If I cannot even have a cold drink, then what is there left to talk about?

"Mayuki, I'm really coming for it!"

"Natsume-kun, don't push!"

"Komatsu! You did that on purpose, didn't you? Even though you didn't pick the right paper, you still managed to 'slip' and kiss her!"

The venue was quickly set up under everyone's direction. Once paired off, groups of men and women clustered together—some holding the paper, others pouring drinks—and the game began amidst a chorus of jeers and cheers.

These young men and women were remarkably uninhibited. The atmosphere heated up instantly. When they guessed correctly, they didn't act shy; instead, they stared straight at each other, as if they were about to kiss the very next second. This was hardly surprising, as everyone had chosen their own partners based on mutual attraction, and they were all here for a good time anyway.

Getting it wrong, however, was even more ridiculous. Take Komatsubara Jun, for instance. He had clearly chosen the wrong interval of paper, but when he went to pick up his glass, he managed to twist his hips on the stool, "accidentally" slip, and thrust his head forward, landing a kiss on the girl's face. He then offered an apology with a look of feigned annoyance.

His partner was one of the two girls who had just been showing off her snowy white assets. At that moment, she merely covered her mouth to hide a giggle, showing no embarrassment at being kissed by a man; instead, she whispered and laughed with her friend.

"Sorry, sorry! My foot slipped. What's wrong with this floor? I'm going to complain to them about not mopping!" Komatsubara Jun laughed apologetically.

"Tch! Who believes your nonsense? I think you just took a shine to Shinoka and wanted to take advantage of her," one of the men said, exposing him without reservation.

Komatsubara Jun's face changed, and he looked at the man with palpable annoyance, waving his hand as if shooing away a fly. "Yamashita, what are you spouting? Shinoka hasn't said anything, so go play somewhere else!"

"Fine, fine, I won't expose you anymore."

"You're even more of a lecher than me..."

"Hey! Don't think I don't know what you did just now..."

"Alright, alright, next group! There are others waiting after you, don't hog the spot!"

The brief interlude ended quickly. There were eight pairs in total, and the game moved along rapidly.

Less than twenty minutes in, it was Haruno Tsukasa and Kawachi Yumemi’s turn at the paper game. Compared to the bold behavior of the other pairs, they seemed much more reserved. In seven rounds of guessing, they only got it right once, meaning they each had to drink six shots.

Furthermore, when Kawachi Yumemi caught Haruno Tsukasa’s gaze during the one time they guessed correctly, she blushed and quickly looked away, acting like a young girl in the throes of her first crush. Some in the crowd let out whistles. Komatsubara Jun, however, was particularly eager, fanning the flames and trying to goad them into closer contact.

But after drinking several shots, Kawachi Yumemi kept her head low and covered her mouth, looking as if she were uncomfortable because she couldn't handle her liquor. The crowd, realizing this, gave up on their teasing and let them finish quickly to move on to the next group without making things too difficult.

"Whew—"

Once out of the game circle, Kawachi Yumemi let out a sigh of relief. "That was finally over."

She was swaying as she walked. Before she had taken two steps, her body seemed to go limp against her will, as if she were truly drunk and had lost control of her limbs, or perhaps her legs simply gave out. She fell, almost as if by fate, right into the arms of Haruno Tsukasa.

"Kawachi-san?" Haruno caught her.

"Ah! Sorry, Haruno-kun." Once held in his arms, Kawachi Yumemi seemed to sober up instantly, as if branded by a hot iron. Her pure, pretty face was flustered, and with the flush from the alcohol, she looked endearingly naive.

At such close range, he could smell the faint, nameless scent of body wash on her skin, and even feel the pressure of her chest against his. A fortnight ago, Haruno might have felt a surge of impulse, but after being hit by the double impact of his cold-hearted boss and his mother’s best friend, he had developed a physical resistance to this level of flirtation.

After she stood steady, Kawachi Yumemi said, her face slightly red, "N-no, I'm sorry, I just lost my footing..."

I don't think you just lost your footing.

You're just showing your true colors, aren't you?

"Have you had too much to drink?" Haruno Tsukasa asked, gently loosening his grip on her shoulders.

"I'm a little dizzy." Kawachi Yumemi held her forehead and walked unsteadily. Haruno supported her as they sat down on a quieter sofa further away.

The drinks in the villa were all pre-arranged. Someone would come later to take inventory of what had been consumed, so it didn't matter how much they took while playing. Haruno glanced around and, seeing no water dispenser or kettle, simply grabbed a bottle of mineral water, opened it, and handed it to her. "Kawachi-san, you don't seem to be very accustomed to these kinds of games or occasions?"

"It's not that I'm not accustomed to them. I usually play things like decryption games or beer pong. I'm actually not very good at drinking." Kawachi Yumemi whispered a thank you and began to sip the water in small amounts. Her face remained flushed, looking quite shy under the lights.

"You can't be drunk already, can you?" Haruno Tsukasa narrowed his eyes, teasing her.

"I'm just dizzy."

"Don't lie. You've had a few drinks and you can barely stand. Don't tell me you're allergic to alcohol. If you are, I'll take you to the hospital right now; it would be troublesome if something happened."

"If I were really allergic, I wouldn't have drunk it!" Kawachi Yumemi set down the water bottle and pouted at him. "And why are you so reluctant to take care of me, Haruno-kun?"

"It's not that. I'm just worried you're feeling unwell."

"It hasn't reached that point yet!" She added in a low voice, "It's just been a while since I've had a drink, and it's a bit stuffy here, so I'm just a little lightheaded. I just need to rest for a while."

"Shall we leave? We can find a place to chat. My treat for a drink—how about an iced Americano?" Haruno Tsukasa looked at her and asked with a smile.

His choice of question was laden with deeper meaning. After all, normal people don't drink coffee at night. If Kawachi Yumemi agreed, given her level of experience in this "industry," she couldn't possibly miss the implication.

Drinking an iced Americano carries many connotations: it means you're not afraid of the cold, you aren't on your period, you don't have mouth ulcers, you won't get tired, you can stay out late, and you can handle the bitterness—you can swallow the "saltiness."

However, perhaps she felt her act had been seamless from start to finish, or perhaps she thought Haruno Tsukasa was an easy mark. Kawachi Yumemi failed to grasp the subtext and responded with a feigned, reserved demeanor: "I don't really like coffee."

"How about other cold drinks, then?" Haruno asked again.

"I..." Kawachi Yumemi was about to answer, but as she looked up, she met Haruno’s half-smiling gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a vague sense that something was wrong, though she didn't want to believe it was what she feared—that would be too direct.

Staring into his burning gaze, Kawachi Yumemi suppressed her unease and forced a calm smile. "I'm not feeling very well today."

"Then where would you like to go, Kawachi-san?"

The smile on Haruno Tsukasa’s face slowly faded.

Noticing the shift in his expression, Kawachi Yumemi, who had been uncertain before, realized her suspicions were correct. Her face paled slightly. She didn't want to let her efforts go to waste, still clinging to a sliver of hope that she could keep him on the hook, so she tentatively suggested, "I remember there's a terrace upstairs. It's quieter there, well-ventilated, and we can watch the sunset later. Shall we go sit there for a while?"

"But I'm a bit afraid of the wind."

"Huh?"

"Let's do it another time. I have something to take care of at home, so I'm heading out." Haruno Tsukasa stood up directly, having no patience to waste any further. He glanced around and walked away from the sofa.

If she won't even drink a cold drink, what's left to talk about?

You're not feeling well? I saw you tilt your head back and chug that drink earlier. Are you playing games with me?

Can't you adults just be direct?

Kawachi Yumemi was left completely stunned. According to the usual script, even if this guy didn't start pursuing her or willingly become her backup, he should at least maintain a basic level of decency and not tear off the mask so abruptly.

She wasn't lacking for partners, nor was she a prostitute. Even if someone wanted to spend a fortune on her, it wouldn't be this easy to get what they wanted.

"Crazy!" Kawachi Yumemi cursed under her breath. She had thought she’d found a decent "fat sheep," but it turned out he was someone hiding behind a mask even deeper than her own. It was a waste of all the effort and the performance she had put on. With a dark expression, she grabbed her bag and left.

Haruno Tsukasa didn't leave immediately, of course. Since Komatsubara Jun had invited him, it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye.

Komatsubara Jun had actually been keeping an eye on Haruno. After all, his previously dense friend had finally "woken up" and was finally out having fun with him; he wanted to play the role of a good wingman. Seeing the abnormal situation, he whispered something to his own partner and walked over.

Unsure of what had happened, Komatsubara Jun probed, "Haruno, you and Kawachi..."

"We don't really click." Haruno Tsukasa felt no psychological burden. Having realized something, he smiled and said, "I have something to take care of at home, so I'm heading out."

This place was indeed full of "evil women," but the quality was just too low! Some had athlete's foot, others wanted to kill their own sisters, and the only one who seemed relatively normal, Kawachi Yumemi, was a hypocrite who acted pure while being available. It didn't align with his principle of targeting gold-diggers.

If I don't have money, you treat me like a fool. If I have money, you still treat me like a fool. Then wasn't my money earned for nothing?

In his vision, a gold-digger and he should be a two-way street: he spends money on her, she gets the benefits, and he gets the return from the "Evil List"—a win-win situation where everyone is happy. But this requires a prerequisite: she has to be obedient. Even if she isn't obedient, she shouldn't be disgusting.

I spend the money, so I must receive the service. This isn't about anything else; it's just a fair trade where each gets what they need. Haruno Tsukasa had simply underestimated the greed of these "green tea" girls, who always wanted to take everything. It was experiences like this that gradually made Haruno realize what path he should take.

"A transaction..."

After explaining the situation to Komatsubara Jun, Haruno prepared to leave the villa. Besides looking for "evil women," he still hadn't hired a private investigator to track the phone information to retaliate against Kato Masami. Furthermore, Aunt Shimizu's trouble needed resolution, though he wasn't sure how the election campaign was progressing.

Just as Haruno Tsukasa was organizing his thoughts and planning his next steps, he bumped into an unexpected person as he stepped out of the villa to get his car.

"Mr. Haruno?"