Chapter 80: Each Learning and Applying on the Spot!
"Mmm…" Minos was sprawled out on the table, her head pillowed on one arm, her cheeks flushed, a tiny, glistening trail of drool at the corner of her mouth. Her ample chest was pressed against the tabletop, creating a soft curve that rose and fell with her breathing. She weakly waved her other hand, mumbling indistinctly, "Another… another round…" Her voice was soft and thick with a childish, wheedling tone, a complete departure from her usual energetic, cheerful voice.
"Hehe…"
"Minos, you're already drunk~."
Jashin-chan was sitting sideways on the other side of the table, her own face bright red. One arm was draped lazily over the back of her chair, her body leaning against it as if she might slide off at any moment. Her eyes were hazy as she looked at Minos, her expression just as intoxicated.
"You're drunk, too," Ryohei said with a laugh as he cleared the table.
He had gotten a little carried away with his first foray into mixology. That, combined with Minos and Jashin-chan's constant demands for "another round," had, before he knew it, resulted in them getting completely drunk. They had gone through one and a half bottles of the Demon World Water of Life, a bottle each of the strawberry, apple, and mead wines, plus Calpis, tomato juice, and various fruits for mixing. Ryohei had even looked up some cocktail recipes online and, "learning and applying on the spot," had ended up making over twenty different kinds of cocktails. Most of them had ended up in Minos's and Jashin-chan's stomachs.
Perhaps because the different alcohols were mixed together, their bodies had absorbed the alcohol more easily, leading to them getting drunk faster. So, despite her high tolerance, even Minos was out for the count. Ryohei himself was feeling a bit tipsy. His own body felt lighter than usual, and he was in a very relaxed, happy mood.
Yurine was also a little drunk. A faint pink blush spread across her fair, delicate cheeks, like the first cherry blossoms of spring. Her reddish-brown eyes were a bit hazy, as if covered by a thin layer of mist, giving her a soft, alluring charm. A tipsy Yurine was super cute.
"N-Nonshense! I'm not drunk!" Jashin-chan slurred, trying to wave her arm in protest, but the moment the words left her mouth, her body slid uncontrollably from her chair and disappeared under the table. The instant refutation of her own claim was so sudden that it made Ryohei laugh out loud.
"Your performance isn't very convincing," he commented. The only reply was the sound of even breathing from under the table.
After clearing the empty bottles and leftover fruit, Ryohei looked at the sleeping Minos. "Yurine, let's get them to their rooms."
"Okay. I'll supervise you," she said, her own face flushed as she crossed her arms.
"Er… actually, if you could support them, I could just help steady them from the side…"
"Don't be silly," she said, turning her head away, her toes gently rubbing against each other. "I'm a weak woman. This is a job for a big, strong man like you. Besides," she added in a small voice, "wouldn't that make me look like a super jealous girlfriend?"
"Mhm, mhm." Ryohei couldn't help but grin. He leaned in, gently turned her face back toward him, and pinched her soft cheek with an adoring expression. "So cute. Whose girlfriend is this cute? Oh, right, she's mine. I'll be sure to reward you properly later."
"Th-That's not necessary," Yurine stammered, her face turning even redder. ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄ Her long eyelashes fluttered. The tipsy haze in her eyes was now mixed with a shy coyness.
Ryohei had to declare it again: a tipsy Yurine was the cutest thing in the world.
"Just a second," he said, and leaned down to give her a soft kiss. He released her from her mock-disgusted expression, then turned and had the drooling Minos drape an arm over his shoulder, lifting her up. The smell of alcohol, mixed with Minos's own fresh scent, filled his nose. He placed his hands respectfully on her waist, but even so, he could feel how slender and supple she was, her body heat transferring through her clothes to his hands.
Yurine, despite her claims of "supervising," helped support Minos's other arm. Together, they managed to get her to her room. With every step, Minos's curvy body would sway and press against Ryohei, creating a series of… subtle sensations.
"Next up is Jashin-chan…"
Back in the living room, Ryohei looked at Jashin-chan's form under the table. "Let's just put her on the sofa," he suggested. Jashin-chan's room was on the second floor. The stairs in this house were quite narrow, and her long tail would make it difficult. More importantly, she subscribed to the bizarre philosophy that "the strong don't need clothes." He was a bit embarrassed to carry her. It wasn't that he was attracted to her, but he felt he should be a gentleman about it.
"Okay."
"Yurine, you take her top half, I'll take her tail," Ryohei said, bending down and grabbing the green snake tail. For a moment, he was reminded of an old anime he had watched—Everyday Life with Monster Girls. He was starting to feel a bit like the protagonist of that show.
"Alright," Yurine replied, quite pleased with this arrangement for various reasons. She made a mental note to "reward" him later with a "delicious kiss"—the kind where she ate a piece of candy or some ice cream first to make it sweet. She had seen it online on her phone on the train earlier. It was a fun, intimate activity for couples. Another case of "learning and applying on the spot."
Working together, they lifted Jashin-chan onto the sofa. Ryohei went upstairs to get a blanket and covered her with it. He then turned to Yurine and opened his arms.
"Come on. I'll carry you up."
Yurine blinked, understanding immediately. With a small leap, she jumped into his arms, clinging to him like a koala.
Ryohei caught her securely and started up the stairs.
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