In reality, Vermouth's proposal was only half-serious. She was mostly just teasing Caesar, so she completely didn't expect him to agree so readily.
A flash of surprise crossed the beautiful woman's icy blue eyes, which quickly melted into deep amusement.
"And here I thought you would push back a little more."
Gojo replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Well, I've always had a huge interest in new things."
Vodka nervously watched Gin's reaction, only to find the silver-haired assassin's expression looking far more complicated than he had imagined.
Gin: "..."
He had originally thought this guy only liked men (?). Looking at things now, it turned out he just wasn't picky at all.
Besides, Vermouth is probably older than Korn and Chianti put together, right? He can even handle that? He's truly beyond saving.
Yet, in a small corner of his mind, a shred of doubt remained. Even for someone like Gojo, who did plenty of bizarre things, going this wild in broad daylight seemed a bit much.
Terrible Caesar, completely forgetting his old flame the second he gets someone new. What a total scumbag!
While grumbling internally, Vodka spoke up with a trembling voice, "Boss! We should really get going!" If they stayed any longer, they might see something strictly adult-rated.
Despite the urging, Gin didn't move an inch, letting out a cold snort. "I want to see exactly what kind of game he thinks he's playing."
W-What?! The boss actually wants to stay and watch?!
Vodka felt like the world had completely spun out of control.
On the other side of the counter, Vermouth's fingers slid slowly down Gojo's tie. "So, where would you like to start?"
"Hmm... thinking about it now, I'm definitely the one getting the short end of the stick here." Gojo tilted his head, his boyish movement clashing heavily with the intimate mood. "You don't mind agreeing to a condition of mine first, do you?"
As a top Hollywood actress, Vermouth had spent years navigating all sorts of circles. She had heard countless invitations, both incredibly blunt and subtle, but this was the very first time anyone had referred to getting close to her as "the short end of the stick."
Her gaze lingered on his remarkably smooth lips, trying to spot any trace of a joke. "I wonder what kind of condition it takes to make our Mr. Caesar feel like he isn't losing out?"
"Oh, it's just a tiny, effortless favor." Gojo's tone was as casual as discussing the weather.
"An effortless favor?"
Right as Vermouth was weighing the pros and cons, Gojo raised his hand and slipped off his solid black eye mask, revealing a face that looked almost too perfect to be real.
His pale blue Six Eyes were completely exposed to the light, looking like the purest gems from the depths of a glacier. They caught the dim lighting beautifully, making it incredibly easy for anyone to lose themselves entirely in his gaze.
"Is that a no... Vermouth?"
Looking directly into those eyes again after so many years was just as breathtaking as the first time. The Witch of a Thousand Faces was usually the master of charming others, but in this moment, the tables were completely turned.
"If it's truly as you say, I'd love to."
Vermouth's lips curled into an amused smile. She leaned in, preparing to press her lips to his, only for her wrist to be firmly caught. The grip wasn't overly harsh, but it was just enough to keep her from closing the distance by even a millimeter.
"You say such lovely things, yet your body keeps holding back... Don't tell me you don't like it when people are too forward, Caesar?"
"Since you agreed to my condition, it's only right that I take the lead."
Gojo smoothly stepped back, moving alongside the gorgeous woman. His hand finally reached out toward her—or rather, toward the liquor cabinet right behind her.
Vermouth: "...?"
Gojo precisely picked out a bottle of Kaiser beer and a bottle of Vermouth. Picking up a cocktail shaker with a bright smile, he said, "Didn't you say you wanted to mix a drink meant strictly for the two of us?"
"If we blend Kaiser and Vermouth together, I'm super~ curious to see what it turns into!" He turned around. "Gin-chan, Vodka, want a taste?"
So, he literally just meant mixing an actual drink.
Gin: "..."
Vodka: "..."
Lord Caesar, can you please stop phrasing things in a way that causes massive misunderstandings!!
"Hmph, what else could it turn into..." Completely losing interest in the show, Gin averted his gaze and turned to leave. The hem of his trench coat cut a sharp arc as he dropped a final, mocking comment. "When you mix black with black, it only stays black."
Vodka quickly scrambled after him, both of them vanishing into the shadows of the stairs.
"Playing word games like that is incredibly sneaky." Vermouth watched the white-haired youth effortlessly shake the cocktail mixer, letting out a soft sigh filled with a hint of disappointment. "So how exactly were you losing out?"
During his idle days in New York, Gojo had learned how to mix drinks from Curacao, so his movements looked highly professional.
"I rarely ever mix drinks for anyone, so taking a small fee isn't asking for much, right?"
Vermouth, who had been diligently playing the part of a bartender earlier, thought to herself: If I had known, I would have slipped some laxatives into his drink.
With a smooth flick of Gojo's wrist, the ice cubes clinked beautifully inside the shaker. His movements flowed like water, carrying a touch of theatrical flair.
The emerald-green vermouth poured out like liquid jade, blending into the amber Kaiser liquid in precise proportions, creating a beautifully hazy layer. Gojo finished up and poured the mixture into a tall glass.
"Kaiser meets Vermouth." He gently slid the glass over, letting the liquid swirl slightly. "Want a taste?"
Vermouth accepted the glass and took a small sip. A highly complex profile bloomed across her tongue—sweet with a hint of bitterness, a sweet aftertaste, and a sharp, lingering finish that left a deep impression.
"Surprisingly balanced." Vermouth wiped a trace of the drink from her lip. "I'm dying to know, what exactly is your condition?"
An effortless favor... does he mean an assassination target? But wouldn't it be much easier for Caesar to just handle that himself?
Gojo leaned his weight against the bar counter, tilting forward with a dazzling smile that looked exactly like a shady salesman. "Become the official spokesperson for the Gojo Family Health Tea, Chris Vineyard."
"...Health tea?" Vermouth's blue eyes widened slightly.
Gojo pulled a beautifully crafted tea box out of nowhere, the gold-leaf family crest gleaming under the lights.
"Made from a thousand-year-old secret recipe, using premium organic tea leaves, and packed with ten rare herbal extracts! It enhances beauty, flushes toxins, and fights aging. Buying this is an absolute steal!" He introduced the product with immense seriousness, then gasped as if remembering something. "Since we're colleagues, I'll even throw in a limited-edition internal Gojo Family thermos, complete with a cute chibi print of my face on it~"
For a moment, Vermouth felt entirely deflated. It felt exactly like a dangerously charming man suddenly turning into a cheesy television host shouting, "Don't pay full price, call right now!"
"Hey, hey, what's with that look? Every single word I said is completely true." Gojo held his hands up. "Aside from enhancing beauty, it boosts overall health... or perhaps, helps ease the side effects of certain drugs?"
"..."
Vermouth's pupils shrank slightly as memories of the intense pain caused by the drug's backlash rushed over her like a tidal wave.
[Ding! Impression Points from story character Vermouth increased by 500!]
After a brief pause, her red lips curved right back up.
"Chris's schedule is incredibly expensive... if the commercial doesn't look absolutely stunning, I won't let you off easy, darling."
"Deal~ I'll have the proposal sent straight to your email later." Gojo put away the tea box and flashed a quick wink at Vermouth. "A pleasure doing business with you?"
"A pleasure."
"Well, I should probably head out too." The white-haired youth slipped his eye mask back on. "Let's grab a drink again sometime—though mine is strictly non-alcoholic, of course."
The moment his figure disappeared down the stairs, the smile on Vermouth's face slowly faded.
Recalling Gin's parting words, she took another sip of the remaining drink, her fingers gently tracing the rim of the glass, which still seemed to hold a trace of Caesar's warmth.
"When black mixes with black, it only stays black? I don't think so."
In fact... it might just be that the deepest darkness is exactly what refines the purest light.
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