Volume 2 - CH 2

A blind date is a form of entertainment. How to make the other party go home satisfied. If they’re happy in the end, that’s all that matters. Therefore, the game is the endgame. All’s well that ends well.

“Yeah, yeah. And you know-…..”

Third and second years at the same school. The party started with 6 guys and 5 girls and now we’re in the middle of the game. The place was at a family restaurant where we work. The guys were me, Daiki, and 4 others. The women were Midori, Shinobu and 3 others. And Daiki had two of those girls at both ends and they were talking happily.

Midori was playing with her phone alone, and Shinobu san was playing with the guys who were talking to her. As for me, I was in trouble. Because something unexpected was happening.

“Hey, senpai !”

Hikari, who was working part-time, whispered in my ear as I sat on the edge of the room.

“Senpai, this is a blind date party, right?You need to talk to the girls more aggressively !”

“I don’t really want a girlfriend.”

I finally understood it myself, but I was lost. Why was I practicing guitar? Band members are the last thing that most adult women want to be. I had become so weak that I couldn’t even notice such an obvious fact.

I made a clear and definite decision to break up with my girlfriend of 10 years. The shock lasted for a month. In a way, it was natural, but it was no longer the case.

“What kind of man is your type, Shinobu san? Let’s come over here and talk a little.”

‘Eh~ nothing in particular～”

Daiki clearly had his sights set on Shinobu san. She was the cutest of them all, except for Midori, who’s a different type of girl. It was the natural order of things.

I called out to Daiki in order to win against him. Before that, I have to protect Shinobu san. It has nothing to do with Daiki or myself. I have to protect Shinobu san.

That is why I cannot make a mistake. I can’t be the kind of person who runs away to the guitar because I can’t win head-on. I will protect Shinobu san even if I’m defeated in a terrible way. Remember. Remember how angry I was at Daiki right after the time leaped.

“Daiki, is it okay? You have a girlfriend, don’t you?”

For the first time, here, I told them that fact. I really wanted to tell him more at the end of the day and end with the image of him as a scumbag, but I didn’t have time for that.

“So what? This is not a place to get a girlfriend. This is a place to make friends with girls you’ve never met before. Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re not wrong. I’m just confirming if it’s okay.”

The reason why I asked at this time is not only to build up an of him around the girls. I wanted to check on Daiki’s condition. Surrounded by girls, he’s on a roll. He will definitely say something back if I say something to him. If that was the case, there’s no problem.

“Let’s call it a night. It’s about time.”

“Ah? It’s still early. We just finished eating dinner.”

I was surprised that he would respond so well to this suggestion. If so, it was more than I expected.

“Shinobu san, after this, let’s go to the after-party.”

“Eh? Yeah, that’s fine……”

“Hey, wait a minute !”

When I invited Shinobu san, Daiki took the bait easily. Daiki has not yet become intimate with his target, Shinobu san. So I knew he would react like this.

“Let’s go alone with me instead of that guy. I’ll definitely entertain you.”

There were two things that the confident Daiki didn’t  realize. One is that Shinobu san is my friend. In other words, she is on my side.

“Eh, you said earlier that you were going to stay up all night with us.”

“Well, that’s ……”

And the other is that the more you bite on Shinobu san, the more other girls will leave. If you run after two hares you will catch neither​. If you’re greedy, you will surely make a mistake.

“That’s enough. Let’s go to the after-party with everyone else.”

When the girls realized that Daiki wasn’t after them, they made arrangements to go to the after-party with the other boys. Daiki is a prideful guy. There was no way he could ask to be included in the party. If that was the case, he would have been desperate and would’ve targeted Shinobu san.

“Well, fine. Let’s exchange contact information for now.”

Daiki, who had given up on the girls on both side, approached Shinobu san with his smartphone in hand. At the same time, I stood up too.

“Don’t be selfish.”

I stood in front of Shinobu san and said,

“I’ll take Shinobu san with me. You should go home alone and lonely.”

“Haa……!?”

Daiki grabbed me by the collar and let go. Violence is prohibited in the store. He’s smarter than me, and he should know that.

“Tsk.”

He left the thousand-yen bill on the table and quickly went home alone. Thank goodness. Now I could protect Shinobu san for the time being.

“I’m sorry, Shinobu san. My brother got you into trouble.”

For now, I apologized to Shinobu san who got involved in this crisis.

“No…..not at all…….”

Shinobu san waved her hand at my apology. And her face…

“So…..where should we go…?”

Her face was red with embarrassment.