Our school, Meisei University, is a private university located in the 23 wards of Tokyo.
It is a mammoth university with more than 30,000 students in total.
I moved to Tokyo from my parents’ house in Nagano, and I now live in an apartment.
My family is an ordinary businessman’s family, not a wealthy one.
I used a scholarship to pay for school while my parents pay the rent and utilities for my apartment.
Of course, I have to work part-time to earn money for other living expenses.
I had been longing for a life in Tokyo for some reason.
Maybe it’s just a thing with country people, but I didn’t realize how expensive it would be.
If I went out for a bit, my wallet would soon become too light.
There were also many temptations.
“Eita, I’m going to go look at some T-shirts. Will you accompany me?” Seiji asked me after class.
Both Seiji and I commute to school on the same JR Chuo Line, and I don’t have a part-time job today. [EN: JR = Japan Rail.]
“It’s okay. Can you buy me a McDo?”
“No, make do with a regular beef bowl.”
Seiji was homeschooled, but he has a surprisingly strong sense of money.
That’s why we get along quite well in terms of expenses.
I, however, don’t agree with him at all when it comes to girls being easy.
By the way, McDo’s is the short name for McDonuts. It is Japan’s largest fast-food chain with a wide range of products from hamburgers to donuts. [TL Note: Wow, the censor makes for a good name. They should make a new fast food branch with that name.]
“Should we go to Shinjuku? Or should we go to Kichijoji?”
“Let’s go to Kichijoji because it’s more convenient. It’s easier to get home from there.”
My apartment is in Nishiogikubo, and Seiji’s house is in Mitaka.
They are only two sections away on the JR Chuo Line, with Kichijoji in between.
I really wanted to live closer to the school, but my parents gave me strict instructions to find a place with cheaper rent.
Still, for me, a spacious and clean apartment would be better.
When I was looking for a compromise, I happened to find a place in Nishiogikubo that looked good.
I personally liked the atmosphere of Kichijoji, and the fact that it was within walking distance was also a deciding factor.
We took the JR Chuo Line to Kichijoji.
I still can’t get used to how crowded Tokyo is. I feel drunk just from the sheer number of people.
And… the expressions on the faces of the people on this train.
Some are sleeping, some are playing with their phones, and some are holding onto the strap with their eyes closed…
There is no emotion in people’s expression, especially those who seem to be working people.
I wonder if that’s what I’ll be like in four years… I’m feeling the darkness of the city of Tokyo.
We arrived at Kichijoji station.
Seiji told me to wait for him outside the ticket gate and went to the bathroom, so I went to the exit first, going through the ticket gate with my Suica and waited by the pillar. [EM: Suica is a smart card.]
When I looked in front of me, I could see a dark green and teal building about 10 meters away.
Two high school girls are wearing dark green and teal blazers.
Next to them are two men in plain clothes.
The two men seemed to be talking to the two JKs in a one-sided manner. [EN: JK = female high school student.]
(Is that…?)
That shiny straight black hair, slightly round face and double-edged eyebrows. The slender, pretty, and innocent-looking girl.
She was the convenience store clerk from back then!
I knew she was a high school student.
I watched the four of them closely.
Then, perhaps sensing my gaze, I met the convenience store clerk’s gaze.
She opened her eyes wide.
I think I saw her mouth move, but then she turned her gaze back to the two guys.
Her gaze began to move back and forth between me and the pair of guys.
When I looked at the other ponytailed JK, she also looked annoyed.
Now, what should I do about this…?
“Done. Thanks for waiting.”
When Seiji came back from the bathroom, I looked at him for a moment and said,
“Seiji, I’m sorry, but you have to go along with my play.”
“What?”
Leaving the puzzled Seiji behind, I closed the distance between us and the group of four that was ten metres away.
I heard Seiji muttering, “Oh, so that’s what it’s all about,” from behind me.
“Sorry, I kept you waiting.”
I called out to the two JKs.
The black-haired girl’s eyes widened when she saw my face, and then she broke into a bright smile.
“Sorry, Kei-chan. He was in the bathroom too long.”
Seiji put his hand on the ponytailed girl’s shoulder.
She also looked surprised for a moment but then turned her gaze towards the beautiful black-haired girl, made eye contact, and smiled a little awkwardly.
Who the hell is Kei-chan?
Besides, it is Seiji who was in the bathroom too long…
“I’m a little hungry. Let’s go get something to eat.”
I said and urged the girls to move.
As the four of us moved away, the two men mumbled some curse words at us and walked away.
NovelFanatist 