I Drink Every Night With a Lookalike of a Popular Idol on the Riverbank
Unable to bear the cold, we ended up drinking at Nanase’s place.
Whether it was because she was getting used to having people over or just work stress, Nanase was clearly drinking faster than usual tonight.
Sitting next to me on the sofa, she gave a soft, cat-like smile. Her cheeks were flushed a beautiful pink. She was completely drunk.
โHey, Yosuke. Suddenly, I kinda feel like playing a party game.โ
โJust the two of us!?โ
โWell, there are party games you can play with just two people, right?โ
โWellโฆ like Mario Party or something.โ
โWerewolf, right!?โ
โJust the two of us!? That’s just villager or werewolf, right!?โ
โYes! Then, I’ll be the werewolf!โ
โVolunteer system!?โ
Nanase-san seemed to be in a pretty good mood.
I pulled out my phone and, as instructed, installed and launched the Werewolf app. The screen displayed โPlease check your roleโ. I peeked at my own screen.
[You are a Villager]
Alright, I thought, mentally pumping my fist. The instant I did, a devilish chuckle reached me from beside me: โFufufuโฆโ The game was already over at that point.
There was no doubt about it. Nanase-san was the werewolf.
Right then, with a cute, ferocious roar of โGABOOO!โ, Nanase-san clung tightly to my arm.
Soft skin and the sweet scent of alcohol enveloped me.
Burying her face in my arm and nuzzling away, she looked less like a werewolf and more like a small dog.
โW-Wait, Nanase-san!?โ
โThe werewolf ate the villager. I win, right?โ
Her face still buried in my arm, she chuckled contentedly. My heart was pounding at an insane rate. Was this because of the game, or the alcohol?
โโฆOne more round!โ
The first round ended in mere seconds, and like a child, she demanded a second round.
โWhat’s fun about thisโฆ?โ
โWell, as a werewolf, it’s not fun at all, right?โ
โRight!?โ
โBut it’s fun, isn’t it~?โ
Nanase-san laughed heartily and patted my shoulder. This person is pretty wastedโฆ
Reluctantly, I operated the app to start the second round. The screen announced the roles again.
ใYou are a Werewolfใ
As I checked my role, Nanase-san next to me stared at me with an unusually eager look.
โCome on, come on~. Werewolf-san, come gobble me up~โ
โNanase-san, you’re way too drunkโฆโ
โJust come on, come on~โ
She lay completely defenseless on the sofa, waiting for my โattackโ.
Resigned and embarrassed, I slowly reached out toward her.
โGโฆ gobbleโ
Then, I gently pinched her apple-red cheeks between my thumb and index finger. That was the most โattackโ I could manage.
At my pathetically weak assault, she flushed, smiling shyly and happily.
โTh-thatโฆ wasn’t so bad.โ
โWellโฆ I meanโฆ going all out would be a bit muchโฆโ
Just then, click, the front door lock turned.
โHuh?โ
My spine froze.
Who? Coming in with a spare key at this hour? Could it beโฆ her boyfriendโฆ!?
If he saw us having fun playing Werewolf, it would definitely be hell.
As I panicked, the door quietly opened, and a familiar expressionless face peeked into the living room.
โโฆAhโฆ Asagiriโฆsan?โ
โโฆIndeed. Asagiri Hiori, at your service.โ
Standing there was Asagiri Hiori-san, dressed in black sweatpants.
โWhy are you here, Asagiri-san!?โ
โโฆI came to play a game. Or ratherโฆ no, I see. Did I interrupt?โ
โN-no, not at all! It’s not interrupting at all!? Right!? Yosuke!?โ
Nanase-san smoothed her slightly disheveled hair, trying to cover it up. I nodded frantically too, not wanting to be suspected of some weird relationship.
โY-yeah, totally! We were playing Werewolf together just now!โ
Asagiri tilted her head.
โโฆIs that fun?โ
โFun! Fun! Fun!โ
My voice naturally synced with Nanase’s.
โโฆIt’s a dream come true where only joy exists.โ
She said this in her usual flat tone, then rustled her convenience store bag as she stomped up the stairs into the room.
โHuh? Wait, why did you let her in!?โ
โโฆSpare key.โ
Hiori-san said this casually, pulling a key out of her pocket to show me.
The words echoed in my head. A relationship where you share a spare key. That meant, well, that kind ofโฆ
โWait, do you twoโฆ are you datingโฆ?โ
โHaโฆ What kind of idea is that?โ
โโฆWell, we do take baths together and sometimes stay overโฆโ
Nanase-san and Asagiri-san exchanged glances and laughed, denying it.
โWe just gave each other keys so we could wake each other up in the morning. That’s why she comes over to hang out like this.โ
โโฆRight. share keys to wake each other up so we don’t get late for work.โ
โExactly!โ
โOh, I seeโฆ That’s tough for a stylist. You’re basically doing manager stuff too.โ
The moment I voiced that sudden realization, Nanase and Asagiri exchanged a meaningful glance.
โY-yeahโฆ that’s right. It’sโฆ tough, you know.โ
โโฆI’m always the one getting woken up. I’m terrible in the mornings.โ
โOh, now that there are three of us, wanna play Werewolf? Rule is when you bite, you have to go โGABOOO!โ in real life too!โ
Nanase-san suggested this, seemingly to change the subject. Asagiri-san grimaced.
โโฆSo you were doing stuff like frivolous college students.โ
โIt’s a wholesome game, okay!?โ
Nanase and I both scrambled to deny it. But the truth was, that moment when we played Werewolf just the two of usโฆ I couldn’t help but feel regret that I hadn’t gone for the bite with more gusto.
Maiasa