Chapter 33: The Socially Adept Miss Cola

Part One

Outside the live house, a small drink counter operates only at night.
Neon lights flash on the counter’s pillars, and Cola, in her sailor suit, stands stiffly behind it, looking more rigid than Liuli, whose hands are neatly clasped at her waist.

“…Pfft, hehe… C-Cola…”

“What…”
Cola keeps her eyes on the guests streaming in, barely moving her lips.

“Your stance is so weird…”

“Ugh, it’s how I stood during military training.”

“Eh, you were in the military?”

“No, no, I mean… ugh! I just don’t know how to stand right now! Where’s the manager? Help me out! She didn’t even train me and just threw me into this—seriously okay?”

“Cola, just relax a bit.”

“You’re not exactly relaxed either…”

“Eh? I-I think I’m plenty relaxed. When I started, I hid under the counter to take orders…”

“What, are you some anime-level social recluse?”
Cola rolls her eyes, then grits her teeth, spreads her legs, and plants a hand on her hip, striking an exaggeratedly “relaxed” pose.

“I-Isn’t that too relaxed…?”

“Hah? Whatever! This is my stance now!”

As she speaks, a guest in a snapback and hip-hop gear, oozing rock vibes, sways over.
Liuli stammers a greeting.
“W-welcome, what would you l-like…”

“What drink you want, bro?”
Cola cuts in.

“!!”
Liuli freezes, wide-eyed, like a startled sheep.

“Yo! Milk mixed with Sprite!”

“What kinda mix is that? Not afraid of a stomachache?”

“Haha, it’s the rock ‘n’ roll way!”

“Rocking your stomach?”

“Hey! New girl’s got spunk—cute one, too.”

“I’m a guy.”

“A trap this perfect exists?!”

“Here, your Sprite-milk mix. Mostly milk, just a splash of Sprite for fizz—right?”

“Spot on! You’ve got talent, girl!”

“Meh, average.”
Cola waves it off.

Liuli’s still dazed as a long line forms behind.
Once work starts, there’s no time to chat.
Cola handles several guests before Liuli snaps out of it and helps. Originally, she was supposed to guide Cola, but now it’s Cola leading her—completely flipped.

“Hey, heard the new hire’s a trap.”

“The silver-haired one on the left?”

“Whoa, they cosplaying sisters?”

“Socially awkward girl and her trap brother?”

“So cute, can’t even tell she’s a guy!”

“But that stance screams boy!”

“Yup, yup, a trap with pure masculine vibes is the best!”

“Some shy moments wouldn’t hurt, though…”

“Hehe…”

“Hey, you lot done staring? Here for the bands or me? Move it, or the people behind you will riot!”

“We’re here for both!”

The crowd’s hyped, many fixating on Cola.

“Cosplaying a vampire?”

“Silver-haired vampire trap, I’m done for!”

“Chill, this is a public place!”

“What’re you thinking?!”

Some start roasting each other over Cola.
Others ask for photos.
Not being Japanese, Cola doesn’t care much about privacy and snaps pics with everyone, until Liuli’s stuck making drinks while Cola’s swamped with photo requests—she can barely keep up.

“Photos with our new staff Cola are 500 yen each!”
Nayuki pops out of nowhere.

Cola thinks 500 yen’s a rip-off, but people wave bills and rush forward.

“Hold up, that’s insane!”

Maybe the band crowd—already outgoing and pumped—loves a fresh spectacle, so they all swarm over.

“Miss Cola, be my girlfriend!”

“I’m a guy!”

“Doesn’t matter, love conquers all!”

“Miss Cola, Miss Cola, be my girlfriend? I’m a girl~!”

“Girls, I might consider…”

“Hey, ladies, don’t steal cute boys from us!”

“Yeah, cute boys belong to guys!”

“Agreed!”

Part Two

When the headliner band takes the stage, the outer area quiets down.
It’s past 10 p.m., and after two intense hours, Cola’s nearly spent.

“Ha… huff… exhausted…”
Cola squats, slumping over the counter, chest heaving.
“If every shift’s this hectic, I won’t survive…”

“U-usually after 10, it calms down. Early on, it’s smaller bands, so some people skip them and hang out here first…”

“Ugh… I’m dead.”

“You’re amazing, Miss Cola… you’re way better at socializing than I thought…”

“Eh, it’s just work. Gotta act professional, even if I’m not great at it—fake it till you make it.”

“R-right! Hic…”
Suddenly, a reeking Inukai Saeko collapses onto Cola, clutching a whiskey bottle, burping.

“Hey, what’s your deal? Drinking on the job, seriously okay?”

“No problem, no problem. Saeko’s job is drinking with guests.”
Nayuki strolls to the counter with a sly smile.
“She came here just to drink freely.”

“So money was just an excuse…?”

“Maybe part of it?”

“Didn’t peg you for a drunk that day, Saeko!”

“Hehe… werewolf life’s too stressful, so I drink. Booze makes everything go away—no sadness, just happy, hehe… Want some?”

“Saeko, don’t offer minors alcohol!”
Nayuki smacks her forehead.

“Right~ This country’s laws suck. Why can’t minors drink? Next door at &@, it’s fine…”

“&@ technically bans it too, just unenforced…”
Cola smirks.
“But seriously, you’re a mess—image ruined.”

“Ehe… it’s fine, it’s fine…”

“Saeko, help me push the cart inside. It’s hype in there—perfect time to sell drinks.”

“Yes—! Leave it to me… hehe… can I drink my fill tonight?”

“As long as you don’t cause trouble. Oh, if it’s not a guest’s treat, you pay for the booze.”

“Eh—what?! That’s not what we agreed on, it’s fraud…!”
Saeko clings to Nayuki’s leg.

“Hey, Saeko, if you snitch, you’ll lose your 2,500-yen-an-hour gig, and ‘high school teacher working at a shady live house’ will hit the news. You cool with that?”

“Sorry! Super sorry!”

“Then behave, got it?”

“Woof woof!”

“…Totally sloshed.”
Cola watches Saeko stumble off with Nayuki, rubbing her forehead.
“Say, is the manager secretly a sadist?”

“Eh? No, I think she’s nice…”

“Really? Maybe she picks her targets… or she’s an S-type…”

“Cola, tired? Want a drink?”

“Huh? We get free drinks?”

“No… I brought my own.”
Liuli bends down, pulling a Pepsi from under the counter.
“Want some?”

“…Ew, you drink toilet cleaner?”

“Eh? I-I think it’s fine… doesn’t it taste similar?”

“Pepsi’s too sweet, and it lacks that sharp cola bite. The whole point of soda is that first ‘explosive’ sip—Pepsi can’t touch Coke there!”

“S-sorry…”
Liuli lowers her head, dejected.

“Ah, don’t apologize, just my preference. Uh… can we get free ice water?”

“I-I don’t know… probably not?”

“Whatever, I’ll sneak a cup—no one’ll notice. Say, the manager’s inside. What if someone buys a ticket?”

“Usually, not many come this late.”

“But if someone does? There’s always a few, right? The staff here seems kinda short.”

“Turnover’s high. We lost people recently, so we’re short-handed…”
Liuli points to a middle-aged man leaving the restroom.
“That uncle will cover the ticket booth later. During night shifts, he goes wherever needed—only full-time staff besides the manager.”

“Oh, that guy? Looks exhausted.”

“He’s always like that but never screws up. Super reliable senpai.”

“Ohh—”
Cola stretches lazily, glancing at a dark corner.
“Huh, a group’s coming out. Band?”

“Mm? Yeah… student band.”

“The warm-up rookie ones?”

“Yup.”

“Look like high schoolers?”

“Mm, they just formed. This is their third show here.”

“How’s their popularity?”

“Nayuki-nee says it’s growing. They’ve covered their stage fees each time and then some.”

“Might be a big deal someday.”

“Yeah… they’re really talented, but their popularity’s growing slowly. Thinking about it makes me… ugh… with my skills, a band would flop, right?”

“No way, your piano’s great. Haha, scared of failing again?”

“Y-yeah… you’re amazing, Cola, always so optimistic…”

“I just plan for failure before trying… And didn’t I say no ‘Miss’?”

“S-sorry…”

“Liuli.”

“Mm?”

“Apologizing again? That’s a penalty.”

“Eh?”

“Come closer.”

“Y-yes!”

Cola grins, gently pinching Liuli’s cheek, then laughs nervously.
“Hehe… cough… pretty soft!”

“Eh—can you punish me like this every day?”

“Eek!”