Chapter 31: One kick (1)
The evening air was crisp as Haruto walked along the familiar streets, lost in thought about the day’s events. He’d been expecting to head home after their usual routine, maybe grab some convenience store dinner and catch up on some reading. But Satsuki had other plans, apparently.
"Haruto," she said suddenly, tugging at his sleeve with that mischievous look in her eyes that always spelled trouble. "Let’s go somewhere."
"Somewhere?" Haruto raised an eyebrow, glancing at her sideways. "It’s getting late, don’t you think we should—"
"Come on," she interrupted, already pulling him in a different direction. "Trust me."
And that’s how he found himself standing outside a small, dimly lit bar tucked away in one of the quieter districts. The neon sign flickered lazily overhead, casting pink and blue shadows across Satsuki’s face as she grinned up at him. There was something different about her tonight—an energy he couldn’t quite place, like she was wound up about something but trying to play it cool.
"Onee-chan, are you sure about this?" Haruto asked, but she was already pushing through the door.
The bar was exactly what you’d expect from a place like this—low lighting, wooden everything, the kind of atmosphere that made you want to speak in hushed tones. A few other customers sat scattered around, nursing their drinks and minding their own business. The bartender, a middle-aged guy with kind eyes, nodded at them as they found seats at the counter.
"Two beers to start," Satsuki said without hesitation, settling onto her stool with the confidence of someone who definitely wasn’t old enough to be ordering alcohol. But the bartender didn’t seem to care, or maybe he just had better things to worry about.
Haruto watched her with growing bewilderment. "Since when do you drink?"
"Since tonight," she replied with a shrug, accepting the first beer with both hands. "Sometimes you just gotta try new things, right?"