I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 70

Chapter 70   New Normal 1

The second period lecture was about to end.

Maybe it wasn’t a popular class; despite being an elective available to all departments, there were only about forty students attending. The fact that there were no attendance points might also be a factor. The lecture hall, which could easily fit two hundred people, felt a bit sparse.

Less than half of the students present seemed to be genuinely paying attention to the professor, who was delivering the lecture in a rather monotonous, chant-like tone. I was half-heartedly taking notes while browsing the internet on my phone. Somehow, articles I’d usually ignore seemed interesting in the middle of a lecture.

Then a notification popped up from Shinohara.

“I’ve saved us seats in the cafeteria!”

I stopped scrolling. The campus gets crowded at lunchtime, and finding a seat in the cafeteria can be a challenge. It was really considerate of her to secure a spot, but the timing wasn’t ideal. I’d already made lunch plans with Toudou and was looking forward to it—it had been a while since we’d eaten together. Without hesitation, I replied.

“Sorry, I already have plans today.”

Her response came immediately.

“I’ll be waiting!”

Along with the message, there was a photo. I opened it, sighing softly—not because of the odd reply, but because the picture showed Shinohara with Toudou right next to her, flashing a peace sign at the camera.

“Guess I’ve got no choice but to go…”

This might be the first time I’d be hanging out with both Shinohara and Toudou outside of our club activities.

As the professor announced the end of the lecture, I stood up and headed for the cafeteria.

◇◆

As expected, the cafeteria was packed with people.

At my university, there are plenty of places to eat lunch—not just the cafeteria but also the on-campus restaurant, the café, the open terrace, and convenience stores. Despite the variety, the cafeteria stays popular, probably because you can fill up for just one coin. With its affordable prices, a diverse menu, and balanced meals, it’s a valuable spot for students, especially for people like me who live alone and don’t cook much.

Places like the restaurant or café tend to encourage more indulgent eating, so I usually avoid them unless invited by someone. This cafeteria practically provides my most balanced meal of the day.

While wandering through this student haven, I finally spotted the person I was looking for. Toudou waved at me, his face breaking into a friendly grin as I approached.

“Hey, Yu. Has it been since last week?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I’m jealous you can pull off any hair color.”

Toudou’s hair was now a deep brownish-black, with a polished look that made it clear he’d dyed it recently at a salon.

“Decided to go back to black for a change. It goes with everything,” he said.

“Guess that makes sense. I’ve never dyed mine, though.”

“You should try it at least once! Once you start working, you might not get the chance.”

“Ugh, I don’t even want to think about jobs right now…”

“But we’re getting to that point, right? So, are you gonna try dyeing it?”

Lately, I’ve been thinking more about life after graduation. Now that I’m in my third year, it’s only going to become more pressing. I’ve been avoiding it, but reality’s catching up; the student phase of my life is almost over. I’ve spent most of my life as a student, so the idea of entering the real world feels pretty daunting—especially since I still haven’t found something I’m passionate about. The thought of diving into society without a clear goal is terrifying, but I’m also not willing to consider staying behind an extra year.

Maybe taking on experiences only possible during this last stretch of student life might be worthwhile after all.

“Yeah, I’ll think about it,” I said.

“Oh, that’s a surprise. I expected you to turn me down flat! Someone must have influenced you,” he said, smirking.

…It’s you.

I swallowed the retort and glanced around.

“Where’s Shinohara?”

I glanced over to the seat next to Toudou as I asked.

Shinohara’s bag was there, but she herself was nowhere to be seen.

“She’s in line to buy lunch. It’s a long line, so she might take a bit to come back.”

“I see. But why is Shinohara here, too? I thought it’d be just you and me today.”

I hung my tote bag on the back of the chair and took a seat across from Toudou. As I settled in and looked up, I noticed Toudou grinning at me.

“Oh, so you’re finally starting to notice Shinohara, huh?”

“No, that’s not it! I was just asking a normal question.”

I scowled in response, but then a loud voice suddenly came from behind me.

“Surprise!”

“Whoa!”

I whipped around to see my mischievous junior had made her entrance. I almost bumped her tray with my elbow in surprise.

“Hey, watch it!”

“Aww, now you’re scolding meee,” Shinohara whimpered in an exaggerated, fake cry as she set her tray down next to Toudou.

She pulled her bag over from Toudou’s side and plopped down in the seat next to me.

“What’re you doing here, Senpai?”

“You’re the one who called me over!”

“Hehehe.”

“You little…”

I sighed, a bit more dramatically than necessary. I wasn’t actually mad, but I wondered how she’d react if I pretended to be. Then again, I didn’t want to come off as petty over something so minor.

“I’ll save our spot, so you two go ahead and get in line,” Shinohara offered.

“That’d be a big help.”

I hesitated slightly, and Shinohara smiled, looking oddly pleased with herself. What’s she so happy about?

“Come on, Yu,” Toudou said, standing up and pointing to the end of the line. “That line’s only gonna get longer from here.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“Make sure you pick something nutritious!” Shinohara chimed in from the side.

“I know, that’s what the cafeteria’s for,” I replied with a small laugh.

With that, I joined Toudou and headed to the end of the long line. As we walked, I heard Shinohara call out behind us, “Today’s vegetable stir-fry is a great choice!”

Toudou chuckled beside me, clearly amused.