I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me V1 Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Meeting Santa
The lights strung across every corner of the city were a constant, unwelcome reminder that Christmas was here. As I walked past the brilliant, glittering lights of red, green, and gold, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
It was couples, couples everywhere. I cursed myself for accidentally taking a shortcut through a place famous for being a romantic hotspot. I’d already turned down Ayaka’s invitation to hang out, but seeing all these happy couples made my resolve waver. Every so often, I’d see a group of guys and feel a rush of camaraderie, only to be let down when I’d overhear one of them say something like, “My girlfriend seems like she’d like a French course meal, so I’m gonna go check that place out next.”
Last year, I’d spent Christmas with my girlfriend. Being surrounded by all this festive cheer now just made me feel completely out of place.
“Excuse me, um… here you go!”
Amidst the festive chaos, a girl in a bright red outfit suddenly thrust a flyer at my chest. It was probably a poor excuse, but my irritation from being surrounded by nothing but couples got the better of me. I swatted her arm away before I even realized it. “Kya!”
She lost her balance, and the flyers she was holding scattered across the pavement.
“Whoa, I’m so sorry!”
I hurriedly bent down to pick them up, but at that exact moment, a group of students walked by, trampling about half of them.
“I’m so sorry, really. I’ll pay for them.” I had no idea how much flyers cost, but I frantically pulled out the wallet from my back pocket.
Seeing me, the girl in red looked flustered. Her outfit appeared to be a Santa costume, and I couldn’t help but think that part-time jobs must be tough. I’d just been talking with Ayaka about whether Santa would come this year, but this was one heck of a way to meet one.
“N-No, it’s okay! I’m sorry for shoving a flyer in your face so suddenly. I’ll just hand out the ones that aren’t dirty and explain the situation to my supervisor…”
“I’ll go with you. I should be the one to explain.”
I looked up to hand her the flyers I’d gathered. She seemed to be hesitating, a bewildered look on her face. As for me, my head was suddenly full of something else entirely.
She was stunningly cute. Combined with the Santa outfit, she stood out from the crowd like an inhabitant from another world. The fact that passersby were sneaking glances at her probably meant my assessment wasn’t wrong. Judging from her dark hair with its softly curled ends and her light makeup, she was probably a university student like me. Seeing my own reflection in her large eyes, I instinctively ducked my head and went back to picking up flyers.
“Thank you for helping me,” she said.
“N-No. It was my fault.”
“My supervisor is pretty strict, so your offer would honestly be a huge help. Are you sure? There’s still about an hour until my shift ends…”
“I was just killing time, so I can wait.”
At my words, the girl in the Santa outfit gave a small bow. “Well then… um, I’ll see you later. I wish I could suggest a place for you to rest, but…”
“Oh, that’s fine. My university is around here, so this area is like my backyard. I’ll be waiting at the cafe called Ritters, on the first floor of that shopping mall over there.”
“The nearby university?”There was only one in the area. When I nodded, a hint of familiarity seemed to enter her previously neutral expression.
“Um, I’m Shinohara Mayu.”
“Hasegawa Yuuta. …Well then, see you later.”
“Ah, yes. Ritters, right? I understand.”
After a slightly awkward introduction—a stark contrast to how I am with Ayaka—I headed towards the shopping mall, which was teeming with couples. As I gazed at the colorful Christmas decorations scattered all around, I felt a strange lightness in my step.
◇◆
“She’s late.”I was sitting alone at a counter seat in Ritters, a cafe on the first floor of a shopping mall decked out in Christmas colors, waiting for the girl in the Santa outfit. I rolled up my sleeve and checked my watch. It had been forty minutes since our agreed-upon time.
Well, it made sense when you thought about it. Even if I was there to help her explain, the most I could do was apologize alongside her. I’d gotten flustered and pulled out my wallet earlier, but it was unlikely a company would demand money just for scattering some flyers.
I took one last look at my watch and stood up. I downed the now-cold coffee in one go and left the cafe. My steps felt heavy as I walked through the bustling, noisy mall.
Come to think of it, what was I thinking, offering to apologize with her? It must have come off like some new kind of pickup line. She was probably wary of me. If I were in her shoes, I’d definitely be thinking, “What’s with this guy?”…If that’s the case, then so be it. But isn’t it a bit cruel to just stand me up?
As I was thinking that, I looked ahead and saw a couple holding hands walking right towards me. They were gazing at each other as they walked, completely oblivious to my presence. As a result, I ended up walking right through their clasped hands, splitting them apart.
“Sorry,” I muttered, giving a quick bow.
The couple, who looked like high schoolers, didn’t even turn around and simply rejoined their separated hands romantically.
“…Haaah.”
An involuntary sigh escaped me. More than anger, I just felt pathetic. Those two would probably spend Christmas together, too. Maybe they’d even splurge on a nice restaurant, despite not having much money.
I stuck my hands in my jeans pockets, put in my earphones, and turned up the volume on my favorite music to block out the surrounding chatter. Being alone isn’t necessarily painful, but why is Christmas so harshto single people? I’ll just go home and read manga. That settles my plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Just then, I felt a hesitant tap-tap on my shoulder.
I turned around to see a girl I didn’t recognize. No, wait… it was the girl from earlier, the one in the Santa outfit. She was now wrapped in a beige coat. It was hard to tell when she was in the costume, but seeing her like this, I could tell she was probably younger than me.
“Eh, what’s up?”
“Ah, um… it’s me from before.”
“Sorry, I thought you weren’t coming, so I was about to head home. Are we going now?” I felt a little guilty for leaving the cafe and averted my eyes as I spoke. Even if she was forty minutes late, maybe I should have waited a bit longer.
“No, I’ve already finished up.”
“Eh?”
“In two senses of the word.”
“Eh?”
“I quit.”
“Eh!?”
“I quit being Santa,” she said with a casual smile.
I couldn’t help but flinch.So, what, it’s because I bumped into her?“Well, I was planning on quitting soon anyway,” she added. “It is a little sad that I can’t wear the Santa costume anymore, though.”
“A-Are you okay with that?”
“I’m fine with it, you know?” she said, then pouted. “Also, I told you my name, didn’t I? I’m Shinohara Mayu. So please don’t call me ‘you’.”
The polite girl from earlier was apparently just her work persona.
“Ah, sorry…But is it really okay, telling your name so easily to a stranger like me?” We’d just bumped into each other on the street and scattered some flyers. That’s all it was.
“What’s that supposed to mean? The way you say it makes me sound like some easy girl.”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant.” Shinohara narrowed her eyes, and I frantically waved my hands in denial.
“…But you’re right. I’m sorry. I was just worried, but either way, it was none of my business.”
When I apologized again, she blinked in surprise. “N-No… that’s not what I meant either. Please don’t apologize so much, I was just kidding.”
“Eh, you were kidding?”
“Yes, I was kidding.”
“W-Wow, that’s a hard joke to get… I really thought I made you mad.”
“I’m not so short-tempered that I’d get mad over something like that~” Shinohara knitted her brows as if the suggestion offended her.
There’s no way I’d know that, we just met, I thought, responding with a wry smile.
“Also, Hasegawa-san, we go to the same university. And I’m a first-year, so I’m probably younger than you.”
“Eh, you too, Shinohara-san? I’m a second-year.”
“Yep, there’s only one university around here. Also, since you’re older, please just call me by my name without any honorifics. It feels kinda weird.” She made a face as she said it. It’s true, the only time older students call me with “-san” is at my part-time job. In a private setting, it would feel strange.
“Alright then, Shinohara. Is there something I can do to make it up to you? Even if you were planning to quit anyway, the fact is that I was the reason you quit today.”
Hearing that, Shinohara crossed her arms and let out an exaggerated, “Hmmm.”
“Are you free tomorrow?”
“Eh?”
“There’s a place I want to go.” With that, she took out her smartphone and started tapping away. After about ten seconds, she held the screen up for me to see. “It’s a pretty nice place. I’m confident you’ll like it.”
“…Wait, isn’t this…” Am I imagining things, or does it say ‘French Christmas Course, 8,000 yen per person’?“…Why?”
“Why indeed. Well, you know. It’s a fellow university student thing.”
“You’re just making that up.”
“I am. Life’s better when you live it a little randomly.”
“Haaah.”
“I’m kidding. Just like you said yourself, Senpai, this is a token of your apology, right? A little selfishness like this should be fine.”
“Ugh.” She had me there. I was the one who offered to apologize just moments ago. Refusing her suggestion now wouldn’t be much of an apology.
…By the way, I feel like a word in there caught my attention.
“What’s with the ‘senpai’?” It’s been about two years since I entered university, and it’s rare for an underclassman to call me that unless we’re in the same club. In most circles, people just use “-san,” so the last time I was called senpai was back in high school.
“Ah, sorry, it’s a habit. I was in a sports club until recently, so I just tend to call older people senpai.”
“Huh, is that what happens when you’re in a club?”
“No, I don’t think it’s that common… If you don’t like it, I can call you normally.”
Being called senpai felt a bit embarrassing, a reminder of the old days, but that was it. It wasn’t really a reason to refuse.
“Call me whatever you like.”
“Okay, then, Senpai. Um, should we exchange LINEs? We’re set on that restaurant, right?”
“Ah, yeah. Okay.”
Whatever happens, happens. I took out my phone and we exchanged IDs. I was the one who brought up the apology, so all I could do was follow Shinohara’s lead. And so, I made a promise to have dinner with Shinohara Mayu, the former Santa. An 8,000 yen per person Christmas course. I had a hard time shaking the thought that I’d be shelling out a lot of money after all.
◇◆
“I’m home.”I said the greeting to my empty apartment. It’s one of those moments that really makes you feel the loneliness of living alone. My university and my parents’ house aren’t that far apart, but I’d longed to live by myself and begged them to let me. I’d wanted to invite my friends over to hang out, but for me, living alone had more downsides than upsides. Not having meals prepared for you is especially tough.
I hung my favorite jacket on a hanger and tossed my phone onto the pile of laundry on the carpet. The moment it landed, the screen lit up, with a LINE message from Ayaka.
You’re coming to the group date on Christmas, you hear me?“On Christmas?” I found myself replying out loud. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It was a sudden invitation, but I already had plans with Shinohara, and more importantly, the thought of going out on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day felt exhausting.
I have plans, so I can’t.I sent the reply. Two seconds later, my screen lit up with an incoming call. As expected, the name displayed was Ayaka.
“What?”
“That’s my line. Why are you lying?”“Lying?” I see. Ayaka doesn’t think for a second that I would actually have plans. The fact that she would have been right if I hadn’t met Santa today was even more irritating.
“We’re short on people. Come on, I’m begging you, pretty please.”“I can’t see you, so…” Apparently, the numbers for guys and girls at the group date didn’t match up. It was rare for Ayaka, with her wide circle of friends, to be in a panic about gathering people. If she just said the word, plenty of guys would come flocking.
“Besides, the guy’s side should handle the guys. Why are you the one doing it?”
“This time, it’s more like I’m introducing my handpicked guy friends to my friends.”“Haaah, handpicked.”
“And you, sir, have been splendidly selected! Congratulations!”“I’m hanging up.”
“Sorry, sorry, wait!” Hearing Ayaka’s flustered voice, it seemed she was pretty desperate.
“What is it! In the first place, if it’s your handpicked selection, I’d just feel out of place.”
“Oh, that’s not true. I’m actually quite fond of you, you know?” she said in a genuinely puzzled tone.
“O-Oh. What’s with you, did you hit your head or something?”
“Oh, he’s blushing, he’s blushing. So, what are these plans? Are you really not lying?”“You…” I bit my lip, annoyed that she had managed to fluster me so easily. “…A Santa asked me out.”
“Hah, Santa?” Her tone made it clear she thought I was crazy.
“An underclassman dressed as Santa. Well, a lot happened.” I then explained the whole story. After hearing it, Ayaka hummed for a moment before speaking in a suspicious voice.
“…You’re not being scammed, are you?”“Geh. You think so too?”
“Well, you’re the one who used the scattered flyers as an excuse to set up a meeting.” You’re a true pickup artist.“Hey, wait a minute, I’ve never hit on a girl in my life,” I protested, but she just brushed me off with a “Don’t interrupt.” I think she’s the one at fault for saying something that invites interruption in the first place.
“Anyway, I think a girl who would invite an upperclassman she just met is even more sketchy. Like, what if another guy shows up while you’re on your date and demands money…”“A badger game? No way.”
“Who knows. But well, I’m glad. Now I know your promise is for tomorrow, on Christmas Eve.”“Huh?”
“Okay, see you the day after tomorrow at six p.m. in front of the usual station. Byee.”She abruptly hung up. I stared blankly at my phone screen. She’s been domineering since high school, but hasn’t her treatment of me been getting more and more careless lately?
◇◆
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”On Christmas Eve, the day of my promise, Shinohara arrived right on time.
“Yo. You’re right on time, I didn’t even have to wait.”“I was actually planning to come on an earlier train… but it was so crowded I couldn’t get on.”
I couldn’t help but nod in agreement. The train felt like it had twice as many couples as usual.
“Shall we go?”
She said she’d lead the way, so I followed behind her. I noticed the boyfriends of passing couples sneaking glances at Shinohara. Her makeup seemed more elaborate than yesterday, and the underclassman-like atmosphere she’d had was completely gone. Even I, reluctantly, felt my heart pound for the stunningly cute girl walking ahead of me.
We passed under an overpass and left the main street, which was overflowing with couples, turning onto a slightly less crowded road. While I wouldn’t call it deserted, there were certainly a lot fewer people here. Unlike the main street lined with towering buildings, this one was filled with charming two-story establishments, all of them decorated for Christmas. It was clear at a glance that this area was frequented by couples.
“Here we are.”
What Shinohara pointed to wasn’t a building, but a staircase leading underground. As she proceeded down without looking back, I remembered Ayaka’s warning from yesterday.
“? What’s wrong?” Shinohara stopped midway and gave me a puzzled look.
“No, it’s nothing.” I shook the thought from my head and followed her down the stairs. At the bottom was a thick, heavy-looking door. As Shinohara put her hand on the doorknob, I stepped up from behind and helped her pull it open.
Shalalan.A chime that fit perfectly with Christmas greeted us. A staff member gave us an incredibly polite bow—the kind you rarely see at chain restaurants—and I reflexively straightened my posture.
“I have a reservation for six-thirty under the name Shinohara.”
Hearing her, the staff member bowed once more before leading us to the back of the restaurant. The interior was dimly lit, with the hallway partitioned off into private rooms with doors, preventing any view of the overall layout. The room we were guided to had a single sofa where two people could sit side-by-side. Glasses were already set on the table.
This is clearly…
“This place feels like it’s exclusively for couples.”
“Well, it is a Christmas course,” Shinohara said casually as she slid into the inner seat, her gaze urging me to sit down as well.
“Uhm…”
“This is supposed to be an apology, right?”
“…Right. My bad.”
That one sentence was a sharp reminder that I was the one who started all this. Even though we’d just met yesterday, being brought to a place like this made it impossible not to be self-conscious, but I needed to calm down.
“It’s a course meal, but we can order drinks separately. Feel free to have some alcohol if you’d like.” With that, Shinohara handed me the drink menu. Everything was about three times the price of a regular izakaya; I’d have to consult my wallet before ordering anything.
“Seriously, is the course here really only eight thousand yen?”
“That’s right. It’s what you’d call a hidden gem.” Shinohara puffed out her chest proudly. “Fufun.”
“Well, that’s good. …So, why did you want to bring me here?”
“I’m glad you asked!”
At my question, Shinohara’s eyes sparkled as if she’d been waiting for it. It seemed she had a reason after all—one that wasn’t a badger game.
“I! Was cheated on by my boyfriend last week!”
Shinohara sniffled loudly, then brought a glass to her lips, even though the aperitif hadn’t been poured yet.
“Huh, it’s empty.”
“You should’ve noticed that when you picked it up,” I said, an exasperated sigh escaping me. “Besides, you’re underage. Don’t drink the aperitif even if they pour it.”
“Don’t be so stuffy~ Aren’t you the type who drank at the freshman welcome party, Senpai?” Shinohara pouted as she set the glass down. The unspoken rule of “no drinking until you’re twenty” is often ignored at freshman welcome parties. This isn’t some new trend, but rather a bad tradition that’s been around for ages.
“No, I didn’t. I politely declined.”
“Really~?” she said, narrowing her eyes with a sly grin. Her expression was reminiscent of a little devil, and it seemed she could easily wrap more than just a guy or two around her finger.
From there, we got excited talking about our university, and by the time Shinohara suddenly remembered her original topic, the main dish was about to be served.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you kind of just brush past my story? I think I said something pretty shocking.”
“You kind of forgot about it for a second there too, didn’t you?”
“N-No, I didn’t. We just got a little carried away with another topic.”
“Yeah. It’s hard to believe we just met yesterday.”
“Y-Yes. Anyway, that aside.” Shinohara cleared her throat with an “ahem” to create a dramatic pause. “I was cheated on.”
“O-Oh.” The second time lacked impact. I was mostly just wondering how I should react. To think that my friends probably had to worry about me in the same way when it happened to me… As if to brush off the thought, I downed the cocktail I’d ordered.
“This restaurant… I did so much research before finally deciding on it. To think I’d end up coming here with a senpai I barely even know.”
“You’re the one who invited me…”
“This delicious meat, the alcohol, even the soup… this was a course I booked because I wanted to eat it with him!”
“You don’t sound very sad, though.” Her tone was so theatrical that I couldn’t help but point it out.
“Ah, you noticed?” Shinohara stuck out her tongue playfully. “He was my first boyfriend. I’d always turned down guys’ confessions in middle and high school.”
“Huh, so you got confessed to a lot.”
“Yes, because I’m popular,” she stated nonchalantly, as if it were a simple fact she wasn’t particularly interested in. I honestly couldn’t imagine her not being popular with her looks, so I just nodded in agreement.
“Then why’d you go out with him this time?”
Shinohara hummed and groaned in a troubled manner, then snapped her fingers. “It’s that. You know, I wanted to do couple-y things.”
“Hoh.”
“Seeing everyone’s posts on social media, I’d always think, ‘That looks nice.’ I wanted to get a boyfriend too and go to all sorts of places with him.”
“Ah, I see.” There are quite a few people who get a boyfriend or girlfriend for that reason. And at this time of year, the number of couple posts skyrockets, as if everyone is showing off. Couples who usually only post pictures after a date start posting before the date as well. Thanks to that, my time on social media has dropped recently.
“So anyway, I tried dating for the first time. But I don’t want it to end with me being cheated on. No, it’s not that I don’t want it to end… I just hate being the one who has to take it.”
“Ah, yeah, I guess some people would feel that way.” When it happened to me, I was pretty—no, seriously—shocked, and I was bedridden for about a week. Even Ayaka was worried enough to take notes for me in class.
“He cheated on me, but he’s still crazy about me. I want to get a little revenge before I break up with him.”
“How?”
“I’m still thinking about that, but the safe bet would be to show him I’m getting along with someone else. I do need someone to help me with that, though.”
“Huh. Good luck with that.” With just that, I lowered my gaze to the beef fillet that had just been brought out as our main dish.
“That’s where you come in, Senpai.”
“I refuse.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet!?”
Acting as a lover… There was a series with a similar plot in a shonen magazine once, and I figured she was going to ask me for something like that. I had a bad feeling and refused preemptively; judging by her reaction, I wasn’t wrong.
“Please, just for a little bit! We can start by just showing him that we’re getting along in front of him.”
“No way. It’s true I caused the mess that led to us coming here today, but that has nothing to do with this. Ask someone else.”
“This is too embarrassing to ask a friend I know well!”
That might be true, but her asking me doesn’t solve my problem. There has to be someone more suitable. With Shinohara’s looks, guys would flock to her from all over if she just asked.
“Look, I’ll pay for everything here. How about that?”
“Idiot, I can’t let afemale underclassman do that. Just splitting the bill is fine.” If this were a girl I had asked out myself, I would have paid for her share without hesitation. I wasn’t planning on treating Shinohara, but I still felt resistant to being treated by her.
“No, I earned a lot from my Santa job, so if I can hire you for this, it’s a huge win for me. No matter what you say, Senpai, I’m going to force you to let me pay, so just give up and let me hire you.”
“Th-That’s some terrible logic…”
“Listen, I’m really going to pay. So stop thinking about unnecessary things and eat this… the beef.”
“It’s beef fillet.” The course menu says it’s Rossini style.
“Senpai, what’s Rossini style?”
“What was it again? I think it’s when they use truffles and foie gras together.”
“Wow! Senpai, you’re so knowledgeable!”
I can’t tell her. I only know because I ate the same thing with my ex-girlfriend. I remember the beef fillet I had then was pretty delicious, but considering the price, it was just okay.
Remembering that, I brought a piece of this beef fillet to my mouth.
“So damn good…”
The words slipped out as I savored the taste. Red wine would probably go well with this kind of meat, but unfortunately, I still don’t understand the appeal of red wine. I opened the menu to look for another cocktail.
Shinohara saw my reaction and smiled proudly. “Fufufu~, it was worth it to carefully examine the menu. It’s settled then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hearing that, I almost choked. “W-Wait. I have plans tomorrow.”
“Eh, why do you have plans on Christmas, Senpai?”
“Hey, aren’t you treating me a little too carelessly?”“Not at all. So, what kind of plans?”
“I have a group date. Well, I don’t plan on staying that long, though.”
“…A group date.” Shinohara made an indescribable expression.
“Sorry for being the kind of guy who goes to a group date on Christmas.”
“No, that’s not it. Well then, if it ends early, we can meet up after. If it doesn’t seem like it’ll end, then we’ll do it another day. Please let me know.” With that, as if the matter were decided, Shinohara also started eating her beef fillet.
As I watched her repeatedly say “Delicious” in a voice that seemed to have a heart at the end of every word, I sighed, wondering if she was the same type of person as Ayaka.
This is going to be one heck of a Merry Christmas.
Join the conversation