{“Meeting Up Together” 1}

After my fifth class, I stretched out big.

Fifth-period compulsory classes are tough. Just as tough as first-period classes on Mondays. But there’s no point in complaining, so I quietly loosened up my stiff neck and shoulders.

It was a little after 6 p.m. Though the days were getting longer, it was already pitch dark outside. Thinking I should head home and start dinner, I left the lecture room.

I paused in the hallway to check my phone and saw two unread messages.

The first message was from Miu, sent about thirty minutes ago.

“I got off work on time today, so I’ll make dinner! I’ll stop by the supermarket by the station to grab what we need!”

After that happy news, she had spammed a rabbit sticker repeatedly saying, “Heading home!” She must’ve been really happy to finish on time, or maybe it was just a mistake. Either way, it was cute.

It seemed she was cooking dinner tonight. Which meant tonight’s menu was probably something like curry, stew, or hayashi rice—something along those lines, for sure.

Before replying, I checked the second message, just in case it was bad news.

The screen showed the word “Club.” It was a message sent to the group for the basketball club I belonged to.

The announcement read:
“We’re having a thank-you party tonight to celebrate everyone’s hard work during recruitment! It’s a casual get-together for the new members, so please join in!”

I couldn’t help but smile wryly. Another one of those typical “fake casual” drinking parties.

I’m part of the university’s basketball club. It’s not as serious as the actual basketball team, but we’re also not one of those drinking or event-focused clubs disguised as a sports club. We’re a group of people who genuinely want to play basketball, meeting about two to three times a week. Even though I had a gap in playing, the practice wasn’t too demanding for me as an experienced player. However, we did have a lot of people quit, saying it wasn’t what they expected.

Although it’s a club for those who are serious, the number of drinking parties suddenly increases in the spring.

The reason? That announcement I just read explains it.

During recruitment, we put on a friendly atmosphere to attract new members or trial joiners. If we dive into serious practices right away, they’ll run away. So, in the spring, we present ourselves as a club that loves socializing and drinking, then gradually increase the practice load. By the end of summer, drinking parties only happen after games, and by then, the new members will have figured out the club’s true nature.

Personally, I think this approach is counterproductive. If we recruited as a serious club from the start, we wouldn’t attract people just looking to party or drink. Besides, according to the upperclassmen, they tried that once, and the recruitment event was a total flop. Seems recruiting isn’t easy either.

Now, how should I respond?

I don’t dislike drinking parties. If a friend invites me, I’ll show up, even after work. I try to attend club events when I can. While I’m not much of a drinker, I do enjoy the laid-back atmosphere that emerges after everyone’s had a few, and I’ve never found it unbearable.

But that’s only when you look at drinking parties on their own.

Compared to spending time with Miu—wait, comparing them in the first place is ridiculous. Time spent with her is priceless, and tonight she’s cooking dinner for us. A drinking party or even just making a detour seems like a waste.

So, without hesitation, I typed my reply.

“Sorry, I can’t join tonight. My girlfriend’s making dinner for me.”

Within less than a minute after sending it, the message was read, and responses from other members quickly followed.

“I’m in. Yamaguchi gets the death penalty.”

“Not going, but I agree with the death penalty.”

“Where does Yamaguchi live again? Can we crash for dinner?”

“Second round at Yamaguchi’s place then.”

The topic had completely shifted. Death penalty, seriously? Well, at least the new members would learn that it’s okay to skip a club drinking party for this kind of reason.