She burst out laughing. “Me?! No, no, no, never! Do I seem presidential material?”
“How should I know? This is just our second time meeting.”
“Oh, c’mon, you didn’t get that sense from the first time?”
While we chatted, Ayaka came back to her seat. In her black sweater and necklace, she looked radiant even in a cheap bar. She carried a mug of beer in one hand.
“Sorry to interrupt your spirited conversation!” She placed a freshly poured beer in front of me. I looked around and saw beer mugs finding their way to every seat of the long table.
“Ooh. First drink’s gotta be beer, huh?” I laughed.
Natsuki pouted a little. “I always wonder, does it have to be beer first every single time? I don’t really like beer.”
“Yeah, I guess women aren’t as into beer as men are. Ayaka loves it, though,” I said.
Natsuki pulled her mug a little closer.
For someone who doesn’t like beer, this part must be kind of a pain.
As I thought to myself, Ayaka said, “Oh, about that! The upperclassmen say it’s out of consideration.”
“Huh? Consideration for what?” Natsuki shot back, as if to say they certainly weren’t being considerate toward her.
Ayaka smiled back and said, “When you get a grown-up job, you have to drink with your bosses, you know? If everyone orders what they want, it’ll take a long time for the drinks to come. You don’t want to make your bosses wait, so the first drink should be something that gets to everyone at once so you can get started right away. That’s how the beer tradition started.”
“Huh.”
Well, that sounds downright reasonable.
While I was genuinely impressed, Natsuki complained, “Then why not start with highballs instead?” Both of us had to agree she had a point.
I looked down at my watch. It was just before 7 p.m. Many of the other circle members who’d gotten here late were sitting at this table, indicating that it was almost time for the party to start.
I followed Ayaka’s line of sight and saw someone holding up a mug. When I asked if that was the president, she nodded back.
All eyes gathered on him.
“Okaaay… First off, congrats on exams, everyone!” he said.
Cheers of agreement rang out from all around. Ayaka put one hand up to her mouth and shouted as well. Her other hand was clutching her beer, of course.
“Now, no matter what your score ends up being, results come out next month. Tonight’s party marks the beginning of a long period of escapism.”
Everyone laughed at the speech. I liked the relaxed atmosphere here, where you could chuckle to yourself without anyone caring. No doubt drinking parties counted as a serious activity for this circle. This was where it differed from basketball circles, where drinking parties were side events at best.
Everyone waited, mug in hand for their signal to toast.
“Now, we third-years are retiring next month. I’d love to lead this toast, but I think it’s time to pass the torch to your next president.” The president surveyed the group, but nobody stood up. Or, more accurately, the nominee was nowhere to be found.
Natsuki raised her hand. “Tatsuki-saaan, your new prez seems to be abseeent!”
“Yeah, he said he was coming today!” The current president feigned exaggerated surprise, cleared his throat, and stood up straight again. “Okay, well, sounds like our next vice president will have to lead the toast! Aya-chan, if you’d please!”
Ayaka jumped in surprise. Anyone would, if their name was called out of the blue like that.
“What, me?! No way! You do it!” She waved a hand in frantic refusal, but other members of the circle egged her on.
It sounded like everyone here just called her Aya-chan.
Clearly outvoted, she timidly stood up. I could tell from how she was acting that she was in formal-Ayaka mode. I figured she could relax a little, given she was dealing with her own circle where she was well-liked, but it was a little too late to try to convince her.
“Umm… Well, everyone, I guess I’ll be leading the toast today, if that’s okay.”
“Too stiff, too stiff!” the president laughed.
Maybe she was being too formal for a drinking party with friends from university, but given the number of people in attendance, I couldn’t really blame her.
But the whole thing had apparently been a joke all along. “Sorryyy!” Ayaka smiled. I looked up at her next to me, impressed by how at-home she was here.
Since I was looking directly up at her, her chest was a major part of the view. Her breasts stood out through the black sweater, causing me to avert my eyes. Two emotions battled it out: the desire to look, and the guilt of betraying our friendship.
“Okay, everyone. Raise your mugs, please!” she called out. I shook off my dark urges and thrust my mug toward the ceiling. “Congrats on your exams! Cheers!” That last word echoed through the building all at once.
Mugs crossed and clanged above the table.
I toasted with Natsuki in front of me, the girl I didn’t know next to her, and then the guy sitting diagonally from me. Finally, I turned right to toast with Ayaka, who’d just finished her speech.
She had tons of mugs left in front of her. Some people had even come from other tables just to toast with her. She peacefully handled them one by one until she finally noticed mine.
“Hey everyone, sorry, I need a second.” Then, she lowered her mug to my eye level. “Here. Cheers.” Ayaka smiled and waited for me.
I smirked back and clinked my mug against hers.
“Cheers!”
Thus, the party had begun.