Chapter 176: Closing Time
The air went so quiet you could hear the rain tapping on the window like nervous fingers.
He was still standing by the door, his soaked hair dripping onto the wooden floor. His expression softened, but his eyes were strange—nervous even.
I crossed my arms, not sure what was about to come out of his mouth, but bracing for the worst.
Then, out of nowhere—
“I love you, Ryuko!”
…
I blinked.
Once. Twice.
Wait.
WHAT?!
“...Huh?” I blurted, my voice cracking. “What did you just say?”
He looked dead serious, face red like a boiled octopus, fists clenched at his sides. “I-I love you!” he repeated, louder this time.
I just stood there, jaw hanging open. The hell is this situation?! Did I just get confessed to by a random guy at 12:30 in the morning?!
“You may be confused, but… I… I was a regular in this bar!” he stammered, his tone wobbling like jelly.
Oh, he’s one of those.
I squinted, trying to remember. “Really? I don’t remember seeing you, though.”
His eyes widened, scandalized. “I always came here every Wednesday and Friday! After work! You always greeted me with that bright smile when you served me beer—your smile made my week easier!”
Bro, that’s just bare minimum hospitality.
He kept going, hands flailing dramatically. “I was so sad when suddenly you were gone last month, and it was just the old man running the place! I thought you’d quit! I couldn’t sleep for days!”
Okay, now this is officially getting weird.
I raised a hand to stop his tragic anime monologue. “Uhh… sorry…”
“Yes!” he said, straightening his posture immediately, like I’d just given him an order.
What the heck, was he in the military or something?
I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Thanks… for liking me, but I’m sorry—I like girls only.”
He froze like a statue. Then his eyes bulged. “W-w-what?! You’re… into girls?”
“Yes.” I nodded firmly, not even blinking.
The man dropped to his knees dramatically, one hand gripping his chest like he’d been shot. “Why?! Why must my goddess like girls too?!”
…Goddess?
Buddy, if you knew who I really am, you’d be praying for a memory wipe right now.
I let out the longest sigh of my life and went behind the counter to make some tea.
“Here,” I said, placing a steaming cup in front of him. “Calm down before you faint or something.”
He sniffled, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Thank you…”
I leaned against the counter, staring at him cry into the teacup. Honestly, this had to be one of the most ridiculous nights of my life. I’ve dealt with bar fights, drunk uncles singing karaoke, even a raccoon breaking in once—but a love confession from a random man? Yeah, that’s new.
At least he didn’t look dangerous. Just… heartbreakingly pathetic.
He wiped his eyes and looked up suddenly. “So… do you have a girlfriend?”
Without thinking, I nodded. “I do.”
Even married, actually. Sorry, man.
He let out another loud wail, his head hitting the counter. “I really had no chance! My life is over!”
I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Sorry… but what’s your name, anyway?”
He sniffled, looking up between hiccups. “Natsuki…”
“Natsuki, huh?” I repeated, nodding a little. “Alright, Natsuki—how old are you?”
“See? You’re still young! You’ll find someone better than me soon enough, man.”
He sniffed, looking up with watery eyes. “Really? You think so?”
“Yeah,” I said, patting his shoulder. “There’s at least one girl out there who won’t crush your heart into a pancake.”
He blinked a few times, then suddenly straightened his back, eyes sparkling with hope. “I believe in what the goddess says!”
“Please stop calling me that,” I muttered. It’s cringed me.
He grinned awkwardly, wiping his nose with his sleeve. At least he looked alive again.
I poured myself a drink and took a deep breath. Alright, situation diffused. The guy wasn’t crazy, just unlucky in love. But maybe I could actually make use of this.
An idea popped into my head.
“Hey,” I said casually, “are you good at drinking?”
He chuckled, a bit smug now. “You didn’t realize how much I’ve been drinking here, huh?”
“Perfect.” I smirked. “Because I need someone good at that.”
His eyes lit up immediately, like a puppy hearing the word walk. “What do you need me to do? Anything!”
I grinned wider. “You see, I might need a little help with something. And in return, I’ll introduce you to one of my friends.”
He nearly jumped out of his seat. “A girl?!”
“Yeah,” I said smoothly. “She’s kind, funny, and actually single.”
He gasped like he just discovered oxygen. “I’ll do it! Whatever it is!”
Ah, the power of desperation.
“Good,” I said, leaning forward with a sly grin. “Then it’s a deal.”
---
The next few minutes were filled with his eager chatter. He started telling me about his office life, how his boss was a nightmare, how he used to sneak here after work just to cool off. Honestly, he talked so much I almost forgot he confessed to me fifteen minutes ago.
At some point, he grabbed the empty teacup and said dramatically, “I’ll cherish this cup forever! The goddess’s cup!”
“Stop calling it that,” I said flatly. “It’s literally from the 100-yen store.”
He ignored me and kept staring at it like it was a holy relic.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re a weird guy, you know that?”
He looked up with a goofy grin. “You smiled again! I can die happy now!”
“Don’t,” I said quickly. “You still have a date to earn, remember?”
He gasped again, slamming his hands on the counter. “Right! I won’t die until then!”
Man, this guy’s got energy for days.
I grabbed my jacket, motioning toward the door. “Alright, let’s go. I’ll walk you out before the rain gets heavier.”
He blinked in surprise. “You’re walking me out?!”
“Yeah,” I said with a smirk. “Wouldn’t want my future assistant catching a cold, would I?”
He blushed instantly. “A-assistant?”
“Yeah.”
He saluted like a soldier. “Yes, ma’am—uh, I mean, goddess—uh, I mean, Ryuko!”
I shook my head, laughing despite myself. “You’re hopeless.”
As we stepped outside, the rain had softened into a drizzle. The neon signs reflected in the puddles, painting the street in red and blue glows. He held the teacup close to his chest like a sacred treasure, still sniffling but smiling now.
“You know,” he said softly, “I’m glad I came tonight. Even if it was embarrassing.”
I glanced at him, smirking. “Yeah, you gave me a good laugh at least.”
He chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?”
“Yeah,” I said, waving as I locked the bar door. “Just don’t bring flowers or anything dramatic next time.”
He laughed, jogging off into the rain.
I watched him disappear around the corner, shaking my head. “What a night…”
Then I let out a deep sigh and muttered to myself, “Man, I never thought I’d be the one getting confessed to by a guy.”
I smiled faintly, amused and exhausted. “At least it’s better than running into Riku again.”
I turned off the last light in the bar and whispered to the empty room, “Let’s hope tomorrow’s not any weirder."