Chapter 14 A Drastic Cut
#21MotoKanojoA Drastic Cut
“Yuuta! Please, come with me to a mixer this Saturday! Think of it as saving my life!”
“I refuse.”
The next morning, in the lecture hall, Sasaki-senpai was bowing to me desperately, completely ignoring the stares of others, but I politely declined.
“Wh-Why?! This time it’s really, seriously bad!”
“Senpai, your words are redundant, you know?”
Seriously, why is Senpai being so insistent today…?
Usually, when I refuse, he backs off right away.
“Ah, hey! Yuuta-kun… don’t let him bother you too much!”
“Kazumi… but still…”
Just then, Kinoshita-senpai arrived late, grabbed Sasaki-senpai by the collar, and dragged him away.
“Um… Kinoshita-senpai, is something going on?”
I was a little curious, so I decided to ask Kinoshita-senpai.
After all, not only was Sasaki-senpai acting strangely, but Kinoshita-senpai’s tone also suggested she knew something…
“Hmm… it’s not a very pleasant story, so you’re better off not hearing it, Yuuta-kun.”
“I-Is that so…”
That said, when Kinoshita-senpai says something like that, it only makes me more curious.
“C-Can I at least hear a little bit?”
“You’re brave to ask! So, the truth is…”
All of a sudden, Sasaki-senpai burst forward energetically and started explaining.
Apparently, the women attending the upcoming mixer are mostly students from Doukei Women University, a school famous for its wealthy daughters. If our group doesn’t have enough people, it’ll be a big problem.
He explained that if they end up short on numbers, it would disgrace the junior who arranged the mixer. In the worst case, it could completely ruin the organizer’s reputation and future.
“…But why did you arrange such a troublesome mixer in the first place?”
“N-No, I wasn’t the one who set it up! It was someone else in my seminar…”
“Sigh… Kouki, you’re such a softie, honestly…”
Ah… Sasaki-senpai, you’ve gone out of your way to meddle again, haven’t you?
Really, what a hopeless person.
“So, how many people are you short?”
“Uh, three, actually…”
“…Fine, but just this once, okay?”
“Yuuta!”
The moment I gave him that answer, Sasaki-senpai hugged me tightly. Ugh, how annoying.
“Also, I’ll leave right away, so don’t expect anything from me, got it?”
“Thank you! I owe you one!”
“Geez… Yuuta-kun, aren’t you spoiling him a bit too much?”
“Ahaha…”
Honestly, I don’t want to go to a mixer, either. But if Sasaki-senpai, who’s helped me so much, is genuinely in trouble for someone else’s sake, then I suppose I should repay him a little…
“Oh, and don’t worry about the mixer costs! I’ll cover everything!”
“Well, that’s only natural, isn’t it?”
“Yuuta-kun… I’m really sorry, okay?”
“N-No, Kinoshita-senpai, you don’t need to apologize!”
Seeing Kinoshita-senpai bowing deeply with a genuinely apologetic look, I panicked and flailed my hands in response.
“So… who’s the junior that set this up?”
“Oh… you might know her. It’s Mushakoji Mikoto.”
“I see…”
Of all people, it had to be Mushakoji-san… Yeah, if this whole thing falls apart, I might not even be able to stay at this university anymore…
“B-But if I go, it might only make things worse.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, actually, I’m in the same seminar as her, and she really doesn’t like me…”
Looking down, I mumbled this in a small voice.
“Huh? But I put your name in as a tentative member, and she didn’t say anything about it.”
“R-Really?”
“Y-Yeah…”
What’s going on…? If she knew I was going to be there, she’d definitely have rejected it outright.
“W-Well, since she didn’t say anything, I guess that means it’s fine! So, Yuuta, I’m counting on you this Saturday!”
“Sigh…”
With a firm slap on the back from Sasaki-senpai, I gave a half-hearted reply.
“I’m home!”
After finishing my shift and picking up my usual carton of milk at the convenience store, I opened the door to my apartment.
“Welcome home!”
“Ah, uh, yeah, I’m home… Wait, eehhh?!”
Seeing Kakizaki-san greeting me, I couldn’t help but let out a startled cry.
“K-Kakizaki-san, your hair…!”
“Ahaha… yeah, I went ahead and cut it short.”
While lightly touching her hair, Kakizaki-san gave me a shy, bashful smile.
But still, even if she says she cut it, her hair that used to be so long is now in a bob… Of course, I’m shocked!
“S-So… does it suit me?”
Kakizaki-san asked nervously, glancing up at me.
If you’re asking whether it suits her, well, it suits her incredibly well.
But…
“W-Well, yeah, it really suits you, but… don’t tell me this is because of something I said yesterday…?”
“Ah! N-No, it’s not like that! I just… I just wanted to cut it short on my own, that’s all! I-It has absolutely nothing to do with what Naoe-kun said, okay?!”
“Ah, r-right…”
Watching Kakizaki-san, her face flushed red as she fervently denied it, I felt relieved… but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel oddly conflicted.
But.
“♪”
Seeing her in such a good mood, I guess it’s fine.