Someone Who Believes They Can Live Normally in a World Where Chastity Is Reversed (Did You Think You Could Live Normally in a World With a Male-To-Female Ratio of 1:5?)

“Please!!”

I clasped my hands in front of my face.

When I opened my eyes slightly, there was my troubled-looking best friend.

“Seriously, even that’s too much to ask, Mizuho…”

“Why~~!! Why not~~~!! I’m in dire need~~~!”

“Can you stop it already~”

We were in a break space at the university. It was so quiet that it felt like there was nobody around due to it being class time.

Being free during this open period, we were killing time here, and it was here that I confided in Koiumi about the matter.

Probably, she already knew about the shop where my destined one worked.

“It’s scary to go alone, Koiumi~ Come with me~”

“I don’t want to… Can’t you invite another friend instead of me?!”

“I can only talk about this to you, Koiumi~”

My destined one probably works at a boys’ bar, or so I think. I don’t know if he’s serving or working backstage… but he was wearing something like a uniform…

So, I’m thinking of going to that shop today, but I’m still scared of those kinds of places.

So, I asked Koiumi for help…

“I do want to go with you, but… Well… I feel bad because of Masato you know…”

“I see… You’re right…”

Hmm, if that’s the case, should I rely on another friend or not… It’s hard to ask for help…

“By the way… Are you sure about that person? Because he might have been nice to you since he worked at a bar… It might be different from what you imagine…..”

“…”

I fell silent and buried my face on the desk.

Koiumi’s worry is understandable. It’s not like I didn’t think about it that way either.

But…

I remember. The words he said to me at that time. His smile.

That… wasn’t an act or a lie, I can’t believe that…

“I can’t think that was all an act…”

“…I see. Sorry for doubting you.”

“It’s fine… I think you are right.”

There’s no point in fretting over it.

I’m not someone who has a head for thinking anyway.

I have to take action!

With a whoosh, I got up.

“I’m going alone! I don’t want to mope around anymore!”

“I see… Sorry, Mizuho.”

“Don’t apologize! This is a trial given to me from the start!”

Even if I meet him, what should I say? Will I even recognize him?

But if I don’t take action, nothing will happen!

I raised my right hand high.

“Let’s go~!! To the battlefield!!”

Just as I raised my right hand, someone grabbed it firmly.

Huh?

“Where are you going to fight, Mizuho?”

When I turned around, there he was.

“Good morning, Masato~”

“Yeah, good morning! So, Mizuho, where are you going? What’s with the battlefield talk?”

Oh no.

I instinctively turned back and sought help from Koiumi.

“Why are you looking back here?!”

No good! Koiumi in maiden mode won’t be of any help!

I have to manage this myself!

“Ah, ah, um… Long ago, the military strategist Zhuge Liang, faced with an army of one million from Cao Cao, played with fire. Although it was said that there was no wind in the climate at that time, Zhuge Liang prayed and conjured up divine winds, using this to trap the enemy in a series of strategies and set fire to them~~”

“Yeah, yeah. The Battle of Red Cliffs, right? Why are you suddenly talking about China?”

“Ah… um, we, we, the three of us! Although our times of life may differ, we vow to share the same moment of death!”

(T/N: The oath, as it appears in the Wikisource translation of Chapter 1 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, was this:

When saying the names Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, although the surnames are different, yet we have come together as brothers. From this day forward, we shall join forces for a common purpose: to save the troubled and to aid the endangered. We shall avenge the nation above, and pacify the citizenry below. We seek not to be born on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. We merely hope to die on the same day, in the same month and in the same year. May the Gods of Heaven and Earth attest to what is in our hearts. If we should ever do anything to betray our friendship, may heaven and the people of the earth both strike us dead.)

“Why the Oath of Peach Garden? And shouldn’t we be holding a cup instead of a plastic bottle?”

Awkward laughter from Koiumi and a toast with a 250 ml plastic bottle!

Cheers to my kind friend!

“So, I must go to the battlefield!”

“I-I see… I don’t really get it, but good luck…?”

Y-Yosh.

I managed to get through that somehow. Perfection commotion.

The lively sound effects resonated in my head.

—

After the lecture ended, the three of us started on our way home.

Since Koiumi had to take a different train, we parted ways first, and then Masato and I spent time on the train chatting about trivial matters.

Although we were sitting next to each other, I still managed to concentrate on thoughts of my destined person. Even during conversations with Masato, it felt like I could naturally talk while keeping them in mind.

“Oh, by the way, Masato, is the station you always get off at close to your house?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty close. I can walk home from there.”

“I see, I see… So, if the train stops due to a storm, will you let me stay over?”

I can even make jokes like this.

“Sure. Just let me know when that happens.”

“…Are you serious!!? No, you can’t! You should decline, right there!”

“Huh? Why not? It’d be a problem if you couldn’t get home, Mizuho.”

“W-Well, yeah, but… Isn’t there something more… I mean, you’re a guy, Masato.”

“?? Yeah, I am?”

Oh no, this won’t do. Not at all, Koiumi.

I need to reform this child’s awareness.

“Listen, it’s not okay for a guy to let a girl stay over so easily!”

“What are you talking about? I know that. I said it’s okay because it’s you, Mizuho. I wouldn’t just let anyone stay over.”

…Masato is cunning. He easily says things like that. Certainly, it’s been a while since I became close to Masato, but…

If he says things like that, it makes me wonder if there’s a chance…

“That’s, that’s right… You should tell that to Koiumi~ She might come flying over.”

“Why are you suddenly talking about Koiumi?”

This guy is so dense!

Without Koiumi and the thoughts of my destined person, it could have been dangerous.

I might have lied about needing to stay over when the train wasn’t even stopped. As we talked about these things, the train arrived at the station.

With Masato, I got off the train.

“…Huh? Aren’t you transferring, Mizuho?”

“Ah, umm! I have a little errand today, so I’m going shopping on the way home!”

“I see… Well, I’m going this way, so see you later.”

“Y-Yeah! Bye bye!”

…I hope I wasn’t suspected.

Watching Masato leave through the ticket gate, I entered a café at the station.

I ordered an iced café au lait and took a seat.

“Phew… Now then.”

From my wallet, I took out a single business card. Against a background of a night view, there was a wine glass. The dazzling business card had the name of the shop written in Roman script.

“Festa”… huh.

I know the location. But it’s still midday now.

I need to kill time until nighttime.

“I wonder if I’ll get scolded if I linger with just one iced café au lait…”

While worrying about the staff and the people around, I quietly sipped from the straw of my café au lait.

—

The time was around 6:30 PM.

As the clock’s hands moved, my heart began to beat faster as the night approached.

A Boys’ Bar, of course, was completely new to me. I searched various things online, like manners, rules, and things not to do.

There seems to be a system like “nominations,” but what should I do? I can’t just say, “Please assign me a university student,” right…?

For now, it might be better to have anyone accompany me and ask them. But somehow, just going to a Boys’ Bar itself makes me feel guilty…

Then, I suddenly thought.

—Guilt.

Who am I feeling this guilt towards, exactly?

My destined person?

Or maybe—?

Shaking my head vigorously, I stopped thinking about unnecessary things for now.

I came here today to resolve these feelings, after all.

Returning the empty café au lait cup to the return slot, I left the café.

The city was already getting dark, and there seemed to be a lot more people walking around compared to earlier.

“The turn ahead… right?”

Relying on my smartphone’s navigation, I proceeded towards the shop.

As I turned the corner, the sign of the shop came into view.

『Festa』… that’s it.

“Suu… Fuu…”

Taking a deep breath.

This isn’t just for my own desires… huh? But isn’t it ultimately because I want to meet my destined person?

Well, whatever!

There was no one in front of the door.

Timidly, I opened the door.

It’s okay! I withdrew a reasonable amount of money! Just for today! Stepping into the shop.

Contrary to the dazzling exterior, the interior was not as flashy, exuding a calm atmosphere.

However, perhaps still evoking a nighttime ambiance, the dimly lit interior created an adult-like space.

As I stood still, someone from the shop noticed me and approached.

“Welcome, young… la… dy…”

“Huh…?”

An elegant dress suit. A deep navy style with a black vest. A pure white pocket square accentuated the chest.

Hair in loose black curls.

I’ve been seeing this hairstyle a lot lately.

“Masato…?”

The boy who has been bothering me… Masato Katasato.

Standing there in stylish attire.

Masato found out that I came to the Boys’ Bar.

Masato was working at the Boys’ Bar.

Two facts were spinning around in my head.

My thoughts couldn’t come together.

How many seconds have passed since I stood here?

“….!”

I involuntarily turned on my heel.

Why? Why is this so painful?

Masato found out that I came to the Boys’ Bar, and that Masato was actually working there.

Why are my emotions so stirred up?

I should just smile as usual, cheerfully say, “I came to hang out!” Or should I just say, “Masato, you’re working here?!”

I didn’t want to be misunderstood.

At the same time, I felt hurt by the fact that Masato was working here.

I’m so confused.

It’s a mess.

“Wait! Mizuho!!”

My left hand, about to leave, was grabbed.

I didn’t want to turn around.

I must be making a terrible face right now.

“Mizuho, wait… let’s talk for a moment?”

—

In a corner of the dazzling interior.

Masato and I were sitting at a round table, facing each other.

“Umm… so… you’re working here as a favor to your benefactor? Who happens to be the owner of this place?”

“Yeah, that’s right. But well, it’s not like I’m being forced, and I guess I was curious too… something like that.”

“I see…”

I lightly spun the straw of the orange juice Masato had prepared for me.

The ice made a dry sound as it clinked.

“I work here only once a week. Working here helps me afford university… well, something like that.”

“Oh, I see… I had no idea.”

Despite feeling like we were getting along, I didn’t know anything about Masato. I never knew about such circumstances.

But, for some reason, I felt a little relieved.

“What about you, Mizuho? Why are you here?”

“Well, you see…”

I started talking bit by bit.

I came to this place because I wanted information about the person I believe to be my destiny, who might be working here.

As I spoke, I couldn’t help but get a little excited.

I wonder why.

Even as we talked, there was a part of me that didn’t want to be misunderstood by this person.

“I see… But I don’t think there are any college students with slicked-back hair around here.”

“Yeah, that’s right… Hmm, maybe I was wrong after all.”

“I don’t know, but I’m usually only here on Fridays, so someone else might know. So, I’ll help you out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but… as a favor…”

Masato glanced around, then leaned closer to me.

His atmosphere was different from usual, and I couldn’t help but feel nervous. He’s already cool enough, but if he’s wearing such a cool outfit, it’s impossible not to feel nervous.

I was feeling dizzy from the slightly more mature atmosphere Masato was emitting…

“Can you keep this a secret from Koiumi? She’s a bit of a worrywart, and if she finds out I’m doing this kind of job, she’ll be really mad, you know? You understand, right, Mizuho?”

Certainly, when it comes to matters involving Masato, Koiumi tends to narrow her focus.

B-but keeping it a secret from her is a bit… no, it’s quite shady…

“Please! I’ll help you properly in your search for your destined person.”

“…”

I looked at Masato from head to toe.

Truly, he’s cool, kind… a wonderful boy.

Koiumi’s… romantic interest.

She trusted me and introduced him to me.

Yet, it’s just a secret between me and Masato…?

In an instant, a shiver ran down my spine.

No.

This type of thing mustn’t become a habit…