I failed.
I should not have trusted the words of a college student.
A cozy, old-fashioned izakaya.
The staff, seemingly accustomed to such situations, brought me some water with an expression that seemed to understand everything just by looking at me.
In front of me, Rokugou Roku lay motionless, face down on the table, oblivious to the glass placed before her.
“Excuse me, I can get home on my own…”
“No, you clearly can’t.”
I sighed at Rokugou Roku, who kept mumbling incoherently in a slurred voice, unfit for the stylish interior of the izakaya.
It had been just over an hour since we started drinking, nibbling on small dishes.
We had a good time chatting about part-time job complaints and interesting customers, and just when things were about to get going, I still couldn’t grasp how we ended up in this situation.
She invited me to an izakaya, so it seemed unlikely that she couldn’t handle her alcohol, and her familiar behavior in the bar suggested she was fairly accustomed to drinking.
So I had placed some trust in her.
Maybe that was a mistake.
“Please, just leave me here…”
There was a loud thud as Rokugou Roku’s smartphone fell to the floor.
She seemed unaware of it, lying face down on the table, dotted with water droplets, motionless. When I leaned in closer, she seemed to be muttering something, but I had long lost the desire to listen.
“Excuse me, could I get the bill, please?”
I called over the sympathetic-looking staff member and quickly settled the bill, then picked up Rokugou Roku’s smartphone and put it in my pocket.
“Come on, let’s go.”
I grabbed our belongings for two and spoke to her before slipping under Rokugou Roku’s arm.
We staggered out of the izakaya, attracting attention, and as soon as we stepped outside, a cold wind caressed my cheeks.
What am I doing?
I didn’t feel angry. Just a little sad.
I stole a glance at the profile of her face, which was close by.
Even as I looked at her cheeks flushed red and her beautifully curled eyelashes, my heart rate no longer increased.
I could have called a taxi, but I didn’t want to spend the money if possible.
Fortunately, my home was just around the corner, so it wasn’t impossible to walk there, but I had some resistance to letting Rokugou Roku into my house.
But, it couldn’t be helped.
I asked Rokugou Roku where her home was, but I didn’t expect a coherent response.
Of course, I couldn’t just leave her on the street.
I made up my mind and walked unsteadily back to my apartment building, struggling to get her into my room.
The room, lit up as I flicked on the light, welcomed me as usual, reassuring me.
Although she seemed lighter than average, it was tough to support and walk with someone more than 10 cm taller than myself.
By the time I finally laid her on the bed, beads of sweat were dripping from my forehead. I wiped them off with my sleeve, took a deep breath with a glass of water from the kitchen, and then brought some water to Rokugou Roku.
She repeated “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” as she gulped down the water with a gurgling throat. She wasn’t in a state for a proper conversation, but if there was one saving grace, it was that she didn’t show any signs of moving around strangely.
After confirming that Rokugou Roku was lying quietly on the bed, I took a shower to wash off the smell of alcohol and sweat. I didn’t stay long in the bathroom, and after drying my hair, which reached my shoulders, with a towel, I opened the refrigerator and took out a can of beer.
On days like this, it’s best to drink again.
I thought that eventually, I could at least turn this troublesome situation into a laughing matter.
I placed some persimmon seeds and the can of beer on the low table, opened the pull-tab, and gulped it down in one go.
Compared to the beer I drank at the izakaya, it tasted cheap, but it felt more reassuring. I munched on some nuts and glanced casually at the bed.
Her cheeks peeking out from under the blanket were still red.
Her eyes were tightly closed, and her breathing was slightly rough.
In that moment, I felt something was off.
Something was wrong. I thought so, but my drunken mind couldn’t figure out what was strange.
I reluctantly approached the bed and touched her hair and forehead.
It was hot.
Suddenly, my hazy consciousness snapped awake.
Looking closely at Rokugou Roku, her body was trembling slightly.
I hurriedly raised the temperature setting on the air conditioner. The
remote control beeped, displaying a number that made it seem like summer. I also opened the closet, took out a spare blanket, and layered it over the still-trembling blanket.
What else could I do? As I pondered, my coat hanging nearby started to vibrate loudly.
I hastily took out the smartphone from my pocket, and it was Rokugou Roku’s.
I tapped the display without hesitation, showing a phone icon.
I felt relieved. I had been wondering how to contact someone she knew.
“Hello, um…”
“Who are you?”
My words were mercilessly cut off by the sharp first response.
“A new woman? Just so you know, you’re nothing more than a plaything to her.”
“Uh, no…”
“Tell Selina to call me.”
Without giving me a chance to respond, the call was unilaterally disconnected.
Stunned by what had just happened, a quiet anger began to simmer from somewhere.
What the hell is this?
What did I do?
I finished the can of beer in my hand and opened a new one.
The carbonation popped in the back of my throat, helping me regain some composure.
I looked at the abandoned smartphone.
The screen was dark and submerged.
Probably locked, so I couldn’t call back and complain. The person at the center of it all was just letting out hot breaths while sweating slightly.
“What, what’s going on…?”
I tried holding my head, but I couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.
A new woman. A plaything. A woman called Selina, spoken of with familiarity.
“What a hassle…”
I gave up thinking and took a sip of the beer that had become warm from the rising room temperature.
The beer, now bitter and unpleasant, had lost its charm.
That day, with Rokugou Roku’s rough breathing as background music, I ended up drinking alone.
