We finally made it to the Goth Grand Hotel.
Sandrone carried Columbina back to her room, while Odette, supporting herself against the wall, staggered back to her own room.
The corridor quickly fell silent.
Only Varesa remained, still struggling with Bai You's door.
" Little Bai You, key."
"... Hmm?"
"Key."
"Do I... do I want to die?"
"I don't want to die... I haven't lived enough yet, I still have Varesa..."
Varesa:...
"It's a key."
"Oh, I see."
Bai You patted herself down for a while and pulled out a piece of candy.
"Here you go."
"This is sugar."
"Candy?" Bai You looked down, then smiled, "Oh... it's candy."
Varesa smiled helplessly, took the key out of her pocket, and opened the door.
As soon as she entered the room, Bai You pounced on the bed.
"Don't lie down yet." Varesa grabbed her arm. "You reek of alcohol, take a shower first."
"No...!"
"Yes."
"I don't want to move..."
"I'll help you."
Varesa half-carried, half-helped the person into the bathroom and turned on the hot water.
Use a damp towel to gently wipe her face, neck, and hands.
Bai You obediently let her do as she pleased, her eyes half-closed.
"... Comfortable."
"Hmm."
Varesa."
"Hmm?"
"You're so good to me."
"I like you so much."
"I like you too."
Varesa finally managed to clean him up, change him into clean pajamas, and tuck him into bed.
Varesa quickly took a shower, changed into her pajamas, pulled back the covers, and lay down next to Bai You.
Bai You had drunk some wine; her cheeks were flushed, her breath was hot and soft, and her hair was spread out on the pillow like a scattered cloud.
She vaguely sensed someone beside her, so she moved closer to the warmth and snuggled against them.
Varesa turned to look at her.
That face was flushed and soft, with eyelashes trembling slightly and lips parted slightly.
Varesa watched, and as she watched, her eyes slowly darkened.
She lowered her head and slowly moved closer.
First, he kissed Bai You on the forehead.
Her hand gently slid down Bai You's side.
Half-asleep, Bai You felt the approaching warmth and groggily opened her eyes.
She saw Varesa's face so close to hers.
Hmm?
She blinked, reacting slowly.
Then, she reached out and softly placed her hand against Varesa's shoulder.
"Wait... wait a minute..."
"What's wrong?"
Bai You's voice was soft and sticky, with a strong nasal tone, making it hard to even open her eyes.
"Afternoon..."
"It wasn't until this afternoon..."
She let out a small hiccup.
"... Just now, that was..."
Varesa stopped moving.
She looked at Bai You's serious, red, and aggrieved face, and remained silent for two seconds.
Then, with a "pfft," he burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at...?" Bai You stared at her, still half-asleep.
"It's nothing."
"You laugh at me..."
No.
"There is..."
"Okay, okay, I have it."
Varesa suppressed a laugh as she looked at her.
But that hand didn't retract.
She lowered her head, resting her chin on Bai You's shoulder, her breath gently brushing against the tips of her ears.
"It's afternoon."
"Now is now."
Bai You blinked groggily.
"No, aren't they the same?"
"They're different."
Varesa's voice was very low, as if it were muffled in her throat.
"You are now--"
I'm drunk.
"The feeling of being drunk is even better."
Varesa slowly, little by little, pulled her into her arms.
Her face was flushed and soft.
"His speech is also slurred and indistinct."
Bai You wanted to argue, but after opening her mouth, she finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.
"You... you took advantage of someone in distress..."
"Hmm." Varesa answered confidently, "That's exactly what I wanted."
"You..."
" Shh."
Varesa gently pinched her earlobe.
"Don't speak."
"..."
The Bai You's weak resistance was, to begin with, quite feeble.
After being coaxed like that, the hand that was resting on his shoulder quickly softened and turned into a tight grip on her clothes.
"Wo... Varesa...""
"Hmm."
"I... I'm dizzy..."
"Then close your eyes."
Bai You's eyelashes trembled, but she ultimately closed her eyes.
--
later.
What happened after that is unknown.
The room fell silent.
Outside the window, the moon had already begun to set in the west.
A breeze slipped in through the cracks in the window, gently brushing against the crumpled sheets.
Varesa turned to the side, looking at the person in her arms by the moonlight.
Bai You's face was still red, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, her hair sticking to her cheeks, and her lips slightly parted.
She looked at it for a long time.
Then, he reached out and pulled the blanket up from the foot of the bed, carefully covering her up.
When the blanket reached her shoulders, she lowered her head and gently placed a kiss on Bai You's sweaty forehead.
Goodnight.
"My little drunkard."
The person in her arms mumbled something and snuggled closer to her, still half asleep.
'... Ugh...'
" Varesa..."
"Yes, I'm here."
"You're bad..."
"Yeah, I'm bad."
The next morning, Bai You was woken up by a headache.
It wasn't a very intense pain.
It's a dull, throbbing pain.
Hmm...
She frowned, her eyelids twitched, but she couldn't open them.
Bright and shiny.
She instinctively shrank into the darkness, burying her face in a warm, soft place.
Varesa moved slightly.
Then, a hand gently landed on her hair.
"Awake?"
Varesa's voice came from above.
"..."
Bai You remained silent.
It's not that she didn't want to say something.
He was already unable to speak.
She kept her eyes closed, stunned for a long while, before belatedly realizing—
He was curled up in Varesa's arms, his face pressed against her chest, and one leg was restlessly draped over her waist.
And what happened last night is slowly surfacing, piece by piece, from the depths of my memory.
One cup after another.
Then...
Bai You suddenly opened her eyes.
"I..."
She suddenly raised her head, the movement was so sudden that another sharp pain shot through her head, making her gasp in pain.
Hiss--
"Slow down." Varesa reached out to support her, "Don't move suddenly."
"Wo, Varesa..."
"Hmm."
"I... last night..."
Bai You's face turned red at a visible speed, little by little.
"Did I...?"
Is it what?
"Did you drink too much?"
"Hmm."
Varesa smiled, reached out, pulled her out of the blanket, and let her lean on her shoulder.
"Good boy."
"Take a sip of water."
She poured a glass of warm water from the bedside table and held it to Bai You's lips.
Bai You took small sips of the drink from her hand.
The warm water slid down, and the dry, astringent feeling in my throat gradually dissipated.
Are you feeling any better?
"Hmm." Bai You slumped her head. "My head hurts."
"That's normal."
Bai You leaned against Varesa's chest and slowly recovered.
She suddenly remembered something and looked up abruptly.
"What time is it?!"
It's not too late.
We're not here to --
"Hmm." Varesa nodded.
Bai You was stunned.
Only then did she truly and completely come to her senses.
Today is the day of parting.