Second Serenade: Chapter 41

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Ijiruwaru

(いじわる (ijiruwaru) typically means "mean," "spiteful," or "malicious," often referring to teasing or deliberately causing someone discomfort or annoyance. It can be playful or hurtful depending on context. As a concept or tone, it carries a sense of playful torment or teasing meant to provoke a reaction, not necessarily cruelty, especially in intimate or familiar relationships. It’s a kind of annoying but affectionate behavior.)

The moment he stepped out from the air-conditioned room into the hallway, a sticky, heavy air wrapped around his entire body. The hallway wasn’t air-conditioned; instead, all the windows had been thrown open. The wind that blew in carried humidity and a tepid warmth.

It was already past the middle of June—right in the thick of the rainy season. This year, it had rained relentlessly, with barely any clear skies. The daily dilemma of whether or not to bring an umbrella to campus was a constant irritation.

The lecture room had been dry and left his throat parched. Deciding to get an iced coffee, Aketo headed toward the student center lobby where the vending machines were. All the chairs and sofas were taken, so he had no choice but to stand in a corner by the wall as he raised the paper cup to his lips.

He opened his cellphone while sipping the coffee. …No new message notifications.

“Aketo.”

The one who called out to him was Shimada Yousuke, a fellow second-year student in the same medical program. Aketo closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

“You were in third period too, right? I saw you sitting near the front.”

“Yeah.”

“Afternoon classes are such a drag, huh? I was half-asleep the whole time. But not you—you’re impressive. Sitting right up front, staying awake, taking proper notes and all.”

Shimada smiled at him with a friendly face. Though Aketo had lent him notes a few times before exams, he didn’t consider Shimada close enough to be in the “friend” category. So being approached so casually felt a bit off. Shimada was acting more submissive than usual… He probably wants something, Aketo guessed.

Even when the conversation hit a lull, Shimada didn’t leave. He hung around, visibly fidgety. Then, all of a sudden, he pressed his palms together in front of Aketo.

“Please, come to the group date tonight with me.”

So that’s what this is about, Aketo thought.

“That’s pretty last minute.”

“One of the guys who said he’d come bailed on me. Now we don’t have enough men. I told the girls everyone’s a med student, so I can’t just grab someone from another department.”

He didn’t have any fixed plans, so Aketo figured he might as well go—but made a show of hesitating.

“But I’ve got my tutoring gig tonight. I could skip, but…”

That was a lie. His tutoring job was only on Mondays and Thursdays. He had nothing scheduled on Fridays.

“Come on, please! The guys will split your share of the tab.”

“…I guess I don’t have a choice.”

He reluctantly agreed. Shimada let out a dramatic sigh of relief. Free drinks and a favor owed—it was only fair, since he was doing them a favor by helping fill in.

“Oh, by the way, I’ve got a girlfriend. Is that okay?”

Shimada blinked in surprise. “You do?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh. I never heard any rumors, so I figured you were single. Well, having a girlfriend might kill the vibe for the girls, so just say you don’t have one, okay? It works out better for you, too—if there’s a cute one, you can always trade up.”

Shimada had a personality as light as air.

“Meet-up’s at 7 p.m. at the west exit of Komuro Station. Thanks, man.”

It seemed that once the headcount was secured, Shimada had no further use for him, as he disappeared in the direction of the student cafeteria. It had been two years since they’d entered university. Even though they were medical students, they hadn’t yet been divided into their specialized fields and were still studying general education, which meant their schedules were relatively flexible. Perhaps because of that, he got invited to group blind dates all the time.

If invited, he would go—but to be honest, he didn’t really enjoy them. Still, refusing every invitation would come off as standoffish, so he made a point of showing up once in a while.

If the meeting was at seven in the evening, the first round of the party would probably wrap up around nine. Aketo let out a quiet sigh and took his cell phone out of his jeans pocket. Just like earlier, there were no new messages. He always got a reply eventually, but the wait was ridiculously long—sometimes half a day. That delay never failed to irritate him.

He snapped the phone shut more forcefully than necessary and shoved it back into his pocket. Even if a reply came, he wasn’t going to text back right away. But even as he thought that, he knew full well he’d be thrilled to get a message and would end up replying immediately—and that realization made him even more frustrated.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

There were ten people total—men and women combined—gathered at the west exit of Komuro Station, their meeting spot. Aketo gave the male lineup a quick once-over. They were all from the same faculty, so even if he hadn’t spoken to them much before, most of their faces were familiar.

Out of this group, I’m definitely the best-looking one, he judged calmly. Group blind dates were all about first impressions. And if that was the case, the girls were probably going to gravitate toward him.

One of the guys kept sneaking glances at him while whispering something to Shimada. Don’t bring someone who steals the spotlight... Maybe that’s what he was saying.

Once everyone had arrived, they made their way to the izakaya they had booked, MIMILOG. Despite being labeled an izakaya, its glass windows and brick façade gave it more of a café-like vibe. The antique-style tables and chairs showed good taste. It looked like the place operated as a café during the day as well.

From the moment introductions began, Aketo could feel the girls’ gazes locked onto him. Even girls seated farther away were calling out to him. He didn’t find any of them particularly attractive, and he had no intention of dating anyone, but he didn’t mind being the object of affection.

Among the girls, the strikingly cute Okamura Mari was talking exclusively to him, which gave him a quiet sense of superiority over the other guys.

“Do you have a girlfriend, Aketo-san?”

One of the girls asked him directly. Aketo cast a brief glance at Shimada before replying, “Nope.”

“Ehh? What kind of girl do you like? Like, if you had to pick a celebrity type?”

It was the kind of question you heard all the time. Aketo put on a thoughtful expression.

“I don’t really know many celebrities. But I don’t think I have a specific type… I guess for me, it’s more like, whoever I fall for becomes my type. Something like that.”

Better to stay vague than narrow things down too much—it left the door open wider. The girls would think, Maybe I have a shot.

Soaking up their attention, Aketo sipped his beer, feeling good. When he got up to use the restroom and was on his way back, he ran into Shimada. Their eyes met, and Shimada gave him a wry smile.

“Man, you’re totally stealing the show tonight,” Shimada said, teasing him for “snatching the girls.” Even though Shimada was the one who’d asked him to come in the first place. Still, getting side-eyed by other guys didn’t really benefit anyone. And Aketo never forgot to do damage control in these situations.

“Ah, sorry. I just thought I’d try to liven things up a bit.”

Aketo suddenly lowered his voice.

“Honestly, since it’s you, Shimada, I’ll be upfront… I’m not really into pretty girls.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Shimada leaned in, puzzled.

“I wouldn’t say I’m, like, into ugly girls or anything, but I prefer girls with unique faces. My current girlfriend’s like that too. There are a lot of really pretty girls here tonight, but honestly… that’s kinda not my thing.”

Shimada gave him a look that was part sympathetic, part relieved. “Ah, so he’s into plain girls, huh...” If Aketo wasn’t going to get serious, then there was still a chance for Shimada to make a move on one of the girls he liked.

Back at the table, Aketo continued to enjoy being fawned over. Of course, that whole “quirky face” thing had been a total lie. Girls should be cute, no matter what. That was something Aketo firmly believed.

“The other day, I went to Kanazawa with a girl friend. We stayed at this onsen in the mountains, and the open-air bath was amazing. The food was super delicious too.”

When the pretty Okamura mentioned the word onsen, Aketo’s radar immediately lit up.

“An open-air bath, huh? Nice. I love hot springs too. I just got my driver’s license recently, so once I get the hang of it, I want to take a trip out that way too. What part of Kanazawa did you go to?”

While chatting with Okamura about Kanazawa, the first round came to an end. Just as he had promised, Aketo slipped away after that, brushing off the lingering gazes of the girls trying to get him to stay. He did leave, but not before exchanging email addresses with four out of the five of them.

He didn’t intend to keep in touch, but exchanging contact info under the envious stares of the other guys was amusing. It gave him confidence to know that people found him attractive enough to be interested. …Still, maybe he’d had a bit too much to drink while riding that high. It was only beer and chūhai, but his legs felt unusually light. The gentle sway of the train was oddly pleasant, and though he was standing, he nearly missed his stop and had to jump off in a panic.

The station, usually a bit more lively even on the outskirts of town, was quiet now past 9 p.m. The shopping street on either side of the road in front of the station had already gone dark and deserted. Only the occasional convenience store glowed faintly here and there. Cutting through the shopping street and crossing the pedestrian walkway, a large bridge came into view. Instead of crossing it, Aketo turned just before it and walked along the embankment. The damp air hinted at rain. He looked up at the sky, but it was just an endless stretch of darkness.

After walking along the embankment for about five minutes, a five-story concrete apartment building came into view. A light was on in the third-floor unit, and the window was open. He was home, and apparently still awake. Aketo climbed the narrow concrete stairs and stopped in front of the door. He had a spare key, but knocked for now.

He heard hurried footsteps approaching. The door opened.

“…Yeah?”

The apartment’s occupant, Sunahara, let out a small “Ah,” when he saw Aketo. Maybe he’d just gotten back from work—he was still in a light blue short-sleeved shirt and slacks, not yet changed.

“What do you want?”

The curt tone irritated Aketo.

“Nothing. I was just in the neighborhood.”

Sunahara made no move to step aside. It felt like he was hesitating to let him in. Normally, he’d at least say something like “Come in”—and now, he kept glancing behind him, clearly distracted. Suspicious, Aketo looked down and noticed an unfamiliar pair of shoes by the entrance. They were clearly too big to be Sunahara’s.

“Someone here?”

“Yeah, a friend from high school. So, tonight’s kind of…”

“Hm.”

Murmuring, Aketo placed a hand on Sunahara’s shoulder.

“Then maybe I should at least say hello.”

Startled, Sunahara tried to stop him.

“Hey, what do you mean, say hello?”

“…Don’t worry, I’m not going to say I’m your boyfriend or anything. I’m just curious what kind of face someone you know looks like.”

He whispered by Sunahara’s ear, then firmly pushed aside the arm trying to block him and stepped inside. It was a small, one-room apartment. At the back, beyond the narrow kitchen, sat a man on the single bed. Aketo frowned. The man looked to be around thirty, average in appearance—neither particularly handsome nor especially unattractive.

“Hello.”

Aketo gave a small nod in greeting. The man responded in kind. Sunahara, who entered the room a moment later, introduced Aketo as “a student from back in high school.”

“I graduated two years ago, but I still drop by Sensei’s place now and then.”

Sunahara’s friend gave him a friendly smile.

“Wow, so you’re actually a real teacher now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The man shrugged.

“Just, you know—I still can’t forget seeing you smoking behind the school building right after the entrance ceremony. I figured, ‘This guy’s definitely a delinquent.’ Turns out you were actually serious about stuff.”

Sunahara clicked his tongue, clearly uncomfortable.

“Things like that are fine as long as you don’t get caught.”

The man laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, as long as you don’t get caught…” He glanced at his watch. “Man, look at the time. I should get going.”

He got up from the bed and walked toward the door. After exchanging a few brief words with Sunahara, he left. Sunahara returned to the room, scratching the back of his head, and let out a quiet sigh.

“Was it a bother that I came?”

“That’s not it.”

His lover plopped down on the rug with an air of indifference and looked up at Aketo, who remained standing. His eyes seemed to say, Why are you just standing there?

“I texted you this afternoon...”

Sunahara tilted his head slightly, then muttered, “Ah, yeah. I saw it.”

“Then why didn’t you reply right away?”

The words came out more irritated than intended. In response, Sunahara made a visibly annoyed face.

“It wasn’t the kind of message that needed an immediate reply.”

“Look, you’re always slow to respond. Sometimes you don’t even reply until the next day.”

“I’m busy during the day. I do reply—either during lunch or after school.”

Aketo knew he was busy. He knew that. But still, just a little, he wished he could be prioritized. It was always him initiating contact. Always him doing the asking. Sometimes, it made him wonder if he was even truly wanted.

“Guess what I was doing earlier.”

“How would I know that?”

Such a cold reply. Aketo frowned.

“I went to a mixer with some college girls. There were five of them, and I ended up exchanging email addresses with four.”

Sunahara’s face immediately turned stormy.

“I know it probably sounds arrogant, but I think I’ve got a decent face. So it’s no surprise I get attention...”

That stormy look suddenly vanished, replaced by an impassive expression—like a Noh mask.

“If you’re into college girls, go date one. Hearing you brag makes me sick.”

He snapped and turned his back. Aketo dropped to his knees and whispered into Sunahara’s ear.

“There was one real beauty. The most popular one took a liking to me and wouldn’t stop talking to me. It was honestly kind of a problem.”

Sunahara turned to face him.

“You stink of booze. Go home, drunkard!”

He barked, face twisted in anger. But seeing him like that—angry, emotional—sparked something primal in Aketo, and he pulled Sunahara into a tight hug.

“She was gorgeous. So dainty. Her ankles were slender and neat...”

He whispered deliberately into Sunahara’s ear. Sunahara struggled in his arms, but Aketo had no intention of letting go. As they grappled, they tumbled sideways onto the rug. Aketo pinned him down and continued his teasing.

“Her face was so cute, just looking at her felt good.”

Sunahara’s expression was furious, but the corners of his eyes were beginning to glisten. Is he jealous? The thought made Aketo overwhelmingly happy.

“Are you mad?”

He asked, but Sunahara turned his face away in silence. Aketo reached down and squeezed his crotch through the fabric of his clothes. Sunahara’s back jerked in response.

“Does it piss you off?”

A single tear slipped from Sunahara’s glistening eyes.

“You love me, but I talk about other girls, so it drives you crazy, huh?”

Finally, Sunahara buried his face, refusing to show it. He didn’t want Aketo to see him cry. Aketo gently stroked his trembling head.

“It’s because you’re so cold. You take forever to reply to messages, I’m always the one who has to reach out, and if your friends are around, you act like you want to get rid of me.”

Still holding him close, Aketo gave him a small shake.

“I only went to that mixer because they begged me to come. Sure, the girls were cute, but that’s all it was...”

“Then don’t say it!”

Sunahara shouted without lifting his head.

“Go to mixers or whatever—do what you want. I’m not going to interfere with everything you do. But don’t come telling me about it!”

Knowing Sunahara loved him, was jealous, and was crying because of it—it thrilled Aketo to the core. Just as much, he was overwhelmed by desire for the small body beneath him. It wasn’t soft or delicate—he knew it was thin and bony—but still...

He forcefully flipped Sunahara over. His eyes were red, his cheeks wet. When he turned his face away in protest, Aketo chased after him and kissed him hard. He stroked Sunahara’s cheek with his fingertips.

“I only love you, Sensei. Only you.”

He repeated it gently, trying to soothe him. The kiss changed. The lips that had resisted began to yield.

“Because I love you, I want you to give me more attention. Tell me you love me more. You’re allowed to say you don’t want me going to mixers, you know.”

Sunahara pressed his nose into the side of Aketo’s neck, but even then, he still wouldn’t say okay.

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