"..."
Different timelines, yet both were blushing at the same time.
Ruan Mei never expected that her drunk self would actually order her student around like this...
And then, recalling Vash's transgression back then...
A certain possibility flashed through her mind, and she immediately had a very bad premonition.
She quickly glanced at the memory reception progress.
Though she'd been immersed in memories for what felt like ages, reality had only passed for a short while.
She suppressed her turbulent emotions and continued reading.
"Okay, you don't need to massage anymore."
Hearing her speak, Rrakavasha, who had endured half an hour of torment, felt as if he'd been granted a pardon.
He carefully lowered her feet and waited for the signal that he could leave.
"Come here, Vash..."
"Is there anything else you need, Teacher?"
Rrakavasha didn't think much of it and moved closer to the bedside.
Unexpectedly, Ruan Mei suddenly reached out and pulled him into her arms, pressing his face against her chest.
The impact was nothing short of thunderous.
Rrakavasha's brain instantly turned into complete chaos.
"Um... Teacher, you... you're drunk..."
"I am perfectly sober."
"I... I can't breathe, Teacher!"
As if hearing his plea, Ruan Mei loosened her grip slightly.
Rrakavasha had just caught his breath when he felt a soft sensation on his face, her lips brushing his cheek.
His newly regained consciousness went completely blank.
However, this time, Rrakavasha quickly came to his senses when he realized what was happening.
He saw her, her eyes misty and unfocused, slowly leaning her face toward his, her moist red lips slightly parted, her breath warm against his skin.
"You're such a good boy... your teacher will give you a reward now..."
"No, you can't kiss there...!"
Rrakavasha used all his willpower to prop himself up, placing his hands on Ruan Mei's shoulders to prevent her from getting any closer.
"If I say it's okay, then it's okay."
Ruan Mei forcefully pulled his arms away and pushed him down once again.
No words were needed.
Her dark hair became slightly disheveled, and their lips met, and her bath towel quietly slipped down.
When Rrakavasha finally regained his right to breathe, he didn't know how much time had passed.
The encounter that night had an immense impact on his still-developing worldview.
Ruan Mei, however, was completely oblivious to this and simply patted his head affectionately.
"Alright, the reward is given. Now go and complete your assigned tasks."
"...Understood! You should get some rest..."
Rrakavasha fled as if escaping from a disaster zone.
She seemed pleased; a slight smile played on her lips as she drifted off to sleep.
"..."
Silence.
Still silence.
Silence continued to reign.
Ruan Mei could hardly believe that her drunken self was not only drastically different from her sober persona but also acted with such audacity toward her own student.
Many questions had been answered, with only two remaining unanswered:
Why would she do such things to a student while drunk? How exactly did she get drunk in the first place?
In the past, she could drink half a jar of plum blossom wine without getting drunk, but this time...
A hypothesis was forming, but it wasn't yet certain.
She continued searching for the truth within Rrakavasha's memories.
When Ruan Mei woke up on the second day, she stretched her body lazily, her curves on full display.
As usual, she walked to the wardrobe and slowly dressed herself.
She often fell asleep without wearing pajamas and didn't find it strange to wake up undressed.
After washing up and stepping out of her room, she saw Rrakavasha carrying breakfast out of the kitchen just as she entered the main hall.
"Good morning, Teacher."
Ruan Mei nodded slightly, habitually sat down in her usual spot, and picked up the glass of water on the table.
Such scenes had long been commonplace, a comfortable routine.
During the meal, she noticed that Rrakavasha would occasionally steal glances at her, his expression complicated.
"What's wrong?"
"...Teacher... do you remember what happened last night?"
Last night?
Ruan Mei recalled for a moment.
After the birthday banquet, she'd taken a bath to relax and then gone back to her room to rest, sleeping soundly until dawn.
"I remember everything. So what?"
"...It's nothing." A moment of helplessness flashed across Rrakavasha's face.
Ruan Mei lowered her eyes and picked up a pastry, not noticing the change in the boy's expression.
She didn't know what Rrakavasha was thinking at that moment, nor did she understand what the words 'remember everything' meant to him.
Ruan Mei was quite fond of the plum blossom wine brewed by Rrakavasha, and would drink a few cups every now and then.
After drinking smaller amounts, the situation from that night didn't recur.
At most, she would let him massage her shoulders, back, and legs, or tuck her feet into his lap.
This occasional pattern continued until Ruan Mei's next birthday.
Rrakavasha, as usual, carried the wine jar to the table.
"Teacher, this is four-year-aged plum blossom wine. Please... don't drink too much at once."
"I have never been drunk since I started drinking."
"..."
The boy gave a helpless smile.
Over the past year, she had actually gotten drunk many times, but he never said it out loud.
It was hard to explain to a drunk person, and even more embarrassing to explain to a sober one.
Most of the jar of plum blossom wine was already gone.
Ruan Mei, who was usually aloof and indifferent, now had a familiar, hazy look in her eyes.
"Vash, come here..."
"Should I massage your shoulders or your feet, Teacher?"
"I want both."
"..."
The subsequent developments, while not exactly the same as last year, were at least similar in their broad strokes.
But this time, he miscalculated badly.
Once he was pinned down, the subsequent events spiraled completely out of control.
"Teacher... you can't... you'll be responsible for this..."
"Didn't I take responsibility for you long ago, from the day I brought you back?"
"But we are..."
"Be good and listen to me~"
"...Alright..."
Upon seeing and hearing this, Ruan Mei startled slightly, a flush of red appearing on her face.
Before she knew it, the memory had progressed past midnight.
"This..."
Ruan Mei was shocked and staggered backward, bumping into the control panel and tearing off the electrode on her forehead.
Memory reception interrupted.
This would be enough to cause someone's memory to become confused and their mind to be completely lost.
However, the program compiled by Ruan Mei took into account unexpected human factors, so there was no risk of permanent damage.
But right now, she couldn't spare any attention for anything else.
Memories that didn't belong to her began to merge with her own memories at the points of overlap.
Gradually, those images that had been filtered out by her brain due to drunkenness returned in full clarity.
Everything told her that those things from back then were all real!
A long time passed.
After calming down somewhat, Ruan Mei, who had already lost most of her composure, trembled slightly as she picked up the electrodes and placed them back on her forehead.
She needed to see the whole truth, no matter how uncomfortable.
The next morning.
Nothing different from usual.
Ruan Mei sat down at the dining table and ate her breakfast.
Though... it was somewhat different; the pastries were much tastier than before.
"What's this?"
"Plum-pickled soybean cake, a new recipe I developed. What do you think of the taste, Teacher?"
"Very nice."
Her mood improved noticeably after eating it.
Ruan Mei didn't notice that the corners of her mouth were slightly turned up at that moment, a rare smile.
"Teacher, do you remember last night?"
"How could I forget? You did a great job. I will give you a reward."
"...Mm."
"..." Ruan Mei closed her eyes weakly, unable to watch further.
Another year passed.
"Teacher, try this three-year-old plum blossom wine, and I wanna see how it differs from the four or five-year versions."
"It's not as heavy; I prefer the texture of the three-year aging."
"From now on, we'll brew three-year vintages then."
"Okay, come closer."
Without thinking much, Rrakavasha habitually reached for his teacher's smooth and delicate ankle.
Stunned. Puzzled. Pondering. Frowning.
In less than two seconds, Ruan Mei went through a series of emotional shifts as realization dawned, and finally said:
"Rrakavasha, you have overstepped your boundaries."