"...Huh!"
I jerked awake as if having a seizure. When my vision cleared, I saw Aria's jawline above me. Even from the side, Aria's expressionless face...
Wait, why am I in Aria's arms?
Confused by this inexplicable situation, I slightly twisted my waist.
"Are you awake?"
Realizing I was up, Aria looked at me with a smile. Everything else was fine, but I couldn't understand why I was being held in Aria's arms, so my expression turned awkward.
While I was still wearing a confused expression, I suddenly realized we were outside.
The sun had already descended quite a bit. It looked like sunset would begin soon. As I turned my head around in a daze, my mouth gaped open. Having just woken up, my neck muscles weren't working properly, and I couldn't speak clearly.
As I groaned softly and furrowed my brow, Aria explained first.
"We're heading back to The Academy now. Once we get you to the Professor, today will be over."
"...Huh? Aren't we going to hang out?"
I asked in a dumbfounded voice. Sera, who was walking beside us, tried to suppress her laughter as she replied.
"We already spent four hours hanging out."
"Uh, what?"
I couldn't help but be confused.
I narrowed my eyes and tried to recall my hazy memories.
I remembered receiving a beer, but nothing after that. My head throbbed.
Four hours had passed since then? I wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but seeing the sun approaching the horizon, it clearly wasn't a lie.
"Come to think of it, Karen is really strong with alcohol, huh? I gave her something normal because she seemed fine, but her face didn't change at all."
"...Haha, I didn't know either since I've never drunk before."
The atmosphere among everyone was like they had finished an after-party and were now chatting casually before parting ways.
It felt like I was being left out, but there was something strange about everyone's mood that made it difficult for me to speak up.
"L-let me down."
I twisted my body, trying to get away from Aria. Though she seemed a bit reluctant, Aria turned slightly and set me down on the ground.
When I tried to stand on my own two feet, I felt dizzy and staggered.
Maybe I was still tipsy. I slapped both my cheeks with my hands. It hurt enough to make me squeeze my eyes shut, but at least my mind felt a bit clearer.
Sera gave me a meaningful look.
"Urr is a liar."
"What lie did I tell?"
I questioned Sera's statement, but she didn't explain and just brushed it off.
Come on, tell me.
Thinking the others might say something, I turned to Karen. When our eyes met, Karen's eyes widened before she quickly averted her gaze.
"Karen, did I... did I do something? Did I get drunk and now I can't remember...?!"
This was the worst situation.
It was the Study Group's first after-party, and I couldn't remember anything about it. I had begged the Professor so hard to let me go, and now it all felt wasted.
I was starting to feel depressed. Neither Karen nor Sera would tell me anything, so Aria was my only hope.
I grabbed Aria's sleeve and looked up at her.
"Aria..."
"The others will send you the pictures they took this evening."
"Am I the only one who can't remember?"
"That happens. The others aren't giving you a hard time about being a lightweight, so what's the problem?"
That's not the issue.
The problem is that I blacked out after drinking a little alcohol. Did I do something weird? Did they just take pictures of me sleeping?
In my confusion, I raised both hands to my cheeks. I wanted to cover my face, but since I didn't know what I'd done yet, there was no reason to be embarrassed first, so I just watched the others cautiously.
Aria's expressions didn't change much, so she wasn't giving anything away. Sera was looking at me with a somewhat mischievous expression.
Karen seemed to be reacting the most strongly, and seeing how embarrassed she looked, I was struck by the shocking thought that I must have made quite a mistake.
Uh, um. Before I could respond properly, we had already arrived at The Academy.
I entered the Research Building where the Professor was, and had to part with everyone without getting any more answers.
The others left quickly, and I remained in the Laboratory. I waved helplessly in the direction they had disappeared before dropping my hand limply.
The Professor, who had been at the computer, smiled at me when I returned after four hours.
"Our Urr, did you have a good time?"
"Mmm..."
I sniffled.
It seemed like I had a good time, but I didn't feel like I'd enjoyed myself, so I felt like I hadn't. When I nodded, my expression turned blank because I hadn't actually done anything.
I had come with the others to say hello and then parted ways, but I still felt dazed.
As I hesitated and glanced at the Professor, she noticed me and got up in surprise.
"Urr, your face is a bit red?"
"...Ah, well."
I hesitated, wondering if I should honestly say that I had some drinks with the others.
As I stood there awkwardly with a dry "ahaha," the Professor approached me and leaned in close. She held my cheeks and turned my face this way and that, examining it.
"Uu..."
My cheeks felt soft as they were pushed around. My lips puffed out like a goldfish.
I felt a bit intimidated by the Professor's investigative gaze.
Since I couldn't properly answer any questions about what we did or why I was like this, I just mumbled and avoided eye contact.
The Professor seemed to find me even more suspicious and stared at me with wide eyes. Finally, disappointed at not getting any information, she sighed deeply.
"Haah, alright. It's a bit much to report everything when you're just hanging out with friends."
"...I had a good time."
"Good. Do you want dinner?"
"Yes, please."
Having overcome this hurdle, I felt my throat getting dry, so I clung slightly to the Professor, thinking we should eat something.
We ate out. After dining, I returned home and hung my jacket in the closet.
The Professor seemed to have become less busy lately, as she was watching TV instead of typing on her laptop as usual. It meant the period when she was too busy with keyboard work to pay attention to me had passed.
I climbed onto the sofa and moved closer to the Professor who was sitting below. As I gently touched her hair, she reached for my hand.
She caught my right hand. The Professor held my hand and kissed it with her lips. It tickled, making me giggle.
"That tickles."
"Is the TV boring?"
"It's okay."
"Yawn," I exhaled.
I wasn't sleepy, so why was I yawning?
I pulled my hand away from the Professor to stretch. I extended my arms upward and straightened my back. The trembling sensation made me feel refreshed.
As I lightened my body with a shaky breath, a buzzing vibration came from my pocket.
I was startled and opened my eyes wide.
"That's not mine."
"...Ah, it's mine."
I took the phone out of my pocket. Wondering what the vibration was about, I quickly tapped the screen. It was a private chat from Sera.
She had said earlier that she would send pictures, and feeling slightly anxious, I couldn't help but be tense. My trembling finger pressed the button.
Tap.
"!!!"
What appeared immediately was a picture of me. The sight of me half-dazed and drooling was shocking.
Did I really make such an expression?
I couldn't speak, stunned by the disturbing sight. I just stood there with my eyes wide open and my mouth agape.
It was me lying face down on a bed in a strange posture. The vacant expression was one thing, but my face flushed red filled me with self-loathing.
I wanted to say it was impossible that I made such an expression in front of everyone, but with such clear photographic evidence, there was nothing I could say in my defense.
The corners of my mouth moved on their own. I groaned, caught in that ambiguous feeling of being unable to either laugh or cry. With a heavy heart, I moistened my dry lips, and the Professor tilted her head and looked in my direction.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing."
I held my phone tightly and then quietly placed it against my chest.
"..."
I silently fixed my gaze on the ceiling.
I was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say. I thought I could just let it go, but seeing my drunken state, it didn't seem that simple.
Why, why did I make such an expression? Why was I in that position? Surely not...?
Fear welled up inside me.
The film had already been cut, so I couldn't remember anything. With nothing to argue, I was left speechless.
Oblivious to my feelings, the buzzing phone annoyed me. The vibration against my chest made my heart tremble. That was how I felt right now.
"...Hmm."
"Urr, is something wrong?"
The Professor tilted her head, probably thinking my mood was strange.
I knew there was a limit to how much I could gloss over this, but thinking I couldn't show this side of me to the Professor, I shook my head.