Ch.7 Ouro Kronii

"I love myself too much."

The bartender gave her a Spritz.

"This is for a refreshing take on yourself."

"Thanks bartender, but I already got a take on myself. I see myself everywhere. In mirrors, in my thoughts, and…anywhere."

"Well, you do shadow yourself."

"And I never get sick of it!"

"It's a good thing. Not enough people love themselves."

"I..no comment on that."

A quiet night passed on, and Kronii left with a smile on her face.

Ch.8 Motoaki Tanigo/Yagoo

"Managing the girls is too hard."

"I bet. They're wonderful individuals, but managing people is difficult."

"No, I love them. It's just, there are too many jealous people around me."

"Oh, I see."

The bartender gave him an old fashioned. "A bold one to calm your nerves."

"Thanks."

Tanigo one-shotted it.

"Take it easy."

"I wish I could. But…I gotta protect my girls."

"You're already doing a good job."

"But there is only so much I can do."

"Like when they get into a controversy?"

"That too."

"It's on them. I won't say you should feel better that I said this, but you can't do anything about their problems. It's too late when the problem starts."

"Yes…another Old fashioned please."

"Roger."

While cracking the ice, the bartender looked at Tanigo. "You're quite distressed alright. You must really love your girls."

"Yes. They're like my daughters."

"Yes. And you're a great president. A rare find among gems."

"Thanks." Yagoo grinned, and took little sips this time. "I gotta get back to work soon. Paperwork is such a drag."

"But it has to be done."

"That it does."

"Kudos for your efforts."

Tanigo returned with a cab the bartender called for.

Ch.9 Ninomae Ina'nis

"I want to be a teacher."

"Then be one."

"My friends don't listen."

"Well, it's not anything serious. I saw your teaching stream. It's all entertainment."

"You don't get it. I really want to teach."

The bartender stopped shaking the Cocktail Shaker. "Then, that's respectable. You love children?"

"I sure do."

"That's great. We need more caring people in this world."

"What does it mean to be a teacher?"

"Oh..that's a difficult question. But let me ask you. Don't you want to know whether you want to be a teacher more?"

"Yes. What's the difference?"

"The latter is easier to give an answer to. Just be one. Perhaps after you graduate."

"Huh. What if I don't like it?"

"You never know more than after you tried it. When teaching drives you impatient, stop. If you can endure a little longer, consider so. Teaching is hard. Disobedient children, sometimes you don't even know what you're teaching to them. That's what my father said. He's a professor for your information."

"Huh? What kind of professor doesn't know what he's teaching?"

"Hahah. That it is. He would study the material just a few hours before the lesson starts. He was the one teaching back then. Teachers are not perfect. Sometimes they go unprepared. It takes efforts to make study guides and materials."

"You sure know a lot."

"Thanks. I used to teach English myself."

"Oh, how did it go?"

"Oh, I got some good advice."

"What is it?"

"Always remember their names. That's a given. And always listen to them. If they're silent, then don't be angry. And always have a kind smile. A fake smile won't do. An honest smile only works. That's from my work experience. Then most of them will love you. All of my students were kind. Some left, some didn't respond, but many did not think my personality to be a bad one. Though, I gotta say, being a good teacher and having a good personality are too different things."

"Okay. Duly noted. Humu Humu."

"You'll do great. I believe in you. And if you don't know what they're going through, remember the time when you were in a similar corner, and trace how you came to be now. Here's an interesting question that you might be interested in answering."

"What is it?"

"Teaching and doing it yourself is different, did you know?"

"Hmm. How?"

"Teaching gives others what you think is good for them. Doing it yourself doesn't have such views from outside. After all, you don't know what's wrong with yourself. You already studied the most about yourself. Only a teacher can tell you something new about yourself."

"Huh. That's interesting."

"But you never know what they already know. The only way to tell is..?

"Hmm. To start my teaching, I suppose."

"Correct, Anyways, it's getting late. Here's one last phrase.'

"What is it?"

"The more passionate you are and the more passionate your students are to learn, the less you have to teach and less talented you become as a teacher."

"Got it. Thanks."

"Toast for your success, whatever you become."

"Thank you."

Inanis smiled in satisfaction.

Ch.10 Garnt/ Gigguk

Jazz music resonated through the glass, awakening Garnt senses.

"Okay, your advice before, didn't work that well."

"I thought so too. I apologize."

"Do you even know what you're saying?"

"Hmm. Half yes. Half no."

"Okay. What do you mean? You gotta have some idea. What you said wasn't total bs."

"Yes. But it all comes down to luck whether it works or not."

"Luck is not enough."

"Oh, luck is enough."

"How come?"

"Luck has to be enough."

Few drops dripped on the wooden platform as Garnt gulped down the drink.

"I suppose so. It's just, I want a more certain answer."

"Luck comes more often to ones who search for it, though this statement has no basis. It just gives you something to believe in. And might as well believe in it to encourage yourself. In the end of the day, belief is a tool to make our wish come true."

Garnet ordered a strong one, and they enjoyed giving and taking words.

Ch.11 Ouro Kronii

"Why are rich people so spoiled?" Kronii scoffed as she scrolled down tiktok. There was one more customer seated on the otherwise empty bar.

"Hmm. Perhaps it's because they have it easier." The bartender uttered concisely.

"They sure do. Unlike them, I have to spend my money to pay the bills and buy drinks."

"It's in their nature, miss. Rich gets richer, poor stays poor. That is the popular tendency of this world. Though the best part is it's not absolute."

"It sure seems absolute. And don't say I didn't try hard."

"You sure do. But poor people have less resources to work with, unlike rich people. They have more preparation funds. Money can be used to prepare. More money, the greater the opportunities."

"Eh, you got a point."

"Hope you get richer, miss."

"I sure hope so too."

They toasted as the violin music smoothed out their evening.

Ch.11 Nanashi Mumei

Nanashi Mumei ordered a margarita, and the subtle sound of piano notes soothed her mood.

"It's hard to express myself to people."

"Well, you do tend to be quiet."

"I want to speak! But I don't know how to say it.."

"Is this about work?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Expression is hard. To others, and even to yourself. It's hard to tell yourself what you're experiencing when you don't know to begin with after all. I say you got it tough."

"What should I do?"

"I say, say what you can, but in the end it comes to luck which occasion prompts you to say what you want. Take it easy."

"Okay. Give me a Spritz next please."

"You're polite alright."

Mumei drank slowly and enjoyed the interlude of the piano.

Ch.12 Koseki Bijou

"I don't understand happiness."

"Oh, that must be hard."

"I don't know if I will get it. It is impossible to even understand it."

"True. It can be said that the moment you understand happiness is also when you obtain it."

"I'm…so miserable." She shed tears in distress.

The bartender gave her a warm drink in order to warm her up, and Bijou felt a little better.

"You know, what you think now doesn't matter what you will get in the future."

"Huh?"

"It means. Even when it's impossible to understand now, your actions will lead you to it. Have faith in yourself."

"...Thank you Grandpa."

"My pleasure. It's on the house tonight. Drink whatever you want."

Bijou asked for another hot drink to warm her up further, and the bartender increased the temperature of the air conditioner.