Chapter 6 Drinking with Someone Who Shares Your Hobbies Is Fun

Drinking with Someone Who Shares Your Hobbies Is Fun

—It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed myself this much.

About two hours had passed since we started drinking at home, and that’s how I felt.

People tend to get more talkative once they start drinking.

That applied to me as well, and we had a great time reminiscing about when Kanade first entered school, sharing stories of our struggles and failures.

She herself admitted things she could only say now, and we shared moments that clarified what we hadn’t understood back then, making the time meaningful.

Being able to talk about behind-the-scenes stories I can only share now, or things I can't discuss with part-time workers, might be because she’s such a good listener.

Kanade listens to any story with interest, nodding along without retreating into her phone world or dismissing me with, “I’m not interested in that.”

She matched my energy, responded appropriately, and even teased me in ways that lightened my heart considerably.

I’d always thought she was just a high-energy “look at me, look at me!” type, but… there’s so much I didn’t know about her.

Or maybe I just hadn’t noticed until now…

“Ariga-cchi was so cute when you were a newbie~.”

“Cute, huh? That’s kind of a forbidden word for guys. You must’ve been as quiet as a borrowed cat back then, right?”

“Was I? But, you know, first meetings are nerve-wracking and make you cautious.”

“Ah, true. You might’ve been like a cat that hisses and raises its fur to intimidate.”

“Ahaha! What’s that~? I wasn’t like that.”

“No, you were. You had this aura that screamed, ‘Don’t bother me!’”

“Ehh~ Well, now that you mention it, maybe I was like that?”

“Right~?”

As I watched her scratch her head in embarrassment, I remembered the struggles I had back then.

She had a tendency to give up on everything and seemed lazy… but she was actually trying hard. She was that kind of student.

It was tough helping her study, but in the end, she got into her preferred school and has grown so much since then.

That’s why I love this job.

Because I can see people grow up so closely.

As I reminisced, Kanade poked my cheek and gave me a mischievous smile.

When I patted her head in a “good girl” gesture, perhaps due to the alcohol, she started leaning on me playfully.

She wasn’t the type to get weepy or fall asleep while drinking, but as her teacher who’d known her for so long, I couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned.

…Someone might misunderstand this.

I looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

“Ah! Isn’t this that game from a while ago? So nostalgic~!”

The warm weight on my shoulder disappeared, and her cheerful voice replaced it.

“Hmm? Do you play games?”

“Of course! I get seriously into them. Oh, is that surprising?”

“Well, honestly…”

“Haha, people say that all the time.”

“But thinking back, you used to react to the anime, manga, and game references I slipped into lessons. I thought you were just good at playing along, but it makes sense now.”

“Geez, you should’ve noticed! I brought up those topics because I wanted to talk about them, but you always brushed me off!”

“Well, JKs are like unknown creatures, right? Back then, I worried about saying the wrong thing and rumors spreading about me.”

“Well… I was also afraid of being judged for bringing up those topics. So I guess we were pretty similar. Thinking about it now, it’s hilarious!”

Laughing at our mutual misunderstandings, we banged the table with our hands.

“It’s surprisingly hard to share your hobbies with people. It’s easier if it’s sports, but saying you like ‘anime’ or ‘games’ feels different. I guess I’m just bad at handling that atmosphere.”

“Totally. Even now, I can’t tell my university friends. They’re all the ‘club scene, party hard’ types.”

“Why don’t you make some otaku friends?”

“Do you think they’d approach me based on my appearance?”

“They’d probably think you’re making fun of them…”

“Right?”

We sighed in unison and took big gulps of our drinks.

My ex-wife wasn’t into games either.

When I tried to play, she gave me that cold, judgmental stare.

She said, “Games are for kids, aren’t they?”…

I was so sad back then.

I downed more alcohol and leaned back against the sofa.

“I’ve had bad experiences with this before. People assume I’m the ‘always dancing in the club’ type. But when I mention gaming, they’re like, ‘Wait, you play games?’ That reaction feels so off, doesn’t it?”

“I think it’s fine if you like games. Everyone has their own values, and we need to respect each other’s hobbies.”

“Right!? Ariga-cchi thinks so too!!”

“Y-Yeah.”

“I love what I love, and if someone can’t accept that, I just can’t be with them.”

Hey, why are you looking at me when you say that?

When I avoided Kanade’s gaze and focused on my drink, she sat down in front of me.

“Hey, Ariga-cchi.”

From my angle, I could almost see something I shouldn’t…

But if she noticed me glancing at her chest, it’d be trouble.

I cleared my throat and asked, “What?”

Trying to stay as calm as possible, I thought…

“Let’s do it.”

But her actions completely shattered my composure.

Kanade placed her hand on my knee, her eyes looking up at me.

Her slightly reddened cheeks made it seem like she wanted something.

It’s been so long since I felt this way—probably since I got married.

Her attitude made me think of things I shouldn’t.

“Wha—!?”

Of course, I was flustered, and my voice got louder.

“You haven’t done this in a while, right? I’m pretty good at it. So… come on~, let’s do it.”

“What are you… saying…”

Her seductive tone was overwhelming.

But I realized what was happening, and my wildly pounding heart began to calm.

“…”

“Huh~? What’s wrong, Ariga-cchi? Why’d you go quiet? Come on~, hurry up~!”

“Listen… I told you before, didn’t I…”

“Eh?”

“You’re always so vague! Kanade, you never explain things properly, and that just causes more misunderstandings!”

“Don’t pinch my cheeks~!”

I pinched her soft, addictive cheeks.

…How many times has this girl’s attitude caused me trouble?

I’ll never forget the traumatic parent-teacher meeting where the atmosphere froze.

When I let go, she looked at me with a slightly teary, dissatisfied expression.

“You’re so cruel, Ariga-cchi…”

“Tch, you’re always bad for my heart.”

“Ahaha, don’t flatter me~.”

“I’m not flattering you!”

I sighed and shrugged in exasperation.

Then, I picked up another controller and placed it on my lap.

She looked puzzled for a moment but then broke into a wide smile.

“Fine, whatever. Let’s play the game…”

“Yeah~! I’m good, so don’t cry if you lose~!”

“That’s my line.”

A hobby my wife never understood.

At long last, I could finally enjoy it again.