[LN] Kanojo ni Uwaki Sareteita Ore ga - Volume 2 - Chapter 3 - Part 2

 

Chapter 3 - Valentine's Day Party (Part 2)

"Confirmation received. Please come in."

The staff gave me an admission ticket and led me inside, where I found a venue that could easily accommodate a hundred people.

The actual number of people there is about forty, so it seems quite spacious.

Furthermore, since the venue was on one floor of a high-rise building, there was a panoramic view of the night skyline.

The price is relatively reasonable despite the upscale atmosphere, which explains why it is mentioned as a popular venue among students.

"I wasn't expecting a venue, I wasn't expecting the venue."

"Normally, if I wanted to go to a place like this, I would have to spend at least 7,000 yen just to attend."

When I was impressed, Ayaka looked doubtful.

"What are you talking about? It's a drink order system."

"What, they're going to take money from me again?"

"Loud!"

Ayaka pinches my arm.

As I patted my zinging, aching arm, I spotted a familiar figure in the hall.

It's Natsuki who invited me to the party.

I tried to call out to him, but Natsuki was also chatting with the man next to him.

And I recognized the man.

"Ayaka, that guy next to Natsuki..."

"Geez!"

Ayaka frowned as hard as she could.

Next to Natsuki is Motosaka Yudo.

A man who, after talking vulgarly to Ayaka and the other girls at a Christmas party, was dumped by Shinohara, who interrupted the party.

That blind date, which ended in failure despite Ayaka's role as the organizer, is probably a bitter memory for Ayaka herself.

"Why is he here? Was he friends with Natsuki?"

"How am I supposed to know what you don't know? I hope I don't get involved."

"You only talk to girls, so why not?"

"You can afford to wear a cat suit like you always do."

"What the hell is this?"

As Ayaka was about to say this, an audio echoed throughout the hall.

The hall dims and only the man who comes to the front is illuminated.

"Welcome to the Valentine's Day party. I'm Tsuda, the host of the Valentine's Day party."

The man who identified himself as such was young and appeared to still be a student.

Ayaka looked at the organizers with some boredom, but many people around her had a twinkle in their eyes.

"Suddenly, I'm surprised to hear that you've already received chocolate today!"

When the organizer raises a hand to ask a question, a sparse number of hands go up.

Motosaka also proudly raised his hand.

Ayaka taps me on the shoulder and I bring my ear closer.

"Did you get one?"

"I ain't got one, and I don't think I'm going to get one."

"What? You have to count mine, too."

That said, the scarcity of Ayaka's chocolate is probably the lowest in this venue.

There may be people making multiple chocolates, but no matter where I looked, I couldn't find anyone who brought enough to fill a paper bag like Ayaka did.

"Good luck with that peashooter."

"Don't call it a peashooter. It's a cannon."

"Cannons can't fire many shots in a row."

"Because I pack bullets at a different rate."

Ayaka says with pride.

As I was about to say more back, a brown-haired mash bob interrupted me.

"Aya!"

Natsuki.

He still wears the same large black-rimmed glasses and has Motosaka behind him.

"Aya, I'm so glad you're here! Let's have fun today!"

"Natsuki! I was nervous about this kind of thing with just one girl, so it was a good opportunity for me to be invited by Natsuki~!"

Ayaka's quick switching speed is remarkable as she speaks in a whisper.

Motosaka also seemed to notice Ayaka in the dark and opened his mouth as if he had become excited.

"Ayaka-chan, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm so glad I came! Are you going to give me a chocolate too?"

"I made the wrong amount and overcooked it. Of course I'll give it to you, I want to give it to everyone I'm paired with!"

I move away from Ayaka, who is smiling at me.

I might get angry later, but I'd rather be alone than in that place.

Fortunately, the venue is dimly lit and unobtrusive except where the organizers stand.

"Now then, everyone, please check your admission tickets! Do you see the numbers on them?"

When I took out the admission ticket from my pocket at the organizer's explanation, I found that the number 31 was indeed written in large letters, although it was difficult to see.

"Each participant is assigned a number. We will randomly make pairs with these numbers. We will post them in front of you every ten minutes, so please come and check them when each person is given a number. There is a one-drink service ticket attached to the edge of the admission ticket, so please tear it off at the counter!"

The plan is very much left to the participants, in terms of matching the male/female ratio and assigning the numbers.

The handwritten mock-up was illuminated, which seemed to minimize the need to check it in the dim light, I think.

When I went to the front and finally found my number, the other party was listed as number 14.

Looking around, everyone was walking around mouthing the other's number, such as "Is there anyone with number 40?".

Despairing of having to find the other party myself in this dimly lit venue, I reluctantly started walking, following the others around me.

After a few dozen seconds of searching for the "number 14", a reply finally reaches my ears.

Of all the times I've searched for people, the last few dozen seconds have been pretty hellish for me.

"Yes, I'm number 14."

It sounds familiar.

When I approached the owner of the voice, I found it was Natsuki, who had just been talking with Ayaka.

"Oh, what's that, Natsuki?"

When I voiced my relief, Natsuki reacted a bit bored.

"Oh, it's Yuta. What an acquaintance!"

"You're rude!"

"You said what you were going to do first."

"Oh, I see. Sorry. Sorry."

The words that came out of my mouth had no meaning, but they were certainly phrased in a way that could have been taken as rude.

When I honestly apologize, Natsuki laughs and says she doesn't mind.

Natsuki also seems to have just jokingly pouted.

"Oh, my God, he's so honest."

She says this with a charming smile, and I think to myself that she is just a member of that circle.

"I'm glad you're here today. Thanks for coming in today."

"Thanks for the ......, is Natsuki the guy who runs the operation?"

I have heard that these parties are mixed with management among the participants.

But Natsuki shook his head.

"No, I'm not. I'm just friends with the management. That's why they gave me more slots, so I could let my friends in."

"Yeah, that's why you asked me out."

"That's what I mean! It's more fun when you have lots of friends!"

"Hmmm. But why was it me?"

Natsuki, who seems to have a wide range of friendships, would have had plenty of other friends to invite.

It was not particularly unnatural, as we had just become friends, but there was still something that stuck with me.

"Why? Well, we'll see, won't we?"

I chuckle at the implication.

But if we talk about this any further, Natsuki won't say anything.

His bright smile gives away his willingness to not answer any more questions.

Then I shifted the subject to ask about another thing that was on my mind.

I was wondering, "What happens to the numbers at this party if someone is absent? Can't we pair people up?"

This time Natsuki put her index finger on her cheek and tilted her head, "I wonder how that went.

Mocking.

However, it seemed somehow different from Shinohara's mockery.

"Oh, yes, yes. The numbers are decided on the spot by the management. It seems that only male-female pairs are allowed to enter, so that the male-female ratio does not change due to absences."

"Yes, it's a hassle for the participants. For the participants, it's a hassle, but for the management, it saves them a lot of trouble."

I nodded in agreement with that explanation.

From there, as before, we passed the time talking about our favorite cartoons.

If we had something in common, we wouldn't have to struggle in these situations.

It seems that Natsuki also liked the manga that Shinohara had him read, and the conversation went well there.

"It's time to go, so I'll be changing pairs for a short time!"

While they are talking about manga, the organizer informs them that the pairings have been changed.

"I'm glad my first pair was Yuta! I feel like I'm a lot more relaxed now."

"Me too. Thanks."

As he said this, his gaze naturally fell on the paper bag held by Natsuki.

I instantly fish my eyes out, not on purpose, but unwilling to feel like I'm begging for chocolate.

But Natsuki seemed to notice that I was looking inside the paper bag and opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I can't give you chocolate. Giving it to someone I know would make it less meaningful for me to come here today."

Natsuki apologized apologetically, and I was intensely embarrassed.

I laughed and waved my hands in the air to cover my embarrassment.

"If there's not enough chocolate, it's only natural! Ayaka is the one who is making a lot of chocolates."

"Haha, that could be true."

I apologize in my heart for mentioning Ayaka's name to cover my shame.

Ayaka was still chatting with a man wearing round glasses.

From the side, it's going well, but I know the smile isn't genuine and I let out an involuntary sigh.

If she caters even to new acquaintances she meets at these events, I wonder if Ayaka will never get the boyfriend she wants.

If you only look at the surface and don't approve of being wooed, you have no choice but to expose everything yourself.

However, I don't show my true colors to people I meet for the first time, probably because of what happened, and it's a very frustrating feeling.

"You're not going out with Aya?"

"Like I said before, I doubt it."

"Ehhh. But we've always been close, right?"

"Well, yes."

Had I ever told Natsuki that I have known Ayaka for a long time?

Well, like Todo, I am sure he heard it from Ayaka herself.

"Well then, I'd better be off. Thank you!"

After saying this, Natsuki left me.

I felt a stirring in my chest at the back of Natsuki's head.

————

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