Chapter 92: Sneaking out of the class reunion with her

Sneaking out of the class reunion with her

Aya and I gazed at the scenery outside the train window together.

Although it was evening, the cityscape was bright. Despite the August heat, the train, cooled by air conditioning, felt pleasantly chilly.

“Aya, do you want to wear my jacket?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks.”

Aya, with light makeup, smiled warmly. This was her genuine ‘okay’ expression.

We were headed to the terminal station, not far from the nearest station, to attend the alumni association. The organizers, Kanappe, had said, “No dress code!” so I was dressed casually in a light black jacket, a white T-shirt and jeans.

Aya also wore jeans and sneakers, but her upper body was slightly formal with a white short-sleeved blouse. It wasn’t buttoned and it had puffed sleeves from the shoulders to the sleeves, commonly known as a puff sleeve blouse.

Tucking its hem into her jeans, her ample bust stood out prominently. Despite the loose blouse, her large breasts pushed the fabric up.

“Boyan, is this outfit weird after all?”

Aya, noticing my gaze, looked at me with uncertainty.

“No, it suits you surprisingly well. You look very cute and mature.”

“Aww, thank you…”

She diverted her gaze while adjusting her bangs. She must have felt embarrassed by the sudden compliment on the train.

“And your hairpin matches today’s outfit.”

“Yeah…”

This time, she smiled happily.

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

An emerald green hairpin rested on Aya’s brown hair. I had given it to her after our first overnight date at the beach. Its leaf-shaped design perfectly matched her youthful aura.

“Today’s venue is Kanappe’s workplace. It seems like a stylish French izakaya.”

“Oh, that’s why the participation fee was quite reasonable.”

“Yeah, Kanappe is apparently the leader or something and they gave us a discount as friends. Isn’t that great?”

Aya, proud of the fact, was amusing. It had been a while since I last saw Kanappe. For most of our other classmates, it would be the first time seeing each other since graduation. I wonder if everyone has grown up.

“Oh no… everyone seems to have already gathered.”

“Let’s not rush. You might trip, Aya.”

“I won’t trip.”

Looking at the time on my phone, we had indeed passed the meeting time. I had been late because I had left Aki-chan with Aya’s parents. Parenting is full of unpredictable things. If there were such a thing as a god’s intuition, wouldn’t the calculations go so awry as to cause a short circuit?

Remembering that expressionless voice, I chuckled. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“Ryuji, I won’t trip.”

“Oh sorry, that was a reminiscing chuckle.”

“What did you remember?”

“Back then, I thought there was a strange person.”

“A strange person?”

“Yeah, more like a benefactor or a mentor, someone who showed me various paths.”

“Oh, Boyan, you had someone like that. I want to hear more about it next time.”

“Oh… rather than that, isn’t there a message from someone?”

“Oh, you’re right.”

Aya’s attention shifted to her phone. I could see her typing, “We’re about to arrive at the station.”

“From Kanappe?”

“No, from Yukari. She’s waiting in front of the store.”

“I see.”

Meeting Yukari would also be the first time since graduation. We hadn’t exchanged many words back then.

As we headed there with the help of the map, Yukari was standing in a corner of the drinking district. She wore a mature light blue dress and tied her unchanged semi-long black hair behind her.

“Oh, Yukari!”

“Ah, Aya found me, it’s been a while.”

Aya, seemingly ready to hug any moment and Yukari, smiling calmly, were contrasting. Yet, their exchanged smiles showed that they got along well at first glance.

“It’s been a while for you too, Boyan. Are you doing well?”

“Yeah, how about you, Yukari?”

“I’m doing okay.”

The manner in which they slightly averted their gaze to engage in thought remained unchanged.

Guided by Yukari, as we entered the store, it was crowded with customers. It had a high ceiling, giving it a Japanese-style izakaya feel, but the interior had a somewhat Western touch, perhaps because this was a ‘French izakaya’.

Even as we walked down the hallway, Aya and Yukari were animatedly chatting with smiles on their faces. I couldn’t help but think that the solar energy emitted by girls at times like this was truly remarkable.

“Speaking of which, you two are still lovey-dovey even after getting married.”

“What’s up with you all of a sudden?”

“Well, it’s just that from your attire, the distance between you and the tone of your voices, the wavelength of your compatibility is clearly evident.”

“Huh… Is that so?”

Aya’s honest, bashful smile prompted a wry smile from Yukari.

“Yukari, you’re going to graduate school, right? You know, that, um, theory… theory…”

“Theoretical physics. I’m more suited to simulating things with paper and pencil than actual experiments.”

“I don’t really get it, but that’s amazing…”

“Hehe, next time let me observe you too, Aya.”

“Oh, observing me won’t yield anything.”

“That’s not true. Aya’s phenomenon is fascinating in many ways.”

Yukari alternated her gaze between Aya and me, then leaned in towards Aya, her eyes reminiscent of someone looking at a beloved guinea pig, prompting Aya to squirm.

“Yukari… Are you drunk?”

“I’m not drunk~”

As she said that, Yukari narrowed her eyes, indeed slightly flushed.

“Yukari’s weak against alcohol~”

“We’ve never drunk together before, have we? Besides, Aya, you’re probably weak too, right?”

“I’m not weak.”

“Hmm…”

“I’m not weak, right?”

Why were they both looking at me like that?

“You’re weak.”

“Boyan!”

I needed to prioritize informing Yukari, who would probably be concerned about Aya, of this information.

“Now, instead of chatting away here, let’s go into the room.”

For the past few minutes, the two had been playing around in front of the private room. Recognizable voices could be heard from inside, indicating that this was the venue.

“Yeah, let’s do that. Haha… Everyone hasn’t changed a bit.”

With a smile that seemed to say “you’re safe now”, Yukari opened the sliding door to the private room.

“Everyone, the lovey-dovey couple has arrived~”

Yukari’s voice drew the attention of our former classmates in the room. About forty people were gathered in the long room, with several tatami rooms removed. Some faces were unfamiliar, having never been in the same class together.

“Wow, it’s Aya! It’s been ages!”

“Oh, it’s Boyan.”

“Huh, married? Wait, what, you’re married? And you were dating!?”

“Seriously… you didn’t know?”

Even though it had been three years since we got married, there were quite a few guys who didn’t know about us. Thanks to Yukari’s embarrassing introduction at first, I was spared the trouble of explaining from scratch to those who approached Aya or didn’t know the situation. This was also Yukari’s thoughtfulness.

Among the guys looking at us was Tokida. He had rolled up the sleeves of his suit jacket and his hair was slightly longer, giving off a vibe that seemed appealing.

“Aya and Boyan are over here.”

Kanappe, in the black uniform of the shop, beckoned to us and I took my seat without making eye contact with Tokida.

“Wait, Kanappe, are you still working?!”

Aya’s eyes widened at Kanappe’s attire.

“No, I’ve already finished. But there’s still some cleanup later, so this outfit is better.”

“Wow, Kanappe, you’re amazing. You have this aura of capability and coolness.”

“Hehe, getting praised by Aya~”

For some reason, Kanappe smirked at me.

“So, what will you drink?”

“I’m fine with draft beer.”

“I’ll have sparklin wine.”

“Sparklin?”

“Yeah, I had it before and it was delicious.”

“I see, Aya’s going for sparkling.”

With a cat-like gaze, Kanappe patted Aya’s head. It seemed she had decided not to correct it intentionally. I resolved to inform her of the correct name at some point before she became the subject of teasing by others.

After chatting for about an hour, I was able to hear various things.

Who was dating whom, discussions about future paths and job hunting and details about current part-time jobs. None of these topics had much substance, but chatting like this made me feel like I had gone back to those days.

Well, most of the conversation partners and topics were initiated by Aya and I was just watching her from the side.

“The advisor for the badminton club, Edato-sensei, apparently got into trouble for trying to solicit prostitution at his new assignment.”

Edato-sensei, who had planned to assault Aya by threatening her during the school trip, seems to have been expelled from his teaching position.

The digital camera I took from Edato-sensei at that time is still stored in the back of my desk. I kept it just in case to protect Aya, but it seems we were fortunate enough not to have to use it.

“Aya, want another drink of the same?”

“I’ll go with Kanappe’s favorite drink~”

With a sweet, cat-like voice, all the guys in the room turned their attention to Aya.

“Does Nanto really get like that when she’s drunk…?”

“She’s a super lightweight.”

“Hey, that’s cheating.”

“I envy Boyan…”

Muttered whispers filled the air.

“Sigh.”

Letting out a sigh, when I tried to show Aya the menu for soft drinks I had on hand, Kanappe intervened with her hand.

“I’ve got something special prepared for Aya~. Here, this one, Tropical Fruit Thunder.”

Saying so, she pointed to a spot on the menu I was holding.

“Then I’ll have that. Is Kanappe making it?”

“The drinker makes it~”

Saying so, she patted Aya’s head. When I thanked Kanappe, she smiled and said, “It’s all good.” She seemed rather cool.

But seeing her touch Aya so openly, she might just want to have Aya all to herself.

“What will Boyan have?”

Aya, with a bright smile, clung to me. “Boyan?” and the guys’ attention turned back to Aya all at once. This was getting risky.

“Yes, well, it’s time for the guys to go over there! We girls have some things to talk about.”

Kanappe shouted loudly and forced a change of seats. This time, I bowed my head to Kanappe with gratitude.

Once forcibly moved away to the guys’ table, it became a storm of questions. They wanted to know about Aya and my first meeting, who confessed first and so on.

But ultimately, it seemed they just wanted to hear about Aya’s usual behavior and private life, so I struggled to give vague answers.

“Sigh…”

Somehow managing to escape from the guys’ table, I took a breather in the restroom. Gathering with everyone made me realize Aya’s popularity all over again. Some guys, perhaps emboldened by alcohol, even asked some inappropriate questions, making it hard for me to suppress my anger.

Feeling reluctant, as I was about to leave the restroom, I saw Tokida standing in front of the private room. He seemed to be talking to someone on the phone, looking frustrated.

“That’s none of your business, so cut it out.”

I somehow felt it wasn’t something I should ask about, so I waited for the phone call to end before leaving the restroom.

“Oh, Boyan. Hey.”

Tokida waved as if nothing had happened.

“Long time no see, Tokida.”

I returned the greeting in the same manner.

“Bathroom?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm. So, are you getting along with Aya?”

“We’re getting along fine.”

“I see. By the way, I’m planning to get married once I graduate from college.”

“Oh, really?”

If the person he was talking to on the phone was his partner, it didn’t seem to be going well, but… well, it’s none of my business.

“Well, it depends on the job situation, but I’ll definitely get married soon.”

“I see. Good luck.”

“Well, it’s not like I have to try hard or anything.”

“I see.”

So Tokida isn’t going to try hard.

“Alright, I’m off to the bathroom. Was the private room available?”

“It was vacant.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Smiling and laughing, we passed each other.

Somehow, I didn’t feel like entering the private room right away, so I sat down on the veranda-like spot in front of the sliding doors.

I find reunions to be quite mysterious. Even with people you had some tension with or had issues in the past, at reunions, you can talk as if nothing happened. Maybe it’s because time has passed, or because you’ve had various experiences and your perspective has broadened or perhaps it’s because you’ve gotten used to putting up a front. I don’t know.

In that sense, I think it’s amazing that Aya can interact with people just as well now as she did back then.

“Shall we go back?”

As I tried to get up, I heard Aya’s voice mixed with Kanappe and Yukari’s voices from behind the sliding door.

“It’s because Boyan said he’d be coming home late…”

Apparently, this spot was near the girls’ table. I’m quite curious about what Aya is saying. I listened in quietly.

“Even so, wearing Boyan’s pajamas… are you that lonely?”

“Not lonely, but I wonder how oversized they are…”

“Did you wear them? Boyan’s pajamas?”

“They were super oversized~”

As happy as Aya seems, it sounds kind of lewd to me. I feel like Kanappe is intentionally steering the conversation in that direction.

“Aya’s so cute~ I want to be wrapped in my lover’s clothes too… Hey, anything else?”

“Anything else? Oh, the other day, I wore Boyan’s shirt… But let’s keep the pajama talk a secret from Boyan…”

“Why? He’d definitely be thrilled about it!”

“But it’s embarrassing. Having the wife secretly wear her husband’s pajamas…”

“Boyan would definitely have a nosebleed.”

“Nosebleed?”

“Hey, isn’t this just a never-ending flirtation?”

Yukari’s appropriate interjection comes in.

“By the way, when did Boyan become like a cat?”

“Eh… Yukari, don’t be mad~”

“Hmm… I never expected Aya to turn out like this.”

“It’s fine, Aya actually loves being spoiled. Let’s spoil her when she’s drunk.”

“In that case… Come on, Aya, come over here. I won’t get mad. I’ll pat you.”

“Ugh~ Sorry. This one’s already fast asleep…”

Huh? What’s going on?

I opened the sliding door to the private room.

“Oh, it’s Boyan―― I mean, the husband!”

A cute correction that sounds like a gasp and the guys in the distant place react with a buzz.

As I stand to hide Aya from them, I see a girl clinging to her knees. She’s someone familiar, probably one of the girls who used to hang out with Aya.

“Aya, what’s wrong with her?”

“Huh? Seems like she’s a bit tipsy.”

It’s ridiculous but amusing to hear Aya say that.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine… right?”

Aya pats the girl’s back.

“Oh, Aya’s warmth feels so nice~ I love it~”

“You’re not a baby, you know.”

Despite pouting, Aya continues to pat her head. It reminds me of comforting the baby Aki-chan.

“Aya, you have such a maternal vibe…”

“Because I’m a mom!”

I watch Yukari observing them sentimentally. Aya responds with an unclear tone. Kanappe nods at me, indicating to leave it to her, so I nod back and return to the circle of guys.

After about two hours, the once noisy room has calmed down, becoming a more relaxed atmosphere. Each person is engrossed in their own conversation, talking about their dreams for the future or the latest anime they’ve watched.

Looking at the clock on my phone, it’s already 8 p.m. from afar. It seems like Aya’s starting to sober up. It’s about time.

I send Aya a text message and invite her to the terrace seat I found when I went to the bathroom earlier.

The terrace seat was like a courtyard surrounded by hedges. There were several round tables and chairs and despite it being night, there were no people around, contrasting with the hustle and bustle inside. Although it was still humid due to the season, it was a refreshing change for those whose bodies were flushed with alcohol.

As I played with my smartphone, I heard Aya’s footsteps approaching from behind.

“Sorry for making you wait, Boyan… that girl wouldn’t let go easily.”

“No worries at all. Thanks for looking after her.”

I handed Aya one of the oolong teas I had ordered. With a smile, she sat next to me and started looking at the night sky in high spirits.

She’s really an interesting girl, I thought. Just when I thought she was relying on Kanappe or Yukari while drunk, she’s being comforted by another girl. Unlike me, she seems to have a charm that attracts people.

“Feeling sober now?”

“Yeah… sorry. I need to get better at drinking too.”

Whether she was scolded by Kanappe or Yukari, Aya looked unusually down.

“It’s okay, Aya, just the way you are is fine.”

“You’re kind, Boyan.”

“I’m just stating the facts.”

But if she really wants to get better at drinking, I’m willing to help. Of course, it depends on her constitution, so I’ll just help her get used to alcohol so she won’t mess up.

After staring at the sky together for a while, a pleasantly cool breeze blew in. Aya chuckled softly.

“It’s like this makes me remember the school trip.”

“Is that so?”

“We used to make noise and laugh together and then look up at the night sky with you like this… it’s nostalgic.”

Certainly, at night, I brought Aya into an empty japanese-style room and we watched the moon together. We also had crazy sex before and after that.

“At that time… thank you for protecting me.”

She must be referring to when Edato-sensei tried to assault her in the faculty room.

“It’s not like I’ll stop protecting you from now on.”

That’s just stating the fact.

“Yeah, thank you. I’ll protect you too, Boyan.”

“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”

“Hehe, leave it to me.”

When Aya looked up at the sky as if she had made up her mind, a beautiful moon appeared from between the clouds. Perhaps she remembered something, she looked embarrassed.

“In the japanese-style room, Boyan forced me down and kissed me, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

Surprised by the sudden question, I unintentionally made a strange noise. Aya giggled at my reaction and continued.

“I was really surprised… but at that moment, I thought I’d be with this person forever. Even though Boyan was somewhat crazy, it’s strange, isn’t it?”

“That’s… news to me.”

It’s the first time I’ve heard of it. Even with my intuition, I couldn’t sense such feelings.

“I can only understand it now in hindsight. But… I think I’ve felt that way for a long time.”

“Since when I forcefully gave you a kiss in the bathroom?”

“No, even before that. Probably… during the cherry tomato incident.”

“…Cherry tomatoes?”

“Yeah. Remember? During lunchtime in elementary school, when we were eating in the same group as Boyan, the boys in the neighboring group were pushing each other, saying they didn’t want cherry tomatoes and I thought, ‘I don’t like this,’…”

I remember. At that time, Aya muttered, “Poor tomato”, and for some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off her and an unconscious love began.

“Boyan also had a disgusted face.”

“Huh?”

“At that time, probably, I think I fell in love with Boyan. I thought, ‘This person is the same as me in what he doesn’t like.’ It’s strange, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.”

It’s a conversation about how she thinks now. But if we hadn’t gotten together and become a couple, I probably wouldn’t have realized it for the rest of my life.

“I’m the same way.”

“Huh?”

“I fell in love with Aya at the same time as you did.”

“Huh, cherry tomatoes?”

“Yeah. But I only realized it on the first day of the school trip… in front of the Great Buddha, when I asked for advice.”

“The Great Buddha?”

Aya’s eyes widened in surprise. It’s an unexpected reaction.

“That’s when I wondered why it wasn’t me next to Aya… and realized that I had liked Aya for a long time.”

“That’s… something new, I didn’t know at all.”

Somehow, it’s amusing to see her make that apologetic face. Even though there’s absolutely no need for it. Wanting to convey that, I kissed her.

“Mmm…”

Slowly pulling away, I gaze into her wide eyes.

“I’m really glad I realized it back then.”

“Yeah, me too… I’m glad I did.”

If we hadn’t realized it then, this present wouldn’t exist.

As we gaze at each other for a while, Aya’s phone lights up with a beep. The screen displays, ‘Time to pick up Aki-chan’.

“Oh, Boyan, we should probably—”

“Aya, I’ve already booked a hotel for us after this, want to go?”

I casually invite her, covering it up a bit. I’d reserved a city hotel near the terminal station. Spending private time as a couple in the apartment is nice, but today, I wanted to take Aya to a different space than usual.

She hesitates, tilting her head slightly.

“But we have to pick her up.”

“She’s fast asleep, so we can stay over. My sister texted me.”

Earlier, I asked my sister about it and she replied with some extra words: “Akichan is sound asleep after playing with me all day, so have fun together tonight~♡”

“I’ll ask as well.”

“Okay.”

Aya puts the phone to her ear and starts calling her mom, seemingly asking about Aki-chan’s condition in detail.

“…Yeah, …Yeah, got it. Thanks… Yeah. …I’ll stay over tonight… Yeah, goodnight…”

After hanging up, she furrows her brow and looks at me. She seems still uncertain about what to do.

“I told my sister to contact me immediately if anything happens. If we take a taxi from the hotel, we’ll be home in about thirty minutes and if we check out early tomorrow, we can pick up Aki-chan before she wakes up.”

I think it’ll be fine, but what do you think? If today is too difficult, we can do it another time.

Aya looks at me seriously, pondering, before meeting my eyes.

“Is it okay if we go back on the first train?”

“Of course.”

“Can Boyan wake up early?”

“How many times do you think I’ve woken Aya up?”

I stand up and help her to her feet.

Once the decision is made, it’s best to act quickly. Holding Aya’s hand, I return to the shop.

Opening the sliding door a little, I peek in and Kanappe and I make eye contact. She seems to have sensed something and comes over here.

“Are Boyan and Aya leaving already?”

It’s nice of her to ask in a low voice.

“Yeah, I think it’s time.”

“I see, I see. Well, see you later. Thanks for coming today. If you have time, come again. I’ll give you a discount.”

Kanappe smiles, which is quite different from the impression she used to give. Well, maybe I just didn’t know her well enough.

“Thank you, Kanappe.”

She gives a slightly embarrassed smile and then shifts her gaze to Aya.

“Aya, are you sober now?”

“Yeah, I’m fine!”

“Boyan, she still has a little alcohol left, so be careful.”

“I’m not drunk!”

As expected, Kanappe knows Aya well. This is what friendship is about, I suppose.

“See you, Aya. If you’re free, come over to my place sometime. I want to meet Aki-chan too.”

“Yeah, definitely come.”

Aya hugs her reluctantly. Kanappe returns the embrace affectionately. At that moment, Kanappe seemed like a mother figure… No, not quite. More like a masculine vibe.

Holding Aya’s hand, who now has teary eyes, I leave the private room. Then, I hear a voice from behind, “Boyan” and turn around.

“I’m counting on you for Aya.”

Kanappe’s fist hits my chest firmly. It’s like she’s conveying various feelings: be happy, protect her properly and more.

“Yeah, leave it all to me.”

“That’s right.”

Kanappe gives a smirk, looking rather manly.