“Welcome to Shanks farewell party everyone!” A girl approached us with a welcoming smile. “I am Dina and will serve you tonight!”

  Dina was dressed in a red apron while wearing a black dress underneath. Her hair was dark shoulder length. A bright welcoming smile on her face.

  “Girl!” Athena called out. “I thought you wouldn’t be working tonight!” Athena spoke to Dina.

  I assume this is the friend who’s parents owned the place.

  “I wasn’t supposed to but there’s more people tonight than we anticipated!” Dina answered Athena’s question. Who looked rather disappointed but brushed it off immediately. She wanted Dina to hang out with us.

  “I am so sad!” Athena pointed out her disappointment. “Please give me your signature pink lemonade drink!” Then she moved on and ordered a drink.

  Her eyes moved on me.

  “Give me the same thing!” I didn’t want to look for options so I agreed with the same option Athena chose.

  “I don’t drink, water is fine!” Itsuki said when eyes laid on him.

  Dina wrote the orders down.

  “Whisky ginger for me!” Rio announced his choice.

  “Last time you had that it didn’t end well!” Dina said as she wrote his order.

  “It’s gonna be fine!” Rio waved his hand as if it’s nothing and she only shook her head at his response.

  “I won’t take care of you this time!” She warned him.

  “It won’t happen again!” Rio laughed as if giving a promise to her.

  Dina gave him a look of warning but didn’t push it.

  “Who’s paying?” She asked. Looking over all of us.

  “This round is on me!” Itsuki volunteered as he brought out his white card. He has the white card of the citizens of Akasia. I don’t think he is from here. His friendly act with Rio and Athena is like they know each other. Somehow my intuition said not to believe his act or words. The uneasy feeling of Itsuki’s presence was more like an omen of something.

  I will trust my senses this time.

  “Thank you!” Will be right back!” Dina took the card from Itsuki and went towards the bar.

  “How long do you know each other?” I curiously asked, eying Athena, then Itsuki and Rio.

  “I have known him quite recently. He is new to town!” Rio was the one who answered.

  Athena pointed at Rio. “He introduced me to Itsuki.”

  “What made you choose Akasia?” I turned my eyes at Itsuki casually.

  He looked delighted by my interest in him.

  “A job actually!” He answered me sheepishly.

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  “What type of job?” I was curious.

  “An assistant for research.” Itsuki answered.

  “Oh?” I nodded, not really sure he told the truth.

  “By the way! You passed me in the midterm test ranking!” Rio interrupted leading conversion away from Itsuki. He held a friendly smile.

  “Did I?” I wasn’t aware of this.

  “Yeah!” Rio replied. “I was at the seventh place in the test but when the ranking came together with our physical evaluation and you took my previous seventh place and I got your tenth!” He told me.

  “What midterm test ranking is this?” Itsuki was interested in the conversion.

  “University did an overall ability test for the whole grade. These two came in the top ten!” Athena answered Itsuki’s question.

  “What did you get?” Itsuki asked Athena while he was eying me. His smile never leaves his lips.

  “Seventy six. I’m far from a genius like them!” Athena said as she sipped her drink.

  “How many people total?” Itsuki asked.

  “One hundred twenty six students!” Rio was who answered this.

  “Interesting!” Itsuki seemed amused looking in my direction.

  Dina came back with a plate of our drinks and placed them on the table.

  I slightly shifted in my seat to let her as she was leaning over my shoulder.

  “There you go!” She gave the white card back to Itsuki. He gladly received it back.

  “Thank you!” He flashed a kind smile towards her.

  We all thanked for the drinks.

  Athena grabbed hers and took a sip.

  Rio put it to his mouth to taste it.

  I placed it in front of me.

  Itsuki just looked at it. Not intending to touch it yet.

  “Enjoy!” Dina said and left to attend another table.

  I looked at my glass. I was similar to Itsuki. Who didn’t drink. The reason I took this choice was to make a favor to Athena who was doing me a favor. Her wanting to be friends with me opened something that I wouldn’t be able to achieve alone.

  “After our phone call I realised that I may have approached you the wrong way.” Itsuki spoke to me. “I thought you would be aware of some things but look to me you have been left out of everything.” Itsuki said to me eyes looking at me apologetically.

  “The riddle that day I gave you. The answer is Reigen Lawyet is the one who set up a trap for you.” Itsuki revealed the thing he tried to warn me about.

  I didn’t really understand what he meant by that.

  “I don’t even know the guy.” I said.

  Athena and Rio looked at our exchange seemingly to be interested. Their faces did tell me that they are not surprised by this.

  “You’re special.” Athena said something that made me look at her.

  She called me the same word Yuji kept teasing me with.

  “He wants to meet you! Isn’t that right?” Itsuki said this after Athena. Skipping over her words.

  “Not only him but Yuji as well!” Athena interjected again.

  I looked at my hands that touched the glass. I took the glass and slowly put it towards my lips. All eyes on me as I took a sip.

  “Who’s Yuji?” Itsuki raised an eyebrow while I was midway through my sip. Then he suddenly looked as if remembering something. “Oh…him!”

  The sweet and savoury taste of hot burned through my mouth. The warmth followed through my throat as it went down. I didn’t like it. Put the glass back on the table.

  “What have I done to gain attention?” I was curious.

  “It’s no fun if I give you all the answers.” Itsuki looked at me with bored eyes. Leaning in his chair. But his eyes suddenly changed.

  Rio looked in the same direction. Behind me towards the entry.

  “There they are!” Rio was expressing excitement.

  I followed his gaze that was behind me towards the entrance. Shinichi’s distinct frame came into view with someone next to him. Slightly taller. Bigger in build. More mature looking features. Their faces were almost identical except for the age gap.

  “Uncanny.” I mouthed.

  “They do look the same!” Athena agreed.

  “What are you gonna do!?” Rio asked not hiding his excitement.

  I turned my head back to look at Rio. He looked rather giddy wanting to know. As if he came here to watch something exciting happen.

  I did not answer his expression. Instead I got up.

  “This is going to be fun!” Rio couldn’t help but look amused by the situation.

  Itsuki replied to him something but the music got louder at that moment cutting his words out. People started to dance as the music played. My eyes found Shin’s. It was dark in the room. Neon lights flashing. People having a good time, drinking and dancing.

  Our eyes met. Shin’s eyes were serious. He was looking rather smaller than he usually does next to the big figure of his older brother.

  “Hey!” Shin leaned in to kiss my cheek.

  His lips were cold as the weather outside.

  “Finally you get to meet my brother, Reigen!” Shin introduced me to his brother.

  Reigen Lawyet smiled.

  “Nice to finally meet you Rory!”