Roommate Romance

Chapter 3

"…let's avoid each other for a while."

"HUH!?"

"You heard me, I won't repeat myself."

"What's with you all of a sudden!?" After the whole day of school, I decided to talk about distancing with Toma.

"Let's say…" Though I can't tell him that some people mistook us for a gay couple because we're together all the time. I came prepared to answer his question with the excuse I thought of earlier. "…we both each need to be in different environments without seeing each other for a while."

"Why?"

"It isn't good that you always stick with me. Somehow, I feel like I've been taking care of a little brother whenever you're around." I told him.

He sulks as he hears my reason. "I'm not a kid!"

"Then act like your age."

"Also we're best friends right? So why are you pushing me away?"

I sighed at the sight of him questioning me. He really looked like a dog that's going to be abandoned. "Yes, we're still friends. I'm just saying this for our own good, besides, it's not like I'll be at your side forever. You got to get used to me not being around you."

His face turned pale all of a sudden, like he came with a realization. "You're not leaving, are you!? Are you going to study abroad or something?"

"No, you dummy! I'm not going anywhere, I'm just simply saying that we need to be apart for a while--argh! I really don't have time to repeat everything to you." This is another reason why I wanted to be away from him to. He's just won't listen properly to everything I say.

"Tch, fine. But for how long though?"

"…until the end of the class year?"

His mouth gaped. "What!? That's too long, how am I going to do all the activities and homeworks all on my own!?"

Again, another sigh. "That's your problem! You've got hands and brains, use it."

"But Yuji!"

"You see this right now? This is exactly what I'm worried about, Toma. You're relying too much on me. You should learn how to do things yourself, especially when it comes to school matters."

He fell silent about it, although he had no choice but to agree. It looks like he realized what his situation is. "Okay… I get it, but don't say we have to do it for the whole school year. I'd still want to hang out with you sometimes, you're my best friend after all."

Despite being annoying and childish, Toma can really be a sweet dork. I grinned and ruffled his hair even though he was taller than me. "Sure, let's go with… three months. Starting tomorrow."

He smiles back. "All right."

"Now that's settled, I have to go out for a while. Hino and I have to meet up to start with the report assigned to us." I excused myself.

"Okay, be careful on your way there and back." He said, then slid into his bed.

"Yeah thanks." A huge smile for victory appeared on my face as I stepped out the room.

Ah finally, starting tomorrow I can enjoy some peaceful moments without anyone bothering me!

***

As I got meet up with Hino, I saw him waiting for me at the cafe we agreed to meet up at. "Hey dude!" He greeted.

I sat on the chair at the other side of his table. "You know, I'm still not used to seeing you with that haircut. It suits you though."

"Thanks. Although this won't last long. I'm definitely going to grow it out again." He touches his hair, unsatisfied with its length.

"Long hair makes you look like a girl. Well, it's just your face that's girly."

"Are you implying that my face looks feminine?" It was weird his face flushed, even so I just ignored it.

"Yep. But with your body, it's otherwise. You're too tall and muscular for a girl."

He chuckles. "You guys keep saying I look like a girl when I have long hair, but no one ever notices you."

An eyebrow of mine raised. "What do you mean?"

"Well, there were times I noticed that you looked girly. You know, with your face and height, I realized you look way more girly than I am."

"What!?"

"You look girly."

"What in the world made you see me that way?" Like hell that I'm girly!

"Hmm... let's try thinking about it, shall we?" He asked with a smirk.

"Okay?"

"To start, let's talk about your face. How were you able to maintain such smooth skin? How do you shave your mustache or beard?" This guy is utterly ridiculous.

"Uh, I don't... my face never grew a mustache nor a beard."

"Haha! Well, I and probably some other dudes grows a lot of hair on our faces. And it's hard to shave it all into such a fine smooth skin like yours. You're a pretty rare guy with that kind of case." He pointed.

Now that I think about it, I did saw Hino and Toma once with little hair on their faces before.

"Next! What about hair on your arms and legs? Is it the same case with the non-existent hair on your face?" I nod, realizing his points were right.

I also just realized that men are supposed to be hair creatures, aren't they? But...

Ugh, I got nothing.

"And then your height! Sometimes I can't help but compare your height with the girls in the campus. Some of them are even taller than you."

"Wha... really?"

"Yep, you're height is the average height of a girl and a small height for a guy." He said. Then he made a square shape with both his thumbs and index, looking at me within the shape he made. "Lastly, when I imagine you with long hair, you can really be pretty!"

"Ugh, I get it now. I look more feminine than you." I told him.

He laughs it off. "I don't mean to put it that way, I just had the feel to share my thoughts about you."

"You really like to observe and imagine about other people, don't you?" Because I just learned that he has one scary imagination. What's worse is that I was pretty much convinced that I'm a little feminine.

"Yep, hehe."

"Okay, now that's over with, we probably should get started with the report." When I mentioned the thing we were supposed to do, his bright face vanished and turned into a frowning one.

"Ugh, back to school work again." We began discussing our topic, though while in the midst of discussing, my mind wanders about my masculinity.

Am I not... 'guy' enough?