Chapter 518: Did I Hear That Right?
Chapter 518: Did I Hear That Right?
Himekoji stepped out of the park and glanced at his watch. It was still early, making him feel troubled about where to go next.
Go where? Do what?
His last date had been a complete disaster, so he didn’t want this one to start strong but end weak.
While lost in thought, Mashiro, walking beside him, spoke lightly, deciding for him—”Let’s go pick up Sensei.”
“Huh?”
For a second, he thought he’d imagined it. Himekoji looked at Mashiro with surprise.
Seeing her face serious and composed, he knew he hadn’t misheard.
Picking up the female teacher was something Himekoji wasn’t completely against. After all, the car he used for the date with Mashiro belonged to Miss Hiratsuka. Her original intent in giving him the keys was to have him drive her home.
Could he just ignore her request? That felt like forgetting one’s duty for love.
Earlier, at the park, he had quietly debated: Should he forget about the female teacher and focus on the date? Or should he take a break during the date to tell Mashiro they needed to take the likely-drunk female teacher home first?
Himekoji had gone back and forth, struggling between duty and desire. But when Mashiro had leaned in to kiss him, he shamelessly chose desire.
The teacher had said she could take a taxi herself…so she should just take a taxi.
“Let’s go,” Mashiro urged when Himekoji stayed silent. She nudged him.
“R-really go?”
“Go.”
Himekoji couldn’t believe it was Mashiro who brought up taking Miss Hiratsuka home. Well then…
He could only obey.
He squeezed Mashiro’s hand, keeping some thoughts quiet, but treasuring them inside.
Fondness at first, growing deeper with time—yes, this was it.
Mashiro was changing. More mature, more considerate. Or was it just his imagination?
He felt like he didn’t deserve her kindness.
……
Originally, Himekoji planned to take Mashiro with him to get the teacher. Two people could better handle a drunken Miss Hiratsuka. But then Mashiro said inspiration struck and she had to sketch it, so Himekoji dropped her off first.
When he drove to the venue, the mixer event wasn’t over yet. He parked by the roadside, sitting bored inside the car, fiddling with his phone.
After a wait, people started trickling out. Some arrived single and left with partners, but he knew the female teacher wasn’t one of them, so he looked for the ones alone.
Not many were walking solo. Soon, Himekoji spotted his target.
Miss Hiratsuka was at the very back. Drunk. Very drunk. In one hand, she held her dangling stiletto heels; in the other, a half-empty beer bottle. She walked a few steps, took a sip, then sometimes raised the bottle high, mumbling something with flushed cheeks. At first glance, it looked elegantly bold, almost like inviting the moon for a toast.
With a mix of amusement and helplessness, Himekoji shook his head and got out to meet her. But just a few steps from her, something unexpected happened.
A streak of shadow—a man—sprang up from the side, rushing to catch the drunken teacher before she could fall.
Frowning, Himekoji instinctively slowed.
“Miss Shizuka, you all alone? Need a ride?”
The man spoke, his voice close. He reached out to steady the swaying teacher.
“Alone? What’s wrong with alone?! Can’t I be alone?! Why do you care?!”
She snapped. With foggy, drunken eyes, she swung the bottle at him. Down the guy went.
Hiss—
Even watching it hurt. Himekoji sucked in a breath. Lucky he hadn’t rushed ahead of that man, or that bottle could’ve hit him.
Now relieved, he also felt a little glad watching the guy hold his head in pain.
Nice try, jerk. Trying to take advantage? Served you right!
But Himekoji was wrong. This man, Wakugi Tetsuya, was truly just trying to help. He meant to support her slightly and call her a taxi. No other thoughts lingered inside.
He’d noticed Miss Hiratsuka earlier at the mixer. She sat alone in a corner, drinking, her face clouded by thoughts. Amidst the flirting and laughing couples, she stood out, out of place. He watched her and sighed knowingly—he understood.
He wasn’t here by choice, either. Helped by family pressure, he’d come to multiple mixers alone, drinking his worries away—just like her.
He was drawn to her at once, feeling that shared sorrow. After clinking glasses and introducing himself, they drank together silently.
Of course, he handled alcohol much better.
……
“Alone…alone is alone! I couldn’t care less about marriage!”
Miss Hiratsuka kept shouting, clutching her bottle and swaying dangerously. Himekoji hurried forward to help her.
Seeing Himekoji about to make the same mistake, Wakugi—still lying pained on the ground—shouted a warning.
“Hey, careful!”
But true Himekoji, ignoring the warning, closed in on the drunken lady.
The angry drunk woman indeed raised her bottle again. Wakugi covered his eyes. This new guy wouldn’t listen? Didn’t he see the bottle about to hit him?
But…no cracking sound followed.
Hesitant, Wakugi lowered his hands. Instead of the bottle smashing, he saw the violent woman draping her hands around the guy’s neck and leaning softly onto him.
Seriously? What unfair treatment!
In shock, Wakugi scrambled off the floor, his head throbbing.
Himekoji looked down at the teacher. In his arms, she appeared wide-eyed, her gaze hazy and distant. Clearly drunk—if she couldn’t even stand, she wouldn’t object to being carried. So he lifted her fully.
The moment she was lifted, Hiratsuka Shizuka’s whole body softened like melted wax. Her grip on the now-empty bottle loosened. It dropped and shattered.
Focusing only on getting her home, Himekoji overlooked the mess. Wakugi, though, quickly scooped the glass shards aside so they wouldn’t hurt others. When he looked up, though, Miss Shizuka was already being carried away. About to be put into a car! He dashed over.
Himekoji secured Miss Hiratsuka in the passenger seat and shut her door. He walked around to the other side, ready to drive—
“Wait! Hey, you! Who are you to Ms. Reiko?”
Wakugi grabbed Himekoji’s wrist. He made sure to call Miss Hiratsuka the wrong name.
Himekoji frowned. Then the truth dawned on him. He smiled slightly.
“Hiratsuka Shizuka. She’s my sister.”
Saying she was his teacher could cause confusion.
But this guy might mistaken him as a drunken stranger.
Amusing.
Wakugi relaxed hearing Hiratsuka’s full name. He let go of Himekoji’s arm.
Himekoji turned to get in.
“Wait!”
Wakugi stopped him again.
“What now?”
The guy seemed hesitant to say something. Himekoji waited, puzzled.
“Well…this isn’t really my place, but since she’s your sister, and I saw her looking so bleakly worried while drinking heavily tonight…I really feel I should speak up.”
“Hm?”
Raising an eyebrow, Himekoji turned his ear to listen. And then he heard the angry exclamation—
“That Himekoji guy is just the worst!”
“Huh?!”
Did he hear that right?
……