Kimi no Shiawase wo Negatteita 3 (I Wish You Happiness 3)

Part 5

I have more things at home. It's strange how just having tableware in the cupboard that used to be empty gives a sense of life. It's a new apartment, so there should be no drafts, but the house, which had been somewhat cold, has become warmer and more comfortable.

All of these items were chosen with Ren, and the memories of Ren are growing in the house.

There are kitchen utensils that I don't know how to use, such as knives of different sizes and silicon spatulas, and there are plate mats and chopstick rests that I will probably never use on my own. But each of them is filled with memories of Ren, and I love them.

Since the day I picked up the kitten, Ren has been inviting me to dinner more and more often, usually once or twice a week.

The first time he asked me out for dinner after work, I cried and turned him down because I was only carrying my daily use inhibitor.

Since then, I have been carrying a strong inhibitor in my chest pocket every day, waiting for Ren to ask me out. It has become a habit for me to check for his call at working hours.

I had imagined that Ren would dine at a prestigious French restaurant with classical music or a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant), but to my surprise, he seems to have a deep knowledge of public pubs with red lanterns hanging in the air.

I thought I would feel very uncomfortable with him eating yakitori and fried chicken cartilage right in front of me, but he seemed to have a much better handle on it than I did, using the touch panel to order one thing after another.

When I thought about it, Ren had been surrounded by many friends and seniors in college. Maybe it was natural that he was used to this kind of place.

It was nice to see his crisp appearance with a single line on his body, but it was also cool to see him sipping sake with a relaxed expression on his face.

It was probably because of Ren's coolness that the restaurant had sent me a lot of food to serve. When I went out for drinks with my colleagues and Hisamitsu, there was no such service, I'm sure.

Both the man and woman, and the clerk who seems to be a Beta smiled while saying thank you, with a blush on their cheek. I was also embarrassed by his smile and couldn't help but blush my cheeks when I saw it in front of me.

Of course I was happy to receive Ren's invitation to dinner, but there was a slight problem.

Using the drug at the current pace would definitely be hard on my body. In particular, the inhibitors I use for my encounters with Ren are much stronger than the ones I usually use.

I'm worried that Ren might find out that I'm on heat, so I've gradually started to use the more powerful inhibitors. The medication that I am currently using when I meet Ren was originally designed for emergencies, and should not be used on a regular basis.

Raizo-san had drilled into my ears the risks of abusing them, so I felt guilty every time I took them. Ahhh, I can't help but think of Raizo-san's angry face with a sad expression on it.

Still, there was no option for me to see Ren without taking the inhibitor, or to not see Ren at all. I took it, making excuses that it was just for now, just for a while.

Since the dosage of the strong inhibitor is smaller than that of the regular inhibitor, I've been going around to hospitals that don't seem to have any connections with people I know to get the drug. I'm about to run out of stock, so I'll have to see a doctor to get a prescription.

...Pirron, pirron, pirron...

"Oh, it's Ren."

I immediately responded to the sound of the mail, and my cheeks relaxed when I saw the name on the screen.