Episode 2

Hearing the bell ringing to signal the end of the working week, I start getting ready to leave. I’d also received a message from Seriha saying she was waiting outside.

I asked her what sort of place she’d chosen, but she fobbed me off by saying it was a surprise for the day, so I never found out in the end.

You could say that her love of surprises is typical of her.

I call out to Seriha, who’s waiting at the entrance, and we leave the office together. The muggy heat makes me grimace.

‘Are we taking the train to the restaurant?’

‘It’s only one stop away, but the train looks likely to be crowded, so I thought we’d walk. Is that alright with you?’

‘I see. That’s fine. Don’t you think it’s about time you told me what sort of place it is?’

‘No way! It’s a surprise until we get there~’

I watched her walking with a spring in her step. The white skirt fluttering in the breeze suited her well.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to get my hopes up too much, though.”

I followed her cheerful figure as she walked ahead, careful not to get swept away by the crowd.

　　　　◇

“Please take a seat at the table at the back.”

We arrived at an izakaya situated on one of the upper floors of a high-rise building. It was decorated with touches of Japanese style here and there, and the staff were dressed in kimonos, adding to the atmosphere.

　Although it’s right in the heart of Tokyo, the clientele is good and the atmosphere is calm.

I think it’s a really nice place. I do think so, but…

The seat we were shown to was what you might call a ‘couples’ seat’.

It’s designed for two people to sit side by side, but the space is so narrow that even two women would barely fit. The floor is sunken like a kotatsu, and apparently, closing the sliding doors turns it into a private room.

　The staff member who showed us in is still here, so we can’t back out now. We step inside and sit down. The cushions laid out are soft and comfortable.

‘Excuse me, I’m sitting next to you.’

With a cheerful voice, Seriha sits down beside me. We’re close enough that our shoulders and thighs are almost touching.

　I really should have looked for a place with her. She’s always cheerful and lively, but every now and then she gets all fired up, as if a switch has been flipped.

‘Excuse me,’ the waiter says, bowing politely before leaving.

‘Shall we order some drinks first? Do you drink alcohol, Senpai?’

At a distance like this, in a private room… I thought she might start doing something strange straight away, but she’s just her usual cheerful, bright self.

At this rate, it looks like I’m the one making all the strange assumptions. I worry myself.

‘Just a little, then. Though I can only drink sweet things. Ah, they’ve got it.’

I found the cocktail section on the menu and traced through them one by one until I found what I was looking for.

I’d been unable to forget the cranberry milk Tsumugi’s older sister had served me, so I looked for it, but it didn’t seem to be on the menu here.

‘I’ll have a Cassis Milk. It’s a bit embarrassing, but that’s the only sort of thing I can drink.’

With a wry smile, I tapped away at the tablet and handed it to Seriha. I wonder if she’ll drink it.

‘That’s exactly what I’d expect! I think it’s cute. As for me… I think I’ll have some plum wine.’

Surprising… or perhaps not. I’d somehow got the impression she could hold her drink.

‘I saw it online, but the food looks delicious too. Let’s order loads!’

Every time she bounced about happily, our bodies brushed against each other, making my heart flutter a little. The sweet scent I was so used to was drifting closer than usual.

　　　　◇

Caprese salad and Caesar salad. Truffle-salted chips and salmon rolls. The small table was completely covered with a menu that was the very picture of a girls’ night out.

　It all looks delicious, but will we be able to finish it all…?

“Right then, Senpai.”

I make eye contact with Seriha, who’s holding a glass. Even though we’re sitting side by side, I feel as though she’s been looking at me the whole time.

“Yeah. Um… thanks for everything.”

Unable to think of a good toast, I clink glasses with her, offering a vague comment. The crisp ‘ting’ echoed nicely through the quiet room.

　There must be another private room right next door, but the sound doesn’t carry that far. It’s pleasant here without the usual weekend bustle.

“Delicious! Why does Friday night drink taste so good, I wonder?”

“I don’t drink much myself, but I totally get that. Maybe it’s the sense of achievement or something like that.”

It’s sweet and delicious. Perhaps because I was thirsty, I find myself gulping it down. I’m glad I opted for a mild drink.

　Every single dish is a winner. The Caprese salad, in particular, is so good I could easily have gone for seconds.

“Thanks for finding such a lovely place. It must have been a right hassle to find, wasn’t it?”

“Not at all. I was just thinking about what sort of place you’d enjoy, and what your tastes are, and before I knew it, I’d found the perfect spot.”

“I was a bit worried, though, as you never really know if a place is any good until you’ve actually been inside.”

　Watching her say that without a hint of embarrassment, I felt my face flush. I took a big gulp from my glass.

‘It’s just… wouldn’t a more ordinary table have been fine…?’

‘Oh, come on, it’s fine. Girls’ nights out at love hotels or in couples’ seats are quite common, you know.’

Seeing her answer as if it were the most natural thing in the world, I felt my face flush again. Perhaps I was just out of touch. Getting ideas all by myself again…

　I ordered another Cassis Milk. Seriha ordered red wine.

“People who can hold their drink must have fun trying all sorts of different things. I can only drink this sort of thing, so I’m a bit jealous.”

I changed the subject. This was a fun celebration. I should probably put aside any unnecessary feelings.

“That might be true. Fancy a sip?”

She smoothly held out her glass, filled with wine.

‘Thanks. But I’ll pass. I don’t want to get drunk and cause a nuisance.’

“I wouldn’t mind at all if it were you, senpai~”

Glancing sideways at her as she pouts in a bored sort of way, I take a sip from my glass. The salmon roll is delicious too.

After that, we chatted away about work for a while. How the supervisor was overly fussy and a pain, or how the bigwigs’ stares were creepy.

　I usually turned down company after-work drinks, so moments like this felt refreshing. It seems complaining really does help the drink go down.

My third drink was another cassis milk. Seriha had ordered a second glass of red wine.

I could feel my body getting a bit warm. Even though the alcohol content is low, I might be drinking a bit too fast.

“I’m really happy to be having such a fun celebration with you, Senpai.”

Just as our conversation about work was reaching its peak, she changed the subject.

‘A celebration is usually fun, isn’t it? It’s been a while for me, though.’

‘Well,’ she said, lowering her voice.

‘You looked so sad when you invited me to a celebration, Senpai. Much more so than usual.’

‘Really…’

Looking into her lonely eyes, I couldn’t bear it and invited her to a celebration. The celebration she’d imagined back then wasn’t the fun occasion it is now; for Seriha, it must have felt like walking up to the chopping block.

“Sorry for worrying you. I’m fine now. A friend even told me the other day that my vibe has changed.”

The faces of Tsumugi and Hiiragi came to mind. Tsumugi, despite her appearance, is very observant of those around her, and Hiiragi is the kind of person who’s a pro at looking out for others, so I was glad to hear them say that.

“Friends…?”

Her voice trailed off ever so slightly. She took a swig from her glass, as if to distract herself from the faint pressure she felt.

“What sort of people are they? These friends of yours?”

The pressure seemed to intensify. She’d been looking at me with a smile the whole time, but now she was staring intently at the glass in front of her.

“Just colleagues from the same intake. Tsumugi… a girl called Shiina who works on the floor above, and her junior, a girl called Hiiragi.”

“Tsumugi… er, I mean Shiina. I’ve been friends with her since university. She’s a bit sharp-tongued, but she’s good at her job. She’s the kind of kind-hearted girl who’s friendly even to someone like me.”

I never usually talk about Tsumugi to others, but the words flowed out effortlessly. I suppose it’s a good thing to have friends you can be proud of.

“Hiiragi-san is Tsumugi’s junior who joined mid-career; she’s a classic beauty in that understated Japanese way. ‘She looked after me and helped me out on Friday when I was a right mess.’

‘Hmm.’

She muttered in a flat tone and drained her glass. Without a word, she ordered something on her tablet, fingering the rim of her empty glass with her slender fingers.

Unable to bear the silence, I downed my drink to buy some time. I felt my face growing hot.

“Senpai.”

“Please don’t talk about other people when you’re with me. It’s a bit tactless, you know.”

“S… sorry.”

Before I could finish, my body gave a start. Her fingertips touched my thigh. Quietly, as if searching for a place to rest, her fingertips crept around.

I shouldn’t have worn a skirt.

　She isn’t touching my skin directly, but the sensation of her fingers running across the fabric is so tingly that I struggle desperately to suppress the tremors in my body.

The sliding door creaks softly as another glass of wine arrives. As I take the glass, I notice that Seriha’s gaze carries a different kind of heat than before.

She takes a sip of the deep red wine, traces the corner of her lips with the tip of her tongue, and stares intently at me as I leaned against the wall.

‘Senpai.’

A sweet tone, yet one with a certain weight to it.

‘I think I might be a bit tipsy.’

Was the dizziness and my inability to focus my eyes due to the wine, or was I simply being carried away by her intensity?

I must keep my wits about me… I thought that with a mind functioning at only about half its usual capacity.