For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 5.6

Hadn’t I decided? Not to get deeply involved with anyone. That’s what I had said. If I get any closer, surely— The buzzing of my smartphone pulled me back to reality.

Startled, I looked up and glanced at my phone lying nearby.

Leaving the message card aside, I checked the screen. It was a call from Sugino-senpai.

“Hello, tired yet?”

“Ahh, there he is! Kirishima-kun, you’re starting already, huh! When you come here, pick up Mai-chan too!”

Hearing the loud voice from the speaker, I instinctively recoiled and glared at the screen. He was obviously already drunk, his spirits high.

I set the phone down on the table, intending to handle it briefly and hang up.

“Didn’t she say she had some errands and would join later? Is that okay?”

“Some kinda friend meetup she’s at. I’ll send you the place, go drag her here.”

“No, if that’s the case, isn’t it impossible? I mean, she’s in the middle of a drinking party, right? Wouldn’t it be okay for her to come after it ends?”

“No way! That won’t do! Mikami-senpai, me, Mai-chan. And you make up the Sake Friends Circle! I want all four of us drinking together! Kirishima-kun, you’re a guy, go fetch her!”

“Being a guy has nothing to do with it. Seriously, do I really have to go fetch her? She’ll come later, right?”

“I’m counting on you—”

A beep signaled the end of the call, leaving me staring blankly at the screen. Not long after, Mikami-senpai sent me an address of a certain izakaya.

Why Mikami-senpai— I frowned at the screen, puzzled, when another message popped up, “Retrieval of Hamasaki is on you.” It was unexpected to receive a message from Mikami-senpai, though more likely, Sugino-senpai was probably nearby during the call and might have instructed him to send it. Still, I hadn’t expected it.

“Do I really have to go…”

Mumbling to myself in my room, I glanced at the message card on the table and sighed.

***

Hamasaki Mai was in the midst of enjoying her drinking party.

Using the address Mikami-senpai gave, I arrived at the izakaya, where a noisy group of college students was gathered. “What a nuisance,” I thought, spotting her amidst them.

At first glance, it was a mixer with more guys. In fact, it was a compa. I recognized many of the girls, but not the men. Perhaps they were from a different university.

Regardless, their origin wasn’t the issue.

The real problem was how to retrieve Hamasaki Mai.

Stepping into the izakaya, which was too busy for the staff to notice me, I confirmed the compa’s location again and took refuge in the restroom.

Both stalls were vacant. Thankful for the surprisingly spacious toilet for a Tokyo izakaya, I decided to hole up there for now.

Sitting on the toilet seat, I took out my phone, pondering how to extract her while recalling the compa’s setup.

Hamasaki Mai was seated by the aisle. Though I could approach her just to speak, the group was large, easily twenty or more.

What should I do? Sugino-senpai’s request was utterly whimsical. Even though she said she’d join later, forcefully taking her away is too crude.

And why must I, of all people, do this? To the compa attendees, it would seem like a creepy, gloomy guy suddenly appeared and kidnapped Hamasaki Mai—a scenario close to abduction.

I won’t initiate contact. It’s not only unlikely to succeed, but also, my mental state couldn’t handle it. Just imagining it makes me feel nauseous.

So, I must have Hamasaki Mai come to me. Messaging or calling her to leave the party early seems the quickest solution.

But even this method seems flawed. It’s a significant burden on Hamasaki Mai. Leaving a lively party abruptly doesn’t look good, and though it might be my misjudgment, those men seem fixated on Hamasaki Mai, likely plotting to ensnare her. Would they easily allow her departure?

Ignoring senior’s call seems impossible. If they forcibly send her home after claiming an “errand,” or in a twisted scenario, the men might follow her if she leaves. It’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Really, what to do— As I pondered, the bathroom door opened with a rattle.

“Man, Mai-chan’s guard is pretty solid.”

“She doesn’t drink much either. What do we do?”

The voices of two men outside the stall made me stiffen for a moment.

From their conversation, they seemed to be participants of the compa. But hearing “Mai” and immediately assuming it’s about Hamasaki Mai might be jumping to conclusions. It could be another person with the same name.

“Well, for now, let’s lower her guard at the first party and strike during the second one.”

“Strike? You planning something? You sure that’s okay?”

“It’ll be fine. Got this from a senior. Just gonna slip it in during the second party.”

“Dude, that’s messed up. That sure it’s safe?”

“Totally, just makes you sleepy.”

“Creepy…”

Their laughter-filled conversation left me frozen in place.

What the hell were they discussing? Planning, slipping something in, just makes you sleepy—are they sane?

Despite being drunk, such talk…

“Too bad I can’t play the gallant hero who tenderly cares for a drunk Mai-chan.”

“I’ll help you out. It’ll be tough alone, right?”

“Hah? Don’t need your help… well, I would say that, but since I’ve told you, fine, you can help. But don’t bring anyone else into this, okay?”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

The two men laughed as they left the bathroom.

I stared down at my phone. The chat with Hamasaki Mai was open. I had been about to contact her.

“I think maybe I should be a bit more positive.”

Hamasaki Mai had said that. To change herself, to be positive, and interact with others. In the process, she might hurt someone or get hurt, but if it means saving herself—

“So this is the result?”

I muttered alone in the stall.

Why try to stop her progress? Why do such scumbags prey on her just to satisfy their vile desires?

Is this why Hamasaki Mai is striving to change?

“It’s disgusting, makes me want to puke.”

I spat out the words as if they were venomous, pocketed my phone, and left the stall.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror over the sink, I saw a dull, unimpressive, gloomy guy.

Fine. My appearance doesn’t matter now. What others think of me, I couldn’t care less.

There’s something more important at stake. My pathetic pride is irrelevant. More than that, I must ensure her will, her thoughts remain untainted.

Exiting the bathroom, I surveyed the izakaya. The compa was lively, and Hamasaki Mai was still seated by the aisle.

My heart pounded fiercely. My mouth went dry, and my legs trembled as I clenched my fists and made my way to her.

My footsteps echoed louder than intended. A boy participating in the compa noticed me and gave a puzzled look.

And his bewilderment deepened as I, a strange man, halted in front of their table.

“Who’s this guy? A friend?”

“Hamasaki-san.”

Ignoring the boy, I called out to Hamasaki Mai. She turned around, interrupting her conversation with friends.

“…Kirishima-kun?”

She turned, saw my face, and echoed my name.

Her expression was one of confusion. Naturally. She wouldn’t expect someone like me to be here.

I didn’t want to come either. But before I knew it, I was here.

“What? Mai-chan, you know this guy?”

“Yes, from the same circle.”

“Come with me.”

Ignoring their talk, I grabbed Hamasaki Mai’s hand and pulled her towards me.

Her surprise at the sudden contact was clear, and from somewhere, a “Huh?” was heard.

There was no time for hesitation. “Get your coat,” I said, and thankfully, she quickly retrieved it and handed it to me.

“Kirishima-kun, what’s happening? Why are you here?”

“A bit early, but I came to pick you up. Not because Sugino-senpai… but because… I wanted to.”

“Kirishima-kun wanted to?”

“Let’s just go.”

Holding Hamasaki Mai’s hand, I attempted to leave the spot.

My footsteps, as loud as when I arrived, carried us towards the izakaya’s entrance—

“Hey! Wait a minute!”

We were called to halt. Turning around, there stood the boy from earlier, his face flushed with anger, glaring at me.

“What the hell are you doing suddenly showing up! Don’t you dare do whatever you want!”

Facing the boy’s rude remarks head-on, I recognized his voice from the bathroom. I let go of Hamasaki Mai’s hand, pulled a 10,000 yen bill from my wallet, and approached him. Grabbing his wrist, I placed the bill in his open palm and spoke up.

“Too bad you couldn’t play the gentleman.”

Caught off-guard, I was punched in the face. Unfazed, I slowly turned my head back, giving him a brief glance.

His face twisted in displeasure, likely unable to comprehend the situation.

Turning my back on him, I walked away. Hamasaki Mai, shocked by my getting hit, covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide. I draped the coat over her stunned figure, touched her shoulder, and murmured, “Let’s go.”