(Sutamai) Daily Mini Talk, 22 July 2017

[nhp]

22 July 2017

 

Characters: Revel.

 

Title: After the surprise

 

I received the phone call about a little after an hour past midnight.

 

-Revel’s Bar-

 

Maki: …… Oh.

 

Hiyama: Is it Kagura?

 

Maki: Yep.

 

Otani: About time, wouldn’t you say?

 

All the while laughing, he emptied his second glass of red wine.

As usual, the only sober aspect left intact about Hatori was the color of his face. 

I had thought about leaving my seat, but seeing as there were no guests at the adjacent table—

I decided to stay put after mulling it over some.

 

Maki: Hello?

 

Kagura: “Oh, you were awake?”

 

Maki: I’m still having drinks with Hiyama-kun and the others.

 

Kagura: “I see.”

 

Maki: You coming back?

 

Kagura: “No, I think I’ll call it a night.”

 

Maki: I see.

 

“Thought so.” Those words ended up being left unsaid.

 

Kagura: “...... Thanks for today. I’ll give Hiyama-kun a call later too.”

 

Maki: Yeah.

 

I snuck a peek over at Hiyama-kun who was sitting next to me.

Whether he had picked up on what could somewhat be overheard or not, his lips relaxed into the brim of his glass.

 

Otani: Is Kagura saying his thanks then?

 

I gave a nod towards the amused and questioning smile that was passed my way. Upon seeing that, Hatori deliberately extended his hand out.

I placed the phone on top of that hand, and without even mentioning that there was a change out between the speakers—

He casually spoke into the receiver.

 

Otani: You’re welcome.

…… Ahaha. Thought I’d just say that.

 

It was like I could hear Aki’s voice coming out from the phone, saying that he wasn’t directing his words at Hatori. 

And appearing as if he had received a reply that he more or less predicted—

Hatori let out a small snort before shortly returning the phone to me.

 

Kagura: “...... You don’t need to nag me about it in such a roundabout way. I was going to give my thanks either way.”

“Actually, are you drunk for once or something?”

 

Maki: He probably is pretty out of it.

 

Kagura: “Oh. Kei-chan?”

 

Hiyama: I don’t think it’s “probably”. He’s not a horrible drunkard, but…

 

Otani: Ahaha. Thank god for that.

 

Kagura: “...... So you all drank that much afterwards, huh.”

 

Maki: Well, so to speak.

 

Kagura: “Hmmm……”

 

In that moment, a slightly far off voice on Aki’s end of the line echoed, “Oh, please turn there”.

It belonged to the same person who had left together with Aki. It was without a doubt, ‘her’ voice.

 

Maki: …… We’re just happy for you.

 

Kagura: “Huh?”

 

Maki: Most likely, far more than you were guessing we’d be, Aki.

That’s why we were thinking that it was great that you didn’t come back to the bar today.

 

Kagura: “...... What’s that supposed to mean? You must be drunk too, Kei-chan.”

 

Maki: Yeah, you’re right. I’m drunk.

 

Kagura: “Make sure you don’t overdo it with the drinking.”

 

Maki: Not to worry. Speak to you later then.

 

Kagura: “Yeah. Later.”

 

Maki: …… Aki.

 

Kagura: “Yeah?”

 

Maki: Congrats.

 

Kagura: “......”

 

Hiyama: …… Congratulations, Kagura.

 

Otani: Congratulations.

 

I uttered those words with everything that I had. Then Hiyama-kun and Hatori followed suit, one after the other.

An immediate answer did not come.

 

Kagura: “...... Thank you.”

 

He replied after a full 10 seconds of complete silence.

I let out a sigh, and without meaning to, I seemingly found myself huffing at the small voice that could be heard coming from the speaker.

“You laughed just now, didn’t you?” Aki spoke.

I absentmindedly thought to myself, as I wiped off the condensation on my cocktail glass with my fingertip—

That ‘she’ who was beside him as he said that, was probably also making the same face that I was.