For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 2.2

As two guys crossed in front of me, they blocked the path of Hamasaki Mai, who was walking beside me.

Glancing at her, I noticed her face seemed a bit stiff—just slightly. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at the two men who had suddenly appeared.

“Um, Sugiura-kun, Yabe-kun? What’s up?”

“No, what’s up is, we were hanging out with our circle members.”

“We’re on a break right now, thinking about grabbing some food.”

“Oh, I see…”

Completely ignoring my presence, the duo chattered away. It seemed they were acquaintances of Hamasaki Mai from Rokuyoukan University, judging from their conversation.

Suppressing my disgust at their unevenly dyed brown hair and pale skin, I stood still holding the bags.

“Mai, are you alone?”

“No, I came here with some people from my circle, and we’re about to head back.”

Hamasaki Mai glanced at me. Only then did they seem to notice I was there, giving me a brief, emotionless look.

But their focus quickly returned to Hamasaki Mai, their faces lighting up with smiles as they turned their bodies towards her.

“Hey, why don’t you sneak away and hang out with us?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’ll definitely be more fun with us.”

“No, that’s a bit difficult, I think.”

“It’s not difficult. You can do it.”

“Let’s go. It’s decided. Don’t worry, everyone is nice.”

“No, but…”

“What are you guys doing?”

As the two men continued to press her, another guy appeared—a tall man with a two-block haircut.

Ah, I’m being pushed further out of the picture. If I had a bit more courage and humanity, I would swiftly take Hamasaki Mai away, but alas, my hands are full right now.

“Senpai, that’s… We’re just inviting a girl.”

“She’s in the same department as us, super cute.”

“You guys are doing such nonsense again… Seriously? She’s super cute.”

The newly arrived senpai was at a loss for words upon seeing Hamasaki Mai.

This is not a good development. What’s worse is that I can’t do anything about it.

“Hey, seriously cute. Let’s just have a meal. I’ll treat.”

“Uh? No, that’s suddenly impossible…”

“Seriously? I think you can do it. Just come to our place. We’ve got drinks and stuff.”

“No, really, sorry. I’ve kept my circle senpai waiting, and I have someone with me.”

“Don’t know, don’t care. That person doesn’t exist. Even if he does, it doesn’t matter.”

“Hey, don’t talk like that.”

“Come on. Besides, what circle are you in?”

“Sake Tomo Kai, but…”

“…Huh?”

It felt like time stopped.

No, it wasn’t my time that stopped but the sudden freeze from the two-block haircut senpai. He stood frozen, not moving a muscle, at Hamasaki Mai’s response.

“Senpai? What’s wrong?”

“Why are you frozen?”

The duo half-laughed as they called out to the senpai, who was just sweating and taking shallow breaths.

“Kirishima-kun, Mai-chan, you’re taking too long~ Mikami-senpai is getting tired of waiting…… Ah? Isn’t that Doujima?”

As everyone was baffled by the unfolding situation, Sugino-senpai’s voice could be heard from behind. Had she come to fetch us since we hadn’t returned? Turning around, there she was, looking not at us but at the two-block haircut senpai.

The guy named Doujima twitched and stepped back as if overreacting to her call. What’s going on? Was there some history between Sugino-senpai and him?

“Long time no see, Doujima. Still hanging around the university, huh?”

With a malicious grin, Sugino-senpai tapped her shoulder with the wine bottle she was holding.

Doujima clenched his teeth and glared at Sugino-senpai, but his posture was retreating, and his legs were shaking. Just moments ago, he was all bravado, and now he’s just a wreck.

“Sugino Miharu… Why are you here, in such a peaceful place? There are kids around, you know.”

“It’s fine if there are kids around. Besides, Doujima, if you were going to invite my cute kouhai, you could’ve just called me~”

“Shut up! Don’t bother me! Damn, if I knew you were her senpai, I wouldn’t have dared. Let’s go, guys. If we stay here any longer, who knows what this woman will do to us!”

Doujima wrapped his arms around the necks of the duo and fled like a scared rabbit.

The storm passed as quickly as it came, leaving me and Hamasaki Mai dumbfounded. Sure, Sugino-senpai isn’t exactly harmless, but what on earth could she have done to make a relatively well-built guy like that run away in fear?

“Ah, they’re gone. I wanted to have some fun since it’s been a while.”

Sugino-senpai, sounding bored, resumed drinking her wine directly from the bottle.

While the scene was bizarre, I felt relieved that peace had returned, glancing at Hamasaki Mai, who also seemed relieved and freed from her earlier tension.

“Thank you, Sugino-senpai. Honestly, you saved us.”

After things calmed down, I bowed my head to Sugino-senpai. Following suit, Hamasaki Mai also thanked her, and Sugino-senpai, detaching from the wine bottle, shrugged her shoulders and chuckled.

“It’s nothing. I was just worried because Mikami-senpai was waiting. Well, it would’ve been too much for Kirishima-kun to handle anyway.”

“That’s… true. It’s just as you say. I’m sorry for being so pathetic.”

My last apology was directed at Hamasaki Mai. As I bowed and apologized, she chuckled wryly and waved her hand, saying, “No, it’s okay.”

“It was sudden, so it can’t be helped. Yeah.”

Her casual consolation made me feel even more dejected. If I could’ve been like a manga protagonist, smartly rescuing her, perhaps a different story would have unfolded.

But reality is different. I’m just a cowardly, weak, gloomy guy. Far from deciding whether to save Hamasaki Mai or not, I was feeling uncomfortable and just wanted to escape the situation.