Episode 99 – Adult Azusa

“Yes, everyone bring your glasses~”

At Shirakawa-san’s voice, we each pick up a glass containing our drinks together.

“Kotoha, aren’t you getting excited in front of the drinks?”
“Rin-kun~ will you please stop calling people like they’re drunk? It can’t be helped, it’s been a while since I’ve had a drink.”
“Shiro, you alcoholic.”
“I think ‘alcoholic’ is a totally bad word. ……”

Red wine in Tatsumi san’s hand too. And there was a glass of red wine poured into Ikuta-san’s hand as well

And Ikuta-san, today’s star of the show, seemed to be feeling a bit nervous.

“Look, please hurry up, Harushita-san.”

I was preparing the food when Nagishiro-san called out to me.
The other three were waiting for me, so I hurriedly took off my apron, folded it, and took my seat in the same way.

Then, Nagishiro-san took the opportunity to make a toast, which was unusual for him.

“Well then, it looks like everyone has been served, so I will give the toast.”
“What is it, senpai? You don’t look good at all.”
“Rin, you’re not suited to be the host.”
“Shut upp!! If you don’t eat quickly, it will get cold!!”

Nagishiro-san, Ikuta-san, and Tatsumi-san exchange friendly conversation with each other and I watch from afar.
The three of them are so friendly that it’s funny to see them from here.

By the way, Shirakawa-san had already smelled the wine.

“Yes, well, for the time being. I would like to congratulate Azusa on her coming of age, Cheers!”
“””Cheers!!!”””

He must have judged from his many years of experience that things were going to get out of control. Nagishiro san forcibly gave a toast, and after that we moved our glasses.
We clinked our glasses together and sipped it fearfully. Actually, I don’t drink much alcohol myself, so I was nervous, though not as nervous as Ikuta-san.

“How do you like it, Azusa? Your first drink?”
“Well …… I can’t taste it. All I can taste is some kind of alcohol. ……”
“Okay, let’s not have any more wine. There’s orange juice and other less alcoholic drinks out there, so go for that.”
“Uuu…… sad ……”
“Don’t worry, Azusa. I’ll drink your portion for you.”
“You should save it too, right? Didn’t you forget that you have a criminal record? ”

While Nagishiro san calmly nailed it, Tatsumi san was working on the food in the meantime.

She took several pieces of roast beef that had been arranged on a party plate by herself and ate them without hesitation.
With her mouth full of food, she silently turned her attention to the next dish.

“Mugumugu……. Bob, you’re a good cook only.”
“Only, huh…… Thank you.”

I didn’t feel like it was much of a compliment, but I thanked her.
By the way, there was no alcohol left in Tatsumi san’s glass, but since she did not change her face, it seemed that she was able to enjoy the food as well.

“Really, Suzune-chan is very good at cooking, isn’t she? Did you learn how to cook somewhere?”
“It’s not that I learned, it’s just that I followed the recipe. Anyone can make delicious food if they choose the right ingredients.”
“Listen Azusa.”
“Why is that?!! Even I can make it well enough!”

Ikuta-san’s face was puffed out in anger. Such a gesture is cute even from a woman’s point of view.

Shirakawa san was also looking beautiful as he poked at his salad with a fork and ate his meal with elegance.
Tatsumi san ate a lot and was honest in a good way. I wondered if girls like her are popular with men.

“Ah, Rin-senpai, tomatoes! You must!”
“S-Shut up! Everyone has at least one likes and dislikes!”
“Likes and dislikes? You’re a child, Rin~”
“Rin, you’re so lame.”
“Ugh. ……”

While the four of them were having a pleasant conversation, only one felt a sense of alienation, or a difference in temperature, or something similar.

Are you wondering if you should be here or why are you at this party?　

The bond between Nagishiro-san and the three of them was something that reminded me of the long time they had spent together, a world that an outsider like me could not enter.

(Ah, why did I really come? ……)

Let me try to remember how I came to be at this birthday party.

I remember that Nagishiro-san contacted me and asked me to celebrate Azusa’s birthday with him in July, and I kind of agreed to do so.
And I knew it would probably be this group of people, but I had come.

If Mizuno-san had been there, I might have felt a little less alienated, but I am not that close to Mizuno-san and she has a considerable fondness for Nagishiro-san, so she would have tried to force her way into that group.
Then, after all, I would be all alone.

I really wonder why I came here.

“Suzu-san? What’s wrong?”

I was lost in self-questioning there, when Ikuta-san spotted me with her own eyes.

“No, it’s nothing.”

I tried to smile, but she, Shirakawa-san, and Tatsumi-san were not fooled.
After a careful glance of concern at me, the three of them looked at each other and quietly agreed that the three of them had something in common.

“W-What is it, ……?”
“No, nothing~”

I asked because I felt as if the three of them were accusing me of something, but Shirakawa-san said so, clearly implying something, and then glanced toward Nagishiro-san.
There was Nagishiro-san, who was mooching and stretching out the cheese on his pizza while keeping up the rhythm of the song.

“Well~, let’s hear it later~.”

It seems I was overlooked, at least for the moment.
Still, I felt as if they had somehow seen through what I was thinking, so I poured wine into my empty glass and swallowed slowly, feeling annoyed.
Why was I doing such a deceptive thing? I didn’t know either.

“Hmm? What’s the matter, you keep looking at me.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“It’s meaningless even if I tell Rin-senpai…”
“I agree.”
“I feel like I’m being made fun of. ……”

So, once that conversation was over, we continued to talk about other things.
I think it was something about Tatsumi-san thinking about moving out, or about the people in Ikuta-san’s group.

I was a bit fuzzy from the effects of alcohol, so I wasn’t really listening to the conversation, but I think they were talking about something like that.
Anyway, it was not a serious story anyway for us, but still we talked and laughed seriously about such stories and had a good time.

But after about 9:00 p.m., when all the food we had prepared and everything that was on our plates was cleared away, everyone’s conversation gradually stopped.
And soon after that, the party was over, and the four of us, except for Nagishiro-san, left the room and headed home. …… It supposed to be that way.

First of all, something was wrong with Ikuta-san.
Despite the fact that she was said to be living in the same apartment as Nagishiro-san, she was walking out of the apartment with us.
I was about to call a cab when she said the decisive words to me.

It was Shirakawa san who said the decisive words.

“–Okay, let’s go to the after-party.”

And without a pause, they agreed.

“Yes!”
“Let’s go.”
“Eh?”

I was the only one who clearly did not agree, or rather reacted as if I had not heard the news, but for the other three, it seemed that the decision had already been made.

“U-umm…”
“I told you, didn’t I? We’ll talk about it later.”
“Well, I thought you said we’d talk about it later. ……”
“Rather, that’s all I’ve been thinking about since the middle of the meeting.”
“Same here.”

The conversation proceeded at a rapid pace.
They talked about whose house they were going to play at, what they were going to buy, and so on. It was like that.
It happened so suddenly that I don’t remember much about it.

And then I realized that the after-party was going to be held at my house.

(TL/N : This is a sponsored chapter, thank you for the kind donation Koukiri san !)