For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 4.2

***

For a moment, Kagamiya-kun seemed to glance my way, but then he quickly looked away and cheerfully offered a toast to Hamasaki Mai, “Cheers to the hard work.”
She, slightly puzzled by my odd behavior, still properly responded with “Cheers.”

“By the way, Mai, back in our first year…”

As I listened to their conversation, I drank my beer mindlessly. I wasn’t paying for it anyway. How many glasses I’ve had, I’ve lost count.

An offering to the void. As I numbly downed the tasteless beer, I counted the grains in the wooden wall.

***

Finally, the hellish time came to an end. Hamasaki Mai mentioned she had an early lecture tomorrow, so we disbanded. I was relieved to go home earlier, while Kagamiya-kun was sad he couldn’t win over Hamasaki Mai.

And so, I went unnoticed throughout today’s drinking party.

Well, it’s better than being awkwardly involved. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, but it wasn’t a big deal.

During the drinking party, when Kagamiya-kun went to the restroom, Hamasaki Mai tried to make conversation, showing some consideration for me, but I just acted as if nothing was wrong and responded, “I’m fine.”

In reality, I wasn’t bothered. Neither of them tried to engage with me, so it truly ended without incident.

“…Who is it?”

Walking alone to the nearest station, my phone in the pocket of my hoodie suddenly vibrated. Not an email notification or a game app alert but a prolonged vibration. Curiously, I pulled out my phone.

The screen showed an incoming call from Hamasaki Mai.

Wondering what it was about, I answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Hello? Kirishima-kun, you really helped me out today. Thank you so much.”

Hamasaki Mai’s voice sounded unusually excited over the phone. Maybe she was high from getting through the troublesome and annoying event.

“I just drank though. Well, glad I could help.”

“Really, thank you~ So, where are you now?”

“Now? I’m on my way to the station.”

“Oh, is that so? Um, if it’s alright with you, would you like to go for a drink now?”

“…Didn’t you say you have an early day tomorrow?”

“Eh? Well, you know… right?”

“I understand. But it’s better not to drink now. If you drink in your current state, you’ll probably end up really drunk.”

“Is that so… Then, how about coffee? To sober up?”

“…Alright, coffee is fine.”

Just like that, I agreed to have coffee with Hamasaki Mai.

After ending the call, she sent me the location of the café where we’d meet.

I managed to avoid more alcohol. Somehow, from her voice on the phone, I didn’t think it would end up being a good night.

Honestly, I was tired from doing something unfamiliar and being with someone was exhausting, so I wanted to go home. But Hamasaki Mai went out of her way to call me. It would be rude not to go.

“Please, stay with my sister.”

Walking, I remembered the words Hamasaki Misaki said about a month ago.

According to her, Hamasaki Mai sees me as someone special, different from other men, a presence she finds somewhat intriguing.

Indeed, even I’ve noticed that Hamasaki Mai holds at least some level of affection for me.

But that’s not romantic affection. More accurately, it’s not even affection. It’s curiosity.

So, the idea of Hamasaki Mai liking me is absurd. People come to the zoo and fall in love with the caretaker, not the animals. If I were to cross that line with her, I’d either be beaten with an electric baton or shot with a tranquilizer and euthanized.

It just can’t work out. It’s clear from the start. That’s how the world works.

I can’t fall in love with Hamasaki Mai. That hasn’t changed since I first took care of her. It’s a feeling that shouldn’t change.

“My head hurts.”

Maybe it’s from drinking too much, but my head throbs with pain. The cold air outside stings my aching body, and I grimaced as I headed to the meeting place.

***

Hamasaki Mai wasn’t at the meeting place.

Or rather, the location she specified was oddly in front of a certain coffee chain store, and despite approaching, I couldn’t find a beauty like her. So here I am, standing alone in front of the store with my phone in hand.

This is probably, yeah, a setup. Definitely. She’s probably secretly meeting Sugino-senpai and laughing her head off while secretly filming me standing cluelessly in front of the store.

I’m used to being laughed at, so that’s fine, but I wish she’d tell me I can go home already. It’s just cold.

Alright, I’ll wait another five minutes. If nothing happens in five minutes, I’ll send a “I’m heading home” message and leave.

That means I’ll end up waiting ten, twenty minutes, right—

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Her soft voice and the warm touch on my cheek came simultaneously.

Startled, I turned around to find Hamasaki Mai there. She was holding what appeared to be coffee cups, grinning mischievously.

Seeing her smile directly in front of me, I involuntarily looked away. If I kept looking, I might say too much.

“I got here early and bought them already. You take milk in your coffee, right?”

“Yeah, uh, thanks. You remember well.”

“Because you always order this. I remember it well.”

Receiving the drink cup and portion packs from the delighted Hamasaki Mai, we move to a table on the terrace and sit down.

The chairs are so tall that my feet barely touch the ground, and of course, Hamasaki Mai’s feet are planted firmly on the floor.

“Sorry about today. I made you come out even though it was a hassle.”

Hamasaki Mai apologizes again as she tilts her cup.

Honestly, I want to retort with “Absolutely,” just to give her a hard time, but it’s all said and done. There’s no point in saying it now.

I sip my coffee and let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

“I’m okay with it since you’re treating… but can I ask you something?”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Even if you find my presence bothersome, do you think acting that way in front of the woman you’re targeting will give you positive points from her perspective?”

As I gaze at the street, questioning, Hamasaki Mai freezes with her cup in hand, then bursts into a cute laugh. She chuckles, shaking her shoulders, and looks at me.

“That’s obvious, isn’t it? Zero points.”

She answers while laughing. “Of course,” I respond, taking a sip of my coffee.

“I wonder why he thought there’d be a next time after doing something like that. I’m surprised I didn’t leave midway through. Kirishima-kun, you could’ve left angry, you know?”

“I considered it, but, well, that’s exactly what he wanted. I endured it to avoid giving him the satisfaction.”

Exactly. Initially, I was irritated, but he surely wanted to annoy me enough to make me leave. Unfortunately for him, my thick skin foiled that plan.

“Then, it can’t be helped. But you could’ve left with me, you know?”

“With you? Me?”

“Yeah, you could’ve just grabbed my arm and pulled me away.”

“You pulling your arm?”

“Yeah, by you, Kirishima-kun.”

“I didn’t think of that.”

Honestly responding as I blow on my coffee, Hamasaki Mai slightly puckers her lips in dissatisfaction.

That thought genuinely never crossed my mind. Such an assertive move is something out of a shoujo manga, not something I believe I can do.

Besides, I was probably afraid. If I resisted, who knows what the other party might have done, and if it turned violent, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to handle it. So, I chose to endure. As long as I endured, I thought the situation would eventually calm down.

“I still think drinking with you guys was more fun.”

Hamasaki Mai gazes at the street again, reflecting nostalgically.

Indeed, today was utterly exhausting. Perhaps I wasn’t the only offering to the void.

But such drinking parties will end with this one. I promised only for this time, and Hamasaki Mai likely doesn’t want to continue with fruitless gatherings either.

“But it was good. We could vent over coffee like this afterward.”

“That is… true. It’s a small consolation, at least.”

“Right? If there’s a next time, let’s do the same after it ends.”

“I hope there won’t be a next time.”

I laugh lightly, returning words, and drink my coffee. The slight bitterness mixed with the mild sweetness of the milk eradicated my headache, which had vanished without me realizing.