For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 3.3

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The next day, after wrapping up my late-night shift at the cinema, just as I was about to head home, I received a call from Sugino-senpai. It was deep into the night, midnight to be exact.

Normally, I’d politely decline, citing the late hour, but this was a summons from Sugino-senpai. Given that she’s treated me before, I, as her ever-obliging junior, couldn’t possibly say no. With a weary body from work, I checked the designated meeting spot on my map app and set off.

“Uh, is it ‘Canaan’ that I’m looking for? This is the right place, isn’t it?”

Sandwiched between a cluttered building and a real estate office was a modest shop. Its chic, simple facade was highlighted by the store’s name in glimmering gold neon beside the door.

Double-checking the location on my map app, I assured myself this was indeed the place.

Stepping through the ponderous door, I was greeted by another glass door inside. Behind that door, the pleasant strains of music—likely jazz—filled the air.

This place was straight out of a TV show bar scene. Though, to say it’s like a bar from TV might be oddly circular since those bars are based on real ones, but regardless, it was precisely the kind of bar I had envisioned.

Descending the stairs with a touch of nervousness—having stairs right at the entrance felt uniquely bar-like. The interior stretched vertically like a trapezoid, expanding towards a stage set a step higher, where a glossy red grand piano sat. Too stylish for words.

“Kirishima-kun, over here!”

Upon reaching the bottom, Sugino-senpai, seated at the counter, beckoned me over.

Behind the counter stood a bartender who could be Hamasaki Mai’s twin—And it was Hamasaki Mai.

In the shop were only Sugino-senpai and Hamasaki Mai, moonlighting as a bartender. Puzzled yet intrigued, I took a seat next to Sugino-senpai, leaving a seat between us. She promptly offered me a chilled oshibori, to which I responded with a mere “Thanks.”

I dropped my shoulder bag at my feet, stealing a glance at Hamasaki Mai.

Today, she wasn’t in her usual stylish casual attire but donned the bar’s uniform instead. Adorned in a tight black skirt, black vest over a blouse, and a red bow tie, she was the epitome of classic bartender chic. Her usually long, beautiful brown-black hair was pulled back into a ponytail today.

Beauty and style aside, she looked stunning in anything. Indeed, a bartender like her would quickly become the talk of the town.

She suited the role perfectly. Likely, this was the custom outfit Sugino-senpai had tailor-made for Hamasaki Mai.

“When did Senpai start bartending part-time?”

“Just today. Make sure to give her a warm welcome. Now, how about some champagne, maybe a Dom Pérignon?”

“I don’t think bartending is all about that, though.”

I wiped my hands with the oshibori Sugino-senpai handed me, finding humor in her misconception. Hamasaki Mai offered a sheepish smile.

“So, why am I here?”

“Alright, I’m off then. Take care.”

Just as I was about to question my sudden summons, Sugino-senpai rose from her seat. Before I could react, she quipped, “I’ve already settled the bill,” and ascended the stairs.

Left with no choice, I let my hand, which I had extended in a futile attempt to stop her, fall limply, scratching my neck with the other.

“So, I’ve walked into a trap, haven’t I?”

I tilted my head slightly, seeking confirmation from Hamasaki Mai. She offered a vague smile and placed a tray of snacks before me.

“A taste tester for bartending. Sugino-senpai figured you wouldn’t mind a few mishaps.”

“Well, she’s not wrong. That’s very like Sugino-senpai to say.”

“It’s not like that~ I couldn’t possibly serve anything strange to you.”

“I don’t mind, really. Better this than dealing with drunks.”

Hamasaki Mai paused her glass-polishing, and I picked up the menu, flipping through casually.

It only made sense that I’d be chosen. Despite appearances, Sugino-senpai is quite particular about her drinks, preferring not to risk an amateur’s concoction. Mikami-senpai, lacking a high tolerance for alcohol, wouldn’t suit the role of taste tester either. Besides, Sugino-senpai wouldn’t have been able to call on Mikami-senpai directly.

That left me. With a decent tolerance for alcohol and conveniently pliable, it was obvious I’d be the one she’d use.

Such is the fate of the socially disadvantaged. My life’s purpose seemingly to bear the brunt of others’ troubles.

“Maybe start with something simple… How about a gin and tonic?”

I suggested to Hamasaki Mai, scanning the menu. “Gin and tonic, huh?” She mulled over it as she fetched a file from beneath the counter, flipping through. Likely, she was confirming how to make it.

But making a gin and tonic hardly warrants a recipe check; it’s quite straightforward. Mix dry gin with tonic water, and you’re done. Even I could manage that.

“Alright, a gin and tonic it is.”

Hamasaki Mai fetched two bottles—gin and tonic water. Into a glass filled with a large ice cube, she measured the gin, then the tonic water, adding it until the glass was nearly full. A squeeze of lime finished it off, stirred lightly with a specialized spoon.

“Here you go, a gin and tonic.”

She placed the gin and tonic before me. It looked like any other cocktail, just as one would expect.

“You seem rather adept for a first-timer.”

“Do I? Actually, I got a quick lesson from the master here earlier.”

She smiled shyly, revealing just a hint of her teeth. Suddenly, it dawned on me—the exclusivity of being served drinks by a beautiful woman in a one-on-one setting. This was no ordinary situation.

Surely, something untoward was bound to follow. Cursing my luck for always finding itself in the most peculiar of situations, I took the gin and tonic Hamasaki Mai had prepared.

As the droplets slid down my fingers, I savored the drink.

The distilled spirit’s distinctive bitterness melded with a subtle sweetness, while the lime’s sourness offered a refreshing finish. The drink’s crisp taste matched exactly what I knew a gin and tonic to be.

“…How is it?”

Hamasaki Mai looked on, somewhat anxiously. I returned the glass to its coaster, chuckling softly.

“No, it’s really good. Perfectly made.”

“Really? I’m glad. What would you like next?”

My affirmation seemed to bolster her confidence, and Hamasaki Mai flipped through the menu with renewed enthusiasm. I, too, revisited the menu.

The gin and tonic might have been too simple, so perhaps something slightly more complex would be in order. Narrowing down the options, I spotted a particular cocktail that caught my eye.

“How about trying a Gimlet next?”

I suggested, glancing up from the menu. Hamasaki Mai flipped back through her file, pondered briefly with the file still open, then propped it nearby, simply saying, “Okay.”

The rookie bartender, Hamasaki Mai, began crafting the Gimlet. Dry gin, lime juice, and a dash of syrup mixed together. She added dry gin and lime juice to a shaker, dropped in a few droplets of syrup, stirred a bit with a special spoon for taste, then paused, a novice bartender in contemplation. Adding a little more syrup, she then introduced ice into the mix.

With the ingredients adjusted, all that remained was the shaking. Hamasaki Mai gripped the shaker firmly in both hands, embarking on a convincingly professional shake.

Every shake caused her ponytail to sway ever so slightly. Watching her intently shake the container before her downcast face was a scene out of a dream—truly, a sight to behold.

Indeed, she seemed a natural. For a first-timer, she was unnervingly skilled. Were it me, I’d either fumble the shaker or shake it too timidly.

After about twenty shakes or so, she gently shook it twice more, then poured the finished concoction into a waiting cocktail glass.

“Here’s your Gimlet.”

A frosted glass of Gimlet was placed before me. Picking it up, its refreshing scent was immediately apparent.

But smelling alone wasn’t enough, so I took a sip—perhaps a tad sweet, yet unmistakably a Gimlet. For a first attempt, it was commendable.

“…How is it?”

“Um, yeah, it’s good. Really good.”

Repeating myself, I finished the Gimlet in one go.

Hamasaki Mai went on to craft several more cocktails, each surprisingly well-made for a first attempt. Each time I prepared to critique, my efforts proved unnecessary.

It was frustratingly flawless. I had anticipated more of a challenge in cocktail crafting, but it seemed I had underestimated Hamasaki Mai’s talent.

To be beautiful, kind, and skilled in anything felt almost unfair. Only now, recognizing her perfection, did I indulge in a moment of sentimentality.

It was obvious from the start—Hamasaki Mai and I were on different levels. Jealousy was pointless, yet there I was, sipping my cocktail in a state of wistful misery. The drink had turned bitter.

“Right, I’ll cut some cheese.”

Caught up in a mild self-loathing and absentmindedly twisting the oshibori, Hamasaki Mai began slicing cheese. She moved with an ease that belied this being a first-time endeavor, stylishly arranging slice after slice.

“By the way, Sugino-senpai suggested we could charge extra for a ‘feeding service’… What do you think? Would you like that?”

As she served a plate filled with cheese and crackers, Hamasaki Mai wore a hesitant smile, seeking my opinion. Typical of Sugino-senpai—always a step ahead in monetizing, albeit ignoring Hamasaki Mai’s wishes.

“What can I say… It’s not as if anything I say could change things.”

“Ahaha, right… Kirishima-kun, would guys enjoy that kind of service?”

“Hmm, I guess most would be thrilled. I, for one, would rather not.”

“Really? Why not?”

“It’s embarrassing. Plus, it feels too much like being pampered.”

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s cringeworthy. Plus, people who enjoy that sort of thing tend to do it in public places, like in restaurants.”

“They probably do it at home too. Anyway, I’d find it too embarrassing to endure.”

“Upon reflection… Yeah, both offering and receiving that service might be uncomfortable…”

“If it doesn’t sit well with you, better speak up sooner rather than later. Sugino-senpai tends to play rather vigorously, sometimes to the point of breaking her toys.”

“…Toys.”

Hamasaki Mai’s expression soured. I empathized with her while nibbling on the cheese and crackers.