Chapter 225: Conversation

“Shinobu-chan, you’ve changed a lot,” one of her female classmates said, studying her carefully.

“Have I?” Takeshima Shinobu replied, a little puzzled.

“Yes, you seem to have become prettier.”

“No matter how much you flatter me, I still won’t treat you to a meal.”

The two girls giggled.

A male classmate joined in, saying, “Shinobu-chan, I really envy you. You got into Teikyo University, while my university is practically a warzone with fights breaking out every day. It’s like hell.”

Takeshima Shinobu looked slightly embarrassed. 

“It’s not that different, honestly. By the way, I heard Mami-chan is already married. Is that true?”

The girl answered, “Yes, she got married in Kanagawa. I heard she met her husband through a matchmaking session.”

“She always had excellent grades in high school. I thought she’d continue her studies. I didn’t expect her to marry so early,” Shinobu commented.

“We were surprised to hear about her marriage too.”

At that moment, another girl jumped into the conversation, asking, “Shinobu-chan, have you gotten a boyfriend at university yet?”

“Not yet,” she replied.

“Those Teikyo guys don’t know what they’re missing. How about this—be my girlfriend instead?” a male classmate joked.

“Takashita, you’re as shameless as ever. Shinobu-chan, don’t be fooled by him. He already has a girlfriend at his university,” one of the girls said, laughing.

Takeshima Shinobu chuckled softly. This felt just like the old high school days.

One of the girls sighed regretfully, “It’s a shame some classmates moved to other prefectures for school or work and couldn’t come. This reunion would’ve been even more lively.”

“Those guys are the worst. They promised at graduation they’d definitely attend the reunion, but look at them now, bailing on us. So unreliable,” another girl grumbled angrily.

“Maybe they had genuine reasons,” Shinobu said, taking a slow sip of juice from the table.

Around 11 PM, someone suggested that since tomorrow was Sunday, they should all head to Shinjuku to explore the night market. The proposal was met with enthusiastic support from most of the group.

After leaving the private room in the bar, the group of about ten people chatted as they walked outside.

When Takeshima Shinobu passed the bar counter, she suddenly noticed a very familiar figure slumped over, drinking. Upon closer inspection, she confirmed it was indeed him. Judging by his appearance, he seemed drunk.

“Shinobu-chan, what’s wrong?” a female classmate asked when she noticed her standing still.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Shinobu replied, snapping out of it. After giving the man one last glance, she continued walking out with her classmates.

Once outside, a few of the guys split up to hail taxis while the rest of the girls stood chatting, waiting for the cars to arrive.

Shinobu had been quiet since leaving the bar, deep in thought.

A few moments later, the boys returned with taxis, and the group began boarding in small batches.

When it was Shinobu’s turn to get into a taxi, she suddenly turned back to glance at the bar. Turning to her classmates in the car, she said, “Sorry, I just saw a friend inside who’s drunk. I should check on him.”

“Oh, I see. Be careful, okay?” a girl said, a bit disappointed.

After saying goodbye to them, Shinobu returned to the bar.

When someone moved his drink away, Takeda angrily cursed, “Which bastard dared to take my drink?”

Takeshima Shinobu, offended by Takeda’s outburst, pouted in frustration. She was starting to regret staying behind just for him. Still, she tried to persuade him, “Hey, stop drinking. You’re already drunk.”

“Idiot, I’m not drunk at all. Oh, it’s you. What are you doing here?” Takeda, already somewhat tipsy, was taken aback when he realized the person sitting next to him was none other than Takeshima Shinobu, his frequent bickering partner.

“I’m here for a high school reunion. I didn’t expect to see you drinking here. I wasn’t planning to bother with you, but since you’re Kazumi bro’s friend, I decided to check on you. Seriously, what are you doing slumped over the counter? I almost thought you were completely out of it,” Takeshima Shinobu complained.

Takeda let out a self-satisfied laugh. “Who told you to be so nosy?”

“You…” Shinobu clenched her teeth in anger. She’d stayed back to make sure he was okay, only to be greeted with such a remark.

“Well, since you’re fine, I’ll be going.” She stood up, ready to leave.

“Hey, since you’re already here, why don’t you stay and have a drink with me?” Takeda, finding it boring to drink alone, tried to get her to join him.

“I don’t have time to waste on you. Drink by yourself.”

Takeda smiled wryly. “Really? Fine, suit yourself.” He turned away, picked up his glass, and continued drinking.

Seeing him like this, Shinobu couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering him.

“Can I get a juice with ice?” Shinobu suddenly sat back down and ordered a drink from the bartender.

Takeda looked at her, puzzled.

“I didn’t stay because of you,” she said nonchalantly after taking a sip. “I was just thirsty and wanted something to drink.”

Takeda chuckled.

When he smiled, Shinobu thought he looked a bit like a child.

“Hey, why are you drinking here all alone?” she asked after a sip of her juice.

“I was supposed to be here with Yoshikawa, but that guy bailed halfway through because of some urgent matter. Probably a woman, no doubt. That bastard ditches friends for women every time,” Takeda grumbled, taking another big gulp.

“Stop drinking already. If you keep this up, you’ll actually get drunk. And I won’t be able to carry you.”

“Relax. My alcohol tolerance is amazing. Even Yoshikawa can’t beat me,” Takeda said, brushing off her concern.

Shinobu quietly watched him for a while. “Hey, is something wrong?”

Takeda laughed. “What could possibly be wrong?”

“I don’t know, but you seem off today.”

Takeda stayed silent, burying himself in his drink.

After what felt like a long time, he suddenly turned to Shinobu and asked, “Tell me, do all girls like guys like Ogata Yasuda?”

Shinobu was taken aback by the question and didn’t know how to respond.

Seeing her reaction, Takeda muttered to himself, “I guess Yoshikawa might actually have a point.”

“Hey, what’s going on with you today?” she asked, frowning.

Glancing at her, Takeda finally spoke. “These past couple of days, I’ve been deliberately passing by the bookstore where you and Kazumi work part-time. I saw Ogata Yasuda waiting for Kazumi there every single day. Today, I even saw him helping her arrange new books. Yoshikawa said that with someone like him, if he’s serious, there’s basically no girl who could resist.”

Takeshima Shinobu sighed softly to herself and said, “I’ve always felt like you like Kazumi. But why have you never done anything about it?”

Takeda gave a bitter smile. “You don’t understand. Around Kazumi, I feel like an idiot. If Masashi isn’t there, I don’t even know what to say to her. She’s completely different from any girl I’ve ever met. If I weren’t her brother’s friend, she probably wouldn’t even acknowledge me. Sometimes, I really envy Ogata Yasuda. At least he has the courage to pursue her openly. But every time I see him by her side, I just want to punch him.”

After hearing this, Takeshima Shinobu rested her head on the table and murmured, “Kazumi is very special.”

Takeda ordered two beers from the bartender and placed one in front of her. “It looks like your feelings for that playboy aren’t just simple admiration.”

“What are you trying to get at?” Shinobu glared at him.

Takeda replied, “Nothing, just curious. Liking that playboy isn’t exactly a big deal.”

After staring at him for a moment, Shinobu softly said, “You’re right. I do like Yasuda. But I know it’ll never amount to anything because he’s never liked me back.”

She slowly recounted how Yasuda had once pretended to pursue her in order to blackmail Kazumi.

While speaking, she instinctively reached for her drink, only to realize her juice was already finished. Without thinking, she picked up the beer Takeda had placed in front of her and started drinking it.

It was the first time Takeda had heard about this, and the more he listened, the angrier he became. In the end, he furiously cursed Ogata Yasuda as a despicable lowlife.

Seeing his face full of indignation, Shinobu suddenly found the situation amusing. She couldn’t hold back and started laughing.

“Strange, it’s the same again. I called, but no one answered. Wonder what that guy’s up to,” Yoshikawa muttered as he hung up the phone.

Shiraishi Akira gave him an odd look and said, “I read in the papers that Tokyo has some people targeting drunk young men in bars. They drug them and—well, let’s just say they’re not who they appear to be. If that guy really got into trouble, you’d bear most of the responsibility.”

Yoshikawa shrugged indifferently. “If he’s really that lucky, then congratulations to him. After all, it’s not an experience most people get to have.”

Meanwhile, the rebellious youth they were teasing was facing one of the most embarrassing situations of his life.

When Takeda was jolted awake by the sound of a phone ringing, he felt as though his head was splitting open. Having experienced this before, he recognized the symptoms of a hangover.

Groggy and disoriented, he didn’t feel like getting up immediately, so he kept his eyes closed and stayed in bed.

Suddenly, he felt his right hand touch something soft, smooth, and curved. Half-conscious, he continued exploring the strange and oddly pleasant sensation with his hand.

After a while, his mind began to clear, and a bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Slowly, he retracted his hand, too scared to keep touching whatever it was.