Chapter 156 - A Suspicious Night?
(1)
"Well, when you go out, don't forget to check the fire and lock the doors."
"I know, I know."
It's an annual thing, right?
"Well, we're off then."
Even though we've cut ties with the Inoue family, going back to see your real parents is probably normal.
After seeing off my parents, who were returning to their family home, Toya and I went back inside.
"Well, time to sleep, I guess..."
Poke
"I'm about to start preparing breakfast, you know."
"It's a holiday, let's take it easy."
"Disrupting your daily rhythm is bad for you~"
If I resist too much, Airi will sulk immediately. Isn't there some good way to handle this?
"Airi, our parents aren't home starting today."
"That's right~"
"And your parents aren't here either, right?"
"Mm-hmm."
"We can cuddle as much as we want..."
Poke
"It's so obvious you're trying to get me to sleep with you too."
I thought I could pull it off.
Since Airi said she'd make breakfast, there was nothing I could do except watch her busily working.
Then Airi said, "Just watch TV in the living room~ I'll call you when it's ready," so I had no choice but to obey, drinking my own coffee while watching TV in the living room.
As for morning shows, there were only those confusing programs where you couldn't tell if they wanted to do the standard news or promote something, so because they were boring and confusing, I was watching a drama that happened to be on at the right time.
When Airi said, "Breakfast is ready~," I turned off the TV, moved to the dining room, and bit into a piece of toast.
After breakfast, Airi started washing the dishes. I said I'd help with that, but she told me, "Toya-kun, you can just relax," so I ended up watching TV in the living room again.
When Airi finished cleaning up, she sat down next to me on the living room sofa, and we watched TV together, but nothing is as boring as morning shows, and for me, who wasn't used to watching TV in the first place, it was nothing but tedious.
"Airi, want to go up to my room?"
"You're thinking about doing something weird or wanting to play games, right? No way."
"I won't deny that, but watching TV like this is boring, and don't you have homework to do over winter break?"
"...You won't do anything weird, right?"
It's rare for Airi to refuse. Is this that thing I've heard rumors about, "that time of the month"?
Poke
"You just thought something weird, didn't you! That's not it. I just thought it'd be better to do it at night."
"Alright, then I'll endure it until night."
Well, it's not like I was that eager anyway. I only said it because I wondered what it would feel like to do it in the morning. I wasn't fixated on it, and more than anything, I wanted to escape this boring daily routine, so I accepted Airi's terms.
"I don't want to play games, okay?"
"I know."
"And don't study too much, alright?"
"It's fine."
Something I've learned recently. If I pat her head, she calms down like a cat.
It's unbearably cute.
If Airi didn't stop me, I'd want to hug her just like that.
When I returned to my room, I first prepared my study materials and laid them out on the table.
Then I tried to start on my homework, but Airi took them away.
"You told me today was a holiday, but you're going to study yourself?"
"I just don't want to panic before the exams again..."
I wanted to get as much done as I could.
I said that, but Airi didn't seem to accept it.
"I'm managing Toya-kun's study schedule properly, so don't worry."
Well, if I leave it to Airi, it'll probably be fine, but then I have nothing to do?
Airi sat down next to me and leaned against me. Huh? Didn't she say we wouldn't cuddle during the day?
Ignoring my doubts, Airi turned on the TV.
"I said to wait until night for that, but I never said we couldn't cuddle~"
Airi said happily.
"Honestly, I've always dreamed of a holiday like this. In spring or something, I thought a walk might be nice, but it's cold now, isn't it?"
"Is this really okay? Don't you want to go out somewhere and have fun?"
"Well then, how about you take me somewhere without it being a fun outing?"
"Where to?"
"Shopping, to the supermarket. I have to prepare dinner."
"Is that really enough for you?"
Wouldn't that just make Airi work again? Wouldn't she not get a break?
But Airi smiled and said this to me.
"Shopping with Toya-kun is fun. Just the atmosphere is fun. It makes me feel like I'm the same as everyone else around us. I don't get to feel that kind of happiness very often."
I knew she was a girl who found happiness in small things, but can she really feel satisfied by something like that? Just how sweet and devoted is she?
"Don't say things like that or sad things. It's fun just to get through each day peacefully and safely. ...Ah, but in return."
"In return?"
"On New Year's Eve, you'll have to work too, Toya-kun. There are places I want you to clean up nicely. I need a man's help."
"Got it."
"In return, I'll make you some delicious soba noodles."
"I'm looking forward to that."
And so, we were supposed to welcome the New Year peacefully, but a message one day changed all that.
"I'm breaking up with Eita!!"
Naturally, Toya and I were shocked.
They were a couple that often fought, but we couldn't just leave them be, so we tried to calm Sashihara-san down, saying "Calm down," but she wouldn't listen at all, and as we were wondering what to do, Watanabe-kun called an emergency meeting.
(2)
That day, I was visiting Eita's house as usual.
Eita was living his usual slovenly life.
I thought that if I checked on him regularly, cleaned his room, and spent time relaxing, the loneliness of winter would disappear.
One day, while Eita was taking a shower, I decided to wash his jacket and other clothes, and when I picked them up, a lighter fell out of his pocket.
So he's been secretly smoking again.
When I picked it up, thinking he was hopeless, my body froze at the engraving on the glittering, iridescent lighter.
"Kyaba Cafe" was written on it, the name of the place. Below it, in small letters, it said "hostess bar."
It can't be helped because it's a social obligation.
If he said that, it would just be the end of the matter, but there's a part of me that just can't forgive it.
He went to a hostess bar on a night when we rarely get to see each other.
It was a fact too hard for my immature self to accept.
I confronted Eita when he came out of the shower.
I wanted him to say he was sorry.
Just one word saying he wouldn't go again would have been enough.
Even if it was a lie to get him through the moment, I wanted him to prove that he still had feelings for me.
But...
"That's none of your business, Ai!"
Snap
I heard a sound like something snapping inside my head.
"None of my business!? You idiot! That's clearly cheating, isn't it!"
I know it wasn't really cheating.
But I couldn't forgive it.
I couldn't forgive Eita, who showed no sign of remorse at all.
"It's not cheating or anything, I just went as a social thing with a senior. He said, 'You should experience it at least once too.'"
If only he'd said that from the start, you idiot.
But it was too late. The blood had completely rushed to my head. I had no intention of forgiving him whatsoever.
"You said it's none of my business, right? Then I'm going home. Do whatever you want from now on!"
Saying that, I put down my keys and tried to leave the room.
"Wait, let's talk this over calmly!"
Eita, finally realizing the seriousness of the situation, desperately tried to stop me, but I wouldn't listen.
I shook off Eita's restraint and went home.
When I got home, I cried alone. Even when I'm with Eita, there are more painful things. I'm sick of it.
Ah, I should report this to the group... Even though there was no point in reporting it, maybe I had a hope that someone would stop me... or comfort me.
As expected, messages came in one after another from everyone: "Wait," "What happened?" "Calm down." Finally, a message from Watanabe-kun: "We'll listen to your story, so let's all talk it over. This is an emergency meeting for everyone."
The next day, we all decided to meet.
Am I causing trouble for everyone? I'm starting to calm down a little. Can I really break up with him? Will everyone understand these feelings?
Am I the one who's wrong?
Even those words crossed my mind.
I thought everyone would gang up on him, and I even felt a little sorry for Eita.
(3)
"You idiot!!"
Kanna's single word echoed through the restaurant.
"Calm down, Kanna-san."
Watanabe-kun, completely composed. Did he not think it was a big deal?
Is this a normal thing from a man's perspective?
As if to show that, not a single word of criticism came from the men.
Am I the one who's wrong?
Maybe if you reach a state like Airi's, going to a place like that isn't a big deal.
In the first place, there's no way Katagiri-kun would go to a place like that.
I'm envious of that couple, even now.
Other couples are probably all like that too.
Why am I the only one stuck with Eita?
Those feelings started to simmer up inside me. It's no good after all... I have no choice but to break up.
"But Ai, calm down too. Do you really hate him now? If so, I won't stop you, but isn't that not really the case?"
"That's..."
I know that without Kanna having to tell me. I don't hate him at all.
After messaging everyone and calming down, I thought about it.
I don't want to break up.
But isn't it somehow wrong for me to be the one to give in?
"Are you telling me to forgive him this time?"
If I forgive him, he'll just repeat the same thing. That's something that's happened over and over until now. You know that too, Kanna, right?
"Hey, Eita. Did you really go into the place? And if you did, what did you do?"
Watanabe-kun questioned Eita.
"I thought it was bad when I got to the entrance. I said, 'I'm going home after all.' But I was dragged in forcefully... I wasn't interested in the girls either, so I just watched TV."
Eita spoke solemnly. Was I supposed to believe all of that? Was I supposed to forgive him because of that?
"It's true, Ai. Nothing happened. The girls weren't even that pretty. It's like they were just hiding it all with makeup. So please forgive me. I'm really sorry."
This guy really says one thing too many. If they had been pretty girls, was he planning to do something?
Then Kimoto-senpai, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
"Eita-kun, was it? Did your club have a year-end party? Did you go then?"
Eita nodded silently.
"Sashihara-san, I'm asking you too. Could you let this slide for now? He was still inexperienced. He doesn't know how to refuse properly. What he's saying is probably true. He probably couldn't even say he had a girlfriend."
"That's an excuse from a man's point of view, isn't it?"
"Maybe so. To be honest, I was invited the first time I went to a drinking party too. I couldn't refuse very well. I don't really like it, you know. It's natural for a first-year student. There's no way you can refuse."
"Ai, won't you regret this? Was your relationship so weak that you'd lose to a mere hostess? Is your bond really that fragile?"
Kanna said that.
Of course not. I thought we had built a decent bond. But it's always Eita who betrays it.
"I'm not saying forgive Eita. I think some kind of punishment is necessary."
Watanabe-kun said.
Punishment? What kind of punishment? Not participating in club activities from now on? There's no guarantee he'd actually do that.
"That's why I called this meeting today, to think about it together. Does anyone have any good ideas?"
When Watanabe-kun said that, everyone started thinking. A way to give a penalty instead of breaking up. Is there really such a convenient thing?
"We're not in the club, so... we don't really know about that stuff."
As Ishihara-kun said, none of us are in the club. We never needed to join.
"Hey, um..."
Katagiri-kun finally spoke up.
He wiped his mouth, which had hamburger steak sauce on it, clean with a paper napkin and said.
"First, a fundamental question, but what is a hostess bar? Is it a place you're not supposed to go to?"
A sigh escaped from everyone at that one line.
Poke
"Toya-kun, since today is special, you can just eat your parfait and stay quiet."
"No, but I'm curious... You could at least tell me what kind of place it is."
Poke
"Just eat, okay♪"
"...Yes, ma'am."
Katagiri-kun ordered a parfait. What did he even come here for?
"Going to a hostess bar is absolutely forbidden! ...That's probably the reasonable line."
Watanabe-kun said that.
"What if he goes anyway?" I asked. This guy will definitely go.
Then Kimoto-senpai said.
"Well, he probably will. If he does, ignoring him for a week would be fine, but basically, you have no choice but to trust him. If that doesn't work, if you can't forgive him, then you have no choice but to break up."
I flinched at the word "break up." Even though I was the one who brought it up.
"That's from a man's perspective, isn't it? Not contacting her for a whole week, aren't you ignoring Ai's feelings?"
When Airi said that, Kimoto-senpai shrugged.
"But in the end, I think there are only two choices: Ai accepts it or breaks up. Makoto thinks he hasn't been caught, but he goes to hostess bars too, at least that much. But he doesn't say it. Because I trust Makoto. I know it's just a social thing."
When Kanna said that, Tada-kun was surprised, shouting, "How did you find out!?" Kanna laughed and said, "I can tell from the smell of perfume, or the lighters and tissues that are sometimes in his pockets."
I want to build a relationship of trust like those two. For that, do I just have to be patient...?
"Sashihara-san, could you let this slide for now? If you can't stand it anymore, just come talk to us again! Then we'll give him a punishment as a group. We'll provide aftercare too."
When Watanabe-kun said that, I thought I had no choice but to do that.
"Ai, if you really love Eita, you have to endure it, you have to trust him. If that doesn't work, then you have to break up. Let's just get together with just the girls again to blow off some steam and relieve the pressure."
When Kanna said that, I finally gave in.
"...Okay."
So in the end, I just have to endure it...
"Alright, let's go with that. For now, Eita is banned from drinking parties for one month."
When Watanabe-kun said that, Eita's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"Don't get depressed over something like that! Ai is suffering much more!" Mika said.
"Ai-chan, if you need anything, just say the word anytime. I have some training for that too," Emi said.
Katagiri-kun was searching for something on his phone.
He was probably looking it up.
Even though he had a face that didn't seem very interested.
For some reason, Airi was silently watching Katagiri-kun and laughing.
Just how strong is the bond between those two? I felt envious.
(4)
"Hey..."
On the way home that day, Toya-kun spoke to me while driving.
"What's wrong?"
Toya-kun seemed to be troubled in his own way about today's story. I knew what he was thinking, and precisely because I knew, I could keep smiling.
"Why do you pay money to drink with a woman? And spend a fortune on it. I think having a meal with Airi for the same amount of money would be much more fun. I don't get the point."
Poke
"Toya-kun is fine the way you are. You don't need to think about it. Don't worry about it, don't worry about it."
"I see... I was just thinking, maybe I'm just lucky?"
"That's right, Toya-kun is lucky."
I'm lucky to have you say that too.
"But... I don't want to keep secrets from you. I'll be honest with you, Airi."
Huh...? What's wrong? Suddenly getting serious.
"I'm not really interested in hostess bars. But those other adult entertainment places? I'm a little curious about those."
...
"I mean, what kind of things do they do that make you want to pay money for it? I just don't really get it."
Poke, poke
"Toya-kun, you idiot!! You don't need to understand that! You can just look it up online!"
"But you can't experience it that way, can you!? If it's just drinking, I'd have more fun drinking with Airi, but..."
"Ugh... Toya-kun doesn't need to be interested in that!"
"That's why I'm not saying I want to go! I was just curious..."
"Then go ask Makoto-kun or something!"
"Oh, right."
...Toya-kun, you idiot!
If you want to do it that badly, just say so and I'll do it for you.
...Normally, you wouldn't be that interested in things like that, so why do you latch onto things like this?
Just then, Toya-kun's phone rang. When he answered it hands-free, Makoto-kun's voice came through.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Toya, you got a minute?"
Toya-kun looked at my face, but I was a little sulky, so I turned away.
"...Yeah, it's fine. What's up?"
"...You seemed like you didn't know about hostess bars today, so I thought I'd tell you about them."
I don't want to hear that story!
"I looked it up on my phone, but it didn't really interest me, so it's fine."
"Well then, what about other adult places? Like soap lands, pink salons, delivery health..."
Toya-kun looked at my face again. I glared at him with all my might.
"Sorry, but can we talk about this another time... Ow!"
Poke
"Not another time, you don't ever need to talk about it!!"
"T-Tosaka-san, were you listening too!? Ow!!"
"You idiot! Filling Toya's head with unnecessary things while I'm away! Toya!! Don't take anything this idiot says seriously!"
"Ah, right..."
"So Airi was listening too. I'll give this idiot a good talking to, so don't worry about it."
"Mm-hmm."
With that, the call ended.
"Airi... Don't worry, I'll absolutely never go... I'm sorry."
"I'd like you to properly explain what you meant by saying you'd talk about it another time when you're absolutely never going to go."
"Makoto seemed to have been there before, so I just wanted to hear about his experience."
"If you want to experience it... I might do it for you, you know?"
"Airi, have you done it before?"
There's no way I have, you idiot!! You should know that better than anyone, Toya-kun!
"You know there's no way I have... Do you think I'm cheating on you or something?"
"Ah, no... that's right."
"I'll study up on whatever Toya-kun desires. What do you want to do?"
"...Normal is fine."
"You just realized that now?"
"...I'm sorry. Please cheer up."
"Hmph! What you said earlier was an unforgivable statement for a fiancé."
"I'll do anything, I'm really sorry."
"You said you'd do anything, right?"
"Y-yeah."
Well then, let's have you do it. I want you to focus on driving in the car. I'll tell you later.
"For now, let's go home?"
"Okay..."
When we get home, I'm going to cuddle with you as much as I want. I will enter Toya-kun's world, even if I have to do it by force.
I'm going to dye you in such a wonderful color that it'll blow away everything I was thinking about until just now.