The Story of Becoming a Drinking Friend When I Saved the Cutest Senpai in University - Vol 1 Chapter 5

A few minutes later, senpai returned home.

After seeing her off and returning to my room, I slumped my heavy body onto the sofa.

“Senpai was drunk. And she was totally different from her usual self…”

Though I don’t know much about senpai, it’s clear she isn’t the type to show her emotions so openly.

Even though her face was expressionless, she was smiling like a child. She must have been so much fun.

“…It was really fun.”

I lowered my voice to a six-tatami room alone and took the remote control of the TV and switched from streaming to regular broadcast.

The quiet after the festival.

The pleasant atmosphere, which had been there before, completely vanished, and it was replaced by a loneliness that filled the gap.

Because of the difference, loneliness is heavier and colder than usual.

To distract myself, I started flipping through channels looking for a noisy show.

….This is not good. This is really not good.

I turned on a comedy show, but I can’t focus on the content at all.

My heart was in a state of confusion, and I let out a meaningless sigh.

It’s the usual thing.

The thoughts of wanting to die.

“…Huh?”

My smartphone that I left on the table vibrated and I picked it up to see what was going on.

There was one message.

The sender is senpai whom I just exchanged contact information with.

[Akebi: Are you going to bed soon?]

She seemed sober and was completely back in her formal tone.

But I can’t believe that even the writing is formal.

[Kaname: I’m probably still awake.]

I had the experience of interacting with the opposite sex on my smartphone due to part-time jobs.

However, this is the first time I have received such a very private message, and I feel like my hands were trembling slightly with excitement and nervousness.

[Akebi: If you don’t mind, why don’t we have a second party while talking on the phone when I get home?]

A sticker of a rabbit bowing with the words “Please!”

On TV, loud-voiced comedians are making a fuss of themselves.

“…”

I open your lips slightly and take a deep breath.

I then raise the corner of my mouth slightly and tap on the screen.

[Kaname: If it’s okay with you, I’ll be with you till morning.]

I turned off the TV, got up, and left the house with my smartphone and wallet in my hand.

Carbonated water, cola, and various snacks.

Nothing is not enough to spend time with senpai.

On a weekday night. I walk on a quiet street after Golden Week.

It’s a bigger step than yesterday.

◆◆◆

Tennouji’s POV

In the car on the way back.

When I sobered up and switched back to my formal mode, I looked out of the window with a straight back and melancholy, but the inside of my chest was still noisy like in the middle of a festival.

That’s how much fun it was.

It was fun, happy, and thrilling, and I felt like dancing for no reason.

The movie was interesting and the drinks were delicious.

More than anything, I was able to laugh for the first time in a long time, and I felt like it was the best.

“…It was the right decision to muster up the courage and go see him.”

I spoke quietly to myself and pressed my forehead slightly against the cold window glass.

I enjoyed hanging out with my friends, but I had one particular problem.

It was a feeling of fatigue on the way home.

I keep my emotions above a certain level when I’m having fun or happy, and act so that people around me don’t wouldn’t notice. Perhaps when I am alone, I suddenly feel a heavy burden on my shoulders and I don’t want to see anyone for a while.

However, today was different.

I didn’t know.

I didn’t realize that the way home after parting with friends could be so lonely yet fulfilling.

Time with Itomori-kun is comfortable.

I didn’t have to worry about anything, and since I had exposed everything about myself, he didn’t impose any ideals on me.

On the contrary, he understands my feelings and gets upset on my behalf. I feel sorry for making him worry, and at the same time, I am grateful that his kindness is incredibly warm.

…Itomori-kun, I wonder what he’s doing now.

Perhaps because I thought of him, I began to miss him even though it had only been a little while since we parted ways.

I can’t really turn back now, but my heart aches with strange sadness. I felt uneasy about ending the day with these feelings.

[Akebi: Are you going to bed soon?]

Since I was in formal mode, my fingers typed out a typically stiff message.

If he was going to bed, I’d say goodnight once more and close my smartphone.

That’s what I decided to do and send a message.

[Kaname: I’m probably still awake.]

…Oh, what’s this?

Just receiving a reply made me incredibly happy.

[Akebi: If you don’t mind, why don’t we have a second party while talking on the phone when I get home?]

I haven’t had enough to drink tonight.

I still wanted to talk to Itomori-kun.

I’d like to be myself a little more.

[Kaname: If it’s okay with you, I’ll be with you till morning.]

The cityscape passed by outside the window and my own reflected slightly.

My glass-act expression seemed to soften into a small smile.

◆◆◆

Itomori’s POV

A month has passed since then.

Senpai and I met a couple of times a week and enjoyed a drinking party where we watched a B-rated movie at home and laughed our heads off.

Even on days when she can’t come, we spend a fulfilling May by exchanging messages and talking on the phone.

“Uh, um…”

“Yes?”

“Where… are we?”

The rainy season begins, and a thick cloud lies overhead.

Today, when it was about to rain, senpai told me that she would invite me to a special place, and I found myself getting into her car. Now, we had arrived at someplace.

“Is this your first time in a place like this?”

“No, I’ve been here before, but…”

We were at the airport.

I’ve been to the airport several times in my life, but I don’t think there’s anything worthy of being called a special place for planes here.

“I’ll say this first—when I said special, I wasn’t referring to this place.”

“Then why did we come here…?”

“It’s to get on the plane. What a strange thing to say, Itomori-kun.”　

“W-wait! I don’t have any money to buy a plane ticket!”

When she mentioned something about a special place, I thought it would cost a lot of money, so I immediately rushed to the ATM.

However, I have never worked since I quit my part-time job in April this year. My bank account wasn’t exactly full, and I was told that it would be all right because it would not cost anything, so I only brought the bare minimum with me.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be flying on our own plane.”

“…”

A privately owned plane.

I froze with a stiff expression on my face at the incomparable wealth of the limousine.

◆◆◆

Translator’s Note:

Hi minasan!

I just wanted to take this moment to let you know that from now on, the story will be told from the character’s point of view because I’m having a hard time translating and editing the story. This means I’ll be using “I” and “me” a lot, instead of talking about them from the other’s perspective.

I hope you don’t mind and enjoy this change! Your support really helps keep the story going, so thank you for reading!

P.s. I have already fixed the free chapters. I will fix the locked chapters too once they become free to read.