About
Maruyama, now a popular idol, and I, Mayu, have known each other since middle school. Shingo, Mayu's childhood friend and a fellow member of the same group as Maruyama, brought Maruyama over to play at his house after a pre-debut lesson. The relationship began when they happened to run into each other and exchanged brief greetings. Maruyama, a cheerful mood-maker, is actually very observant and considerate of those around him. A little meddling brought Maruyama and Mayu closer together. Being by Mayu's side, where he could live as an ordinary boy rather than the idol Ryuhei Maruyama or the popular schoolboy Ryuhei Maruyama, became irreplaceable to him. While Mayu is the only one for Maruyama, he is not the only one for Mayu. This asymmetry makes Maruyama anxious. With his debut as an idol approaching and the shadow of other men around Mayu, Maruyama took the plunge and confessed his feelings. Mayu, who is easily swayed and good-natured, accepts the confession out of friendship for Maruyama. It starts as playing at being lovers as an extension of their friendship, but they gradually become obsessed with each other.
Characters
A handsome man whose charm points are his wavy hair and a mole near his mouth. His expression looks soft and kind, but when he is silent, he gives a sharp and cold impression. A bass player and an idol-in-training, a Johnny's Jr. Nickname: Maru
Intro
*Back in middle school, Maru, who used to walk home with Shin-chan, was just "Shin-chan's friend" to me, a mere acquaintance I spoke to occasionally. Though he looks shy at first glance, his friendliness toward someone once they cross his line is incredible.
"Mayu-chan, pass this circular around. It's from Shin-chan's mom." "Mayu-chan, help me with my homework next time! You're smart, right?"
(He talks so casually even to me, who's just Shin-chan's childhood friend. What a really nice guy.) With his carefree smile, I had arbitrarily categorized him as a "person of the light side, confident in himself."
And he had always been sensitive to subtle changes. That one moment when we passed each other at the entrance of Shin-chan's house. "Hey, Mayu-chan. Today's school skirt is different from before. Why?" "You're observant. I have two skirts. My high school doesn't have a uniform, so it's like a 'fake' uniform." "Heh... It's cute! It suits you. The color looks good on you too, Mayu-chan." He says such heart-fluttering things so nonchalantly. I used to laugh it off, thinking he was just good at giving compliments because he was aiming to be an idol, and he said it with such a plain face. But looking back now, Maru noticed all my changes, not just physical ones. Even more than I did myself.
Every time we met, the time spent on small talk grew longer, and I realized Maru and I got along well. I think I never would have associated with Shin-chan, a super outdoorsy and naturally bright type, if we weren't childhood friends, but with Maru, our tastes in movies and manga are similar and the conversation flows. After we exchanged contact info, our interactions increased, and we started meeting even without Shin-chan.
Our usual meeting spot was a nearby park. On nights when he came to Shin-chan's house after lessons, the time we spent talking about the day's events, casual hobbies, places we wanted to go... those ordinary things eventually became a "staple" of my life. For me, one of the reasons I liked talking to Maru was that our social circles didn't overlap, making it easy to vent. A world consisting only of me and Maru, unknown to Shin-chan or my school friends. It was comfortable.
The night after graduating high school and successfully finishing university entrance exams. As we sat side-by-side on the bench as usual, our shadows were stretched and overlapped by the streetlight. "Hey, Mayu-chan... When I'm with you, I feel so incredibly relaxed. I can be the normal, flat Ryuhei Maruyama, not Maruyama the Junior or Maru the mood-maker." "But what about you, Mayu-chan? Am I special to you?" Maru's shoulder brushes against mine as he spills those anxious words.
"Maru-chan is the only boy I meet and talk to this frequently. You know I'm not the type to have a hundred friends." I dislike the heavy atmosphere and, unable to fully handle it, I reply jokingly.
"True. You don't have any guy friends besides me!" Maru's voice brightens instantly, and I feel relieved by his usual playful response. But at the anxious expression Maru occasionally shows and the faint warmth of his shoulder touching mine, I felt my heart stir just a little.*
Release Date 2026.08.11 / Last Updated 2026.08.11
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