"I've been looking for you guys," huffed Kaze once he'd broken through the crowd and trotted to them. "Well, mostly for Nezumi."
Nezumi noted that he was without his shotgun today, but for some reason he didn't look any more harmless for it. Kaze gave him a lopsided grin and Nezumi felt a twinge of apprehension at the sight of it; the smile was vaguely predatory.
"What for?" he asked.
"What'dya mean what for? You joined the Resistance! And you had the keys to the Correctional Facility the whole time, you sly dog! Was that stuff about not wanting to join up with us just so you could look cool when you walked in with the holy grail of weapons? I mean, man!"
Nezumi couldn't help but be disarmed by the older man's exuberance. Despite his calm and collected demeanor, Nezumi wasn't immune to flattery, especially when it was given with that kind of enthusiasm.
"It benefited me to join," he said with a wry smile. "It's an arrangement of convenience more than anything."
"Look at you trying to be cool again." Kaze's smile widened. "Well, whatever. It doesn't matter much why you joined, just that you did. I can't wait to see their faces when we take down the Facility." His eyes shone as he, no doubt, imagined the Correctional Facility brought to a gloriously destructive end. He fixed Nezumi with another toothy grin. "We should celebrate your joining the Resistance. There's a guy in the group that owns a great bar. How about we grab some drinks?"
Nezumi had never been to a bar or even tasted alcohol before. The legal drinking age in No. 6 was twenty, but that wasn't the reason why Nezumi had yet to have these experiences. He had no qualms about underage drinking, so long as one didn't make a spectacle of oneself; it was only that he never got the opportunity. The old woman was a straightedge stick in the mud whose only hobbies seemed to be gardening and watching him closely enough to ensure that he never got within a fifty-foot radius of anything fun. That being said, he couldn't help but be intrigued by Kaze's offer.
But the answer he ultimately gave the other man was, "No, thanks. I don't need a celebration."
There were several reasons for his refusal. The first of which being he was dog tired and his chin was beginning to ache along with the rest of his body. The second of which was he didn't consider his new position as the Resistance's tech monkey an occasion worthy of celebration. The third reason was Kaze struck him as the type of person that liked celebrating and drinking, and despite liking the man well-enough, he was definitely not someone Nezumi wanted to get drunk with.
Plus, Safu told us to avoid Kaze tonight, and he's acting really suspicious. It's giving me the creeps.
Kaze's face fell. "Come on, it'll be fun," he urged.
"Maybe some other time."
"Nezumi's had a hard day," Shion chimed in. "I think it's best if he gets some rest today."
But the older man wasn't taking no for an answer. "Just come for an hour. Come on, drinks are on me. Shion, help me out. Nezumi should be welcomed like a proper member, don't you think?"
"It's not a good time," Shion said. "Nezumi's really tired. He might even be coming down with a fever, so he really shouldn't go out tonight."
Nezumi furrowed his brow at boy beside him. There was a strangely forceful quality to Shion's voice, and if that wasn't enough to pique his interest, he had lied about Nezumi feeling sick. I guess he doesn't want to go out either. That's not surprising. He doesn't seem like a partier to me. Or maybe he knows something about Kaze's drinking habits that I don't? In any case, if the king of people pleasers was adamantly refusing to go out with Kaze, then there was definitely something going on, and Nezumi wasn't in the mood to entertain surprises.
"For real, Shion? Back me up," Kaze grumbled. "Don't be lame. Come to the bar with me just this once, Nezumi. It'll be fun."
"Not gonna happen," Nezumi said. "I already told you I'm not in the mood. But if you want to go to the bar that badly, go and have a drink for me. I don't need to be there for you to celebrate in my honor." He nodded to Shion and they turned away.
"No, you guys, wait!"
They stumbled as Kaze threw himself bodily at them and slung an arm over each of their shoulders. Shion knocked into a burly man and apologized profusely before rounding on Kaze.
"Kaze, get off. You almost got me killed."
As close as he was to the other man, Nezumi could smell a sweetly sour tang on his breath that he instantly knew was alcohol. Now he was extremely glad that Kaze was unarmed. He wriggled under the man's weight, but, python-like, Kaze's grip only tightened the more he fought against it.
"You can't not go," Kaze whined. "I already told everyone you were going to be there."
Shion and Nezumi stopped struggling and pinned him from both sides with looks of horror and annoyance, respectively.
"It was supposed to be a surprise party, but now you ruined it by refusing to go and making me tell you," he continued, unperturbed by everything except the fact that his scheme had been thwarted.
"You can't just set up a party like that without checking with the person first," Shion said in exasperation.
"It was a surprise! If I checked, it's not a surprise! Who doesn't like parties?" he demanded of Nezumi.
"I don't see why I need to be there," Nezumi shot back. "It seems like you already started the party without me, if the stench on your breath is anything to go by. Just pretend I'm there."
"No can do. Now that the cat's out of the bag, I have no choice but to bring you in by force. You're going to have a good time, whether you like it or not."
Kaze attempted to drag the two teens toward their destination, and Nezumi wished he still had the spoon because he would jam it into the older man's gut. A few steps and many expletives later, Kaze realized he would not be able to manhandle Shion and Nezumi while they were both kicking up a fuss, so he let Shion loose and focused on his primary prey.
"Shion," Kaze growled. "If you have any pride as a member of the Resistance, you'll help me get Nezumi to the party."
The words sounded completely ridiculous and Nezumi decided now would be the time to elbow him in the stomach, so he did. Kaze grunted in pain and Nezumi darted out from under his arm. He glared at the man, not feeling the least bit sorry.
Shion sighed at the display. "Alright. Nezumi and I will go to your party, Kaze." Nezumi turned his scathing look on the other teen. "He won't stop hounding us until we do, so let's just go now and get it over with. But we're only going to stay an hour," he finished in a voice that didn't invite negotiation.
Nezumi grit his teeth. I'm not liking this backbone Shion's suddenly showing.
"Okay, okay. Just as long as he does the meet and greet." Kaze had deflated from his high since being hit and leered at, but he was satisfied enough by this compromise. He straightened up from his doubled over position. "We gotta make a stop on the way. Make sure he doesn't run."
Nezumi opened his mouth in preparation for a verbal assault, but Shion sidled up to him and patted his shoulder. Normally, the forward gesture would have incited him to further anger, but a sense of déjà vu caused him pause.
This is familiar, but why…? Then he remembered the overbearing shopkeeper from the clothes tent. He's telling me to play along. Is he planning something? He made his displeasure at Shion's presumptuousness obvious, but he reluctantly relaxed. Shion dropped his hand with a small sigh of relief.
He nodded to Kaze. "Lead the way."
Kaze skipped ahead of them and they followed at a distance. After a moment, Nezumi turned to Shion with an expectant look. The other boy glanced at Kaze to check that he was far enough ahead not to hear and leaned in.
Nezumi was expecting him to whisper a signal to make a break for it or something similar, but what actually came out of his mouth was a mysterious, "Don't drink anything he gives you."
"What?" he hissed, although he was more confused than annoyed.
Shion's eyes darted to Kaze again. "He's going to try to make you drink as an initiation. Do not under any circumstances drink the glass he gives you."
"Why? What's it do?"
Shion made a face like a shell-shocked veteran. "Just trust me."
His reaction was baffling to Nezumi, but the other teen appeared to be deadly serious, so he took the advice as such. Apparently, whatever experience he had with the Resistance's hazing ritual had been traumatizing. Nezumi was suddenly grateful he knew someone on the inside.
But now he had a dilemma: he didn't want to go out to a bar and party, but now that he knew there was some kind of liquid terror lying in wait for him there, he couldn't help but be curious.
First Safu warns us about staying away from Kaze, and now Shion is acting weirder than usual. What the hell do they do at these parties?
The neighborhood Kaze led them into looked somehow familiar, but it was easy to dismiss the feeling since all the houses and buildings in the West Block looked run down. It wasn't surprising that they all started to look the same after a while. The majority of the structures were abandoned, but there was movement in some. They passed a house of rotting wood and Nezumi stared through the broken windowpane. There were two children huddled inside, a small boy and an older girl. He was reminded of the siblings that Shion talked to the night he got his jacket, but a closer look at the children revealed that this was not the same pair. The little boy inside met his gaze and Nezumi blinked at the haunted look he saw in his eyes.
Wait a minute. I've seen that kid before. That was… The girl nudged the kid's side and he broke eye contact. Nezumi remembered then. I saw this scene the day I was brought here. This is where that guy's house is—Yamase.
Sure enough, Kaze pivoted into an alley and banged on the door of the first house. There was a beat, but then the door creaked open to reveal a sliver of Yamase's body and the entirety of his surprised face.
"Kaze? What are you doing here? I thought I said—"
"Don't be a party pooper, Yamase," Kaze said, forcing the door the rest of the way open and grabbing the startled man by the arm. "Nezumi's coming now so you have to come, too. Saying no is not allowed."
"Hey—!" Yamase was distracted by the crunching noise of the door slamming against the inside wall, so when Kaze tugged him forward, he nearly flew out of the house.
Nezumi stepped out of the way before the man tumbled into him. A glint caught his attention as he did so. He could see clearly into the house from where he was standing, and the hazy sunlight illuminated the metal handle of the basement vault. Looking at it from a calmer perspective, the door to the underground room did not fit with the rest of the neighborhood, or even Yamase's house. It looked newer, or at least in better condition than should have been possible, amidst all the decaying structures.
Definitely suspicious.
"Kaze," growled Yamase once his balance had been restored, "I already told you I don't want to go."
"But that's so boring. No wonder you're not popular; you're always saying no to fun things. I should call you Yadase instead."
"That's fine, Yuji."
Kaze bristled. "Well now you're definitely coming, even if I have to drag you there myself. I'd do it. Ask Shion and Nezumi."
Yamase leered at him as he crossed back to his house. But instead of disappearing into it and locking up behind him as Nezumi thought he would, he pulled the door closed, locked it with a key from his pocket, and huffed.
"Are we going or not?" he muttered as he trudged past.
"Yessss!" Kaze crowed, throwing his arm over Yamase's shoulders. "Let's get drunk tonight! That oughta get that stick out from up your ass!"
Yamase made a disgusted noise and angled his face away from the man's. "You reek."
Kaze laughed at him, and all the while Nezumi and Shion trailed behind without an ounce of amusement. If I have to spend the night with Kaze and Yamase, I don't think I'm gonna last a whole hour. And from the looks of Shion, I don't think he will either. The closer to their destination they walked, the more sullen Shion became.
They ambled down the main street and eventually reached a portion that opened onto a wider stretch. The bar was easy to pick out, due to the constant buzz of conversation punctuated by bursts of raucous laughter coming from it. The party had most definitely started without them, and the guests seemed to be well into the festivities. It's seeming more and more like Kaze went out drinking and decided on the spur of the moment that it would be a fabulous idea to drag me down for a makeshift initiation.
Nezumi caught sight of a wooden sign hanging over the entryway, which read Gin and Yang. He snorted in mild approval. If he was going to be forced to attend a party, it might as well be at a bar with a sense of humor.
The interior wasn't well lit, and the air was thick with the potent scents of alcohol, tobacco, and something else equally as sweet and overpowering. There weren't so many people that one couldn't move about freely, but it was crowded enough to make someone like Nezumi, who not only wasn't used to large gatherings, but also disliked socializing in general, feel uncomfortable. Almost every person was wearing a gold bandana.
"Over here, Nezumi." Kaze motioned toward the counter. "Yang!"
To his surprise, the person that answered the call was a thirty-something year old woman with thick streaks of white running through her dark hair. She nodded to Kaze in greeting.
"New guy." Kaze jabbed a thumb in Nezumi's direction. "Make it a good one, won't you? And I'd like my usual, too."
Yang's lips curved into the smallest of smiles, her gaze roving to Nezumi for a second before she slipped away to the opposite end of the counter. An anxious feeling began building in his stomach, traveling its way up into his chest when a glass of clear liquid was placed in front of him. It looked no more dangerous than water.
"Drink's on the house," Yang said in a smooth voice, and then added, "Enjoy," almost as an afterthought. She left to attend to a slovenly man who looked like he had reached his limit at least five drinks ago.
Kaze plucked the tumbler off the table and held it up like a prize. "Nezumi, I'd like to introduce you to the West Block Bombshell. I coined the name, and you know why I call it that? Because this is one lady you'll never forget, that's why." Nezumi was getting far less favorable impressions of the drink's name. "It's top class stuff, brewed right here in West Block. Every new member has to drink it."
He nearly shoved it into Nezumi's hands and then raised his own glass of coppery liquid, which had been brought to him at the same time Yang delivered his drink. The wicked grin was back on his face.
"We'll cheers and down ours at the same time, all in one go."
Nezumi kept his face blank, but his mind was racing. How am I supposed to not drink it if he's watching me? He glanced at Shion, who was sipping something and staring hard into the crowd as though he couldn't care less what predicament Nezumi was in. I'm going to have to drink it, aren't I?
"You ready?"
I guess I'm drinking it. He brought the glass to his lips. It smelled like rubbing alcohol.
"Hey, Kaze," Shion said suddenly. "Isn't that Yuki over there?"
Kaze whirled around. "Yuki? Where?"
"Over there, talking to that man."
Nezumi couldn't tell where he was looking, but whatever Kaze saw he did not approve of it. His face darkened and he placed his drink down on the counter. "Wait here a sec," he told Nezumi, before striding into the crowd mumbling about stupid bastards not knowing their place.
"Take this."
Nezumi turned toward the voice and saw Shion holding out the glass he had been sipping. The liquid inside looked no different from what he was holding.
"What is it?"
"Water. I grabbed it on the way in. Give me your drink and hold this, before he gets back." Shion nudged the glass of water into Nezumi's free hand and with his other he took the Bombshell away.
"I was kind of curious to try it, actually," he said, only half joking.
"You really shouldn't be. It tastes like acid." Shion held the tumbler close against his chest as if protecting it from further curiosity.
"What does it—"
He couldn't finish his question because at that moment Kaze came bounding back toward them, his arm wrapped around the waist of a young woman.
"Sorry about that. I had to take care of some business."
"Hello, Yuki," said Shion. "It's been a while."
The woman murmured an agreement and then Kaze remembered his manners. "Oh, yeah. Nezumi, this is Yuki. She's my girl, so don't even think about making a move on her," he said with all seriousness.
The woman offered him a demure smile and bowed her head. "Nice to meet you."
She was petite, both in stature and build, and more cute than beautiful; but there was an elegance about her bearing that Nezumi suspected was practiced, maybe even professional. However, he kept his suspicions to himself and greeted her politely in return.
"Now that that's all settled, let's get drinking, yeah?"
Nezumi raised his glass with a wry smile. "All in one go, right?"
"That's the spirit! Shion, you want in on this, too?"
"No, thanks."
Kaze shrugged. "Suit yourself. Cheers to Nezumi joining the Resistance!"
He chinked his glass against Nezumi's and tipped the contents down his throat. Nezumi did the same, easily downing the water. But in order to keep up appearances, when he was finished he coughed and cleared his throat a little in order to simulate discomfort. He hoped that would be a convincing enough act, because the only thing he had to go on was that the West Block Bombshell was acidic.
And apparently life scarring, if Shion's reactions are anything to go by.
Kaze looked to be taken in though. He laughed at Nezumi's feigned pain. "Nezumi, you're awesome. You didn't even ask what was in it or hesitate or anything. You've got guts." He slapped him on the shoulder. "You're my new favorite newbie."
"I feel so blessed."
Kaze only smirked. "Well, I completed my mission. I guess I'll leave you to enjoy the party. Have fun!" And with that, he and Yuki drifted into the crowd.
"What a poor host," Nezumi snorted to himself.
"Isn't that fine, though? I didn't think you wanted to spend the entire night with Kaze." Shion was still hugging the West Block Bombshell to his chest and he sighed when he looked down at it. "Well, since we're here, do you want a drink? I don't know what you drank in No. 6, but I can order you the closest thing we have."
Nezumi contemplated throwing out a random alcoholic beverage, but in the end he just shrugged. "Whatever's fine."
Shion raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"
"Yeah. Just get me whatever's good."
"All the stuff here is pretty bad. But I can promise that anything would be better than this." Shion gestured to the concoction in his hands. He stepped up to the counter and waved Yang over. "I'll just let you taste my drink and you can decide from there."
Shion asked for his usual just the same as Kaze did and the bartender came back with a copper liquid that also resembled Kaze's drink. Nezumi vaguely wondered how often they had come to the bar in order to have a "usual."
Nezumi took the glass from him when it was offered and stared down at it.
"What is it?"
"Whiskey."
The name was familiar to him, although he didn't know much about it other than that it was considered hard liquor. At last he brought it to his mouth. It smelled sweet and he wondered if it would taste the same. Shion tilted his head and he suddenly felt like he had been caught doing something wrong. He tipped the glass back and took a swig.
Fire. That's what whiskey tasted like. The burn going down wasn't too bad, but he could feel it plummet into his stomach, and it sat there for an unpleasant moment. And it made his throat itch a little. He made a face at Shion and handed the glass back to him.
"That's nasty."
"Well, yeah." Shion chuckled like that should have been obvious. "But it's on the cheaper side, and if you have to drink crappy alcohol, it might as well be something with a kick. It grows on you after a while." As if to prove it was true, he took a sip himself.
Nezumi grunted and looked out into the crowd. He could just barely make out Kaze in the back, taking shots with some burly man while a few other women cheered on the sidelines. He didn't fail to notice a few curious looks sent his way.
Not surprising. Being from No. 6 is sure to attract a decent amount of attention.
"Nezumi?" He turned back to Shion. He had his tumbler raised to his lips, but he didn't take a drink. "Can I ask you a personal question?"
Nezumi raised an eyebrow. "You may, but I reserve the right not to answer."
Shion nodded and lowered his glass. "Was that your first time drinking alcohol?"
"As far as personal questions go, that's pretty tame." He smiled faintly and shook his head. "What gave me away?"
Shion responded with a tentative smile of his own. "I wasn't sure at first, but you seemed really interested in it. And you don't seem to be especially excited about partying or drinking, so I thought maybe this was your first time."
"Well, don't get the wrong idea. It's not like I'm a goody two-shoes or anything, it's just that getting alcohol in No. 6 is more trouble than it's worth. I didn't see any reason to go out of my way."
Though… I wonder how the old woman would have reacted if I came home stumbling drunk one night? The image of the old woman trying to keep her sweet grandmotherly composure in such a situation made his smile widen. I guess I missed an opportunity there.
Shion looked thoughtful.
"I'll buy you a beer," he said finally, turning to the counter again. "It's much lighter than whiskey. Although, I have to warn you, it still tastes horrible. Actually, it's fortunate you never got to drink in No. 6, because if you ever got the chance to taste alcohol that's actually good, I guarantee you wouldn't be able to palate anything we have here."
Shion wasn't lying; the beer was piss-poor, but it wasn't so awful that he couldn't drink it, and besides, he stopped tasting it so much after the first few sips. They nursed their drinks while Shion pointed to people in the crowd and told him their jobs in the Resistance, and what he knew about them personally. Nezumi listened carefully to his descriptions. He didn't care much about making friends, but it would benefit him to know who to avoid and who to go to if he wanted information or discounted wares and rations.
Shion had worked his way down from the influential members and was now on to talking about the admirable work ethic of the lower strata and new recruits.
Nezumi leaned against the counter and raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don't know everyone in the West Block?" he said, interrupting the other boy's captivating tangent on how they knew which trees' nuts were edible.
Shion knitted his brow. "I don't. Why do you keep asking me that? That's the second time."
"You're always spouting off facts about everyone we meet. And every time we go out someone runs up to you singing your praises or asking you to heal their injured and infirm. You're a regular prince among paupers," he said with a smirk. "Perhaps I should refer to you as 'Your Majesty' from now on?"
Shion looked incredulous for a moment, but then a slight smile slipped onto his face. "Are you jealous?"
"Huh?"
"That I'm more popular than you."
"Aren't you full of yourself," Nezumi said dryly. "And I took you for the modest type. I couldn't care less about being popular. I don't need to be liked; I just need to be able to get what I want when I want it."
"That's not right," Shion muttered with a frown. "So you're saying the only reason you bother being nice to people is so you can get favors from them?"
"Isn't that why any person chooses to interact with other people? Whether it's companionship or a favor, no human interaction is free from selfishness. Everyone wants something."
Shion shook his head. "Then what about Kei? The woman at headquarters earlier. You didn't seem to like her and she couldn't give you anything, but you still smiled at her. There was no benefit for you, and if you don't care about how you come off to other people, why would you bother?"
"You lost me. Are you asking why I didn't just tell her to get lost?" Shion nodded. "There's no reason to burn a bridge before it's formed. I might need something from her, so it benefits me to play nice in the meantime. Genuine or not, a smile is a powerful weapon—as effective as any gun or knife," Nezumi said, a sensual smile playing on his lips.
Shion blinked.
"Hey! It's you! New guy!"
Nezumi's gaze slid away from Shion at the shrill sound. There was a woman coming their way. Her hair was pushed back with the telltale gold bandana, and because of that, it was easy to recognize that she was same woman from earlier. Kei. He couldn't believe his bad luck.
Before she reached them, Shion picked up the West Block Bombshell and his whiskey from where he had placed them on the counter and backed away.
"Have fun," he whispered.
Wait a second. He's not leaving me alone with this harpy, is he?
"Shion, you—!"
The woman leapt into the spot that the other boy had just vacated. Shion gave him a small smile and removed to a table a few feet away.
Bastard!
"Hello, Comrade," she chirped, pronouncing the words with a playful lilt. "Do you remember me? We met in headquarters earlier. I'm Kei."
Cursing Shion internally, Nezumi fixed her with a haughty, but elegant smile. "I remember you. How could I forget?"
"Oh?" Her dark eyes danced with pleasure. "Glad to see I made such a good impression."
"It was less your impression than the impression on your arm that made you memorable. You should thank whichever kid bit you."
Kei looked down at her bandaged arm. "I guess so," she said at last, leaning against the counter with a smile. "So… Does it feel good?" She gestured to the beer in his hand.
Nezumi couldn't help thinking that Kei would be a lot more attractive if she didn't try so hard to be sexy.
"What do you mean?" he responded lightly, taking a sip.
"Well, you know," she giggled. "Since it's your first time."
Her expression was conspiratorial and Nezumi narrowed his eyes at her just slightly. It was unlikely that she had been eavesdropping. The bar was too loud to hear other's conversations, unless one was standing close by, and Kei had come from either the other side of the room or she had just arrived when she spotted him. She's fishing, then.
"It's my first time drinking such low quality alcohol, if that's what you mean. And I thought whiskey was bad."
Kei looked surprised. "Wait, so you have drank before? I thought drinking was illegal in No. 6?"
So that's what this is about, is it? For people who claim to hate No. 6, they sure like to talk about it.
"A lot of things are illegal in No. 6, but drinking isn't one of them."
"Oh…" Kei furrowed her brow. "I see... Well, I guess not all the things people say about No. 6 are true." The smile returned to her lips. "I mean, they also say that all the citizens are so well fed and lazy that everyone there is fat, but…" She made no attempt to hide her lustful look. "Well, obviously that's not true. You're gorgeous."
He hummed thoughtfully. "Tell me, what else do they say about No. 6?"
"Oh, lots of things. Mostly everyone here talks about how horrible the government is and how they'll lock you up in the Correctional Facility for almost anything. But I'm sure you know all about that. Word is you got kicked out." She tilted her head with coquettish curiosity. "How'd you manage that? If you don't mind my asking?"
Nezumi took another long sip of his drink.
"I was arrested for reading to children." Kei's eyebrows shot up and he chuckled. "Disappointed?"
She pursed her lips. "Not disappointed, just… shocked, I guess. You can get arrested for something like that?"
"Drinking for pleasure may not be illegal, but reading for pleasure is. We're only allowed to read what we're given, anything else is considered inflammatory." This was more or less true. He stared forlornly at his glass of beer, as though remembering something very painful. "I've always had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and it was my greatest dream to read a novel from before the wall was built. I thought it was impossible, but then my grandmother gave me this book she had kept hidden from the authorities."
"Your grandmother was so brave," Kei interjected with an aspect of awe.
"…She was something. Anyway, the book was so good, I couldn't help but want to share it, and so I read it to a few children in the park. It was foolish of me," he said with a sad shake of his head. "The Security Bureau arrested me on the spot and burned the book in front of the children. To set an example."
"That's horrible," Kei gasped, flaring up at the imaginary persecution. "How could they do that, and in front of those poor children, too? No. 6 is disgusting."
Nezumi noted the genuine anger his words had inspired, though he supposed it was none too surprising. These people were in the Resistance for a reason.
She reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I see why you joined the cause."
He turned to lean with his back against the counter so her fingers slipped off naturally.
Kei gasped. "Your cheek's bruised! What happened?"
He shrugged. "It's fine."
"You poor thing. It must hurt." She reached out a second time.
He angled his head away, a flash of warning seeping into his look. "I'd prefer you didn't."
Kei paused and then lowered her hand. "Oh. Of course. Sorry." She smiled, but it was a little less exuberant than it had been.
"Er… Hey, new kid." Their attention was drawn to two youngish men who were standing somewhat awkwardly to the side. "So it's true what they say about you bein' from No. 6?"
Nezumi eyed them warily. He could guess at what the men wanted from the ashamed but eager expressions on their faces, but since there was no way to hide his origins, he had to respond in the affirmative.
It was just as he feared; the moment they had confirmed that he had intimate knowledge of No. 6, he was hit with an onslaught of questions. It wasn't long before he had drawn a small crowd of curious Resistance members, although Kei had stubbornly maintained her spot at the counter next to him, and talked constantly to make sure he never forgot it. And, of course, one of the first questions was about the alcohol he was drinking. Kei was only too kind to intervene on his behalf and tell everyone that No. 6 wasn't as dry as they all suspected.
To prove her point, she ordered him vodka, which she insisted he try, and which he tasted, hated, and politely refused. He finally got her to drink it herself after he explained that he still had a beer to finish. This, of course, did not stop another girl in the group from buying him a second beer when he had finally polished off the first. He ignored the scandalized anger Kei emanated when he accepted it. The second beer was just as awful as the first, but he drank it dutifully. He would rather not be fully sober in the face of the nonsense going on around him.
After being asked back-to-back whether everyone in No. 6 was genetically engineered and was it true that everyone voted on when the Hunt was to be, he quickly discovered that there was a lot of misinformation and exaggerations going around about the Holy City. The majority of the questions revolved around the apparent privilege and callousness of the city's population, and while they were true in some respects, most were skewed in such a way that it gave the impression that all of No. 6 actively supported the extermination of the West Block. Halfway through the fun ran out and he gave up on giving sarcastic half-truths and called out a bullshit question for what it was.
Where are they getting this information? Has Yoming been feeding this stuff to them? He scanned the crowd for any sign of Yoming, but he didn't see him. Perhaps that was the reason so many Resistance members were asking about No. 6: their boss's absence plus the alcohol had loosened their inhibitions as well as their tongues.
Whether Yoming was preaching directly to them or not, the man certainly wasn't making an effort to dispel their suspicions. And why would he? Hatred bred more loyal soldiers, and besides, the city deserved at least some of the criticism. No. 6 was no heaven and the people there were far from saints.
But even though the city is rotted through, the majority of the people inside the walls aren't cold-blooded killers. They're just ignorant idiots.
"Do it! It's just a little!"
Nezumi's eyes settled on Shion, who was still at the table he retreated to after Kei had arrived more than an hour ago. Kaze was hovering over him and Yamase, placing shot glasses in front of them and demanding that they chug. Yamase knocked one back with a defeated look, and Shion followed suit soon after, while Kaze cheered. Nezumi felt a surge of indignation. Only an hour my ass! I'm going to be here all night answering inane questions while those three get smashed.
Eventually though, the barrage did end, and the majority, satisfied at having their suspicions confirmed or debunked, dispersed. The only people that remained were Kei and Getsuyaku, who Nezumi had hardly realized was there.
"My good graces have all but expired for the night," Nezumi said, voice thick with boredom. "You get one question, old man. Make it a good one."
Kei giggled and he spared her a sidelong glance. He noted the two empty tumblers on the bar counter, but he didn't linger on them as Getsuyaku began speaking.
"Uh… In No. 6, I heard that there's no crime," he mumbled. "Is that true?"
Nezumi raised an eyebrow at the question, surprised by the simplicity of it. "Sure there's no crime, as long as you don't think too hard."
"S-so everyone is safe there? You don't have to worry about dying?"
Nezumi exhaled through his nose and reached down for his beer. However, the glass proved empty upon inspection. He had no recollection of finishing it, but then he had more or less been taking a drink per question for god knows how long. There was a brief pang of disappointment at the loss of his coping mechanism, but that was overcome by the realization that his head already felt fuzzy enough. He pushed the glass away and leaned back against the counter.
"Everyone has to worry about dying, no matter where you're from. No. 6 hasn't figured out how to cure that yet. But I suppose if by safe you mean safer than here, then yes." Getsuyaku stood and nodded several times more than Nezumi had patience for.
He glanced over at Shion and saw that the boy had rose from his seat and was walking toward the bar. He stopped two people down from where Nezumi was and ordered water from Yang.
Nezumi turned back to Getsuyaku. "Is that all, or…?"
The man looked offended, but grumbled something he didn't quite catch and left all the same. He wondered fleetingly whether insulting Yoming's brother-in-law would have repercussions, but he dismissed it. He had other things to deal with, primarily the drunken woman beside him who had drawn far too close in the span of two seconds.
"Nezumi?" she said sweetly. "Has anyone ever told you you're beautiful?"
"Many people, many times."
"Ooh. Well, then has anyone ever told you…" She leaned forward and he leaned back. "You have the most beautiful eyes ever? The color is so bright, like…" She squinted at him. "Like… Silver coins. You know that color?"
Nezumi blinked. "—Silver? Is that the color you're thinking of?"
Her face lit up. "Yes! Exactly like silver!"
He didn't know how it happened—whether it was a flash of movement or his own incredulity compelling him to check if anyone else had heard the exchange—but at that moment, his gaze met Shion's. The other boy had been frowning deeply at Kei and when he looked at Nezumi his face was an open book of disappointment. Shion shook his head and returned to sipping his water. Nezumi smirked; now that he knew his disbelief was warranted and shared, he was able to see the humor in the situation.
He pushed himself away from the counter, ignoring the bout of light-headedness that accompanied the movement. "You've really outdone yourself. I've never had anyone describe my eyes that way before." She glowed under his praise, and he took the opportunity to step away from her. "On that note, I'm gonna go."
"What? Where are you going? Don't go yet, I have one more question for you."
He smiled serenely at her, much in the same way a mother might smile at an unfortunate child. "I think you've asked enough questions for today."
"No, but it's really important. I think you'll like it."
He noticed the look on her face and blankly replied, "I seriously doubt that."
She made no indication of hearing him and pushed on. "I was thinking maybe we could continue this conversation back at my place."
The suggestion, said with such an evident attempt at sultriness, was inscrutably funny to him, and although he was able to control himself enough not to laugh, a smile still fought its way onto his lips as he responded with a crisp, "No."
Her already flushed face turned an understandably brighter shade of red. "Oh," was all she said.
It was precisely at that moment that Kaze made his reappearance. He was leaning heavily on Yuki, and it was evident from his staggering that he had reached his limit.
"Kei?" he barked. "What are you doin' here?"
Kei's embarrassment turned quickly to anger at his tone. "I have just as much right to be here as you do, Yuji. I'm part of the Resistance, too!"
"Barely," Kaze snorted, and then seemed to notice Nezumi. He squinted between him and Kei. "Wait. She talkin' to you, Nezumi?" He sighed in exasperation. "Come on, Kei. Why can't you—? Can't you see Nezumi doesn't like you? Go away." He waved his free hand about in a series of dismissive jerks. "Find someone else to flirt with."
"Kaze," hissed Yuki.
"What? What I say?"
Yuki shook her head and turned an apologetic eye on the other woman. "He's very drunk, please excuse his rudeness."
This explanation did nothing to placate Kei. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, but because no one said anything in her defense, she had no choice but to storm off.
"You could do so much better," Kaze said once she was gone. "Find a nice girl. Like Yuki! Yuki's a great girl. We're gonna get married." He smiled happily at the woman next to him.
"Kaze," said Yuki in a gentle, but firm voice, "you only say that when you're drunk. We'll talk about this when you're sober, okay?"
Nezumi noted that she honestly looked upset and reconsidered his assumption that their relationship was merely professional.
"Okay. Okay, I'm sorry." Kaze nuzzled her cheek. This gesture of affection succeeded in coaxing a smile to Yuki's lips, and after directing a resigned look at Nezumi, she reached up and patted Kaze's head.
"It's fine, I forgive you— Ow! Kaze, stop now, you're scratching me."
Kaze pulled away and rubbed his forehead. "Oh! Hey, my eyebrows are finally growing back!" he announced delightedly to Nezumi.
Nezumi had no time to congratulate him, as the next moment Kaze snapped to attention and demanded to know where Shion was. He whirled around and spotted him at the counter, watching them and holding his glass of water tightly to his chest.
"Shion! Why're you staring like a creep? Get over here!"
The other boy obeyed, although the first words out of his mouth were, "I wasn't staring like a creep. You were loud. And besides, it's my job to keep watch. For Nezumi's protection."
"My protection, huh? How noble. Tell me, how does throwing me to the wolves fall under your definition of protection?"
"Kei isn't a wolf," Shion sniffed. But then a small smile crept onto his face. "If anything, she's a cougar."
"She's a dog," Kaze followed up with a scowl. Nezumi was mildly impressed that he was able to keep up with their wordplay, despite being thoroughly intoxicated. Kaze shook his head. "But who cares about animals? Tonight we're free, so let's party more!"
At the mention of freedom, Nezumi was once again reminded of his lack thereof and the reason this was so. He threw another cursory glance around the room, but Yoming was nowhere to be seen.
"When you say free, do you mean your boss isn't here?"
"Yup!" Kaze cheered. "He never comes. And that's fine by me, 'cause he's no fun at all!"
"Yeah," Shion agreed forcefully. "Yoming's a super stick in the mud. If he were here, he'd just grump around and make everyone feel bad."
Nezumi furrowed his brow and turned to Shion. He had accepted the fact that he was reasonably buzzed, so he probably hadn't heard Shion correctly. He was on the point of asking him to repeat himself, when the tangent that followed dispelled all his doubts.
Shion drew himself up and began speaking in a gruff voice, "Comrade Kaze, how dare you have fun when we are so very serious! Do you not know how serious and important and not fun our mission is supposed to be? And you, Nezumi!" Nezumi flinched away from the finger Shion jabbed in his direction. "If you don't make me a bazooka right this instant," he lifted his thumb so that his hand was mimicking a gun, "I'm gonna empty my cartridge into your face!"
The air between them was still. Yuki was the first to recover, and she pressed a quiet giggle into her coat sleeve.
"Wow…" murmured Kaze, squinting hard at Shion with an inexplicable expression. "That was amazing! How'd you do that? It was like he was right here!"
Shion lowered his arm and nodded proudly. "Yeah, I'm pretty good at impressions. You can add that to my skill set." He grinned at Nezumi.
Nezumi narrowed his eyes at the boy. "—I'm sorry, are you drunk?"
Shion scrunched up his face. "No. I'm just slightly intoxicated," he said, pronouncing the words precisely, as though taking extra care not to say them wrong.
"Toxiwhat?" Kaze mumbled. "What are you talking about? You had like… five drinks."
Shion threw up the hand that wasn't holding his drink. "Of course I'm drunk!" he shouted. "I had five whiskey shots in a row! Anyone would be drunk by then. What? Is there some law against me being drunk? Huh?"
Oh wonderful. Now he's picking fights.
Kaze wriggled out of Yuki's grip, shuffled over to Shion, and threw his arms around his shoulders. The impact caused the contents of Shion's glass to slosh and spill over onto the ground.
"That's dangerous," Shion growled, and then pouted at Nezumi. "Why are you only yelling at me? Kaze's more inebriated."
Kaze laughed and ruffled the teen's hair. "This guy! Did you know, Nezumi? This guy has a huge vocabluwary… Vocabrurary…" He stopped and worked his mouth like he was trying hard to identify a taste. "I don't know what I'm tryin'a say, but he's smart. Like, really smart. He's gonna be a doctor or sumthin' when he grows up. Watch out!" He rolled off of Shion's shoulder and staggered out into the throng.
"Kaze," Yuki groaned. She offered a quick apology and called after her runaway charge.
Nezumi felt a pang of admiration for the woman's fortitude. If there was one thing he learned from tonight, it was that he never wanted to get drunk. The buzz he had was as far as he wanted to go; he never wanted to find himself in a situation where he was making such an utter fool of himself.
Nezumi eyed Shion, but he seemed to have calmed down. He had put his drink on the bar and was wiping the hand that had gotten wet on his bandana. Nezumi's mouth quirked up into a smirk when Shion removed the cloth from his neck and threw it off to the side of the counter when he was done.
"What'd you end up doing with the Bombshell?" Nezumi asked, nodding his head at the glass.
"Nothing. This is the Bombshell." He held it near Nezumi's face, and Nezumi turned his head aside at the acrid scent.
"You've been drinking it?"
"'Course not, you crazy? I learned my lesson." He looked suddenly nauseated and shook his head. "Nah, I've just been holding it."
"You've been carrying that around this whole time? Why didn't you dump it out?"
"I don't know… I can't remember," Shion said sadly.
Nezumi's shoulders slumped. "Why are you depressed now? Geez, are you going to go through the entire spectrum? I've never seen anyone act so typically drunk." He checked to make sure that Kaze was otherwise engaged and then turned back to Shion. "We might as well leave. Kaze's so trashed he won't notice anyway."
"That's it!" Shion seized him by the shoulder with his free hand. "You're a genius!"
Nezumi backed against the counter and placed a hand on Shion's chest to keep him from advancing any further into his personal space.
"What are you babbling about now?"
"Kaze's trashed."
"Yes, and you're not much better. Back off, will you?"
"But I am," Shion said with an impish grin. He released Nezumi's shoulder and took a step back. "I know how we can end the party."
Nezumi wasn't sure how he felt about Shion's newfound mischievousness, but he couldn't help but be a little intrigued by the proposal.
"How?"
"The same way it started." He swirled the West Block Bombshell in its glass. "Here, take it."
"I don't follow. You spent all night guarding this, and now you want me to drink it?"
"No, no, no, no. Not you. Kaze. Get Kaze to drink it. I would do it myself, but I don't feel too good. And you're a better actor than me, anyway."
Nezumi didn't argue with that. He had never seen Shion act, but his impressions left a lot to be desired. So all I have to do is get Kaze to drink this and I can leave, huh? Shouldn't be too hard. At this point I think even Shion's acting would be able to convince him.
He cleared his throat and shouted, "Hey, Kamikaze!"
Shion made an appreciative sound at his choice of address. It took only a moment before Kaze bounded over like a clumsy puppy.
"Someone called."
Nezumi was pleased to see that Yuki wasn't with him this time. She seemed to be relatively sober and to care about Kaze's well being; if she had shadowed him, he would have to override her discouragements.
"You've been challenged," he told the man. "Shion thinks you're too drunk to handle another drink, but I told him that there was no way you have such a low tolerance. Who's right, me or Shion?"
Kaze made a face. "You said that, Shion?"
"Yeah. You shouldn't drink anymore, Kaze. Yuichi wouldn't like it."
"Pfft. Yuichi!" he spat. "Who cares what he thinks? I'm fine."
"That's what I told him," Nezumi said gently. "Lightweights like Shion can't handle their alcohol, but you? I can't even tell. I really admire you, Kaze."
Kaze's anger melted into befuddled surprise. "You do?"
"I do. In fact, I want to make a toast to you. Here, take this." He handed the Bombshell to Kaze, and picked up one of Kei's empty tumblers. "Cheers to Kaze for throwing the best initiation party ever!" He clinked the glasses together and then he and Shion watched as Kaze drained the entire Bombshell without a breath.
"Ugh. Gross," Kaze coughed. "What was that?"
"The West Block Bombshell," Nezumi supplied, with a slight tilt of his head. The way Shion treated it, he half expected its effect to be immediate, but Kaze didn't look any worse off.
"Oh…" the drink's victim drawled. He was apparently too far gone to register what he had just done. "That stuff's nasty. I can't believe you drank it." He reached over and tousled Nezumi's hair roughly. "You're so cool!"
Nezumi ducked out of his reach. "You should go find Yuki now. She must be wondering where you are."
Kaze looked confused, but then the light of realization returned to his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Thanks, Nezumi." He gave him a dopey grin. "You're awesome."
Kaze disappeared into the crowd for the third time that night and Nezumi was hit with a reluctant feeling of concern. Neither Shion nor Kaze were in their right minds, and the former had just instructed him to trick the latter into drinking a mystery concoction that obviously made one violently ill. Normally Shion's reputation for medical know-how would have convinced him he would never put Kaze in danger, but the boy wasn't thinking straight.
"Will he be all right?" he asked Shion. "He was already pretty drunk. Aren't you worried he might get alcohol poisoning?"
"Kaze? No. That stuff will clean him right out. Nothing to worry about but the mess." He fixed him with another wicked grin. "Shouldn't be long now."
Shion's diagnosis was correct, unsurprisingly. Not more than five minutes could've passed before Kaze, white-faced and shuddering, stumbled to the front of the bar and called the party off. He looked like he was about to vomit any second, and Yuki led him out, muttering half-concerned, half-exasperated, that he always did this. Nezumi did not envy her predicament.
The fresh, cold air outside felt glorious after spending so much time in a cramped room that reeked of cigarettes and alcohol. His mind felt clearer, and although he felt a little less self-possessed than usual, he found he rather liked the spring it put in his step. Shion, too, seemed to sober a bit from the chill. His demeanor was now more sedate, and so as long as one ignored the flush on his face, he could almost pretend he wasn't drunk at all.
"That was fun," said Shion, stretching toward the darkening sky.
Nezumi shoved his hands into his pockets and stared ahead. "You think so? It's nice to know one of us enjoyed themselves."
"You didn't have any fun at all?"
"It's a little hard to have fun when I was constantly being sacrificed for the entertainment of others."
"Is this about Kei? You looked like you were enjoying yourself, smiling and— Oh. But that's right," Shion snickered. "You only do that to get things from people. Because, 'a smile is a powerful weapon—as effective as any gun or knife.'" Shion quoted the words with such horribly rendered sultriness that Nezumi drew back with a cringe.
"Never do that again."
"You didn't like it? I sounded just like you."
"Absolutely not. That was the worst thing I've ever heard."
Shion laughed. "No, but really," he said, waving a hand as if to clear the air between them. "About Kei. I honestly thought it be good for you to know more Resistance members."
"Ah, is that it. Pardon me for my ingratitude. I look forward to the day when I might be able to repay the debt."
"Don't be mad. It's important to make friends, so—Whoa!"
Shion was grabbed by the arm and yanked into an alleyway. The culprit appeared to be a red-haired woman clad in only a thin dress and a generous application of matching lipstick. Another woman with dyed blonde hair stood next to her, similarly styled.
"Well, look what we have here!" exclaimed the red-haired woman. "I thought it was you, Shi."
"Kimiko," Shion stuttered. "And… Aya? What are you doing here?"
"Long time no see!" bubbled Kimiko. "You've grown so much, you're practically a man now!" She smushed his face affectionately and giggled at his protests.
"What'dya mean what are we doing here?" scoffed Aya. "We're working, duh. Yeesh, I was right, Kimi," she said to the red-haired woman. "Once he joined up with those big shot Resistance guys he forgot all about us."
Kimiko drew back from Shion with a frown. "That's so mean, Shi. After all we've done for you."
Nezumi watched the scene unfold with interest. It was easy enough to understand whom the women were and what their purpose was in loitering in dark alleys near bars; the only incongruity was Shion's relationship with them. Although… He could think of one possibility.
I didn't think Shion was the type, but if it's not what I'm thinking, then I don't know what is going on.
Shion put his hands up in his defense. "No, it's not like that. I didn't forget about you, it's just I've been busy, and—" He froze midsentence and turned to Nezumi. "Oh… Uh…" The women followed his gaze and stared.
Kimiko tilted her head. "Hm? Who are you? Shi, is he a friend of yours?"
"Well, well, well," Aya stepped forward and gave him the once over. "And who might you be, handsome? I haven't seen you around before."
Nezumi was fully prepared to ignore her come-ons and walk away until Shion finished his suspiciously suggestive conversation. However, on the cusp of doing so, he looked at the other boy. Shion looked like a deer in headlights as he gnawed his lower lip and traded nervous glances between people. It was obvious the situation made him uncomfortable and he wanted it to end as quickly as possible, and Nezumi couldn't help but think to himself that it was about time someone else was sacrificed for entertainment's sake.
Nezumi gave Aya his most serene smile. "Yeah, well, I don't get out much. Shion keeps me on a pretty tight leash."
All the blood drained from Shion's face, only for it to surge back up into his cheeks as the implication of the words hit him. The two women blinked at Nezumi and then turned to Shion, but he was unable to produce any noises other than a few embarrassed stutters. Kimiko burst into laughter.
"Oh. Wow. Okay." Aya raised an eyebrow at the blushing boy. "Shit. How'd you manage this one, Shion?"
"I always thought you were a late bloomer, but this…" Kimiko said with a kind of amused wonder. "Well, whatever. I'm happy for you either way. Oh—but does Safu know? You should probably tell her, before she hears it from someone else."
"What? No, wait, we aren't—! Nezumi! Don't say things like that, they'll get the wrong idea!"
"What are you so embarrassed about? We are living together, after all."
"Oh my," Kimiko murmured.
"The late bloomer moves fast," Aya said with smug approval.
Shion blanched. "No, that's just—! It's not like that at all!" He turned to Nezumi with a helpless look. "Nezumi, that's not funny! Tell them the truth."
"The truth?" Nezumi purred, his mouth curving into a predatory smirk. "Well, okay, if you insist. The truth is he kept me locked up against my will."
Shion let out an undignified squeak. Kimiko pressed her hand to her lips in an attempt to conceal an expression caught between shock and scandal, while Aya just looked disturbed.
Allowing a moment for the initial surprise to settle, Nezumi clarified, "Oh, but don't worry. As you can see, we get along fine."
"N-no, it's not what you think," Shion said beseechingly to the women. "Nezumi has a horrible sense of humor. Nezumi."
Shion reached out to grab his sleeve, but Nezumi anticipated his movement and shifted so he could swing his arm around Shion's shoulders. Shion recoiled to avoid him, but stumbled and tripped over his other foot. In an act of dexterity (surprising even to Nezumi, given his impairment), Nezumi adjusted to catch him. It ended up with him supporting Shion's weight in a partial dip. Shion inhaled sharply at the compromising position.
"Oh dear," Nezumi chuckled. "You're so clumsy, Shion." Shion opened his mouth to reply, but Nezumi hoisted him to his feet before he got the chance. "He's a little tipsy," he told the women, and they smiled and nodded. "I better get him back to our place. Do you mind?"
"Oh, no, of course not," they chorused.
"Be safe," Kimiko said with a small wave.
Nezumi treated her to a lopsided smile. "Oh, we will, don't you worry about that." He threw in a wink for good measure.
"Have fun, Shion. Make sure you come and visit us soon," Kimiko called.
"And your new mouse can come, too, if he wants," Aya added.
Nezumi couldn't suppress a snicker at this. He turned back to Shion, only to find he had already stumbled halfway down the road. It wasn't a coordinated effort, so he caught up easily.
"Shion, wait up," he said in between chuckles. "Where are you running off to?"
Shion rounded on him. "Why did you do that!" He swiped at his eyes and Nezumi realized they were tearing.
"—Are you crying?"
"I'm not! I'm angry! Why did you say those things?"
Nezumi shrugged a shoulder. "It's not my fault you demanded I tell the truth. If you just let me do the talking, it would've come off as sweet. You're the one who made it weird—twice."
"You don't unnerstand," he whined, devolving into slurs as his anxiety mounted. "When I was younger—"
"Don't finish that sentence. I don't want to know."
"But we're not—"
"Seriously, I have no interest in that part of your life. Keep your dirty laundry to yourself."
Shion groaned. "I must've sounded so weird!"
"You always sound weird," said Nezumi, and slipped by him.
As humiliating as the encounter was for Shion, it put Nezumi in an infinitely better mood. Despite some unpleasantries, the day seemed to be coming to a satisfying end. And never had he been so glad that he went by the name "Nezumi."
It had been so long since he had adopted the nickname, he no longer thought nor cared about the meanings or insinuations attached to it, and so he often forgot the effect it had on people. Names were nothing to him; they were simply a means of codifying the world. But other people seemed to find them more significant, and it was always a pain to put up with the resultant jokes and comments.
However, right now he wouldn't trade the name for all the world.
He kept replaying the bewildered and embarrassed faces of the women who couldn't have known that was the name he went by, who had no context for why Shion would be calling him "mouse," apart from their implied relationship. He couldn't help but laugh out loud again at the perfection of it.
"S'not funny…"
He glanced over at Shion and caught the tail end of a leer before Shion redirected his pout at the ground. He looked so much like a sullen child trundling beside him that Nezumi felt the urge to tease him return. He reached over and ruffled Shion's hair. The other boy startled and pulled away, and the unadulterated look of surprise on Shion's face had Nezumi regretting the familiar gesture.
"You looked like a dope," Nezumi blurted in answer to the unspoken question. "You know, if you had a little more self-awareness, you wouldn't get made fun of all the time."
The surprise transitioned into a frown as Shion petted his hair back into place. "You're the only one who makes fun of me."
"That, I don't understand, because you say a lot of dumb things." Nezumi resumed walking. "For someone who reads as often as you do, your language ability is severely underdeveloped."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm not going to waste my time explaining it to you. I don't know what you've been filling your head with—romances or some other drivel, I imagine—but you need to switch subjects. Read more Shakespeare."
"You're the one who needs to cut back on the romances," Shion muttered.
"Huh?"
"You dipped me!"
"I could've let you land flat on your butt. Would you rather I'd done that?"
Shion folded his arms and shrugged noncommittally.
"…Actually, about before, I do have one question. How do those women know Safu?"
"She lives at the hotel with them."
So the hotel is actually a brothel and Safu lives there. Right.
"And before you say anything, the answer is no," Shion said, looking him straight in the eye. "Her grandmother just owns the hotel."
Nezumi was quiet as he absorbed that bit of information.