Chapter Seven | The Start of the Next Group Date

♢♢♢

Group date day.

Eight of us soccer team members, including me, arrive at a moody, fully private-room restaurant.

The guys this time, aside from me and Azaki, are all third- and fourth-years, and I’ve been instructed by the seniors to hype them up.

In short, it’s a hospitality group date.

But this gōkon is tied to my future.

I’ll do anything—cheers, shoe-licking, you name it.

When we enter the private room, we’re greeted by eight stunning older sisters from Tokyo Aristocrat Women’s University, all chatting lively.

A soft, fluffy college-girl vibe fills the air.

Among them, one girl stands out, silent the whole time.

Inside the room, she’s wearing light-brown sunglasses and a pink mask, her pure black hair tied back and cascading over her shoulder—contrasting with the bright hair colors of the others.

What’s with her? Some kind of suspicious character?

“Hey, Maki.”

Right after entering, a senior next to me signals me to listen up.

“…You’re sitting in front of that girl.”

Here we go again with this pattern.

The seniors quickly take seats in front of the more promising girls.

I’m used to being the leftover, so that’s fine…

Following the senior’s direction, I sit across from the sunglass girl.

“…”

“…”

I feel like she’s staring at me from behind those shades…

With someone like Sasaki and her glasses, I can at least read her expression a bit, but with this girl’s sunglasses, it’s impossible to tell.

Maybe I’m desensitized from dealing with Sasaki, but who shows up to a gōkon without taking off their mask and sunglasses?

TN: A Gōkon refers to a casual group date or social gathering in Japan

Borrowing Azaki’s words, a gōkon is like a job interview.

You don’t hide your face in a job interview, right?

Plus, Azaki said this time there’s no padding the numbers—exactly eight guys and eight girls, all here by choice.

So there shouldn’t be anyone like me or Sasaki last time, dragged in as fillers.

These girls came to snag a guy on purpose, yet she’s hiding her face? It’s beyond confusing.

“Let’s start with introductions, shall we? Makijima, you’re up first.”

Azaki, the organizer on the guys’ side, takes charge and picks me as the lead-off.

Under my deal with the devil (Azaki), I can’t refuse his orders today.

What a hassle, but let’s just get it over with.

“Well, I’m Yutaro Makijima. Still a first-year, so I can’t drink, but I’ll make up for it by pouring plenty for you all.”

The Aristocrat ladies respond with kind, benevolent applause.

“Now, next up—starting with the girl in front of Makijima—”

The sunglass girl lowers her mask slightly.

“…Tsukino Sato, third-year, Literature Department.”

Sato adjusts her mask back into place.

Fitting her vibe, she’s got a cool way of speaking.

Self-introductions continue, and once they’re done, people start switching seats freely.

Some pair off two-on-two for chats, while seniors who’ve already set their sights stick to one-on-one talks with their targets.

What shocks me is Azaki, already flirting with the cutest girl from the Aristocrat group.

A devil like him getting popular—talk about the end of the world.

The seniors looked a bit dubious at first, but Azaki Seiichi, a first-year wearing the prestigious number 10, is their king. Even as seniors, they can’t interfere.

Left with the scraps after the king snagged the top prize, the seniors turn to other girls. It’s a true survival-of-the-fittest world.

As for me, I’ve been dragged into the seniors’ conversations, forced to hype them up (another layer of survival of the fittest).

What’s fun about praising third- and fourth-years who can’t break out of the second string and just laze around?

A tipsy senior slings an arm around my shoulder.

“I’m pretty stoic, huh!”

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

If you were really stoic, you wouldn’t be drinking or at a place like this.

Right now, the first-string players are out kicking balls under the lights.

Sigh…

Fed up with buttering up the seniors, I return to my seat with a sigh.

Can I keep trusting Azaki?

Can I really climb up by believing in Azaki Seiichi…?

Lost in doubt, I feel a gaze from across.

It’s Sato, drinking alone since earlier.

She hasn’t approached any guys—what’s her goal for coming to this gōkon?

“…Makijima-san.”

Suddenly, Sato speaks up.

“Uh… Sato-san. I’m just a first-year, so you don’t need to use ‘-san’ with me.”

“…”

Sato falls silent again.

“Sato-san? Didn’t you have something to say to me—?”

“Makiji-ma-kun!”

A short-bobbed, busty older sister barges in, her face flushed.

She sandwiches my left arm between her ample chest and leans in close.

“Makijima-kun, let’s drink~!”

Her knit sweater, with its blatantly open neckline, lets her voluptuous chest say “hello” right in my face.

Whoa, that’s… something.

“Come on, come on~”

“No can do. I’m still eighteen.”

“Aw, boo, you’re no fun~”

I say, “Sorry,” and gently pull back to create some distance.

I heard Tokyo Aristocrat Women’s University was full of refined ladies, but this one’s pressing herself against me hard—way different from what I expected…

“How about we sneak out now?”

“Sneak out…?”

“Let’s hit another place and keep drinking~”

“W-Well, that’s a bit…”

“Before the gōkon, I saw your photo, Makijima-kun, and thought you were so handsome—I’d love to be alone with you.”

This is bad.

Just as a lifeline appears, a chat notification pops up on my phone.

“Me! I’ve got a call—I’ll step out for a sec!”

I grab my phone and bolt from the scene.

☆☆

I bolt into the men’s restroom and open my phone by the sink.

The chat was from Sasaki.

You saved me, Sasaki… thanks.

Checking her Lime message, it reads: “Sasaki: Hey, hey, listen! I opened the window, and a butterfly flew in~ Looks like summer’s almost here~” with a photo of a butterfly by the window attached.

“S-Sasaki…”

It’s so peaceful it’s almost bringing tears to my eyes.

Feels like a dad getting a kid’s photo during overtime and feeling all warm inside.

“What’re you grinning at on your phone~?”

“Huh?”

I’m yanked back from paradise to hell.

The cherry-hunter older sister from earlier is in the men’s restroom… Wait, what?!

“This is the men’s restroom! Why are you even in here—huh?!”

The cherry-hunter reaches for my lower half.

This is bad…

“Makijima-kun, are you a virgin?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Whoa~ For a guy like Makijima-kun to go unassaulted, are all the girls at Koto University, like, ugly or something?”

Looks like her true colors are showing.

The cherry-hunter’s sharp gaze pierces me.

I grab her shoulders to push her away, but she coils around me like a snake, refusing to let go.

“Oh, grabbing my shoulders like that~ Are you gonna kiss me?”

“Get off! I’m not into that!”

She closes her eyes, puckers her lips, and leans in straight for my face.

This is bad—if this keeps up…

I struggle, but she tangles her hands and legs around me, unrelenting.

No way. Not my first kiss like this.

“Sasaki… help—!”

Click, click—the sound of heels approaches, and a graceful right hand appears before my eyes.

The kiss attack hits that hand instead, saving my first kiss by a hair.

“…Mmph? H-Hey, you! What’s with the interference?”

Standing there is… Sato-san.

Why’s she here?

“I don’t care if you’re some last-minute Sato or whatever, Makijima-kun is my prey.”

“…Have some shame.”

Sato-san says it coolly and peels the cherry-hunter off me.

“Ugh, ruined the mood! I’m out!”

Overwhelmed by Sato-san’s presence, the cherry-hunter storms out of the men’s restroom.

S-Saved…

“S-Sato-san, thank you so much!”

“…”

“Seriously, you saved me—I was about to get attacked.”

“…”

“Sato-san?”

“…Then, I want a thank-you.”

“A-A thank-you? I’m a broke student, so I can’t offer anything fancy…”

Sato-san lifts my chin with her elegant hand.

“…Good, you pass.”

“P-Pass?”

“…For the sake of my song, be my boyfriend.”

“Huh? B-Boyfriend? Me?”

“Yes.”

“For a song?”

“Well… how should I put it?”

Satou-san glances around, resting her hand on her chin, deep in thought.

A song—does that mean she’s a musician or something? But why’s she hesitating? Is there something she can’t say?

“Hey, Makijima-kun.”

“What’s up?”

“Is this… the men’s restroom?”

“What?! You didn’t know?!”

“I mean… that girl was chasing you with a crazy look, so I got worried.”

I thought she was all cool and composed, but maybe she’s actually kind of sweet?

Just as I think that, Satou-san grabs my hand and starts walking ahead.

“Come on…”

“Whoa, hold on a second!”

After being chased by a cherry hunter, I’m wary of women. I shake off her hand as we exit the restroom. Sure, she helped me, but with her sunglasses and mask on indoors, I can’t see her true intentions. No way I can trust her.

Is she part of some cult group or pyramid scheme from those university posters? Maybe “song” and “boyfriend” are code—boyfriend meaning follower or something.

“What’s wrong? Forgot something?”

“It’s not that!”

“Still need the restroom?”

“No!”

Satou-san tilts her head.

Is she playing dumb?

“Satou-san, I’m really grateful you helped me! But I gotta be honest…”

“What?”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Huh?”

“You’re wearing a mask and sunglasses indoors, suddenly talking about being my boyfriend or songs—it’s weird! Are you recruiting for a cult? Was that chase staged to make me owe you?”

“…Is this gonna be a long talk?”

“Don’t you get it?! I’m saying I’m suspicious of you right now…”

As I speak, Satou-san silently removes her hair tie, letting her hair fall, and tosses her sunglasses at me. My body reacts instinctively, catching them with both hands.

“What the—?!”

When I look up from the sunglasses, my eyes can’t believe it.

No way. This can’t be real.

I’m speechless.

“I’m a singer-songwriter.”

Her straight black hair and captivating eyes.

Just by letting her hair down and removing her sunglasses, the person before me transforms into someone else entirely.

“M-MIZUKI… san?”

The MIZUKI who fought with Sasaki… Why’s she here?

“You know me?”

“From the halftime show… but that’s not the point!”

I hand her sunglasses back, scanning the area. Luckily, the restroom is tucked in a corner of the venue, out of sight, but it’s only a matter of time before someone shows up.

“Put your sunglasses on before someone sees you!”

This is bad.

First Sasaki, now MIZUKI—do I have some fate line in my palm for meeting celebrities?

Unlike Sasaki, MIZUKI’s an active star. If we’re caught alone here, it’s scandal city.

“Let’s talk somewhere else. Got it?”

“…”

MIZUKI puts on her sunglasses and stares at me blankly.

“What’s wrong?”

“…You’re awfully calm. Most people who know me would freak out. Are you, like, a celebrity yourself?”

“Just a regular college guy…”

“Really?”

I send Azaki a Lime message: Got something to do. Then I leave the venue with MIZUKI.

Azaki’s reply pops up instantly: Use protection lol. I block his account again.

☆☆

I lead MIZUKI out of the venue. It’s dark outside, and I squint at the headlights of passing cars on the main street.

MIZUKI’s wearing a sleeveless top and a fuzzy jacket, her slim legs accentuated by tight jeans, making her slender frame look even more striking.

Looking at her now… her style’s insane.

She’s quiet, cool, the total opposite of Sasaki’s vibe. Talking to her makes me nervous.

But walking aimlessly is a waste of time.

As we turn onto a quieter street, I break the silence.

“I’ve got a question for you, MIZUKI-san.”

“Call me Mizuki.”

“Uh, your first name’s a bit… Can I stick with Satou-san, like before?”

“Satou’s a fake name.”

“Fake? You lied about your last name at the introduction?”

“My real last name is ‘Mizu’ for water, ‘Ki’ for castle—Mizuki.”

Wait, her stage name MIZUKI comes from her last name? Don’t celebs usually use their first names for that?

“Hey… you’ve been looking glum. What’s up? Don’t tell me…”

Mizuki peers at me from my left.

“…you want my autograph?”

No way, not even close.

This woman’s been misreading me since the restroom.

“An autograph… I can do it in pencil.”

“N-No, it’d be rude to say I don’t want it, so… sure, I’ll take one.”

I tear off a corner of Azaki’s memo from my jacket and hand it to her. Mizuki pulls a pencil from somewhere and signs it.

“Here. Don’t sell it.”

“No one’s buying a real autograph on a scrap of paper.”

“…But it is real.”

“Would you buy it, Mizuki-san?”

“No way. Do you go to a bank to buy coins?”

“No, but—”

“Exactly.”

I don’t get what she means, but she seems smart, unlike Sasaki’s “Pancakes!”-only energy. That’s a relief.

I tuck the autograph into my wallet and get back on track.

“Why’d you come to a mixer, Mizuki-san?”

“…”

“A celebrity at a place like that is basically asking for trouble.”

“…”

I keep pressing, and Mizuki suddenly turns to me.

“…You’re really something.”

She stops, staring at me through her sunglasses.

“My agency, show staff… no one talks to me openly. I’m bad with words, so people say the bare minimum and bolt. But you, a stranger, keep chatting like it’s nothing.”

Mizuki removes her sunglasses and mask, grabs my collar gently, and pulls her face close.

“Just a guess, but… do you have family in showbiz?”

Of course not. I’m a Yamanashi orchard kid, no ties to that world.

But I do know a former idol up close.

Maybe I’m too used to Sasaki, so I’m treating MIZUKI the same way.

“Can’t answer?”

Is she sharp or clueless? I can’t tell.

Thinking of Sasaki, I look away.

Mizuki finally lets go of my collar.

“…If you’re used to celebs, that’s perfect. It’d be a problem if you couldn’t talk normally on our date.”

“D-Date?”

“You didn’t forget about the thank-you, right?”

The thank-you… her “be my boyfriend” thing?

“So, you asked me to be your boyfriend for a date?”

“Yes. I want you to be my boyfriend for a day and go on a date. It’s for my songwriting, so I’d appreciate your help.”

Got it. MIZUKI needs a date for song inspiration. That’s what she meant by “for the song.” Makes sense now.

But why come to a random mixer? Women’s university, no dating opportunities?

“Tomorrow, 10 a.m., Hachiko statue.”

“Whoa! Don’t just decide! I never agreed!”

If I go on a date with MIZUKI and it sparks a scandal, I’m screwed. Soccer team expulsion, pro dreams—gone.

Cold sweat’s pouring.

Gotta find a way out.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

Girlfriend…

That’s it! Say I have one to dodge this.

“Y-Yeah! I’ve got a girlfriend.”

Biggest lie of my life. The guilt’s unreal…

“…I see.”

Her skeptical look softens.

“Then I won’t make you play boyfriend. It’d be unfair to her.”

She’s more reasonable than I thought. A date with MIZUKI would betray Sasaki anyway. This is fine. Everything’s settled—

“But how about a different thank-you?”

“D-Different?”

“I’ll skip the date with you, but instead, let me observe you and your girlfriend on a date for my song.”

“Uh…”

“That’s my thank-you for helping you.”

MIZUKI watching me and Sasaki on a date?

“Is that okay?”

Having said I have a girlfriend, I can only nod.