He's late because of dragging his workmates' drunken ass home.
And yes, he should have flat out refused to go. "Mixer? No way, I've got a cute girlfriend waiting for me at home! Nyah!"
Hah! Called it back at chapter four:
I do agree that the story has been watered down lately. The beginning premise was fun: city boy in a country town, southerner in snow, the clash between prim and proper upbringing vs. carefree gal, et cetera. Hopefully this arc we will see our MC forced to...
Geez guys, are you figuring this out NOW? The last 140 chapters have been filled with hints that Tsukasa has been walking this earth for a very long time, longing fore her home on the moon - and then she runs into a very clever boy named NASA! Did you think that was a random funny name?
Toilet stalls are a turn off for sure by the smell alone, not to mention it being bloody uncomfortable. Back streets the same, but out in nature or a park can be a bit of OK.
Hah, didn't see that plot twist coming...
Crazy controlling mom wants to dictate his life, just when MC figured out that he maybe should start making decisions for himself. Meanwhile dad and grandma (who probably were behind getting him away from mom all the way to Hokkaido) are plotting...