"Is this short sleeve a bit too small? Feels kinda tight..."
Hearing Yuugi's muttering, Suika lowered her head to glance at her own loose-fitting short sleeve, her little face instantly darkening.
The slogan "小也可爱" on her shirt seemed especially glaring. (T/N : Small is cute)
In contrast, Yuugi's "大即正义" looked as if it had been violently twisted by some sinister force, almost as if it were about to tear apart. (T/N : Big is justice)
Noticing Suika's sulky expression, Yuugi couldn't help but chuckle and patted her shoulder reassuringly—
"Look on the bright side, you look way younger like this."
A vein immediately throbbed on Suika's forehead, and she barely held back from pouncing and biting this jerk to death.
'This has nothing to do with looking young, damn it! I'll smash you sooner or later!' Grumbling under her breath, Suika stormed out of the bathroom in a huff.
Seeing this, Yuugi quickly followed, about to tease her some more, when she suddenly noticed Marisa's sneaky figure.
Most of her body was pressed against the floor as she peeked into the living room, like a thieving stray cat stalking its prey—looking ready to sneak in and assassinate someone at any moment.
"What's she up to?"
"Crap, she's after the booze too!" Realizing Marisa's intentions in an instant, Suika's expression changed.
The liquor bottle was only so big—at best, only one person could enjoy it. The competition was probably fiercer than they'd imagined!
Thinking this, she resentfully swiped at Yuugi. If this idiot had actually been sold off earlier, they might have already gotten their hands on the alcohol!
Yuugi blinked blankly at the fuming little oni but still asked—
"She won't get to it before us, right? She's got some special relationship with the boss, after all."
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Here's the plan—we'll prepare three approaches."
"First, work properly and try to earn the booze as wages."
"Second, get on Marisa's good side. If she really gets the liquor first thanks to her connection with the boss, maybe we can still get a sip."
"Third, you go seduce the boss and secure our booze freed— OW OW OW!! MY FACE! YOU'RE GONNA STRETCH IT OFF!!!"
Suika struggled with a pained grimace, but Yuugi showed no sign of letting go of her squished cheeks.
Damn it, this bastard's still up to no good!
After a ruthless round of kneading and squishing, Suika felt like her little face had swollen up a full size, leaving her looking utterly pitiful. 'I was just proposing the most feasible plan! This ingrate doesn't appreciate good intentions!'
Right then, Marisa suddenly shuddered, scrambled to her feet, and scurried away in a hurry.
Not long after, Rin's figure appeared in their line of sight.
Seeing the two—one tall, one small—now in work uniforms, Rin's smile deepened.
Before he could even speak, Yuugi immediately blurted out—
"Boss, I report! Marisa was sneaking around here earlier, clearly up to no good!"
"She's definitely after the liquor. You should tighten security—better yet, hand it over to us for safekeeping—"
"I know."
"Huh?"
The two froze in unison. Under their gazes, Rin's smile took on a slightly sinister edge.
As if realizing something, they both shivered at the same time.
Marisa's done for.
"If there's nothing else, go organize the shelves. Keep an eye on the shop—I've got some work to do in the warehouse." Rin waved them off.
He was counting on Marisa's thieving instincts to act up again. Once caught, he could finally play some punishment games with her.
Yuugi and Suika stiffly nodded before trudging toward the shop with rigid steps.
Now that they knew the boss was fishing for rule-breakers, their paths to obtaining alcohol had undeniably narrowed—an excruciating reality for the two of them.
As for warning Marisa...
If she gets caught, we might still get a sip at the afterparty!
Better her than us! Marisa, we'll burn incense for you every festival!
With that thought, they ruthlessly crushed the faintest hint of guilt in their hearts.
As the two left, Rin returned to the warehouse.
There, Yukari was halfway inside a gap, rustling noises occasionally emerging from within as if she were searching for something.
On the freshly cleaned table nearby, the perfect drinking snacks were already laid out—peanuts, chicken feet, fennel beans, and more.
"Looking for something?"
Rin's sudden question made Yukari jolt in fright.
Pulling herself out, she immediately flashed an awkward yet graceful smile.
"Ahem, well... my shikigami lost something. Just helping her look."
"Need help?"
"No! It's not urgent, just casually checking."
"Is that so? Hope it doesn't interfere with her work."
Rin shot her a sidelong glance.
'No way she's not scouting my hiding spots.' He'd specifically asked the Sage to set up countermeasures—everyone else had at least a sliver of a chance to stumble upon the liquor and take the bait. Everyone except Yukari.
"Move aside. I need to restock the shop—time to update the shelves."
"Oh~" Yukari obediently stepped aside, her gaze lingering thoughtfully on Rin's back.
'He noticed but didn't call me out—meaning he's confident I won't find it. That's not good news. Why can't I find it? That damn gift box should be obvious!' The thought of that intoxicating aroma made her feel like a cat was scratching at her heart.
If she couldn't find it this way, she'd have to switch tactics.
'Ran was busy and couldn't come. Chen was too young to rely on. Marisa was useless—her only talent was getting caught. That left only one viable candidate…'
As Reimu's image surfaced in her mind, Yukari's eyes lit up.
'That kid would do anything for money—she might just pull it off! And if she gets caught, I can just pay her off for silence. Much safer than the alternatives!'
With that, she eagerly slipped through a gap straight to the shop.
Spotting Reimu sipping tea with Aya, Yukari slammed a stack of yen onto the table without hesitation. Reimu's eyes instantly gleamed with terrifying intensity.
"Thank you, boss! May you live long and prosper, have many children and grandchildren—"
"There's a job."
"Tch."
Hearing it wasn't free money, Reimu's enthusiasm dimmed slightly—but her gaze remained locked onto the cash. 'This much? Must be a tough job!'