The First Taste of Beer

After devouring an astonishing amount of meat, I found myself flopping into a patio chair.

Gideon and Garcia were engrossed in each other, with Garcia literally seated on Gideon's thigh, engaging in a passionate exchange of kisses.

All I could manage was a frown. Meanwhile, Matthias, Arnold, and Jayden were busy with Japanese katana movements in front of the fireplace.

Arnold was the one demonstrating, and while it had an edgy flair, they all seemed entertained.

It struck me as odd that we had all ceased hostilities after the mini-game. Despite attempting to eliminate each other during the game, there was no lingering resentment or awkward tension.

Wasn't it more typical for people to harbor some saltiness and pettiness in our situation?

Oh well, I would just enjoy the night.

However, my tranquility was disrupted when Aoki suddenly took a seat in front of me. Shit, things got really awkward.

Would she view me negatively for hitting a woman without hesitation? But then again, who cares? It's not like we'll meet again after this.

But damn, even in the dim light of the night, she remained beautiful. Seated with a beer in hand, I wondered if she was older than me.

"I'm sorry for taking your cube," she said out of the blue.

I straightened my sitting position and replied, "It's alright. It was just a game."

Truth be told, I was still salty about being duped by a woman just because of her beauty.

Aoki nodded and smiled, "Matthias mentioned you might hold a grudge against me."

That damned Matthias! How dare he speak ill of me in front of her!

"Oh no, I wouldn't do that. I'm not someone who holds a grudge for long," I scratched my head, feeling awkward, "And it was my fault, being deceived by your... beauty."

WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY?

Well, screw it. I did find her attractive, and she probably thought I was joking, considering I was younger. But surprisingly, her cheeks began to redden, just like mine.

"Thank you," Aoki said, covering her face with her hand. It was adorable.

I was at a loss for words. My interactions with people were usually limited to Randy and his little brother. Occasionally, Randy, worried about my social life, would drag me to blind dates, but I never found them appealing.

Now, I wish I had paid more attention. What do you say to a woman you like to make her like you back?

I felt a strange urge to wake Randy from his grave just to get some love-life advice from him. He had plenty of experience in that department.

"Umm... Is it alright if I add you as my friend, in the system, I mean?" Aoki suddenly asked.

My heart raced. Did this mean she was interested in me too?

"Sure..."

I opened the system and found a friend request from Aoki. I accepted it, not really understanding how this feature worked. What could you do with a friend in the system anyway?

[You can search for players in the feature; those near you will appear in the search system.]

[You can call and even message your friend with this system! It can even tell you your friend's status right now, such as alive and deceased.]

Ah, so that's how it works. Interesting.

"Wow, someone makes a move," Garcia suddenly intervened, whistling and leaving me thoroughly embarrassed. Aoki turned away, sipping her beer.

"But be careful, Aoki. Seth is still underage," Gideon cautioned.

"Who cares about that? The world is in the middle of the apocalypse! They just can fuck whenever they could." Garcia protested and winked at me.

I heard Aoki spout her beer, and I frowned, trying to hide my reddened cheeks. "No one is going to have... sex, Garcia," I said, attempting to stop her from going too far.

"Meh, boring," Garcia rolled her eyes, finishing her beer until none was left.

She stood up, approaching a box full of beer cans. "Do you want to try it, Seth?"

"Garcia, he's still underage," Gideon reminded her, for which I was thankful.

"Stop being a chicken. There's no law in this world anymore, apocalypse, remember?" Garcia grabbed two cans of beer and tossed them to me.

Well, she did have a point. I opened a can, catching Aoki's gaze. I wondered what she was thinking as I contemplated drinking the beer.

I sighed, looking at the can in my hand, reminiscent of the times with Randy back in high school when the world was at peace.

It was a promise between us to go to a nightclub, sipping vodka or whisky once we came of age. Sadly, we couldn't fulfill that promise anymore.

But the memory brought a smile to my face. Just as I was about to take a sip, someone snatched the drink from me – Matthias.

"Not fair, I wanted to drink one too!" he said while drinking my beer. His expression changed into something that had been swallowed something disgusting.

So I just sighed, "Bring me another one, Matthias." I protested.

"No, you have two legs, take one yourself," he retorted, attempting to drink the beer again. "This one is good," he added, clearly bluffing.

Not wanting to appear weak in front of Aoki, I grabbed an apple from the table and tossed it at Matthias while he was mid-sip. The result: beer spouted, clothes wet.

"What the hell, Seth!"

Sticking my tongue out at him like he had just done to me, I retorted, "Eat that shit, Matthias."

Garcia burst into laughter, joining the fruit-throwing spectacle and the apple hit Matthias' head. "Sucker!"

"You! You! Bitch!!!" Matthias pointed at Garcia and yelled in frustration.

"Hei! Stop all of this!" Gideon intervened, sighing. "Sorry, Aoki and Arnold, for witnessing this."

"Oh, no problem. It just shows how close all of you are," Arnold observed wisely.

"We are not close!" I, Garcia, and Matthias protested simultaneously.

"See, even all of you share the same brain cell. Interesting, isn't it?" Arnold nodded, apparently believing that his theory held true.

Garcia and Matthias continued their joint protest, but I was already tired of their banter and chose to gaze at the sky instead.

Suddenly, something cold touched my cheek – a can of beer. Aoki had given it to me with a smile, so I accepted it.

As I opened the can, the fizzy sound filled the air. The liquid, yellow in color, touched my tongue, leaving a bitter yet somewhat sweet taste, especially when I noticed Aoki smiling at me.

The two of us ended up enjoying our beers in a comfortable silence as the night grew darker, and we bid each other farewell.

Of course, I hope I could meet her again. But not as an enemy, but something more than friendship, a lover, perhaps?