Chapter 18 Mixer

Mixer

“O-Oh, looks like we’re the first ones here.”

When we arrived at today’s mixer venue, neither the guys nor the girls from Doukei Women University had shown up yet.

Sure, we were fifteen minutes early, but it still felt odd that neither of the organizers were here yet…

“Haha, well, let’s just take it easy and wait.”

“Yeah… you’re right…”

For now, Senpai and I sat down next to each other near the organizers’ seats.

Then.

“Oh…?”

“Ah…”

At that moment, the girls’ organizer, Mushakoji-san, walked in.

“Wow… I thought it was a joke, but you actually showed up.”

“…Well.”

Mushakoji-san glanced my way and let out a small chuckle.

W-Well, this is unexpected… I thought for sure she’d start hurling insults at me like she usually does…

“Well, still, it’s somewhere between near-death… and seriously ill… level.”

…I take that back. Mushakoji-san is still Mushakoji-san.

“Man, I can’t believe we’re actually having a mixer with girls from Doukei Women University!”

“Haha… I’m really looking forward to it…”

One by one, the mixer participants arrived noisily, and by five minutes before it started, everyone had gathered.

And so.

“““““Cheers!”””””

After brief introductions, the organizers gave the signal, and the mixer officially began.

“S-So, did you all go to Doujo High before enrolling in university?”

Ignoring the mood entirely, I threw out a question like that.

“Oh…! Yuuto is actually getting into this mixer…!”

…For some reason, Sasaki-senpai looked tearfully pleased.

N-No, I’m asking for a specific reason; it’s not like I’m overly eager about this mixer…

“Haha… that’s right. All of us girls are from Doujo High. That includes Mushakoji-sama as well.”

One of the girls smiled as she answered… Wait, Mushakoji…sama?

I stole a glance at Mushakoji-san.

“…Do you have something to say?”

“N-No! Not at all!”

She shot me a sharp glare, and I reflexively straightened up.

“But… could it be that you think attending Doujo is some sort of status symbol?”

Mushakoji-san said in an icy tone, and in sync with her words, all the guys—except for Sasaki-senpai—looked away at once. Ah… so that’s what they’d been thinking, huh…

“Of course not. I don’t evaluate people based on something as trivial as what school they went to.”

Besides, if I said something like that, I’d be disqualifying myself—a guy who repeated a year in high school and attended night school to re-enter society.

“…That was a slip of the tongue on my part. I apologize.”

“Huh…?”

Mushakoji-san’s unexpected apology left me dumbfounded.

“…What?”

“N-No! It’s nothing!”

Even so, the way she glared at me with half-lidded eyes reminded me once again that she was, without a doubt, still Mushakoji-san.

“I’m going to step out for a moment.”

About fifteen minutes after the mixer started, Mushakoji-san excused herself.

“I-I’ll just head to the restroom real quick too.”

Following her lead, I stood up as well… and, well, I really did follow Mushakoji-san.

Then.

“Fufu… you’ve got something to ask me, don’t you?”

As if she had seen right through me, Mushakoji-san waited with a sly smile.

“Y-Yeah… there’s actually something I want to know…”

“Oh? Could it be about Doujo High?”

“Haha… yeah…”

Her sharp intuition made me smile wryly despite myself.

“Hmm… this sounds like it might be a long conversation. Let’s change locations.”

“Eh?! W-What about everyone else?!”

“It’s not like they’ll have any trouble without us, right?”

With that, Mushakoji-san left the venue entirely.

“W-Wait!”

I hurried after her, and we entered a nearby café just outside the venue.

“So… what do you want to know?”

Taking a sip of coffee laden with a large amount of sugar, Mushakoji-san asked. Wait, is she a sweet tooth?

“W-Well… uh, Mushakoji-san, you’re twenty years old now, right…?”

“That’s right, but why?”

“Then… do you know a girl one year ahead of you named Kakizaki Hatsune…!?”

The moment I mentioned Kakizaki-san’s name, Mushakoji-san’s eyes sharpened, and her expression turned severe.

“…What exactly… do you mean by asking that?”

“W-What do I mean…?”

…Could this topic be taboo at Doujo High School?

I’ve been scolded by Mushakoji-san plenty of times, but this was the first time I’d seen her this angry.

Still.

“…Right now, there’s a girl suffering, feeling miserable… and she’s on the verge of breaking down completely.”

“…And?”

“I want to know the truth about Kakizaki Hatsune. To save that girl.”

I deliberately didn’t say that the girl was Kakizaki-san.

If I did, it might expose that she’s living with me, which could lead to more harassment. Besides, I couldn’t trust Mushakoji-san completely yet.

“…Hmm, are you taking the victim’s side? If that’s the case, I have nothing to say.”

With that, Mushakoji-san stood up as if to leave.

“Wait! That girl isn’t… the victim. But she’s the one who’s been hurt… the most…”

“…!?”

The moment I said that, she caught her breath.

“…I see.”

Mushakoji-san then looked as though she was about to cry and sank back into her seat, her strength seemingly drained.

It was probably my words just now that made her realize who I was talking about.

Still… judging from her reaction, she didn’t seem to be an enemy, at least.

“…All right, I’ll tell you. About Kakizaki Hatsune… the senpai I admired… more than anyone else.”