Volume 1 Chapter 3: A College Student’s Winter Break
My college life could be summed up in one word: time.
Back in middle and high school, I spent nearly every waking
hour on club activities or studying for exams, leaving almost no room for free
time. Compared to that, college felt like an entirely different world – so much
freedom that it was almost luxurious.
Looking back now, my freshman year might have been the most
fulfilling time of my life.
My first club. My first time living alone. A cute
girlfriend.
My grades stayed decent enough, and everything just felt… smooth
sailing.
But comfort has a way of dulling the senses.
Little by little, the joy faded, and what once felt new and
exciting became just another part of everyday life.
I started showing up to club meetings less and less. Then
came the cheating.
It’s cliché, I know – but it’s always after you lose
something that you realize how much it really meant to you.
That missing piece had taken up more of my heart than I’d
ever realized.
Now all I had left was my so-called “easygoing” solo life.
And even that wasn’t feeling so great anymore.
“Ugh… I messed up.”
I muttered to myself as I touched the kitchen sink.
Neglecting to clean for a while had come back to bite me.
I wiped the sticky, slimy mess off my rubber gloves with a
paper towel, silently regretting every shortcut I’d taken.
Living alone has its perks – different ones for different people.
No parents breathing down your neck. The freedom to do
whatever you want. Being able to invite over friends, or a girlfriend, whenever
the mood strikes.
But right now, for me, the downsides were starting to feel a
lot bigger.
I tossed the rubber gloves into the trash and decided to
take a break from cleaning the sink.
Today, I had to make a trip to campus to submit a seminar
report to my professor.
I was already three days past the deadline, but thanks to the
rapport I’d built with him over time, he was cutting me some slack.
I’d made sure to pour extra effort into this report to make
up for the delay, and I was confident it would meet his expectations.
Cracking the front door open a few centimeters, a blast of
cold air slipped in through the gap.
“Cold as hell…”
I muttered under my breath and stepped outside.
Though it had only just passed the winter solstice, the
sunlight felt surprisingly gentle as it welcomed me.
◇
The university I got to is a comfortable size.
There are plenty of hangout spots scattered around campus,
which keeps the crowd spread out nicely. Except during lunch, it rarely feels
overcrowded.
I’ve heard that on campuses way bigger than ours, it’s
almost impossible to find your friends, unless you plan ahead. By comparison,
my school makes social interaction a lot easier.
But even that friendly campus was practically deserted today
– thanks to winter break.
After submitting my report, I wandered around for a while.
Not only did I not run into any friends, I barely saw any other students at
all.
If I went home now, I’d have to pick up where I left off
with cleaning. Just the thought made me sluggish.
When I spotted a vending machine, I shuffled over to it and
slowly reached for my wallet.
At the very least, I just wanted to take a break with a café
au lait and escape from reality for a bit.
That was my only thought as I dropped a few coins into the
machine – only for a coffee can to suddenly clatter down into the tray.
“…Why?”
I retrieved the fallen can, eyeing it suspiciously.
Then a familiar voice called out from behind me.
“Fufufu. Thank you for your purchase, Senpai.”
I turned around – and there she was. The former Santa, Mayu
Shinohara.
She looked just as stunning as the first time we met.
Honestly, I doubt many women could pull of a Santa outfit the way she had.
Shinohara took the coffee can from my hand and, looking
delighted, began trying to pop it open.
The fact that she could be so cheerful drinking something
she made me pay for was actually kind of impressive. Maybe that’s why
she was so happy about it.
“It’s winter break. What are you even doing here?”
Apparently not too thrilled with my reaction, Shinohara made
a little sound in her throat and puffed out her cheeks.
“Senpai, normally you’d be pretty happy to run into me
during winter break, you know?”
“Yeah, yeah, fine. Here”
Suppressing a sigh, I pointed at the vending machine’s coin
slot.
Shinohara seemed to catch my meaning and took out her
wallet. It was a well-known brand, practically a signature of college girls –
and in her hands, it somehow looked even more stylish.
“No need to get all salty. I was planning to pay you back
from the start. What were you trying to get?”
“Café au lait.”
“Got it.”
She pressed the button without complaint and pulled out a
can of café au lait for me.
“It’s cold, though. Are you sure this is what you wanted?”
“It’s fine. I like cold café au lait.”
“It’ll chill your body, you know.”
Shinohara sounded a little concerned, but I already knew
that. Even in winter, I always preferred my drinks cold.
I cracked open the can and took a sip, the mellow sweetness
spreading across my tongue. For me, this moment of peace was more relaxing than
a cigarette ever could be.
“Senpai, thank you for the other day.”
“Hm?”
“’Hm?’ is not a valid response. I’m talking about the thing
with Yūdō-senpai.”
“Oh, that. You already thanked me for that.”
“I know. But I wanted to say it properly.”
Shinohara slowly popped open her own can and downed it in
one go.
“Ugh – bitter!”
“Then why’d you drink it?”
The label clearly said “lightly sweetened,” but it still
didn’t seem to suit her taste.
Grumbling about how she should’ve looked before pressing a
random button, she tossed the now–empty can into the bin.
Since it was winter break, the trash was practically empty,
and the can disappeared without making a sound.
“So, Senpai. Since fate was kind enough to bring us together
like this, how about we settle that little ‘makeup’ I owe you?”
“…Huh?”
I paused mid-sip and raised an eyebrow.
“That’s unnecessary. Besides, giving me a personal makeup
session or whatever sounds weird.”
Ayaka was the one who organized the mixer in the first
place, so if anyone deserved a follow-up or apology, it should be her.
Not that Ayaka would ever ask for one.
But Shinohara shook her head.
“It’s not just about making up for that. It’s more like…
returning a favor. You really saved me that day, Senpai.”
“Me? I didn’t do anything.”
“I’m the one who feels indebted, so you don’t get to argue
about it.”
“You’re ridiculous…”
All I’d done that day was give her a bit of advice over the
phone.
If she was going to treat every small act like it was some
grand favor, it was going to get exhausting real fast.
“Normally, I’d say just having me around should be enough to
settle to score, but you don’t really seem like the type to go for that,
Senpai. So…”
She trailed off, clearly thinking something over.
“As your former Santa, I’ll grant you one wish. Anything you
want.”
“I don’t really-”
The words caught in my throat as the image of my disgusting
kitchen sink flashed through my mind.
That was it. The thing I’d been putting off the most lately.
“-Housework.”
Shinohara blinked.
And then burst out laughing.
◇
“Wait, you’re actually coming to my place?”
When we reached my apartment door, I had to double-check.
Even if it had just slipped out in the moment, it didn’t
change the fact that I’d just invited a girl over to my place.
I had meant to pass it off as a joke, but Shinohara had
burst out laughing and then cheerfully agreed.
She even left me with the ominous-sounding, “Once I’m done
with the chores, I’m exploring your place!”
I didn’t really have anything embarrassing lying around –
most of the sensitive stuff was on my phone – but still, the thought of someone
I’d only known for a few days poking around my apartment made me uneasy.
“Why does the one who asked me look the most bothered by it?
I said I’m coming, didn’t I?”
“Actually, is it too late to cancel? You could just treat me
to a coffee at that café over there. Now that I think about it, I’m actually
great at housework.”
“Don’t suddenly change your mind after dragging me all the
way here. It’s freezing – just let me in already.”
Shinohara flashed a smile that looked way too mischievous
for comfort.
It was almost suspicious how good she looked even with an
expression like that.
In the end, I couldn’t turn her down. I sighed and unlocked
the door.
It had been a long time since I’d invited anyone over.
“Oh, your place is actually kind of clean, Senpai.”
As soon as she stepped inside, Shinohara looked around and
sounded disappointingly unimpressed.
“This is ‘clean’ to you? What kind of dump were you
expecting?”
There was a coat I wore yesterday still on the floor, a
half-crumpled snack bag from this morning, and lecture handouts scattered all
over. Calling it “tidy” would be generous at best.
“I was mentally prepared for a total trash heap. Compared to
that, this is nothing.”
“You really came with that mindset?!”
The fact that I apparently gave off “trash heap” energy was
kind of a shock. I didn’t exactly dress to impress, but I always tried to keep
things looking reasonably clean… so yeah, this stung a bit.
While I was caught up in those thoughts, Shinohara stretched
with a lazy little hum.
“Well, I had nothing else to do today anyway. Let’s knock
this cleaning out real quick!”
With that, she shrugged off her coat and tossed it onto the
bed before walking straight to the kitchen.
As she rolled up her sleeves, a flash of pale skin peeked
through.
“What is it?” she asked, catching my gaze.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly, averting my eyes and tossing
my jacket onto the bed beside hers.
A girl I just met was now standing in my kitchen like it was
the most normal thing in the world.
If you’d told me a month ago this would happen, I’d have
called you crazy.
“You’re gonna wrinkle your clothes if you leave them like
that,” she said.
“It’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”
I stopped Shinohara before she could pick them up and hung
both my coat and jacket on hangers.
When I’m alone, my apartment feels like a safe haven. But
when someone else is in it, that peace kind of disappears.
Shinohara had said my place was “cleaner than expected,” but
it was usually a lot tidier than this.
Suddenly embarrassed by the mess, I started picking up
everything in sight like my life depended on it.
“Senpai, why do you live alone, anyway?”
“Huh? I mean… there’s a lot of reasons.”
“Wow, vague much.”
She replied with a half-hearted tone while pulling on a pair
of rubber gloves.
Luckily, I’d left the cleaning supplies on the kitchen
counter earlier, so she got right to work without missing a beat.
“What’s with the sudden interest?” I raised my voice a
little over the sound of the running tap.
Thanks to that, Shinohara replied just as naturally as
always.
“Hmm… I mean, living at home is just easier, isn’t it? You
get a hot meal waiting for you when you walk in the door. I don’t really
picture you cooking much, Senpai, so I figured that kind of thing would matter.”
Living at home is easier.
That’s something I’d thought about many times before.
Living alone definitely has its perks – freedom, for one.
But of course, it also means having to take care of yourself entirely on your
own.
It’s more work than it sounds. Looking back, the way my mom
used to take care of not just herself but our whole family feels nothing short
of incredible.
“All done!”
“Wait, seriously? Already?”
I peeked into the sink and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was
sparkling – no trace of grime, not even the tiny stuff. It even had a polished
sheen to it.
“Damn. This looks nothing like before. I was dreading
cleaning it, and now it’s like brand new.”
“I’m used to this kind of stuff. I live alone too, remember?”
Looking quite satisfied, Shinohara gave a confident nod and
tossed the rubber gloves into the trash.
“Okay, next up – let’s make lunch. You just sit back and
relax.”
“Wait, you’re seriously gonna cook for me too? What’s going
on? You want me to buy you something? I’m broke, you know.”
“I already told you, this is my way of returning the favor.
Quit talking nonsense and just watch TV or something.”
She nudged me gently until I dropped onto the bed.
Apparently, she had no intention of letting me help. “I mean
it – just relax,” she emphasized.
Maybe she had some sort of vision of me ruining her cooking
if I got involved. I wasn’t that bad, honestly – but if she didn’t want help, I
wasn’t going to push it.
I reached for the remote and turned the TV on.
The TV show that came on was one of those debate panels
discussing a celebrity cheating scandal – totally not my thing.
“Seriously? It’s almost the end of the year and this is what’s
on?”
I always get annoyed whenever I see gossip shows about
celebrities. But I guess for people who are into that stuff, it’s probably entertaining.
Just then, my phone buzzed. Almost instinctively, I glanced
at the screen.
A message notification from Ayaka had popped up.
‘Let’s hang out!’
[TL/N]: Lucky
What is she, in elementary school?
I nearly said it out loud.
Normally, I’d wait a bit before replying, but right now I
had way too much time on my hands.
Switching over to the chat screen, I started typing.
‘If we’re hanging out, at least tell me the time, place,
and what we’re doing.’
‘Evening on the 29th. Department store.
Shopping!’
‘That’s tomorrow!’
The fact that she was inviting me on such short notice meant
she was fully convinced I had nothing scheduled. And the worst part? She was
absolutely right. That made it all the more frustrating.
We ended up chatting for a while after that. None of it was
important, but it was still a better use of my time than watching a gossip show
I couldn’t care less about.
Just as the conversation started to shift toward the topic
of the recent group date, Shinohara called out to me.
“Senpai, sorry to keep you waiting.”
I turned toward her voice and saw her walking over, holding
a large plate.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and got up from the bed.
The plate was piled high with sandwiches.
“Ohh!”
I couldn’t help but get excited. Even though I’d only asked
her to cook on a whim, having a girl actually make food for me wasn’t exactly a
regular thing in the life of a single guy.
Shinohara shrugged at my reaction.
“It’s just stuff I threw together, so this was the best I
could do. Next time, could you please stock your fridge a little better,
Senpai?”
“Wait, no, seriously… This looks amazing.”
Tuna, egg, ham and cabbage – the classic lineup of sandwich
fillings. The fact she’d managed to whip all that up from the sorry contents of
my neglected fridge was honestly impressive.
“Well, I’m glad it turned out okay. If you get this excited
over simple sandwiches, now I kind of wish I’d gone all out and made something
fancier.”
As much as I wanted to dig in right away, I made sure to say
something first.
“Thanks for the food. And thanks for making it.”
“You’re very welcome. Hearing that makes it worth the
effort.”
Shinohara smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
It was a look I hadn’t seen on her before – and I froze with
my hand halfway to a sandwich.
“Hm? What is it?”
“Ah… nah, it’s nothing. I just didn’t expect you to make
that kind of expression.”
I considered brushing it off, but ended up just saying what
I was thinking.
I figured she’d throw something like “Ugh, cringe” back at
me, but her reaction was different.
“Huh? What kind of expression did I make?”
“You looked kinda… bashful, I guess. Not that I’m any less
embarrassed saying it out loud.”
“…I see.”
Shinohara pressed her index finger to her chin, like she was
thinking about something.
“…You’re a weird one.”
She muttered that, then took a big bite of her sandwich.
The light spread of mayo went perfectly when the ham and
lettuce.
Lately, I’d been living off convenience store meals, so just
the fact that someone had made this this for me made it taste that much better.
Shinohara seemed to give up on whatever she’d been thinking
about and focused on eating too. “Let’s eat,” she said casually before digging
in.
Having someone else eating in my place should’ve felt
strange, but Shinohara – now down to just her indoor clothes – fit into my
apartment more naturally than I expected.
“By the way, Senpai, are you in any clubs or circles?”
“Hmm? I’m in a basketball circle, technically.”
I added “technically” because while the group met twice a
week, I showed up maybe once a month – if that.
“Why do you ask?”
“Hmm… I used to be in a club when I first started college,
you know. So now I’m kind of curious about what a ‘normal’ college student is
like. Like you.”
“You’ve got plenty of those around you, don’t you?”
With her looks, Shinohara probably had no shortage of people
trying to get close to her without her even lifting a finger.
But she shook her head firmly. “Not at all!”
“Most of the people around me are the typical party crowd,
you know? I mean, look at me – I’m cute, right? So those types are the first
ones to come talk to me.”
From what I knew of her, that checked out. Someone like
Motosaka, for instance would definitely be the kind of approach her.
She casually called herself cute, but at this point, I wasn’t
going to bother calling her out on it.
“I’m not so numb that I’d start thinking those people are ‘normal.’
I’ve actually been getting pretty tired of hanging out with that crowd lately.”
“So that’s why you dated Motosaka, huh?”
“Pretty much, yeah. Like I said before, I was interested in
the kind of romantic stuff college students do. And hey – don’t bring it back
up. I already told you regret it.”
Shinohara pouted and took a big bite of her sandwich.
She sure had a healthy appetite. But apparently she’d taken
on more than she could chew – literally. She quickly reached for her water and
chugged it in a panic.
“You alright?” I asked, rubbing her back. Shinohara slowly
started to calm down.
She stayed quiet for a while, then eventually spoke up.
“Senpai, do you have a girlfriend?”
“What kind of question is that out of nowhere? No, I don’t.
If I did, I wouldn’t be inviting girls into my apartment.”
“Ooh, how serious of you. That’s pretty rare these days!”
The teasing smile on her face made me think, Didn’t you
break up with Motosaka because you didn’t want a guy who’d cheat?
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“Something you wouldn’t like.”
“Ew, did you really just say that to my face?”
Shinohara grimaced and reached out for another sandwich –
but suddenly froze, then sprang to her feet like she’d just remembered
something critical.
“Crap – my part-time job!!”
“What? You had work after this?!”
If she ended up quitting this job because of me – right after
the Santa gig too – I’d owe her again. Not that most jobs would fire someone
over a single late arrival, but still, it’s always better to be on time.
Shinohara clearly understood that too. The moment she
realized the time, she launched into a flurry of activity, getting ready at
lightning speed. After tossing on her coat, she clomped over to the door and shoved
her feet into her boots. She was in a real hurry.
“Sorry to keep you right before work.”
“That’s when you’re supposed to say thank you,
senpai! And if you throw in a thanks for the meal too, I’d be even
happier!”
She turned to face me with a grin.
“Go on – say it!”
Even though she was rushing, she still insisted on hearing
those words. Standing there at the door, she bounced impatiently on her feet,
waiting for me to speak.
Cold air flowed in through the half-open door, but Shinohara
didn’t seem bothered at all.
She’s got energy, I’ll give her that.
“Thanks for the food. And for everything.”
“Fufufu. You’re very welcome.”
Nodding with satisfaction, Shinohara turned around.
“Alright, I’ll be back sometime!”
She opened the door and dashed off.
I stood there in the entryway, listening to her footsteps on
the stairs gradually fade into silence.
I’ll be back, huh.
I’m not really the type who enjoys inviting people into my
home.
And yet, when she said “I’ll be back,” I didn’t feel annoyed
at all. That probably says everything.
“If this turns out to be some kind of honey trap, I’ll be
the biggest fool in town.”
Still, if it was a honey trap, and I got to eat a
home-cooked meal made by someone that cute… wouldn’t that be a pretty lucky
scam?
I could practically hear Shinohara’s teasing voice saying
that, along with that mischievous little smile of hers.
◇
Senpai’s apartment was cleaner than I expected.
He mentioned something about housework when I asked for a
favor, so I thought I’d be walking into a total disaster.
But when I actually saw it – just a few clothes and papers
scattered on the floor, that was it. Once he hurriedly picked those up and
tossed them on the bed, the place honestly didn’t look bad at all. Clean enough
that it made me feel like being there was kind of unnecessary.
He clearly vacuumed too. The exposed floor didn’t even have
any noticeable dirt on it.
I’ll admit, I was hoping he’d be one of those guys who
seemed all put-together on the outside but was hopeless at home. That would’ve
been fun. But apparently, that wasn’t the case.
A little let down, I decided I might as well make lunch for
him. Nothing too serious – just a whim, really.
The moment I opened his fridge, though, I almost groaned aloud.
With ingredients this sparse, how did he expect to cook anything?
Given what I had to work with, I decided on sandwiches.
Honestly, there wasn’t much else I could make.
They were just thrown together from odds and ends, but when
I served them, Senpai looked genuinely thrilled. Watching him chew with his
usual calm expression finally cracking into something more relaxed and happy –
made me feel weirdly… giddy. And before I knew it, I’d said it.
“I’ll be back!”
Next time, I want to cook something real – not just simple
sandwiches.
If he thinks that was representative of my cooking, I’d
honestly be a little offended.
As I made my way toward my part-time job, I couldn’t help
but smile.
That way we met? Probably one of the worst.
Getting hit by a flurry of flyers while dressed as Santa –
out of all the ways to meet someone, that’s got to be one of the more
ridiculous ones.
Even so, I find that I really enjoy the time I spend talking
with Senpai.
Turns out, how people meet doesn’t matter as much as I
thought.
The signal light ahead began flashing.
I broke into a run.
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