My Girlfriend Who Is Older Than Me Teases Me When I’m Working At A Bar, But Maybe Because Of Alcohol

Eight Years Later, Christmas (1)

“Jingle bell, jingle bell~”

Today, that familiar BGM can be heard from every store.

Electric decorations are everywhere, creating a fantastic spectacle.

Chicken and cakes are being sold in large quantities today.

And there are even products like the “Christmas Special Chicken” being promoted today.

Couples… were feeling excited.

“Mio, are you ready yet?”

“Hehe, why are you acting like a child? Give me a little more time for touch-ups, okay?”

“Well, even though I’m 28 already… acting like a child, huh?”

One person at the entrance, the other in the living room, the two of them having a conversation.

They have been together for eight years. They are not married but live together, enjoying their days.

Mio’s work took longer than Toma’s, but she wanted to freshen up, so they were using this time.

“Mio, you look beautiful even without makeup, so it’s not necessary, I think.”

“When you’re with someone you love, you want to show them the most beautiful version of yourself, especially.”

“R-Right…”

Because they weren’t facing each other while talking, their genuine expressions were visible. They wore radiant smiles.

“Hehe, but you have gotten better at giving compliments, haven’t you? Is that also thanks to my training with Shine?”

“That was really tough. She would shout at me while laughing… Customers also joined in teasing me.”

Shortly after Shine reopened, there was the Toma Intense Coaching Month, and then another Toma Intense Coaching Month.

The cause of it all was Mio happily reporting her interactions with Shine’s master, Miki.

The issues were identified there. Toma wasn’t giving enough compliments.

And that’s when it started. With that coaching scene, the regulars drank their alcohol, saying something like, “We got to see something good.”

It was a win-win situation for everyone, but Toma bore the most fatigue.

“…But because of that, you’ve become an even better man than before… I’m worried I might lose you to a thief cat.”

It was a murmured soliloquy.

“Did you say something?”

“Isn’t that just your mishearing?”

“Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine.”

Toma, who was studying education, also worked as a cram school teacher and occasionally helped out at Shine when they were short-staffed.

Mio was genuinely worried about Toma, who worked as a cram school teacher. Not about his work performance… but about Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14th. She was concerned about Toma coming home with a large amount of homemade chocolates from his female students.

She had heard from another cram school teacher that some students put in extra effort to impress Toma, hoping to receive his praise.

It’s a fact that men tend to be attracted to younger women. Studies have shown that even as they age, men’s ideal female partner remains in their mid-20s. Mio couldn’t help but feel anxious about the possibility of losing her beloved to someone else.

And undoubtedly, it was because of that coaching scene that Toma had become so popular. While it was nice to have a popular boyfriend, it also brought about complex emotions.

“Speaking of which, Toma-kun, nowadays you don’t just stare at me while I’m doing my makeup and get in the way.”

“I wasn’t intentionally getting in the way!? …I was just interested and watching.”

“Hehe, I can understand your feelings. Well, I’m done now… So, where are you taking me today?”

There was a rattling sound coming from the living room. It seemed like Toma was putting the cosmetics into the makeup pouch.

The current time was 7:50 PM. They couldn’t stay out for long because they both had work tomorrow.

Spending Christmas on a weekday was truly a sad thing.

“I was thinking of strolling around with you.”

“Oh, it’s not for the illumination? I thought that was the plan since we had a brochure for it.”

Mio’s footsteps approached from the living room. It seemed like they were finally going out.

“That was the original plan, but I have work tomorrow, and considering the waiting time from now… Well, I just wanted to spend some quality time with you.”

“Just going out for a walk alone would be unsatisfying for me, you know?”

“Huh!?”

“I mean… You’ll hold my hand and stuff, right?”

Mio peeked half of her face out from the living room door and appealed to Toma with pleading eyes. The red eyeliner accentuated her seductiveness and portrayed her as a mature woman.

“No, I’ll hold your hand. Otherwise, guys will hit on you right away.”

“I-if you think so… Can you wrap your arm around my shoulder and walk? That would be more certain…”

“Huh!? Isn’t that showing off too much!?”

“If you won’t do it, then never mind.”

“…F-fine, I got it.”

“Yay!”

Mio’s voice had become softer since she became a nurse. She always wore a gentle expression. Perhaps it was because she had frequent interactions with children, she started expressing her emotions when she felt happy.

And she had become quite spoiled. Of course, Toma was the only one who knew this side of Mio.

(I’m truly blessed… )

On Christmas, instead of going to events like illuminations, they were simply taking a stroll.

Yet, Mio was so delighted by it.

She was truly a girlfriend that Toma was proud of. She was someone he never wanted to hurt and someone he wanted to make happy.

“Hey, wait a minute!? Why are you dressed so lightly?”

Brown long cardigan, green pencil skirt. Mio coordinated it with a black innerwear.

Though it seemed warm in appearance, Toma knew that the fabric was thin overall.

“…Well, with this outfit, Toma-kun, you will lend me your warm clothes you’re wearing now, right? And you’ll wrap the scarf around us as we walk, won’t you?”

Mio had an intention behind it. If she said “it’s cold,” he would lend her his clothes and wrap the scarf around them—a situation like that.

Her spoiling tactics were in action right away.

“Huh, why are you looking at me like it’s ‘obvious’? If you’re doing it intentionally, I won’t cooperate at all.”

She asserted. When it came to this, Toma would never give in.

That coaching had also given him the ability to resist Mio’s excessive spoiling.

“Ugh… I hate inflexible people.”

“I feel the same. People who don’t take care of their bodies…”

“Hate.”

“I hate it too.”

“…”

“…”

They exchanged “hate” and locked their gazes. Toma had a smug expression on his face. On the other hand, Mio closed her lips and had a face that showed she was realizing her defeat.

Mio was smart. She understood which one of them was speaking the truth.

“…I-I’ll go put on some clothes…”

She wanted him to take care of his body. There was no way she could resist Toma’s request as her boyfriend.

Unable to create that situation… Mio walked back to the living room with a dejected expression. But Toma called out to her from behind.

“If you dress warmly and wear this scarf, I want you to walk with me.”

“…!”

In the next moment, Mio hurriedly entered the living room without giving a response. Her true intentions were exposed by her desperate reaction.

“Haha… I really do love her…”

However, even such actions made Mio extremely vulnerable to Toma. Now, Toma, waiting for Mio to come back dressed warmly, had a serious expression.

He touched his right pocket to confirm something.

—That the rectangular box containing a ring was safely inside.