It's June 24.
Nozomi's birthday party.
The day I've been debating with myself for what feels like forever.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my shirt for the third time, wondering if I should even bother dressing up. I'm not the kind of person who goes to parties. I don't even know how to socialize, I don't dance, and I don't belong in a place where people are laughing, celebrating, and being the center of attention.
But…
Nozomi. That was the only thing keeping me from backing out entirely.
I run a hand through my hair, sighing. I could text her that something came up. That I'm sick. That I completely forgot. But that would make me a liar.
And I already promised her I would show up.
"Ugh," I groan, rubbing my temples. "Why is this so hard?"
It's just a party. Just a few hours. If I don't like it, I can always slip away when no one's paying attention.
I glance at my phone, seeing the time.
7:21 PM.
Her party starts at 8.
If I leave now, I'll get there on time, but the thought of being on time to a party filled with strangers is unbearable. I could just show up late, wait until things settle down, and make my entrance when people are too busy to notice me.
That seems like a solid plan.
But I already know someone is going to notice.
Ichika.
She's going. And knowing her, she'll see right through whatever excuse I try to make for being late.
I grab my phone, hesitating for a second before typing a message to Ichika.
'You're going to Sakura's party, right?'
It doesn't take long before I get a reply.
'Of course! Are you?'
I exhale slowly.
'Yeah. Thinking of showing up late, though.'
'Why?'
'Fewer people to notice me.'
There's a pause before another message pops up.
'Kenji.'
That one-word text alone is enough to make me sigh. I can practically hear the disapproval in her voice.
'What?'
'Come with me.'
I blink at the screen.
'What?'
'Come with me. I'll meet you outside your dorm, and we'll go together.'
I hesitate. That… sounds better than walking into the party by myself. But at the same time, it makes it harder for me to leave if I want to slip away unnoticed.
Still…
If Ichika is with me, won't she abandon her friends? Wouldn't they think I was dragging her away?
I hesitate, staring at my phone screen. It doesn't feel right for me to tag along when she probably has people she'd rather be with.
'But I thought you were going with friends. I don't want to intervene.'
A response comes almost immediately.
'Oh, it's just Minami and me. She's already at the party, don't worry.'
I read her message twice, processing it. Just Minami? I was expecting a whole group of people. If it's just them, then maybe it won't be so overwhelming. Maybe I won't feel so out of place.
Still, I hesitate before replying.
'Fine.'
'Okayyy! I'm heading toward your dorm, so get ready!'
I sigh, shaking my head. Typical Ichika, no room for argument.
I roll my eyes, but can't help the small smile tugging at my lips.
Looks like I'm going after all.
I glance at my closet. What do you even wear to a party like this? Something fancy? Casual? I settle on a dark button-up and jeans, something that won't make me stand out too much.
As I put on my shoes, my mind drifts. What if the party is loud? Crowded? What if people stare at me and wonder why I'm even there?
I shake my head. No. I have no excuse.
Just as I finish adjusting my collar, there's a knock at my door.
I already know who it is.
I take a deep breath and open it, greeted by Ichika's usual bright smile. "Ready?"
I'm taken by surprise by her outfit, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "D-Do I have a choice?"
"Nope!" She grins, grabbing my wrist and pulling me forward. "Let's go before you change your mind."
Her hair was done in that effortless way that probably took her an hour, and she'd put on some makeup. Not too much, just enough to make her stand out without trying too hard. It was weird seeing her like that.
I sigh, but let her drag me along. "Just… don't leave me alone in there, okay?"
Ichika slows her pace slightly, her expression softening. "I wouldn't do that."
"Don't forget a present."
"OH!"
I froze mid-step before spinning around and rushing back into my dorm, nearly tripping over my own feet. Of course, I forgot a present. Why wouldn't I? My brain was too busy overthinking everything else.
Ichika laughed behind me as I fumbled around, pulling some money from my wallet. Not the most personal gift, but it was better than showing up empty-handed.
"Okay, I'm ready," I announced, shutting the door behind me.
"Good," Ichika teased. "I was about to go without you."
"R-Really?" I asked, completely genuine.
She blinked at me before laughing. "No! Of course not," she said, realizing I had taken her seriously. "What kind of friend do you think I am?"
I let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of my neck. "I dunno… You sounded pretty convincing."
She shook her head, a smile still tugging at her lips. "Kenji, if I wanted to ditch you, I wouldn't have waited for you in the first place."
I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be reassuring or not, but I nodded anyway.
As we finally stepped outside the school gates, the air felt different, lighter, maybe because the party was starting to feel real now. We walked at a steady pace, and Ichika kept the conversation going effortlessly, mostly talking about Minami and how she'd probably be running around the party the entire night.
"She's got, like, a million friends," Ichika said. "She's social like that. Not Nozomi-level popular, but enough to make her disappear on us every five minutes."
"Guess it's just us then," I muttered.
Ichika turned to me, grinning. "You sound so disappointed."
"N-No! That's not what I meant-"
"Relax, I'm kidding," she laughed. "It'll be fun. Or at the very least, tolerable."
As I was about to reply, my phone buzzed.
I pulled it out of my pocket, my eyes scanning the screen, and it was Nozomi.
'Hey, are you coming?'
Something about the message made my chest feel a little lighter. She cared if I showed up.
I quickly typed out a reply.
'Yeah, I'm on my way.'
I put my phone away, but not before Ichika caught me smiling.
"What's with that face?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Huh? What face?"
Ichika smirked. "The one that says you're happy to be going to this party."
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "It's not like that. Nozomi just asked if I was coming, that's all."
"Ohhh," Ichika dragged out, her smirk widening. "So she's checking up on you? Interesting, first name too? Aww~"
"Stop making it weird," I grumbled, quickening my pace.
"You'll have to explain to me later." Ichika teased.
I sighed, but couldn't hide the small smile on my face.
As we neared the venue, the sounds of the party became clearer: laughter, clinking glasses, and the thumping of bass-heavy music. The place was bigger than I expected, a spacious outdoor area decorated with string lights and banners. Groups of students stood in clusters, some chatting excitedly while others danced near the music speakers.
I swallowed. "That's… a lot of people."
Ichika chuckled. "Come on, it's not that bad. Just stick with me, and you'll survive."
Somehow, I wasn't convinced. But as we stepped closer, I realized there was no turning back now.
Ichika walked ahead confidently, glancing back to make sure I was still following. I hesitated for only a second before taking a deep breath and stepping further inside.
"See? Not so bad, right?" Ichika nudged me with her elbow.
I forced a small smile. "Yeah… not so bad."
I was lying.
This was exactly the kind of place I didn't belong in. Everyone here seemed so effortlessly social, moving from group to group like it was second nature. Meanwhile, I was already calculating how long I had to stay before it was considered acceptable to leave.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a message from Kudo.
'Wanna go to the party together?'
The text from Kudo popped up on my phone screen. I glanced at the time. Yeah, he probably just woke up and realized he was missing out on free food.
'Can't, I'm already here with a friend.'
I barely had time to put my phone away before another message arrived.
'Is this that girl from before?'
I sighed. What does that even matter?
'What does that matter?' I replied, already knowing where this conversation was headed.
'Just admit you're dating her.'
I rolled my eyes. Typical Kudo.
'No chance,' I typed back before ending the chat.
"Kenji, let's go greet Sakura," Ichika said, tugging lightly on my sleeve.
"Uh, yeah, sure," I mumbled, stuffing my phone into my pocket.
The party was in full swing, and I had no clue where Nozomi even was. There were so many people here, way more than I expected. Her house was massive, but the real highlight was the beautiful garden surrounding it. Everything was perfectly maintained, the flowers arranged in elegant patterns, the pathways lined with small decorative lights. The whole place is about money, but not too much money, a nice amount, I believe.
I found myself wondering something funny: do her parents care about her?
As we moved through the crowded garden, Ichika suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes landing on a familiar figure in the middle of a lively group.
"Minami!" she called out, waving as she stepped forward.
Minami turned, her face lighting up the moment she spotted Ichika. "Ichikaaa!" she practically sang, dramatically throwing her arms in the air before rushing over.
I lingered behind, watching as Minami, who had been thriving at this party, pulled Ichika into a tight hug. "You finally made it! I was starting to think you ditched me for Kenji of all people," she teased, flashing me a smirk.
I rolled my eyes. "Nice to see you too, Minami."
Ichika laughed, ignoring the teasing. "I figured you'd already made a ton of friends."
Minami tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Obviously. I'm the star of the show, second to Sakura, of course," she added quickly, gesturing vaguely toward Nozomi's direction. "But seriously, you should've come with me earlier! These people are so much fun."
Ichika smiled. "I'll take your word for it."
One of Minami's new acquaintances, a girl with dyed purple hair, leaned in. "So you're Ichika? Minami won't shut up about you."
"Oh?" Ichika raised an eyebrow, amused. "Good things, I hope?"
"Ehh, a mix," Minami teased, shooting Ichika a playful grin. "Mostly how you're too nice for your own good."
Ichika sighed, but she was still smiling. "Right. Thanks, Minami."
"Anytime."
Minami's eyes flickered toward me, and her smirk widened. "So, Kenji, you're here too? And with Ichika, no less. Suspicious~"
I sighed. "It's not like that."
Minami shrugged, clearly enjoying herself. "Sure, sure. Either way, I'll allow it. Just don't be too much of a loner, okay? This is a party, not your gloomy little dorm room."
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why do you care?"
"I don't," she said, grinning. "I just think it's funny when you get defensive."
Ichika nudged me lightly, stepping in before I could snap back. "We're gonna go find Sakura. You coming?"
"Nah, I'll catch up later," Minami said, already turning back to her growing circle of party friends. "You two have fun~"
Ichika gave her a knowing look. "Don't get into too much trouble, Minami."
"No promises!" Minami called over her shoulder as she dove back into the crowd.
Ichika chuckled and turned to me. "Alright, let's go find Sakura."
I nodded, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Something told me Minami was going to be a lot at this party.
We finally found Nozomi. She was in the middle of a large group, laughing and chatting like the center of attention she naturally was.
Ichika was the first to step forward. "Sakura! Happy birthday!" she said brightly, pulling Nozomi into a hug.
Nozomi beamed. "Ichika! Thank you so much for coming!"
They pulled away, and Ichika handed over an envelope.
"Thank you!"
Then, Nozomi's eyes landed on me. Before I could even react, she suddenly threw her arms around my neck.
"Kenji!"
I stiffened, completely caught off guard. "H-h-happy b-birthday… Nozomi…" I stammered, feeling the heat rise to my face.
I looked over to see Ichika looking at me, smirking. I would need to do a lot of explanations for that.
She pulled away with a bright smile. It took me a second to realize I needed to give her my present.
"Oh, right," I mumbled, quickly handing over the envelope I had prepared earlier.
Nozomi took it with a satisfied nod. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice soft. "You shouldn't have given me a gift."
I watched as she tucked the envelope away with the others. It was strange. For someone who had everything, she seemed genuinely happy that we were here.
I exhaled, trying to ease the awkwardness I felt. "Well… It's your birthday. Would've been weird if I showed up empty-handed."
Nozomi giggled. "Yeah, but I didn't invite you for the present, silly. I just wanted you here."
"Oooh~" Ichika teased, drawing out the sound with a sly grin as she leaned toward me.
I groaned inwardly. I'm going to die. Right here, at this party. Death by embarrassment.
"Anyway," I cleared my throat, trying to regain what little dignity I had left. "Ichika and I will be enjoying our time here… hopefully without any further chaos or incidents."
"Such high and noble words," Nozomi chimed in, raising her brow playfully. But behind the joke, something flickered in her expression, something I couldn't quite place.
How does she do that? Just a few days ago, she went through something awful. She was nearly-
I cut the thought off. Too heavy for now. But still, how can she smile so easily again? Laugh so freely? Has she recovered that fast… or is this all just a mask?
"Have fun, you two!" she said, her cheer back in full force. Pizza and drinks are over by the bar. And," she lowered her voice with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "alcohol, too… if you're feeling brave."
"A-Alcohol?" I blinked. Wasn't that, "Isn't that, uh, kind of illegal?"
"Yep," Nozomi said with a wink. "But hey, what the police don't know won't hurt it. Shhh." She pressed a finger to her lips.
"…Right."
"Now go. Party. Have fun!"