Seiji closed the door to the room and returned downstairs to his friends, who were still warming themselves by the fireplace and chatting about lighthearted topics. He settled back in beside them.
"Oh, you're back already?" Rika asked, as Seiji made himself comfortable.
"Yeah, putting him to bed wasn't exactly a challenge. He sleeps like the dead," he said, adding in his mind, 'A little ironic, given he's the killer here...'
Rika nodded thoughtfully. "He really looked worn out - guess he got a bit too excited about the trip."
Seiji and Ken both blushed slightly, the memory of the dressing room incident surfacing.
"Yeah, 'excited' is one way to put it," Ken muttered with a chuckle.
Trying to shift the mood, Seiji suggested, "How about some drinks to close out the evening?"
Rika perked up. "Sounds great to me!"
Ken agreed, and the three made their way over to the bar nearby. Rows of bottles lined the shelves, with everything from light beers and wines to stronger spirits.
After scanning the options, they made their choices. Rika ordered a watermelon mojito, Ken went for a tequila sunrise, and Seiji opted for a blue kamikaze.
They sipped their drinks, the conversation flowing easily as Ken threw in a few jokes that had them laughing. Before they knew it, an hour had slipped by, their glasses nearly empty.
[ Meanwhile ]
Upstairs, Hideaki began to stir. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was no longer in the cozy spot by the fireplace but back in their room. The only light in the dark room came from a nearby window. Confused, he sat up and flipped on the light.
After a quick scan, he noticed he was alone, and when he tried to open the door, he found it locked.
"Shit! They locked me up in here!" he muttered, irritated. He pulled out his phone and shot Seiji a message.
"Where the hell are you!? And why did you idiots lock me in a room alone!?"
Seiji felt his phone buzz, glanced at the message, and smiled before turning to Ken and Rika.
"Looks like our 'sleeping beauty' is up. Shall I invite him down?"
"Of course, why not," Ken replied, already looking a bit tipsy.
Seiji replied to Hideaki, "We're downstairs at the bar. In case you forgot, you've got your own key."
Before long, Hideaki came stomping toward their table, a scowl on his face.
Seiji chuckled. "Well, now we've got a 'nervous beauty' instead." he said jokingly, being a bit under influence of alcohol.
Hideaki shot him a glare as he arrived. "WHY DID YOU ALL LEAVE ME UP THERE!? AND LOCK ME IN LIKE I'M SOME CAGED DOG!"
"Calm down, Hideaki. Leave them out of this," Seiji said smoothly, taking another sip of his drink.
"Huh?! Why?" Hideaki demanded, still fuming.
"Because I was the one who carried you up and locked the door," Seiji replied, keeping his tone light.
"What? You carried me?" Hideaki looked at him, baffled.
"Yep," Seiji replied, smirking. "You fell asleep on my shoulder downstairs. Couldn't wake you, so I figured I'd let you sleep it off."
Hideaki's eyes widened, his cheeks quickly turning red. 'I fell asleep on his shoulder? And then he... carried me...' He was practically boiling with embarrassment.
YOU ARE READING
Everyday Life with a Murderer
ActionA adult Japanese man, Seiji Sekiguchi was devastated by his life. During one rainy evening, he went to the rooftop of a building to commit suicide. Unexpectedly, on his way he meets a man, who apparently wants to kill him. Prepared for certain death...
