ODL – Chapter 84 – Don’t Try to Act Like a Child

With the power of alcohol and the slight sense of freedom that comes with being in an izakaya, Souma-kai’s first dining-out experience went surprisingly smoothly. I had already lost count of how many drinks HIyorin had, but she managed to endure without succumbing to her usual drunk self. She definitely had more drinks than usual… Maybe Hiyorin put up a good fight with the beast lurking within herself.

“Ugh…*hiccup*… Where’s Shouma?” (Hiyori)

…Or maybe not. She might be reaching her limit after all.

Hiyorin poked her head out from behind the curtain covering our private room and began calling out into the aisle for me.

I’m right here, Hiyorin-san.

“Yeah, yeah, what is it, Hiyorin-san?” (Souma)

Based on experience, I knew that just using my voice might not get her attention. So, I gently tapped her on the shoulder, and Hiyorin noticed me, her face lighting up with a smile.

“Shouma, where did you go?” (Hiyori)

“I’ve been right here the whole time.” (Souma)

“Oh, I see. Hehehe.” (Hiyori)

It seemed like Hiyorin didn’t have any specific reason to talk to me. She just held onto my clothes and gazed at me with a smile. Her head swayed back and forth like a metronome. She’s kinda like one of those solar-powered figurines that sway back and forth.

“Huh… Isn’t that woman a bit too close? She’s getting carried away just because her chest is a little bigger than mine.” (Shizuka)

“I think it’s more than just a little. Well, I agree with the rest.” (Mafuyu)

Across from us, Shizuka and Mafuyu-chan are secretly whispering to each other while watching us. Can’t they lend a hand instead of just watching?

“I see… If I get drunk, I can legally cling to Souma-kun. Mafuyu… I’m sorry. I’m going over there too.” (Shizuka)

“Argh… I hate the underage drinking prohibition law!” (Mafuyu)

“See ya, Mafuyu — Haaaaa!” (Shizuka)

“!?” (Souma)

Suddenly, Shizuka let out a loud yell and started downing her highball with great vigor. The large glass emptied in no time.

“S-Shizuka!? What happened!?” (Souma)

“Alright, let’s have another round!” (Shizuka)

Shizuka ordered a Mega Highball and, as soon as it arrived, she drank from it as if she were being pressured by something. What on earth is she doing?

“*gulp* *gulp*” (Shizuka)

“Hey, Shizuka, you—” (Souma)

“Shouma, where are you looking?” (Shizuka)

I wanted to stop Shizuka from downing her drink in one go, but I had something I needed to do as well.

“Hiyorin-san, you’re too close!” (Souma)

Hiyorin grabbed my cheeks with both hands and gently turned my face toward her. Her warm breath tickled my nose, and the sweet scent of flowers mixed with the smell of alcohol hit me. Hiyorin’s clear, marbled eyes appeared in front of me, and I could feel myself being drawn in.

…No, I can’t let myself be drawn in here. I feel like I’ll lose something precious.

For example… Mafuyu-chan’s trust.

“Mafuyu-chan, can I ask you to handle Shizuka? I’ll take care of Hiyorin.” (Souma)

“…Alright.” (Mafuyu)

I gave instructions to Mafuyu-chan, who had been watching me with a cold gaze, and our drunken care duties began.

◆

“Mmm…” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin was now peacefully asleep on my lap. I had worried about what might happen if she tried to hug me or kiss me, but I managed to calm her down, which was a relief. I had come close to losing a lot of things.

“Mafuyu-chan, should we head back soon? Is everything okay on your end?” (Souma)

Looking across to the other side, it seemed that Shizuka wasn’t doing too well. She had slumped against the back of the seat, putting all her weight on it, and had a pained expression.

“It might be bad. She won’t even drink water.” (Mafuyu)

“Ugh… I’m gonna…die…” (Shizuka)

“If you’re going to die, do it outside. Come on, can you stand?” (Mafuyu)

“Ugh… It’s… impossible…” (Shizuka)

“It’s not. Which is better, being left behind or walking on your own?” (Mafuyu)

“…I’ll walk…” (Shizuka)

Despite her discomfort, Shizuka slowly started to pull her slumped body up. Mafuyu-chan, despite giving harsh words, was still helping her.

…Mafuyu-chan… she’s a kind-hearted girl after all. People often misunderstand her based on their first impression.

“Ugh… I feel so dizzy…” (Shizuka)

“You can do it if you try. Come on, we’re going.” (Mafuyu)

With slow, tortoise-like movements, Shizuka managed to stand up, her eyes tightly closed in discomfort. Mafuyu-chan held Shizuka’s hand and they made their way outside.

…I wonder if Shizuka and Mafuyu-chan have grown a bit closer. It somehow feels that way.

“All right, let’s go. Hiyorin-san, can you get up?” (Souma)

“…” (Hiyori)

“I guess not. Oh well.” (Souma)

I tried shaking her body, but Hiyorin showed no signs of waking up at all. When she drinks and falls asleep, it’s almost impossible to wake her up…

“…I guess I have no choice but to carry her.” (Souma)

To carry her, I had to touch various parts of her body.

“…” (Souma)

…I wish I could be spared from doing this too, you know?

W-Well, to be clear, it’s not that I want to be excused from the situation altogether, but I’d prefer not to have to do it in this manner. However, touching Hiyorin’s soft body in various places was really testing my self-control. To ensure my rationality didn’t succumb to instinct, I needed to coat my heart with steel.

“…Phew… Alright.” (Souma)

After taking a deep breath, I began the task at hand. It’s best to get this kind of thing done all at once.

First, I grabbed Hiyorin’s shoulders and made her sit up against the back of the seat. Then, I had to get her out of the gap between the table and my thighs – this was where the real challenge began.

First, I had to get Hiyorin to stand up.

“If I touch any weird places, I’m really sorry.” (Souma)

I put my hands under her armpits and held her body firmly. Then, I shifted her to the side, pulling her out from under the table and pressing her against my body.

A sensation similar to a squishing pudding washed over my chest, and I shook my head to clear my mind.

I lifted Hiyorin’s body as high as I could and held her in my arms… the posture looked more like I was embracing her rather than carrying.

“Hiyorin-san, please stand up just for a moment.” (Souma)

“Mmm…?” (Mafuyu)

I skillfully trapped Hiyorin against the wall, transferring her weight to me, and swiftly turned my body around. The pudding sensation moved from my chest to my arms, then from my arms to my back. With Hiyorin wedged between the wall and my back, all that was left was to carry her on my back.

…The only good thing was that Hiyorin was wearing a long skirt. If she had been wearing something that exposed her bare legs, I probably couldn’t have done this.

“Thank you! Please come again!” (Cashier)

After settling the bill, I stepped outside of the restaurant.

“Ugh… Are we back…?” (Mafuyu)

“No, we haven’t even moved.” (Souma)

Outside the restaurant, Shizuka, while holding Mafuyu-chan’s hand, was swaying and stumbling around as if she were a wild animal chained up.

…I wonder what on earth she was trying to do.

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Thanks for reading!

Shizuka got drunk for nothing lol.

I’ll save the illustration for the next chapter.

And also, honestly, I got kinda lost at the carrying Hiyorin description part.

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