I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me V1 Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The Sleepover
I made my way home under the sparse glow of the streetlights and was now sprawled out on my sofa, unwinding.
The after-party had apparently moved on to karaoke, but I decided to head home instead. Ayaka had been the one to invite me, so everyone was surprisingly warm and welcoming, but that was another matter entirely. After she and Natsuki called over a few more circle members, the table livened up, and the drinking party actually turned into a pretty good time. The alcohol helped me loosen up, so I didn’t have to be so careful with my words, and it’s amazing how quickly people get friendly over drinks.
“Senpai~ I’m almost done with the dishes. You really let them pile up, didn’t you~?”
“Thanks.”
I’d texted Shinohara telling her to go home, but she was still in my apartment. Turns out, she’d just been killing time at a nearby convenience store. Apparently, a bunch of new magazines had been released today, and she’d lost all track of time.
While she was tackling the dishes, I was just relaxing, but the alcohol must have been catching up to me because my head was getting heavier by the minute. Just as I sensed she was finally done in the kitchen, I cracked one eye open slightly.
Smack!A sharp sting echoed against my cheek. I felt the cool touch of her palm and knew instantly that Shinohara had slapped her hand there with considerable force.
“—Ow.”
“Ahh, you’re really out of it, aren’t you? The usual Senpai would be yelling at me right about now.”
Shinohara caressed my cheek, a playful smile curving her lips.
“I’m drunk.”
“I can tell just by looking at you.”
I turned my face away, but her hand remained. I could feel her presence drawing nearer, so she must have been right beside me now. My eyes had closed again at some point, and the weight in my head made me think…
Yeah, I really am drunk.Even though I’d just had that conversation with Reina, the direct, cool touch of Shinohara’s palm on my skin helped clear my mind.
“Senpai~?”
“……Feels nice.”
“Ah, yup. Well, I was just doing the dishes, you see.”
Come to think of it, Shinohara hadn’t eaten here today, which meant she was only washing my dishes. She must have seen how drunk I was and figured my chores would be neglected again, so she’d taken care of them for me.
“Thank you.”
My words made Shinohara burst out laughing.
“I’m always like this, you know. If you’re going to thank me, you should do it more often.”
“Usually, I just consider it part of your rent……”
“C’mon, you’re just supposed to say, ‘I get it,’ there.”
She lightly pinched my cheek, then gently stroked the spot. A few seconds of silence passed between us. It wasn’t awkward; in fact, it was surprisingly comfortable.
“Wanna stay over tonight?”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Was it the alcohol, or had some part of me wanted to ask her all along?
Hearing my proposal, Shinohara looked genuinely surprised. It didn’t take long for her to reply.
“I don’t have a change of clothes with me, though. If that’s okay with you.”
◇◆
“I mean, the way you used to kick me out right before the last train was what was weird in the first place,” Shinohara complained as she rummaged through my dresser.
I’d been the one to tell her to find something to wear, but the sight of my clothes piling up higher and higher was making me antsy. Noticing my unease, Shinohara’s lips curved into a smirk.
“Don’t worry, I’ll fold them and put them back properly. They were all just crammed in here, so I figured I’d take them out while I was at it.”
“Oh.”
Relieved, I rolled over. In that case, she could make as much of a mess as she wanted. In fact, I’d be happy if she made a huge mess and organized the whole thing for me. My mind was at its worst, but my body, heavy with alcohol, refused to cooperate.
“Senpai, can I borrow this?”
She called out to me just as I’d rolled over, so I reluctantly turned back. Pinched between her fingers was the jersey I used to wear for the basketball circle. That would probably work as pajamas, so I readily agreed.
“Sure. Sorry, I don’t have any women’s clothes.”
“I’d be seriously weirded out if you did.”
Her reply made me mentally reconfirm that all of Reina’s things were definitely gone. I hadn’t organized my dresser since we broke up, so I was a little worried, but Shinohara’s reaction seemed to indicate it was fine. I peek into my closet often enough, but I rarely look inside my dresser, so my memory is hazy.
“By the way, Senpai, you don’t have a girlfriend, right? Since, you know, I’m staying over.”
“Yeah, I don’t have one right now. It’s fine.”
Reacting to the implication in the word ‘now,’ Shinohara paused her folding. I hadn’t even told her that I’d had a girlfriend until recently. Even though we’d talked about my views on love, I’d never once mentioned Reina. I wanted to avoid talking about her with someone who didn’t know her at all.
But now, after running into Reina and getting that phone call, those memories were resurfacing with vivid clarity. And I was finding it a little hard to bear it all alone. Perhaps that feeling was what made me phrase my answer that way. Unconsciously, I might have wanted Shinohara to notice.
“I broke up with her recently.”
Telling someone who knew nothing of Reina’s existence—that alone took a great deal of effort. If Reina hadn’t called today, and if it hadn’t been Shinohara here with me, I probably would never have told a stranger about her. Today was just a special day where all those conditions overlapped.
“How long were you two together~?” Shinohara asked casually, as if it were an afterthought while she continued folding clothes.
“A year, I think.”
“Heeh.”
“What?”
“A year is pretty long, isn’t it?”
“It’s normal, right?”
In high school, plenty of couples broke up after three months, or even one month at the earliest, but in college, that would be considered short. A year seemed perfectly average.
But hearing my reply, Shinohara puffed up her cheeks.
“I only lasted three months.”
“Ah, well, that’s you.”
“Hey! That’s so condescending!”
“No, it’s not. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
I rolled over, trying to distance myself even slightly from the voice raining down on me. Talking about Reina, even just that little bit, had lightened the load on my chest. I was also relieved that she didn’t press me for more details than I expected.
Carrying it all alone might be painful, but as I talked, it seemed that recalling the past over and over was even more so.
Perhaps the feeling of relief made the alcohol circulate even faster, because a fierce wave of drowsiness washed over me. Without resisting, I let my consciousness drift away.
◇◆
The sound of the bathroom door closing made me slowly open my heavy eyelids. The fogginess in my head from the alcohol had eased up a bit, but I still didn’t feel like getting up. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. It was 2 AM. I must have been asleep for about two hours.
“Did I wake you up?”
When I turned toward the voice coming from the hallway, I saw Shinohara standing there in my jersey, an apologetic look on her face. The scent of someone fresh out of the bath wafted from the hallway, and I found myself wondering why the same shampoo could smell so much better on someone else.
“Senpai?”
“I was sleeping.”
“I know that. Didn’t you hear what I just said?”
As I sat up, the weariness intensified. I felt like I’d had a long dream for such a short nap. They say you only remember the dreams you had right before waking up, so maybe the length of sleep doesn’t matter.
“Are you okay? You should drink some water.”
“Don’t need it.”
I moved over to the bed and collapsed onto it.
For a normal guy, seeing Shinohara wearing his clothes as pajamas would probably be a heart-pounding situation. In front of a guy who’s been drinking, no less, Shinohara was being somewhat defenseless. But even that delightful scenario couldn’t win against the lethargy that I knew would still be lingering tomorrow.
Shinohara seemed a little dissatisfied with my lack of reaction to her outfit.
“Senpai, don’t you have any reaction at all?”
“What is it?”
“It’s a little weird for me to say it myself, but…”“This is such a luxurious situation where a cute girl like me is wearing a guy’s clothes, isn’t it? I know, I know. Thanks for the treat, goodnight.”
I said that and pulled the blanket over my face to block out the light. But it was immediately ripped away.
“It’s bright, I’m melting. I’m actually a vampire, so──”
“If you were a vampire, you’d be full of energy at this hour. Don’t be an idiot.”
Shinohara snorted and placed something cold on my forehead.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a drink for hangovers. I bought it at the convenience store earlier.”
“That’s dangerous, a girl going out this late.”
“You’re the one who never let me stay over this late before, remember? What are you even talking about?”
Shinohara laughed and placed the bottle beside me. I chugged it down as a hangover preventative and tossed the empty container into the trash can.
“Damn, that’s bitter.”
“Good medicine is supposed to be bitter, you know.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
That was when I got a good look at Shinohara’s face for the first time. The impression of her wearing my jersey was so strong that I’d missed it, but she wasn’t wearing any makeup; she was completely bare-faced. And there was another reason it took me so long to notice, besides being distracted by my jersey.
“You’re cute without makeup on, too.”
“A hundred points for you, Senpai. Girls love hearing that.”
I laughed at Shinohara, who was giving me a vigorous thumbs-up.
“Conversely, what’s a zero-point answer?”
“That would be, without a doubt, ‘You’re cuter without makeup.’”
“And the reason is?”
“The reason is, if someone tells me I’m cuter without makeup, then I don’t know what I’m wearing it for in the first place. I wear makeup to look even a little bit cuter, you know.”
From the passion in her words, she’d probably been told that several times before. I hadn’t been conscious of it, but it seems my compliment was the perfect answer from her perspective.
“There are guys who say that sometimes, you know! Like at training camps, they’ll be like, ‘You’re cuter without makeup on!’ They don’t! Understand! Anything!”
“Whoa, whoa there, Shinohara. Calm down.”
“We spend lotsof money to buy all sorts of makeup, you know! And for them to just──”
I covered her mouth with my hand. She struggled with muffled sounds, but when I pointed at the clock, she fell silent as if she’d just realized. I let her go.
“I’m sorry. I lost my composure there for a second.”
“Are you emotionally unstable or something?”
“That’s just how counterproductive those words are.”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s go to sleep.”
I had gotten it right from the start, so this conversation didn’t concern me. Besides, this was the second time I’d heard this exact story. I remembered Ayaka saying the same thing a year ago. The person giving the compliment probably thinks it’s the highest form of praise, but they end up getting slammed for it behind their back. It’s a good example of how you have to choose your words carefully, or the compliment becomes completely meaningless.
“If you could tell they were trying to compliment you, you should at least forgive them.”
When I found myself defending the guy, Shinohara laughed.
“It’s not like I’m actually angry. I just got a little heated.”
“I see. Well, don’t let it bother you.”
“It depends on the person. If it’s you, Senpai, I don’t really mind.”
“Oh, is that so? That makes me happy.”
“That was so monotone. If you’re going to have that attitude, I’m not making you breakfast tomorrow.”
That would be a problem. My body would probably still be sluggish in the morning, so I needed her to cook for me. Just because I drankhangover medicine doesn’t mean I want to deal with the hassle of moving in the morning.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.”
“You’re so pragmatic, it’s disgusting.”
Shinohara snorted and threw herself onto the sofa.
“Don’t you need to do your skincare or something?”
“I did the bare minimum, but I could only find men’s stuff in the washroom. Did you really have a girlfriend?”
“It’d be bad if I kept my ex’s stuff, right? I had her take all her personal belongings when she left.”
I have toner and stuff, but not the fancy face packs you soak in it. A guy with a higher sense of beauty might have them, but unfortunately, mine isn’t that high. I wash my face, but my aftercare is always half-assed.
Shinohara yawned, reached out from the sofa to grab a towel blanket, and wrapped herself in it.
“Hey, what about a hairdryer?”
“I’ll just let it air dry today. The sound is annoying.”
She was probably being considerate of the neighbors. It wasn’t something I’d expect from the person who was just shouting a moment ago, but the sentiment was praiseworthy.
“Good news for you, Shinohara. My hairdryer is a high-spec model that barely makes a sound.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious.”
Shinohara jumped up and headed back to the washroom. They say hair is a woman’s life. She must have been reluctant to air-dry it and risk the damage. It’s an apartment, but the walls are relatively thick, so there’s no need to be overly concerned. A quiet hum came from the bathroom, and I was glad I’d bought a more expensive model.
Come to think of it, she probably doesn’t know where the toner is either. I headed to the washroom.
When I opened the door, Shinohara had her phone propped up on the washstand, playing a video while she dried her hair. Seeing her in such an unguarded state made my heart skip a beat.
“If you open the shelf above, there’s toner. You didn’t use it, did you?” I said in a flat tone, trying not to let my feelings show.
“Whoa, Senpai. You scared me.”
Shinohara’s shoulders trembled as if she was terrified.
“It’s the witching hour, so don’t just appear out of nowhere.”“You’re not good with ghosts?”
“Conversely, is there anyone who is okay with ghosts? I can understand believing or not believing, but I don’t think anyone is actually okay with them.”
I had to agree with that, but seeing her so scared, a little mischievous part of me started to stir.
“I actually have psychic powers, you know.”
“Eh, seriously?”
Shinohara stopped the hairdryer and looked up at me. Had she finished drying her hair, or was this just more important?
“I’ve been hiding it, though. I can tell if there are… those kinds of folks behind you.”
“……You’re drunk, right?”
She had a dubious expression on her face. I was definitely drunk, but if I was going to tell a joke, I wanted her to at least believe it first. I started talking, recalling an article I had read online before.
“When I was in third grade, at the local public bath…”
“I give up! I’m going to bed!”
Shinohara leaped out of the washroom, dived into my bed, and pulled the covers over her head. She’s a guest, so I don’t mind her using the bed, but to dive into it without a second thought… she must really hate ghost stories.
“Still, you gave up way too fast……”
As I let out a sigh, Shinohara peeked her head out from under the covers. Her large eyes were glaring at me.
“I can’t. I really can’t. If you say one more word, I’m seriously not making you breakfast.”
“Alright, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was definitely just drunk.”
“That’s right, there are no such things as ghosts. It’s just a misunderstanding from the simulacrum phenomenon people had back in the day. The phenomenon where you recognize something as a face just because there are three dots. That’s the true identity of ghosts!”
Turning my back on her passionate assertion, I took a futon out of the closet. I’d bought two when I started living alone, thinking it would be useful when I got a girlfriend or had friends stay over, but this futon has seen relatively little action. Reina stayed over occasionally, but I rarely had friends stay over. I’m not really fond of having people sleep over. Ayaka knows that too, so she’s never been in my apartment past daytime.
The weird one is Shinohara, who’s always hanging around. There must be some reason I tolerate it, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe we just get along well as people.
“Ah, Senpai. I’ll help.”
As I was holding the futon, Shinohara stood up.
“No, it’s fine. It’s my own.”
“Eh, I can use the bed?”
“That bed over there is a good one.”
If I’m going to let her stay, I want her to sleep in a slightly better place. As an upperclassman, there are times I want to show off a little. Shinohara’s surprised expression was enough to satisfy me. It seems she jumped into my bed purely to escape the ghost story and had no intention of actually sleeping there.
“You can change the sheets if you want.”
“No, laundry would be a pain, and I’m totally fine with it as is. But are you really sure?”
“It’s fine. It’s not like it costs me anything.”
I laid out the futon and slipped under the covers. The bed Shinohara was in and my futon weren’t too far apart, but in a one-room apartment for a single person, this was the best I could do.
When I turned off the lights, the room was shrouded in shadows. Moonlight leaked through the gap in the curtains, crossing the room as a single streak of light.
“Goodnight.”
When I said that, I sensed Shinohara smile.
“Yes, goodnight.”
I closed my eyes and could hear the faint sound of her moving. She could probably sense my every move just the same. The sudden silence made me acutely aware that I was alone with Shinohara, and I squeezed my eyelids tighter.
“Senpai, aren’t you a bit far?”
At her muffled voice, I faintly opened my eyelids. The voice, which must have escaped from under the covers, sounded strangely distant.
“Not really. We’re not even two meters apart.”
When I replied, my voice was a little strained. Was it because the alcohol had gotten to my throat, or was I nervous in this unfamiliar situation? It’s pathetic to get nervous now of all times, but it’s true that I’m being assailed by a different feeling than when I sleep with my girlfriend.
I waited for a while, but there was no response. The faint ticking of the clock echoed unpleasantly in the silent space, and I regretted not getting a digital one.
If she’d already fallen asleep, she was one tough woman. Even if she trusts me, isn’t she being a little too defenseless?
If these thoughts were just a product of the late hour, I wanted to fall asleep as soon as possible, but the more I tried, the clearer my mind became. I opened my eyelids and looked up at the ceiling resentfully.
It’s no use, I can’t sleep.No reply came back.
“Shinohara?”
I called out one last time. If there was no reply to this, I figured I’d have no choice but to fiddle with my phone, even though I knew it would just keep me awake.But fortunately, I heard the sound of sheets rustling from her direction.
“……I was just about to fall asleep.”
“S-Sorry.”
Her voice, pulled back from the world of sleep, was hoarser than usual, and I apologized without thinking. Shinohara fidgeted for a moment but eventually settled down. I couldn’t hear her breathing, so I wasn’t sure if she was asleep, but I now felt that waking her for my own convenience would be selfish. I let out a small sigh.
Giving up, I took my phone out of my pocket.
“Want to sleep together?”
“……Huh?”
Without understanding her sudden words, I let out a stupid sound.
“It’s fine, Senpai. You can use the bed too.”
Finally understanding, I rolled over to face away from her.
“I can’t sleep in the same bed with a kouhai I’m not even dating.”
“That’s a cool principle you’ve got there. Well then, please go to sleep now.”
“I can’t, that’s the problem.”
“Then why don’t you just come over?”
I sensed Shinohara sit up. Even in the dark, I could feel her gaze on my back. Normally, I would refuse without a second thought, but there was a reason I was hesitating. I wasn’t used to the guest futon and was having trouble falling asleep.
…That’s just an excuse.
The truth was, her invitation had an irresistible charm, so much so that such an excuse involuntarily crossed my mind. Her lustrous voice, coming from the darkness—a voice I usually brush off—resonated in my eardrums.
I got up from the futon and somehow made my way to the bed with almost no visibility.
“Here you go.”
As if she could see me perfectly, Shinohara took my hand and urged me to her side. As I sat down, I could feel her scent grow stronger. A sweet aroma, unfitting for my own bed, tickled my nose.
“I’ll move over to the wall side. Just don’t kick me off while you’re sleeping, okay?”
“I don’t have such bad sleeping habits.”
I sensed her smile at my rebuttal. My eyes had finally gotten used to the dark, and I could now make out her face.
“Then that’s fine.”
Shinohara shifted over to the wall and rested her head on the pillow. I brought my own pillow over, placed it next to hers, and slowly eased myself down.
Even with my back turned to her, the distance of just a few dozen centimeters allowed me to feel every single breath she took. I thought this would make it even harder to sleep, but I was feeling somewhat fulfilled, so I didn’t mind anymore. The ticking of the clock had become inaudible at some point.
When the sound of her hair rubbing against the pillow stopped, a period of silence continued between us. I knew Shinohara wasn’t asleep yet because I couldn’t hear the steady rhythm of her breathing.
As I opened my eyes and gazed into the empty darkness, she finally spoke.
“You’re so proper, Senpai.”
Proper?About what? The words were ambiguous, but I understood what she meant.
“……A truly proper guy wouldn’t let a girl he’s not dating stay over in the first place, though.”
“That’s true.”
“Don’t just agree with me.”
As I cracked a joke, some of the tension eased.
It must have started to rain. I could hear the gentle patter of raindrops hitting the ground outside. Unable to sleep, I stared intently at the empty space. Just as my eyes were getting used to the darkness, I felt the light in the room gradually diminish. A cloud must have covered the moon. I kept my eyes open for a while but eventually grew tired of it.
“Senpai.”
“Hm?”
“Why did you break up with your ex-girlfriend?”
I slightly regretted telling her I had an ex. Reina was already a person of the past. If I hadn’t run into her at the mall, if she hadn’t called… she was supposed to have sunk to the bottom of my memories, eventually wearing away with time. I didn’t like that talking to Shinohara would make me conscious of Reina again. Besides, it was a waste of time and effort to dwell on an issue that wouldn’t be resolved. Now that the alcohol was starting to wear off, that’s what I was beginning to think.
Therefore, there was nothing to tell Shinohara.
“I can kind of tell from watching you that you don’t like talking about these kinds of personal things. So, even if it was just because of the alcohol, I’m happy that you talked to me.”
“Happy? Why?”
“Why, you ask?” she repeated, as if I’d said something strange. But I didn’t know the reason, so I silently prompted her for an answer.
“Because it showed me that you trust me.”
Trust, I repeated in my mind. To believe in and rely on someone. I understood the meaning, but since it wasn’t a conscious action, it made me pause for a moment. Honestly, I had no such intention at all. It was just that carrying it alone had become a little painful, and my feelings had leaked out from the embankment that had been broken by the alcohol.
“Because I got to see a side of you, Senpai, that you don’t show to others.”
Those words made me think of Ayaka. It would be fair to say that me knowing a side of Ayaka that no one else sees is a testament to our trust. It would be a lie to say I don’t feel happy about that. Thinking about it that way, I had undoubtedly trusted Shinohara as well. I affirmed her interpretation of seeing a side I don’t show to others as a sign of trust.
“Maybe so.”
When I replied, I sensed Shinohara sit up and look down at me. Her face, which I could faintly make out, was looking straight at me.
“Earlier, I thought it might be better not to pry too much. But… I’m still curious.”
Her unusually serious tone made me guess what the question was.
“Did something happen with your ex-girlfriend today?”
As I fell silent, the pattering sound of rain hitting the window became more prominent. The rain falling from the winter night sky must be very cold. The moonlight that had been shining in until a moment ago had been blocked by the clouds, and I could no longer see Shinohara’s expression, which I had been able to make out faintly until now.
And surely, this silence would be the answer for her.
“So you really can’t trust me after all, can you?”
“That’s an unfair way to ask. Trusting someone and talking to them are two different things.”
The reason I don’t want to talk is that I want to forget about Reina. I don’t think telling Shinohara will lead to anything. It’s a problem that can only be solved by my own state of mind, which is precisely why I don’t want to talk about it. It has nothing to do with not trusting her. The two are completely unrelated.
“In the first place, if I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t let you stay over at my place.”
There was no reply, so I continued speaking toward the ceiling.
“Do you tell everything to the people you trust? For example… me.”
Was that a conceited example? But today, after all her visits to my home, we’d even ended up sleeping under the same roof. I didn’t think there was any way she didn’t trust me. I knew it was a one-sided and optimistic observation, but I was relieved that she didn’t seem to object.
“……You’re right. That’s how it was for me too.”
Slowly, as if savoring each word, Shinohara spoke.
“Trusting someone and talking about personal things really are two different matters, aren’t they?” she said, as if convinced, and then lay back down again. I couldn’t see her, but I could somehow tell she had her back to me.
“I’m glad I know now. So everyone is like that.”
“I’m just like that, I don’t know about others.”
“I’m sure everyone is. I am, too.”
Shinohara let out a small breath and continued.
“There are things I don’t want to tell you either, Senpai.”
Was that about Ayaka? Or something related to her? Or something completely different? As I speculated, I realized something. The desire for someone to confide in you, born out of consideration for them… wasn’t this what Shinohara had been feeling until just now?
“I’ve made up my mind.”
“About what?”
“I’m going to make you like me more, Senpai.”
The sudden declaration caught me completely off guard.
“W-What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Well, it’s just frustrating that you won’t talk to me even though we’re together so much. I want us to have the kind of relationship where you’ll want to talk to me naturally.”
I felt the presence of Shinohara rolling over to face me again. This time, she was so close I could feel her breath on my skin.
“Goodnight, Senpai.”
Her hand lightly touched my back. A modest embrace. A soft sensation. The scent of shampoo from her hair tickled my nose. There was a definite warmth there.
The embrace continued for a moment before she released the arm she had wrapped around my waist.
“Aha… My heart was pounding.”
“You’re the one who did it, what’s with that?” I said, forcing a confident tone so she wouldn’t notice my own racing heart.
“Because… it was my first time.”
“……First time for what?”
“──It’s a secret!”
Shinohara snatched the comforter from me and wrapped herself in it.
“Hey, it’s cold! Give it back!”
She just laughed and buried her face in the comforter. With no other choice, I pulled the blanket from the futon I was originally supposed to sleep on and wrapped myself in it.
From today on, Shinohara would probably intervene in my daily life even more. My relationship with her had only been a month long, but in that short time, she had already blended into my life so much that I couldn’t imagine it without her. The thought that our relationship would deepen even further from now on was actually a little exciting.
“Well then, goodnight.”
“…”I could hear the gentle sound of breathing from just a few centimeters away.
“Jeez, you fall asleep in an instant.”
I laughed and put a little distance between us. It seems I won’t have to dwell on the past anymore today.
I thought about my new daily life and closed my eyes.
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