Chapter 322 - Drunken Blossoms of Love
(1)
On the way home, Iori was still sniffling.
That was the first time I'd ever seen Iori like that.
I finally realized how Iori felt.
At the same time, I felt pathetic.
Why couldn't I have noticed?
I hadn't even noticed that Iori had grown so cute.
Iori is serious and has amazing athletic ability, she's almost too good for someone like me.
That's why being with Iori makes me feel miserable.
Even so, Iori was outside the scope of romance.
I was judging by appearances.
But that was overturned the other day, too.
I'd been with her for nearly ten years and couldn't even notice.
Everything changed after I joined Watanabe's group.
I won't lose!
I'll work hard too and become a man worthy of Iori.
I was so determined.
But it seems that backfired.
No matter what I do, I'm useless.
Being with Iori forces me to face reality.
That's why I was keeping my distance from Iori.
But just now, hearing about Iori at the store crushed me.
Was what I was doing wrong?
I take a little detour on the way home.
It's a spot with a beautiful night view.
"We're here, Iori."
"Here... where is this?"
"A night view spot?"
"Huh?"
Iori is surprised.
A place where the lights of the industrial complex shine beautifully.
Iori was captivated.
"Beautiful..."
Iori had stopped crying.
"Iori... I'm sorry about earlier."
"Huh?"
"I treated you badly. I'm reflecting on it. You're always so kind to me and trying so hard, but I can't do anything for you."
"Sho-chan does plenty for me. You're dating someone like me."
I wonder if we're even in a relationship.
"Sho-chan definitely has a lot of flaws. But I love all of that too."
"Are you really sure someone like me is okay?"
There are plenty of better men than me.
All the women in Watanabe's group said so.
But Iori tells me.
"In my eyes, Sho-chan is the best."
"It's because of Sho-chan that I am who I am today."
"I'm the one who should be sorry, for losing my composure."
"Don't worry about it. I'm the one at fault."
"If you think you're at fault, then just start over. There are plenty of chances to start over. We're dating, after all."
Iori says that.
I feel an inferiority complex toward that kind of Iori.
It's the first time I've been made aware of this feeling.
And Iori is the first person to accept me like this.
Iori was enjoying the scenery reflected in the window.
"Sho-chan, how did you know about a place like this?"
"I heard about it from a senior. That there was a beautiful place."
"I see."
"Hey, Iori?"
"What is it?"
"Are you really sure I'm okay?"
"It's okay because it's Sho-chan."
Iori said that and smiled.
"You should apologize to everyone else more than to me."
"Yeah, you're right."
I send a message to Watanabe's group: "I'm sorry about earlier."
The reply comes back: "Don't mope about things that are already in the past. You're getting thoroughly educated from now on!"
Seeing that message, Iori looked troubled.
"I'll go to the training camp. I'll show you I can become a man worthy of Iori."
"See, that's not necessary at all."
Iori says with a smile.
"Should we head home soon? It's already this late."
I look at my watch and say.
"Yeah, thank you for today."
Iori thanks me for the little things.
I walk Iori home, and she gets out of the car.
"Well, see you later."
Saying that, Iori went back into her house.
I go home too.
When I get back and take a bath, I call Iori at just the right time.
"Hello? What's up?"
"No, I just felt like talking."
We talked late into the night.
Like untangling a knotted thread. We were mending things between us.
I might mess up again from now on, but Watanabe's group will surely change me.
When that time comes, I'll properly confess my true feelings to Iori.
(2)
"That Shota guy must have been pretty shocked too."
Mika-san says.
"Well, anyone would change after seeing his girlfriend defending him that desperately."
I say.
"Is that what they call shock therapy?"
Watanabe-kun says.
"Maybe?"
"But we might as well thoroughly train him while we're at it."
Emi-san says.
"That could be an option too."
I reply.
But he probably realizes it himself. What he's lacking. That's probably why he sent a message like that.
"Sir, it's almost last order."
When the staff member says that, everyone orders drinks.
"Anyone coming to the second party?"
Watanabe-kun asks.
"I'm drinking until morning!"
Haruto says.
"I'll keep Haruto company."
Shiratori-san also says.
Everyone except Kosei and Naru says they'll go to the second party.
Kanna is on the phone.
There are only a limited number of places that can accommodate this many people.
It seems Kanna had asked them to reserve the place for us in advance.
When we leave the store, we tell Kosei and Naru, "Well, see you at the training camp."
"Yeah, see you."
Saying that, Kosei and Naru head toward the south exit of the station.
"Well, everyone, follow me."
When Kanna says that, a group of over thirty people walks in a crowd.
When we arrive at the store, Kanna's mother welcomes us.
"Welcome. It's reserved today, so please take your time."
Kanna is helping her mother.
"Here, Toya-kun, yours is on the rocks, right?"
Airi pours me some whiskey.
The second party began.
(3)
"Today was fun."
Kosei says.
"Yeah."
There was a little trouble at first, though.
That was the first time I saw someone show their emotions so openly.
"When we grow up, should we drink together? Just the two of us?"
"Yeah."
"I'd like to see Naru lose her composure."
"That will absolutely never happen."
I think it'll probably be fine.
"I wonder if those two are okay?"
I try changing the subject.
"They're probably fine. Katagiri-kun said it would be okay."
"...Yeah."
It's not a problem for us to interfere.
It's a problem for the two of them to solve together.
Those two can do it.
Katagiri-kun probably judged that.
When I get home, I take a shower.
Then I watch TV in my room.
A late-night music program.
I wasn't very interested, but there was nothing else I wanted to watch, so I watched it.
Kosei comes back and watches TV with me.
Midway through, I turn off the TV and get into bed.
When I turn off the lights, I fall asleep.
The past of being frightened by loud noises is gone; now there's only the sound of the wind and cars.
I was spending a peaceful night.
(4)
"Huh? Is this good?"
"Right? Drink up!"
Kanna says that, urging Chitose to drink.
"Chitose, take it easy..."
Makoto says, but.
"What's the harm!? It's better to get used to this kind of thing early!"
Saying that, Kanna makes her drink and drink.
Within thirty minutes, Chitose was already unsteady.
"Alright, now the real fun begins!"
"Right, we've only got these two as our drinking snacks today!"
Kanna and Mika-san seemed to be targeting them.
"Chitose-san, are you okay?"
Takatsuki-kun looks worried, but the two of them don't care at all.
"First, how do you feel about Takatsuki!"
"What about it, Chii-chan?"
Mika-san and Kanna bombard Chitose with questions.
"Even if you ask me how I feel, I still don't really know..."
"I see... So you're not in love yet?"
"Have you ever been in love, Chitose?"
"I haven't. I've never met a man as good as my brother."
So Makoto is her ideal man.
After that, Mika-san and Kanna's questions were relentless.
"Chitose, you need education at the training camp too! We have to teach you the right mindset as a woman!"
"Don't fill Chii's head with weird ideas."
"That doesn't sound convincing coming from you, Makoto-kun, who fills Toya-kun's head with weird ideas!"
Airi joins the conversation.
Everyone else was also having lively conversations with familiar faces.
"Sakura-san, are you moving in together next month?"
"Yes, I am~. Mirai-san, aren't you going to?"
"I am too. I'm thinking of moving next month."
"Same here~."
"Yeah."
Hearing that, Hiyama-senpai and Shiina-san were also talking.
"Have you decided where to live?"
"Yeah, I'm thinking of an apartment near the company."
It's convenient to be close, Shiina-san says.
"I got an apartment near the Private University. It'd be better for Sakura to be close to school too."
The station is nearby too, so commuting is easy, Hiyama-senpai says.
"By the way, Toya, aren't you coming to the local bank?"
"Yeah, I guess picking a fight with the Sun Knights backfired."
"I see... But Kanna-san passed the document screening for the Department Store, right?"
"It's because Kanna is pretty..."
Thump
"Ugh... Do you say things like that in front of your wife?"
Airi seemed to have heard.
"Airi is the most important person to me, so don't worry."
"Yay~."
"It's almost closing time, though..."
Kanna's mother said.
"Well then, on to the third party!"
Mika-san says.
"At this hour with this many people, karaoke is the only option."
Watanabe-kun says.
"Anyone who can come~?"
"We'll be excusing ourselves soon. Satomi's at her limit."
The Manabe couple and the Tange couple seem to be going home.
"Is Chii-chan okay?"
"She seems a bit unsteady. Maybe it's better to go home."
"I'm fine~."
"If my mom finds out, it'll be a problem, so it might be better to sober up at karaoke."
Makoto says.
We moved to karaoke.
At karaoke, Ai-san, Mika-san, Kanna, and Haruto are singing.
Haruto seems to be good at hip-hop songs.
He also did a duet with Shiratori-san.
Airi and I also sing a duet.
"If Toya isn't invited to the basketball thing, then the first three days are fine, right?"
Watanabe-kun says. Probably about the training camp schedule.
"We're fine."
I'll spend the last four days with Airi. She said she wanted to go on a date.
I wonder where I should take her.
Hiyama-senpai and Shiina-san were talking with Kimoto-senpai and the others.
Probably about the mindset for newlyweds or something?
The women were also giving various lectures to Mirai-san and the others.
Airi looks at those women enviously.
"Sorry."
"It's okay~."
Seeing us, Kanna teases us again.
"That's why I keep telling you, Toya, stop dithering and just get married already!"
"I'm leaving it up to Toya-kun, so it's fine~."
"Well, you can leave it to Toya. He'll propose at the perfect moment."
"But is there even a point in proposing? Airi's saying she wants to get married."
"He probably wants to make a clean break of it as a man."
Watanabe-kun mediates.
The party continued until morning.
When we leave the karaoke place, the morning sun is dazzling.
Looks like we can catch the first bus.
Some people are going home on the first train.
Haruto and Shiratori-san seem to be staying at Haruto's place.
The Shiina couple also seem to be staying at Shiina-san's place tonight.
"Well then, good work everyone."
When Watanabe-kun says that, everyone disperses.
We walk in a crowd to the station and then part ways with the train group.
Takatsuki-kun and Chitose went home by car.
When I get on the bus, sleepiness hits me.
"You can sleep, Toya-kun. I'll wake you up."
"It's fine, you'd be bored alone, right? I can at least be someone to talk to."
"I'm happy~. Well then, you see~..."
The bus moves on while I keep Airi company in conversation.
We get off at the stop and walk home.
When we get home, I take a shower and watch TV.
When Airi comes back, we get into bed and fall asleep.
"Hey, Toya-kun?"
"What is it?"
"I thought about why you haven't decided on a job yet."
"Yeah."
"You're not overworking yourself trying to earn for the both of us, are you?"
"That's not it."
"There's also the option of me going out to work, you know?"
"If you work and I leave all the housework to you, and you collapse, I wouldn't be able to face your father."
Besides, I've saved up a decent amount, so there's no need to worry. I tell Airi.
Thanks to Airi's relentless course load, I also got my qualifications, so there's nothing to worry about. I tell Airi.
"Well, if that's the case..."
Airi is troubled.
"If worst comes to worst, I can rely on Emi-san's company, so it's fine."
"I see~. That's true."
Airi seems relieved.
"It's finally the long weekend."
"Airi, is there anywhere you want to go?"
"Hmm... anywhere is fine?"
"Sure."
"Well then~... the Dreamland."
"Even though you went on the school trip?"
"I couldn't ride the attractions much back then, and I also want to go to the sea side."
"Got it. I'll make a reservation."
"Okay."
"Well then, let's sleep."
"Yeah."
Saying that, Airi fell asleep.
I make a reservation on my phone while she's asleep.
Thump
"You said you were going to sleep."
"I have to at least put in the reservation."
It's a long weekend, so it's better to book early, right?
"Ugh... then I'll look too."
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay!"
And so, after getting the passports for the Dreamland with Airi, we fell asleep.
But before that, there's the training camp.
Feeling the warmth of spring, I experienced the comfort of Airi's warmth.