Chapter 61 - Chaotic Evening
After some time of drinking, Bao was having enough of it. She didn't wnjoyed Gloram's company like others. She stood abruptly. "I'm already tired. Let's go back to the inn," she said sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Bral, still nursing his mug and clearly not ready to leave, looked up at her with raised brows. "Come on, Bao. Let's stay a little longer. We barely got to enjoy the night," he coaxed, flashing that easygoing grin he always used to diffuse tension.
But Bao wasn't having it. Her patience had worn thin. "Stay if you want," she snapped, already moving towards the door. "I'm going back."
Bral turned his pleading eyes towards the others, waving his hand as if to rally some support. "Come on, guys. Convince her! Let's stay a little longer."
Idin didn't hesitate. He pushed back his chair and stood up with a sigh, rubbing his temples. "Honestly? I'm also tired. I'll go with Bao," he said, shooting Bral a look that suggested he wasn't thrilled about the evening's turn.
Bral's grin faded slightly as he looked at the remaining two. "Amukelo? Pao?"
Both of them shook their heads. Amukelo offered an apologetic smile while Pao just gave him a soft shrug. They weren't interested in dragging the night out either.
Bral let out a long, exaggerated sigh, throwing his hands up. "Two rookies, and they already got along," he muttered under his breath, though there wasn't much venom in his words. "Okay, whatever. Let's go back." He stood, brushing off imaginary dust from his shirt.
But before they could leave, Bao whirled around, her eyes flashing. "Hey!" she snapped, pointing at Bral. "Leave the money. I don't want any more trouble with him."
Bral raised a brow, caught off guard. "What? Gloram said himself he'd pay for everything. It's covered." He gestured towards the passed-out drunk who still slumped over a nearby table.
But Bao wasn't having any of it. She dug into her pouch and slammed a small bag of coins onto the table with a loud clink. "I don't care," she hissed, her voice sharp with frustration. "I don't want any more trouble with him."
She turned on her heel and stormed out without saying another word.
Idin let out a low whistle and crossed his arms. "Well done. You really pissed her off this time," he remarked dryly.
Bral waved dismissively, trying to brush off the weight of the situation. "Nah, she's just moody. She'll sleep it off. Tomorrow morning she won't even be mad."
Idin didn't seem convinced. "I don't know, man. She looked seriously pissed this time. You should've handled that better."
Bral rolled his eyes and started toward the exit. "I tell you, trust me. It's not the first time she's gotten mad at me. She'll get over it."
The group left the pub and stepped out into the cool night air. The streets of Llyn were quieter now, the late hour drawing most people inside. The distant sounds of chatter and laughter still drifted from other pubs, but the main road they walked on was nearly empty, lit by the soft glow of flickering lanterns.
Bral inhaled deeply, stretching his arms over his head. "Ahh... that wasn't so bad after all, right?" he said, breaking the silence.
Idin raised an eyebrow at him. "It could've been much worse," he muttered.
Amukelo sighed, feeling the cool air brushing against his face. "That was... a lot," he said honestly, still processing the chaotic turn of events.
Pao, walking beside him, nodded in agreement. "Yeah. More than I expected for one night."
Bao was walking ahead of them, her steps quick and sharp, making it clear she didn't want to be part of the conversation. Bral glanced at her back and called out, "Come on, Bao! Nothing bad happened. It all worked out, and Gloram turned out to be a nice guy. The night was... interesting, at least!"
Bao didn't even turn around. "Don't speak to me," she shot back, her voice clipped and icy.
Bral jogged a few steps forward to close the distance, his face twisting in frustration. "Come on! I don't even know what offended you so much. I stepped up because he insulted you. That guy was out of line."
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Bao kept walking but let out an annoyed "Hmm..." sound, clearly not buying his argument.
Then it seemed to click in Bral's mind. His eyes widened, and he stopped in his tracks. "Wait, wait... Don't tell me you're angry because I didn't beat him after he insulted you? Is that it?"
Bao snapped her head forward, her cheeks flushed, though whether from anger or embarrassment, it wasn't clear. She quickened her pace, leaving Bral standing there. "Shut up. Don't speak to me!" she barked, her voice higher-pitched now.
Bral raised his hands in exasperation. "Oh, come on! You're mad at me for not starting a fight?" He jogged a few steps after her again. "Look, I'll pay you back for the drinks, alright? You didn't need to storm out like that!"
But Bao was already pushing open the door of the inn. She disappeared inside without another word.
Bral stopped and turned to Idin, his expression somewhere between baffled and annoyed. "See? Her reasons are as dumb as what I did."
Idin gave him a flat look. "No, Bral. You're just that bad at reading people."
Pao chuckled quietly, and Amukelo stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to jump in or stay silent.
Bral groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm telling you, she'll be fine by morning." But even he didn't sound so sure this time.
The group made their way into the inn, the warmth of the hearth greeting them, but the tension between Bral and Bao still lingered like a heavy fog.
As they made their way through the corridor of the inn. Bral turned to Pao, who was quietly walking beside Amukelo, and nudged her gently with his elbow. "Hey, Pao," he began in a low voice, "tomorrow, we'll be officially inviting Amukelo to our guild." He cast a glance at her, his grin widening. "If Bao's still grumpy and refuses to show up, try to talk her into it, alright?"
Pao nodded softly, her usual gentle demeanor shining through. "Of course. I'll talk to her," she said warmly, her eyes flickering briefly towards Amukelo before adding, "but I think she'll come around. She just needs some time to cool off."
They reached her room, and she stopped at the door, turning to Amukelo with a soft smile. "Well, see you tomorrow," she said, her tone filled with a gentle excitement. "I can't wait for you to officially become part of our guild."
Amukelo, though slightly overwhelmed from the day's events, managed a genuine smile. "Yeah... me too. See you," he replied, though his words carried a trace of exhaustion.
Pao nodded once more, then quietly slipped into her room, the door closing softly behind her.
Amukelo sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping as he turned towards his own room. His mind was still swirling from the chaotic events of the day—Gloram's meltdown, the pub brawl that never happened, Bao's outburst, and the unexpected warmth he felt from the group. It was a lot to process. He walked towards his room, rubbing the back of his neck, and muttered under his breath, "What a weird day..." before disappearing inside.
Bral and Idin stood there for a moment longer, watching him go. Then, Bral broke the silence, leaning in towards Idin with a wide, mischievous grin. "Hey, did you see that?" he asked in a whisper, his eyebrows raised suggestively.
Idin blinked, confused. "See what?" he asked, though he had a sinking feeling he knew exactly where Bral was going with this.
Bral wiggled his eyebrows, his grin growing wider. "You know... Pao and Amukelo. There's something there. I can feel it." He crossed his arms, smugly satisfied with his observation.
Idin couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh, you're unbelievable. We're drunk, Bral. You're drunk." He paused, glancing back down the corridor as if expecting Amukelo to suddenly burst out of his room. "Let's just wait and see what happens when everyone's sober, alright? Don't go stirring things up already."
Bral laughed, clapping Idin on the back. "Alright, alright. I'll give it some time. But I'm telling you, I've got a nose for these things."
With that, they both made their way back to their shared room. Bral pushed the door open, the hinges creaking as it swung wide. The room was dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the thin curtains, casting long shadows across the wooden floor. Amukelo was already sprawled awkwardly on the bed, his legs dangling off the side, his head tilted back at an uncomfortable angle, snoring softly.
Bral stopped dead in his tracks, his grin returning. "Do you see this?" he whispered, pointing at Amukelo's bizarre sleeping position. "The guy drank half the pub and still managed to pass out like that."
Idin chuckled, walking over to Amukelo. "I think he liked it," he muttered as he gently shifted Amukelo into a more comfortable position, adjusting his limbs so he didn't wake up twisted like a pretzel. "No one deserves to wake up with a broken back."
Bral leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I gotta say, I'm impressed. The kid held his liquor better than I thought. He drank almost as much as I did, and he was still on his feet."
Idin, already climbing into his bed, let out a tired sigh. "Yeah, well, I'm exhausted. I'm not in the mood to talk about Amukelo's secret superpowers right now." He rolled over, pulling the thin blanket over himself.
Bral, still standing and clearly not ready to sleep, spread his arms wide. "Come on, man! The night's still young. We should celebrate a little more!"
From the bed, Idin mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow, "Good night, Bral."
Bral sighed dramatically, tossing his hands into the air. "Ahh, there's no fun with you guys. One passes out like a log, and the other's too tired to enjoy the night." He glanced at Amukelo, who was now breathing deeply, completely lost to the world.
Idin's voice drifted from beneath the covers, "And don't even think about turning Amukelo into your drinking buddy. Let the kid have some chance at a normal life."
Bral chuckled, finally starting to undress for bed. "You're no fun, Idin. But fine. Tomorrow, we'll get him into the guild, and maybe then, we'll toughen him up properly." He climbed into his own bed, lying back with his hands behind his head.