Downstairs at the restaurant.
“Bye, you worked hard.”
“Dismissed.”
“See you.”
“Second round, second round, I didn't get enough to drink just now. Are you coming, Kazuya? You didn't seem to drink much earlier.” Oguri leaned against Kazuya, feeling like she had already had too much.
“No need, I’m not in the mood for drinking these days. Bye.” Kazuya had long passed the stage of drinking whenever he felt like it, getting drunk, and going to sleep, then attending classes as if nothing had happened, which was typical in university.
“Then, Kazuya, let's go together.” After bidding farewell, Mami walked to Kazuya's side.
“Whoa!” The two buddies both exclaimed at the sight of the two of them getting along so well.
“Yeah, I know. Let's go.” Kazuya left the two stunned guys behind and walked down the street with Mami.
…
Mami led Kazuya towards the bustling part of town. Looking at the upscale decorations around them, Kazuya felt that Mami was headed towards a destination that wasn’t quite suited for college students.
Passing under a street lamp, Nana Mami looked at Kazuya’s profile. The face that he was once so familiar with seemed strangely unfamiliar today.
She pretended to be casual and reached out to hold Kazuya’s hand. Sure enough, even the feeling of holding hands was different.
“What’s wrong, Mami?” Kazuya felt weird being caught off guard.
They had broken up, why was Mami holding his hand?
But, feeling her warmth meet his fingertips, there was an unspeakable beauty to it.
“Sorry, Kazuya, I lied when I said that I had someone I liked.” Knowing her actions were strange, Mami knew how to lie her way out of it, as if she was born with the talent of being a bad woman.
“Is that so? I see.” They walked along, holding hands, just like a couple.
However, Mami's beautiful hands were so soft, the ultimate treat.
Everything Mami did had a purpose. But, Kazuya’s reaction was so bland, not at all how Mami imagined. Surely, something had happened to him. The last time they met at school, he had blushed at the slightest conversation, but what was going on today? He was a completely different person.
“Kazuya, do you have someone you like now?” Mami intentionally spoke in an ambiguous tone.
“No, why?” Kazuya replied.
After all, getting a girlfriend only a few days after transmigrating would be too frivolous, wouldn’t it?
“Is that so? That’s great.” Mami’s reply seemed to include a touch of shyness, making one wonder if she still had feelings for Kazuya.
“Kazuya, how about that bar up ahead?” Mami pointed to a very upscale bar.
“Sure.” In the past, Kazuya might have been uncomfortable, but the current Kazuya had been to places even more high-end than this.
Mami: As expected, he didn’t hesitate at all, that’s different too.
Mami and Kazuya found a barstool at the edge of the bar.
“Hello, we'd like a bottle of red wine.” Mami looked at the menu and ordered.
“A bottle of wine for two might be a bit much, Mami?” Kazuya had been cautiously treating Mami all day, and didn't want to end up facing her while drunk.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’ll just drink more.”
Kazuya didn’t know what Mami was up to, so he let her take the lead.
“Never mind, if we’ve already ordered it, let’s have half each. Don’t force yourself if you can’t finish it.” The current Kazuya could be considered a gentleman in the past.
Mami: Always so concerned about others in places like this, that’s the same too.
“Kazuya, cheers.” Mami held her wine glass in a very standard pose. With her honey-like smile, Kazuya felt that Mami was perfectly suited to red wine.
“Cheers, Mami-chan.” The two clinked their glasses gently.
After taking a small sip.
“Kazuya, you know? They say red wine goes well with bad women.” Mami looked at the dark red wine in her glass that looked like blood and started chatting with Kazuya.
“Probably, maybe. I think it’s from TV shows or movies, right? Aren’t the stylish villains always holding a glass of red wine and striking a pose?” Kazuya didn’t know what Mami was trying to do today, but he knew that eventually, she would get to the point.
“That’s probably how the pairing of villain + red wine came about. You’re right, Mami-chan.”
“Maybe that’s how it is. Then, Kazuya, do you think I go well with red wine?” Mami looked at Kazuya with a sweet, seductive smile.
“Mami-chan looks very elegant holding a glass of red wine.” To be honest, in Kazuya’s eyes, earlier when Mami was leaning on one hand, swaying her red wine, it looked really good under the bar’s dim lights.
If only he had taken a picture, it would have been an award-winning shot for sure.
The law of the world: Red wine and Mami go very well together!
Kazuya looked at Mami through the lens of the wine - pure, scarlet, subtly sexy, a fake smile.
So cute, so beautiful.
Kazuya put a label on Mami in his heart at this moment.
Perhaps, Mami wasn’t a good girl.
But, she wasn’t necessarily a bad woman either.
“Sorry, Kazuya.” Mami put down her glass, biting her lip. “I didn’t know that breaking up with you would cause such a big change in you…”
Her large blue eyes seemed to speak, expressing concern.
“It’s true that the reason for the change has something to do with that, but only a little bit.” Kazuya felt that the apologetic tone in Mami’s voice was also fake. “It’s just that I want to change my image, after all, the old me was immature, wasn’t I?”
A breakup is a good excuse to disguise a change, but changing too much will raise suspicion.
“Is that so? Is there anything I can do for you, Kazuya?” Mami spoke with a cute voice, expressing concern, making Kazuya almost unable to tell whether her words were genuine or not.
“Even something like getting back together? I’m willing to consider it. The Kazuya I see today just makes me feel uneasy.” The gentle acting had long permeated her life as Nana Mami, after all, people’s first impression of her was that she was cute and gentle.
“No need, there’s nothing that Mami-chan needs to help with.” Kazuya’s expression was too cold towards Mami today, making her feel uncomfortable.
“But, but, there must be something I can do for you, Kazuya.” Mami put down her glass and covered Kazuya’s hands with hers.