/
“What do you think?” Chiaki smiled. “How’s the taste?”
“It’s delicious,” Seiji answered honestly.
“Is this your first time tasting alcohol?”
“I suppose so,” Seiji said after a pause.
He had drunk occasionally in his past world, but he had no memories of ever drinking alcohol before in this world.
“You suppose?” Chiaki asked, a brow raised. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not sure if I’ve drunk alcohol before when I was a child. I feel like I might have, but I also might not have.”
“Oh
” Chiaki nodded and poured some more wine for them.
The beautiful girl poured the wine so that it ran down in a slow stream into the tall, clear wine glass. It was a rather beautiful scene to look upon.
What was that phrase again? Did it go something like “The alcohol won’t make you drunk, but people will get drunk on people?”
It was something along those lines, and although he didn’t know if it suited the current situation, Seiji felt that it was an apt description of the current scene.
He wasn’t drunk yet, but drinking together with a beauty like Chiaki made him feel as if his heart was drunk
 It sounded rather poetic to him, but he was also slightly embarrassed for thinking that it seemed poetic.
“Come,” Chiaki said enthusiastically “cheers again!”
“No more cheers! Drink slowly.”
“Eh~ Don’t be so stingy.”
Seiji smiled as he raised his fist again. Chiaki could only submit to him.
“Fine,” she said, sounding defeated, “if you insist, we’ll drink slower.”
“Wine is about slowly savoring the taste anyway; if you drink it so quickly, you won’t be able to savor it.”
“You’re trying to sound like an expert, even though this is clearly your first time.”
‘This may be my first time in this world, but if you count my previous life, I’ve probably drunk even more alcohol than you,’ Seiji remarked in his head.
“Even if it’s my first time, that doesn’t mean I don’t understand it
 besides, this isn’t exactly high-level knowledge. Just think about it: if you’re drinking something delicious, it’s only natural to take it slow and enjoy the experience.”
“Hmph
”
Chiaki shook her wineglass and glanced at the ice cubes within it.
Seiji took another sip before looking at the artwork on the wall.
“Were all these drawn by your father?” he asked.
“Yes
 they must seem terrible to you.”
“No
 I think they’re pretty good.”
“I see them every day, and I’m annoyed of them,” Chiaki remarked casually.
Seiji looked at her searchingly. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know how to say it.
“Were you just looking at the drawing of the woman in cherry blossoms?” Chiaki asked.
“Yeah.” Seiji nodded.
“Don’t you feel like drawing a woman whose face can’t be seen is bad taste?”
“It does seem a little strange,” Seiji admitted.
“That’s my mom,” Chiaki said in a light tone. “All of my father’s drawings of her are like this
 either you can’t see her face clearly, or her face isn’t drawn at all.”
Seiji raised his brows in surprise. “Why’s that?”
“My father said he can’t remember her face anymore.” Chiaki laughed. “Pretty funny, isn’t it?”
It wasn’t funny at all—or at the very least, Seiji was unable to bring himself laugh at it.
“My father is a cold-hearted person. My mother notwithstanding, even if he said he couldn’t remember my face, I wouldn’t think it strange either, since he only sees me a few times a year.”
Chiaki had a wistful look in her eyes as she lifted her wineglass and gulped a mouthful of wine. “I’ve seen him far more times on television than at home
 sometimes I wonder just what meaning I have to him as a daughter?”
“Chiaki
”
“I know that many people consider me incredibly lucky, as I have a very famous father, a luxurious home, and an endless amount of spending money
”
“That’s why I won’t complain about it—and living like this is fine. But
 it’s just that sometimes
 I feel it’s rather empty.”
She swirled her wine gently, and the icecubes inside tinkled softly.
There was a brief silence between them.
“You’re not alone, Chiaki,” Seiji said in a serious voice. “Mika and I both really care about you, and so do our classmates and the other members of drama club
 everyone cares about you. So you don’t need to think too much of it, and keep living properly, which has meaning in and of itself.”
Chiaki looked at him and chuckled. “Of course I know that! Did you think that I was thinking about bad things? I was just pretending to be melancholy. How was it? Was it such a huge contrast from my usual self that you fell for me?”
Seiji was rendered speechless.
“If you want to drink alcohol, a little acting like this is what really spices up the atmosphere!” Chiaki flashed a brilliant smile. “And the atmosphere will create an aura, and an aura will create charisma. Seiji, as long as you learn this technique and act it out in some bar, I guarantee that you’ll be able to hook up with some girls! And I mean the type that’s willing to use her body to help comfort your injured soul, not the type that charges you a fee.”
“It sounds nice,” Seiji said, “but I’m not interested in learning.”
“Go ahead and learn~ As an exiled handsome young master, you have the innate ability to do it. As long as you dress up slightly, you’ll be immensely attractive, I promise!”
“Please allow me to refuse.” Seiji said his next words in a strict tone: “Stop luring me into doing these dirty, underhanded things; do I look like such a person!?” He acted as if he was a just and righteous character rejecting the temptations of a villain.
“Just look at what you’re saying,” Chiaki said coyly. “This isn’t anything dirty or underhanded at all~ It’s a beautiful consensual affair.”
“I won’t be swayed by you, temptress—just give up!”
“Heh heh, you’ll understand sooner or later, young one. Obeying the so-called rules of morality is only for the weak; the strong just follow their desires! Hehehe—” Chiaki’s face twisted into a wicked expression, and she cackled like a typical witch.
“No, those that give in to desires aren’t strong; they’re simply beasts! Perhaps they’re even below a beast’s level!”
Seiji, in turn, assumed the most righteous expression he could; his current countenance seemed almost saintly. “I definitely won’t fall into the darkness! The light of my faith shall protect me to the end and shall be the source of my strength!”
And then, both of them broke out into laughter.
“Seiji, I honestly do want to invite you to join the drama club. We’d be excellent partners.” Chiaki lifted her wineglass.
“It’s an excellent suggestion, but I fear I cannot. I don’t have time because I’m busy saving the world.” Seiji also lifted his wineglass.
“If you have to save the world, then there’s no helping it,” Chiaki said with a small smile. “A toast, for this world.”
“A toast, for this world
 and you.”
They clinked their wine glasses against each other lightly, then both of them finished off the last of the wine in their glasses.
Seiji poured a refill of wine for both of them and they continued chatting.
He listened to Chiaki’s complaints and got to know her better, and he consoled her and cheered her up with jokes.
Slowly, the bottle of wine was polished off.
Chiaki brought out another bottle.
The two of them played a small game, and, without Seiji realizing it, they’d finished off the second bottle as well.
They proceeded onto the third bottle

“Seiji
 it’s really great to have you around.” After finishing the third bottle, Chiaki’s face was already rather flushed, and her eyes shone with a seductive light.
She unbuttoned the top part of her blouse to reveal the alluring white skin beneath it. She laid limply on the sofa, soft and weak, just like a drunk beauty.
“Let’s
 just do it with each other,” she said in a soft voice, looking up into the handsome boy’s eyes. “If it’s you
 I can totally accept it
 no, I should say that I want you
”
“What are you saying?” Seiji’s cheeks were tinged with red, and he was getting a little tipsy. Of course, he was also slightly drunk on the allure of the beauty before him. “Drinking together with you is already an extra special service, and you actually want to request more
 please pay up first, Milady.”
“Okay
 you can have however much you want. Just take my bank card
”
“I’m sorry
 I didn’t mean for you to pay in money.” Seiji reached out his hand and patted her head gently.
“Then what is it that you want
?” she said in a half-whisper.
Chiaki felt an overwhelming sense of comfort flood through her when he patted her. It was to the point where she couldn’t help but close her eyes.
Seiji said something else, but she felt that everything was a haze and she didn’t hear him clearly.
Then, she felt as if she was in a warm place. Somewhere solid and reliable with a homely scent.
It was so warm and comforting here
 Just like her father’s embrace from so long ago.
Seiji hugged the lonely girl, gently combing her hair and patting her head until she dozed off peacefully.
“Good night, Chiaki.”