Re:of life

Chapter 42 - I Might Be Able to Let Go... For Once

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1

"So... a drinking contest it is...? And I have no way out...?" I ask Ronan, I really don't wanna drink... Come on...

"Well, I don't know, man. It depends on Farren... If he tells you to join, he'll drag you into it no matter what. Anyway, where is he? He didn't even need to be scolded nor was he there to see Althea's wrath... That was the worst five minutes of my life. Althea is way too scary when she's mad... Just thinking about it gives me chills..." Ronan says, visibly shaken as if recalling some kind of war trauma.

And as if thinking about her anger wasn't bad enough, she walks past us at that exact moment—shooting him that glare. The kind of glare that could make any man rethink his life choices.

Ronan catches her stare instantly and goes dead silent, practically staring at the floor like a scolded puppy.

"Yeah... I wouldn't wanna relive that. I agree, scariest minutes of my life..." I say, letting out a breath as I glance around the room, searching for Farren.

"He's over there, though... He looks kinda off. What's up with him?"

Farren sits alone at a table in the corner, staring blankly over the room. There's barely any light in his eyes—just zoned out, completely lost in thought. Not a usual sight. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him like this... Well, maybe he's just tired or thinking about something. Who am I to judge?

"Oh yeah, there he is," Ronan replies, turning toward Farren before heading his way. "Yooo, Farren!"

Farren quickly snaps out of it, turning to Ronan with a flat, "Yeah?" before standing up. As he does, his usual carefree, playful expression returns, like flipping a switch.

"So... drinking contest, was it? WHO JOINS US?!" he shouts, throwing a fist into the air.

"...Alright, that's what I thought... But hey, where the hell were you?! Kaito and I just got the worst scolding of our lives, and you just snuck away? What a backstabber..."

"...Huh...? I have no idea what you're talking about... What have I done?" Farren says, whistling as he looks around, acting completely clueless.

"...Eh, whatever. So, drinking contest? I'm in. And Kaito is too, of course. Right?" Ronan says as I walk up beside them. He claps me on the back like he's pulling me in. I thought he'd help me get out of this... Well, what a friend he is.

"Uhm... I— Eh, sure... I'll join." Why do I have to get dragged into this...

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Ronan exclaims, grinning as he starts walking toward the bar, pushing me forward.

"Hey! Althea, Sela, Orin! You joining us for a drinking contest?!" Farren shouts toward the three sitting at a nearby table.

Orin immediately looks over, clearly eager. "I'm in!" he shouts back, already standing up.

"I'll pass," Althea says firmly, barely sparing us a glance before turning back to her conversation with Sela.

"Hm... Well... I'd like to, but I think I'll have to pass this time. Next round, maybe?" Sela says, thinking hard before coming to a decision.

"Boring... Even Kaito's joining this time," Farren teases, glancing between me and them.

"Uhm... It does sound fun... Could I maybe join later? I'd lose anyway, so it's not like cheating that much... Plus, it's just for fun. So, is it fine if I join in later? I might even get Althea to join too..." Sela responds, still deep in thought.

"Fine... Join in whenever you want, I guess." Farren shrugs, turning his attention back to the bar.

"Why get me into it? I don't even want to join..." Althea mutters, clearly catching onto what Sela just said.

"So... We're finally doing this again. It's been a while, and I don't think I can wait any longer—I need some ale right now!" Orin exclaims, slamming a hand onto the bar. "Give me whatever he got." He points at Ronan, who just received his drink.

"Sure, coming up," the bartender responds, but before he can turn around, Farren stops him with another request.

"Make it two more...!" Farren says, slamming his own hand onto the counter.

The "two more" means one for himself... and one for me. Ronan, please tell me you didn't order anything strong...

"So, three it is. Give me a minute," the bartender replies, not seeming bothered—if anything, he looks amused.

"Ronan... That's not something too strong, is it?" I murmur to him. Please tell me it's not...

"Of course, it's strong," Ronan replies immediately. "I got the strongest one—I bet you'll collapse after the first sip." He barely holds in a laugh before continuing, "Nah, don't worry, I'm just messing with you. This is a competition, right? I'm not the strongest drinker here—I can't start off with something crazy. If I did, I'd be out in a blink, hahaha."

"You're telling me this isn't the strongest? Come on! Weakling!" Farren shouts, throwing Ronan a disappointed glance. "Weak head..."

"Man... Shut up. Just because you can drink like a damn tank doesn't mean everyone can," Ronan fires back, staring into his tankard as he takes a quiet sip.

"Yeah, yeah, but even Althea can outdrink you! Hahaha! Imagine a woman drinking more than you—that's pathetic, man." Farren laughs, grabbing his tankard from the bar. He takes a big swig of ale, letting out a long, satisfied sigh as a bit drips from the corner of his mouth.

"Alright... drinking freak..." I say, eyeing Farren as I quietly grab my tankard.

"Huh? Me? A drinking freak? Yeah, sure! Hahaha! Well... can't say I don't like drinking. Maybe a bit too much, but hey!" he replies, glancing at me before downing more ale like a swine.

Ronan and I exchange a glance—no words needed. We both know what's on our minds... Farren's either dumb or just a bit too much of an addict.

"Come on... Don't look at each other like I'm stupid..." Farren mutters, staring at us in disbelief.

"Sorry, man..." Ronan says, stepping up to Farren while taking a long sip before clapping him on the shoulder. "Alright, let's go. Orin sits waiting."

The three of us head over, and I take a sip of my ale... Damn, it's hard to get used to that bitter taste. I wonder if I ever will...

2

"They seem to be having fun. You're not gonna join them? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine just watching you guys," Althea says, glancing at the guys with a soft smile before turning her gaze back to Sela.

"Nah, not now. I'll join them later. Anyway, why don't you join too? It's fun! Plus, I know you think so too, right?" Sela replies, her playful and energetic voice as light as ever.

"I guess... though I don't know. I'm not a big fan of drinking. Sure, it's fun and all, but I don't like getting drunk. I prefer having control over what I'm doing," Althea says, resting her chin on her palm, her tone and posture as calm as ever.

"Mhm... fair. But still, I kinda think that's part of the charm, you know? Just letting loose, not thinking too much, and having fun," Sela says, tilting back in her chair—almost slipping off but still holding that lighthearted smile.

"I get what you mean. It's not the fun part I mind, it's more about losing control. I don't have a problem with drinking... I just don't like the idea of a drinking contest. I get way too carried away once I join," Althea says, glancing at the guys again, amused by their lively antics. "Though, I guess you've got a point... getting carried away isn't so bad. Maybe I'll join in later."

"That's the spirit! And look at Kaito—didn't think he'd get so into it. He looks kinda lost, hahaha." Sela chuckles as she follows Althea's gaze. "If you join in, though, you'd probably beat everyone. It'd be an epic showdown—Farren versus Althea! Though I'd probably be too drunk to witness it..."

"Hahaha, yeah, I didn't think I'd see the day Kaito would get into it like that. But yeah... I'd win. Though Farren might be a problem—he doesn't go down easily. The rest, though? Just a bunch of weakheads." Althea smirks, her tone a bit more playful than usual. Her posture stays calm, but her eyes... there's a playful glint in them—that rare side peeking through.

3

"Hey! You made me spill, you drunken addict!" I shout, glaring at Farren, who just bumped into me, making me spill half the ale from my tankard.

"Huh? I made you spill?! You bumped into me! And who the hell are you calling a drunken addict—me? Hahaha! If anyone's drunk out of their mind, it's you! Sorry to break it to you, kiddo..." Farren fires back, locking eyes with me as he steps closer.

"Me? Drunk? Neva'! And what the hell do you mean?! You basically knocked it out of my hand!" I shout back. But... huh? Wait. Did I bump into him, or did he bump into me? To be fair, I can't even remember...

"Do you even hear yourself? You can't even talk straight. If you wanna fight, I'm up for it, idiot!" Farren taunts, now face-to-face with me.

"Hey, you two idiots! The fuck are you doing? What are you fighting about now, huh?" Ronan cuts in, walking up to us.

"The hell do you want? This is between us two!" Farren and I snap back at the same time, both turning toward Ronan, glaring him down.

"Huh?! Between you? Nah! This is between us now, you two dorks!" Ronan shoots back, facing us with the same death glare.

"...Ugh... You three want me to get Althea over here?" Orin threatens, arms crossed.

Anything but Althea...

Ronan instantly spins toward Orin, practically dropping to the floor as he begs for mercy. "I'm sorry! I swear, we were just kidding around. Right, guys?"

"Uh... Yeah... just kidding around..." I answer, mimicking Ronan and hastily sitting myself down on the ground.

"Whatever... It was Kaito who started it," Farren says firmly, looking away with a huff, completely unfazed by the mention of Althea's wrath.

"Alright, good... But as for you, Farren... Should I go get Althea? Yeah, I think I will. Just wait here, okay?" Orin smirks, clearly enjoying this.

But at those words, Farren suddenly tenses. His face twitches slightly before he finally gives in.

"Okay, okay, wait—I'm sorry..." he blurts out before it's too late.

I guess even Farren isn't immune to the fear of Althea...

Suddenly, two voices break in, one carrying such a tense aura it might as well belong to a dragon, her voice sharp enough to kill a man with just its tone...

"...What is going on here? Why are they sitting on the floor like crying puppies?" Althea says, her presence alone enough to make both Ronan and me tense up, trying our best to avoid eye contact, acting as casual as possible...

"These two idiots on the floor were just talking about how scary of a woman you are and how they fear being close to you. I, of course, tried my best to tell them they were just delusional, but well, they didn't listen... So when they saw you approaching, they went down on the floor, ready to lick your boots for mercy." Farren says as seriously as he can, shooting the two of us a teasing glare, the kind only someone who has betrayed his comrades would give.

"Huh..." Ronan and I gasp out, completely stunned by Farren's betrayal...

"Huh!? You're saying these two... Ronan and Kaito... think I'm some kind of monster!? Oh... I see. Ronan, Kaito, you two might have just made a big mistake... you're dead." She glares at us both, stepping forward, looking at us as if we're nothing but scum. A stare that sends a shiver down our spines... Is this how it ends? Are we dead? I'll miss you, Ronan... Sela... Orin... This is the end for me...

"Let's drink! Wait... What are you three up to..." Sela suddenly chimes in, finally noticing the situation. She stops in place, her eyes widening slightly as she takes in the scene. "Wait-wait! Althea, come on, you don't need to kill them... right? I mean, I wouldn't like that... I'd be sad if Ronan or Kaito weren't here..." Sela says, the hero she is.

"Huh?" Althea turns to look at Sela, meeting her eyes with her intense gaze. "Don't worry, I won't kill them... If they're men, they won't die."

"Hey... Hey, Althea, we can talk this through... I swear you've misunderstood... Please, show mercy..." Ronan pleads, but his words seem to go completely ignored.

Her gaze alone is enough to freeze us in place, but she isn't satisfied with just that—she keeps approaching, like a demon. Her purple hair, overshadowed by her wrath, almost looks crimson under the dim tavern lights, like a dragon... A crimson-red dragon from a demon realm.

And before we even realize it—BAM!

A foot smashes right into our faces.

Ronan and I are sent flying backward, our heads slamming against the floor, leaving us lying there, barely conscious... almost...

How... how can someone be this dangerous...? I thought Yumiko packed a kick... but this woman—no, this demon—does it way worse... I think I might die... Maybe I'll go to heaven... No, probably hell... Who knows...

As I slowly open my eyes, the first thing I see is Althea's gaze piercing into my soul... Do I just close my eyes again...?

"We are so... so sorry..." Ronan and I mutter weakly. But what are we even apologizing for...? We did nothing...

This is all because of Farren... That stupid Farren!

"Shut up! Hmph!" Althea huffs, turning away with a flick of her hair.

She may not be glaring us down anymore, but her presence alone is enough to keep us pinned to the ground.

"Are you two alright?" Sela asks, looking down at us with her usual casual face.

"No... But thank you, you saved us... I think she really was going to kill us..." Ronan and I say as we look up at her, as we try to stand up again.

"Uhm... Yeah sure... No problems, anytime, right." Sela says, confused at our behaviors. A true savior.

4

As the night unfolds, it feels like we're all falling into an abyss... of alcohol. An endless night, one we've willingly lost ourselves in — yes, that includes me, Kaito Nakamura. I've fallen into the charm of the people... the alcohol... the setting.

I think I've lost it...

Though, that did sound kinda badass... hahaha... I'll stick with that.

Ronan, Farren, and I are practically dancing in place, gulping down our ale, lost in the moment... or maybe just the alcohol. But hey, it's not bad — no, it's amazing... hahaha...

Who would've thought the night would turn out like this?

"Right?"

"Huh?" Ronan and Farren pause, blinking at me in confusion. Then, without a second thought, they both shrug it off and dive right back into their goofy antics... the same ones I'm now a part of.

"One more, please!" The three of us shout in a drunken rhythm, waiting for — who knows what round this is at this point...

"How are y'all still standing?" Sela slurs, barely keeping her head up. "I'm proud of you three... keep going... win this fight! For me... for us... the fallen! Though I guess I'm the only one who's fallen... hick..." She throws her arm into the air like a fallen general giving her final orders.

"You've got this! You guys can win against that drunken witch!" she declares, pointing dramatically at... Althea.

Yeah... we're lucky Althea's out of her mind right now. If she wasn't... well, Sela might've been a historical tragedy by now. Nah... it's Sela — Althea wouldn't hurt her. Probably just us instead...

"Leave it to us! We'll win this together as a team!" we shout in sync, raising our tankards high, foam spilling down the sides.

Sela, on the verge of tears, stares at us proudly. "Agh... you made me proud... go get 'em!" she says, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Roger!"

Well... leaving that behind...

"Let's drink!"

The three of us dive straight back into our ale, gulping it down in unison. As we finish a long, satisfying sip, we let out a deep sigh of contentment.

"Together, we'll win!" Farren shouts, throwing an arm around our shoulders.

Ronan and I echo his words, grinning as we sling our arms over his shoulders too. With Farren in the middle, Ronan on one side and me on the other, we sway side to side, back and forth, our ale sloshing to the rhythm of our drunken steps.

...By the way... how exactly do all three of us win? Isn't it supposed to be the last one standing?

Huh... Eh... Whatever.