okay."
i frowned, almost offended.
"What kind of answer is that? You just copied mine!"
Rinichi: "…"
If he rembered correctly, he was the one who said "it's okay" first.
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