Boring.
Ayaka sat in the restaurant, propping up her fragrant cheeks with a bored expression.
Her slender fingers tapped on the table. Beside her sat a round-faced girl.
Though not as striking as Ayaka, she was still pure and lovely.
The girl was Ayaka's middle school classmate, Maeda Yui.
In middle school, she called her 'Yui-chan' affectionately.
They had a good relationship.
But after graduation, they attended different high schools, and contact dwindled.
Ayaka wasn't nostalgic.
If the old doesn't go, the new won't come.
She had little interest in maintaining the friendship, and their contact faded.
Recently, Yui heard Ayaka was looking for a mixer and texted to meet up on the weekend.
Ayaka had nothing else to do, so she agreed.
But when the day came, she wasn't thrilled about it.
Ayaka had attended too many mixer events before and never met a good man.
Her recent encounter with a highly capable junior in the Kendo Club made her even less enthusiastic about this mixer.
If not for her prior arrangement with Yui, she would've ghosted them.
She barely put effort into her makeup.
Still, the guys' eyes lit up when they saw her.
Ayaka sneered, "See, this is charm."
But her charm only captivated these ordinary people, worsening her mood.
"Why me? Sakura gets to date such a handsome guy, and I'm stuck smiling at these jerks," Ayaka thought.
Two girls were at the mixer: Yui and Ayaka.
Four guys came, all from Yui's school.
The 'leader,' Mikami Kensuke, sat opposite Ayaka, boasting.
Muscular, dark-skinned, short blond hair, floral shirt with two buttons undone, he oozed masculine charm.
Not Ayaka's type.
Another was a red-haired O'gulen with a cute baby face, looking younger than his peers.
Ayaka used to like that type, so she chatted with him out of boredom.
She regretted it; he got too enthusiastic.
Did he think she was interested? No way.
The other was Handa… Handa something?
His plain appearance made Ayaka forget his name.
O'gulen and Handa went to the restroom, leaving Mikami Kensuke to boast.
"I go surfing in the summer! That's how I got this tan," Mikami said, smiling. "Ayaka-chan, want to go to the beach this summer?"
"'Ayaka-chan'… so intimate," Ayaka's mouth twitched.
These guys were overly familiar; in ten minutes, they were already using first names.
Soon, they'd add '-chan.'
"We'll see," Ayaka replied noncommittally.
If not for Yui, she'd have left.
"Which sea area?" Yui asked, sensing Ayaka's disinterest, picking up Mikami's topic.
"Izu, Izu!" Mikami laughed, chatting with Yui.
He glanced at Ayaka with resentment.
"Stupid bitch, you talk to O'gulen but give me attitude?! I'm definitely recording your moans later!!"
Ayaka didn't look at Mikami, her mouth curving subtly.
Her keen nature sensed his surreptitious gaze.
Yui and Mikami talked, but Ayaka stayed silent.
She checked her phone; Sakura hadn't replied.
Sakura wouldn't reply during a date anyway.
Boring, boring, boring.
Ayaka scrolled, thinking… Since Sakura wouldn't reply, what if she texted Hayato?
Texting him secretly while he's on a date with her best friend… exciting.
She kept scrolling.
Mikami grew furious at Ayaka's disregard.
"Damn it, what are O'gulen and Handa doing? So slow?!"
Mikami looked toward the restroom.
Then he saw O'gulen come out.
Ayaka sent her first message to Hayato:
"Where are you guys now?"
A 'ding-dong' sounded, like a phone ringing.
Then a 'thump.'
O'gulen was pushed, his slender body falling onto the table in front of Ayaka, Yui, and Mikami.
"Mi-Mikami bro…" O'gulen called weakly, face bruised, hair and face wet with a strange odor.
Ayaka reacted quickly, smelling the scent, standing, and retreating two steps.
"O'gulen!?" Mikami was incredulous.
He slapped the table, standing with a bang!
He and Ayaka looked at the person who pushed O'gulen.
A slender figure, pale skin, long dark bangs nearly covering his eyes, wooden sword tapping his shoulder.
"Hayato!?" Ayaka exclaimed.
Hayato held the sword in one hand, checking his phone with the other.
Ayaka's message.
He raised his eyes, chuckling:
"Right here, Ayaka-senpai."
"!?"
Mikami looked between Ayaka and Hayato: "You two know each other!? Explain!!"
Hayato didn't answer Mikami; he hesitated.
This was abrupt; Ayaka-senpai was at the mixer, likely unaware.
He needed to explain, or she might think he was causing trouble…
"Ayaka-senpai, they're not good people," Hayato said first.
"I know," Ayaka nodded seriously, striding agilely to Hayato's side.
Hayato: ?
No explanation needed?
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