Sunny Suzuki's Harem of Childhood Friends

Growing Old Together

CW///Slur, Google-translated Japanese

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Hero was lucky he was a charming individual. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to convince the hospital to let him set up for something special in the small park of the grounds.

Tomorrow would mark five years since he and Mari got together, and though it would be an unusual anniversary, Hero had a feeling this would be a perfect anniversary, just like every other year.

As he looked through his boxes, he found an old tape. A grin made its way to his face, and he put it into his radio.

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"Are you lonely?
Passion is crashing as we speak;
You seem so lonely;
You're the ground my feet won't reach,
So if you're lonely,
Darling, you're glowing;
If you're lonely, come be lonely with me."

Hero was nine when his life changed, and that day started off so simply.

Hero found himself singing along with the song that was playing on the radio inside the house. It was midday, and the Alvarez-Lopez family was inside, cooking dinner for the family reunion that would take place that evening. He glanced at the house next door, which had vacant for so-

Holy crap.

There was a girl next to the trash cans. She had black hair that went down to her waist, and she had the palest, whitest skin that reminded Hero of Snow White. Her eyelashes her long, and her dark eyes that were almost black were so...beautiful.

She was beautiful.

Hero was so distracted that he didn't even notice that her eyes were meeting his.

"こんにちは。"

Oh, wow...and her voice is soothing...

Wait, did she just speak in a different language?

Hero blinked and forced a laugh. "Hey, um...sorry, I can't understand you."

The girl paused, then gave him a tiny smile.

Hero could've sworn there was nothing more beautiful in the world.

"I said 'hello,'" the girl explained. "You were staring quite hard, so I figured I'd say hello."

Hero nodded and cleared his throat. His face was on fire, and he waved awkwardly. "Well, um, hello!"

"Hello," the girl nodded.

"Hello," Hero repeated.

The girl giggled. "Hello."

Silence fell between them. The girl was watching Hero curiously, and all Hero could do was stare back.

She was so...

"Ah, um, wh-what's your name?" Hero finally stammered.

"Mari Suzuki." Mari held out a hand with a brighter smile. "You?"

"H-Henry Alvarez-Lopez. Um, most people call me Hero!" Hero took Mari's hand and-holy crap, her hands are so soft.

Mari lead the handshake. "Oh? Is it because you're a good person who saved someone?" Mari tilted her head to the side.

Hero's cheeks were set aflame yet again, and he removed his sweaty palm from Mari's hold. Usually, Hero is able to charm anyone, stay cool and composed, but this girl...she left him defenseless.