Chapter 10: Comparing Oneself to Others Can Be Maddening

Amidst laughter and cheerful chatter, the restaurant began serving the dishes. The greatest feature of hot pot cuisine is its quick service, requiring only the provision of the broth and various ingredients. When people eat and drink together, their moods often become more joyful and relaxed, and conversations naturally flow.

“Sugawara-san, how did you manage to win over Tsuki-chan? She’s really hard to pursue. Before you, she turned down countless guys,” Wakaba Miyagi, who loved to talk and was skilled at finding topics, asked the question everyone was eager to hear.

This inquiry struck a chord with everyone; all eyes turned sharply toward him. When it comes to others’ romances, the most intriguing part is often the initial encounter, for it marks the beginning of a story.

“Hmm... I guess it just happened naturally,” Ryuichi Sugawara replied thoughtfully, having prepared for this question beforehand at the café. His answer left the group exchanging glances but saying nothing, instead waiting expectantly for more.

Noticing their attentive silence, Sugawara silently rehearsed his story once more before beginning: “The first time I saw Tsuki-san was in the school library. I happened to notice her and thought she was very beautiful, but at the time, I was focused on completing a group project and needed to find some books related to it, so I just glanced at her from afar and left.”

“The second time I saw her was also in the library. She was busy writing her graduation thesis, carrying a pile of books to a quiet corner to study alone.”

“Then you approached her?” Wakaba, impatient by nature, interrupted eagerly.

“Shh,” Mai Asai gestured for her to be quiet, signaling not to interrupt.

Seeing this, Wakaba obediently zipped her lips.

“No, I didn’t approach her then. But because I started to like her, I chose a seat where we could see each other,” Sugawara explained with a smile, shaking his head at her impatience.

“That time, we shared a few glances and exchanged smiles,” he added, catching their subtle reactions.

“Eye contact? How did you feel then?” Unable to resist, Wakaba asked despite trying not to interrupt.

“She looked so handsome reading that I couldn’t concentrate on my own books,” Tsuki Yamabuki replied offhandedly. Though unprepared for the question, she spoke from experience, having known Sugawara for some time.

“I can imagine,” the three women murmured as they pictured Sugawara’s handsome face.

“Based on those two encounters and observations, I was about ninety percent sure she was single, so I decided to make my move,” Sugawara continued, undeterred by the interruption.

“So you didn’t approach her earlier because you wanted to check if she was single?” Wakaba was astonished.

“If she had a boyfriend, wouldn’t it have been rude to approach her?” Sugawara defended his reasoning.

“That’s true,” one of the women nodded.

“Very thoughtful,” another added.

“Is this why they say Waseda’s top students aren’t impulsive?” a third teased. The women exchanged looks, speechless and unsure how to respond.

“Anyway, the third time I saw Tsuki-san, I finally went up to talk to her,” Sugawara said with a smile, seeing their mixed reactions.

“Here it comes!” Wakaba grew excited, eager to get to the main story.

“Don’t mess around. So, how did you start the conversation?” Mai quickly hushed Wakaba and urged Sugawara to continue.

“Excuse me, may I sit here?” Sugawara took a gentle breath and politely asked Tsuki, who was sitting beside him.

As he narrated this immersive monologue, the three women instinctively turned their gaze toward Tsuki.

“You may, but there are many empty seats in the library. Why choose this one?” Tsuki, sensing the silent questioning from her friends, swallowed nervously and played along.

“Because I wanted to get to know you,” Sugawara smiled softly, stating his intention straightforwardly.

“Wow... so direct,” one of the women exclaimed.

“No wonder Tsuki-chan, who’s so hard to win over, ended up with you,” another said.

“Tsuki-chan, how did you react at that moment?” The women, now witnessing the beginning of the story, buzzed with curiosity.

“When I looked at his handsome face, my mind went blank. I was both nervous and shy, and I didn’t know what to say,” Tsuki confessed.

“And then? What happened next?” they urged.

“Since she didn’t say anything, I asked if the seat was taken,” Sugawara continued.

“I instinctively said no... then he smiled and asked another question that completely won me over,” Tsuki quickly took over the story.

“What did he say?” Wakaba, desperate for more, pressed on.

“And how did you feel inside?” they asked eagerly.

Looking at Sugawara, who remained silent, Tsuki revealed the secret herself.

“Wow...” the women gasped.

“That’s incredibly sweet!” they exclaimed.

Despite the ordinary setting—the library, no grand heroic rescue, no dramatic twists—the way the couple vividly recounted their meeting sparked a flutter in their hearts. No wonder Tsuki fell for him; such a straightforward approach is hard for any girl to resist.

“After we got to know each other, everything happened naturally. We were both single, exchanged names and contact information, and occasionally studied together in the library. We only started dating about six months after she graduated from university,” Sugawara added, filling in gaps based on Tsuki’s earlier recounting, particularly regarding the timeline.

“Why did it take so long to start dating?” one of the women asked, realizing the question only now.

Thinking it over, they recalled that Tsuki didn’t start dating during her university years; even during their graduation celebrations, there had been no signs of romance. The relationship only seemed to develop about a year ago.

“She was busy with graduation and exams. I didn’t want to distract her during such an important time, so I waited until her life settled down,” Sugawara explained.

“I see,” the women nodded in understanding.

“How considerate,” another said.

“Really makes you feel inadequate. I wish my boyfriend was half as thoughtful,” a third grumbled. Among them, Risa Minamida was particularly irritated, thinking of her own boyfriend and troublesome younger brother. Why was the gap between men so vast?

“When she officially became a teacher and started working, I began pursuing her. After we confessed our feelings to each other, we got together,” Sugawara finished, glancing tenderly at Tsuki as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with a soft smile.

Tsuki felt her heart race. [Heart flutter +1]

The unexpected small gesture made her blush faintly.