Chapter 2:
The Christmas Mixer
ON CHRISTMAS DAY, I PLOPPED DOWN IN A SEAT at a restaurant that was fancy, yet thanks to Ayaka, devoid of couples.
“I’m amazed you found a place like this,” I mused. “I’d figure most nice spots are fully booked up by the lovebirds on days like today.” It wasn’t as luxurious and atmospheric compared to the restaurant yesterday, but given the fact that prices were much more reasonable across the board, I preferred this one.
Seemingly reading my mind, Ayaka gave a smug thumbs-up. “Scouting places out in person is always better than surfing the web. Since I’m the organizer, I gotta do my job right.”
“At least there’s one thing you take seriously.” I’d meant it as a mostly genuine compliment, but she didn’t take it that way.
“‘At least,’ huh? You make it sound like I don’t take things seriously, but I’ll have you know, I actually do.”
“Ooh. Okay, then I have a question for you. May I?” I asked Ayaka from across the table.
“Wh-why so formal?” she stammered.
“Right. So. Why is nobody else here?”
At that, she looked surprised. “Y-you’ve really done it… You asked the most taboo question in all of social gatherings!”
Her theatrical tone and expression were those of a true actress—the kind of presence that all of my friends would agree was beautiful. But my high school days, when something like this would actually make my heart flutter, had passed.
“Shut up,” I shot back. “There’s nobody here but us. No men, no women.”
I’m pretty sure she had explicitly called this a mixer on the phone.
“I…made a mistake.”
“Hmm?”
“I told you the wrong time! I gave you a time an hour early!” The act dropped in an instant, and she started talking like normal again. “Like, it’s my fault, granted, but do you ever look at your phone? I sent you so many messages and you haven’t read any of them!”
“Huh? For real?” I checked my phone and saw that I’d gotten a few LINE messages early this afternoon.
Sorry! I gave you the wrong time. Come tonight at 8 p.m.!
Tonight at 8!
Hey, if you don’t reply, I’m gonna have to head there an hour early.
At least read these!
Okay, fine! I’ll just go!
“Yep, sure did.”
I usually spent my time at home scrolling video-sharing websites, so I hadn’t noticed the notifications. Keeping my phone on silent didn’t help matters.
“I was wondering why you hadn’t replied, but I guess you’re so lonely living alone that you just blast music or something.” Ayaka rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want to make you wait for an hour, so I came early to keep you company.”
“Mmm.”
She was the one who messed up first, after all. The fact that she stuck to her guns was…neither good nor bad, but very like her.
Maybe I should thank her.
“By the way, why’d they let us in if we were an hour early?” I asked.
“They didn’t have any bookings now either, so they were flexible about it. I’ll have to thank them when I pay.”
We continued to chat idly for the next forty minutes or so until everyone arrived.
As much as I grumbled, Ayaka really was the person I could let my guard down around the most. I’d never tell her that because she’d definitely tease me, but I found hanging out with her one-on-one much more fun than any mixer.