Julie POV
It was Sunday, 3:00 a.m.
Work had gotten a lot more demanding recently, especially the past week, but there was nothing to be surprised about. It was finals season, so it only made sense that plenty of students would be stressed and need counselling—especially the ones I worked with.
It was only going to get worse starting from tomorrow, when finals actually began. But that was a problem for future me. Right now, I was out at a club with some friends.
The dance floor was packed with the shadowy figures of countless people, while the ceiling strobed with a wash of colourful light. Loud music blared through the room, drowning out the screams and stomps of everyone here.
I had been one of the people dancing a few minutes ago, but I got tired, so now I sat alone in the corner with a glass of wine.
Sweat clung to my skin, and my legs tingled, completely numb. Every time I sipped the wine, however, the cold liquid would permeate through my veins, filling my body with strength once more. It was a delightful sensation.
I went for one more sip, but nothing came.
Surprised, I set the glass down on the table and stared into its depths. It was completely empty.
I let out a small, tired sigh as I pushed myself off the chair. For a split second, I wobbled, causing me to slam my hand on the table to catch myself.
I let the familiar sense of strength fully course through my legs before letting go and walking to the bar area.
The bar was surprisingly empty—that is, aside from the one shadowy figure seated at the counter. Even from behind, that person looked all too familiar.
I squinted, tracing each curve on their figure.
There's no way…
I walked over to the counter and took a seat right next to them.
The bartender approached me casually while wiping a wine bottle with a white cloth.
"What can I get you today?" he asked.
I gently set my glass down and slid it over to him.
"Give me the strongest shit you got. It's gonna be a long night."
The bartender let out a little laugh before grabbing my glass and making his way down the bar.
Now, it was just the two of us alone at the counter.
I leisurely rested my head on my knuckles and glanced to the side.
She had long, raven-black hair, her hands wrapped around a deep golden drink. She wore a formal blazer lined with silver buttons over a black turtle neck, a tight skirt, leggings, and leather boots. All black.
...There's no doubt about it.
With a wide, cocky grin, I swung to the side, taking up as much space as I could, and looked at her directly.
"I didn't know you were visiting. You could've given me a call, y'know."
She stopped for a brief moment, then set her glass down without a sound.
She slowly turned to me, the darkness parting from her face. When she saw me, her lips curved upward—
"My… It's been a while, Julie."
For a split second, an image of Auntie Nana overlapped with her face. They looked almost exactly the same. The only difference was…
Her sharp, assertive smile.
At the sight of it, my muscles tensed.
I'd fought men bigger and stronger than me countless times, even as a kid. Heck—I'd even fought my own Mom and Dad before without batting an eye. Yet, these two people—Auntie Nana and Auntie Cass—were the only ones who've ever made me truly shiver.
It wasn't something as overwhelming as fear. It was more like something invisible—a cold pressure that pressed against your skin whenever you talked to them.
My grin widened a fraction.
You two never change…
I slowly lifted my head from my knuckles, straightening my back until I was taller than her. With the hand I had just released, I rested it on the counter and swung the other over the back of my stool. I didn't break eye contact once.
"Yeah," I said, my voice lower. "It's been a long time—Auntie Cass."
Auntie let out a little giggle as she leaned forward on the counter, her head propped on her hand.
"Fufu. You look so much older now. I think the last time I talked to you, you were still in high school."
She pressed her glass closer to me. "How are you doing now, Julie?" The glass scraped against the counter, almost challenging me.
Without hesitating, I grabbed the glass and drank half of it in one gulp before setting it back down in front of Auntie Cass. She stared at the glass, then at me, a sharp glint of amusement flickering in her eyes.
"Anyway—to answer your question—" I said in between burps, "It's been fine. After I graduated high school, I dropped out of college, but got a stable job, moved out, and yeah."
Auntie Cass whistled softly. "Wow... You've really grown, Julie."
She grabbed the glass and drank the remainder of it in one gulp as well.
She gently set the empty glass down, wiping the faint line of wine from her lips.
As if on cue, the bartender came back with my drink and set it in front of me. I gave him a small thanks, and he went back to his work.
My drink was a deep red—almost black—staining the clear ice cube in its dark glow. The wine seemed to spread, corroding even the glass itself, but my reflection remained clear, untainted.
I gripped the glass, the rim digging into my hand. "So, what are you doing here? I thought your work didn't let you move around much."
Auntie let out a deflated sigh. "I had to burn my only week of vacation to come here. It was kind of a bummer, but it couldn't be helped."
"Huh. Is that so?" I said casually.
I picked up my glass and took a single sip. Once I finished, I slid it to Auntie Cass. "Here. Sounds like you need it more than I do."
Auntie chuckled as she grabbed the glass and drew it to her lips. "I don't know about you, but I'm not my Sister. I'll take your offer without that formality stuff in a heartbeat, y'know?"
"Yeah, I know. It's fine. It'll be my treat today." I turned to her with a devilish grin, my voice lifting. "How about you show me what a cool Aunt you can be as payment?"
Auntie's brows drew together in mock determination. "Okay, you're on."
She lifted the glass toward me, giving me a one-sided toast before pressing it against her lips and downing it in one gulp.
Once she finished, her body wobbled as she struggled to set the cup back down on the counter.
I waited patiently, watching her hands scrambling in the air.
Would you look at that? She can get drunk after all.
I suppressed the urge to chuckle.
Even my cousin can do better than you, y'know.
Eventually—maybe it was just luck—but she found her balance and set the glass back down.
Her blinks were slow, and the glint that had been burning in her eyes vanished under the faint red blush on her cheeks.
Without wasting another beat, I asked, "So, have you visited Auntie Nana yet?"
Auntie placed both hands flat on the counter, struggling to steady herself.
"Yeah, I've visited her," she said, the words slurring over one another. "But I haven't seen Hoshino or Lily yet. I'd love to see how much they've grown up. I did live with them for a little while, and it hurt having to move away, but…"
Her blinks grew slower and slower until her eyes didn't open again. Her body started to pitch toward the counter, but just before she could hurt herself, I grabbed the back of her blazer, her nose only a few centimetres away from the table.
I carefully eased her down onto the counter, careful not to wake her.
I continued to look over her unconscious form, partially to make sure nothing would happen to her, and the other to study her face.
Yeah, she won't be remembering this conversation when she wakes up.
I turned away from her and ordered another drink, the same one I'd given her. The bartender came back shortly after, and I downed the whole thing in one gulp.
I closed my eyes, leaning back on my chair with my arms dangling at my sides. To anyone else, I would have looked drunk. But every shift in the air, the sound of footsteps, the whispers, I was hyper aware of it all.
In the middle of that awareness, my mind raced.
Vacation time.
She didn't want to be here.
Saw Auntie Nana.
Didn't see the kids.
Hoshino does what he wants.
Mei.
…
I slowly opened my eyes and sat up straight once more.
My hands were placed against the counter neatly, my thighs pressed tight together, taking up as little space as I could, and my grin was nowhere to be found.
The screams, the music, the dancing—everything fizzled into the background. Everything except myself—and Auntie Cass.
I let out a deep breath.
Looks like I have more work waiting for me after finals…