Ch. 21 Dokibird
"I just wanna chill, man. Just in silence." Dokibird uttered cooly.
"Of course, Want me to turn down the volume?" the bartender spoke.
"Yeah, by the way, the drink sucks, no offense."
"Oh, I know." the bartender chuckled. "This job is more of a hustle."
"I see. I apologize."
"How come?"
"Doesn't that mean you're not doing the job you want?"
"Oh I see. Thank you. But I'm fine."
"Okay, as long as you say so." Dokibird finished up her cheap Martini.
"Another one, this time more ice in it."
"Roger that. Shall I do an old-fashioned?"
"Sure, go ahead."
The bartender cracked the ice in shape anew, and swirled the drink swiftly while being careful to not melt the ice along the way.
"Here you go, an old-fashioned."
"Thanks old man."
Dokibird took her moment this time, and proceeded to drink her cocktail slowly. The drink went down her throat cleanly.
"Ah, this is the stuff. By the way, I heard you give advice."
"Whenever I feel like it."
"Do you feel like it?"
"Depends on your question."
She sighed and laid her forehead on the table. She could feel the cold surface of the top permeate through her skull, almost piercingly. "I feel..tired."
"Huh..tired.." The bartender gave her a cushion to lie on, and she accepted it with a word of gratitude. "Is there anything troubling you?"
"Not really?"
"Nothing on top of your head?"
"I was never a good thinker."
"Just any thoughts that follow immediately whenever you think of 'tired'. Is there anything?"
"I don't see any meaning in that. There is no guarantee it will help."
"That I do agree, but the best conjecture happens from the first thoughts."
"Huh, fine…I think…my previous company."
"Oh I heard. It didn't treat you well, did it?"
"Yeah. Controversies sparked. Now I have become more free. It was funny when I got demonetized for using the word freebird in my stream, hahah."
"A shame, but yes."
"I'm just tired."
The bartender wiped out a notepad, he scribbled some notes without her realizing. It took a moment or two until he put back his notes.
"Okay, I see…nostalgia on the border of trauma."
"What are you talking about bro?"
"Correct me if I am wrong. You do have some good memories in the company, am I wrong?"
"...that's not wrong."
"You feel guilty to some extent. You have a golden heart. Though it's only a guess that may trespass on your privacy, I wish to help you. You feel somewhat guilty, don't you?"
"...Yes. I basically put down a whole company. I ruined a person's life. I…don't know how to live with myself."
The bartender grabbed his notepad for a moment, then put it back without writing anything.
"I say, you should move on. Enjoy your new job."
"Yeah, I say that's wise."
"Would you like another old-fashioned?"
"Yes, please."
"Roger."
She one-shotted it.
"And there's another thing."
The bartender already moved on to wiping the glasses. "And what is that?"
"I feel…underappreciated."
"I bet."
"...do you really bet?"
"Of course. After not getting what you deserve, of course you will feel underappreciated. Hope you get more than you fill on your new one."
"I…don't get why I don't feel fulfilled. I forgive them. Shouldn't I feel good?"
"Oh, that's clearly wrong."
"Huh?"
"If you forgive in silence, the only person who suffers will most likely be yourself. You're kind alright. You give others more than they deserve, and nobody appreciates it. But at the end of the day, that's only reasonable. Once again, miss, you have my condolences."
"...I'm so lonely."
"You're clearly not alone. I'm here."
"Thanks, bartender."
"It's on the house today."
"Nah, I can pay for myself."
"I know, but I feel like it."
"...thanks. Can I act spoiled today?"
"Of course my lady. I will not close until you leave satisfied. Would you like to lie down on the couch?"
"Oh, boy. You bet!"
Dokibird laid on the couch, and slept soundly until the next dawnlight. The bartender changed the tone to a smoother one, and he put a warm blanket over her kind customer.
Ch.26 Koseki Bijou
Koseki Bijou entered with a frown on her face.
"Welcome." The old bartender said while wiping the mark off the glass.
Bijou didn't respond, and ordered a strawberry milk.
"Are you okay?" The old bartender sensed something was amiss.
"I'm fine." and Bijou quietly sipped her milk.
"Okay."
"Tch.." Bijou grimaced, yet still sipped on her milk.
"...I'm sorry if the drink is not to your liking."
"It's not that…" Bijou said with a frown.
"Then something bad happened?"
"No.."
The old bartender silently wiped the glasses, and put them on the stall.
"You know, you shouldn't treat your unhappiness as normal."
"...what do you mean? I'm fine."
"I'm just gonna ramble by myself, don't mind me." And the bartender pulled out some ice.
"There was one boy. He was distressed. But he couldn't ask for help, nor help came when he needed the most. So when help did come, he didn't receive it. He would respond to others with an 'okay. I'm fine. Nothing for you to worry about.' Why you may ask? Well that's simple. He wanted to act strong. Strong enough to endure the despair. He would argue to himself,
I endured this much. Serves them right.
But when he overcame despair and wanted to help others, they responded, 'okay. I'm fine. Nothing for you to worry about.' And he realized, there was not much he can add on to that. Showing doubt would only make them insecure after all, just like he would have felt in the past. So, he remained quiet."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because that little boy with a distressed past, is trying to change his way to help a little princess in agony."
Bijou blushed. "I..I'm sad."
"I bet you are. You're brave to say it. Thank you for indulging me."
Bijou soaked the bar top with her tears, and expressed her concerns to the kind old master of the bar Rebuild.