"Mmm…"
Her head hurt a little.
…Did I fall asleep?
Ichinose Honami slowly opened her eyes. Her vision swayed, blurry at first, then gradually came into focus.
The dim curtains, the bright indoor lights, the messy table in front of her—everything still carried the traces of the birthday party.
Paper cups. Cake. Snacks. Gifts. Confetti. Streamers.
Ah… right.
It was her birthday.
This was Chihiro's room.
Everyone had gathered here to celebrate her turning another year older.
She had made a wish in front of the candles.
Then—
Chihiro brought out the alcohol.
She wanted to use it to push herself forward. To gather the courage to ask whether they were dating.
But instead of giving her courage—
The alcohol extinguished it.
Fatigue crept in. Her thoughts blurred.
Cup after cup—
And her consciousness slipped away.
It wasn't a blackout. She hadn't drunk that much.
The headache came from sleeping in an awkward position, and not for long enough.
More than that—
The quality of her sleep had been poor.
In her half-dreaming state, she had vaguely heard something.
A girl's voice.
Crying. Suppressed.
And something else—
A wet, rhythmic sound.
…Was that a dream?
"Pop—"
A sound like a bottle cap opening echoed faintly.
Soft noises followed.
A low, muffled whimper drifted in the distance.
"Mm…"
Ichinose pushed herself up.
The blanket that had been draped over her slipped off.
Her vision cleared.
Her hearing followed.
…Where was everyone?
Where was Asakusa? Where was Chihiro?
What about Shibata and Kanzaki…
Then—
She saw Chihiro.
Shiranami Chihiro was sitting nearby in a duck-like posture. Her cheeks were flushed red, her hair damp and clinging to her forehead. Her white dress was wrinkled, pushed up to her thighs, and one of her white stockings was missing.
She leaned against the table, breathing softly.
…From alcohol?
Ichinose tried to make sense of it.
The flushed face—because of drinking.
The sweat—because she was overheated.
The messy clothes—because she had tried to take them off in a daze.
Maybe…
The air conditioner had been too strong.
After all, five people had been packed into this small room earlier.
If someone dressed lightly like Chihiro stayed under that cold air too long—
It wouldn't be strange for her to catch a chill.
Honestly…
Why hadn't anyone adjusted the temperature?
"Ah, Honami, you're awake?"
Chihiro quickly sat up, forcing a slightly guilty smile.
"Shibata and Kanzaki already left. Honestly… it was your birthday, and you just fell asleep."
Her complaint masked the faint unease in her heart.
At the same time, she subtly pulled down her skirt.
A breeze drifted in from the open balcony door.
The air conditioner was still running, yet the windows were open too.
Ventilation.
Ichinose wrinkled her nose slightly.
The night air was fresh—
But mixed within it was a faint, indescribable scent.
For a moment, she couldn't identify it.
Then—
It slipped away.
Her gaze drifted to the digital clock.
00:00.
Midnight.
July 21.
Her birthday was over.
She hadn't asked.
Not about them.
Not about the diary.
…She had simply fallen asleep.
No—
She had wanted to fall asleep.
She had wished to miss that moment.
And now—
She had.
Her resolve had vanished with it.
But then—
"Where's Asakusa-kun?"
The question slipped out naturally.
Chihiro answered just as naturally.
"He's on the balcony."
"…I see."
Ichinose paused, then grabbed a water bottle and poured herself a glass.
"Gulp…"
The cold water cleared her mind.
She set it down, picked up the fallen blanket, and gently draped it over Chihiro.
"You'll catch a cold," she said softly.
"Do you want some water?"
Chihiro shook her head.
"…No, I'm fine. Thanks."
"…Alright. I'll go talk to him for a bit."
Ichinose nodded, then stopped mid-step.
"…I had a great birthday. Thank you."
Chihiro didn't respond.
Instead—
While Ichinose's back was turned, she quickly grabbed a small piece of fabric from the floor.
Something she had prepared in advance.
Something she had taken off earlier.
Now—
She needed to put it back on.
The damp fabric pressed against her skin.
The sense of coverage returned.
A strange relief.
A strange thrill.
Doing something like this—
Right in front of her best friend.
Her cheeks flushed even deeper.
…Sorry, Honami.
It turns out—
I'm the worst one here.
The bad girl.
She had never imagined it would feel this intoxicating.
The more she suppressed her voice, afraid of waking her friend—
The more she wanted to lose control.
The moment she stepped into adulthood—
She realized just how far she had fallen.
But now wasn't the time.
Honami had gone to the balcony.
She had to clean up.
The scattered clothes.
The traces.
The smell.
Everything.
She could only hope—
That pure, innocent Honami wouldn't recognize it.
...
The night breeze was strong.
As soon as Ichinose stepped onto the balcony, her hair fluttered in the wind.
Her gaze landed on him.
Asakusa Toru stood by the railing, looking out into the distance.
For some reason—
She felt like he should be holding a cigarette.
She shook the thought away and walked closer.
"…Awake?"
Without turning around, he spoke.
She paused—
Then quickened her pace.
In just a few steps—
She closed the distance.
No—
More than that.
She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind.
Pressed her body against him.
Like someone drunk—
Leaning her full weight into him.
The softness of her body pressed against his back, shifting under the pressure.
Warmth spread.
"…Are you drunk?"
He asked.
There was no scent of alcohol—
Only her familiar shampoo.
Still, he asked.
Because things had changed.
Because now—
It was her turn.
"…I'm not drunk."
Her arms tightened slightly.
"I was never drunk."
Three people sharing one bottle—
It wasn't enough to knock her out.
She had simply…
Chosen to sleep.
To escape.
But that wasn't acceptable.
So now—
She held him from behind.
"You and Chihiro are dating, aren't you?"
Not a question.
A statement.
Certainty.
Ichinose wasn't blind.
Nor deaf.
She hadn't slept that deeply.
She had woken up soon enough.
The flushed cheeks—
The messy clothes—
She knew.
Enough self-deception.
"I won't ask you to break up," she said quietly.
"She confessed first. I was the one who didn't answer."
"But… if possible…"
"I hope you don't make her sad."
"She's a good girl."
"A much better girl than me. Someone who can truly make people happy."
"She doesn't like me that way. Her feelings are normal."
She spoke steadily.
One sentence after another.
"…"
Then—
A pause.
"So if you're going to write in that diary… write about me."
"If you're going to mock someone, mock me."
"If you're going to expose someone's life—"
"Then expose mine."
Enjoyed these chapters? Access 60+ ahead advanced chapters and exclusive content by visiting my Patreon. https://patreon.com/WillOFD129?