"Fei-yu-kun, please enjoy your meal."
"Okay."
If not for the System's alert, Ho Fei-yu would have genuinely believed this was just a simple thank-you dinner. But knowing Reika Kurashiki's underlying intention, the food suddenly seemed less appealing. He simply waited for President Reika Kurashiki to make her move.
Both harbored their own thoughts but showed no outward signs.
"By the way, Fei-yu-kun, do you like drinking?"
"I guess so..." Ho Fei-yu didn't actually like drinking, but he had to play along with Reika Kurashiki to complete the mission.
"Oh! Is that so? I didn't expect Fei-yu-kun to drink at such a young age."
"Heh heh, just occasionally."
"Then, I wonder if I have the honor of sharing a few drinks with you tonight?"
"Honor is too much. Let's just have a few drinks as friends."
"Heh heh, alright." A look of successful plotting briefly flashed across Reika Kurashiki's cold face.
Ho Fei-yu noticed it, though. He hadn't expected the usually stern-faced Reika Kurashiki to look so beautiful and moving when she smiled. A slight warmth rose in his heart.
"How about this? Let's play a game of rock-paper-scissors. The loser drinks. What do you say?"
"Rock-paper-scissors? I've never played, but I can try." Ho Fei-yu saw Reika Kurashiki agree, and a look of successful plotting appeared on his face as well. Reika Kurashiki, however, didn't see his smile. She was thrilled that Ho Fei-yu agreed to drink. After all, drinking was her forte. She had drunk countless people under the table during business dinners, and Ho Fei-yu, a mere high schooler, would be easily managed.
She had even brought out her treasured, aged liquor. Her personal best was only 8 glasses, but Ho Fei-yu would likely be drunk after 2 or 3 glasses. So, she wasn't worried at all.
"H-how come... I keep... losing? Hiccup. Again... again. I... I don't believe it." Reika Kurashiki lost 3 times in a row initially and downed 3 glasses, accepting defeat. She was a little confused about why Ho Fei-yu hadn't lost even once. However, victory and defeat were common in competition, just like in business—there were ups and downs. As long as the strategy was sound, turning the tables was easy. She had done it many times in business. So, she didn't believe she would keep losing. As soon as Ho Fei-yu drank one glass, he'd be dizzy, and she could ask anything.
"W-whoa~ Ho... Ho Fei... yu, are you... cheating... hiccup?"
"W-why... haven't... you lost... even once?"
"Uh, isn't it just luck? Maybe our President Reika Kurashiki just has bad preggers luck today?" Ho Fei-yu looked at Reika Kurashiki, who had already drunk 6 glasses. He no longer hid his smile, and the tone of his voice toward her became somewhat flippant.
Was Ho Fei-yu really lucky? Of course not! The moment he suggested rock-paper-scissors, he had already won. While he couldn't guarantee a win with other methods, he was guaranteed to win at rock-paper-scissors!
Rock-paper-scissors was easy to read, especially with the help of Star Platinum. Just as the two were about to throw their hands, he would stop time, move in front of Reika Kurashiki, and carefully examine her hand. If she was throwing scissors, her index and middle fingers would tend to stick out slightly right before the throw. If she was throwing paper, her five fingers would be evenly spread out with no finger particularly prominent. If neither of those features appeared, then it was definitely rock, and there was nothing more to say.
Using this method, he had successfully stopped time 6 times. With a perfect score, he just needed a few more times for the mission success notification.
The scale of victory had already tipped in his favor.
Because Star Platinum is invincible!!!
Ho Fei-yu was getting a little carried away, forgetting that Dio had boasted the same about The World right before being smashed into pieces.
7 th
glass down. Ho Fei-yu smiled brightly.
8 th
glass down. Ho Fei-yu's smile widened.
9 th
glass down. Cold sweat began to bead on Ho Fei-yu's forehead. His head started to spin and feel heavy.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing A-Rank Mission. Obtained Moody Blues.]
Ho Fei-yu was swaying, completely lacking the joy of completing a mission and receiving a reward. He actually felt dizzier than Reika Kurashiki, who had consumed 9 glasses of liquor.
'System, what's going on?' Ho Fei-yu endured the discomfort and asked the System internally.
[Ding! Due to the Host's insufficient spiritual power, Star Platinum's ability can only be used approximately 8 times. Exceeding this limit will cause the spirit to enter a state of weakness, confusion, and intoxication.]
'F-word (mad expression)' Ho Fei-yu could only silently swear.
He just wanted to find a place to rest. Conveniently, the room was comfortably equipped with a bed, and a large one at that. Ho Fei-yu struggled to his feet, stumbled a couple of steps, and passed by Reika Kurashiki. Seeing that she had lost her usual cold, beautiful demeanor, flailing her hands wildly, her black silk-clad legs in high heels kicking randomly—a complete drunkard—he decided to ignore her and prioritize his own comfort.
"S-stop, little... puppy." Ho Fei-yu was about to leave when he heard a command from Reika Kurashiki's mouth. He didn't know why he stopped. His consciousness wanted to leave, but his body was obediently frozen in place.
'Move, body! Is our bond not as strong as that wretched woman's? Don't let that woman interfere with our bond! Oh my god!!' Ho Fei-yu complained frantically in his mind.
"Down." In her drunken state, Reika Kurashiki was woozy and mistook Ho Fei-yu for a puppy. Seeing him so compliant, she couldn't resist continuing to tease him.
Sure enough, Ho Fei-yu immediately got down after hearing Reika Kurashiki's command. He could only endure it now, hoping Reika Kurashiki wouldn't go too far. However, when he looked at Reika Kurashiki's full, round, black-silk-covered, sexy thighs from this angle, his eyes fixed on them, and a fire slowly began to burn within his body.
"Do... do you want... to eat?" Reika Kurashiki saw the puppy was so obedient and wanted to reward it. She glanced around and saw the leftover caviar. She stumbled up, took the caviar in her hand, then lost her balance and collapsed onto the sofa. By chance, the caviar landed on her black silk-clad foot.
The red stood in stark contrast against the black.
"Come here, puppy. Eat this." Reika Kurashiki didn't want to waste food. Instead of dumping the caviar on the floor, she extended her foot toward Ho Fei-yu.
"..." Ho Fei-yu looked at the black silk-clad foot with caviar on it, getting closer. Because Reika Kurashiki had staggered, the high heel on this extended foot had slipped off her heel, only hanging on by her toes, swinging back and forth with the tremor of her foot.
"What? You don't like it? Do you want me to feed you personally?"