"Vodka on the rocks," ordered a twentysomething blonde sitting on a barstool, to the bartender. God knows I need it, she thought as she downed the entire shot and ordered another.
She glanced around and saw a brown-haired guy drinking tequila and sitting next to her. He's cute.
"Hey," she said feebly. This is never going to work! I am hopeless at this.
The guy drank half the bottle before he responded. "Hey." Then he drank some more.
The girl was determined to keep talking, no matter how cold the guy was. "Wow. Your life must suck for you to be drinking tequila at one in the afternoon." she commented.
"Right back at you."
The girl was frustrated at the lack of progress. So she went back to drowning her sorrows in vodka.
Setting down his bottle, the guy suddenly said, "My girlfriend dumped me today."
The girl laughed humorlessly. "At least you have a girlfriend. My parents are pressuring me to find a guy I can take home to them, and I'm hopeless at dating. And they said that if I can't find a guy in two weeks' time, they'll disinherit me! Can you believe that?"
"Well, yeah. You suck at picking up guys."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"Just like earlier, for instance. You just said 'hey' and expected me to carry on the conversation? Are you stupid or something?"
She glared at him. "I think I liked you better when you weren't talking."
He smirked at her furious expression. "By the way, I'm Kanata. Kanata Saionji."
"And I'm mad at you."
"That's too bad. I was going to make a very interesting offer."
"If you think you're going to leave this bar with me around your arms, forget it. I don't pick up guys in bars."
Kanata's smirk widened as he said, "Oh, really? Because I think you just tried to a moment earlier."
"Shut up!" the girl said angrily, slamming her glass down. "I was desperate, all right?"
"You know," Kanata said after ordering a round of vodka for the two of them, "my ex-girlfriend Akira is the jealous type."
"Really? Do you think I care?" she said peevishly.
"No, don't you get it?" Kanata grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. "You need a pretend boyfriend and I need a pretend girlfriend. So, we can date each other!"
The girl frowned. "Don't you think that'd be hard, though?"
"All we have to do is hold hands in front of Akira and your parents, and all of our problems are solved."
"All right… but I'm laying down some rules." She grabbed something from her bag and started scribbling on it. "Rule number one, no kissing on the lips. Rule number two, no physical contact except for hand-holding. Rule number three, you have to pay for every date. Rule number four, we will break up when both parties are satisfied."
"I think rules number one and two are unnecessary." Kanata said, peering over the blonde's shoulder.
"Why?" she demanded. "You're such a pervert…"
"No, because I wouldn't want to kiss you, especially in front of Akira. She might think I have no taste."
She whacked his head, yelling, "What did you say?! Oh damn, I have to go. Call me, okay?" She rushed out of the bar.
"Call her? I don't even have her number." Muttering, Kanata glanced at the business card the girl left. It read, Miyu Kouzouki.
Beneath was a phone number.