Chapter 251: We Did It
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 251: We Did It
Korean PC bangs and Japanese internet cafes have a completely different feel.
Unlike Korean PC bangs, where a wide range of age groups from elementary schoolers to university students come mainly to play games, Japanese internet cafes feel more like a relaxation space where you can enjoy various things like movies, manga, and magazines, in addition to games, all in one place.
As long as you pay, you can even sleep over.
They even have paid shower facilities, so it’s not uncommon for office workers who’ve missed the last train to stay the night at an internet cafe instead of a motel before heading to work the next day.
"Ryu-chan, let's go in."
"Okay."
At Rika's suggestion, we decided to rest at an internet cafe for just an hour and headed into one near Shibuya Station.
This was my second time coming to an internet cafe. They were a bit too expensive to frequent on a student's allowance, so it was a place that had always felt out of my reach.
"Welcome. A party of two?"
"Yes. We'd like to use a room for one hour, prepaid."
"We have single rooms, couple's rooms, and VIP rooms. Which would you like?"
"A couple's room, please."
"Certainly. That will be 600 yen."
Hearing the staff, I hastily pulled my wallet from my pocket.
"You treated me to dinner, so I'll get this."
But Rika stopped my hand and said,
"Ah-ah! Stay put. It's our first date, so your big sis is treating."
"..."
The staff member standing before us shot us a baffled look, but Rika was completely unfazed.
So why was I the one feeling all the embarrassment?
In any case, we took the card key from the staff and headed to the room number we were given.
Rika navigated the inside of the cafe without hesitation, as if she'd been here many times before.
On the other hand, I, who had only been here once before, couldn't help but look around at everything with curiosity.
"Twenty-one... twenty-one... Ah! Here it is!"
When she opened the door with the card key and we stepped inside, a dark interior came into view.
"It's pretty spacious."
As I said that and turned on the room's light, Rika nodded in agreement.
"I've only ever rented single rooms, so I didn't know, but the couple's rooms are bigger than I thought."
Stepping into the room, I discreetly checked the time on my phone.
8:48 PM.
Minors can usually stay until 10 PM, so we had plenty of time.
We sat down at the couple's station, where two computers were placed side-by-side, and discussed what to do for the next hour.
"Games... are probably a no-go, right? It's not like we play any of the same games. How about manga?"
"We read that all the time anyway."
When I said that and pointed to the bag of books in the corner, Rika tapped her head with a little "Eekyung♥" sound and stuck her tongue out.
"...What was that just now?"
"Trying to be cute?"
"That was a little cringey."
"It's trending on social media right now!"
Rika protested as if wronged, but from my perspective, it was so cringey my toes curled. I couldn't help it.
Anyway, with games and manga off the table, the only things left were watching dramas or movies.
"A movie might be cutting it close on time. Should we watch a drama?"
"Sounds good! I heard this drama is really popular with high school girls right now."
Rika naturally opened a streaming site on the internet.
After browsing the list of dramas in the rankings, she clicked on the first episode of a melodrama titled 'I Want to Get Revenge on You!'
"Ah, it's starting."
"Should I turn off the light?"
"Yeah."
And so, we sat with our backs against the wall and began to watch the drama quietly.
*
The beginning of the drama was more provocative than I expected.
The protagonist, a university freshman, attends a club gathering and ends up spending the night with an older female student he's never met before.
It being his first time, the protagonist develops feelings for her and confesses the very next day, only to find out she already has a boyfriend.
After being brutally rejected, he vows to become a man so cool that the woman who dumped him will regret it, and dives into the world of hosts.
"Whoa, that's pretty steamy."
That was Rika's murmur after we finished the first episode.
"...Yeah."
It wasn't even an R-rated drama, but I hadn't expected a bed scene to appear so naturally.
Still, I could see why high school girls liked this drama.
Since the protagonist, Tanaka, enters the host industry, a ton of handsome men appear.
Famous actors you'd recognize just by name were all playing hosts, so of course, the female audience would go wild.
"Should I put on episode two right away?"
As I said that and reached for the mouse, Rika shook her head.
"I'm thirsty. Is it okay if I go get a drink?"
"Ah, if that's the case, just wait a second. I'll go."
"Huh? You don't have to."
"I feel bad for letting you pay for everything, so at least let me do a small errand like this."
When I stood up, Rika looked apologetic but agreed.
"A cola for me, then!"
"Okay."
Taking her order, I immediately opened the door and headed to the nearby drink bar.
*
One of the biggest perks of an internet cafe is the free drink bar.
Depending on the location, some places even offer free ice cream or toast, but it seemed this place wasn't one of them.
I filled two cups with cola and cider respectively and returned to the room to find Rika sitting quietly, waiting for me.
"You could have started watching without me."
"Aww, we decided to watch together. How could I?"
Rika said playfully as she took the cup of cola I handed her.
Once I saw she had her drink, I sat down next to her again, and Rika clicked the play button with the mouse.
The second episode of the drama began, and silence fell over the room once more.
As we were focused on the drama, Rika suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, Ryu-chan."
"Huh?"
"Am I... not attractive to you?"
"...What are you talking about?"
I thought she was as engrossed in the drama as I was, but Rika had turned to the side to look up at me.
"When a guy and a girl are this close in an enclosed space... isn't it normal to feel... you know, hot and bothered?"
"..."
The moment I heard that, I felt like I'd been hit over the head with a hammer.
That's why she wanted to come here?
I honestly thought we came to the internet cafe because her feet were hurting and she just wanted to rest for a bit, so I was completely dumbfounded.
And for whatever reason, my reaction seemed to displease Rika.
"You did... that stuff with the President, so why won't you even lay a hand on me?"
Now leaning her upper body halfway toward me, Rika spoke in a seductive tone that left me flustered and stumbling over my words.
"Th-That's because we just started dating, and I never thought we'd do anything in a cramped place like th—"
Mph!
"!"
I froze, startled by Rika's sudden surprise kiss.
Ignoring my reaction, Rika squeezed her eyes shut and continued to kiss me forcefully.
About a minute passed like that.
"Phew!"
Seemingly out of breath, Rika pulled back with a gasp and asked me,
"S-So? How was it?"
I stared blankly for a long moment before I could finally answer.
"...It smells like garlic."
Ah.
Hearing my reply, Rika's eyes became little dots as her face turned as red as an apple.
It seemed that in her haste to kiss me, she hadn't thought that far ahead.
*
"Rika, you can sit closer."
"Noooooo..."
Devastated by the comment that her courageous kiss smelled like garlic, Rika was plastered to one side of the wall, gently banging her head against it.
She looked so pitiful that I told her to come closer, but she seemed to be lost in her own world, completely ignoring me.
Finally, I made a decision.
"Excuse me."
"Ah!"
I swiftly lifted Rika from the wall and sat her down on my lap.
She struggled, kicking her arms and legs to escape my grasp, but I wrapped my arms tightly around her from behind, sealing her movements.
Realizing she couldn't beat me in strength, Rika's resistance gradually subsided.
I whispered into her ear.
"Calmed down a bit now?"
Rika flinched in surprise, then covered her ear with her hair.
"I-It tickles, so don't talk so close to me."
The movement revealed the nape of her white neck, which looked as soft as a baby's skin.
A playful impulse took over, and I blew gently on her neck.
Rika's flinch was a little bigger this time.
"Hey! Seriously! I told you to stop!"
She snapped, whipping her head around to face me.
"..."
"..."
It wasn't my intention, but our eyes met.
It was inevitable, really, given that we were sitting on top of each other in such a small space.
But even if it started by chance, fire has a way of igniting in an instant.
I looked straight into her green eyes and asked,
"Can I kiss you?"
Rika's gaze darted away as she stammered.
"B-But you said it smells like garlic..."
"It's fine. Koreans love garlic."
With that, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers without hesitation.
*
We left the internet cafe just before 10 PM.
We were supposed to leave around 9:50, but we were a little short on time and ended up getting a ten-minute extension.
"...Are you okay?"
"Mhm, it doesn't hurt that much."
Seeing Rika limping, as if from the aftereffects of pain, I asked worriedly. She forced a smile and said she was fine.
"I told you not to push yourself."
"It's a pain you have to go through eventually, right? Let's just say we did it a little early."
As she said that, Rika made a V-sign with her fingers. Finding it hard to walk on her own, she naturally leaned her body against my arm.
"But still, I think I get what the President said now."
"What did she say?"
"It's just one of those things. A secret between us girls."
Leaving me hanging, Rika put a finger to her lips and gave me a playful wink.
"You're impossible."
Finding the gesture incredibly cute, I decided to let it go. I shifted the shopping bag to my other hand, then lifted Rika up with one arm and carried her down into the subway station.