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

Chapter 60 New Student Welcome Party 2 – Toast

There are five minutes left until the start of Green’s welcome party.

The blue tarps are already almost full, and just the people here alone likely number over eighty.

Besides the first-year students who just recently enrolled and the Green members, there are also a few people like me who were invited by someone else.

It’s impressive to think that more than half of Green’s members are at another party elsewhere, making it one of the largest groups at the university.

Ayaka, who serves as the vice president of such a large club, might have it tougher than I realize.

“I’m going to give the toast soon, so I’ll head over,” Ayaka said.

“…In front of all these people? Seriously?”

“It was the same at the ‘post-test drinking party.’ At least today I know in advance, so it’s better than being asked on the spot.”

Saying this, Ayaka moved to a spot where she could easily attract everyone’s attention, holding a beer in hand.

…I could never do that.

In my circle, drinking parties start with a casual greeting, so even if I’m asked to give a toast, it’s a laid-back thing.

But if a formal setting were prepared like this, I’d definitely get nervous.

And in front of so many people? No way.

“Oh, Natsuki.”

I waved and called out to Natsuki, who was handing out drinks a little farther away.

It looked like she’d already finished distributing most of the drinks, as she only had two cans left in her hands.

“Hey, in the mood for a drink? What do you want, beer? Whiskey highball?”

“Beer, please!”

“Got it, highball it is!”

“Hey, is your Japanese okay?”

I laughed as I accepted the whiskey highball.

“Who decided the first drink has to be beer? This is a bribe to get your support, Yuuta!”

“I’ll support you, so give me beer!”

“Nope! Actually, beer is super popular, so I can’t give it to freeloaders like you, Yuuta.”

“Ouch! I’ll pay Ayaka later, I swear!”

Even though Tatsuki had said I didn’t need to pay the membership fee, I still planned to contribute a little.

I hadn’t really helped with any preparations beforehand; all I did was lay out the tarps and join in on some conversations, so I’d feel bad if I took advantage of Tatsuki’s generosity.

Chatting with strangers also drained a bit of my energy, but there’s no point in complaining about that now.

“Just kidding, just kidding. Enjoy yourself as a guest!”

Natsuki set down a can of beer and winked.

For some reason, I found it funny and ended up shaking with laughter.

There might be some things going on between Natsuki and Reina, but that’s a separate matter.

I made room for Natsuki, thinking it’d be nice to talk about manga for the first time in a while.

“Let’s drink together for the first part, like we used to.”

“Wow, is that an invitation? Sounds good, sounds good! I’ll gladly take you up on that!”

When Natsuki sat down, a soft floral scent wafted through the air.

Her short brown hair, styled in a mushroom bob, reflected the light and appeared slightly reddish.

“Hey, later on, my junior is coming. Is it cool if they join us?”

“Sure, by that time I’ll be buzzed and more sociable.”

“Oh, come on! Yuuta, you’re already pretty friendly, and I think everyone finds you easy to get along with.”

Natsuki laughed happily as she took her whiskey highball.

Whether it’s a result of my effort or just Natsuki flattering me, I’ll graciously accept her kind words for now.

“Alright, everyone, listen up!”

A clear male voice rang out, and everyone turned their attention toward the sound.

Tatsuki and Ayaka stood at the center of the blue tarps, guiding the other members to take their seats.

“…Standing in a spot where everyone’s eyes are on you like that—I’d hate that.”

“That’s why I didn’t want a position with responsibilities. I really appreciate those two for taking it on.”

I nodded in agreement with Natsuki’s comment.

I know for sure that if the roles were reversed, I’d feel the same way.

“Thank you for coming to Green’s welcome party today! I’m Tatsuki, the president. Have fun and enjoy yourselves!”

In response to Tatsuki’s words, the circle members raised their cans of beer.

The first-year students, though a bit unsure, joined in, holding up their juice or tea.

What he said was ordinary, but the atmosphere he created was something else.

It’s probably this sense of unity that defines the circle.

“What am I even doing here, blending in like this?”

“You’re the beloved friend of our vice president!”

“I guess I’ll gratefully accept that title from our VP…”

When I looked over at Ayaka, our eyes met.

For a moment, she seemed about to smile but quickly stopped herself with a shake of her head.

Next to me, Natsuki laughed, “She must be super nervous.”

I couldn’t hear anything Tatsuki was saying after that; my attention was elsewhere.

“Everyone, thank you for coming to Green’s welcome party. I’m the vice president, Ayaka.”

As Ayaka introduced herself, I could hear people cheering and first-year students whispering, “Whoa, she’s really pretty!”

“…I’ve been wondering for a while, why do they only introduce themselves by their first names?”

“It’s because there are too many people to remember everyone’s full name.”

Natsuki pointed to the tape stuck on her chest.

Written on it was “Natsu,” her nickname.

Looking around, I noticed all the members had tape on their chests with their names on it, making it easier for the first-years to remember them.

The same was done for the first-years—they were asked for their nicknames and given tape, so people didn’t have to keep asking for their names during conversations.

Since it’s hard to remember everyone you meet at a welcome party, many circles use this method.

It’s simple but efficient and cost-effective.

“This circle is called Green, and there’s actually a bit of a story behind the name.”

When Ayaka said that, Tatsuki, standing beside her, let out a surprised, “What!?”

“How do you not know this…?” Ayaka said, sounding exasperated, which got a lot of laughs from the circle members, including Natsuki.

“The story isn’t that impressive, though. Since we’re an outdoor club, we go hiking in the mountains or to the beach sometimes.”

I turned to Natsuki and asked, “Is that true?”

“Yeah, about twice a year,” she replied.

“Basically, the idea is that nature feels kind of green, right? So, that’s where the name came from. Sorry it’s not more exciting! But it’s kind of a tradition to explain this at the first welcome party.”

Ayaka gave a slight, practiced smile, different from the typical awkward grin you often see, clearly aware of how she appeared to those around her.

Her efforts seemed to pay off, as the guys especially were getting really into it.

If I were the one explaining the origin of the name, the mood would’ve definitely died. Tatsuki should be grateful for Ayaka’s skillful handling.

“Experiencing nature is something we can continue to do even as adults. But sharing those experiences with people our age, in a group this size, is something that will be difficult to replicate once our university days are over.”

—That’s definitely true.

When you think about going on a big trip as an adult, the first thing that comes to mind is a company retreat. But that’s with coworkers, and the relationships and age groups are completely different. It’s the fact that we’re part of a university community that makes these experiences possible.

“Of course, it’s fun to travel with people you like. But the great thing about this circle is that you can go on trips with large groups of people, not just the ones you personally get along with, but others too.”

I might not fully understand the appeal of that. Everyone experiences things differently. But for the first-year students who chose to attend an outdoor club’s welcome party like this, these words surely resonate.

It’s kind of odd that someone like me is even here. In contrast, the first-years’ eyes were practically shining with excitement.

“This will be a unique experience, one of a kind. I’m sure it’ll become a valuable part of your life. Isn’t that right, members?”

When Ayaka called out to the circle members, they all responded with a loud, unified “Oh!”

Some of the first-years joined in too, joking around with the members next to them, clearly enjoying themselves.

Along with the circle’s PR, the atmosphere was definitely building up.

“If you feel like you’d want to spend time with us, if this welcome party makes you think that way, please submit an application! I’m looking forward to it! Now then—”

Ayaka raised her beer can with a beaming smile.

Everyone, with their own shouts and cheers, raised their beer cans, highballs, juice, or tea.

Under the cherry blossoms, a huge group of college students all focused on the same person, raising their drinks in unison.

Excitement spread from one person to the next, as everyone stared, waiting for Ayaka’s signal.

Everyone was anticipating her next words.

“—Cheers!”

“Cheers!!!”

That simple word echoed everywhere, all at once.

Everyone clinked their drinks together and laughed, saying things like “Nice to meet you!”

The scene unfolding before me was something that would never happen in my own circle.

If I had been watching this from the outside, I wonder what I would’ve thought.

Oh, just another group of college students having fun.

Oh, they’re drinking and goofing around again, just riding some strange wave of energy.

Maybe those are the thoughts I would’ve had.

But being here, participating, at least…

“Natsuki, sorry! I’m gonna step out for just a bit. Save my spot!”

“What? Already? Don’t leave a girl alone!”

Ignoring her words behind me, I walked toward the center of the blue tarp.

—Found her.

“Hey.”

Ayaka turned around at the sound of my voice, looking surprised. It seemed like she was just about to start making the rounds, clinking glasses with other circle members and first-years.

“Huh? Where’s Natsuki?”

“I wanted to toast with you first.”

Ayaka’s eyes widened, and then she burst into laughter.

“Haha, what’s that about? You’re so weird.”

“Shut up. Come on, cheers.”

I held out my can of beer, and Ayaka smiled softly before responding.

“Fine… Cheers.”

With a soft clink, our cans lightly touched.

Just that simple gesture.

Even in a situation like this, that act of clinking cans is so ordinary, something you’d see anywhere.

It’s nothing special—just a routine moment you’d usually brush off.

Yet, for some reason, it filled me with an inexplicable happiness—