"Damn you, Kenji! Ishikawa! Seiji! Kazama! You're all so damn lucky!" I shouted, slamming my hands on the table.
They looked at me with those annoyingly smug grins that made me want to flip the table.
"So, for real?!" I practically yelled. "You're telling me you all—together—were with the boss lady?!"
Kenji leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, smirking like he owned the place. "What can we say, Hazekaya? She's a very... accommodating woman."
"Accommodating?!" I sputtered, nearly choking on the word.
Ishikawa shot me a sly grin. "Don't look so surprised. You know how charming we are. She couldn't resist."
"Charming, my ass!" I snapped. "Who even does stuff like that?! And at the same time?!"
Seiji shrugged, picking at his perfect plate of food. "Hey, it's not our fault she likes to... share."
Kazama chuckled, shaking his head. "It's all consensual, Hazekaya. No need to get so worked up."
"Worked up?!" I shout, throwing my hands in the air. "Of course I'm worked up! I'm here struggling to get a girl to even look at me, and you guys are living some kind of doujin fantasy!"
They all burst into laughter, as if my misery was the funniest thing ever.
Kenji clapped me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Hazekaya. Maybe one day you'll have your own boss lady."
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Yeah, right. I'll probably end up with the cafeteria lady..."
After finishing our meal (if I could even call my plate "food"), I leaned back in my chair and looked at the group.
"Hey, tomorrow's our day off," I said casually. "Wanna hang out tonight? You know... drinking? Just us guys?"
They exchanged glances, and I immediately knew something was up.
Kenji cleared his throat, trying to look innocent. "Well, Hazekaya... the thing is..."
I narrowed my eyes. "The thing is what?"
Ishikawa scratched the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze. "Lady boss wants... another round tonight. With all of us."
I froze, blinking at them. "Huh? You're all... doing it again? What is this, a... five-some?!"
They didn't answer. Instead, they smiled at me with those smug, we're-living-the-dream grins that made me want to throw something.
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Damn you ikemen! Seriously, what kind of life are you guys living?!"
Kenji shrugged with a grin. "A good one."
"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered.
My thoughts wandered to the boss lady. I couldn't deny it—she was hot, sexy, and the kind of woman who could stop traffic just by walking down the street. But seriously? She was now their personal... what, groupie?
I shook my head, sighing deeply. "Damn... what a world we live in."
They all laughed as they stood up, ready to head off to their night of luxury. Meanwhile, I sat there, staring at my sad, empty plate and wondering how my life ended up like this.
That evening, as I walked home, I saw it.
A sleek, black luxury car pulled up near the office, the kind that screamed rich and powerful. And who stepped out?
Kenji, Ishikawa, Seiji, and, of course, Kazama.
They all piled into the car with the boss lady behind the wheel, looking like a goddess of seduction ready to whisk them away. She even flashed them a sultry smile as the doors closed.
I stood there, frozen on the sidewalk, watching this unfold like a bad soap opera.
"Damn! All of them?! Lady boss! Include me too!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the air. "I don't mind if I'm last! I'll wait my turn!"
Of course, they didn't hear me. Or maybe they did and just didn't care. Either way, the car sped off into the night, leaving me alone under the streetlights.
I clenched my fists and shouted at the sky. "Damn it, you group of ikemen!"
Then, with a deep sigh, my shoulders slumped. "Haaa... well, no use crying over it now."
My stomach grumbled, and I shoved my hands in my pockets. "Perhaps ,drinking alone again tonight... damn."
With that, I trudged off into the night, the shadow of the ikemen squad looming large over my sad, lonely life.
While walking aimlessly, I noticed a small booth tucked away on a quiet side street—a roadside izakaya with a canvas roof, a few wooden stools, and a counter where a middle-aged man flipped skewers on a tiny grill.
The warm, smoky aroma of grilled meat and the faint clinking of sake cups caught my attention. The glow of a paper lantern hanging outside gave the place a cozy vibe.
I stopped in my tracks, staring at the booth. "Hmm... A drink first wouldn't hurt. Might as well enjoy myself a bit before heading to the brothel."
Sliding onto one of the stools, I let out a deep sigh, the weight of my miserable evening settling in. The owner glanced at me and nodded.
"Evening. What'll it be?" he asked in a gruff but friendly tone.
I looked at the menu on a wooden board above the counter. It wasn't fancy—yakitori, oden, and sake. Just the basics, but exactly what I needed.
"Sake, please. And some skewers," I said, rubbing my temples. "The strongest stuff you've got."
The owner chuckled as he poured me a cup of sake. "Rough day?"
I raised the cup and downed it in one go, the sharp burn of alcohol hitting just right. "You don't know the half of it."
He smirked, handing me a plate of grilled skewers. "Well, take it slow. This place is for forgetting your worries, not drowning in them."
I nodded, munching on a skewer. The flavors were simple but comforting—salty, smoky, and indulgent.
"Yeah... maybe this isn't so bad," I muttered, taking another sip of sake. For a moment, I almost forgot about the ikemen squad and their ridiculous lives. Almost.
"You know, old man! Those ikemen... they're so damn lucky!" I slurred, waving my cup around. "They even did it all together with my lady boss! My lady boss! Damn those ikemen! At least let me join too, damn it!"
The old man chuckled quietly as he poured me another cup of sake, nodding along like a sake-slinging therapist.
I wasn't sure how much I'd had by that point. Maybe I was drunk. Okay, fine—I was definitely drunk, but only a little! Or maybe a lot. Who's keeping track?
"And you know what else?" I leaned forward, pointing my chopsticks at him. "This isn't the first time they've stolen the spotlight. Back in college... they had girls lining up for them like it was a damn theme park!"
The old man hummed in understanding, flipping skewers on the grill. The aroma wafted up, and I couldn't help but grab another one.
"And another thing! Why am I always the side character in someone else's story?! Is it the face? The vibe? What is it, old man?!"
He handed me another cup of sake without a word. I took it, downing it like a pro, even though my vision was starting to blur.
My rant derailed completely. I went from complaining about the ikemen to lamenting my college days, to shouting about overpriced brothels, and somehow ended up rambling about the meaning of life.
Through it all, the old man just kept grilling, pouring, and listening.
"You're a good listener, old man," I said, swaying slightly on my stool. "Why can't girls be like you? Huh? Huh?!"
He chuckled, handing me another skewer. "Eat up. You'll feel better."
"If only life were as simple as yakitori and sake," I muttered, taking a bite.
I kept drinking, my complaints spilling out like the sake in my cup. The old man was a great listener, never interrupting, just nodding and occasionally refilling my cup or handing me another skewer.
"You're a saint, old man," I slurred, waving my chopsticks for emphasis. "If only the world had more people like you. Maybe then I'd have a girlfriend!"
As I rambled, another guy walked up and slid onto a stool a couple of seats away. He looked younger than me, maybe in his mid-twenties, wearing glasses and a hoodie. After ordering sake and some grilled meat, he took out his smartphone and started scrolling.
At first, I ignored him, but then I heard it—an unmistakable tune blaring from his phone.
"Wait... is that anime music?" I asked, squinting at him.
The guy looked up, surprised, and nodded. "Yeah, it's from this new Isekai anime. You watch anime?"
I hesitated, taking another sip of sake. "Honestly? Nope."
His face fell, but I wasn't done yet. "Well, not really. I mean... I watch it sometimes. Mostly to keep up with conversations at work. Everyone's always talking about the latest shows."
The guy laughed. "I get it. But man, you're missing out! Isekai is where it's at. Imagine getting hit by a truck and waking up in a whole new world. Magic, adventures, girls—"
"Yeah, yeah," I interrupted, waving my hand. "I get it. Sounds nice, but come on, that stuff doesn't happen in real life."
The guy grinned, leaning forward. "But what if it did?"
I rolled my eyes, reaching for another skewer. "If it did, I'd probably end up as a background character there too. Just my luck."
The old man chuckled quietly, pouring sake for both of us. The guy beside me smirked, his phone still playing that anime music, as if setting the stage for something I couldn't see coming.
( End of Chapter )