Chapter 38 OBIG Vol. 2 Chapter 3 Part 6

───● The Genki Girl JD Steps In ●○●

“Please!!”

Clap. I pressed my hands together in front of my face.

When I slowly opened my eyes, which I had closed for a moment, I saw my best friend with a troubled expression.

“Even for you, Mizuho, that’s just not possible…”

“Ehh~~!! Why not~!! I’m begging you, my friend~~~! You said to call you anytime if I was in trouble!”

“W-Well, I did, but this is a different story…”

In a lounge area at the university. It’s class time right now, so the campus is so quiet you’d think no one was here.

We were killing time here during our free period, and that’s when I confided in Koumi about… that. Koumi had been so worried about me, so I figured it would be okay to tell her.

What I told her was that I had probably figured out where my fated person works. And that it would take a lot of courage to step foot in there.

“I’m scared to go there alone, Koumi~ come with me~”

“…Why don’t you ask one of your other friends instead of me?”

“I can only talk about this stuff with you, Koumi~”

That my fated person probably works at a boy’s bar.

I don’t know if he’s serving customers or working in the back, but… he was wearing something like a uniform…

So I’m planning on going to the bar today, but it’s my first time at a place like that, so I’m scared.

So I tried asking Koumi, but…

“I want to go with you, but… you know… it feels kinda wrong to Masato…”

“Oh… right…”

Hmm, in that case, should I rely on another friend…? But that’s hard to ask.

“And besides… are you sure about this guy? What if he was only nice to you because he was a ‘boy’…?”

“…”

I silently buried my face in the table.

Koumi’s concern is valid. I’m not saying I haven’t thought the same thing.

But.

I remember. The words he said to me. His smile.

That—.

“I just can’t believe that was all an act or a lie…”

“…I see. Sorry. For doubting him.”

“No, no. I think you’re right, Koumi.”

There’s no point in moping around.

I’m not the type to think things through anyway.

I have to take action!

Whump. I sat up straight.

“I’ll go even if I’m alone! I don’t want to mope around like this anymore!”

“I see… I’m sorry, Mizuho.”

“Don’t apologize! This was, from the start, a trial bestowed upon me…”

I don’t know what I should say when I see him, or if I’ll even recognize him.

But if I don’t take action, nothing will happen!

I thrust my right hand high into the air.

“Let’s go~!! Forward! To the battlefield!!”

That raised right hand was grabbed by someone. Slap.

Huh?

“Where are you going to battle, Mizuho?”

I turned around, and there he was.

“M-Masato, morning~”

“Yeah, morning! So? Where are you going, Mizuho? What’s this about a battlefield?”

Shit shit shit shit shit.

I instinctively turned around again to ask Koumi for help.

“Wh-Why are you looking at me!?”

Useless! Koumi in her maiden-mode is no help at all!

I have to get through this on my own!!

“Uh, uhm, well, a long time ago, it is said that the military strategist Zhuge Liang Kongming used a fire-based attack against the million-strong Cao army, and although it was said that the wind would not blow in the climate of that time, Zhuge Liang is said to have caused a divine wind through prayer, which he used to connect and burn down the linked ships with his chain strategy—”

“Uh-huh. The Battle of Red Cliffs. Why are we suddenly talking about China?”

“Uhm. We-we-we, the three of us! Though we were not born at the same time, we swear to die at the same time!”

“Why the Oath of the Peach Garden? We’re holding plastic bottles, not cups.”

I toasted with a sheepish-looking Koumi and a 250ml plastic bottle!

Cheers! To my kind best friend!

“And that is why I must head to the battlefield!”

“I-I see… I don’t really get it, but good luck…?”

Y-Yes.

Somehow, I got through it. Perfect communication.

A cheerful sound effect rang out in my head.

After class.

The three of us headed home.

Koumi’s train was different, so she left first, and I spent the train ride making small talk with Masato.

We’re sitting next to each other, but ever since I started trying to focus on my fated person, I feel like I can talk to Masato more naturally.

“Oh, by the way, Masato, is your place close to the station you always get off at?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty close.  Walking distance.”

“I see, I see… then let me crash at your place if the trains stop because of a storm!”

To the point where I can make silly jokes like this.

“Sure. Just let me know when it happens.”

“…You’d really let me—?! No, you can’t! You’re supposed to say no!”

“H-Huh? Why? You’d be in trouble if you couldn’t get home, right, Mizuho?”

“W-Well, yeah, but… shouldn’t there be, like, something else? You’re a guy, right? Masato.”

“?…Yeah, but?”

Oh boy, this is no good. This is bad, Koumi-san.

We’re going to have to reform this boy’s way of thinking~.

“Listen here, a boy can’t just let a girl stay over so easily!”

“What are you talking about, I know that. I said it was okay because it’s you, Mizuho. It’s not like I’d let just anyone stay over.”

…

Masato is so unfair. He says things like that without a second thought.

It’s true that it’s been a while since Masato and I became friends, but…

If you say something like that, it makes me think I might have a chance.

“Y-You should say that kind of stuff to Koumi~ She’d probably come flying over.”

“? Why are we talking about Koumi now?”

You dense idiot!

If it weren’t for Koumi, and my fated person, this would have been dangerous.

I might have lied about the trains being stopped just so I could stay over.

As we were talking, the train arrived at the station.

I got off the train with Masato.

“…Huh? Isn’t this your transfer, Mizuho?”

“Ah, uh~! I have plans today, see! I have to go to that hair salon I was telling you about the other day!”

“You do…? Well, I’m heading this way, so see you.”

“Y-Yeah! Bye-bye!”

…Did he suspect anything?

I saw Masato off as he went through the ticket gates, then I went into a coffee shop at the station.

I ordered an iced café au lait and took a seat.

“Phew… alright, then.”

I took a business card out of my wallet.

A single wine glass against a background of a night cityscape.

On the dazzling business card, the name of the bar was written in cursive alphabet.

‘Festa’… huh.

I did some recon the other day, so I know the location. But it’s only the afternoon right now.

I had to kill time until night.

“I-I wonder if they’ll get mad if I stay here with just one iced café au lait…”

Mindful of the staff and the other customers, I quietly brought the café au lait straw to my lips.

The time was around 6:30 PM.

As the clock hands moved and night approached, my heart started to beat faster.

Of course, this is my first time at a boy’s bar. I searched online for all sorts of things, like manners, rules, and things you shouldn’t do.

Apparently, there’s a request system, but what should I do… I can’t exactly say, “Please send over a university student,” can I…?

For now, is it better to just have anyone attend to me and ask them?

But somehow, just going to a boy’s bar for fun feels… wrong…

And then, it hit me.

—Guilt.

Who exactly am I feeling this guilt towards?

My fated person?

Or maybe—.

I shook my head vigorously.

I shouldn’t think about unnecessary things right now.

I came here today to get a grip on these feelings.

I returned the empty café au lait cup and left the coffee shop.

The town was already starting to get dark, and it seemed like there were a lot more people than before.

“Around the corner up ahead… right?”

Relying on my memory, I headed towards the bar.

When I turned the corner of the alley, the bar’s sign came into view.

‘Festa’… that’s it. That sign, shining so brightly it’s almost blinding.

“Haaaa… fuuu…”

A big, deep breath.

This isn’t for my own selfish desires… hmm? But it’s because I want to see my fated person, so it is selfish, isn’t it?

Oh well!

There was no one in front of the door.

Timidly, I opened it.

It’s okay! I-I even withdrew a decent amount of money! Just for today! Just for today!

I stepped inside.

I had thought the interior would be as flashy as the exterior, but it wasn’t. The atmosphere inside was calm.

But still, perhaps because the theme was night, the dim lighting created a mature atmosphere.

I was standing there, frozen, when a staff member noticed me and approached.

“Welcome, My La… dy…”

“Eh…?”

An elegant dress suit. Deep navy blue, top and bottom, with a black vest.

A pure white pocket square served as an accent on his chest.

His hair was black, with loose curls.

This hairstyle. I’ve been seeing it a lot lately.

“Masa… to…?”

The boy who has been tormenting me… Katasato Masato.

Was standing there, dressed in a handsome outfit.

Masato found out I came to a boy’s bar.

Masato was working at a boy’s bar.

The two facts spun around and around in my head.

I couldn’t think straight.

How many seconds had passed while I just stood there?

“…!”

I instinctively turned on my heel.

Why? Why is this so painful?

Masato found out I came to a boy’s bar, and that same Masato was actually working at one. Why are my emotions in such turmoil?

All I have to do is smile like always and cheerfully say, “I came to play!” All I have to do is say, “Masato, you work at a place like this?!”

I didn’t want to be misunderstood.

And at the same time, a part of me was hurt by the fact that Masato was working here.

I don’t understand anymore.

It’s all a mess.

“Wait! Mizuho!!”

My left hand was grabbed as I tried to leave.

I don’t want to turn around.

I’m sure my face is a mess right now.

“Mizuho, wait… Let’s… let’s just talk for a second.”

In a corner of the dazzling bar.

Masato and I were sitting at a round table, just the two of us.

“Uhm… so the person who took you in? owns this place, and you’re working here partly to pay him back… is that it?”

“Yeah, that’s right. But, I dunno, it’s not like I’m being forced to, and I was kind of curious about it, too… something like that.”

“I… see… so that’s why you were around here the other day.”

“Well, yeah…”

I lightly swirled the straw in the orange juice Masato had prepared for me.

The ice made a dry clinking sound.

“It’s only once a week. But because I work here, I’m able to go to university… well, something like that.”

“I see… I had no idea.”

I thought we had gotten close, but I didn’t know anything about Masato.

That he had been going through something like that.

But for some reason, a part of me was also a little relieved.

“What about you, Mizuho? Why are you here?”

“Well…”

I started to talk, bit by bit.

About how my fated person probably works here.

About how I came here looking for information about him.

As I was talking, I got more and more into it.

…I wonder why.

As I was talking, I found myself thinking that I really didn’t want this person to misunderstand me.

“I see… but I only come in once a week, so I don’t know all the employees.”

“Right, of course you wouldn’t know…”

“Oh, but someone else might know something, so I’ll help you out!”

“Eh, really?”

“Yeah, but in return…”

Masato looked around, then leaned in close to me.

His aura was different from usual, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart pound. He’s already handsome enough, but when he’s wearing a handsome outfit like this, it’s impossible not to get excited.

Masato’s slightly mature vibe was making my head spin…

“Can you keep this a secret from Koumi?”

“Eh…?”

“Koumi worries a lot, so if she found out I was working at a place like this, she’d get really mad, right…? Koumi is scary when she’s mad~ You know what I mean, right, Mizuho?”

It’s true that when it comes to Masato, Koumi’s vision tends to narrow.

B-But keeping a secret from Koumi feels a little… no, it feels really bad…

“Please! I promise I’ll help you find your fated person.”

“…”

I looked at Masato, from top to bottom.

He really is handsome, and kind… a wonderful boy.

The person Koumi likes.

Koumi trusted me and introduced us.

And yet, a secret… just between me and Masato?

In that moment, a shiver ran down my spine.

This is bad.

This is the type of thing that shouldn’t become a habit…

“…Okay.”

The word came out on its own.

“Really!? That’s great…! My peaceful university life is safe! Thanks, Mizuho!”

He smiled and squeezed my hand.

My heart won’t stop pounding.

This is wrong.

This is absolutely wrong.

And yet, looking at Masato right now, my heart is pounding so hard.

The sound of my heart beating, like it wasn’t my own, was deafening.