“Oh, sorry. Umm… Should you really be telling random men your name so readily?” It wasn’t like we knew each other. We’d just literally bumped into each other on the street.
“Wow. You make me sound like I’m some kinda slut.”
“N-no, I didn’t mean it like that!” I waved my hands frantically in denial. “Listen… Sorry. I was just concerned for you, but either way, it’s not my business.”
Shinohara’s eyes went wide. “O-oh… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be mean, either. Don’t apologize! It was just a joke.”
“Huh? It was?”
“Yeah, I was kidding around.”
“N-not very easy to tell… I thought I’d actually made you mad.”
“I’m not that short-tempered.” She frowned, looking offended.
How am I supposed to know that? We’ve barely met, I thought to myself. I just grinned wryly at her.
“So, Hasegawa-san, we’re both university students. I’m a first-year, so I’d guess you’re my senior.”
“Huh? You too, Shinohara-san? Yeah, I’m a second-year.”
“You mentioned a university, and there’s only the one around here. Also, if you’re older than me, don’t bother with the honorifics. It feels weird.” Shinohara frowned again.
She wasn’t wrong. Older students only used “-san” with me at work. Doing the whole honorific thing outside of a work setting was kind of awkward.
“Well, Shinohara, is there any way I can apologize? Even if you were already planning to quit, I’m still the one that caused it to happen today.”
She crossed her arms exaggeratedly, mimicking deep thought and even “Hmm”ing to herself affectedly, before finally asking, “You have any plans tomorrow?”
“Huh?”
“There’s somewhere I want to go.” She took out her phone and started tapping. Ten or so seconds later, she held it up to show me. “It’s a nice spot. I’m sure of it.”
“Wait a second, are you…” A full-course, French-style Christmas experience? Eight thousand yen per person? Is this for real? “Why?”
“Why? Well, you know. We’re just two college buddies, or something.”
“That sounds like an excuse you made up on the spot.”
“Because it is. Why not live life making things up as you go?” she rebutted. When I sighed again, she added, “I was joking. You said it yourself—you wanted to apologize, right, Senpai? Well, I guess I’m being a little picky with the apology.”
“Urgh.” I couldn’t argue with that. I’d made the offer mere seconds ago, and it’d be pretty rude if I turned her down now. Wait… There was something she said just now. “What’s with that ‘Senpai’ business?”
It had been two years since I started university, and it was rare for anyone to call someone “Senpai” outside of clubs. In university circles—more casual versions of clubs not officially sanctioned by the school—you just used regular “-san” honorifics. I hadn’t been anyone’s “senpai” since high school.
“Oh, sorry, force of habit. I was in a club until recently, so whenever I see someone older than me, I tend to default to ‘Senpai’.”
“Huh. Is that how every club is?”
“Eh, maybe not every club… Anyway, if you don’t like it, I can drop it.”
Being called “Senpai” reminded me of my past in a way I found kind of embarrassing, but that wasn’t enough reason on its own to refuse.
“Call me whatever you like.”
“Okay then, Senpai. Hmm, wanna exchange LINE info? You’re cool with that restaurant, right?”
“Uh, sure. Whatever.”
At this point, I might as well just go with the flow.
I took out my phone and gave her my ID. I was the one who’d offered to apologize, so it was my job to obey.
And so, ex-Santa Shinohara Mayu and I had dinner plans.
It took me a while to work through how this dinner was about to cost me a small fortune.
✦ ✦ ✦
When I got home, I called out to nobody in particular, “I’m back.”
I lived alone, and it sometimes felt lonely. The university wasn’t far from my parents’ house, but I’d asked them to let me move out because I’d always wanted to live alone.
I thought I’d be constantly inviting friends over to hang out, but nope. Living alone came with more disadvantages than advantages. The fact that nobody cooked me food was a big one.
I hung up my favorite jacket and tossed my phone onto a pile of laundry I’d left on the carpet. The screen flashed on, and a new message notification peeked out from the dirty clothes. It was a message from Ayaka.
I’m holding a mixer on Christmas. You’d better come.
“On Christmas?” I groaned aloud.
Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. It was a sudden invitation, but I had plans with Shinohara tomorrow, and I’d feel bad being out of the house both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
I’ve got plans. No can do, sorry. Send.
Two seconds later, my screen showed an incoming call. As expected, it was Ayaka.
“What the hell?” I asked, in lieu of a greeting.
“That’s my line. Why are you lying to me?”
“Lying?” Oh, okay. She doesn’t believe I’m the kind of guy who has Christmas plans. It made me all the angrier that she would’ve been right on the money if I hadn’t met Santa today.
“We don’t have enough people. Come on, I’m begging! See?”
“Well, no. I can’t see you.”
It sounded like there weren’t enough men to match the women who were coming to the mixer. It was rare for someone with a network like her to have trouble finding people. She had tons of people who’d come running the second she asked for something.
“If there aren’t enough men, let them handle it. Why is it your problem?”
“I wanted to introduce my best guy friends to my girlfriends this time!”
“Uh-huh. The best?”
“And wow, would you look at that, you’ve been selected. Congrats!”
“I’m hanging up.”
“Sorry, sorry! Wait!” She seemed genuinely desperate.
“What now? Okay, listen. First off, if I go, I’ll stick out like a sore thumb among your ‘best’ guy friends.”
“Aww, don’t be like that. I really do like you, you know,” she replied vacantly.
“Uhh… Did you hit your head, or something?”
“Ooh, now you’re acting all bashful! So, what are these plans of yours? You’re really not lying?”
“You little…” I gritted my teeth in frustration. “Fine… I’ve got a date with Santa.”
“Say what? Santa?” Her tone was utterly confused.
“A girl a year younger than me, dressed up like Santa. Lots happened today.” I gave her a quick recap.
After hearing the whole story, Ayaka groaned and grumbled suspiciously, “You sure this isn’t some kind of scam?”
“Ugh. Does it sound like one?”
“Making a girl go on a date with you after you messed up her flyers? Wow. King pickup artist here.”
“Hey, I’ve never been like that,” I protested.
She brushed me off with a cold, “Don’t interrupt me.”
Sure seems like you’re the one interrupting me, but okay.
“What’s worse, honestly, is inviting an older guy on a date the first time you meet him,” she continued. “Like, what if you go on this date, and then some strange guy just happens to come and demand money from you…”
“What, you think this is some kind of badger game? Surely not.”
“I dunno. Anyway, good for you. Now I know your date is tomorrow, on Christmas Eve.”
“Huh?”
“So I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, 6 p.m., in front of the station. Buh-bye!”
I stared blankly at the Call Ended screen of my phone. Ayaka had been audacious ever since high school, but lately she’d been more aggressive than ever.