Click.
The door to the private room opened, letting a few slivers of light into the pitch-black room.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and walked inside, feeling along the wall for the light switch.
Click.
Suddenly, an orange-yellow light came on. Tsunade had flicked the switch with practiced ease, then swung herself onto the cushioned sofa.
Jiraiya was certain now: Tsunade had definitely been here plenty of times.
Meanwhile, the Izakaya staff brought their drinks.
Tsunade picked up two bottles, casually tossed one to Jiraiya, then pulled the cap off her own and gulped it down.
Jiraiya caught the bottle, the corner of his mouth twitching as he watched Tsunade drink with abandon.
In less than ten seconds, Tsunade finished the entire bottle. Quite a bit of liquor ran down from the corners of her mouth, soaking her clothes around her neck.
"That hit the spot. Come on, you drink too."
Tsunade wiped the liquor from her mouth and called to Jiraiya, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Tch, I can't tell whether we're here to drown my sorrows or just to take you drinking."
Jiraiya shook his head helplessly and pulled the cap off his bottle too. The smell of liquor immediately hit him.
This stuff... was pretty strong.
Still, it suited the occasion.
Jiraiya raised his cup, copying Tsunade as he pointed the bottle toward the ceiling, tilted his head back, and started chugging.
"Cough, cough, cough."
He had only chugged about half the bottle before he choked.
Watching Jiraiya fail to copy her, Tsunade curled her lips into a smile. She gave him a challenging look, then picked up another bottle.
Clunk!
An empty bottle struck the table. Watching Tsunade finish another bottle, her cheeks flushed, Jiraiya felt his heart waver for a moment.
"You can't keep up."
Tsunade wagged