When My Younger Brother Stole My Girlfriend, I Began Living Together with My Beautiful Childhood Friend Almost As If We Were Married - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Fateful Reunion

“―So, that’s what happened.”

“O-Oh, I see. But hey, if you think about it, you’re still not even twenty!”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff~. Can’t handle it without a drink~!”

“I turned twenty just the other day, so I forgot. But seriously, don’t let slip that you’ve been drinking, alright? Our shop will be in trouble!”

That’s right, the guy panicking next to me is Mido Mikage, my friend since high school who works at this yakitori izakaya, called “Mido”. He’s an amazing guy who, upon graduating high school, apprenticed under his dad to inherit this family-run establishment.

And I, while Mikage’s listening to my complaints, was nibbling on yakitori with a non-carbonated drink in hand, unable to drink carbonation, and crying.

I always tried not to show weakness at home, but having my girlfriend of two years stolen away is incredibly painful. That’s why I’m crying.

I can’t forgive Anna, but considering I’ve expressed my love for her over these two years, if she had any dissatisfaction, I wish she had told me beforehand, or at least broken up with me before switching to my brother.

The pain of being betrayed by someone you loved is indescribable.

“But seriously, Anna-chan is something else. Confessing first and then cheating?”

“That girl… that (censored) (censored) (censored)!”

“You say that so easily… Well, for now, since there are no other customers, feel free to vent as much as you want.”

Mikage’s kindness really hits home. I’m on the verge of tears. Well, I’m already crying.

We’ve always joked about drunkards being a hassle, but now I’ve become that annoying drunkard. Nevertheless, I’m genuinely grateful that he listens to my complaints and sympathizes with me.

I replenish the moisture lost from tears with alcohol.

“Master, another round! And two more negima (chicken thigh with spring onion) and tsukune (ground chicken meatballs), and pork belly!”
“Hey, are you sure about ordering that much? If you’re too drunk to pay the bill, that’s not going to fly.”

“Hey, Mikage! He’s your friend, and he’s always supporting our shop, so it’s fine to put it on a tab, right?… I just grilled the negima you ordered at the right time!”

Accepting the freshly grilled negima from the master, I wash down the savory meat and onions soaked in sauce with the remaining alcohol in my glass.

As the glass empties, another one is brought over, filled to about seventy percent, mixed with ice.

“Anyway, what are you going to do from now on?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean… well… aren’t you practically cut off from your family?”

“It’s not that I’ve been cut off, I cut ties with them.”

“Either way is the same!”

It’s awful to say “either way is the same” when it’s quite an important matter. Cutting ties with that family was essential to me.

But, well, as Mikage says, I need to think about the future.

My head spins with thoughts as I’m inebriated.

“For now, I’ll probably live in a hotel for a while and ask my aunt to be my guarantor to rent an apartment or a condo.”

“Wasn’t your aunt living far away? Is it okay?”

I’ve heard that the guarantor can be up to the third degree, and my aunt was kind to me unlike those awful parents, so I want to believe she’ll agree to be my guarantor.

I’ve been working extra shifts this year, and since I haven’t had many expenses living at home, I’ve managed to save up quite a bit. If I increase my shifts a little more or find another job, I should be able to cover rent and living expenses.

University fees are practically paid for by my parents, so while it’s irritating, I have to say thank them sincerely for that.

As I receive the freshly grilled tsukune and pork belly, I contemplate. Just as I’m about to eat the tsukune, the door to the shop opens.

“Welcome!”

The master’s cheerful voice echoes. And—

“―Huh, Hayato…?”

A clear and beautiful voice calls my name.

The people who call me by name can be counted on one hand, and when it comes to girls, there’s only one.

Placing the tsukune skewer down, I look towards the entrance, and my eyes meet with a familiar face among the group of girls.

She flashes me a gentle smile.

“It is you, Hayato. It’s been a long time.”

Bright, ash-gray, semi-long hair. Soft, round eyes. Lustrous lips.

Though a bit slender, she exudes feminine charm—Reina Iwasaki. I wonder if she’s my childhood friend, or something like that. I don’t really know how to define it.

Reina and I went to the same elementary and middle schools. We were close friends, going on field trips and school trips together with the same group of boys and girls. But when it came to high school, we went to different schools, and we lost touch since then.

…And she was actually my unrequited love when I first fell in love.

I never thought I’d see her again, but to meet her again in such a place makes me a little happy.

“Sorry, everyone. Can I go for a bit?”

“Oh? Could it be… him?”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

I hear such a conversation, and the girls send Reina off with warm eyes.

Walking over, Reina sits next to me and orders green tea and negima.

“Um… it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really has.”

“That’s right… Wait, huh? Are you crying?”

Reina notices the tears on my cheeks and gently wipes them away with a handkerchief.

Her touch feels like being caressed by an angel, and along with the kindness shown by Mikage, tears start flowing again.

“W-Wait! What’s wrong? And Hayato’s birthday is still far off, yet you’re drinking…”

“Ah, actually, he’s in a bit of a slump right now.”

“A slump? What happened?”

I feel her patting my back, but I can’t find the right words.

Perhaps feeling sorry for me, Mikage slowly explains everything from the beginning instead.

Although Reina listened quietly, her expression gradually became more severe.

“What’s that… both that girl and her family are absolutely ridiculous! Why should Hayato have to go through that!?”

“Well, that’s how it is. He’s practically lost everything, and I think he’s in quite a pinch in life right now.”

“Alright, alright! I’ll just have to live however I can from now on!”

While crying, I down the contents of my glass in one go. My throat feels hot.

As I slam the glass onto the table, I collapse, crying.

“Anyway, what am I supposed to do~!”

“Ugh… Good grief, what to do with you…”

I feel Mikage’s exasperation, but what am I supposed to do, really?

Just as I think that, I feel my head and body enveloped in a soft sensation.

“There, there. It must have been tough, it must have been sad. You don’t have to endure it anymore.”

I’m comforted as Reina embraces me tightly.

My cracked and broken heart feels healed by her heartbeat and warm body temperature, and at the same time, it feels like everything I’ve been holding back is overflowing.

Feeling sorry, yet continuing to cry, I lean against Reina’s chest.

“Hey. Hayato, you don’t have a home right now, right?”

“Yeah. I was thinking of living in a hotel while looking for a place.”

“Then, I have a proposal.”

Reina’s face draws closer, and I feel her breath near my ear.

“How about coming to my place? Let’s live together.”

It took me a little while to understand that it was an invitation to live together.