Let the Game Begin

She noticed everyone looking at her.

Sachiko drew her gaze away from Baicang and tried to sound composed. "N-no, we can't, can we? Runo shouldn't be drinking alcohol."

After saying that, she stole another glance at Baicang, a little worried he had noticed what she had been doing.

She hadn't bought the alcohol to drink now. She had planned to sneak a little by herself in a few days to unwind.

Ever since her husband died, she had lived with her nerves stretched taut. Thankfully, it was all over now, and she wanted to indulge herself once in a while.

She had never expected Mizuki to spot it. Had she thought Sachiko was keeping it all to herself?

"That's right. Runo is still too young to drink." Runo shook her head and tried to stand up in protest, only to be ruthlessly suppressed by Baicang's large hand.

Looking at Mizuki and Tanktop Girl beside her, Runo pleaded wordlessly for their help.

Tanktop Girl agreed with Baicang's decision and shook her head to show there was nothing she could do. Mizuki didn't even notice Runo's plea and exclaimed excitedly, "Me! Me! I can drink! I've never tried alcohol before!"

Back when Mizuki was training desperately to become a hero, her coach had told her alcohol was bad for her body, so she had never dared touch it.

Now that she had become a hero, seeing Sachiko buy a bottle at the checkout had reminded her of all the alcohol commercials on TV. The satisfied sighs people let out after drinking had whetted her appetite, and she wanted a taste of this "forbidden" pleasure too.

"I really want a sip! Just one tiny sip!" Mizuki pressed her palms tightly together, went up to Sachiko, and pleaded with a pout.

"Miss Mizuki, you don't have to do that. I'll get it right away."

For a moment, Sachiko saw Harano as a little boy begging her for a toy, and she felt a little helpless.

She went into her room and brought out the whiskey she had bought at the supermarket.

"Yay, yay!"

Mizuki cheered in triumph, while Tanktop Girl held a hand to her forehead, embarrassed on her behalf.

Sachiko placed a small teacup in front of everyone and poured the whiskey into each one, then poured tea separately for Runo.

"It smells kind of weird." Mizuki sniffed it curiously.

"This is whiskey. It might be a little strong, so you'd better take small sips," Sachiko told Mizuki, afraid she would down it in one gulp.

Baicang looked curiously at the amber liquid in his cup. He had only tried liquor once before, and since he thought it wasn't even as good as soda, he had never touched it again. Was the alcohol in this world any different from what he had drunk before?

Baicang took a tiny sip, then grimaced.

Ugh. It tasted just as awful.

Seeing Baicang's face twist after that sip, Sachiko couldn't help half covering her mouth and giggling softly. Whether the blush on her face came from the alcohol or something else was anyone's guess.

Tanktop Girl silently took a sip. Her slightly uncomfortable expression made it clear that she rarely drank either.

Mizuki was starting to regret it. That odd smell had already made her suspect this stuff wouldn't taste good, but seeing Tanktop Girl beside her drink it, she felt too embarrassed to back out.

She stuck out her little tongue and gave it a light lick. It wasn't too bad?

She took a tiny sip, and a burning sensation instantly swept through her mouth and throat.

Cough! Cough, cough!

"It tastes awful!" Mizuki choked and coughed nonstop, tears streaming from her eyes. Her comical appearance made Tanktop Girl burst out laughing, her own grimace forgotten.

"You're laughing at me? I drank more than you did, you know."

Seeing Tanktop Girl actually laugh at her reminded Mizuki of the humiliation of having her chicken drumstick stolen. She deliberately provoked her with a disdainful look.

"Do you think I'm a little kid? Fine, you drank more. You're amazing, okay?"

With her "perfect" plan exposed, Mizuki started acting shamelessly. "I don't care! You have to drink as much as I did, or you can't steal my food later!"

"You're the one who steals my food more often!" Tanktop Girl retorted bluntly.

Watching the two bicker, Sachiko gave a sly little smile, her face flushed.

"Why don't we play a game?"

Everyone looked at Sachiko in confusion.

"We put a bottle on the table, and someone spins it. Whoever it points at has to answer a question from the person who spun it. If they don't answer, they have to drink. Then it's their turn to spin. What do you think?"

Sachiko explained excitedly to Baicang and the others. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but right now, she wanted to know the secrets between Baicang, Mizuki, and Tanktop Girl.

This was so exciting!

Baicang didn't mind, and Runo felt the same as her brother. Tanktop Girl wasn't keen on playing, while Mizuki was eager to try.

In the end, with two abstentions, one vote against, and two in favor, the game began!

After clearing away the empty plates on the table, Sachiko brought an empty liquor bottle out of her room and set it down.

"No lying, anyone! Play properly!" Mizuki "threatened" them all, singling out Tanktop Girl in particular.

"Hmph!" Tanktop Girl didn't bother arguing over Mizuki's childish behavior.

Seeing that everyone was ready, Sachiko said, "Then let's start with Mr. Baicang."

Baicang had nothing he wanted to ask anyone there, so he gave the bottle a casual spin.

The spinning bottle drew everyone's gaze, then pointed at Runo, much to her surprise.

"Oh, I almost forgot Runo was playing too. What should we do? Spin again?" Mizuki looked a little disappointed.

"I want to play too! I can drink tea!"

It was Runo's first time playing this game too, and she felt a little excited as she tugged at Baicang's clothes with her little hand.

Baicang had no choice but to agree, though he had nothing to ask Runo either. There were no secrets between them at all!

"Well, who do you love most?"

"My brother, of course!" Without even thinking, Runo gave her one and only answer, the answer that would never change.

Baicang shrugged helplessly, inadvertently showing off to everyone again.

"I wish I had a cute little sister like Runo too!" Mizuki was terribly envious of Baicang.

"Then it's my turn." Runo nervously held the bottle down, then gave it a gentle spin.

Clink, clink, clink! The bottle pointed at Sachiko, who looked delighted.

"Um..." Runo hadn't decided what to ask, and she didn't have any particular questions for Sachiko either, so she asked the same question Baicang had.

Sachiko's smiling face suddenly froze. She didn't answer for a long time, then downed all the whiskey in her cup in one go as Baicang and the others watched in shock.

"Next, it's my turn, right?"

Sachiko's voice trembled slightly, and the flush on her face spread to the pale skin below her neck, making her look alluring.

Baicang's eyes gradually followed that spreading blush downward...

Noticing where Baicang's gaze had settled, Sachiko gave him a coquettish glare, then breathed slowly, fixed her eyes on Mizuki and Tanktop Girl, and gave the bottle a forceful spin.

Clink, clink, clink! It landed squarely on a startled Tanktop Girl.

"Yay!" Sachiko copied Mizuki and waved both hands in delight, only lowering them slowly when she realized she had gotten carried away.

Tanktop Girl watched Sachiko nervously. The delight Sachiko had shown just now gave her an ominous feeling.

"Miss Tanktop Girl, what exactly did you grab the first time you met Baicang?"