The Story of Becoming a Drinking Friend When I Saved the Cutest Senpai in University - Vol 1 Chapter 25

“Um, I-Itomori-kun…”

“…”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Even now, it’s better to have a detailed examination at the hospital…”

“…I’m all right. Yes, I’m really all right.”

“B-but…”

“My body is all right, so… Hahahaa…”

A room in a fancy hotel.

I sat on the sofa in my bathrobe and drooped with a pale face.

Whether I came to a place where I would never have had a chance to live normally or took a shower in a luxurious bathroom, I didn’t get excited at all at this time.

Several tens of minutes ago.

I saved the cat just a last second from being hit by a car, and I slipped face-to-face into the other side of the sidewalk, leaning forward and losing my posture.

At that time, I raised my arms high to protect only the cat, so my shirt and pants were worn out and my body was scratched.

Senpai took the trouble to get a room at the hotel, letting me take a shower for me to wash the wound, and asked the hotel staff to prepare a change of clothes.

I’m very grateful for her kindness, but it doesn’t matter much to me whether it’s clothes or scratches.

The moment I saved the cat, I let go of the paper bag containing the gift.

The paper bag was run over by a car, and the glass I bought so hard made me look sad without seeing the light of day. It would be impossible not to be discouraged by this.

“…All right. Senpai, let’s go buy it again now! I still have enough money, so it’s okay!”

“I really can’t let you buy something so expensive again.”

“B-but…!”

“In the first place, it was my fault that I dropped the paper bag. It’s not something that worries about Itomori-kun.”

That’s true, but there’s no way she’s at fault for taking action to save a life.

…What am I doing? Why did I let go of the paper bag?

“I got another gift from Itomori-kun in a way that doesn’t cost much money. What do you think of this?”

“Is there anything you want me to do that doesn’t cost money?”

“I’ll think about it. For now, we must take care of it first.”

Senpai urged me to take off my bathrobe with gauze, bandages, and plasters in her hand.

“It’s all right. I’ll do it myself.”

“It is my fault that it happened. Let me do this much.”

“Even if I take this off, ’ll only be in my underpants…”

“Itomori-kun, hurry up.”

“…Y-yes.”

Even if I make any more complaints, it would be a punchline to take them off with half a gill like in Okinawa.

I sighed and took off my bathrobe and took off leaving me half-naked.

Even though I knew she wouldn’t care, I was still nervous about exposing my old wounds. And simply, I’m embarrassed to be seen in my underpants.

“…Your clothes looked terrible, but they were almost intact.”

“I’m still training myself. I just do a little muscle training in the house.”

“It’s impossible for your skin to become sturdy with light muscle training… Itomori-kun, are you really human?”

“D-don’t be so mean!”

She covered the wound with a bandage with an unfamiliar hand.

In the process, senpai’s fingers touched my tanned skin and, perhaps because of its mellowness, I played with it like an elementary school student playing with an eraser.

“…What are you doing?”

“I don’t have many chances to touch it, so I can’t help it. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt, but… You really don’t care? Isn’t it scary or disgusting?”

I was glad that she said it didn’t matter, and I don’t think there was any lie in what she said, but when I exposed my skin like this again, I felt uneasy again.

“Why do you need to think you’re disgusting when I see Itomori-kun’s body?”

“That’s the case with all the people who’ve seen this so far…”

“Itomori-kun, do you consider me all in the same class as ‘everyone’?”

“N-no! I’m just a little worried—”

Before I could say anything, she kissed my skin.

“~~~!?”

She peeped into her red tongue and licked it without hesitation.

From bottom to top, as if she were eating soft ice cream. Slowly.

I pushed her forward with my arm to stop, but she shook it off and closed the distance again.

She tucked her falling golden hair behind her ears, licked it again, bit it, and made her tongue crawl further. The sense of treachery in which the mucous membrane of a frighteningly beautiful person touches ugly old wounds, and the pleasure caused by the slimy, sweet body temperature, are gradually losing my energy to resist.

“…Do you understand now?”

She suddenly walked away from me and said with her wet lips.

“If you expose your skin in front of me, you don’t have to worry about Itomori-kun. If you wish, I’ll do it for another hour or so.”

“I-It’s all right now! Really, seriously!”

If she could do this for another hour, I would surely wake up to a strange habit… Well, I think it’s too late.

When I desperately appealed that I was alright, she turned her back and went to get some tissues.

“…I understand Itomori-kun’s feelings. But what reason is there that I should not accept the person who has accepted all of me?”

She was wiping her lips gently as she uttered an emotionless, mechanical voice.

“Stop doubting me. Even if a million people are scared to see the old wounds, even if ten billion people find them disgusting, my opinion won’t change.”

She threw the tissue in the trash can and turned around.

There is no expression on her face, but she is somewhat strong-minded, and strangely, she has an absolute sense of reassurance.

It’s so warm, so comforting, and so bright.

I could not look directly at her and suddenly dropped my gaze to the floor.

“Everyone’s” gaze seemed to melt away bad memories from the many glances that had been directed at me.

There is a certain feeling that I was cherished.

She wants me to be there as a person, not as a violent weapon.

…It was so good.

I fell in love with this person.

◆◆◆

With the change of clothes, room service such as meals and alcohol arrived, and we had a drinking party here tonight.

I was looking for an izakaya^[1]Izakaya is a Japanese bar that also serves various dishes and snacks. with a private room, but it would certainly be more convenient for senpai. Private rooms do not completely block the eyes of other guests. However, in hotel rooms, no one comes in without permission or hears a voice.

“Cheers! Yay!”

“C-cheers… Excuse me, senpai. Isn’t it a little too much? You should drink a little more slowly…”

“Because it’s fun! I’ve always wanted to drink with Itomori-kun! Itomori-kun is to blame because he leaves me alone!”

The bottle of champagne was emptied in a matter of ten minutes.

My expression completely melted, and senpai peeps into me from below with an ice-creamy expression placed in the blazing sun. With a smile on her white teeth.

“…But I was very happy today. Maybe it’s the first time in my life that someone worked so hard for my birthday.”

“That’s too much to say. Aren’t there a lot of people who give presents that are more expensive than me?”

“That’s true, but… Most of the people who come to celebrate my birthday are people who don’t care about the celebrations. The price is of no value to me.”

Suddenly, there was a shadow on her face.

What does it mean that it doesn’t matter?

When I was about to open my mouth to ask her about it, she stood up vigorously and said, “More than that!”

“There is a word I have never heard from Itomori-kun today! What is it?”

A quiz contest that started suddenly.

I swallowed the wine in my mouth and tilted my head for no reason.

“…Did I do something to senpai by any chance? Are you telling me to apologize?”

“No, no! I’m telling you, you’d better fix that self-punishment. Be more confident in yourself! Itomori-kun is the best!”

Even so, my experience of being a junior high and high school student has completely deprived me of my self-esteem.

…But I think I’ll have to do something about it. I don’t want senpai to think I’m annoying.

“That’s why the best Itomori-kun hasn’t told me something yet. Come on, you know what it is! What someone hasn’t said!”

“Well… Happy birthday, or something like that?”

“No!”

“All right! Senpai said good morning, but I didn’t respond―”

“No! You stupid! I’m going to hate you!”

“T-that’s a problem! Please tell me the answer!”

When I bowed my head desperately many times, senpai glared at me with half an eye, sighed loudly, and lowered her shoulders. She emptied the glass with a breath and let out a cute hiccup.

“…Cute.”

“Huh?”

“…You haven’t told me that I’m cute yet. I dressed up a lot.”

She puffed up her cheeks like a puffer fish and poked me in the ribs.

“Tell me I’m cute, compliment me! Pat me and spoil me a lot!”