Living with the Arrogant Queen from High School is Surprisingly Not Uncomfortable

“Yamamoto-kun, thank you for today.”

The lectures ended after the fifth period, and I was kidnapped by the party-going guys who had invited me to the mixer. I was walking down the street with one guy’s arm around my shoulder.

I never thought I’d be invited to a mixer, of all things.

Well, they took a considerable fee of 4000 yen, so I felt like I had to eat a lot today to make it worth it.

However, there was one thing I was concerned about regarding this mixer.

“Are you guys sure you want someone like me as backup for today’s mixer? There must be more outgoing guys.”

“Ha ha ha. What, Yamamoto-kun, are you feeling a bit nervous? Don’t worry, we’ll introduce you properly.”

“Oh? Uh. Huh?”

The conversation didn’t make sense, so I tilted my head.

What about my question? This kind of thing annoys me the most. Are you a politician?

“…uh, are today’s partners from the same school?”

“That’s right. Girls from the Literature Department.”

“Huh.”

“They’re classmates. And there’s this really cute girl. Oh, you can’t show any strange attitudes! We won’t be able to organize a mixer again.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Oh, we’ll be there soon. Just a reminder, you’re still underage, so no alcohol, okay?”

Huh, a wholesome mixer, I thought. But the place we were taken to was a chain izakaya.

Well, I guess it’s not a problem if you don’t order alcohol.

I was convinced by myself.

I was then led into the izakaya by the guys.

We were guided to a private room in the tatami area. A room where a total of eight people, four in two rows, could sit.

We guys sat down in one row first.

“We can change seats later.”

“Oh, okay.”

The brown-haired guy who invited me to this mixer… surprisingly took good care of me and taught me a lot.

However, once they sat down, they started talking cheerfully among themselves and left me out. Well, it can’t be helped. It would be rude to create a cold atmosphere before the mixer by joining in their conversation. After all, they are lifesavers for me.

Until some time passed, I was looking at cleaning equipment product information on the e-commerce site that I visit daily on my smartphone.

“Good evening.”

Before long, a high-pitched voice echoed in the room.

And then after a while, the guys got excited too.

One.

Two.

Three.

Girls who seemed familiar from somewhere came rushing into the private room one after another. And after a brief chat, they sat down opposite us.

“Where’s the other one?”

“She’s coming after withdrawing some money. She’ll probably be here soon.”

“I’m sorry!”

“Here she comes.”

Out of breath, a girl reached for the door of the private room.

“Uh.”

I let out a strange voice.

“Ah, uh, what does that mean, Yamamoto-kun?”

Same university. Literature Department. Damn, I should’ve realized sooner.

The last girl who just entered the private room…

That person is…

“Ka, Kasahara.”

“Yeah. You seem tired, Yamamoto-kun.”

“Why, why are you here?”

“Huh? I knew you were coming today.”

“Why?”

“Because we requested it. We asked them to invite you too.”

I slowly looked at the boys, but they avoided my gaze and didn’t meet it.

…Not that I’m blaming them.

I just wanted them to explain the situation…but it seems like I’m not going to get an answer.

Well, but if I thought about it carefully, I could have figured it out.

There must have been other guys they could have asked to help at the mixer. Despite that, they targeted me in that lecture room.

In other words, for them, it was absolutely necessary that I be at today’s mixer.

“Did you two happen to know each other?”

One of the boys asked us.

“Eh? … Ah, ha ha.”

Kasahara laughed evasively. It’s strange, usually, she would jokingly say that we were ex-lovers.

“Well, that’s fine, isn’t it?”

The girl who came to Kasahara’s rescue was sitting next to her.

Now that I think about it, she was the one who asked various questions when she was talking with Kasahara in the cafeteria.

“Eh, what’s up, I’m curious.”

“That’s right. Tell us, Yamagiwa-kun!”

“Yamamoto-kun.”

At Kasahara’s voice, the atmosphere in the room seemed a bit tense.

“…right?”

Looking at Kasahara’s wry smile, everyone had a dry smile on their faces.

Well, it’s their fault this time. It’s only natural that there are people who get uncomfortable when their names are blatantly mistaken.

Me?

I don’t really care about such things.

But, I was thinking.

I was thinking.

…I want to go home.