After the performance ended, the culture festival came to a smooth close.
That night, everyone gathered at an izakaya for dinner.
"What do you all want to eat?" As the reliable adult, Ijichi Seika planned to treat everyone.
"Fried chicken."
"Shiokara with shochu."
"Coffee."
"C-c-cola."
Ijichi Seika looked at Nijika, Ryo, Toru, and Hitori one by one.
Did these kids not understand they were in an izakaya…? Someone even said coffee. Unbelievable.
"Senpai, I want to drink, hic."
Hiroi Kikuri hiccupped, her face flushed. She had already drunk quite a bit of beer before coming.
"Take it easy. Your health matters. Otherwise one day you'll end up dying in a live house and that won't be good."
"Hehe, senpai, suki."
Hiroi Kikuri wrapped herself around Seika, the alcohol stench making Seika frown hard.
"Let go of me."
She pushed away the clingy bassist.
Seika flipped through the menu, checked the fried chicken, then ordered a cola… Wait. This place really sold coffee. Was that for real?
She had been here many times and never noticed.
When she looked up, she met Toru's smug expression, as if saying, See? You didn't expect it, right? Izakayas really do sell coffee.
Her younger brother in the simulation was much cuter.
Seika grumbled inwardly.
Then she ordered a dish of shiokara as a drinking snack. It wasn't for Ryo. Seika wanted it herself.
As for Ryo, she could have some fries.
Kids shouldn't drink alcohol.
Afterward, Seika helped the PA-san and Kita place their orders, and the celebration dinner finally began.
"Cheers!" x7
Hiroi Kikuri collapsed on the table. "Cheers, hic."
After several rounds, everyone was slightly tipsy, mostly the adults. The high schoolers were completely fine since they drank only soft drinks.
"Toru chan, want to try some shochu… hic?" Hiroi Kikuri started pushing drinks again.
"Kikuri-nee, you…"
"Call me Kikuri-nee."
"Kikuri-nee, I'm not an adult yet."
"Laws exist only to restrain cowards… as rockers, hic, freedom is what matters… mo…"
Her voice grew softer.
With a soft thud, Hiroi Kikuri fell onto the table.
"Damn it, drunk again. Who's sending her home later?"
Ijichi Seika was a bit drunk herself, her gaze drifting without focus.
PA-san, who handled alcohol well, smiled. "Let's call Shima-chan to pick her up."
Iwashita Shima was Hiroi Kikuri's bandmate and the drummer.
"Nijika chan, what does alcohol taste like?"
Hitori whispered.
"Not good. Bocchi-chan shouldn't drink."
"...But sweet sake tastes really good."
Bocchi remembered the amazake they bought during New Year shrine visits with her family.
Amazake had alcohol, but it was sweet and delicious.
"Bocchi-chan, do you want to become like Miss Hiroi, hugging a bottle every day and causing trouble?"
Nijika spoke seriously. "If you start touching alcohol, Bocchi-chan will become an alcoholic in the future, spending tons of money on booze, living in poverty, surviving only with your parents' help."
Alcoholic, poverty, mooching off parents…
Hitori leaned against Toru's shoulder, her whole body turning soft.
The thought of becoming a lifelong dependent terrified her.
If she failed to debut in high school and couldn't date Kitahara kun, her life would fall apart.
She would end up in a black company, working fourteen hours a day not counting lunch.
Endless overtime, without overtime pay.
"aaaAAgghh—"
After letting out a strange scream,
Bocchi collapsed straight onto Toru's lap, her eyes vacant, her breath fading.
My life… is over.
Goodbye, beautiful world.
Goodbye, Mom and Dad.
Goodbye, my shining love…
Wait, why can I see Kitahara-kun's face?
Toru looked down at the suddenly collapsed Hitori and smiled. "Hitori, are you drunk?"
When she realized—
"I-ah… Kitahara kun, that… I… you…"
Hitori stammered incoherently.
"Bocchi, pfft… you're so funny." Ryo covered her mouth, snickering.
"Sorry, Bocchi-chan, I went too far."
Nijika apologized, then reached out, trying to pull Hitori off Toru's lap.
"Eh, what happened to Gotoh-san?"
Kita finished posting her food photos on INS and finally noticed Hitori was down.
"Bocchi-chan, get up. Toru-kun can't eat like this," Nijika urged.
Hitori really shouldn't stay like that.
They weren't even dating yet. Lying on his lap was too intimate for friends.
"It's fine. Let Hitori rest for now," Toru said.
"Hey, you're spoiling her too much. Big sis won't allow it."
Ijichi Seika, face flushed and speech slurred, had switched into a strange self reference.
"Senpai…"
Hiroi Kikuri mumbled sleep talk, then dropped her head onto the table again.
"Nee-chan, you're drunk too?" Nijika groaned.
Going home would be a pain now.
She would have to call a taxi.
"Boss is just happy today. That's why she drank too much," the PA-san smiled.
Seeing the Kessoku Band shine on stage would definitely make Seika happy.
"Even so, she drank way too much," Nijika muttered.
"Huu—"
Hiroi Kikuri began snoring.
"Okay, maybe she didn't drink too much."
There was always someone worse.
Nijika was glad her sister hadn't turned into that.
Listening to everyone chat,
Bocchi-chan didn't know what to do.
Should she get up?
But this chance to lie on Kitahara kun's lap was so rare.
Yes, better to sleep.
Good night.
————
One hour later.
It was almost time to leave.
"She really fell asleep," Toru said, looking down at Hitori with helpless eyes.
He had tapped her cheeks several times earlier, trying to wake her, but nothing worked.
She was sleeping soundly.
"Toru-kun, can you take Bocchi-chan home? Should we have Kita chan help…?"
Nijika asked.
She should have helped, but her sister was drunk, so Nijika had to take her home first.
"It's fine. I'll take her myself."
Toru knew Kita had a curfew. She couldn't stay out too late.
Besides, sending one girl home wasn't trouble.
…
Outside the izakaya.
"Bye bye." Ryo's face was expressionless.
"Toru-kun, see you tomorrow," Kita waved.
"Alright, it's late, everyone head home," Nijika said.
She left with the PA-san, carrying the drunk Hiroi Kikuri and Ijichi Seika.
Toru carried Hitori into a taxi.
During the ride, in the back seat, Hitori leaned against Toru's shoulder, breathing softly.
She hadn't slept well these days, afraid of messing up on stage.
Outside, neon lights flickered through the window.
Toru looked down at her sleeping face and gently pinched her cheek.
So cute.
His gaze drifted to her soft, pink lips.
He touched her lower lip with his finger.
Soft.
Maybe she felt uncomfortable. Hitori blinked awake in a daze.
Kitahara-kun…?
Am I dreaming…?
Half asleep, half awake,
Hitori followed her heart's desire and wrapped her arms around his neck, slowly leaning in.
Her forehead rested against Toru's.
In that dim corner of the taxi's back seat, their lips were only centimeters apart.
At such a close distance, her warm breath brushed his nose, carrying a faint sweetness.
Is this…
In the moment Toru froze,
Hitori's soft lips pressed against his.
[Congratulations, player. Simulation attempts +3!]
After the gentle kiss,
"Haa…"
Hitori drifted back into sleep, her expression adorably blank.
Leaving Toru quietly stunned.
————