You Came with the First Spring Breeze... - Episode 1 - The Aftermath of NTR

Chapter 1 – Side: Tomoya – You Came with the First Spring Breeze

Episode 1 – The Aftermath of NTR

Every day, I drowned in alcohol—enough to bathe in it—while clawing at my chest, eventually falling asleep.
I threw myself onto the bed, clutching the sheets, staring at her picture on my phone screen. Finding traces of her scent in the pillow or the gaps between the bed covers, I would masturbate.
Though the places where she and I had been together were gradually taking on my own scent, time had been frozen since that day.
Even though the desk calendar on my bedside table had stopped at last December, the date on my wristwatch mercilessly advanced, and the season had shifted from winter to spring.

Despite the nights still being quite chilly, the streets were now bathed in vibrant pastel colors, and the sounds of cherry blossom songs filled the air.
I was startled to realize it was already that time of year again.
The time I had frozen on Christmas Eve last year was now moving, as if someone had forcefully pressed the play button.

“I’ve got some really cute girls lined up, man. You’re gonna be blown away, best buddy!”
My acquaintance Yoshii, who calls me his best friend, smirked suggestively.

“Thanks for the heads-up.”

Yoshii, my former colleague, had a reputation for organizing group dates with girls who were very attractive. But I wasn’t surprised at all—Yoshii always raised the bar like this.

I had met the girlfriend I lived with until Christmas Eve at a group date that Yoshii had organized. I think he had been there at that one too.

As we walked down the bustling street in front of the station, with our backs hunched against the night wind and our arms crossed, the two of us silently trudged along.
I ran my hand along my jaw, noticing how my scruffy beard had grown significantly.
For the past three months, even shaving had felt like too much effort. Could I really put an end to these days?

I knew, of course, that Yoshii had only good intentions in dragging me out here.
He probably just wanted to help me move forward. That had to be his plan.

Last Christmas Eve,
I was cheated on by my girlfriend of three years.
The other guy was my former colleague, Mita—a lame guy who always bragged about the size of his dick. I bet he’s worse in bed than me! Not that I know for sure…

Why couldn’t I forgive her for just one mistake? I could never accept her after she had been half-forced into Mita’s arms.

The first spring breeze hit me square in the face, stinging my eyes and causing tears to well up. If Yoshii saw my face now, I’d just blame it on the wind.
I wiped my tears discreetly with my shoulder.

Dragging along my feelings that hadn’t moved an inch, even though my body did, I made my way to the izakaya.
I was relieved that Yoshii hadn’t taken me to a brothel. There was no way I could sleep with another woman right now.

After getting off the train, we walked for about five minutes.
We arrived at a cheap izakaya that smelled of charcoal and rich sauces. Red lanterns dangled by the entrance, inviting passersby inside.

Yoshii said, “The dirtier the place, the better the girls look.”
It’s the same principle as how a crane looks more beautiful in a junkyard.
The opposite is true, too. Wearing a clean, stylish outfit—a colorful branded sweatshirt and blue jeans—Yoshii probably looked quite dashing in this place.
Even a scruffy guy with a beard like me might look a bit better here.
I picked off a few lint balls from my knit sweater and flicked them away like boogers in a futile attempt to resist.

As I slid open the rattling glass door, the place was filled with the scent of roasting meat over charcoal.
“Welcome!”
The stern-looking owner’s cheerful greeting didn’t match his appearance.

The counter, which could seat about ten people, was full of hunched-over salarymen, all deeply engrossed in eating and drinking. Three of them briefly glanced in our direction.

I hated this moment.
That look of, “Who’s here? Do I know them? Are they regulars? Oh, never mind,” before returning to their business as if nothing had happened.

“Welcome, right this way.”
A girl in a matching black shirt, probably a part-time worker, led us toward the back of the restaurant.
“Seems busy,” Yoshii said in a casual, experienced tone.
“Thanks to you!” The staff member responded, clearly used to customers like him.

“Here you are.” She pointed to a room separated by a faded sliding door.
“Thanks,” Yoshii said familiarly, opening the door.

At that moment, I looked down.
The room was smaller than I had expected, and there were two flashy girls, sitting tightly packed in the cramped space.
The first thing I saw was a girl with soft, light brown hair, sitting facing us. She wore a frilly dress with a deep neckline, as bright as a morning glory.
Her ample bosom formed a clear cleavage that shone under the light as it jiggled slightly.

Caught between instinct and reason, my gaze flickered back and forth, unable to settle.

“Good evening! Nice to meet you!”
A lively voice burst out.
I wasn’t sure if she was talking to Yoshii or me, but I lowered my head and, like a tag-along, followed Yoshii into the room.

“Nina-chan, Aki-chan, long time no see!”
Yoshii greeted them, and the girl sitting with her back to us responded with, “Long time no see!” in a high-spirited tone. The girl sitting further back also raised her hand and said, “Long time no see~.”

So the “Nice to meet you” earlier was directed at me, I realized.

“This guy’s my best friend, Tomoya Ikehira.”
Yoshii gave me a push on the back.

“Ah, uh, hi…”
I was embarrassed that, at 28 years old, this was all I could manage to say.
“Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this.”
I awkwardly scratched the back of my head.

“You should sit on the other side,” Yoshii directed me, pointing to the seat next to Aki.