The Story of Becoming a Drinking Friend When I Saved the Cutest Senpai in University

Tennouji’s POV

“Ojou-sama, you’re in a very good mood today.”

It was unusual that Kuroiwa, the driver who rarely talks, rarely spoke to me.

I stared out the window and replied, “Yes, I had so much fun.”

I was sober now, and my expression was as usual, but I still seemed in a good mood.

I can’t be helped.

Because today, with Itomori-kun… we, we, we… kissed, we’ve done it.

I felt terrible when I was drinking in frustration, and when I forced myself to kiss, I wanted to die, but I’m glad it ended up fine.

No, it’s far from fine.

I don’t know if it’s square or triangular, but it was just amazing.

What we have done is totally what a couple… but this is quite complicated.

‘No! I’m drinking, so it doesn’t count. It’s all right… Yes, it’s all right.’

At that time, I should have said honestly that I liked Itomori-kun and wanted to kiss him.

He must have been quite confused by the fact that I had come up with such a ridiculous excuse and kissed him like crazy.

‘We’re friends, that’s why. That’s all right… It doesn’t count.’

That wasn’t good either.

What do you mean friend?

What do you mean, it doesn’t count?

I was just scared.

I was scared of taking the next step with the relationship with my own hands. I’m scared to go where there’s no turning back.

Yet there was also a part of me that wanted to be his girlfriend, and I felt like such a coward for trying to have the best of both friends and lovers.

I don’t know what to do from here anymore. I want instructions, I want a strategy book.

…

…..

…….Well, I guess it’s fine!

I kissed you! I kissed him a lot!

I think I understand why kisses are used as an expression of affection in various ways from time to time.

It’s crazy.

The brain melts. It feels all light, fluffy, and really stupid.

Thanks to that, I ended up liking Itomori-kun even more.

“Haa…”

I should have done it one more time.

I sighed a small regret and traced my lips with my fingertips.

◆◆◆

Itomori’s POV

When I returned to my room after seeing senpai off, I was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling.

Suddenly, the feeling of her lips came rushing back to me.

The warmth of her lap, the softness of her hair, and the softness of her body burn like a blazing fire in the head, and that heat spreads to my face.

“…”

I tossed and turned and knocked on the mattress.

I grabbed the sheet, gave a low, animal-like groan, and flapped my legs.

‘I don’t want my friends to do something they don’t like. I don’t want to see Itomori-kun hurt either.’

The night Ichijou-senpai called me passed through my mind.

The strange feeling that I felt back then.

A feeling without contours swirling through my chest.

Now I know what that was.

“I…”

When I touched her and was touched by her, I finally understood.

My feelings for her aren’t just those of a friend.

“…Senpai, I really liked her.”

I want to touch her more. I want to be with her. I want her to be mine.

I like to do that kind of thing.

It is unreasonable to call this friendship.

I wish it were a self-righteous one-sided love. I just have to give up.

But this is rather troublesome, and it may not be just my problem.

Because,

‘…But we were happy with each other. Isn’t there only a benefit?’

‘T-that being the case—’

‘No! I’m drinking, so it doesn’t count. It’s all right… Yes, it’s all right.’

It reminds me of today’s conversation.

It’s only been a while since I got to know her, but I don’t think she’s the kind of person who would give her body just to get benefits or because she’s drunk.

There must be another reason.

…I think senpai likes me, too.

No. Impossible.

There will be so many attractive opposite sexes around her that she can pick someone, and what kind of bad taste it is to choose me among them. It’s ridiculous. It doesn’t make sense.

…Even as I think that.

If my guess is correct, I can understand everything today.

She was jealous of my interaction with Ichijou-senpai, so she got involved with me after drinking alcohol, and she approached me to kiss me. They all come to an explanation.

That’s not all.

She is just like me as a friend. How laborious would it be to come and cook meals for such a man every day?

It’s not like friends should hug each other while saying they love you.

Her recent involvement with me is clearly beyond the framework of mere friendship.

All of these things make sense when senpai’s feelings for me are feelings of love.

“We have mutual feelings, right? This is…”

As soon as I said that to myself, my smartphone vibrated.

Senpai called me. The timing is good or bad.

“Yes, hello. What’s the matter, senpai?”

[Ah, uhm. I just got home, and um…]

“What is it?”

[I’d like to hear Itomori-kun’s voice for a moment… um, did I bother you?]

“A-ah. You don’t have to worry about it at all.”

These things are not particularly unusual, and senpai calls me fairly often.

I like talking to senpai, but…

I think she has feelings of love for me. When I think about it, I can hardly think of what I’m talking about.

[Are you tired?]

She must have noticed something empty about me.

I reflectively, “No, no!” denied it, but scratched my head because I couldn’t find a word to follow.

[That’s it for the night. I’ll go cook dinner again tomorrow.]

“Ah. W-wait a minute!”

I couldn’t help but hold it back, but there was nothing new to talk about.

I just want to listen to senpai’s voice a little more. With my single mind, I whipped my slow-moving brain to make conversational material.

“Um, well, I… I had a really good time today!”

As I said so, I was astonished at my lack of intelligence.

What was that? Don’t go out of your way to hold me back and make fun of me.

It’s not a summer vacation diary that elementary school students wrote out of inertia.

[…Y-yes, I had a good time too.]

Hey senpai, I’m in trouble.

What am I going to do with this? Am I going to hang up with this delicate atmosphere? No, no. Let’s think about it a little bit more. There must be something more interesting about it.

[Let’s drink again tomorrow. Drink a lot and a lot… so, um…]

“Yes?”

[I think it’s no use drinking a lot and it’s going to be the way it is today.]

“…”

[I don’t want to wake up drunk, so…]

“…”

[That’s why I’m looking forward to tomorrow.]

“…um, me too. Yes. I’m looking forward to it.”

[Good night, then.]

Beep, beep.

For a few seconds after the phone was disconnected, I fell on the bed and flapped my legs.

Senpai just implied it.

That she wants to do what we did today again.

“She definitely likes me!! That’s what it is, isn’t it…!!!”

I’ve had one-sided love, but I used to give up on myself anyway.

I didn’t want to be disliked at least because I didn’t want to be liked, so I didn’t take any action.

…But I ought to confess this. As expected.

It’s unhealthy to blame everything on alcohol.

As long as I touch senpai’s body, at least I want to have a proper relationship. I want to hug senpai at my own risk, instead of letting her go.

But I don’t know how to confess, and I don’t have the courage to do so in the first place.

If by some chance, by any chance, I get dumped.

It’s all my misunderstanding, and she doesn’t want to do that, and the relationship breaks down just because I’m intrusive, and I’m going back to being alone every day.

Just imagining it makes me feel like throwing up.

“Haa…”

How comfortable it would be if senpai confessed to me.

I sighed heavily and lowered my shoulders, thinking of such a pitiful thing.

“—!”

I slapped my cheeks hard.

Get a grip, me.

It’s too much of a burden to reach out to me to be friends, not care about old wounds, take good care of me, and even ask me to be her boyfriend.

If I’m wrong, I can lose everything.

I’m not going to confess because she might like me. I confess because I like senpai.

I have to convey this feeling from my mouth.