I read through the lines of a familiar piece of paper out loud,
"Hast thou not gone against sincerity. Hast thou not felt ashamed of thy words and deeds. Hast thou not lacked vigor. Hast thou exerted all possible efforts
Hast thou not become slothful... What is this?"
"Hah. I knew you forgot about it." (Bartender)
"You wish. This is that Gosei thing. The one they read out to us when I was indoctrinated into service. Why do you have this with you?"
The bartender snatched the paper away,
"To check if you remember it. You always have the shittiest memory in the first place. I found it while helping mum clean the house the other day." (Bartender)
This cheeky, Yankee-wannabe looking prick of a bartender is Tokomaki Nagito. And regretfully, my younger brother. Unlike me, who took the business course in university but became a government servant, he had a degree in mixology and made a career out of it. This quaint place in the quiet corner of Dotonbori I'm drinking in is his bar. I'm only came here because I wanted to consult with him about a problem I have.
"What? You brought it all the way just for me? How sweet of you."
"So? You came here to discuss something or just for some random rambling?" (Nagito)
"Can't I do both? Give me something fancy but not strong."
"Sure. Just a sec." (Nagito)
As he went to make my drink, I continued to talk.
"How's mum and dad?"
"The usual. Mum can't help but move around despite her knee. Dad's bored but he is entertaining himself with online chess and at the temple. You? How's life being a government slave?" (Nagito)
"Not bad actually. Working with such strong frontliners is always better than those porcelain throne warmers."
"The hell does that mean?" (Nagito)
"You know what I'm talking about, you dickhead."
"Your drink." (Nagito)
Nagito set a cup of brown liquid in front of me. It looks a little like Oolong tea.
"The heck is this?"
"Give it a taste. It's something new I'm experimenting with." (Nagito)
As soon as this liquid entered my mouth, I instantly spat it out.
God! It burns!
"The hell is this?!"
"Oolong tea." (Nagito)
"Why would you even call it that?!"
"The color is the same. And you can light it on fire." (Nagito)
"What kind of twisted ide-"
Hold on. I have seen this kind of thing in a manga before.
"You got to be kidding me. You did not just-"
That shithead started laughing like crazy.
"What? It's one of your favorite manga, right? Hell, you were the one that gave me that idea in the first place." (Nagito)
"You cu- That was years ago. Aghh! Damn! This shit burns!"
"Weakling. Here, some water." (Nagito)
"This better not be the other kind of flammable water."
"I'm not that crazy enough." (Nagito)
I chugged the cup of ice water that dickhead gave me.
"Much better. Christ. You trying to kill me?!"
"Don't be such a drama queen. You will probably die from alcohol poisoning only if you swallow it. (Nagito)
"Just like how Rio-san does to you?"
"As if you will ever experience something like that yourself, you virgin. Cherry Blossom or Screwdriver?" (Nagito)
"It might be sooner than you think. Screwdriver."
"Sooner? Anyway, you wanted to consult something with me?" (Nagito)
"Yeah. How did you confess to Rio-san?"
"What do you mean how did I confess? I just did it normally." (Nagito)
"Like, did you do anything special or something?"
"No. You just confess. That's all there is to it." (Nagito)
"Why did I even think about consulting on this in the first place?"
Nagito has always been like this. He will give the shortest answer without explanation like it's common sense. Unfortunately, since he has gotten a girlfriend in his second year of university and has kept the relationship till now, he is more experienced than me in this subject.
"Don't tell me, you finally found someone you love?! Nah. Impossible. If you did, that US president would have his heart ripped out of him tomorrow by some weeb named Jack." (Nagito)
"You better bet that his heart gets ripped out of him tomorrow then."
"Holy shit. You're serious?!" (Nagito)
"I wouldn't go all the way to Osaka just to lie to you. Yes. I already have a girlfriend."
I barely drank and I'm feeling a little hot.
"My older brother who is always so awkward and weak found someone who loves him? I need to buy a lottery ticket tomorrow." (Nagito)
"If you want to get punched, just keep talking."
"If you are already a couple, why do you need to confess again? Unless you are telling me you screwed up the order." (Nagito)
"No. It's kind of... complicated?"
I explained to him about the situation. He knows about the sinking of the previous Zuihou and how she technically returned but as another person.
Right now, I want to redo my confession. To me, the one I accidentally did in the bath was not a proper one. I mean, the TPO wasn't right in the first place. I told him about the confession in the bath and the events leading up to it and the events after. I spoke about how I felt after the whole operation and the regret I'm currently feeling.
As I explained, Nagito's face slowly twisted into a disgusted look.
"Dude, you are the worst." (Nagito)
"Oh wow. Thanks for pointing that out, Sherlock. I wouldn't have known that."
"How did you screw up that badly?" (Nagito)
"I want to know that answer too. So? How should I go about it?"
"Just give it up." (Nagito)
I gave him the finger.
"Just kidding. Jokes aside, you really ought to redo your confession."
"That's the whole point of me asking you. Isn't this like part of your job? How should I go about it?"
"I'm a bartender, not a love consultant. Are there any plans to go out with her? Any special events coming up? Give me something to work with." (Nagito)
Plans... Events...
"I did promise to go out with her a while ago."
"There's your opportunity. You just need to find the right mood and timing. Where do you plan to go? Any place that might be special to her? Since she is a Shipgirl... Where was she born or created?" (Nagito)
"They aren't born per se. Yokosuka is technically her birth place, since her original form was constructed there. We have been there once for official business but she did mention wanting to go there again."
"Apart from the naval base, any other things to do or see there?" (Nagito)
"The aquarium and Mikasa Battleship Museum I suppose. Ah."
Isn't that the perfect date plan for a Shipgirl?
"Looks like you realized something." (Nagito)
"I would have thanked you if you didn't have that smug look on your face."
"Hey. I'm not saying I contributed but you couldn't have thought of that without me." (Nagito)
"Asshole."
"Dickwad." (Nagito)
"How is Rio-san doing?"
"Busy as usual. Being the manager of a restaurant is not as smooth sailing as she thought it was." (Nagito)
"That's reality for you."
I hear the door chime ring as it swing open.
"Speak of the devil." (Nagito)
"Nagi-kun~ What time are you closing today?" (???)
A lady in formal office wear walked in sluggishly. Her black shoulder-length hair was tied into a ponytail. She looks exhausted. This is Miyamoto Rio, my brother's girlfriend.
"In a bit, babe. I'm just dealing with one more customer." (Nagito)
"Yo, Rio-san. Tiring day?"
"Keita-san? Fancy meeting you here. Yeah. Everyday is a tiring day. You? How is government slave life treating you?" (Rio-san)
"Your man just asked me the exact same thing. Not too bad. I'm working with soldiers, not toilet warmers."
"What is that supposed to mean?" (Rio)
"See? No one understands that." (Nagito)
I crunched up a napkin and tossed it at him.
"Anyway, I shall not hold you two any longer. I have to catch the last train and bus back to the base."
I placed the money on the table.
"Hey, bro." (Nagito)
As I was about to leave, Nagito called out to me,
"Yeah?"
"Come back home and visit mom and dad some time. They miss you." (Nagito)
"I will. If I got time."
"That's what you said last time, you bit-" (Nagito)
I shut the door behind me. At this hour, the streets of Dotonbori are bustling with life. And drunk people.
It's almost 11pm. I better head to the station if I want to catch the last transport back to base.
It's not like my parents and I have a bad relationship. I just can't find the time to visit them with my current job position.
Maybe I can take some time off next week or the week after for our date. I also need to plan how Zuihou and I will meet up without getting caught.