"…Ramen with alcohol, the more you drink, the better it gets!"
Seika stood up and walked to the cooler, grabbing several cans of alcohol at once.
Thud.
Placing the drinks in front of Kitahara Makoto, Seika said with a grand air:
"Let's drink together."
Kitahara Makoto said speechlessly:
"Seika-sensei, you drank when you were sixteen?"
"I haven't drunk before." Seika answered self-righteously, "That's why I want to taste what alcohol is like, why it can fascinate so many people."
Kitahara Makoto reminded her:
"Mixing different alcohols makes it easy to get drunk."
"What does it matter? I haven't even experienced what it feels like to be drunk yet." Seika didn't care, tilting her head back to take a sip of iced beer. "Cough cough… It tastes awful…"
"If it's awful, don't drink it."
"Stop nagging. Anyway, I'm going to disappear soon, right? If I don't even know what alcohol tastes like, that would be too embarrassing."
Kitahara Makoto: "…"
Before, he only thought about when the side effect would end, but he hadn't considered the psychological state of sixteen-year-old Seika.
For the sixteen-year-old Seika in front of him, everyone was hoping for her disappearance, which must be a very depressing thing, right?
"Are you drinking?"
Seika looked over:
"If you don't drink, I'll drink it all by myself."
Kitahara Makoto reached out and took a can of beer:
"I'll drink with Seika-sensei."
"…"
Alcohol entering a troubled gut doesn't lessen the sorrow; instead, it makes one even more melancholic.
Such was the case for Seika.
She didn't finish the ramen, but she forced herself to drink every last drop from the cans of alcohol.
"S-Strange… How can you make clones, kid?"
Seika's face was flushed, and her words were a bit slurred.
"That's because you drank too much."
Kitahara Makoto got up to pay the bill, then helped Seika up and led her out of the ramen shop.
The number of customers inside the shop had quietly increased. If Seika suddenly started a drunken rampage, it would inevitably cause trouble for others… However, for now, Seika's drinking manners seemed quite good. After getting drunk, she mainly zoned out and showed no violent tendencies.
"Seika-sensei, where do you plan to go next?"
Kitahara Makoto asked softly.
"Next…"
Although Seika was very drunk, she clearly still had some self-awareness:
"Originally, I planned to visit my high school friends… but I've searched through my phone and can't find their names…"
That's normal.
Life is inherently a solitary wilderness.
No matter how close friends are, they will only accompany you for a certain distance in your life, then quietly remain in a memory from a certain day. Most people will not have lifelong best friends.
Seika bit her lower lip, her voice filled with loss:
"None… There isn't even a single familiar call record…"
"Wait a moment."
Kitahara Makoto suddenly raised his eyebrows:
"Did Seika-sensei just say call records?"
"Y-Yes…" Seika looked up, her eyes hazy. "What's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto said speechlessly:
"Many people don't make calls anymore; there's specialized chat software. And call records aren't reliable. You should at least look for contacts, right?"
Seika turned her face away:
"Modern phones are so complicated, and I don't have much time, so of course I can't use them well."
Kitahara Makoto extended his hand:
"Give me your phone."
"Here…"
Seika fumbled in her pocket, took out her phone, and handed it over.
"It needs a password…" Kitahara Makoto fiddled with the phone and casually asked, "What's the password?"
"It's… it's my birthday…"
"Got it."
Kitahara Makoto entered six digits and unlocked the phone.
"Eh?" Seika's eyes widened slightly. "How did you know my birthday, kid?"
Kitahara Makoto casually replied:
"Because Seika-sensei is a very important person."
Nijika's older sister, his sister-in-law. Saying she's a very important person is indeed correct.
Of course, the truth was that Kitahara Makoto had an excellent memory. When he asked Nijika about her birthday once, he also coincidentally remembered Seika's birthday.
But the sixteen-year-old Seika in front of him was already wallowing in self-pity, and now she was drunk. If she heard that she was just an optional extra, she might go into a berserk state… In short, safety first.
"…"
Seika parted her lips, and a subtle expression suddenly appeared on her face.
"Found it."
Kitahara Makoto didn't notice Seika's expression and held up the phone:
"This is LINE, the most commonly used communication software. With data enabled or Wi-Fi connected, you can make free calls anytime, anywhere… It's okay if you don't understand, just see if there are any friends you recognize inside."
Seika leaned in without hesitation, almost face to face with Kitahara Makoto, and looked at the phone in a daze.
Smelling the faint fragrance wafting from Seika, Kitahara Makoto instinctively wanted to step back and maintain distance.
"Don't move…" Seika's voice was hazy. "Block the sunlight for me, I can't see the phone clearly."
"You can actually adjust the screen brightness…"
"Less nonsense!"
Seika's face was flushed, her eyes flickered for a moment, then she extended her arms and directly hugged Kitahara Makoto's arm.
"Seika-sensei?"
Kitahara Makoto looked over in confusion.
"Let me lean on you." Seika's voice sounded as if she didn't care at all. "My head is so dizzy, I can't stand steady."
"…"
Seika looked down at the phone, and after a short while, she quickly exclaimed in surprise:
"Ah, it's Kirino-chan! I even chatted with Kirino-chan yesterday!"
Seeing a familiar friend, Seika was clearly very happy:
"She was a very good friend of mine in high school. We used to play together every day back then. I wonder what Kirino-chan is doing now."
Looking at the Black Cat avatar Seika pointed to, Kitahara Makoto said softly:
"She's a sound engineer at the shop."
Kitahara Makoto's mind conjured the image of the woman with long black hair and a choker. She appeared cold on the outside but was actually a very gentle person, and also one of Kita's idols, regarded by Kita as a super cool adult.
"Eh? My shop?"
"That's right, you basically see each other every day now."
"Ehehe…"
"…"
Continuing to scroll down the screen, Seika quickly saw more familiar names.
"So I'm still in contact with quite a few friends… I thought everyone had already forgotten me…"
Seika's voice softened, a rare occurrence.
Kitahara Makoto asked softly:
"Seika-sensei, who do you want to go see?"
"Never mind." Seika closed her eyes and exhaled lightly, "There's no time."
Kitahara Makoto was startled:
"What do you mean?"
Seika suddenly extended her arms, wrapped them around Kitahara Makoto's neck, her expression complex, showing both panic and eagerness:
"I feel it… I'm about to disappear…"
So, there's a sensation before the side effects naturally subside?
Of course, now wasn't the time to think about such things.
"Seika-sensei, what are you doing?"
Kitahara Makoto keenly sensed something was wrong.
Simply put, the sixteen-year-old Seika's filial piety seemed to have changed…
"Don't ask so many questions, quickly close your eyes!"
Seika commanded, flustered and annoyed.
Something's wrong!
It's getting more and more wrong!
If she wasn't planning to do something bad, why would she make someone close their eyes?!
"Seika-sensei, you're drunk, don't be impulsive…"
"Less nonsense! I know what I'm doing!"
"You can't betray Nijika…"
"…"
Hearing Nijika's name, Seika's breathing paused slightly, and then a rebellious urge immediately surged up.
The sixteen-year-old Seika was already a rebellious girl, impulsive by nature, always liking to go against others. It was fine if Nijika wasn't mentioned, but upon hearing Nijika's name… she felt even more impulsive.
(I'm about to cease to exist, and I don't even know what kissing feels like. I really feel regretful…)
(What about Nijika's boyfriend?)
(Disappearing is like dying. After I disappear, I don't care if the world floods, so I'll do whatever I want!)
The stimulation of alcohol, a rebellious personality, plus the fear of imminent disappearance—these three combined made it impossible to maintain rationality. The sixteen-year-old Seika chose to abandon reason and directly follow her heart.
At this moment, the sixteen-year-old Seika's heart's desire was to experience what it felt like to kiss a boy before she disappeared.
Of course, it wasn't just any boy; it was limited to Kitahara Makoto.
Because Seika could clearly feel her heart beating rapidly for Kitahara Makoto.
"Nonsense! Don't mention Nijika at a time like this!"
The sixteen-year-old Seika was not yet the lazy shop manager; she possessed strong executive power. Since she had made the decision not to leave herself with regrets, she simply extended her right hand, covered Kitahara Makoto's eyes, tightly clasped Kitahara's neck with her other hand, then stood on her tiptoes and leaned in.
Feeling the cool and soft touch on his lips, Kitahara Makoto had only one thought:
Good thing Nijika isn't here, otherwise this would be a classic case of committing a crime in front of your sister-in-law!
A moment later.
The softness, tinged with the scent of alcohol, suddenly vanished.
The hand covering Kitahara Makoto's eyes also quickly retracted.
Kitahara Makoto opened his eyes:
"Seika-sensei…"
"Who's your sensei? Don't call me that!"
A voice filled with shame and anger suddenly rang out.
Looking at Seika, whose face was flushed, breathing heavily, and showing an exceptionally embarrassed expression, Kitahara Makoto quickly understood:
"Seika-nee, you're back?"
The person was still the same, but her aura was completely different.
The sixteen-year-old Seika was full of vitality and sharpness, but the current Seika… was clearly like a dried fish.
Not only that.
Seika didn't question him about the kiss just now, which indirectly proved that she was fully aware of everything that had happened.
"Hmph…"
Seika took a deep breath, raised her hand to wipe her lips clean, and glared at him with murderous intent:
"Keep what just happened to yourself! If you dare tell Nijika, you're dead!"
She hadn't dated a boy in thirty years, yet in less than a day, she had given away her innocence… People really shouldn't drink randomly.
The worst part was, this guy was also Nijika's boyfriend…
Oh no!
This is simply awful!
Was her sixteen-year-old self really that impulsive, acting without any thought for the consequences?
Seika began recalling her actions during high school, finally sighing helplessly in her heart.
Well, she was indeed incredibly willful in high school, capable of doing any foolish thing.
As for the kiss just now… when the sixteen-year-old Seika disappeared, she automatically gained all the emotions and memories from that period, knowing that Kitahara Makoto had been perfectly proper from beginning to end, without any frivolous behavior whatsoever. It was entirely her own impulsive act fueled by alcohol, so she really couldn't blame anyone else.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Seika crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes as she looked over.
Kitahara Makoto coughed twice and said:
"I think Seika-nee should take responsibility."
"Eh?"
Seika thought she was hallucinating.
Kitahara Makoto continued:
"Seika-nee took away my innocence today…"
Seika finally realized that she hadn't been hallucinating just now; this kid really wanted to push his luck. She immediately got angry and sneered:
"How do you plan for me to take responsibility? Secretly dating you behind Nijika's back?"
Kitahara Makoto keenly sensed the murderous intent, but since they had already kissed, he couldn't pretend it hadn't happened. He could only brace himself and say:
"Actually, Seika-nee could be with Nijika too…"
Before he could finish speaking, a bone-breaking flying kick came his way.
"You really want to die, don't you!"
It was just an accidental kiss, and he actually wanted her to take responsibility?
The one who kissed you was the sixteen-year-old Seika, not me now.
Putting aside the huge age gap between them, even if she didn't care about the age, he was still Nijika's boyfriend.
Now he's saying something like this… wanting both sisters?
He really wants to die, doesn't he!
Unfortunately, Seika was still drunk at this moment. She missed the kick, and instead, her legs went soft, almost causing her to fall.
Thud.
Kitahara Makoto opened his arms and easily caught Seika, saying innocently:
"Seika-nee threw herself into my arms; it has nothing to do with me."
Seika was so ashamed and angry she wanted to kill:
"I drank too much and couldn't stand steadily; don't talk nonsense!"
She was almost thirty years old; how could she shamelessly throw herself into a high schooler's arms?!
"Let go of me quickly!"
Seika struggled in shame and anger.
"Yes, yes."
Kitahara Makoto released her and then said:
"Seika-nee, are you planning to continue seeing your friends, or…"
"Go home!" Seika glared at him. "It's so hot; of course, I'm going home to enjoy the air conditioning and eat watermelon."
The sixteen-year-old girl Seika had disappeared; now it was the thirty-year-old lazy Seika. Youth and vitality instantly drained from her body, leaving only the words 'lie flat' in her mind.
Kitahara Makoto nodded and patted the bicycle's back seat:
"Get on; I'll cycle you there."
Seika looked at the bicycle, and involuntarily, the scene of her impulsively hugging Kitahara Makoto while sitting on the back seat earlier flashed in her mind. Her face quickly showed a look of shame and anger:
"No need, I'll take the train back myself."
Kitahara Makoto shook his head and said:
"No, Seika-nee drank too much. I'm not at ease letting you go back alone."
Seika snorted lightly:
"I often drank with friends during college, and I got drunk many times. I've never encountered any danger, okay?"
"Not encountering it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Kitahara Makoto's tone was calm and brooked no refusal. "Either I cycle you back, or I summon Hana to travel home quickly through a mirror."
He had promised Nijika to safely send her home, so he definitely couldn't abandon her halfway, especially with Seika being drunk.
Seika crossed her arms, tilted her delicate face up, revealing a slender, snow-white neck, and said defiantly:
"What if I don't choose any of them?"
Just kidding.
She was thirty years old, after all; how could she be controlled by a mere high schooler?
"Tsk~"
Kitahara Makoto let out a soft 'tsk.' Nijika was indeed right; this woman's personality was arrogant, arrogant, arrogant… and only then a tiny bit tsundere.
Her appearance was very beautiful, her voice was very pleasant, and though her figure was nothing to boast about, she surely had many admirers, yet at thirty, her dating experience was still zero. She really should consider her own reasons!
Kitahara Makoto said softly:
"If Seika-nee doesn't agree, then I'll tell Nijika that Seika-nee forcibly kissed me."
Seika's golden hair trembled, and she glared at him, both ashamed and angry:
"You little brat, how dare you threaten me?!"
"I'm telling you!"
Seika said, rolling up her sleeve:
"I hate being threatened the most in my life!"
"Is that so?"
Kitahara Makoto casually took out his phone and slowly said:
"Then I'll call Nijika?"
Seika: "…"
Seeing that Kitahara Makoto was really about to make the call, Seika immediately panicked:
"Don't, don't call!"
Although it was the sixteen-year-old Seika who forcibly kissed this kid, the sixteen-year-old Seika had already disappeared, so the fault naturally fell on her. The matter of kissing her sister's boyfriend absolutely could not be known by Nijika!
Kitahara Makoto smiled and said:
"Seika-nee, what's your choice now?"
Seika bit her teeth, resisting the urge to punch him, and finally chose to yield:
"I'll go back through the mirror; it'll be a good chance to experience what it feels like."
Kitahara Makoto put away his phone and patted the bicycle's back seat:
"Get on and sit properly. We'll find a fast-food restaurant and borrow their bathroom."
"…"
Once one's momentum is lost in a confrontation, it's pretty much impossible to regain it.
Seika snorted lightly and sat sideways on the bicycle's back seat.
Kitahara Makoto pushed off with his foot and started cycling:
"Seika-nee drank too much. To be safe, it's better if you hold onto me."
Thump!
Seika punched Kitahara Makoto on the shoulder, saying in shame and anger:
"Just ride your bike! I don't need you to worry about me!"
A moment later.
The two arrived at the entrance of a fast-food restaurant.
Kitahara Makoto parked the bicycle, took out his phone, and first contacted Nijika to explain the situation.
Nijika: "Oh, sister is already sober? Good, everyone has eaten. I'll go back right away and wait for sister at home."
After contacting Nijika, Kitahara Makoto took Seika into the fast-food restaurant to use the bathroom.
Hana was quickly summoned, but unfortunately, the mirror in the bathroom was a half-length mirror. Seika was still dizzy and couldn't climb up, failing twice after trying.
Kitahara Makoto simply opened his arms and picked up Seika.
"You, what are you doing?"
Seika immediately panicked, saying intimidatingly but inwardly fearful:
"Don't mess around, I'm Seika's sister!"
"Of course, I'm putting Seika-nee in." Kitahara Makoto retorted, "What did Seika-nee think I was going to do?"
Seika: "…"