"Huh? No way! They've been living together and yet..." Kazuya's surprise was palpable, spilling forth.
"Tetsuya-bro and Misaki are the epitome of traditional elites; they absolutely won't do anything before getting married. They wouldn't let impulsiveness dictate their love. Just for that reason, Tetsuya-bro is someone I deeply respect! Unlike you lot, who are so reckless, holding onto your wives all night without letting go, not stopping until you wear it down to the bone," Hitoshi said, looking at Kazuya with righteous fervor.
"I... still don't have a girlfriend..." Kazuya said weakly.
"As if he has a girlfriend or something..." Shota chuckled, shooting Hitoshi a sidelong glance.
"It's fine, I don't have one either..." Ryosuke patted Kazuya on the shoulder, "Hey? Wait a minute! Isn't your girlfriend right there on your desk?"
Kazuya swatted away the hand on his shoulder.
The conversation suddenly grew heavy, and the group of techies fell into a moment of silence.
"Tetsuya-bro, we may not have girlfriends or the means to get one, but you do! Misaki is so beautiful; how can you resist?" Kazuya leaned closer to Tetsuya, though he had only been in the company for two months, he already felt the camaraderie of this little group in their off-hours.
"Hey, it's not often you see someone praised for their looks like that," Shota took a sip of his cola and continued, "Maybe this is him adhering to tradition, preserving that last bit of mystery. Just like Tetsuya-bro's coding—until the final moment, you can't really guess what he's written."
"Didn't he say he already got the certificate? What kind of tradition is he keeping?"
"Hmm? ...You're right, maybe he's not even Tetsuya anymore," Shota said, momentarily lost in thought. Everyone turned to look at Tetsuya, who was clearly lost in his own world.
"So I say it's time to change how we address him; we can't keep calling him Tetsuya. He's married now, and calling him Tetsuya-Tetsuya is just embarrassing for our group!" Hitoshi seized the opportunity to voice his opinion.
"Then can I inherit the honorable title of Tetsuya?" Kazuya immediately asked, his face full of expectation.
"Seat arrangements don't change, and titles aren't inherited; Kazuya, you might as well give up on that! Besides, do you think our group is left with just you as the only Tetsuya?" After Hitoshi finished speaking, he looked around and saw many approving glances. "Alright! Let's have a game of Truth or Dare. If you're still Tetsuya, please raise your hand—"
Kazuya, eager to inherit the title of "Tetsuya," was the first to raise his hand, quickly followed by Hitoshi, who raised his hand confidently as well. The rest exchanged glances, and Shota reluctantly raised his hand in surrender.
"No counting things like five girls, pocket sex toys, silicone dolls, or life-size models!" Shota said, raising his hand with a sigh. The fourth, seventh, and Ryosuke looked at each other and reluctantly raised their hands as if defeated.
With six hands raised, all eyes shifted to Tetsuya. After regaining his composure and looking at everyone, he hesitated for a moment before finally raising his right hand with a complex expression.
Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone, Kazuya couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn, a whole room full of Tetsuyas!"