For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 3.1

“Big sister!”

A person who appeared to be Hamasaki Mai’s sister suddenly appeared and hugged her sister tightly.

“Misaki! What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

While being hugged, Hamasaki Mai asked her sister. Her voice was a mix of surprise and joy, and their smiling faces showed how close they were.

And me, Kirishima Asato, was looking at the beautiful sisters hugging each other with dead eyes.

Due to a hangover and being puked on, I was overwhelmed by an incredible sense of lethargy and had decided to skip university, when Hamasaki Mai came to my house. Thinking about it, it’s an incredible story. A woman, and not just any woman but the most beautiful girl in the university, visiting someone like me who is disliked by people of all ages.

Moreover, it was even more surprising that she asked me to take her home.

Furthermore, running into Hamasaki Mai’s sister when I took her home was such a coincidence. When events like this happen one after another, it starts to make me anxious.

“There was a test today. I finished school early, so I came to visit.”

Even as I was zoning out and suppressing a yawn, the conversation went on.

With a cute smile “ehehe”, Hamasaki Mai’s sister looked at her sister. I do have an older sister, but we’re not that close. Well, it’s probably natural since it’s between brother and sister and sisters.

“That’s how it was. You should have contacted me then.”

“I wanted to surprise big sister.”

Watching the heartwarming interaction between the sisters from a distance of three steps away, Hamasaki Mai’s sister, who was hugging her, let go and turned her gaze towards me.

With a look that seemed to see me as something foreign, or to put it bluntly, rude, I didn’t react much and just met her gaze. I wonder if I should at least greet her.

Hamasaki Mai, unlike my casual demeanor, took a step towards me, standing between me and her sister.

“This is Misaki, my younger sister. She’s still in high school and lives in our hometown.”

Introduced by Hamasaki Mai, I simply said “hello” and bowed lightly. Misaki, her sister, while still showing wariness, nodded lightly in return.

“Misaki, this is Kirishima-kun. Ah, he’s a friend from university and we’re in the same club.”

“…Friend?”

Misaki cast a skeptical glance at me. It’s understandable. A “beautiful big sister’s” friend being such a bland guy is unexpected.

This might question Hamasaki Mai’s taste in friends. Though I’m not obliged or needed to help, I decided to break the ice with a light joke.

“Yeah, I pay this person twenty thousand yen a month to call me a friend.”

“Twenty thousand yen!? No, no. It’s not what it sounds like… Anything inappropriate.”

…

It fell flat. I was trying to lighten the mood with a joke I squeezed out, but it seems it wasn’t well received.

Thinking about what kind of approach to try next, Misaki suddenly stepped forward.

Her sharp and cool eyes looked down at me. Not that I have such a fetish or preference, but being stared down by a taller woman kind of makes my heart race.

“…Um”

“Are you targeting my big sister?”

I was about to ask if I looked that easy to look down upon when Misaki asked me a question out of the blue.

Frozen for a moment by the unexpected and abrupt question, Hamasaki Mai raised her voice, “Wait!”

“Misaki, you shouldn’t ask such things.”

“…Why? Isn’t it because he’s targeting you that he’s with you?”

“No, today he just accompanied me on my errand and gave me a ride home.”

“He’s targeting you. You should be careful with that sort of thing.”

“Don’t say things like that. Besides, Kirishima-kun and I aren’t like that.”

“Yeah, we’re not like that.”

When I intervened, both of them turned their gazes towards me. Hamasaki Mai looked a bit surprised, while Misaki still seemed doubtful.

“So, not like that means you’re not targeting my big sister?”

“Of course. Even if I were, do you think I stand a chance with your sister?”

“No chance.”

“Misaki!”

Hamasaki Mai scolded her sister while saying “Stop it”. True as it may be, I wasn’t bothered at all. Really.

However, whether my indifferent and nonchalant demeanor didn’t sit well with her or she simply didn’t like my face, Misaki’s wariness intensified as she glared more intensely at me.

It felt like I was being threatened. Or rather, I was being threatened. I thought it was troublesome, but I stepped back.

“For now, I’ll be going home. I don’t want to intrude on family time.”

Trying to smile as naturally as possible, I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. Seeing that, Misaki’s expression turned even grimmer, indicating that my smile probably wasn’t as natural as I thought.

“If you’re targeting my big sister, you better give up. Among all the guys so far, you’re the least cool and unimpressive. Plus, you’re kind of creepy.”

“Misaki! Enough is enough, or big sister will really get mad! I’m really sorry, Kirishima-kun. And, thank you for today. See you again at university.”

Hamasaki Mai pushed her sister into the apartment, and I silently watched them go, turning around as the automatic door of the entrance closed.

Hamasaki Mai’s sister kept glaring at me until the very end.

Left alone at the apartment entrance, I couldn’t help but feel a bit self-deprecating, remembering Misaki’s hostile and almost antagonistic expression.

“I knew it from the start…”

***

That night, I received a message from Hamasaki Mai.

A message thanking me for giving her a ride home – I thought that was it, but then she continued.

“Can I call you now?”

Frozen in my room upon this sudden request, it was the first time she had asked me something like that.

“A phone call…”

Lying on my futon, I contemplated. It’s not like there’s any reason to refuse, but why a sudden phone call? Talking face-to-face and over the phone feels different. Hearing Hamasaki Mai’s voice right by my ear is – no, what am I thinking? I’m really creepy.

It could be simpler, and there’s no need to think too much about it. It’s probably nothing important.

I sat up, looked down at the screen of my smartphone, and replied with a simple “Sure.”

Immediately, the message was read, and a “Thank you!” came through followed by a phone call.

I let out a sigh, slid the call icon, and brought the phone to my ear.

“…”

“…”

Neither of us spoke first, each trying to gauge the other’s reaction.

From the other side, I could hear a faint breath. This might be the first time for such a tense call. Calls from my mother don’t count, and obviously neither do Senpai Sugino and Senpai Mikami. Those two don’t understand the concept of appropriate distance. Or rather, they know but choose to ignore it.

“Hello?”

Breaking the silence, she spoke first.

“Yes, hello?”

“Hello? Sorry, is this a good time?”

“Yeah, I’m at home, so it’s fine.”

“Good. I’m really sorry about today. For causing you trouble.”

“Trouble? Oh, right.”

“Really sorry about my sister…”

Over the phone, I could hear Hamasaki Mai’s voice straining to apologize.

I remembered Misaki’s sharp gaze and couldn’t help but snort.

“No need to apologize. It just shows how much your sister cares about you.”

“But she shouldn’t have said it like that… I’ve talked to her since then. Really sorry.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m used to being spoken to like that.”

“Used to it…”

Hamasaki Mai repeated my words. For her, who had been showered with praise from birth, the idea of getting used to insults or belittlement must be unimaginable. Well, it’s not like I’m completely unaffected either.

“Anyway, don’t mind what Misaki said. That… she’s always been like that, kind of… how do I put it? Not exactly threatening, but…”

“Biting?”

“…Yeah, a bit.”

It didn’t feel like “a bit” of snapping, but I didn’t press the matter. After all, I wasn’t bothered.

But it makes sense. Hamasaki Mai’s sister, acting as a guard dog, barking, and sometimes biting to protect her master, meant it wasn’t easy for guys to get close.

And it’s understandable that she wouldn’t want her beautiful sister to be with some ragged, worthless guy.

“I get it. A beautiful person should have a beautiful escort. Especially if it’s family.”

“Ah, um… Kirishima-kun?”

“What is it?”

“Uh… Goodnight.”

“…Yes, goodnight.”

The call ended with a beep.

Staring at the “Call Ended” message on my screen, I threw my phone aside.

What did Hamasaki Mai want to say at the end? It felt like she was about to say something important, with a silence and breath that seemed to imply determination.

But to someone as shallow as me, what could she possibly want to discuss? And even if she had something to say, I wouldn’t be able to respond.

After all, I live in a different world from Hamasaki Mai. Her troubles are barely comprehensible to me, let alone something I can empathize with.

Even now, we were on the phone, but normally, such an opportunity wouldn’t exist. Our relationship is confined to the “Sake Friends Club.” Just fellow club members. That’s all.

Nothing more, nothing less, and it’s not something I should wish for more.

Just because we got along over drinks doesn’t mean anything.

“Well, for now… I’ll take a shower.”