Someone knocked on the door, and Gerald said, "Come in."
Lia then came in and said, "We're all done, Mr. Gerald. We're ready to go."
"Good, let's go then."
They then all walked down to the lobby and headed toward the bar that the guild had reserved.
When they arrived at the bar, they walked in and started sitting down since the whole bar was reserved.
Gerald then spoke up, "Well, now that the rewards have been distributed, let's celebrate our victory! The first round is on the guild."
Upon hearing this, everyone started celebrating, and you could listen to some people talking.
"To our victory."
"Mister Gerald is the best."
"Miss Karin, come drink with us."
Gerald then said to Raja, Gen, and Karin, "Well, why don't the four of us share a table."
And Raja said, "Unfortunately, I can't, Gerald. I've already arranged to sit with other people."
"Oh, that's too bad."
A group of six young women then approached, and one of them said, "Raja, come. You promised to tell us how you killed the grunar leader and saved everyone's lives."
And Raja said, "I'm coming, love."
He then turned in the direction the women were going and said, "Well, see you later if everything goes wrong.", and then he left.
The three of them then looked in the direction Raja left in silence until Gerald said, "Well, looks like it's just going to be the three of us then."
And Karin said, "Sorry, I can't make it either."
"You can't? But didn't we agree to drink together at the celebration?"
"Indeed we did, but I think I'll drink with the people from the guild this time, but don't be sad. Without me here, you might find a woman from Tolis to drink with you.", said Karin with a smile.
And Gerald said, "Karin, wait a minute.", but she ignored him and went towards the other side of the bar, leaving Gerald downcast.
Gerald and Gen then fell silent, and Dehji then said, 'Wow, what a bad atmosphere.'
And Gen said, 'Tell me about it.'
He then turned to Gerald and said, "Hey Gerald..."
And Gerald said, "Oh, hey Gen, looks like it's just you and me then, hahaha..."
"Yeah..."
The two then looked for a table in the corner and sat down. Gerald then called the waiter and said, "See me some snacks and two glasses of the strongest drink in the house."
"Coming right up!"
Gen then said, "You ordered two glasses, Gerald? Isn't it better to slow down?"
"Hahaha, relax, Gen. I didn't order the two glasses for myself."
"No? Who's the other one for then?"
"For you, of course, you won't let me drink alone, right?"
"... Of course not."
"Haha, that's what I thought."
Gen then thought, 'What have I gotten myself into ...'
The drinks then arrived, and Gerald said, as he lifted one of the mugs, "Cheers!"
"Cheers ...", Gen said, picking up the other mug and lifting it.
Gerald then turned the mug over in his mouth and drank all the drink in one go. Right after that, he bent his neck to the left and closed one of his eyes as he shivered a little.
After a few seconds like that, he got back to normal and then coughed twice and said, "Ahhh! That was great. Aren't you going to drink, Gen?"
And Gen said, "Y-Yes, I was just getting ready."
"No need to get ready, Gen. This kind of thing is best done at once."
"Got it .... Well, here I go."
Gen then brought the mug closer to himself and took a sniff, and as he smelled it, he turned his head away, gave a slight cough, and started to blink.
He then thought, 'I think the waiter got it wrong. He brought me a bottle of alcohol instead of my drink.'
Gerald then said, "Smells good, doesn't it?"
And Gen said, "Yeah ...", and thought, 'Is he kidding me, or is he just mad with sadness?'
Dehji then said, 'Who knows, if I had to guess, I'd say both.'
Gen then lifted the mug from the table and brought it close to his mouth. Gerald then began to say, "Drink, drink, drink.", and hearing this, the people at the surrounding tables then began to repeat what he was saying, "Drink, drink, drink."
Gen then looked around, then at the mug, and then began to drink.
He turned the mug over in his mouth and took it all at once like Gerald.
Everyone around began to say, "That's it!", "Nice one, boy."
He then put the cup on the table and started coughing a lot.
Gerald then said, "Hey, what do you think?"
And Gen said, "It's good, it's just not my taste.", and then thought, 'I'll show you what I think!'
The snacks then arrived, and they both started to eat.
Gen then shook out the shirt he was wearing and said, "Wow, it's hot in here, isn't it?"
"Well, it's a little hot."
"Just a little? I'm sweating here.", said Gen, rubbing his hand across his forehead.
He then took a handkerchief from his pocket and tied his hair into a small ponytail.
Gen then said, "Wow, much better, but who would guess that you and Karin were like that."
"W-What are you talking about, Gen?"
"You know very well. Now stop clowning around and tell me what's the thing between you two."
"... Okay. Well, Karin and I have known each other for many years."
"Hm."
"At first, she was very cold to everyone around her, but as time went by, she started to open up."
"Hm."
"Then, one day about two years ago, at a guild celebration, we drank a little more than we should have."
"Hm."
"And then-"
Gen then interrupted him and said to the waiter, "Buddy, see me two more of those snacks and two more drinks, just the same."
"You got it."
Gerald then said, "Hey Gen, did you hear me?"
And Gen said, "Of course. You said that you two drank too much. What happened after that? You took her home and did something that-, well, let's just say that you did something, hahaha."
"No! We just kissed."
"Hm, I see, and after that."
"Well, after that day, we started to get closer, but nothing ever happened again."
"In two years, nothing happened?"
"... No."
"Well, from her reaction, I'd say she's still interested in you, but you have to take action."
"I know. I've tried to ask her out a few times, but she usually has some excuse."
"Hmm ..."
The snacks and drinks then arrived, and Gen started eating them.
After eating some snacks, he turned his mug over in his mouth again, drinking all the drink at once, and said, "Ahh! 'Cof Cof', why don't you try it now, then."
"Now?"
"Yeah."
"But she's mad at me."
"Relax, just get in there, and don't give her a chance to push you away."
"What do you mean?"
"You have to be quick and direct, like an arrow going into her heart, Pah!", Gen said as he shot an invisible arrow.
Gerald then said, "That's .... That's right, Gen, I'm going to do it, I'm going to go over there now."
"That's it, that's the attitude."
"Let me have my drink first. I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"Don't do it, Gerald."
"Why Gen?"
"You can't depend on drinking to achieve your goals."
"You're right, Gen. I'm going. Wish me luck."
"There's no need to. You got it, big guy."
"Thanks."
Gerald then got up from the table and started walking toward Karin.
Seeing this, Gen then took Gerald's mug, turned it over in his mouth, and said, "Hey, Dehji."
And Dehji said, 'Gen, you talked out of your head.'
"oops.", and then he said, 'Hey, Dehji.'
'... what?.'
'What do you think is going to happen? Is he going to make it?'
'Maybe ...'
'Ahh! I can't wait to see what happens.'
'...'
Gerald then arrived in front of Karin, and upon seeing him, she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, it's just that I wanted to... tell you ..."
"Tell me what, Gerald?"
"That ..."
"What?"
"That I love you."
Hearing this, everyone in the bar was speechless, and Gen said, "What?! I told him to ask her out. How did that turn into a declaration of love?"
And then he continued, "Hey, Dehji, what do you think is going to happen? Maybe-"
And Dehji said, 'Gen. You're talking out of your head again.'
'That's true. Fixed.'
'Gen, is everything okay with you? I've been finding you a little strange for a while now.'
'I'm fine.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes, Dehji, I'm fine. Now, let's pay attention to them. It's not every day you see a confession in public.'
Gen then started to eat the snacks on the table and said, "Wow, these snacks are really great. Hey buddy."
And the waiter said, "Hi."
"Get me another drink, please."
"Coming right up."
Dehji then said, 'Hey Gen, don't you think you better-'
and Gen said, 'Shhh! Dehji, I want to hear what they're saying. You'll be in the way if you keep talking.'
'... Okay.'
...
Karin then said, "W-What?! Are you drunk?"
"A little, but that's not why I'm saying I love you. I've had that feeling in me since that day when we-"
"Shut up! Why are you proposing now? We just fought."
"Well, I was talking to Gen, and he told me that I should take action and that today would be a good day."
"... Got it."
Karin then went towards Gen, and upon arriving, Gen complimented her, "Hi Karin, my congratulations, you must be delighted to have received that confession. Gerald really impressed me. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that. It even got my heart racing.", said Gen with his hand over the wrong side of his chest.
Karin then ignored what he said, advanced toward him, grabbed him by the shirt, and threw him across the bar onto a table, which caused it to break.