68.彩華とのドライブ - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

University Students and High School Students: Their Private Time Comparing the two, it’s clear that being a university student often means spending more money. For instance, when asked out for dinner in the evening, what would be a family restaurant outing in high school morphs into a night out at an izakaya once you’re in university. It’s not unusual to see a day of fun costing you ten thousand yen. However, the joy of playing freely with money you’ve earned yourself was something I hadn’t experienced back in high school. That said, there’s a unique pleasure in high school life too, exclusive to that time, making it hard to weigh one against the other. Yet, there is one area where I can confidently say university life is more enjoyable. Transportation—namely, driving a car. While it’s possible to get a driver’s license at eighteen, most high school seniors are too busy preparing for university entrance exams to think about it. Therefore, it’s common to get a license after becoming a university student. However, it's safe to say that very few students own a car. That's where rental cars come into play. With around five thousand yen, you can rent one for about six hours, making it affordable for a student's budget when costs are split among passengers. I got my driver’s license more than a year ago. Each time I went back to my parents’ house, I practiced using my parents’ car, and lately, I’ve been getting accustomed to driving with friends in a rental car. And right now, I am driving together with Ayaka. “Hey, can I ask you something?” “Hm?” Ayaka, sitting next to me, asked in a slightly puzzled voice. “You're the one who asked us to go for a drive, right?” “Yeah. I thought it might be nice for a change.” “Well, yeah. It’s not bad or anything, but...” We stopped at a red light, keeping a safe distance from the car in front. Ayaka narrowed her eyes as she looked at me. “So why am I the one driving?” “Well, it’s to test your driving skills.” “Come on, at least come up with a better excuse...” Ayaka sighed as she said this. Entrusting the driving to someone who agreed to come even after a sudden invitation right after lectures might have been somewhat impolite. “I’ll handle the drive back!” “That’s the plan. Though I am a bit concerned, given that your driving experience is so much less than mine.” “Nah, there's practically no difference!” The light turned green. We started moving, following the car ahead and gradually picking up speed. “When did you get your license again?” I asked Ayaka as she appeared to recall the answer. Feeling slightly guilty about making her think while driving, I awaited her response. “Autumn in my first year. I went to a camp with my friends and got it all at once.” “Ah, camps seem pretty easy since they’re short term.” Plus, spending two weeks under the same roof with friends sounded like fun. While I do enjoy my alone time, I’ve always been curious about such events, so I admit I’m a bit envious of the license camp. “Weren’t you in a camp too?” “I went to a driving school for about six months. Looking back, I should have done it like you, in one go.” In my driving school, you have to schedule academics and practicals at your own pace within a set period, and since I slacked off in the beginning, I almost didn’t graduate. It required about twenty thousand yen in tuition, and I remember hustling to snag spots from cancellation waitlists in the last month to barely get my license. “If you couldn’t plan your schedule, you should have chosen the camp.” “I don’t know, it just wasn’t possible at that time.” “Did you have, like, some circumstances?” “Yeah, something like that.” As we reached a pedestrian crosswalk, Ayaka brought the car to a stop and let the people pass. “So, I’m just driving around randomly; do we even have a destination?” “We can make one up right now.” “Ah, right, I figured as much. How about my place then?” “Uh, sorry?” Curious about Ayaka's unusually blunt response, I cautiously glanced at her. Noticing my gaze, Ayaka briefly turned her eyes towards me. “Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I’m just saying, ‘Do you want to come over?’” “Oh, well, that’s a relief.” I thought she was warning me that if I kept joking around, we’d just head home. But reflecting on it, if it were Ayaka, she would have told me directly instead of using indirect expressions. Feeling reassured, I looked out the car window admiring the scenery. How different everything appeared from the view on the pedestrian path was still fresh in my memory. The first time I drove—it was— “—Wait. Your place?” I couldn’t help but do a double take at Ayaka. ◇◆ I had been to Ayaka’s house when we were in high school. But that was her parents’ place, and visiting someone’s apartment where they live alone is a different matter. Feeling a bit nervous, I crossed the threshold, but what escaped my lips was indignation. “Unfair!” “Whoa, you scared me! What’s with the shouting?” Ayaka slapped my back, urging me to come inside quickly. Instantly forgetting the pain in my back, I entered the living room. Yes, the living room... “A 1LDK? I’m so envious... and it’s like twice the size of my place.” “It’s really not a big deal. Furnishing it cost more, so I had to work extra hard at my part-time jobs.” “Still, it’s enviable. Gosh, I want to move in here.” White flooring, light blue curtains, and a matching carpet. In the corner of the living room, a potted plant complemented the curtain’s hue, with an hourglass on the glass table. Despite the diverse assortment and number of things, the interior somehow exuded a unified sense of chic style. “I want my place to look stylish too.” I used to think a house just needed to be livable, but seeing such a stark difference with someone my age made it hard to stay composed. “There’s no way you could pull it off.” “Isn’t that harsh!?” “Go ahead, have a seat on the sofa.” Ayaka said that as she turned towards the kitchen. The act of donning an apron isn’t something unusual to see at home, but today the place and person are different. It’s been since home economics practice in high school that I last saw Ayaka in an apron. “Wait, seriously?” Though I had an inkling of what was about to happen, I couldn’t help but ask. Still holding a hair tie between her teeth, Ayaka glanced back at me. When our eyes met, she flashed a mischievous smile. “Aheehee.” —Oh no. Her demeanor was adorably charming yet subtly seductive, making me involuntarily avert my gaze. “Just wait right there.” After tying her hair back, Ayaka rummaged through the fridge. Inside seemed to be an assortment of ingredients, which she efficiently placed onto the counter. I wondered what had prompted such an unexpected turn of events. “Did I do something good to deserve this?” “Not particularly. Just felt like it.” As soon as she answered my question, Ayaka spread butter across the frying pan with a swift motion. Just like with Shinohara, it seemed another culinary battle beyond my comprehension was about to commence in the kitchen. "You like gratin, right? I'll make some." "Oh wow, is this my last meal? Am I gonna die?" "Well, normally, you'd consider yourself lucky enough to die after such a meal," she replied flippantly, skillfully progressing with the cooking. The number of times Ayaka had cooked for me was countable on one hand, all back in high school. Whether it was making bento boxes for the sports festival or practical cooking classes, those moments were confined within school grounds. Never before had she invited me into her home and cooked like this. For Ayaka’s admirers at school, being in my current situation would probably be something they’d wish for fervently. "I've been meaning to cook for you for a while, but the timing never worked out. I finally decided to do it today after thinking about it in the car," she explained. "Gratitude overflowing," I responded. "Just give a normal thank you," Ayaka quipped, but I sensed her smile was one of satisfaction. Pleased by this, I leaned my head back against the cushion. Catching a faint trace of Ayaka’s scent, I moved my head away, feeling slightly guilty about it. "You don’t have to worry about that," Ayaka said without even turning around, as if she had eyes in the back of her head. "Feel free to relax," her words stemming from the time we shared together. "...Okay," I replied shortly and nuzzled back into the cushion. While Ayaka busied herself with the cooking sounds behind me, surrounded by her scent, I found myself pondering. Even after our onsen trip, our relationship hadn’t drastically changed. I realized I wanted to maintain this relationship, even if it seemed unconventional from the outside. As long as we were satisfied, that was enough. This was something I chose, and Ayaka had accepted. But now, here I was, in Ayaka's home. A first. And something—an idea that never crossed my mind before—suddenly surfaced. It was an embarrassing and daunting thought to verbalize. —Did Ayaka want to change our relationship? The words she had said at the inn, "I would’ve been fine regardless of how things turned out," might have been her true feelings. If so... I know it's a fantasy to think this comforting space could last forever. Once we become working adults, it’ll be harder to find time, and the frequency of our meetings will drastically reduce, not to mention the mental freedom that will likely diminish. That’s why I want to cherish this moment and this space we share now. —I want to see what lies beyond the boundaries of friendship. Looking back at my high school self, this moment is exactly that vista I had looked to. So as a university student now, I introspectively ask myself: You have become close friends with Ayaka Mino. Beyond that, if there’s a landscape that exists, would you want to see it?