“In that case, don’t you think it’s about time we took our relationship to the next level?” “The next level…?” I couldn’t help but look at her suspiciously. If anyone else had said that, I probably wouldn’t have thought much of it, but… …with Miyanoshita, I knew better. I couldn’t help but suspect that she was plotting something. “Ah, Yuki-san! You were just thinking something dirty, weren’t you?” “That's just your imagination.” “You were fantasizing about me greeting you naked except for an apron, weren’t you?” “Absolutely not. I'm not thinking that at all. Don't even go there, okay? Never!” “I know, I know. It’s just a joke!” “You don’t get it at all!” She really is one of a kind. She’s like Iris, and she’s like Miyanoshita... I smiled wryly. “So what do you mean by ‘taking our relationship to the next level’?” “Calling each other by our first names, of course.” “Calling each other by our first names?” “We’ve met in real life, offline, and it’s been a while since then.” “True.” “And yet, we’re still calling each other by our family names. Doesn’t that seem a little too distant?” “I guess it does, when you put it that way...” I couldn’t deny it. Yes, we met in person not too long ago, but we had been friends for nearly a year through the game. We had even gotten married in the game, even if it was half for fun and material. It probably wasn’t a good idea to keep calling Miyanoshita by her family name after all that. Even if it didn’t bother me, it might have made it harder for her to see me as a friend. That would be bad for someone like her, considering how much time she spent alone. It may not be a problem now, but it could slowly start to poison our relationship... ...and eventually lead to an irreparable rift. I didn’t want that to happen, so if calling each other by our first names was one of the ways to prevent it, I was all for it. “All right then… From now on, I’m going to call you by your first name. Is that okay?” “Really?!” “Why are you so surprised?” “Because you’re so shy and bashful, Yuuki-san! I thought you’d come up with some excuse and turn me down. That would’ve been cute, too, though! ♪”

“I would...” not have done that... I couldn’t deny it actually. The fact that it was Miyanoshita proposing this didn’t really have much to do with it. I just wasn’t good at getting close to girls in general. That’s why, just like Rira said, I might have ended up making excuses and running away from the situation. “...You might be right.” It was about time I stopped running away. I couldn’t erase my past mistakes, but at the very least, I could make sure I didn’t run away from what was right in front of me. “It’s no problem for me. How about you, Miyanoshita?” “Of course it’s no problem!” she answered enthusiastically. She must have really wanted me to call her by her first name. When I thought about how long I’d strung her along, I felt a little guilty. “All right then, I’ll go first.” Rira sat up straight with her legs folded underneath her and nervously straightened her back. She cleared her throat several times. Then, she softly opened her small lips. “...Naoto-san...” The words were sweet, like a whisper. And yet, they were passionate and meltingly sensual. I felt a light shiver run down my spine. “Um... Eheheh♪ I’m really blushing, aren’t I? Ahhh, my face is so hot… I can’t believe I get like this just from calling you by your name… Love is really something, isn’t it?!” “You’re blushing so much, are you sure you’ll be able to call me by my name from now on?” I asked. “Well, um... It’ll take me a little while to get used to it! But... I want to call you by your name, Naoto-san,” she replied. She was still flustered. Her face was red. Her eyes were lustfully damp. Her gaze was slightly averted. And yet, she was enveloped in an aura of bliss. Her smile was mushy. She looked so happy, it made my heart tingle just to look at her. “All right then, Naoto-san, it’s your turn!” Miyanoshita looked at me, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She looked like a dog waiting for a treat. “Um...”

This was nerve-wracking. Now I really understood how Miyanoshita felt. I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. Then I softly called out her name. “...Suzu...” “Fwah…!?” The moment I said her name, Miyanoshita trembled as if startled. She lost her balance and fell to the floor with a thud. “A-Are you okay...?” “Y-Yeah, I’m fine... No, maybe I’m not...” Miyanoshita was acting like she was drunk, stumbling around in a daze. She looked at me... “...” ...and quickly averted her gaze, flustered. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Um, I don’t know how to say this, but... am I making a weird face right now?” Miyanoshita was using both hands to try to hide her face. Through the gaps in her fingers, I could see a happy smile. “When you called me... Suzu, I couldn’t stop smiling... Ahhh, I’m definitely making a weird face right now.” “You sure are.” “Don’t agree with me like that! Deny it! Say something like ‘You’re always cute; you’re my angel,’ or something!” “So you’re into that kind of thing, huh?” “No, I was just saying whatever came to mind. If you actually said something like that to me, I’d be like, ‘Whoa, that’s too cheesy!’” “You’re so demanding.” “But but... a cheesy Naoto-san might not be bad either... Ah, imagining it like that might be good. Should we try it?” “There are no limits to your fantasies, are there?” As we talked, Miyanoshita calmed down and got to her feet. “In any case... we’re on a first-name basis now. Hehe♪” “Is that really that delightful for you?” “Of course it is. After all... I've just taken another step closer to your heart, haven't I? ‘To call someone by their first name is to treat them as equals.’ It’s a very important thing.” “Well, if you put it that way…” “First, it’s your name. Next... Hehehe! ♪ I’ll wrap you up in my arms and make you all mine, darling! ♪” “...Please be gentle with me.” I was afraid that in the not-too-distant future, she really might do just that. Falling in love makes girls invincible... And elementary school girls are even more invincible... I thought up some random things to distract myself from the reality right in front of me.