Nao was walking through the square, looking at all the lights that illuminated the night. It was 7 on a Friday, and a couple of classmates from university had asked her to fill in an empty spot for a goukon. Seeing her classmates begging for her help, Nao couldn't turn them down. Besides, she hadn't really had much of a social life these days after the Liar Game ended, and it was time to move on.
"Kanzaki - san," one of her classmate friends, Kogame, said, pulling on Nao's wrist gently. She and three others walked towards a restaurant, Midnight Blue, and entered.
"Akiyama - san," Nao said when she saw one of the bartenders at the open bar. His usual shaggy blond hair was gelled and combed back to show his handsome face, and he was wearing black slacks with a white dress shirt covered with a black apron. He was making a drink at the moment, but his eyes looked over to her, hands professionally working without flaw.
"Nao," Akiyama greeted back softly, pouring the drink out into a glass. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to fill a space for a goukon, Akiyama - san," Nao answered with a smile, happy to see him. She hadn't seen him for a while with upcoming exams and him finding a job. For the past two months, there would only be a text every once in a while or a two minute phone call between the two. "I didn't expect to see you here."
Akiyama looked over her appearance. She was wearing a turtleneck blouse and a dark skirt with ankle high boots, carrying only a small shoulder bag. "Been here for about a month already," he told her, arms crossed as he looked over Nao's classmates. They were staring at him with light blushes on their faces. "Be careful, Nao. Don't drink too much."
Nao tilted her head slightly. Then she smiled. "Of course, Akiyama - san," she said. "Thank you for your concern. I'll see you soon."
With a nod, Akiyama turned away to take another order. Nao walked over to her classmates, apologizing for making them wait. "That's okay, Kanzaki - san," Yoshida said, stilling looking at Akiyama. "So, how do you know him?"
"Akiyama - san?" Nao asked. "W - well, I had a big problem once, and he helped me solve it."
"He's hot," Mori commented, primping her dyed blonde hair. "Is he just your friend?"
"I think so. Why do you ask?"
"Because I would like his number," Kagome answered. She turned to Nao with an expected look. "Do you think you can give me it?"
Nao forced a smile. "I'm sorry, Kagome - san," she said, shaking her head, "but I don't think Akiyama - san would like that. He's a very private person, and it wouldn't make him happy to get a phone call from someone he doesn't even know. But I could introduce you to him after if you want."
"Yes, please, Kanzaki - san!" Fukui enthusiastically said, looking a bit excited. Then she looked at her watch. "But we have to get to the goukon now. The guys are probably waiting for the party to get started. C'mon, I want to drink after that pop quiz today."
It was 9, and Nao already found herself a little bit sleepy. The first hour was spent on introductions and eating mostly, but at 8, everyone stared drinking more lively. It was expected since she and her classmates were uni girls. The guys there were also from university but another district away.
They seemed interesting, making light of conversations and playing games with the girls. It was Fukui who started the goukon, knowing one of the guys from their high school days. Everyone was there except for one of the guys who gave the heads up that he couldn't make it.
"Kanzaki - san," one of the guys, Hamazaki, said, which pulled Nao out of her slight daze. How many drinks had she had? It shouldn't be more than two, she kept count. She probably had a low alcohol tolerance.
"Ah, yes, Hamazaki - san?" she asked, looking up. Her face felt really warm. Yep, she had a low alcohol tolerance.
"You look pretty red. Would you like to lie down somewhere else? I can take you."
Nao shocked her head. "It's okay, Hamazaki - san. I'm okay. I just need some water, and I'll be fine."
"Oh. Let me get you a glass then, Kanzaki - san." Hamazaki asked a waiter for a glass of ice water and gave it to Nao.
"Thank you, Hamazaki - san," Nao said, smiling her thanks before taking a sip of water. It was refreshing and cool on her tongue, and it helped to sober her up a bit.
"So, Kanzaki - san," Hamazaki said, giving her a polite smile. "I think you're really pretty, and I would like to get to know you more. Would you like to go on a date with me anytime soon? Lunch?"
That surprised Nao, and she blushed, shaking her head immediately. "I'm sorry, Himazaki - san," she politely said, bowing her refusal, "but I'm not looking for a date. Thank you for the compliment, and again, I'm sorry. Why don't you try Kagome - san or Mori - san?"
Himazaki frowned but seemed to take the rejection well. "I see," he said slowly, getting up. "However, before the party ends, I would like you to rethink on my offer. Please, I'll be back with a special drink just for you, Kanzaki - san."
And before Nao could stop him, Himazaki left the private room the party booked. Nao frowned but silently waited for him to come back, thinking over how she could refuse him so that he stopped trying. She really didn't want to hurt his feelings, but if it was the only for him to leave her alone, she would have to try.
It was a few minutes after that Himazaki came back, holding a pink colored drink in his hand and a smile on his face. He sat down and set the drink in front of her. "Please, Kanzaki - san," he said, gesturing to the drink. "I got it just for you."
"Himazaki - san," Nao said, ignoring the drink, "your off-"
He cut her off, still gesturing to the drink. "We'll talk about it after, Kanzaki - san. Please. You'll like it."
Nao frowned, nodding once as she took a look at the drink. It looked fine and normal, one of those 'chick' drinks that had different flavors and a tiny umbrella, but it sort of gave her a bad feeling. She didn't really want to drink it, but Himazaki was expecting her to and she couldn't think of any way to refuse him again for such a small thing.
Deciding to drink it, Nao lifted both her hands and grasped the pink drink, looking at it a few seconds longer before a hand came in behind her to take her drink. Himazaki looked irritated at the man behind her.
"Akiyama - san?" Nao said when she saw who it was. He wasn't wearing his uniform anymore, his hair back to covering his eyes and his clothes casual. "What are you doing here?"
"Making sure you're doing okay," Akiyama said, ignoring the looks everyone was giving him. The entire party was interrupted and watching him, the guys in confusion and the girls in temporary admiration. He looked at the drink in his hand before he set it down on the table in front of Himazaki. "Drink it."
"What?!" Himazaki said, looking offended. "Who are you? You have no business here."
"As long as she's here, I do," Akiyama replied, pointing at Nao. There was a look of indifference on his face as he stared at Himazaki. "Now drink it, sir."
"Get out!"
"Akiyama - san," Nao interrupted before the situation got out of hand, "what's going on?" The others were starting to ask that too.
"I suspect that he drugged that drink, Nao," Akiyama answered, still staring at the other man.
"What?!" Himazaki shouted, pointing a finger at the blond. "Who do you think you are? I will have you fired for accusing me of that! I want to speak to you manager!"
"You asked Nao out on a date," Akiyama said, ignoring what Himazaki said, "but she didn't come to this goukon to look for a date so she refused. Not liking that rejection, you decided to drug and assault her instead so you pushed your way out of the private room to get her a drink so that it would be easier for you to lace the drink with a quick dissolving drug that would knock her out within ten, twenty minutes top. Then you were going to play the nice guy and tell everyone that you would help her get home but you won't."
Nao's classmates looked shocked while Nao gasped. The other guys looked at their friend with expecting looks. "H - how dare you!" Himazaki stuttered with anger. "What proof do you have to accuse me of that?!"
Akiyama smirked. "If I'm wrong, why don't you drink it? If you have nothing to hide, why don't you jist drink it? If there's really nothing in the drink, why don't you prove it to everyone here. I may have the burden of proof for accusing you of such illicit actions, but as the accused, you have the most pressure to prove your innocence. Now drink it and we'll wait twenty minutes to see if I'm wrong."
His words made the silence in the room tense, all eyes now looking at Himazaki, who looked like a cornered animal. Himazaki kept his head down, looking at the drink. It was only five minutes later before he said, "I drugged the drink."
That made the girls and guys explode in anger, but before any of them could retaliate, Akiyama picked up the drink and threw the pink liquid right at the male university student, who kept his head down in same.
"I thought so," Akiyama said, smirking. He slammed the cup down loudly. "Here's a warning: if you do something like this again, I will find out and ruined your entire life."
"Akiyama - san!" Nao gasped, shocked to hear Akiyama say that. It was much more aggressive than what she already heard him say.
"Let's go, Nao," Akiyama said, not thinking too much on what he said. He pulled her by her hand, picking up her shoulder bag for her. "I'm taking you home."
"Wait, Akiyama - san!"
But he didn't, only slowing down when he pulled her put of the room and outside of the restaurant. He had a blank look on his face. "It's a good thing I got there when I did," Akiyama said, still holding onto her hand.
Nao had to smile. He was worried about her. "It is," she said, falling into step to walk beside him. "Thank you, Akiyama - san. I was really worried about how I was going to get out of that situation."
"I know that. Next time you go to a goukon, invite me. It's not like I don't trust you, Nao. I just don't everyone else as much."
She laughed. "It's okay, Akiyama - san. I don't want to attend another one after this. How did you know about the drug?"
"My shift ended a while ago, and I was staying so I could take you home when the party ended. I wanted to make sure you didn't walk back drunk or with some stranger. When that guy came out from the private room you were in, I heard him mumble and rudely ordered a drink. When he got it, he was trying to hide his attempt to pour some drug in it by covering the drink with his hand. After, his mood was lighter and he was smiling. That was enough to make me suspicious enough to follow him."
Nao giggled, which made Akiyama look at her curiously. "What so funny?" he asked.
"I just thought that you would make a good boyfriend, Akiyama - san," she told him, smiling. Akiyama looked affronted. She giggled again. "You care very much, don't you, Akiyama - san? Any girl would be lucky to have you as a boyfriend."
"You're overthinking things too much," he said, dismissing the idea as he hid behind his bangs in embarrassment. "And I promised that I'll protect you, Nao."
"I remember. I'm very happy to have you in my life, Akiyama - san."
"Yeah."
"Oh, Akiyama - san, are you free this Sunday? I have some free time from uni, so would you like to have lunch with me?"
"Sunday? Sure, Nao. I'll make time for you."