Chapter 2 | The Essence of Sloth

The day after our walk home from school, Saturday, I headed to Makura’s place after lunch.

When I pressed the intercom, a burst of frantic clattering echoed from inside. After a brief pause, the lock clicked, and the door creaked open.

“Yo, morning!” Makura peeked out, slightly breathless, panting softly.

“Late riser, huh? Just rolled out of bed?”

“Hey, rude!” she huffed. “I was totally awake! My room was a mess, so I scrambled to tidy up a bit. Sorry, sorry.”

As she spoke, Makura swung the door wide, and I stepped into the entryway. She stood in the hallway, clad in black-and-white wide-striped pajamas—a fuzzy hooded sweatshirt paired with hot pants, her slender legs stretching out below. Noticing my gaze, she grinned.

“Hehe, still rocking the pajama life, full speed ahead!” She puffed out her chest, smug and proud.

Her pajama lifestyle, born over summer break, was still in full swing. Calling the school gym uniform “pajamas” for her infirmary classes was a stretch, but it was her choice, and I wanted to support it. Still, seeing her in actual pajamas after so long… I’d never say it out loud, but she was adorable. She could pull off anything. The outfit was a bit revealing, though, and my heart gave a quiet thud.

“Can I come in?”

“Yup! Come on in!”

I slipped off my shoes and followed her inside. Her usually tidy room was a chaotic sprawl of clothes and random items—summer T-shirts, fall and winter coats, a large bear plushie, a photo frame with a famous theme park logo, even pots and a kettle scattered about. It was hard to believe this was just casual clutter.

“Doing some spring cleaning or something?” I asked.

Makura scratched her cheek with an “Uh…” “So, I’ve been selling old clothes and stuff I don’t need on a flea market app. I meant to clean up before you got here, Manamichi-kun, but I ended up pulling out way too much. I cleared a spot to sit, though.”

“Oh, a flea market app? Never tried those. Do you actually make decent money?”

“Yup! Started last week, and I’m already earning! Look, if I’m aiming for a lifelong room-bound lifestyle, I’ve gotta make money from my room, no matter how!” She laughed, then added, “I’m not selling my pajamas, though!”

“Got it. That’s some real effort.”

“Yup! Aiming for a NEET life with the stability of a civil servant!”

“That’s, uh… like the elite of the NEET world.”

“Hahaha! I’m gonna be the king of NEETs!”

We traded jokes and settled into our usual spot in front of her bed, side by side.

“Hm? What’s that?” My eyes landed on a translucent plastic bag by the TV stand, stuffed with colorful fabric.

“Oh, those are costumes from my idol days. Found a bunch in the back of the closet.”

“Nice. Selling them?”

“Nope, not selling! If I put them on a flea market app, people would instantly know it’s Kamakura Koyuna’s account.”

“Yeah, makes sense.”

Hardcore idol fans would recognize Kamakura Koyuna’s costumes in a heartbeat. A former idol selling her old outfits online? For someone of Makura’s fame, that’d spark headlines again.

“That said, I can’t quite bring myself to throw them out.” She lifted her hips, reached for the bag, and pulled it closer, fishing out a single piece.

It was a blue-and-white dress-style costume, with a slim waist, flared skirt, and a frilly lace ribbon at the chest. Makura knelt and held it up to her body, showing it off.

“W-what do you think?”

“Whoa, I think it suits you.”

“Really? Yaa—yahahaha, it’s kinda embarrassing.” Despite initiating it, she seemed shy, lowering the outfit and carefully folding it.

I’d seen her in skimpier pajamas, but this felt different, carrying a unique kind of embarrassment.

“Didn’t you wear that costume a lot?”

“Yeah, I did. But showing it to just one guy like this is a first, so…”

“O-oh…”

I didn’t fully grasp why that made her shy, but her bashful tone sparked my own embarrassment. A first, huh… I found myself glancing at the folded idol costume again.

“Plus, I’m not an idol anymore, so it’d just be cosplay now.”

“Well, yeah, I guess. Is that part of why it’s embarrassing?”

Seeing I wasn’t quite getting it, Makura elaborated. “You know, like when a woman who’s graduated high school tries on her old uniform as an adult. That nervous feeling. Satomi-chan would probably get it.”

“Sensei’s doing high school girl cosplay?”

“Oh, shoot, was that a secret…? I mean, it’s like, she did it once because her boyfriend asked, you know? Definitely not a hobby or anything!”

“You’re totally digging yourself deeper…”

Poor Kumada-sensei… getting her secret spilled without her knowing…

Makura cleared her throat, eager to shift gears. “So, games! Wanna play? What’s it gonna be? Versus? RPG?”

She tucked the folded costume back into the bag.

“Sure. What’ve we got for versus games?”

Her old costumes, relics of a past she’d called bitter… yet her hesitation to discard them hinted at a lingering attachment, however small. As we chatted, I quietly mulled over that thought.

＊

We spent about three hours immersed in a party game, a lively mix of minigames tied to a board game mechanic where we competed for coins. Makura, the seasoned player, had the edge, but the game was forgiving for beginners, and a bit of luck kept me in the race, making it a tight match.

“Phew, all done!”

The results screen faded, giving way to the ending movie. Makura set her controller on the floor and flopped onto a plush cushion with a soft thud.

“Damn, I thought I had you for a second…”

“Heh heh heh. Thinking you could beat me? You’re a hundred years too early. Live a long, healthy life and come back for a rematch.”

“You’re seriously scheduling a rematch in a hundred years!?”

“Guess the next battle’s in a nursing home.”

“A hundred years? That’s a showdown in the heavens… Let’s both rack up good deeds to make it there.”

Makura’s bright “Ahaha” filled the room, and I couldn’t help but grin.

“What’s next? Another game?”

“Hmm, what should we do? I kinda wanna play a real board game again too.” As she spoke, Makura sank deeper into her cushion, looking utterly at ease.

“…Looks comfy.”

“It’s the best. My biggest regret as an idol is not doing a commercial for this cushion.”

“That’s the total opposite of singing and dancing…” I teased, leaning back against the bed.

…Phew.

The slothful vibe washed over me, pulling me right back to summer break. Less than a week had passed since those carefree days, but with school in full swing, I was quietly thrilled we could still carve out these laid-back moments.

“Time for a little break, huh?” Makura’s voice was slow, perfectly matching the relaxed atmosphere.

After a brief pause, she continued. “We’re here till tonight, so wanna take a quick nap?”

“Sure, if you’re cool with it.”

“Totally fine, totally fine. A free midday nap like this? That’s the essence of sloth.”

Makura sat up, sipping from a plastic water bottle as she prepared to settle in. I followed suit, taking a drink from the tea I’d brought.

“Manamichi-kun, use the bed. I’m super comfy on this cushion right now.”

“Oh, you sure? Thanks.”

At my reply, she threw herself back onto the cushion with a contented sigh. “Heh heh heh. Already in pajamas, so I can relax and nap anytime. Pajama life is the best.”

“True, normal clothes might make it harder to sleep… but if you relax too much and fall into a deep sleep, you might wake up and it’s already night.”

“Ahahaha. If that happens, it’d probably be pretty blissful—” Her words cut off abruptly. When I glanced over, she had lifted her head, her expression unusually serious.

“Uh, um, Manamichi-kun……”

“Yeah?”

“Well… uh, g-g-g… good night!”

“Oh, uh, good night.”

Makura seemed to stumble over something she wanted to say, her voice faltering into awkward silence. It felt like she’d been on the verge of something important, but since she shifted to getting ready for sleep, I didn’t push. If it was significant, she’d bring it up after we woke up.

“…Yawn.”

Succumbing to my own sleepiness, I stretched out on Makura’s bed.

☆

Manamichi-kun’s soft breathing filled the quiet as he slept. Careful not to stir him, I shifted gently on my cushion.

I was too embarrassed to say it.

I hope Manamichi-kun isn’t bothered by it…

Playing games together today, after so long, was as fun as I’d expected. But there was one thing I’d wanted to ask him at the end. Given our relationship, it felt like an odd request, and I couldn’t muster the courage to voice it.

I hope someday, maybe, a day like that will come again—

With that thought, I closed my eyes.