Bar after work, yandere is back

A loud sound of beer glasses rang in the private room of the restaurant where they all went together after work. Sora, Mel, Sobue, and Himari sat on the floor, beers in hands. Expensive fish dishes are scattered on the table. This restaurant was a touch nicer than usual, due to the occasion.

Sobue drank the whole glass in one gulp, "Phew, I am glad to be alive."

"Don't be so dramatic, your yandere will soon appear anyway!" Sora, a bit drunk, slapped his back.

He ignored it, pouring more beer into his glass. "I am free!"

Mel whispered something to Himari, who'd just come in recently, probably updating her on the whole story.

"Hey, Himari," Sora turned left, "Why don't you tell me how much you love Mel."

"Heeey, Sora, stop this immediately, what are you even trying to say? Himari, please ignore her, she is drunk!" Mel made a face at Sora.

"Oh, I won't." Himari grinned, pinning an olive with a toothpick. "I came here for Sobue, and now you tell me his kidnapper is also going to come? Explain again, how is this a celebration?"

Sobue's face turned dark, "Himari, not you. Please do not mention her. She will find me anywhere, I swear, the worst case of a stalker-killer."

"Who?" Kiyohime stood at the door. She was so quiet everyone got spooked by her sudden appearance.

"Jeez, now I see things!" Sora blinked.

"No, main friend, you are not, I am here!" Kiyo ran inside, hugging her.

"Great, she switched onto you?! I am free at last!" Sobue yelled.

Himari and Mel sat there, holding each other's hands. The whole situation seemed absurd. Himari turned to her, whispering: "We have one more beer, and we're dipping on this. It's insane."

Mel nodded in agreement.

Kiyo was still hugging Sora, "Sora-chan, tell me, did you miss me today? I had nothing to do at home, I was so bored, waiting for the evening, I tried on all my dresses, and didn't like any. So I bought this dress specifically for today, do you like it?" She jumped up and turned around, demonstrating the attire. She wore a leather dress with red accents, twoponytails.

Sora squinted her eyes: this looked almost the same as the other one she had seen before. Well, she had to fake it, so a smile appeared on her face, and she said: "It's great, Kiyo-chan, you look amazing. Right, Sobue?" She kicked him with her elbow.

He almost choked. "What? I don't care! Leave me alone, jeez. I want to forget all about her, and yet, here she is!"

Kiyo sat back down, leaning closer to Sora, throwing curious glances at Sobue, who ignored her, unfortunately.

"Say, Sobue," Sora tried to get back to the mood of partying, "How was that new Shonen Jump? It was nice of Kiyo-chan to buy it for you, I wonder what new cool things are there."

"You are kidding, right, you are actually still teasing me after I have been kidnapped?"

"What?" She felt confused, "I-I wasn't..."

"Oh, you were genuinely curious, huh?" Sobue's sarcasm was evident to all.

Sora felt guilty, not knowing how to save the situation. At this point, Mel decided it was time to take over.

"I watched the movie you recommended, Sobue, and the one Sora did, too! I liked them both."

"Oh, I wonder if Sora recommended something about normalizing toxic behaviors?!" Sobue seemed truly bitter, Sora looked at her hands, and Kiyo looked at everyone in order, only now noticing there were other people she hadn't been introduced to.

"I-I am Kiyohime." She said, looking at Mel and Himari arrogantly. The room fell quiet for a moment. "I-I was the one who kidnapped him. Because he looks like my lover from around 600 years ago."

"Ooo-okay, Kiyo-chan, ha-ha, that's enough joking, this is Mel, and Himari. I am sorry for not introducing you."

"B-but it's tru-"

Sora clothed her mouth with her hands, nervously smiling at others. "No need to develop the delusion, right? We will leave for a moment, ladies, khm, Sobue."

She took Kiyohime and ran off towards the bathroom. The other three were left to themselves. Sobue drank his beer, unbothered. Mel looked uncomfortable.

"Mel, I think we should leave when they return. Sobue, I came to celebrate with you, but it seems you need some help. Do you want to talk?"

"No, Himari, thank you. I think I need to talk to those two, seriously. Something is going on that I don't understand. For example, how the hell did Sora find me? There was no way it was so easy as they say. Yes, they saw my bag in her hands. But then what were they doing all these hours after? Hanging out? I feel like I need to pressure Sora for the truth. You can leave, there is no need to stay and be in this tense atmosphere. And the yandere too, she is weird, right?"

"Well," Mel still wanted to make the best of the situation, the savior that she was, "she is not that bad, and Sora likes her, so..."

"Oh, whatever, you always take her side!" Sobue waved his hands dismissively, " You should go. We can have another night for celebration, maybe without her."

"Tell me if you need me, call me anytime." Himari stood up.

"Yes, I know, Himari, I know. Just," he sighed, "leave today, okay? I am sorry for this mess."

Mel followed suit, taking Himri's hand. "We will go then, Sobue, hold on there!"

He nodded, pouring more beer into the glass. When they left, they both felt relieved and also happy to have a free evening to themselves. They rarely have those nowadays.

Outside of the restaurant, they paused. Himari stared into Mel's eyes, lightly brushing her cheek. She leaned closer, and whispered, "Let's have a date at that ramen place!"

Mel lit up. She wanted this for so long.

The other two girls returned from the bathroom, only to see Sobue drinking beer by his lonesome. Sora understood what had happened, and immediately felt guilty.

"Sobue, you said they should leave, because it got awkward? But we left so you could talk!"

"It doesn't matter, Sora," he put his empty glass down, glaring seriously at her, "because I want you, now, to tell me everything you are hiding from me. Like all of it. I will not let you two leave without explaining it properly."

Sora flopped down on the floor, and took her glass, pouring beer. Kiyohime looked unbothered, she also wanted to know more about everything. Moreover, after visiting the bathroom her willingness to talk was much lower.

"Sobue, do you really want to know? Tell me, seriously now, do you want to know?!" Sora looked pleadingly at him, she hesitated as to whether he should learn all the truth about the yokai world.

"Yes, Sora, that is EXACTLY what I am intending to hear!"

Sora took her time, contemplating. On the one hand, they couldn't see ghosts and many yokai, so why would he need to learn about all of that. On the other hand, she glanced at Kiyo, those two both deserved the truth about each other's lives. He was involved in it already. She breathed out.

"Okay, Sobue. You asked for it."

After she was done talking, he looked back at Kiyo, who, in the process of convincing him had transformed into a half-snake for a moment. He was paler than ever before, trying to process the information he had just received. The beer was long gone, and the food had been eaten by Kiyo. The waiters didn't bother them. There was silence for several moments before he finally cleared his throat and said:

"Well, shit. Just like in the anime, huh?"

"Ha-ha, that's how I reacted too!" Sora seemed relieved with that answer.

"I thought I would be more surprised after learning that yokai are real, but the snake was convincing as hell. And your story, I mean, I hope that's not me. I hope I am not a pig in the afterlife."

"Well, you look like him, so you just might." Nonchalant, Kiyohime took the last bite of shrimp.

"I have no idea how to react to that, to be honest. But I guess I understand some of your actions? It doesn't in any way justify what you did to me though!"

"Sure. I think men are all pigs anyway. So it's no use. But you were also very nice to me, even though I kidnapped you."

"Huh?" Sora tilted her head, confused: Was he ever nice to her? Who cares, I hope they won't hate each other now.

Sobue looked smug, "I will ignore the misandry for now. Let's not fight anymore."

That's an annoying face! Sora decided to not involve herself into the conversation anymore. She felt very tired. "Guys, I think I want to go home. Kiyo, will you come with me, we live nearby so..."

Kiyo's tone was sweet like honey, "My favorite main friend, of course! But what about the hostage-kun?"

"Hey, stop calling me that!" Sobue stood up, with a bit of trouble, "you know what, I am going home. I am also tired. Here," he pulled some money out of his pocket, "You pay. I am leaving."

Sora took the money. "B-but Sobue... Do you want us to take you home too?"

He paused, "Em, no. I think. I am just tipsy, I think I'll manage. It's just my head hurts a bit from the alcohol."

"You know what, no. We are leaving together!" Sora rushed to take his elbow in one hand. Kiyo took Sora's. In this weird way they paid, and left the restaurant.