For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 4.3

Accompanying Hamasaki Mai didn’t just end after one time.

After the incident with Kagamiya-kun going out for drinks, other male students caught wind of it, thinking, “If he can, why not me too?” and started approaching Hamasaki Mai in droves.

Having allowed a special case with one student, Hamasaki Mai couldn’t just dismiss the desperate pleas of other boys, and she reluctantly agreed to “just meals.”

So, why did I have to be dragged into this again?

Of course, I refused. The agreement was to accompany her only once, and Hamasaki Mai had accepted that. So, refusing shouldn’t have been a problem.

Yet, I ended up being roped into it for the second and third times.

The second time, I ran into her by chance while walking around town, and she forcefully took me along for drinks. At least that time, there was also a female friend of Hamasaki Mai’s, so it was just slightly uncomfortable.

The third time, I was literally abducted from school. In this day and age. That was a bit too much, so I had to send an SOS to Mikami-senpai to come and rescue me.

Well, with all that said, I’ve been utterly exhausted from being strung along by Hamasaki Mai these past few days. Being forced to drink with strangers, ignored at times, and mocked at others, my spirit is completely drained.

“This week has been utterly exhausting…”

Finally, a day off with absolutely nothing came, and I sprawled lethargically in my one-room apartment.

Apparently, there was supposed to be a junior high school reunion this year.

You might wonder what that’s about, but it came up when I was sending a thank-you message to my mother for her remittance, and I stumbled upon such a message.

The message was about gathering to drink with everyone from the class after the coming-of-age ceremony.

According to my mom, there was even a call to confirm my attendance, but I had no clue about it.

Even if I had known, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the reunion. I didn’t have the courage, and after so many years, I didn’t think relationships would remain the same—I’m not that positive a person.

Besides, I didn’t want to meet everyone from my class. I didn’t want to meet them.

For me, the future is dark, and the past doesn’t exist. What comes to mind are embarrassing and miserable memories, and sometimes at night, something trivial triggers those memories, making me feel sick.

The stronger the aversion, the more vividly I remember. Each time, I metaphorically take scissors to those scenes in my mind, shredding them to pieces.

I only have the present. Not that I particularly cherish it, but I don’t want this present to be erased as my past was, so I have no choice but to make decisions that won’t hurt me.

Even if it means hurting others, I choose the path that saves me. That’s how I want to be.

This so-called policy is just a powerless lament of an outsider, but it’s all I can do to live this twisted life.

While aimlessly pondering such hopeless matters, I was half-listening to the rain falling on Suzaku Avenue from a while ago—well, not quite to that extent, but my feelings were close to that.

With university classes over and a day off from my movie theater job, I spent my day off in my studio apartment. Having no friends, I couldn’t go out and play with anyone, and I had no one to talk to, so if I felt like it, I could finish the assignments given in class quickly.

I truly had nothing to do. I wasn’t in the mood for movies, dramas, anime, or even games. I read some online articles, watched some adult videos even though I wasn’t in the mood, made excuses to myself that I was just tired, got overwhelmed by unpleasant past memories, and endured an utterly lazy and boring time until the day turned to night.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling in a gloomy mood, my phone, placed nearby, suddenly vibrated.

Checking it while still lying down, I saw a message from Sugino-senpai. Unlocking the screen, I read the content.

“Come here now.”

A concise message followed by a URL. Accessing it, I was directed to a barbecue restaurant’s homepage.

The usual sudden summons. After staring at the screen for about a minute, I reluctantly got up.

“What a hassle,” I muttered as I changed clothes. It’s not like I absolutely had to go, but if I didn’t, it would be a hassle later on, so I had to go.

Besides, I had nothing else to do.

Changing into my usual nondescript clothes, I grabbed my crossbody bag. Checking only to make sure my wallet and a novel for killing time were inside, I headed to the entrance.

“Oh, my phone.”

I was about to put on my shoes when I remembered something and went back to the living/dining/bedroom.

Picking up my phone left on the floor, I double-checked the restaurant’s location for good measure.

A barbecue place near a station somewhere in Tokyo, chosen by Sugino-senpai who usually wouldn’t pick such a place. Thinking this was unusual for her, I headed back to the entrance and put on my shoes.

***

To cut to the chase, I was deceived by Sugino-senpai.

When I headed to the designated restaurant, Hamasaki Mai was there in front of it, with a man I didn’t know.

Hamasaki Mai was dressed in her usual stylish attire.

Her light blue coat was adorned with unusually fluffy fur on the sleeves and collar. The bag was her usual one from a certain brand.

The man, on the other hand, was dressed quite casually.

Black denim jeans and boots, a navy Chesterfield coat, and a white and grey checked scarf. He wore silver-rimmed round glasses and had shoulder-length permed hair in a subdued color. Just a regular college student.