For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 4.5

“Alright, let’s toast. Cheers to hard work!”

“Cheers!”

“Cheers.”

As we clinked our glasses together, I sipped my beer a bit more reservedly. On the other hand, Kadowaki-kun drank heartily, and before the initial toast was over, his glass was almost empty. Hamasaki Mai had surprisingly drunk about half of hers.

“Man, I never thought I’d get to drink with Hamasaki-san, so this is really great.”

Kadowaki-kun began by mentioning how rare it was to have Hamasaki Mai join them. Apparently, she hardly attended any other drinking parties since joining our circle.

Even so, to express affection so openly like that, I couldn’t do such a thing. Either he has a lot of confidence in himself, or he’s desperate to get Hamasaki Mai’s attention. Probably both.

“Ah, what’s that? It’s not that big of a deal, right?”

“No, seriously, it is. Look, Hamasaki-san, you hardly come to these things since second year. You’re like a rare character.”

“It’s not like that.”

Kadowaki-kun kept pressing while Hamasaki Mai remained very cool. She didn’t lose her graceful smile, sipping her drink and skillfully deflecting and dodging his words.

If I were in her place, I’d either get carried away and panic or become a mumbling mess. I’ve never been treated like that, so I can’t even imagine.

“Hey, what’s Hamasaki-san like when you guys normally drink? Kirishima-kun knows, right?”

As I was casually enjoying the beer, thinking how fun it all seemed, Kadowaki-kun suddenly threw a question my way.

I wasn’t expecting to be drawn into the conversation, so I froze with the glass held up to my lips. What does he want to know?

“Kirishima-kun? Um, you know, don’t… say anything weird, okay?”

Hamasaki Mai threw me a lifeline. I glanced her way, sensing her slight panic, and finally grasped what Kadowaki-kun was asking.

“That kind of phrasing makes it sound like there was something weird going on.”

My typical, or rather, one-trick-pony, nitpicky retort made Hamasaki Mai pout. She often self-destructs in such situations.

“What, what? Something weird? I really want to hear about it.”

Holding his second glass of beer, Kadowaki-kun leaned forward eagerly, urging me to talk. I had no choice. I do possess at least the minimum amount of social decency. Therefore, I couldn’t just protect Hamasaki Mai and make up some suitable story here. If I did that, the atmosphere would turn for the worst.

So, I recounted an incident from a drinking party we had in the summer.

Hamasaki Mai and I plotted to see Sugino-senpai, a heavy drinker, get wasted. We’d let her drink normally for a while, then mix in some stronger alcohol to knock her out all at once.

Even Sugino-senpai, with her high tolerance, would fall for this. With that plan in mind, we proceeded.

It was going smoothly at first. Sugino-senpai was drinking well and starting to get tipsy, so I gave Hamasaki Mai the signal. It was the chance to bring out the prepared drink.

The flow was supposed to be like this: Hamasaki Mai orders the special drink. It gets delivered to both me and Sugino-senpai. We drink it. Naturally, the drink brought to me would be a regular one. Unaware Sugino-senpai drinks hers and collapses.

However, the plan crumbled spectacularly due to Hamasaki Mai getting more smashed than expected.

First, even after I gave the signal, she didn’t order. Just laughed drunkenly with a “Hehehehe.”

Reluctantly, I made the order. The hyper-powered drink arrives, but seeing it delivered to both me and Sugino-senpai, Hamasaki Mai started to sulk.

“Why only the two of you have the same one? What about mine? My share!”

Just as I thought, “Is she serious?” Hamasaki Mai, still pouting, snatched the drink meant for Sugino-senpai and gulped it down.

The moment I thought “This is bad,” Hamasaki Mai sprayed the stylish spinning lights in the bar with a mist of booze, then collapsed backward with the same momentum, joining Mikami-senpai who was already passed out in a drunken sleep. Sugino-senpai laughed hysterically at the sight of Hamasaki Mai collapsing with rolled-back eyes. I finished my ordinary drink and merely asked Sugino-senpai, “Should I call an ambulance?”

“…And that’s what happened.”

“Seriously!? That’s hilarious! Wait, no, I mean, it’s kind of shocking. That drinking party sounds insane.”

“Kirishima-kun! Why’d you choose that story to tell! And you didn’t have to mention the rolled-back eyes!”

“For a while after that, our circle’s group icon was a photo of her passed out with rolled-back eyes.”

“You didn’t have to mention that either!”

“Hey, I kind of want that image.”

“Absolutely not! And why haven’t you deleted it!? I told you to!”

As Hamasaki Mai protested with a “That’s terrible,” she continued to drink. Kadowaki-kun seemed a bit taken aback and slowed his drinking pace. It was a pretty light-hearted story.

“Wow, that sounds really fun. Man, I’m jealous.”

Kadowaki-kun laughed as he grilled the meat. Sure, it’s funny to hear, but for me, who had to deal with the aftermath, it was hell.

But well, that was it. With this story, my role in this drinking party was essentially over. It wasn’t my anecdote, but I managed to liven up the place with an interesting episode, easing the tension. All that’s left is to just listen from here on out.

Ordering another beer, I decided to just listen to Kadowaki-kun and Hamasaki Mai’s conversation.

About an hour into the drinking party, I mainly drank while occasionally receiving leftover meat from them, responding appropriately to their conversation to survive somehow.

The atmosphere still wasn’t great, but it was just that. As usual, I just had to act as the person left out of the community.

That is, not to make the other party uncomfortable. I diligently remained in the shadows, making my presence as thin as possible.

“Sorry, I need to step out for a bit…”

Hamasaki Mai stands up and walks away from the table. Seeing her makeup pouch, I said nothing and just drank, while Kadowaki-kun smiled and said, “Take your time.”

“…”

“…”

Silence fell between me and Kadowaki-kun. It couldn’t be helped. After all, we are but satellites orbiting around the massive celestial body that is Hamasaki Mai. Even if he was a good person, there’s a limit. It’s not surprising for silence to arise between two people meeting for the first time, especially when one is an uninteresting, plain-looking guy like me.

“Hey.”

I’m not particularly bothered by silence, but it seemed he felt differently. As he picked up some grilled meat with tongs, he initiated a conversation.

It’s rare to see, I thought as I put down my glass and looked his way.

His demeanor had completely changed from the friendly one earlier to a very cold one now.

“You’ve had your fun, right? Isn’t it about time you disappeared?”

Those words were thrown at me so nonchalantly that I clammed up.

Ah, so it was as expected. I had thought as much. Even though I had considered it―couldn’t he at least bear it until the first round was over?

“Come on, you get it, right? You’re a nuisance from here on out. Make up some excuse and just go somewhere else, will you?”

He clicked the tongs. Watching his words and actions, I coolly observed as if it was someone else’s problem.

“Say something, will you?”

My lack of response seemed to greatly annoy Kadowaki-kun. Increasingly irritated, he kicked the table leg forcefully, leaned in close, and demanded a response.

I gripped my pants tightly with my left hand, hesitantly opened my mouth.

“I could leave, I suppose, but it’s not going to be that simple. She’s not that dumb.”

“Huh?”

My answer clearly didn’t please him. Furrowing his brows, Kadowaki-kun glared at me. Click, click, he made noise with the tongs. It was like a threat.

“What does that have to do with anything? Like, what? Are you something to her? You’re just coincidentally in the same club, right? Don’t get in the way.”

I didn’t come here because I wanted to. I was tricked. Besides, you’re in the same boat, aren’t you?

“What’s that, are you aiming for her too? Eh? Seriously? Really? You’ve got to be joking! That’s impossible! It’s a miracle even to drink at the same table! If it’s impossible for me, then you’re hopeless for a lifetime! Besides, you don’t even have a chance!”

Kadowaki-kun’s tirade heats up. My heart cools down inversely, as if my self-defense instinct is kicking in. I can still listen now, but probably soon, I’ll shut out even his voice.

What Kadowaki-kun is saying is too correct.

It’s impossible for me to win over Hamasaki Mai in a lifetime, and the chance will never come around. After all, I’m just an unremarkable introvert who happened to be in the same club.

Hamasaki Mai and I aren’t even friends. Not that we aren’t, but I know her shameful past. I’m sorry, but I didn’t think Kadowaki-kun could do anything about Hamasaki Mai’s scars.

“Look, I’ll tell you since it’s come to this, but her being in the same club as you has made it hard for the rest of us to aim for her, you get it!? Having a clueless guy like you around is nothing but trouble for everyone! Especially for her, having a creepy guy like you clinging to her is just the worst for her image.”

With a slap, beer flew towards me.

The smell of alcohol filled the air. Kadowaki-kun was drenched in beer from head to toe, his silver-rimmed glasses soaked, and his carefully styled hair ruined.

As I slowly turned towards the direction the beer came from, there stood Hamasaki Mai, trembling with anger, holding an empty glass.

Furrowing her brows deeply and twisting her lips in anger, this was the first time I saw her angry.

“Wait, what’s with the sudden―”

As Kadowaki-kun dribbled beer from his hair and attempted to speak, another glass, this time of highball, was splashed over him. A lemon slice from the garnish landed with a splat on his shoulder.

The restaurant fell into a momentary freeze, with only Hamasaki Mai boiling with rage.

She slammed the empty glass onto the table, pulled out her wallet from her bag, and slammed a ten-thousand-yen bill in front of Kadowaki-kun with force.

“Coat.”

Hamasaki Mai said something to someone. As I watched her sharply profiled face, resembling a drawn knife, I was left stunned.