Chapter 160: Chihuahua Chorus
“Ackkk!”
A shrill voice pierced the air, stabbing through my half-dreaming brain like a rusty fork. I groaned and blinked, trying to figure out which hell dimension I had woken up in. My arms felt heavy, warm—anchored down.
Oh. Right.
Keiko.
She was still leaning against me, breathing softly, her head nestled on my arm. The faint scent of her shampoo clung to me even though I knew we’d both reek of last night’s chaos. My foggy brain slowly pieced things together.
The drinks. The karaoke. The screaming. Aki stripping. Ruka slapping Aki.
Yup. Last night was a mess.
“Ehhh!! Ehhh!!” The shrill voice again.
I turned and found Aki sitting upright on the floor, hair sticking out in every direction, eyes wide like she just woke up in a prison cell.
“What… what the hell?!” she yelled. “Why am I sleeping on the floor?! Why are we all on the floor?!” She pointed dramatically at Miko and Manna, both of whom were groggily opening their eyes.
Then she spotted me.
“WHY are you and Keiko on the sofa?! That’s unfair!!”
I blinked slowly, still half-asleep. That’s what she’s panicking about?
I rubbed my temples. “Aki, you were drunk. You all were drunk. Floor is the consequence.”
Before I could smirk too much, Miko sat up beside her, rubbing her eyes. “Wait, yeah! Why do we get the floor and Ryuko gets the sofa? That’s favoritism!”
The two of them stomped over to Suzuka, who was curled up in a chair looking like she’d just survived the apocalypse.
“Look, even Suzuka got a chair!” Aki pointed accusingly.
Poor Suzuka flinched like they were armed robbers demanding her wallet.
I sighed again, my patience already evaporating. “Because you two turned into drunk gremlins last night. That’s why.”
They both started protesting in high-pitched overlapping voices, like two chihuahuas barking at once.
Then Manna stirred.
My heart sank. Oh crap.
We’d left the boss on the floor too.
She sat up, stretched with a groan, then walked over to me. Her expression unreadable.
“Sorry… it must’ve been uncomfortable for you.”
I blinked. Wait. She was apologizing? I let out a sigh of relief—maybe she was still in her reliable boss mode.
Then she added, “But how dare you leave your boss on the floor?”
I choked. “Uhhh—”
Before I could come up with an excuse, the chihuahua chorus doubled down.
“Yeah!” Aki barked.
“Unfair treatment!” Miko squeaked.
Their whining reached new heights—enough to rattle the windows—until Keiko stirred beside me.
“Nghhh… my head hurts…” she mumbled, rubbing her forehead. Her eyes blinked open, cloudy with sleep, and then she froze. Her gaze flicked from her surroundings to me.
“…Ryusei? Why was I sleeping in your arms?”
Time. Stopped.
The room fell silent. The chihuahua chorus halted mid-bark. My brain completely crashed.
Keiko had called me by my real name.
I opened my mouth like a dying goldfish but no words came out.
Of course Aki, ever the chaos gremlin, instantly pounced.
“KEIKO! Why did she get the sofa?!”
That made Keiko realize what she’d said. Her eyes went wide. Her hand flew to her mouth.
And then Miko, confused as ever, tilted her head. “Wait… didn’t Ryusei was your husband? Why did you just call Ryuko that?”
Her innocent question hit like a bomb. Even Manna raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the sofa-floor debate was forgotten.
All attention zeroed in on Keiko.
She panicked. Her lips trembled. She let out a tiny gasp like a cornered animal.
And then—salvation.
“Keiko might’ve just been half-dreaming, calling out her husband’s name,” Ruka’s voice came calmly from the staff room doorway.
She walked in like nothing was wrong, tying her hair back. “Hangover brains do weird things.”
I shot her a look of pure gratitude.
Keiko caught it and quickly scrambled to cover herself. “R-right… haha… I was confused when I woke up, thought it was my husband… but… it’s just Ryuko… haha… ha… ha…”
Her laugh was so painfully awkward I nearly winced.
The others all stared at her, their faces softening with pity.
Great. Now they think Keiko’s a poor, lovesick wife dreaming about her absent husband.
Aki’s eyes welled up instantly. “Huaaaa! Keiko, I’m sorryyy! You can have the sofa all you want!” She flung herself onto Keiko’s lap in fake tears.
Miko joined her, hugging Keiko’s side. “Yeah, sorry! You must be so lonely and hurt without your husband…”
Keiko just patted their heads awkwardly, smiling weakly, clearly praying for the ground to swallow her whole.
I glanced at Ruka. She was facing away, shoulders shaking. Not from sadness—she was cringing at the entire melodrama.
---
Finally, Manna sighed and stood up, brushing off her clothes. “Well… thanks for last night, everyone. Sorry things got… messy.”
We all murmured our thanks in return.
Then she dropped the real bomb.
“Anyway, it’s 7 a.m. You need to get ready to open.”
“EEEHHHH?!”
Panic erupted immediately.
Aki and Miko clutched each other dramatically. “Nooo, Manna-san, please give us a break today! We’re dying!”
Even Suzuka whimpered softly.
Manna only smiled sweetly, patting Aki and Miko on the head like they were puppies begging for treats. “Sorry, girls. Business doesn’t stop. Last night was unplanned fun, that’s all.”
With a cheerful wave, she called over her shoulder, “Good luck today. Keiko, I’m leaving it to you!”
And just like that, the boss was gone.
---
The room was filled with groaning.
Aki and Miko flopped back down dramatically, fake crying again. Suzuka buried her face in her hands, muttering something about god's forgiven.
Meanwhile, Ruka and Keiko quietly started getting ready, already shifting into responsible mode.
I stretched and stood, grinning. “Well, good luck, everyone. I’m free today.”
“EHHHH?!” Aki shrieked, instantly snapping out of her act.
Miko scrambled up and latched onto my arm. “Nooo! Ryuko, help us just one more day!”
I laughed, trying to pry her off. “Nope. I’m out. BYE!”
Aki made grabby hands. Miko clung harder. Suzuka just watched with big, pleading eyes like I was abandoning them in a warzone.
I managed to wriggle free and waved cheerfully. “See you on the battlefield, suckers.”
Their groans and protests echoed behind me, but I couldn’t help laughing.
After all, they’d brought this chaos on themselves.