Chapter 61

In the small Oeno Pavilion, Aoba, who was about to leave, had to sit down again after receiving a call from Sanpei Natsuki.

"Boss, another plum wine and a fried omelet, please," Aoba said to the owner, Oeno.

"What happened? Weren't you just about to leave?" Oeno asked, puzzled.

"It's that guy Sanpei! He said she's coming over and wants me to wait for her," Aoba said, holding up his phone with a hint of helplessness.

"Alright, got it. Plum wine and fried omelet," Oeno replied with a smile, then turned to prepare the order.

"Xiaoshang, are you really not planning to date Miss Sanpei?" Daisuke Oi, the bathhouse owner, asked, sipping his drink as usual.

"Uncle Daisuke, dating isn't something one person can decide. It depends on both people, right?" Aoba smiled and said.

"What about your personal feelings?" Daisuke Oi asked, quite nosily.

"Me personally? What can I do? We're just ordinary friends," Aoba replied straightforwardly.

"Being so unenthusiastic, you might lose Miss Sanpei to someone else!" Daisuke Oi shook his head and said.

"Uncle Daisuke, you're overthinking it. We're really just ordinary friends! I don't have any special feelings for her," Aoba said seriously.

"Do you really think you can fool me? Miss Sanpei is very beautiful. How can you not have any feelings for her?" Daisuke Oi said with a look that suggested he had seen through young people's pretenses long ago.

Unfortunately, he didn't know that while Aoba appeared young, he was actually much older than him.

"She is indeed very beautiful! But there are many beautiful women in the world. I'm past the stage where I would fall for someone just because they're pretty. So, my appreciation of Miss Sanpei's beauty is just that—appreciation. I might have a good impression of her and treat her differently because of her beauty, but I won't easily develop a desire to possess her," Aoba said, looking at his wine glass.

"Do you really feel that way?" Daisuke Oi asked, disbelieving.

"Stop worrying about it and just drink your wine," Aoba said, unable to help but laugh. He had no way to deal with Daisuke Oi, who thought he understood human nature so well. He couldn't tell him, "I've experienced more than you and have a broader perspective on life."

Thus, the small Oeno Pavilion, with only Aoba, Daisuke Oi, and Oeno, fell into a peaceful silence.

When Oeno brought Aoba's order, he opened a bottle of beer for himself and sat down to drink.

Daisuke Oi and Aoba drank silently, while Oeno, after drinking, started reading the newspaper. Not long after, the sound of the wooden sliding door being opened was heard.

"Welcome," Oeno greeted, looking up.

It was Sanpei Natsuki who walked in.

"Boss, I'll have a pork cutlet and plum wine," Natsuki said as she sat down next to Aoba.

"Got it, pork cutlet and plum wine," Oeno said, then turned to prepare the order.

"Uncle Daisuke, good evening," Natsuki greeted Daisuke Oi.

"Miss Sanpei, good evening," Daisuke Oi said, looking at Natsuki and then at Aoba.

Natsuki smiled and turned to Aoba. "How about that? I came pretty quickly, right?"

"Your speed is decent!" Aoba nodded and then asked, "What's wrong? Are you upset about something?"

"Eh? Why do you say that?" Natsuki was surprised.

"No reason, just a feeling. You seem a bit different today," Aoba said, looking at Natsuki.

"Is that so? Maybe it's because I finally got to do something that's been weighing on me for a long time! So my feelings are a bit mixed," Natsuki smiled, and her previously stiff expression softened.

"You look much better now," Aoba smiled and said.

"You can tell?" Natsuki asked curiously.

"Of course," Aoba nodded and poured a glass of wine for Natsuki. "Don't overthink it. Live in the moment. Here, let's enjoy today's wine." Saying this, Aoba handed the glass to Natsuki and finished his own in one gulp.

Everyone has their own secrets they don't want others to know, so Aoba didn't press further, just trying to comfort her this way.

"Hehe," Natsuki laughed, a genuine smile this time, not the forced one from earlier. "Alright, as you say, let's enjoy today's wine."

She finished the wine in her glass in one gulp.

Soon, Oeno brought Natsuki's order.

Aoba and Natsuki kept drinking, until Natsuki finally passed out, slumping on the table.

"Ah, it seems even the rich have their troubles," Daisuke Oi sighed, looking at the unconscious Natsuki.

"In this world, how can anyone be without troubles?" Oeno shook his head, looking at Natsuki.

"Indeed, as long as you're human, you have troubles. Even I have my share," Aoba laughed self-deprecatingly.

This made Daisuke Oi and Oeno look at him curiously.

"Xiaoshang, at your age, it's normal to be sensitive and have troubles," Daisuke Oi couldn't help but comment.

"Right, Uncle Daisuke is right. Since I'm young, I should live like a young person," Aoba smiled, stood up, and took out his wallet. "Boss, the bill, for both of us."

Aoba paid for both his and Natsuki's drinks and food, then tried to wake Natsuki, but she didn't respond.

So, Aoba decided to carry her in a princess hold.

"Do you know where Miss Sanpei lives, Aoba?" Oeno asked, looking at the unconscious Natsuki with concern.

"I don't, but her driver does," Aoba smiled and replied.

"Eh? Driver?" Oeno was puzzled.

"Every time she comes here, her driver waits outside. So, as long as I hand her over to her driver, it'll be fine. You've seen her driver before, right? The woman who came with a group to pick her up the first time she was here," Aoba explained.

"That's a relief! But you've had a lot to drink today, too. You should go home and rest early," Oeno advised.

"Alright, I'm off," Aoba said, walking to the door. He then turned to Daisuke Oi. "Uncle Daisuke, can you open the door for me?"

"Sure, no problem," Daisuke Oi came over to open the door, and Aoba carried Natsuki out.

Ignoring the murderous look on Sanpei Reika's face when she saw Aoba carrying Natsuki out, Aoba handed Natsuki over to Reika, who immediately placed her in the car and drove away.

Aoba, left standing in the night breeze, slowly walked back to his apartment.

As for Natsuki's mood tonight and why she wanted to get drunk, he didn't know and didn't want to know.

But soon, he would find out.

******

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