Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 205: Arc 4, Act I, - 50: Afterparty

"You’re spent aren’t you?"

Jotou’s forehead pressed further into the counter with a longer groan. All the music and all the chatter became nothing but a memory, not even the footfalls of the staff.

The staff cleared up anything that would smell or cause a mess, leaving the rest to be cleared up the next day.

"Go away, you’re drunk."

The princess resting her cheek on her palm widened her waning eyes, "I’m not like drunk, drunk, I’m tipsy at best."

"Night befalls you Empire of Shattering Earth; your princess who holds the fate of your future, is drunk."

"Tch... Whatever. You went from nervous-confident wreck to sorority princess, how the hell d’you pull it off?"

Jotou raised her head and leaned her crossed arms atop the counter. "The clothes certainly helped me play the part.

Otherwise, I just said to my head, hey, consequences be damned, nothing I’ll do tonight’ll affect me tomorrow. Now it’s all back. I never realize how comforting my paranoia is," her shoulders slumped.

"Well, whatever coping mechanism you used, you killed it loser. You even set Ara up with Luciean."

"I did didn’t I... Why do I feel like I’m gonna be killed tomorrow when I train with her...?"

"Hey, you were an expert wingman and it’s cute, I think they hit it off; ’think’. Anyway, Ara’s probs gonna be with me like, for the whole day. You’re not gonna be training with her till Trailon leaves."

"Back to business then."

"You kiddin’ me, this entire gala’s been business. The night’s still young-"

"It’s nearly midnight."

"Nearly."

"Trailon’s sending an emissary tomorrow."

"I’ll be fine, the meeting’s at like ten or eleven."

"So you wanna drink and get a hangover in less than twelve hours from now?"

"Stop with the dead voice and stop math-ing!"

"I hate math."

"Just like a little afterparty. You know, your friends, me, Feyan, I already roped Ara in; just around here, we got some pretty expensive leftovers, we’ll all sit in a circle and have some fun and actually loosen up."

"Pass."

"Come onnnnnn, you can relax. It’s just something we never got to do ya know? Every night we’d stay up late, put all the furniture in a comfy mess, making food and playing games and stuff, then we’d prank the first to fall asleep.

No parents, big mansion, beanbags, no time limits, we’ll be awake till the Sun’s in the windows!"

"Yup, you’re drunk." ’Mansion...’ "CRASH!!!" The memory ringed in her ears again. Her lips tightened and she sighed, "Fine, I’ll do it for our sakes."

"Haha!" Daiyu grabbed Jotou from the bar and tugged her along to a few pulled out chairs from the tables, where Hotaru sat, watching the entrance; only the three of them were in the huge vicinity.

"I got him in!"

Hotaru turned, "I doubted she’d say no."

"I’m not getting drunk and I still want to sleep properly."

"Then both of us can be responsible tonight."

"Where’s everyone else?" Jotou queried.

"Feyan went out to see his parents . He also wanted to check the guards posted at the Count and Countess’s room. Oh and where’s Ara?" Daiyu searched with squinted eyes.

"Countess’s room?" Jotou turned to Hotaru.

"I told Daiyu it might’ve been suspicious if they were maybe spotted being escorted to the dungeons. With all the guests around, we can’t really do that.

Arabella went to change her clothes, Sobi too and Meko blinked back to her room to do the same. It’s fair to say, most people have gone to sleep in the palace."

"Ugh, Ara’s room’s like near mine, that’s gonna take a while... I’m just gonna stay like this."

"Me too," Hotaru revealed her heels she held in her hand.

"Well, I’m gonna go change too then."

"Another one for the waiting list," Daiyu sneered.

"Don’t worry, I told the staff to take my gear to the bathroom down the hall and hide it in a corner with a note. I’ll be back in ten minutes max."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"Well psychopath, in case someone decided to crash the party and poison us all. No sword, but with my magic, these should be enough," Jotou sparked her fists. "Anyway, I’m gonna go wash off this makeup."

"I see your point... Go on then, hurry up and don’t use water, I’m sure my makeup remover’s in every bathroom in the palace."

"Aru make sure she doesn’t do something stupid," Jotou walked past them.

"I’m not drunk!"

"Will do," Hotaru stared at Jotou’s back while she left, eyeing down till the blonde’s legs and then back up.

Daiyu pulled up a chair, "So~ Now I know a little more about you. You want Jotou, huh?" her teeth grinned leaning close, "What’s all happened, come on, tell me."

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Oh please, you two are ’just roommates’? I had my doubts, it was hard to tell who Jotou actually liked sometimes."

"Please," Hotaru blushed and her ears flickered, "Nothing like that’s happened."

"Okay, what do you like about Jotou? How’d he ask you to the gala?"

"Uh, actually I asked her after she spoke to the king..."

"Makes sense."

"What do I like about her? She’s..." Hotaru held her hands together and could feel her tail wag as she stared off into space with a bright smile, "She’s beautiful; inside and out.

She can be very stubborn, clever and adorable. There’s a playfully childish spite in her that can be really scary.

She somehow always knows what to say at the right moment. It’s like, she can make everything feel better just by being there. She’s compassionate, thoughtful and she truly cares.

I want to be there for her like when she was for me; so we can stand together. She gives me life and inspires me to be better; and her obliviousness to it all has been so much fun for every day I fell.

The way she sees the world, the way she looks at me, how she carries herself, the scent of her hair, her little winks and if you’ve noticed she walks pushing her toes first like a cat, she even acts like one sometimes, it’s all too adorable-"

"Wow... you’re really down bad for him... So, why hasn’t anything happened again?" she squinted.

Hotaru shook her head, "Heh. I don’t know why she hasn’t just, grabbed me by the back of my head and kissed me yet. I’ve been a bit insecure as of late too.

And I don’t think I’ve ever been insecure about Jotou’s feelings for me in a while... I’m always so confident, but I feel like she’s... I think she might be losing interest in me.

I’ve never felt more jealous when Jotou was being Ms Perfect during the gala. I’m not sure anymore... Maybe I teased her for too long?

I was being quite obvious... But since I didn’t give her a direct answer she might be, moving on... I have this odd feeling that tonight was just a fling."

"Welp, Jotou’s infected your mind..." Daiyu held the bridge of her nose, "I think I found your problem here, you’re expecting Jotou to make the first move...

If you have doubts, you really shouldn’t. Jotou actively blocks out romance from his head and denies wanting it.

If I had to guess, he’s had a heavy crush on you and convinced himself you’re nothing more than friends cause you kept teasing him. Trust me, I know Jotou."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"For one, Jotou’s pan and loves intelligence. If you’ve proven you’re somewhat smart or if Jotou’s seen it, he’s already fallen madly."

"Pan?"

"Pansexual. Oh right, this world doesn’t have names for sexualities or whatever. He likes personality over anything. He does care a little about looks and let me tell you, you’re completely fine; he has a thing for redheads."

"Oh..." Hotaru blushed brighter. She recalled the words ’you’re amazing’ the day that Jotou saw her at work when they first met. Has it been since then? It couldn’t have possibly lasted since then, could it? "Well, what do you think I should do?"

"You teased the wrong person if you wanted him and he will start denying it just out of spite. Once he gets back, you make him sit down and you tell him what you want.

Be assertive. It’ll take you a hundred years before Jotou willingly admits he wants it."

"I guess I’ve known her long enough to know that’s true..."

"Trust me on this, be firm and you’ll have him however you want," Daiyu pinched her fingers. Both of them noticed the blonde re-entering, "Now’s your chance," Daiyu got up.

"Where’re you going?" Jotou, hair still the same, was in her adventuring attire, makeup mostly removed with bits here and there that could easily be washed away. She carried her other outfit.

"Oh, just looking for Feyan, go on wait inside," Daiyu went past and pulled one door along with her.

"Okay..." ’Something’s happened... What is it?’ Jotou glanced at the room, ready for traps or prank ambushes.

"Jotou! Get over here," Hotaru stood up and pointed her finger to the chair, her brows furrowed and a glare in her eyes.

"Uhhh... Did Daiyu tell you something? You know, like a secret from my old world or anything like that?" ’The psychopath’s retaliated dammit.’

"I said get over here!"

"I..." Jotou gulped walking forward. She sighed, "Listen, whatever Daiyu told you, I can explain. I’m sure she overexaggerated something I did in high school."

Hotaru kept an eye till Jotou got closer, "Sit."

"Huh? What did Daiyu tell you? Please-"

"Sit down!"

"I," Jotou squeaked. She put her clothes down and sat, "There, happy?"

"Good girl," her tone mellowed.

Jotou’s heart fluttered, "Excuse me?" she tilted her head.

Hotaru held Jotou’s shoulder with a stone-faced stare and lifted one foot over the sitting blonde. Jotou’s eyes widened as Hotaru straddled her and sat on her lap.

The redhead folded her arms behind Jotou’s neck. The blonde’s breath quickened, her heart raced. ’WHAT’S HAPPENING!?’ Every alarm rang in her head, "Hotaru...?"

"Shh..." Hotaru closed her eyes and leaned downwards to Jotou. Though both their hearts ran a marathon, Jotou closed her eyes in an instinct, seeing her so close...

Her soft pink lipstick met the blonde’s lips and pressed in, now sharing the same breath. They could smell the fragrance of the other as Jotou’s shoulders went lightly limp and Hotaru pulled herself closer.

It was as if, time had stopped... and for those measly few seconds, nothing mattered anymore. Hotaru parted from their kiss and opened her eyes.

Jotou fluttered her lashes upwards, feeling butterflies and her nerves shake. "How was it?" Hotaru held a soft, seductive smile and flipped a few of her red strands back.

Jotou gazed into nothing as her brows knitted, "That... that was my first kiss..."

Hotaru’s eyes widened, "It was my first too, did you, not want, I- WOAH, AH!" "THUD!"

"Hotaru!"

The redhead leaned back too far and stumbled, falling down from the chair onto the floor; her arms released from the blonde. Jotou leaned down and helped her up while Hotaru was on all fours.

"Bravo, bravo. Congratulations!" one clap then two from the door as the two looked up. "Finally," Daiyu rolled her eyes.

Jotou helped Hotaru stand and she got up as well, "What, what are you doing? What did you do!?"

"Oh just saved the world from this drawn-out love story. Don’t tell me you hated it Jotou?" Daiyu stuck her tongue out.

"I," Jotou looked to Daiyu, "I," she looked to Hotaru, "I’m, I’m going back to my room," in a haste she paced out the doors.

"Oh, uh, hm..." Daiyu paused with a scrunch in her face... She, no... She couldn’t be wrong about this, right? Right...?

"Daiyu," Hotaru breathed, "What have I done, what have I done!?"

"Don’t panic, don’t panic. Hey, you got it over with at least. Okay, when he’s serious, he’s serious and reasonable. I think, you just need to be mature and talk to him about it, properly."

"I," Hotaru’s voice cracked as her ears folded over her head, "I will," she took a deep breath. "Okay, I just have to, talk to her and clear everything up, you’re right. I think I should go."

"No, give some time, give some time. Maybe relax here, wash up, have a drink and then go; think of it clearly. I’m surprised I’m the one suggesting this."

Meanwhile, Jotou jogged down the hallway back to her room, all the blood rushing in her head. "WOO!!!" she threw her arms into the air and hopped.

She laughed, twirled like a ballerina and panted, "I LOVE YOU LIFE!" she began skipping down the hall, swinging both arms freely.

Feyan passed by with two bottles of drinks, "Oh Ms Jotou, what is with all the excitement?"

"Nothing, I’m just, very happy how the gala went."

"I am pleased you think so," Feyan cocked a brow and smiled.

"I should be heading to my room, I won’t be joining you, bye~!"

"Uh, bye...?" Feyan gave a shrug and continued on his path.

_

In her yellow nightgown, she sat on the edge of her bed. She stared at the carpet and placed a finger on her own lips before closing her eyes in pure content.

Only thirty or so minutes had passed and still no other thoughts filled her head. She let her hair down, washed her face proper and still, that kiss lingered in her mind.

She heard the doorknob twist and a knock. "Jotou...?" her ears peeked in first. Her hair had been let down and her face clear as well. "Listen, I’m... sorry about what I did," she stepped in.

’Sorry? Does she think-? Oh sweet, sweet revenge.’ She pouted with a grave stare, "No, I understand... I don’t blame you for being drunk."

"That’s the thing, I’m not drunk Jotou, I’m completely sober, I was sober, I’ve been using my rejuvenate spell, I know I’m a lightweight; it was an active choice."

"Well, what’s done is done... Don’t have regrets now. You’ve taken my first kiss... and I can’t have it ever again."

She shut the door, "Jotou I’m... Jotou I, I don’t-" her voice cracked and her brilliant blue eyes welled up and rippled.

"I think the only thing you can do now, is kiss me again and remove that first kiss off of my lips," she turned, slowly showing a half-cocked smirk.

Hotaru stared and stared... A grin grew, "You had me panicking for half an hour, why? Never mind, I should’ve known you spiteful little housecat," she wiped her eyes.

"That’s for being a tease for hell knows how long. I feel the same way Hotaru."

"Well," she walked closer to her bed, "I haven’t admitted anything by technicality."

"You want to continue this game Aru? I won’t admit it till you do and you can’t make me."

"Challenge accepted then~" she sat next to Jotou. "But in all seriousness, I’m glad you’re not mad at me. I thought you maybe lost interest..."

"Never. I was just an anxious mess."

"I should sue you for emotional damages," she leaned closer.

"I’d like to see you try," Jotou hovered closer and the two kept lingering at the same distance... Hotaru pushed closer and so did the blonde as their lips met once again...