The sidewalk gradually gave way to narrow, poorly lit alleys, which, in turn, led them to a district with dimly glowing neon signs. The air here was different—thick and enveloping, smelling of cooled asphalt and distant hints of something forbidden. Team Yoshido stopped at a nondescript entrance where matte glass hid the interior, leaving only vague, moving silhouettes visible from the outside, like shadows in an aquarium.
Without hesitation, Ming You pushed the heavy door open. A wave of warm, saturated air rushed out, a thick mixture of expensive perfume, tobacco smoke, and sweetish alcohol. Unlike their companion, the rest of the team members froze on the threshold, as if they had hit an invisible wall.
As soon as their eyes adjusted to the subdued lighting, a deep blush flooded their faces, from their ears to their necks. Lu Shen, the most impressionable one, let out a short, choking sound—something between a cough and a moan—and recoiled, almost losing his balance. The others couldn't tear their eyes away from the girls, whose alluring figures and revealing outfits left little to the imagination.
"Hi-hi, Sung Wo," Ming You's voice sounded relaxed and even predatory, breaking the oppressive silence of his comrades. "Mind if we spend some time here, huh?"
A large man in a white shirt with black patterns looked them up and down from the bar counter.
"Hey, brats, you've got the wrong door, this isn't a video arcade, tell them, Sung Wo."
"He's right, this is no place for schoolkids," he began, nervously running a hand over the back of his head, but Ming You sharply interrupted him, without raising his voice.
With a calm gesture, he pulled a wad of banknotes from his pocket and placed it on the counter with a quiet but weighty thud.
"How about now?"
Tae Sagi slowly raised an eyebrow, his seemingly good-natured gaze shifting from the money to Ming You, and then to Sung Wo.
"Really, Sung Wo, he's clearly not a schoolkid with money like that," he drawled, and a playful note crept into his voice. "But here's what I'm wondering, could it possibly be because of you, or maybe someone else, that this money went missing from our pocket straight into his, huh, Sung Wo?"
"W-why would you say that?" his voice trembled. "How do you think he could have stolen it from any of us? That's nonsense!"
"Hmm, well, yes, Sung Wo, that's right, Sung Wo," Tae Sagi mimicked him, enjoying the moment. "But then how did he know your name, huh, Sung Wo?"
"The thing is..."
"So, can we spend time here or not, Sung Wo?" Ming You cut in with a feigned smirk.
Tae Sagi snorted, and a second later his laughter, coarse and booming, filled the space around them.
"Pffft... Hahahaha! Even a child could see the irony in my words, so why are you so tense, huh?" he stared intently at Sung Wo. "You don't actually have such skeletons in your closet, do you?" then his gaze returned to Ming You. "And you... what should I call you?"
"He's Ming You."
"Sung Wo, what, do you think he forgot his own name?" Tae Sagi shook his head with feigned disappointment. "May I hear it specifically from you now?"
Ming You tilted his head slightly.
"I see no point in repeating myself, as he pronounced my name correctly."
"Hmm, well then," Tae Sagi smirked. "Sung Wo, maybe you'll tell him my name for me, huh?"
"I don't think that's necessary..."
"Heh, finally you're thinking right," he snorted. "Well, Ming You, call me Tae Sagi, and I hope I won't have to tell you 'nice to meet you' through Sung Wo, right?"
"In that case, nice to meet you too," Ming You responded with a fake smile.
"Alright, since you're polite, go have fun," Tae Sagi waved his hand towards the hall. "And be a dear, calm down your friends who can't peel their eyes off the boobs."
"Okay, I'll handle it, thank you very much," Ming You nodded and took a step away from the counter.
"Wait a minute," Tae Sagi's voice turned hard again, yet the fake smile never left his face for a second. "You don't think that just because you're polite, you don't have to pay, do you?"
"Oh, sorry, I was just about to pay," Ming You replied without batting an eye and handed over the money.
Tae Sagi took the bills and tossed them onto the counter in front of Sung Wo with disgust.
"And you, Sung Wo, take your 'legitimate' money and agree with them that they are clearly not schoolkids, since they have money like this."
With the same sly, barely perceptible smirk, Ming You picked up the money himself and placed it into Sung Wo's trembling hand. Sung Wo swallowed and, avoiding Tae Sagi's gaze, muttered:
"W-well then, schoolkids couldn't possibly have this kind of money, so you are clearly adults, s-so have fun. Jin Xi" his voice cracked into a shout. "Get these guys some drinks and ask the girls to entertain our guests!"
A girl with fiery red-dyed hair cascading in waves over her shoulders approached the counter. Her clothing left little to the imagination, accentuating her alluring curves. Her gaze slid over Ming You, appraising and interested.
"I like them young," she whispered hoarsely, "especially the cold-blooded ones." Her hand slid down and, with a bold, quick movement, touched his crotch. Finding not the slightest reaction there, she jerked her hand back, her painted lips twisting in puzzlement. "Hey, are you even interested in girls? Or are you just pretending in front of your buddies that you're normal?"
Ming You looked at her with an icy, indifferent gaze.
"All I'm interested in is victory, you stupid woman," he said clearly and quietly, moving her hand away from his pants as if brushing off a bothersome insect. "Now go and entertain my friends."
Sung Wo, standing nearby, couldn't hold back a snort but immediately pretended to adjust a glass. Jin Shi, however, shot Ming You a look full of disappointment and disgust, turned sharply on her heel, and headed behind the counter. A moment later, she was gathering drinks and, with a nod of her head, summoned the other girls, heading towards the table where Team Yoshido stood frozen in silent stupor.
Tae Sagi, who had been watching the scene, laughed loudly.
"Hey, Ming You, are you actually gay or what?" he shouted across the hall.
Ming You, who was already heading to his table, stopped and turned around.
"No, just think for yourself, what kind of normal person responds to advances from prostitutes?"
"Ha-ha!" Tae Sagi burst into his coarse laughter again. "I like this guy! You're speaking the truth, for real!"
Ming You gave him a feigned smile in return and headed to a nearby table by the window where his team had already seated themselves. As soon as he approached the table, his comrades, almost instinctively, yielded the central spot to him.
Before they could even think of their first toast and begin praising Ming You for his incredible resourcefulness, the girls approached. One of them, with provocatively exposed cleavage, sat down on the frozen Lu Shen's lap without a word, while another settled next to Jung Ho.
The effect was instantaneous and catastrophic. A crimson trickle of blood began to flow from Jung Ho's nose, which he tried to wipe away in embarrassment with the back of his hand. Lu Shen sat frozen with a glazed look, like a rabbit before a boa constrictor. Haru Lin and Hong Ren blushed so deeply it seemed they might start smoking at any moment. Only Ming You remained unperturbed, slowly sipping his alcoholic cocktail and observing the team's reaction with a light, almost scientific detachment.
"Perhaps a toast for propriety's sake first?" he suggested calmly, gesturing to politely but firmly push away a girl who had been approaching him.
"Agreed, but there's one small problem..." Jung Ho, his face still burning, grabbed his glass.
"And what's that?" Ming You inquired, glancing around the group.
"Lu Shen, looks like he's checked out," said Jung Ho, pointing at their comrade who sat motionless, his gaze fixed on empty space.
"N-no! I'm fine!" Lu Shen suddenly shuddered as if electrocuted and convulsively grabbed his glass. "Let's have a toast! To Ming You!"
All the others, with visible relief at switching to a more familiar ritual, also raised their glasses and shouted in unison:
"To Ming You!"
After taking their first big gulps, Team Yoshido jerked violently.
"Uaaghh!" burst out from Lu Shen.
Their throats burned, and a noise buzzed in their heads. None of them, except Ming You, had ever drunk anything stronger than soda before, and the alcohol hit their heads instantly, softening their fears and loosening their tongues.