"Yuuka, sit here, over here."
"Yuuka, you're really so slow."
It was clear that Tachibana Yuuka was very popular at school.
The private room had four tables, each seating five or six people, mostly boys.
Their gazes were like scanners, subtly or boldly sizing up this famous and well-liked girl from school.
Perhaps she was used to it, so the girl didn't react to those stares.
While Sasaki was observing the people around him, he noticed a girl at the table directly in front of him.
She wore a pink short-sleeved shirt, had a pretty face, and about a third of Sister Yuuka's charm.
Half-leaning on the tatami, she winked at Sister Yuuka and asked:
"Yuuka, that's not fair~ We all came alone to have fun, but you brought a companion. Aren't you going to introduce him?"
This black-haired girl seemed to have a good relationship with Yuuka.
Her tone was familiar and natural, her attitude casual and friendly.
The latter, under her playful teasing, turned to introduce:
"This is my..."
Before she could finish, Sasaki, disliking the boys' gazes, stepped forward and extended his hand to the black-haired girl:
"I'm Yuuka's boyfriend, Sasaki Fuyumi. Yuuka must have caused a lot of trouble for you at school."
Their relationship didn't surprise anyone.
After all, they were a handsome couple, a perfect match.
Saying they weren't lovers wouldn't be convincing.
Though Yuuka's boyfriend looked a bit young, people might just like that type.
So Ayaka Kurokawa, without any suspicion, extended her hand:
"We're all friends. There's no trouble at all."
With a light handshake, the savvy girl, wearing a bright smile, turned to the boys who were still looking over and said loudly:
"Stop staring. Yuuka has a boyfriend. It's impolite to keep looking~"
Her clear and straightforward words, like a joke, made those who still had their eyes on Yuuka laugh and shift their gaze to the tall boy standing in front of her.
His clothes were plain, nothing outstanding, but his well-proportioned, tall figure, paired with well-fitted attire, gave off a fresh and clean vibe.
Plus, the faint smile on his handsome face exuded an elegant and refined charm, like a glass of ice water with lemon slices.
It looked plain but had an exceptionally refreshing taste.
Compared to him, the boys felt like their own presence was like murky wine, dirty, bitter, and harsh.
For girls, the choice between foul-tasting murky wine and sweet and sour lemonade was obvious.
So, the girls who came here for fun left their original seats and gathered around, warmly inviting Tachibana Yuuka to sit down.
After she was seated, the girls naturally found an excuse to invite Sasaki over too.
"Sasaki-kun, don't go to another spot. Your girlfriend is here. If you don't stay with her and she accidentally gets drunk, it could ruin your plans for the evening~"
"Ah, you don't understand. Maybe this was Yuuka's plan all along, to get drunk on purpose and then... hehe~"
"Ohhh~ So this was Yuuka's plan all along~"
"What nonsense are you all talking about?"
Although Yuuka seemed strong and bold in front of Sasaki, acting very outgoing, being teased by friends, especially in front of her silly brother, made her feel a rush of shame straight to her head.
She hadn't even had a sip of alcohol, yet her tender cheeks already blushed with a hint of a drunken flush.
Of course, the main reason for her embarrassment was Sasaki's earlier statement: "I'm Yuuka's boyfriend."
God knows how long she had dreamed of hearing that.
Hearing it unexpectedly, it was no wonder she felt a bit dizzy even without drinking.
She didn't want to go to the boys' side either.
With the excuse offered by the girls, Sasaki naturally took the opportunity and sat next to Tachibana Yuuka.
"I'll keep an eye on things, but you can't bully Sister Yuuka."
"Sister...Yuuka?"
"So he's just a little brother?"
"A little brother is good, small and cute~"
"I didn't expect Yuuka... wait, considering Yuuka's nature, the eagle catches the small..."
"Stop! Stop! What about my nature?"
Yuuka, blushing with embarrassment, interrupted the girl who was talking about the "eagle" by pinching her cheeks.
She wasn't some eagle; she was only three years older, not that much.
How could she be considered an eagle? Really.
"That's what you get for talking nonsense!"
"I was wrong, Sis, Sister Yuuka, please don't~"
The girl pleaded pitifully while Yuuka pinched her cheeks mercilessly.
Sensing the moment was right, the girl rolled her eyes, stood up from the tatami, and hid behind Sasaki:
"Sasaki-kun~ Look at her~ Sister Yuuka is bullying me, you should stop her~"
"Uh..."
Feeling the softness from the girl hiding behind him, which was far less impressive than Sister Yuuka's, Sasaki didn't show any embarrassment or scold Yuuka. Instead, he moved closer to her and held her in his arms:
"Don't tease Sister Yuuka, her skin is very thin."
"Eh? Are you being protective?"
"Yuuka, you can't do this. How can a little chick protect an eagle? This isn't like you."
"The highest-level hunters often appear as prey. You idiot, how could you understand Yuuka-sama's thoughts?"
"You're the idiot!"
Not caring about the teasing from her classmates, Yuuka, no longer her usual strong self, leaned into Sasaki's arms, burying her head without saying a word.
She knew that Fuyumi claimed to be her boyfriend to prevent the boys from harassing her.
So the time she could enjoy being his girlfriend was only until this get-together ended.
Rather than wasting this short time on fooling around with friends, she preferred to stay in his arms.
Holding the girl's soft body, Sasaki didn't know what to say to her.
She called him dense... but she was the densest one.
Because of his lie, she lost even the most basic observational skills.
If he couldn't handle the pressure, Sister Yuuka's hair would have turned gray with worry.
But this also showed that she really liked him.
Seeing the two of them hugging, the girls playfully let out a "woo~" sound.
But before they could say anything more, Ayaka Kurokawa, who had some authority among them, clapped her hands and reminded:
"Alright, girls, jokes have a limit~ Now that everyone is here, it's time to eat. Go back to your seats and eat."
"Okay, okay."
"I still wanted to say something~"
"You can talk all you want when we play games after eating. Now hurry back and eat."
Chasing away the reluctant girls, Ayaka Kurokawa, the organizer, and a few boys started calling the waiters to serve the dishes.
Since Sasaki was underage and couldn't drink, the girls at his table were a bit disappointed but didn't force him.
He couldn't drink, but Yuuka could.
As long as she didn't pass out, they kept pouring drinks for her.
They had agreed to be single together, so who told her to secretly find a boyfriend, and such a handsome one at that.
With a bit of jealousy, the girls at Yuuka's table began pouring drinks one after another.
And the latter, perhaps because she was happy, didn't refuse.
She drank whatever was poured.
Because her mother was a company president and often attended banquets, Yuuka had been exposed to alcohol early on.
Long-term secret drinking had naturally built up her tolerance.
And since the girls were drinking very low-alcohol sweet sake, shr remained unaffected after several rounds, except for her red cheeks.
Seeing her still standing firm, the girls naturally wouldn't give up.
Their high spirits also lifted the atmosphere at the other three tables.
But in the end, they weren't there just to drink and eat.
So after a few rounds of drinks, the boys couldn't hold back and started moving towards the girls they liked.
And as the most beautiful and eye-catching girl, many had their eyes on Yuuka.
Even though she had a boyfriend...
But as the saying goes, even with a goalkeeper, you can still score a goal.
Besides, having a boyfriend might make it more exciting for them.
After all, the joy of scoring a goal is only real when there's a goalkeeper in the way...