Chapter LXXXVII: A Dinner at Honor
A peaceful evening blankets the town as the students of Class 3-A settle into their respective homes. The quiet hum of activity fills the air—some are finishing homework, others are watching TV, and Kota is comfortably lounging on his bed, scrolling through funny videos on YourBook. He chuckles at a particularly hilarious clip when a notification from his group chat pops up. Ignoring it, he continues his nightly routine.
Moments later, his phone buzzes again, this time with a video call from Akiko. He answers, and her smiling face fills the screen.
"Hey, Kota! Did you see the message in our group chat?" Akiko asks, her curiosity evident.
Kota looks puzzled.
"Uh, no, I didn't. What’s it about?"
"Check it out!" Akiko urges, leaning closer to her screen.
Kota opens the group chat and finds a new message from the class representative:
"Good Evening, Class 3-A. The School President will be hosting a dinner at the President's Hall on Saturday. Only Class 3-A will be joining."
Kota raises an eyebrow.
"A dinner party just for our class? That's interesting. I wonder what it's about."
Akiko nods.
"Yeah, it's pretty unusual. Are you planning to go?"
Kota, still intrigued, types a message in their squad’s group chat, asking if everyone is going to attend the dinner party. Replies quickly come in, with everyone confirming their attendance except for Gin, who regretfully informs them that he has to work at his family’s bike shop that evening.
Akiko sighs.
"It’s too bad Gin can’t make it. But I guess we’ll have to fill him in later."
"Yeah, it’s a shame," Kota agrees. "But I’m curious about what’s going to happen. Maybe it’s something big."
"Could be," Akiko says, then changes the subject with a playful smile. "Hey, want to watch some memes and anime together?"
Kota grins.
"You know I’m always up for that."
The two spend the next couple of hours laughing at memes and enjoying their favorite anime and documentaries. It’s a typical night for them—comfortable and filled with shared interests.
As midnight approaches, they start to wind down. Akiko stretches and lets out a sleepy yawn.
"I should probably head to bed. We’ve got that dinner party to look forward to on Saturday."
Kota nods, feeling the fatigue settle in as well.
"Yeah, you’re right. Goodnight, Akiko."
"Goodnight, Kota," Akiko replies with a warm smile before ending the call.
Kota puts his phone down and stares at the ceiling for a moment, thoughts drifting to the mysterious invitation. Whatever the dinner was about, it had certainly piqued everyone’s curiosity. With a mix of anticipation and wonder, he closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep, ready to face whatever surprises Saturday might bring.
Saturday arrives, and Kota wakes up with a sense of anticipation. He heads to his wardrobe, carefully selecting a nice outfit for the special dinner at the President's Hall. As he straightens his tie, his phone buzzes with a message from Akiko.
Akiko: “Hey Kota, I’m really sorry but I’ve got the flu. I’m too ill to make it tonight. :(“
Kota frowns, feeling a pang of disappointment. He replies quickly.
Kota: “That’s a bummer. Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll fill you in on everything later.”
Akiko: “Thanks, Kota. Have fun for the both of us!”
As evening falls, Kota makes his way to the school, where Class 3-A gathers on the rooftop. The city skyline is illuminated in the fading light, showcasing notable landmarks like the Cathedral, the Government-owned hotel, the Golden Tower, and the heritage district. Kota stands at the edge, taking in the breathtaking view.
Asahi and Enmei arrive, joining him.
"Yoww, wazzup my nig-," Enmei starts, only to be cut off by the squad.
"Hey, hey, hey! Where did you get the confidence to say that word?" they chorus.
Enmei grins.
"From yo mama! HAHA!"
Hanako, rolling her eyes, picks up an old frying pan she found on the rooftop and playfully bangs it on Enmei’s head. The squad bursts into laughter.
The Class Rep waves them over.
"Alright, everyone, let’s head inside."
As they decend into the place,
"You know? It's fun to say that word, Nig-" (Enmei)
Asahi then smacks him.
Inside, they find a cozy space resembling a small house, complete with a Smart TV, souvenir items from the Philippines, bulletin boards, and a nearby pantry and kitchen. A rotund middle-aged man, the school chancellor, greets them.
"Make yourselves at home," he says warmly.
Asahi heads straight for the TV, searching for karaoke. The chancellor adds,
"We need to wait for the school president. He’s defending his thesis for a Doctorate in Education right now."
He chuckles.
"Soon, he’ll be known as President Eiji Dobayashi, Ph.D., Ed.D.----R.I.P."
The room erupts in laughter.
They start singing karaoke, and Kota, initially sitting at the corner, is called up by Katsu to sing. He accepts the challenge, dueling with Enmei. During his second song, Enmei hits a high note but his voice cracks, sending everyone into fits of laughter.
After a while, they settle down to eat. The table is laden with a variety of dishes, especially tempura. The chancellor brings out two bottles of red wine.
Feeling bold, Kota takes a drink while Asahi sings. The wine flows freely, and soon Kota finds himself taking shot after shot of Viva Espedana.
The school president finally arrives, looking tired but accomplished. He greets the class warmly and delivers an inspiring speech about their success and the prosperous year ahead.
Kota, now quite tipsy, continues to drink, ending up with seven shots of Viva Espedana. As the evening winds down and everyone prepares to leave, he steps outside. The school grounds are dark, and he navigates carefully with just his phone flashlight.
"F- u! F- u!" he mutters under his breath, the alcohol making him bolder but less steady.
He finally makes it down the stairs, hops on his motorcycle, and heads home, the events of the night swirling in his head.
The next morning, Kota wakes up with a pounding headache. He groans, regretting the excessive wine but still smiling at the memories of the fun and laughter from the previous night. As he sits up, his phone buzzes with a message from Akiko.
Akiko: “How was it? Did you have fun?”
Kota chuckles and starts typing a detailed reply, eager to share the hilarious and heartwarming moments from the dinner party.
Back at school, life resumes its usual rhythm, but the bond among the students of Class 3-A has grown even stronger. Despite the challenges and uncertainties of the future, they know they can face anything together. And with a few more months left in their final year, they are determined to make every moment count.
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