"So… what's the situation now?"
Shiro asked while holding a washbasin.
The moment he stepped into the room, he saw a bunch of muscular men. The one leading them was obviously the same guy from the rugby club earlier in the day!
Had the drinking party already started? But why give him a washbasin? Was he supposed to wash his face before drinking?
Did the rugby club have such a strong sense of ritual?
"Yo, you guys came back just in time!"
Tokita walked over with a drink in hand as soon as he saw them.
Seeing this, Shiro knew he couldn't avoid it, so he started looking around for a cup. "By the way, is it really necessary to wash our faces before drinking? My face isn't even—"
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Tokita continuously pouring alcohol into the washbasin he was holding.
"(′｀;)? Shiro, what were you saying? Something about washing your face?"
Shiro painfully closed his eyes as he stared at the half-filled washbasin of alcohol. "Nothing. I just suddenly felt like my face is really dark today."
Who the hell drinks alcohol from a washbasin!!!
Looking around, he saw that Iori and Kohei had already been surrounded by a group of muscular men. Their washbasins… were already overflowing!
Shiro trembled in fear as he watched the rugby club members slowly close in on him!
"NOOO!!!"
…
"Hah… I survived."
"Drinking from a washbasin… What kind of medieval torture is this?!"
"I can't take it anymore… I need some oolong tea."
In the hallway, three people wobbled as they stood by the vending machine. If they weren't about to participate in the pageant, they'd probably be passed out inside by now!
The inside was basically a wild beast's feast! Did body size really matter when it came to drinking?!
"You two should thank Chisa. If she hadn't offered an exchange, you'd both still be in there. Hic (ˉ?ˉ;)"
"Even if that's true, your smug face is really pissing me off."
"?_? Can't help it. I was already planning to participate in male category. Oh, right, I just took some really interesting pictures. Wanna see—"
Tremble~
Before Shiro could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. And that chill… felt incredibly familiar…
Turning around, he saw a drunk beast sitting on the floor, surrounded by empty bottles!
"Makeup Corpse Beast!"
Shiro exclaimed, never expecting to run into her here!
"Hmm? You guys…"
His voice successfully caught the Drunk Beast's attention, and she looked over.
What the heck… It's the Three Musketeers again.
Kohei instinctively took a few steps back the moment he saw her. "W-what's happening this time?!"
He was already traumatized!
"Is she gonna drag you off for another drinking session?"
"Maybe you should just accept your fate?"
"Bastards! Why don't you two go instead?!"
Kohei yelled, harshly criticizing their betrayal!
"Hey, you guys…"
The Drunk Beast staggered to her feet, wobbling toward Kohei!
"!! Beast! Wait, wait, wait!"
Kohei panicked and waved his hands frantically. If he was going to die, he at least wanted to know why!
"Why me?! Can't you just drink with the tennis club guys?!"
"Hah?"
The Drunk Beast wobbled toward Kohei, and he had nowhere left to run, his back was already against the wall.
Meanwhile, Iori and Shiro silently distanced themselves from them. The alcohol stench was getting to them, and… the upcoming scene might be pretty wild!
"Hah~ Still asking why? Why did I choose you?"
The Beast, as if suddenly sobering up, pointed at Kohei and said, "Because you're a handsome guy, duh!"
"…?!!"
Though being called handsome made Kohei happy, this situation was all kinds of wrong!
"How about trying to remove your makeup first?"
The beast continued speaking as if it hadn't heard the three of them at all.
"I taught myself how to do makeup! I even wore uncomfortable clothes! I did my best to cooperate with everyone! What the hell is this about toasting and soso? What the hell is all this? There's no such thing in movies or TV dramas, okay?!"
Watching the makeup corpse beast gradually lose control, the three of them didn't know how to respond for a moment, they couldn't keep up with her pace at all...
"But! But why does everyone treat me like an idiot?!"
"Everyone?"
"Those people?"
"You finally realized?"
Hearing this, the three of them finally understood; the makeup beast had discovered her role as the comedic relief.
"Well, considering you went on stage dressed like that..."
"With such heavy makeup..."
"And such exaggerated movements..."
"That's not it! Everyone was saying I was cute at first!"
Hearing their words, the makeup corpse beast loudly refuted them. She clearly heard people calling her cute!
"That just sounds like they were mocking you outright."
Shiro calmly stated the cruel truth.
Σ(°Д°;
Iori and Kohei looked at Shiro in shock—does this guy not understand the meaning of tact?!
Upon hearing Shiro's words, the makeup beast deflated like a punctured balloon.
So that's how it is… They had been laughing at her from the very beginning…
"I knew it all along. At first, I thought it didn't matter if I became a talking point... As long as everyone was happy, it was fine, but...
But during the after-party of the beauty contest, those people actually said, 'I've laughed enough, you can leave now'!"
!
After hearing what the makeup corpse beast said, the three of them immediately tensed up, putting away their previously casual expressions and becoming serious.
"So I really shouldn't force myself to change...
No matter what I do, in the end, I'll always be the one being mocked, and they'll always be the ones laughing at me..."
"Makeup corpse beast, you—"
Kohei was about to comfort her but was interrupted by Iori!
"What are you even saying? There's no such thing as people who only mock others and people who can only be mocked!"
"Yeah, that's true. Though I hate to admit it, even though I often make fun of Iori, there are times when the roles get reversed."
A dangerous glint flashed in Shiro's squinted eyes, seems like the last lesson wasn't harsh enough.
"But!"
The makeup corpse beast still wanted to argue, but Iori and Shiro cut her off again.
"Here, take a look at something fun!"
"A punishment fitting for scumbags~"
At that moment, Shiro and Kitahara Iori's tacit understanding reached its peak. After all, they had grown up together, they knew each other all too well!