Episode 17: This Girl’s Definitely Got Me Mixed Up With Someone Else
A few hours after the first party.
The after-party was held at a karaoke box. In a roomy space that could fit around fifteen people, the sales manager and the senior staff settled onto the L-shaped sofa.
“Ohh, nice and spacious,” the manager said, plopping himself down, while Tamura-san and Sasaki-kun got hyped up over “our first karaoke in ages.”
By the time I noticed, Hanamori had taken the seat beside me, with Asakura-san across from us, and Tamura-san next to her.
An exquisitely awkward arrangement. And also — why is Hanamori next to me again?
Hanamori’s face was already bright red, sinking into the sofa cushions. How much had she had to drink since our conversation in the hallway earlier? She was completely gone.
“Hanamori-san, you okay?”
I called over to her, and she slowly turned my way.
“…m’fiiine, r’ally.”
Her words were slurring together, the ends of them dragging out. Her eyes were completely glazed, a loose, dopey smile on her face.
Yep. That’s a fail. A complete and total fail.
Asakura-san, watching from across the table, laughed with an unusually soft expression.
“Hanamori-san’s drunk, it’s kind of cute.”
“‘m not drunk~”
Hanamori pressed her hands to her cheeks, flustered.
Not good… cute. No, wrong, I’m just worried about her. Just checking on my junior’s condition as a senior. That’s all.
A song started up, and the sales manager belted out a Showa-era ballad with real passion.
Everyone clapped along to keep the energy up, but I found myself glancing sideways at Hanamori more than the stage.
Her eyes were closed, swaying gently. Losing to gravity, she gradually leaned further toward me.
“Hanamori-san, are you really okay?”
“Mmh…?”
Her response was loose. Eyes half-open. Completely somewhere else.
And then, just like that, her head landed on my shoulder.
“Wh— wait, hold on—”
My heart glitched, making some strange sound. She was close. Her perfume was sweet. The peach scent felt much closer than usual.
The stares from around the room stung. Sasaki-kun was grinning ear to ear. Tamura-san and Asakura-san had faint smiles too. The sales manager was too deep into his song to notice.
No, this is just me steadying my junior. Just taking care of her.
“…Want some water?”
“Wan’ some.”
I handed it to her, and she gripped the cup with both hands, gulping it down.
“…Tasty.”
She tilted her head and looked at me, grinning.
An expression she’d never, ever direct at me sober. Completely defenseless.
Once she finished drinking, Hanamori set the cup down and, this time, latched onto my arm.
Her chest — her chest was pressed against my upper arm.
If she ever found out I was thinking about that, she’d absolutely brand me a creep all over again.
She was unbearably close. I worried she could hear my heartbeat.
“H-hold on a second…”
“…s’warm~”
Stop it. This is completely unfair. Maybe it’s the alcohol, but she’s so much more unguarded than usual.
Her usual bratty tone, her sharp gaze, that prickly attitude, all of it had vanished somewhere.
Cute. Way too honest, unbearably cute.
But this is only because Hanamori’s drunk. She’s definitely got me mixed up with someone else.
She must be confusing me with Tamura-san. That has to be it.
Honestly, this girl really is an idiot at the worst possible moments.
I kept telling myself that, but the warmth and weight against my arm were scrambling my thoughts. My whole body went rigid.
“Hanamori-san, hey, you’re a little close, okay…?”
I tried to put a little distance between us. My heart felt like it might burst.
Sasaki-kun teased, “Wow, Asami-san, you’re popular tonight.”
Tamura-san laughed too. Asakura-san was watching with a small laugh as well.
Meanwhile, across the table, Tamura-san and Asakura-san were building a nice rapport of their own.
“What do you do on your days off, Tamura-san?”
“Hm, been hitting the gym lately. What about you, Asakura-san?”
“I like watching movies…”
Completely good chemistry. Tamura-san was smiling, and Asakura-san looked like she was having fun too.
I elbowed Hanamori lightly.
“Hey, hey, Tamura-san’s talking with Asakura-san. Don’t you want to go over there?”
I whispered it under my breath, and Hanamori slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were half rolled back.
“Hnn…?”
“Look, Tamura-san. They’re having fun over there. Why don’t you join in?”
Hanamori’s brow drooped slightly, and she tilted her head. In a voice no one else could hear, she whispered right into my ear.
“Asami-san… is it really that unpleasant, having me next to you…?”
Hanamori’s slightly hoarse, sweet voice came with a breath against my ear.
My chest throbbed. The noise around us faded, and only her voice remained.
“Eh, no, that’s not it…”
Her eyes were glossy. Fully welling up.
“It’s just, I figured, you must be into Tamura-san, or something…”
Saying that, Hanamori clung tighter to my arm, and, looking down, in a voice barely audible, murmured:
“Right now, I’d rather be next to Asami-san…”
Wait. What did she just say?
Line number one on the list of things sober Hanamori would never, ever say. Without a doubt.
No, wait, did I mishear that? Me?
…This girl’s brain is definitely broken from the alcohol. And me, getting my heart racing over drunk Hanamori, I’m completely broken by alcohol myself.
The song ended, and next Tamura-san started singing what was apparently his signature number. Everyone clapped along. Tamura-san could actually sing well.
Hanamori seemed lost in Tamura-san’s singing for a bit, but before long, she flopped her head down onto my lap.
“Wait, huh, Hanamori-san!?”
“…Ehehe, your thigh’s so soft…”
Completely in baby mode. A kitten. No, a puppy works too. Either way, cute.
But this is because she’s drunk. Absolutely, definitely because she’s drunk. So this is just for now. Just for right now.
Once she’s back at work, she’ll be right back to that infuriatingly bratty, calculating woman.
Telling myself that, I gently stroked Hanamori’s hair. Softly, like petting a housecat.
Making small sounds of “mm” and “uu,” Hanamori narrowed her eyes and gave a loose, melting smile.
Cute. My heart hurt with how much.
I found myself hoping this moment would just keep going. A little bit, at least. Frustrating as it was to admit.
Calculating and infuriating as she is, and yet I find her cute.
It’s contradictory. I know that. But right now, it felt okay to leave it at that.
As the after-party was winding down.
While I was gathering my things to head home, Asakura-san leaned in close.
“Nagi-san, it was fun getting to talk properly with you today.”
“Eh…!? Wha…!? Ah, yes, likewise…”
An unexpected “first-name-basis event” from Asakura-san, out of nowhere.
“Well, I’ll message you on LIME about when to grab drinks again.”
She said it while lightly touching my shoulder.
Whoa, Asakura-san, that’s close. Her unusually unguarded smile was dazzling. The mix of her perfume and the alcohol made my head spin.
I gave Asakura-san a loose, dopey smile and waved.
But at the same time, at the edge of my vision — Hanamori, her buzz a little worn off now, was staring fixedly this way.
A displeased look. A deep crease between her brows. Unmistakably, obviously in a bad mood.
Hanamori silently gulped down the rest of the water in her cup and set it on the table.
With a loud, deliberate clack.
After that, she quickly gathered her things and headed for the door.
The air around Hanamori had turned unmistakably prickly.
“Hanamori-san, heading home soon?”
“…Heading home.”
I spoke to her gently, in the same tone as before, and got an ice-cold response back.
Low voice. Cold eyes.
“You’re pretty drunk, so it’s a little risky… want me to walk you home?”
I offered.
“I’m good.”
Flat and cold. Not even making eye contact, looking off to the side.
“Eh, no, but… still…”
“Good work today.”
With that, Hanamori walked off. After being so clingy just a moment ago.
It’s not like I had any ulterior motive. I was simply worried about her, that’s all.
Hanamori, swaying with what looked like exaggerated unsteadiness, walked over toward Tamura-san.
“Tamura-saaan♡ We’re headed the same direction, right~?”
“Ah, are we? Should we grab a taxi?”
“Eh? You’ll take me home? Thank youuu~♡”
Saying that, Hanamori looped her arm through Tamura-san’s. Calculated cuteness at full deployment.
Hanamori and Tamura-san disappeared into the night streets together.
All I could do was watch their backs in silence.
*
…Excuse me?
What is with her?
…Hm? No, wait, this is fine, isn’t it?
Tamura-san, the guy she’s been after this whole time, is worried about her and offering to walk her home.
Even as I told myself that, unconsciously, a pink little fantasy started spreading through my head.
—Alone together in the taxi, Hanamori leaning against Tamura-san’s arm, whispering in that honeyed voice, “Tamura-san, you’re so kind.”
Arriving at her apartment, “Um, want to come up for tea, as thanks?” in that usual high, saccharine voice.
Tamura-san nodding, “Ah, sure, just for a bit.”
Stepping inside, locking the door, “I’m so sleeeepy♡” flopping onto the bed.
And then the two of them, swept up by the alcohol, straight through until morning…
…It’s fine, isn’t it. It’s fine.
Hanamori likes Tamura-san.
This is what she’s wanted all along.
It has absolutely nothing to do with me. Not one bit.
And yet, something deep in my chest was prickling, churning.
It’s pissing me off. Why. Why is this pissing me off so much.
The sales manager called over, “Asami-san, we’re heading to a third round, you coming?”
“…Huh!? No, I’m heading home tonight!!”
I snapped back at him, still riding the irritation. “Oh, ah, right. Take care then,” he said with an awkward laugh.
…I messed that up.
The warmth of Hanamori’s body still lingered on me, refusing to fade.
“…What is with her. Doesn’t make any sense.”
The words I muttered under my breath were swallowed instantly by the noise of the street.