Chapter 3: Apéritif (Pre-Dinner Drink)

Two slightly smaller flute glass, its bottom lined with finely crushed ice.
He gently set it down on the table.

“Here we have a South African sparkling wine, ‘Graham Beck Brut.’”

Yuka’s gaze was drawn to the wine as it was poured into the glass.

“Alright then, Misaki-san—cheers!”
“Yes, yes. Cheers.”

The glasses touched, and a clear sound melted into the quiet space.
The moment they took a sip, both of their expressions shifted to surprise.

“Ah… it’s so easy to drink…”
Yuka’s eyes flew open, and the very next moment her brows drew together—
a different kind of surprise surfacing on her face.
“Huh, what is this? Isn’t something floating in it? Mold?!”

“What are you even talking about?”
Misaki frowned and lightly scolded Yuka.

“That is not mold, but mint leaves.”
His voice was calm.

“The ice is mint-flavored, with finely chopped mint leaves sealed inside.
As the ice melts, the leaves emerge and are temporarily set into circulation by the carbonation. We devised this so that it may also be enjoyed visually.
Rest assured, it’s safe to eat.”

At that explanation, Yuka stared blankly, her eyes going wide—then she quickly broke into a grin.
“Heeey, that’s stylish! I totally thought it was mold!”

He smiled and gave a polite bow, but inwardly, he made a small victory fist.