Silent Red Eve

The snow outside hadn’t stopped ever since the sun fell. Streets filled with fluff, blanketing it with it’s soft, and cold form. Some clung onto the window sill—like it had nowhere else to go.

Outside, the cold wind howled like a drunk man wandering around the streets of Shibuya, absent-mindedly. The store was empty—void of life. It was as if those seated among the cold seats, were ghosts of the past.

“How tiring, this bar is so dim, and quiet—Too quiet for a Christmas Eve.” The bartender muttered, letting out a aspirated sigh right after. His back hunched down out of fatigue, and his grey hair was ruffled—seemingly out of place.

But then as he wiped off each glass one by one, looking tired and solemn…

“Man, today is so tiring! Glad a bar is open this late!” A young man, seemingly in his mid-twenties entered the pub.

Then what followed suit, are four more people—two males, and two females, appearing to just have finished their work.

“If you’re here for coin, we’ve none. If you’re here for trouble, there’s plenty. Otherwise, sit — the floor’s less forgiving than the stools.”

The man laughed at the bartender’s remark. Later on, he replied on his remark after calming his worn out smile. “Jokes aside old man, can I order five bottles of beer?”

The bartender then sighed, turning his back towards the underbar, “I’m not that old yet, young man, I’m just in my fifties…” he muttered, as he slowly got a bottle of beer from the cupboard.

“Fifty is already old, that’s literally twice my age!” the young man laughed, seemingly amused by this encounter.

“Nice to meet you old man! I’m Tsukiyama Rei, I hope for a good service this night!” Tsukiyama added, as he beamed a joyful smile towards the now not-so solemn bartender.

“Nice to meet you young man, You can call me Seda, just Seda.” he smiled, as he carefully poured the beer onto the five glasses Tsukiyama asked.

Seda then placed the last glass on the counter with a gentle clink. The bubbling amber liquid shimmered under the dimly-lit lights of the bar.

He took a glance at the five who entered the bar—They all seemed lively, slightly worn out. Not from age, but from fatigue that didn’t just sit in the muscles—but the soul.

The one he spoke to earlier, “Tsukiyama, was it?” he thought, had that kind of brightness that he had never seen before—something that seemed naive, but hopeful.

And then, Tsukiyama then took his seat alongside his friends, handing out the freshly poured beer from Seda.

The young woman seated next to Tsukiyama, with shoulder-length dark hair and sharp eyes—Kureha Anna, is a quiet woman, who seems to be close to him, stealing glances from time to time.

Next, the man opposite of Kureha is named Tanaka Keigo. A distinguished blonde short hair, makes him stand out in a crowd full of people—Well in this case, a group of five. Known for his noisiness, and lively attitude, he usually sets the pace in work-related activities, or parties, like this one.

Megumi Kazuya, known as the “cloud-drifter” of the group—Calm, but whimsical at times. Strange thoughts and ideas floating are the norm for this guy. His slightly ink-stained, silky, long hair, framed his face perfectly. The strands falling just right, past his ears in gentle layers.

Then there was Miyazono Yumi—her scarf wrapped haphazardly around her neck, cheeks tinged pink from the cold. She wore a smile, warm and familiar. Her blonde hair, tousled and gleaming under the lights, matched Tanaka’s almost perfectly—a quiet giveaway of their closeness.

Seda then smiled at the group, for once, watching the group a moment longer. Just looking at them made him reminisce about his past—A past that was almost forgotten. A group that was also full of memories.

He then turned away, quietly wiping the glasses yet again. At times he stole glances at the group, sharing a smile as they laughed.

As the group laughed, talking about their current work, and life—Seda’s fingers traced the familiar rows of bottles on the cellar, scanning each bottle until he stopped at one he hadn’t touched in months. Its label has already faded, and its amber has already nearly lost its color.

He paused for a bit.

Maybe it was due to fatigue, or was due to his carelessness… Or maybe, just maybe—something even deeper.

“That seems ancient Old Man Seda!” Tsukiyama remarked, glancing at the beer’s faded label.

“Oh no no no… just aged.” Seda chuckled, as he popped the cap off the bottle. “It’s a special batch,” he added, pouring the drink at each glistening bottle. “We don’t serve this often. The last from a shipment that came in… hell, I don’t even remember when.”

“It really does seem vintage…” Tanaka muttered, as he sloshed the drink around his glass, watching as each droplet drops.

Tsukiyama then raised his glass with a grin, “Here’s to a Christmas that we will never have ever again!”

Tanaka, then gave out a soft chuckle, “Are we gonna die or something?” he commented.

“No you dummy! What I meant was, we’ll have a better Christmas than this one next year.”

“But they way you worded it, sounded like that…” Kureha muttered, laying her head on Tsukiyama’s shoulder.

Miyazono quickly snapped a picture, teasing Tsukiyama and Kureha, “You two should really become a couple! Look at me and Keigo~” she grinned, wrapping her arms around Tanaka’s.

“Pfft, Don’t listen to her Tsukiyama-kun…” she muttered annoyingly, burying her face into his shoulder.

Tsukiyama chuckled, throwing an arm over Kureha playfully, “I mean, if you want to… Look at this face—”

He exaggerated a smug grin, which earned him a jab on his side from Kureha, prompting a unified laughter from their friends.

“I swear, if you two don’t get together in this lifetime, I’ll reincarnate just for that to happen.” Megumi added, sloshing his drink around like a whirlpool.

“Don’t make a joke like that Megumi-kun!!” Miyazono squealed, tightening her grasp on Tanaka’s arm. “Reincarnations are sacred you know…”

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop…”

Tsukiyama then led the toast once more, “That aside, let’s toast yet again! To our first christmas as new members of the workforce!”

Glasses clinked, a sense of nostalgia and new memories being made in that instance. The sound echoed gently in the quiet bar, blending with the soft hum of the old refrigerator and the snow tapping on the windows.

“This beer… it tastes bitter…” Miyazono mentioned, coughing ever so slightly.

Megumi then took a sip, “It’s not bitter… more like earthy… This must be really aged.” he commented, as he slowly chugged away.

“It’s not really that bad though, I like the taste!” Tanaka muttered, admiring it’s vintage taste. “But this moment is quite nostalgic somehow…”

“How is this nostalgic?” Kureha asked, as she also took a sip of the aforementioned beer.

“It’s like… like something you’d drink on a rainy night after getting dumped.”

“That’s deep…” Tsukiyama remarked.

Everyone then laughed, not only because it was funny, but the warmness of that table, despite the shivering cold.

Anna leaned on the counter, fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “It’s nice… all of us here. Like nothing changed.”

For a brief moment, it really did feel like nothing was going to happen.

Until, Tanaka coughed uncontrollably.

A sharp, dry rasp. Then again… his coughs turned even rougher.

“A-Are you okay, Keigo!?” Yumi quickly check up on him.

But before he could respond, Megumi dropped his glass—splashing his drink all over the place. He clutched his stomach, head spinning.

“Wha… what the hell…” he choked.

Tsukiyama’s fingers trembled, as he tightened his grip on the table. His face, sweating like bullets. “What the hell is this Old Man Seda…?”

“I told you… it’s aged…”

Just then, Kureha collapsed, her glass rolling off her hand, shattering on the floor below, spilling the amber-colored drink all over it.

The bartender said nothing for a moment, only watching them—eyes shadowed, unreadable. Then, he gave a tired sigh.

One by one, each of them fell.

Until it was Tsukiyama left, looking over his unconscious friends. Fueled with rage, he then ran towards Seda—but it was futile. He stumbled, his words slurred. Slowly, but surely… his eyes turned shut.

That christmas eve, was silent, and red.

“Till we meet again, Rei.”

In that instance… The sound of a wailing child, echoed in a room. Everything felt so mystical, so mysterious, that it felt like another word.

And then, he opened his eyes.

A wooden ceiling greeted him, sunlight gently pouring in through the cracks. The scent of herbs, firewood, and something unfamiliar filled the air.