"What the hell did you say to me?!" A rowdy man dressed in an expensive but wrinkled business suit, glasses left abandoned on the table as he slurred across the table. Sending both spittle and strong smelling alcohol to go sprinkling into the air in a light mist, causing the beams of overhead lights to sprinkle through and form a rainbow that was in no way inspiring. "Do you have a-any idea who I-I am?!"
"I don't care if you were my deadbeat father!" Another man, similar in age and attire but with a few extra pounds around the waist. His mop of black hair growing thinner with age. Cheeks flushed, from either his inebriated state or anger the world would never know. Slamming his meaty palm loudly between them, he sent a few empty bottles to wobble dangerously. "You're a weasel, that's what you are! How dare you try to pin that rounding error on me? I ought to take you out back and rearrange that ugly face you got!"
"YOU!" The first man looked right about ready to jump over the table and throw down with his rival, but with their clear difference in size, maybe he, even his booze addled mind, decided to keep thing from becoming physical. And instead, he leaned back with a goofy but smug expression. "I might be ugly, that's true but at least I have a wife to go home to."
If anything, that took the tension right of the larger man's sails and even froze in place. A sore spot had been prodded and his companion seemed to understand that as well, even under the heavy influence of alcohol.
"I didn't mean it like that…" Despite his consoling words, they did nothing to ease the man's nerves. Who went from vehemently arguing to something like one would expect from a somber drunk. Silent and nursing some heavy booze to ease the pain away. "I'm sure you'll find someone...Maybe if you just lost some weight and got out a bit mor-"
"….." The larger man took a massive swig, liquid courage coursing through his veins. Letting out a rancid burp, bleary eyes glared across the table. Real spite and jealous evident within those small orbs. "She was MY girlfriend first!"
"We were happy!" He continued, gaze clouding over as the past flickered just out of focus. And instead of interrupting, his leaner companion simply stayed silent. Whether knowing or feeling that what was said next needed to be let out in the open. No matter how disgraceful it was to air out personal drama in such a public space. No matter how desolate it might be. "We were just fine together and here you come, creeping everyone out! You know, everyone told me to stay away from you but me being an idiot ignored them and befriended you! And how did you repay me? By stealing my girlfriend from me! And then you had the nerve to make me your best man at your wedding?! Was it just to shove it in my face?! To lord over the fact that you won in life?!"
"…." The lean man didn't say anything for a moment, only silently staring at his friend slowly unraveling himself. Knowing this only came about because both of his prodding and the strong clay jar between them. "We were kids back then...literally. You two 'dated' for a single day in elementary school! The hell are you talking about?"
"She only got with you because you were slightly faster than me!" Swallowing the shot in one gulp, he slammed the glass down with force. "And even then, it was because I didn't know how to tie my shoes correctly! You cheated!"
"Do you want to have another race, huh?" Barely looking down at his companion's impressive gut, a lone eyebrow quirked in challenge. "We can race right now, loser pays the winner's tab!"
"You're so childish!" The large man scoffed without even a hint of shame, pouring another shot for himself only to be met with a few scant drops. "Oi, Ikuse-kun! Another jar! The one with the flower on it!"
"Be right up." A young man, dressed in a freshly pressed suit, smiled genially before setting down his freshly polished glass mug and reached down beneath the bar. Coming back up with a small white jar, nine petals surrounding a smiling raccoon emblazoned across it's surface. Partially popping the cork, he placed the warm jar right between the twin business men. "I will have to cut you off after this."
"C'mon Ikuse-kun!" That previous furious and hurt expression was no longer in place as the man tried to put on a pathetic but pleading look. Eyes widening, lip poking out with a slight quiver. "We've been coming here for so long….surely, you can bend the rules just slightly? Right?"
"Your patronage is greatly appreciated." Ikuse nodded politely. "And as much as I would love to keep serving you, that's the last bottle. If you don't drinking some other stuff then I can keep the drinks coming all night long."
"Last bottle?!" He tried to rise to his feet, only to wobble in place before his companion dragged him back down to Earth. "We've only had….three or four bottles tonight! Did you forget to order more?!"
"You see…the manufacturers is in a bit of a legal battle? Apparently, they wanted to renegotiate some dealings and until everything's settled, there won't be any more Nine Petal Plum Sake. Even getting my hands on these few bottles had been quite troublesome."
"Good!" The other man nodded, snatching up the jar to pour himself a thumb of the sweet smelling liquid. Holding it up to his lips, he took in a deep breathe and sipped. A pleasurable expression blooming across his face. "I always thought this stuff was too cheap! Good sake like this is hard to find! Even my wife loves it and she doesn't like to drink!"
"That's a lie!" The larger drunk loudly proclaimed, ripping the jar out of that weak grip and filled his own cup to the very brim. Even going so far as to greedily suckle at the few drop dripping down the side, before knocking it back in a single gulp. "She can drink both of us under the table! Let me tell you Ikuse-kun, I once saw her completely destroy a whole jug of whiskey! That women can drink!….She's going to kill you when she finds out you drank the last jar."
"…." At that, the man was silent. Face growing a few degrees paler as he glanced at the already opened sake jar with regret clear. Despite that, he only shakily shrug. "If I'm going to die, I'll rather it be while I'm drunk...Ikuse-kun take a shot with us! If you see my body on the news, think of it as a farewell."
"Here, here!" Picking up an unused clay cup, the large man poured in a generous amount before shoving it into the young bartender's face. "No need to be polite, it's a man's final request!"
"If you say so…" Ikuse smiled helplessly, taking the cup as the two men filled there's once more. "I'll only take one, this is your jar after all."
"To my last night alive!"
Clinking their drinks together in toast, they each sent back the shot in unison.