The weekend.
Ten years, and it was the first time they'd spent a weekend together.
By the time Takamatsu Tomori came back to herself, it was already one or two in the afternoon. The sun was mostly blocked by ivory-white sheer curtains, leaving only a small patch of warmth pooling softly across her face.
"Ugh… demon-slayer booze… mmph…"
Three times blackout drunk in three days. Takamatsu Tomori was beginning to notice that her previously ordinary life had started quietly falling apart.
"Tomori, are you awake?"
Yoshiiro Chiose walked into the bedroom carrying a plate of sliced oranges and a bowl of chicken soup.
"I'm up… that smells amazing."
"Made it especially for senpai, you know. Have some fruit first, you little lush."
"Hmph!"
Have I really turned into a little lush now?!
Tomori propped herself halfway up, so mortified she briefly considered drinking herself into a coma and never waking up.
"Drink it while it's hot, come on. It won't taste as good cold."
Chicken soup — Chiose wasn't sure whether it actually helped with hangovers, but she knew for a fact that if someone made her a bowl of chicken soup when she was feeling awful, the warmth alone would make her want to give them a kiss.
While Tomori drank her soup, Chiose had already started gathering her things.
"Sai? What are you —"
"Ah, my adorable little Tomori-senpai~ I've got to head home. It's been two whole days, after all."
"Oh — right, okay… see you!"
"See you Monday! And of course — if you miss me, don't forget to call."
"I will!"
Chiose's figure vanished quickly, and Tomori hauled herself out of bed with some difficulty.
That wonderfully strange, adorable kouhai — even the way she walked was a pleasure to watch. She and someone gloomy and odd like Tomori were completely different kinds of people.
"The soup is delicious, but it feels like something's missing…"
What could it be?
Tomori turned around and found the three boxes of Oni-Slayer sake and one bottle of whiskey Chiose had left at her apartment.
"Hm. More alcohol."
Just a tiny sip. That should be fine, right?
Chiose had mentioned she could drink it like water — ten bottles a day.
Tomori stared at the whiskey. Then, with the air of someone making a solemn decision, she reached for it.
She began pouring it into the chicken soup.
——
Weekends are a deeply treacherous stretch of time. Within those brief two days, some subtle temporal collapse occurs, causing weekends to pass considerably faster than any other period of the week.
This was, of course, simply Yoshiiro Chiose's way of complaining that fun time always flew by too fast.
Monday, November 11th.
Chiose and Tomori went to work like good, responsible adults. Tomori brought Chiose a homemade bento packed with love — and Chiose got her first taste of octopus-shaped sausages made by someone other than her mother.
Total Oni-Slayer consumed between the two of them today: three bottles.
Tuesday, November 12th.
Tomori nearly clocked in at the last possible second again. The reason: Chiose had dragged her to STARY the previous night for another round of live music and drinks. Takamatsu Tomori was a dummy — at least, that was Yoshiiro Chiose's professional assessment.
No alcohol consumed today.
Wednesday, November 13th.
It was bitterly cold. God had apparently lost his mind. To warm themselves up, the two of them cracked open the whiskey at lunch alongside Tomori's prepared drinking snacks — bar peanuts and sashimi.
Total consumed today: one bottle of whiskey and one box of Oni-Slayer.
Thursday, November 14th.
Tomori and Chiose had grown so attuned to each other that a single glance from Chiose was all it took for Tomori to understand immediately: drinks later.
But Tomori figured they had work the next day, so skipping was probably wise.
After clocking out, they went for ramen, then caught the film adaptation of Fujimoto Tatsuki's manga "Look Back." Tomori cried. She was such a mess about it — and Chiose, who had also been crying, burst out laughing at the sight of her.
Friday, November 15th — yet another Friday…
"Finally done! Senpai! We absolutely have to go out for drinks tonight!"
Yoshiiro Chiose stretched her tired body luxuriously. Just the thought of getting Takamatsu Tomori drunk again made her feel wonderfully relaxed all over.
"Yes!"
Takamatsu Tomori was still wrapping up the last little bit of work, and responded instinctively at full volume the moment she heard Chiose's voice.
"Dummy senpai! Hehe."
Chiose plucked the big black-framed glasses off Tomori's face — the ones she wore while working — and her nimble fingers pressed into Tomori's tense shoulders while she rose onto her tiptoes to deliver a little noogie to the top of Tomori's head.
"Ow! Sai! You're teasing me again…"
Even as familiar as they'd become, Tomori still couldn't quite handle Chiose's surprise attacks of affection.
She was trying! She really was! But — but — but she still got flustered every time!
"Hehe~ Now then, where should we go for drinks tonight? For the full live music experience you have to go to STARY — that's the real deal — but if we want to sit and talk quietly, there's RING II. Which does Tomori prefer?"
The number of genuine choices in life is small. Where to drink is one of them.
I… honestly either is fine…
Did you think Takamatsu Tomori was about to say that? You'd be dead wrong.
The words were right on the tip of her tongue — but something stopped her. She took a small sip of Oni-Slayer to steel herself.
"STARY! I want to hear another punk set."
"Oh!"
Yoshiiro Chiose looked down at her with unconcealed surprise, a barely perceptible smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"Deal! I want to hear some too now — my ears are itching for more music, I need it ♪"
"The way Sai talks sometimes," Tomori paused, "is incredibly sexy."
"Ha?! Tomori! Who's been corrupting you! And if we're talking about sexy —"
Yoshiiro Chiose racked her brain, cycling through every Takamatsu Tomori memory she had. "The one who made me take a bath fully clothed that very first day we met — the wettest, wildest, most deviant overlord of depravity — that's obviously you!"
"!!!"
Tomori had no resistance to this whatsoever. Just a few words and she completely capsized.
"I — I — that wasn't — that wasn't it! Waaah —"
"Absolute disaster! You're already making adorable little incoherent noises and you're not even drunk yet! Tomori is so cute."
"Sai only ever picks on me…"
"I do not! Hmph — okay, here's what we'll do!" Chiose released the poor floundering creature.
She was technically the younger one here — and yet Tomori was so unbearably cute that Chiose couldn't help wanting to tease and fuss over her endlessly.
"How about I treat my adorable little Tomori to some candy? It's matcha parfait flavor — really good."
A fingernail pried open the wrapper. The poor little candy had been sitting warm and snug in someone's breast pocket for days on end, and now it was absolutely saturated with Chiose's warmth.
"Candy? You don't have to…"
"Be good. Open up. Ahh —"
"..."
Tomori looked up and met Yoshiiro Chiose's wine-red eyes, brimming with undisguised teasing. And yet — she felt no displeasure at all.
[The first time anyone has ever treated me this way… and in ten whole years, the first person willing to play with me like this…]
How many tens of years does a person get? But Tomori was willing to say this one had been the happiest of them all.
Because Takamatsu Tomori had finally found a true friend. A dear kouhai. A gentle kindred spirit.
The candy, still carrying Chiose's warmth, melted across her tongue.
She'd expected it to feel warm. She hadn't expected it to feel like fire.
Her whole body went soft and glowing — exactly like being drunk.
____
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