Season 3: Wishes, Prayers, And Sharing
Chapter 67: Scientific Drinking
TL: Akabane
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On Friday evenings, it's easy to get excited. I write down what I know so far on my PC and try to guess what Hagiri is trying to do. But I don't understand what he is trying to do. First of all, Yuzuriha and Santennami and their team, who are excellent scientists, should be very useful people for starting a business. But what I don't understand is Milan and Tsukasa, and the existence of Tenketsu-sensei. He is an excellent artist and has a strong influence on the entertainment industry. Hagiri is quite vain for being so talented, so I can see why he wants to be an influencer. It makes sense that he would want Tenketsu-sensei for that purpose. However, there is a section where Hagiri seems to be quite reserved toward him. He threatens him because it's essential, but at the same time, I sense that he wants to keep him in a good mood.
"What's the connection? That guy is not a human resource enthusiast. He's the type who uses and destroys others for his own ends. That's why I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense at all. We have too much in common..."
There must be some missing piece. If we don't know that, his purpose won't emerge. I hate Hagiri. If not for him, the world would have remained happy. The peace of Yuzuriha, Milan and others is also threatened by him. That's why I have to destroy him at any cost. But I can't destroy him with money.
"Damn.... I wish I could feed him to the fish..."
Until recently, I was seriously thinking of inviting Hagiri to the sea, but looking at Igarashi, I have a feeling that just erasing that guy from this world won't erase something dark inside her.
"Damn. Why don't you just lose that childhood friend heroine... and then... I'll ..."
I'll be the only one.... I don't know what to say, but I'm still not satisfied with the way she was in the previous world. That said, I don't want to give Igarashi to someone else. I am left in limbo.
"At any rate, I want to make sure that Hagiri and Igarashi don't get together. That alone might bring about some kind of change that wasn't there in the previous world."
This frustrating distance and disconnection. Where is the right answer? How can we reach a great future? If there is someone out there who knows, I don't care if they give me all their money. I really think so.
"Well, let's get going."
I look at my watch and know it's time to go. Then, I leave my house and head for the shopping district in Shimokita.
There probably isn't a university that doesn't have departmental drinking parties. A university is made up of a number of overlapping communities, and the department is probably one of the most active among them. They exchange information about easy credits and lend each other notebooks. Today is the department drinking party. Not only first-year students but also senior students came to the party, so it was quite a large group. Naturally, Ririse Igarashi was among them. Everyone was enjoying a party in a rented out tatami room at a Japanese-style pub, except me.
"Oh Tokiwa, you know Milan, don't you! Can you introduce her to me?!"
"Oh no. Haha. I don't know. Look, she's been in a TV drama recently, and she's probably too busy to do that, right?"
"Kana-chan, Kana-chan! You're friends with princess Yuzuriha from the math department, right! Can't you just take her out for a drink in a natural way like this?"
"Oh no. Haha. I'm not sure. Look, she doesn't seem to like boys, so I'm a little hesitant."
"Kanata! Please set up a meeting with Ayashiro!"
"I'm going to say this rather seriously, but it's hard for a normal guy to go out with that girl. Please polish yourself up and come back."
I'm not enjoying these drinking sessions at all anymore. All they ask me to do is drink with Ayashiro and the gang, go to blind dates, meet people, get introductions, and so on. Some of them even explicitly offer to pay me money or introduce me to their connections, and it's very hard for me to say no. I decided to drink with the guys in the corner with a lukewarm pitcher of beer, who didn't ask me to introduce them to women. I enjoy drinking with them because they are surprisingly respectful. Drinking with the "real" guys may seem like a free-for-all, but it's actually bound by etiquette and caste.
"Tokiwa is popular, isn't he? Do you have any tips?"
"It's not that I'm popular. It's just a coincidence of encounters. It's just luck. Other than that, I'm not that different from anyone else."
I've had a series of good encounters, but I've also crossed a few dangerous bridges at the same time, so I'd say I've been seriously lucky half the time.
"Well, though. I think I was strongly hoping for a good meeting. That's about all I can say about the tips. The rest is analysis and stuff, so anyone who can study can do it."
Even though there are some cheats who carry over my experience from the previous world, there's no doubt that I wished strongly. Maybe that's what brings strong luck. I really enjoyed our conversation because they were interested in me. It's fun to be able to talk in my own way. I would like to help them if they are in trouble. I've been able to find ways to make drinking parties fun in my own way, but there are still moments at drinking parties that blow them out of the water.
"Riri, is she dating that guy, Hagiri?"
A handsome third-year senior was stationed in front of Igarashi. Around him were the older boys of the flirtatious type, while the cuter girls of the first year were gathered around Igarashi. The atmosphere there was like a party atmosphere. I was listening to Igarashi's surroundings from the edge of the tatami room. I was grossed out myself.
"No, Chusho is my childhood friend."
What do you mean by childhood friend? The unintelligible conversation we had when we met the other day has been stuck in my ears for a long time. That doesn't seem like such a sweet and sour relationship. I felt something more fearless.
"So you're not dating that guy? Are you dating someone else?"
The handsome senior seemed somewhat flustered by Igarashi's answer. Maybe he thinks he has a chance because she is not dating Hagiri. The flirtatious boys around him also seem that way.
"Haha, it's not like that..."
Igarashi answered appropriately and seemed to be trying to smoke them out with an ambiguous attitude. But men are misunderstood creatures at times like this. They are the ones who aggressively and annoyingly press you.
"Really? So how long have you been without a boyfriend?"
Naturally, such a question would come up. Igarashi only smiles vaguely. I can tell, but that's an attitude that completely abandons communication with the other party. Her profile looks beautiful, but I couldn't help but find it terribly painful.
"How long.... Haha..."
As for the previous world, Igarashi didn't like to hide things. Except about Hagiri, she didn't like to lie much. I know she's like that.
"Huh? Could it be...? You've never been with someone before?"
The good-looking senior is smiling vulgarly. So do the flirtatious guy around him. Not only that, the women around her are curious and concerned. The amount of experience in love affects the balance of power among women. Everyone is looking at Igarashi.
"Yes, that's right. I wasn't interested in that kind of thing."
A bit of a shock goes around them.
"Really? Wow, that's super surprising! So you've never been kissed before? You've never even kissed?"
I can see that this is going to lead to a lot of erotic questions and then seduction time. If Igarashi showed any signs of being a college drinking buddy, the girls would be eaten right out of his hand. I knew Igarashi wouldn't go along with them, but I still didn't want to see her get hit on like a toy any more. So I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone.
"...Kiss ....... Yes, that's right. I've never done it. Yeah, no."
She's never gotten a kiss. But well, she might want to hide the fact that she kissed me. I don't know where Hagiri's eyes are. But I was a little shocked.
"Wow! Then try it with me! Kissing is just like playing around! Hey, isn't that right, guys?"
This kind of shenanigans are the reality of college.
"That's right!"
"Well, isn't that what kissing is all about?"
"Right! Igarashi, why don't you give him a choo-choo!"
"Yes, yes! I want to see Igarashi's kissing face! Kyahaha!"
The good-looking senior is the most popular guy in the department, so the guys around him will follow suit, and if Igarashi becomes the kind of b*tch who kisses guys at drinking parties, the girls will be happy to scorn her with impunity. But that's not the way it should be. I immediately call Igarashi. Then I hear a beep from Igarashi.
"Oh, this number..."
Igarashi answers the phone, ignoring the kissing calls around her.
"Igarashi. Use the phone call as an excuse to get out of there."
She scurried around as I said this, turned her eyes to me for a moment, and smiled softly. Then.
"Excuse me. This phone call is important, so I'm going to go talk to him."
Igarashi gets up from her seat and leaves the tatami room for the hallway. I followed suit and went out into the hallway.
"Hey, hey, Tokiwa. That was nice. I was able to get out very naturally. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you want to take shelter for a while anyway?"
"Yeah, I'd like to. Can you take me with you?"
"Yeah, sure."
We waited in the hallway for a while and then joined the group of shady characters. Everyone was surprised that I had brought Igarashi with me.
"Haha. Everyone, please let me join you too!"
"""Yes! By all means!"""
They brought a lot of cushions and piled them on top of each other to make a seat for Igarashi. What? A throne? Igarashi is seriously being treated like a princess.
"Wow, thanks everyone! I love this kind of thing! Everyone is so nice!"
This is the kind of thing that makes people misunderstand. Well, I think it's okay because I don't think the shady people are reckless like the riajuu. Then we start chatting about our common topic, architecture.
"Igarashi, what do you like in architecture of the world?"
One of the guys asked Igarashi when the conversation was getting lively. Igarashi smiled at the question.
"Well, you know! I like that thing! It's in Turkey..."
"Ah! There you are in a place like this! Riri!"
I thought I heard a familiar voice, and to my surprise, Mashiba came right beside me.
"Why are you here? Eh? Are you Igarashi's stalker?"
I asked her.
"You look more like a stalker than me! The Biology Department is having a drinking party here today!"
What a surprise, it seems the drinking party was overlapping with the party. Well, it happens often, doesn't it? It's a common thing among college students.
"But why did you stay away from your own drinking party...oh...sorry..."
I guessed Mashiba's situation. She must have been a lone player. Or maybe only boys were around.
"Stop it! Don't apologize! You're making me miserable!"
"Oh, okay! So, Tomoe, do you want to get on my lap?"
Igarashi smiled somewhat motherly and sat Mashiba on her lap.
"Ew. Riri!"
"Everyone, this girl is my friend. Please be good friends with her."
"""Okay!"""
"Why are you so enthusiastic in your reply?"
Well, this is how drinking parties are supposed to be. After that, including Mashiba, we chatted happily. The shady people, perhaps sensing Mashiba's aura of a shady person, responded very kindly. Mashiba was awkwardly, but she was getting used to our circle. But that wasn't good.
"So hey! Hagiri! Hagiri is doing his best! I want to support him!"
Mashiba was gulping down beer at a very fast pace. But you know what? Unlike the girls around me, normal girls are not that strong on alcohol.
"Mmm. Riri...it's so...waaarm."
Mashiba found herself asleep with her head in Igarashi's lap. I took a picture of her sleeping face so that I could play with her someday. Igarashi looked slightly troubled as she drank beer from a bottle.
"I'm in trouble...Tomoe isn't very good at drinking..."
I know. It was the same in the previous world. She drinks at a fast pace and falls asleep immediately.
"What should I do...hmm. Should I go to the karaoke bar and stay there until morning? Or should I call Chuso to pick her up..."
"Come to my house."
I said before Igarashi could finish.
"My house is right there."
"What? What do you mean...?"
I carried Mashiba on my back without hearing Igarashi's reply. I'm not happy to feel the soft touch from this girl.
"Igarashi. I'm going first."
"Ah.... Yes!"
And then Igarashi and I left the drinking party. And when I woke up from my momentum, I felt my heart start to race. Could this possibly be what the world calls a take-home? I couldn't stop my heart from rising at the sudden event that momentum had created.
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