I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 58

Chapter 58   Natsuki’s Proposal

Though it’s not as if I’ve spent a lot of time with Natsuki.

Still, Natsuki’s atmosphere felt different from before.

At least, different from the time we had the post-test drinks party.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wonder what’s wrong.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I chuckled lightly, shouldered my bag, and Natsuki slowly spoke.

“You wouldn’t understand unless I said it.”

“Yeah, I don’t get it.”

“What did you think when you forgot your pencil case earlier?”

With this question, I roughly understood where the conversation was heading.

Though the intent behind this conversation is unclear.

“I thought I was in trouble.”

“You didn’t think to ask to borrow a pen?”

“…Well, maybe I did think about it a bit.”

Natsuki sighed and showed me the pen.

“I would lend it to you if you asked, you know? But I won’t if you don’t.”

Saying that, Natsuki put the pen back in the pencil case and packed it into her bag.

Standing up from her seat, she moved towards the aisle on the opposite side of me.

“Everyone shouldn’t think that everyone else is a perfect person like Aya-chan.”

I definitely heard the small voice.

─Why bring Ayaka into this?

Before I knew it, Natsuki was in the midst of the crowd at the entrance.

Her parting words echoed in my mind.

“What’s wrong?”

When I turned around in response to the voice from behind, Ayaka was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“Is there something going on with her?”

“Huh?”

“You were just standing there blankly. It’s so obvious.”

Saying that, Ayaka sat down behind the seat where I had been sitting.

“Do you want to talk about that, or have lunch? Which one?”

“…Lunch.”

“Alright, got it.”

Ayaka stood up, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile.

She instantly sensed that something was wrong and took my feelings into account.

─Indeed, she seems perfect.

With Ayaka’s response, I realized what Natsuki was trying to say.

“Hey, how do you understand me so well?”

“What’s with the sudden question? You understand me too, right? It’s the same.”

…I don’t remember being as considerate as Ayaka, but maybe it’s because of how long we’ve been together and how deeply we’ve connected over time.

From an outsider’s perspective, I might seem as considerate toward Ayaka as she is toward me.

“Do you think we’re a perfect relationship?”

“Perfect, huh? I mean, you’re about to treat me to lunch, right?”

“Huh?”

“I took notes for you during two lectures, so you owe me lunch until tomorrow. I think it’s a fantastic relationship.”

“Yeah, in a way, it might be perfect…”

I pulled out my wallet and stepped into the aisle. Ayaka softened her expression and asked, “What are we eating today?”

It was the usual, happy day-to-day life.

I can definitely say my university life is good overall, thanks to the people around me.

Even if that kind of ordinary life is what’s making me soft.

Natsuki’s suggestion made me realize that.

◇◆

“Hmm, even though it’s cheap, it’s really delicious,” Ayaka said while taking a bite of curry in the cafeteria.

The terrace and other stylish spots fill up with people in no time. Since we lost about five minutes after class, we ended up coming to the cheap and tasty cafeteria. This place is the cheapest and the most spacious, but if we had arrived just two or three minutes later, we would have struggled to find a place to sit together. It really shows how crowded it gets.

Once again, I realize how much bigger university is compared to high school.

“The ramen’s good.”

“…Are you okay with it though? The noodles are super soggy.”

“Mm-hmm.”

I slurped the noodles while pulling the gacha on my mobile game.

“Damn, missed it.”

“Are you even listening?”

“I am. It’s pretty good, want some?”

“I’ll pass. We’d stand out too much here.”

Does that mean she’d eat it if we weren’t in the cafeteria? I threw a slice of chashu into my mouth and drank some soup.

“By the way, when does the seminar start again?”

Ayaka asked, and I put down my chopsticks to answer.

“Isn’t it the week after next? I think the first session was canceled.”

In my department, it’s recommended to join a seminar every year. After passing last year’s interview, Ayaka and I both got into the same seminar. While the number of credits you can earn each year is limited, seminars are treated as a special category and don’t count toward that limit. So, if you want to complete your graduation requirements quickly, it’s customary to join a seminar.

Seminars are also a way to build relationships with people outside of clubs, so some people join to expand their social circles. While there can be hits and misses like in high school classes, I didn’t dislike that kind of community.

“Oh, that’s a relief. I’m already going to be busy this week, so having any lecture with extra assignments would be a pain.”

“Got something going on?”

I asked, and Ayaka responded with a wry smile.

“You have something too, right? It’s the freshman welcome party for your club.”

“Oh…”

I can’t say it. I’ve always just participated in activities, but I’ve never been on the organizing side.

The freshman welcome party is like the trial membership period in high school. The number of clubs is on a completely different scale compared to high school clubs. But most clubs do the same thing for these events: an after-party, which is a drinking party held after club activities. The purpose is to deepen friendships. Some clubs don’t charge first-year students anything for the after-party, and the upperclassmen cover the costs.

But my wallet doesn’t have that kind of room to spare.

“You had plenty of people treat you when you were a freshman, right? You should pay that forward to the younger generation.”

“I-I know.”

“Doubt.”

“Ugh…”

To be honest, I wouldn’t mind paying if it were for friends. But I feel reluctant to spend money on people I don’t even know yet. If it were someone I’m close with, it wouldn’t bother me at all. I treated Shinohara during Christmas, and I’ve treated Ayaka countless times too.

“Yeah, but usually you’re treating me when it’s your fault in the first place.”

“Why do you keep reading my thoughts?!”

“It’s just intuition.”

With that, Ayaka stood up.

Having my thoughts read by her intuition isn’t anything new. This has been happening for a long time.

Ayaka and I went through a lot back in high school. We overcame many things to get to where we are now.

Even I understand that our relationship now exists because of that.

But every time I reflect on this relationship, I feel like I might start remembering things from the past.

─Don’t go thinking everyone is a perfect person like Aya-chan.

Yamanashi Natsuki’s suggestion.

What did it mean? What was she trying to say?

“Are you coming too? To my club’s freshman welcome party.”

─Ayaka’s invitation.

But Natsuki’s suggestion isn’t a reason to spend less time with Ayaka. That and this are completely separate issues.

“It’s my first time being the vice president today, and I’m feeling a bit uneasy. We’re short on staff too, so if you come with me, maybe I’ll treat you to something.”

“Well, I guess I have no choice!”

“Gotcha!”

Ayaka smiled and walked toward the return shelf to put back her tray. Just walking naturally, she stood out, and a few people at other tables followed her with their eyes.

The fact that someone like her is my closest confidante…

As I followed Ayaka’s back, I thought:

─Of course, spending so much time together would make me numb to it all.