Chapter 163 - Vol. 3 - 36

Keiko

Hours had now passed since Kaori and Ash had left the inn, and Keiko couldn't be more annoyed at that. It felt wrong, to have to sit back at the inn with the daytime drunks while Ash and Kaori were risking their lives just a few hours away. 

A part of her wanted to run out and sprint over to them. 

She was currently sitting at a table alone. Metsumi and Satsuhiro were taking Opah with them on a walk through the city. They had made the offer for her to come along with them, but she'd refused. Instead, she chose to sulk on her own, with nothing but a cup of ale to keep her company. Even though it tasted terrible to her.

Or at least, she had been alone up until now. Eventually, Caroline suddenly showed up and sat down across from her, putting her own mug down as well. She took a few big, audible gulps from it and wiped her lips before grinning at Keiko.. 

"So... I'll be honest," Caroline said as she put her hands under her chin and leaned forwards. "I did not expect to hear that bit yesterday, love." 

Keiko sighed. 

"Neither did I," Keiko muttered. 

"But uh, are you alright?" Caroline asked. "I mean, I had to spend quite a bit of time cleaning up that goop you vomited. If you don't want to talk about it, that's alright as well, I'm just asking." 

"... I'm fine," Keiko replied. 

"Ah, good, good. I'd been worried. Let me know if you need any potions or medicines, by the way, I know a healer or two, I can get you a discount," she winked. 

"I will come to you if I do then." 

Caroline nodded. She took another sip from her own cup and Keiko did the same. Around them, there were older people drinking and chatting about different things, mostly about those portals that had opened up. Keiko was starting to feel like she'd be better off waiting in her room. 

And, as Caroline smirked, what she said next didn't help. 

"So," Caroline started. "By the way, I don't know if you were stretching the truth a bit, love, but that blondie you'd told me about..." 

"Kaori?" Keiko asked, surprised she was being brought up. 

"Mhm, the hot blonde, yes," Caroline grinned. "You told me she was taken. She sure didn't act like it though." 

At that, Keiko narrowed her eyes. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Oh, I'm just saying... Couple of nights ago, she and I had a bit of a moment." 

"How?" Keiko asked, confused. 

"Well, basically, she had come to the bar after you and that one demon girl went upstairs. I saw that she was kinda brooding a bit so I decided to lighten her mood a little. And... Well," Caroline blushed slightly, "I couldn't really resist flirting a little, you know? I mean, she's stunning! They don't really make them like that over here, everyone kind of looks and dresses the same in Onyx. Well, outside of my friends," she gestured at her coworkers. "Anyway, so, yeah. We were talking and... I was feeling like she was being receptive and all so..." She paused. "I kissed her." 

Keiko blinked twice. 

"... Are you serious?" Keiko asked. 

"Hey, don't get mad at me," Caroline said, maybe sensing the way Keiko tensed up. "If anything, get mad at her. Like I said, I don't think she's anywhere near as 'taken' as you said she was." 

Keiko's hands clenched into fists under the table. 

"What?"

"I mean, she seemed like she kind of liked it," Caroline continued. "She left a little fast after that though, but, eh, I thought it was a pretty good moment. So, I have to say, whoever she's dating," Caroline said, standing up, "you should tell them to shape up. Honestly, she's either in need of some loving right now or she's not as committed as you think she is. Not my business to say though, just letting you know though. You know," she winked. "In case you see her coming up to me later or something." 

And then, Caroline walked away, resuming her work as though she hadn't just shattered Keiko's self-esteem. 

So, apparently, Caroline had kissed Kaori and the blonde had liked it and reciprocated. 

...  How exactly am I supposed to react to this?  Keiko looked down at her drink. She'd never been in any situation like this before. She had no experience. This wasn't like having someone charge at her with a sword, or having a demon trying to rip her apart. There were no swords involved, no skills she'd honed that would come in handy. 

She'd simply been told that, apparently, she, and Ash, by extension, given their strange three-way relationship, were being bad girlfriends to Kaori, and that Kaori was looking for more elsewhere. And that was it. She just had to deal with this information now. 

Keiko finished her drink and walked away, heading up the stairs. 

As she entered her room, so many different thoughts were swirling in her head that she didn't hesitate to just flop face-first onto her bed. 

"..." Keiko rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, sadness slowly filling her up as Caroline's words echoed in her mind.  So,  she thought.  Kaori feels unsatisfied? 

She turned on her side, reaching for a pillow and holding it to her chest. Burying her face in it, her thoughts continued.

Well... I am a complete amateur at this, and so is Ash, for that matter. It makes sense that we're just not adequate.  She then, finally, turned up and let out a deep sigh.  Maybe she'd be better off with someone like Caroline... Especially now that I'm- 

Someone opened the door. Keiko sat up instinctively and saw Kaori and Ash walk in, violet blood smeared on Kaori's armor, but strangely not on Ash's. Keiko had been so distracted she hadn't even heard their footsteps as they walked up to the room. 

They both looked like they were deep in thought. Without paying Keiko any mind, they dropped their things near the door, took their armor off, and went straight to the bed, without saying a word. 

Keiko went back to it and cleared her throat. 

"D-Did it go well?" She asked. 

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "That thing's dead." 

"Oh, um, good job," Keiko replied. 

"... Yeah," Ash simply laid down at the center of the bed and threw her sheet over herself. Keiko felt like there was an invisible barrier between them of some sort, all of a sudden.  Did something happen? 

"So, where are Satsu and Metsumi?" Kaori asked. 

"They're walking around the city, they should be back soon." 

"Ah, okay," Kaori nodded. For a while, they remained in this strange silence, with Ash keeping her eyes up at the ceiling and Kaori with her head low.  Um, what am I supposed to do at a time like this?  Keiko wondered.  Is there anything to do? Am I just too incompetent to see it? 

And then, Kaori stood up. 

"I'm gonna go get a drink, do either of you want one?"

"Nah," Ash replied. Keiko simply shook her head.

"I'll be right back," Kaori said and quickly jogged out of the room. 

... Of course,  Keiko understood. Hunching over, somewhat saddened, she laid down next to Ash.  She wondered if Caroline would do a better job in Keiko's position. If she would say something witty or funny that would get the two of them to warm up after whatever it was that they'd gone through. 

She assumed that would be the case, and maybe that was why Kaori was leaving them alone right now. It hurt to think like that, but Keiko figured she had to be realistic with herself. 

She just wasn't made for this. So of course Kaori would look for someone who clearly was. 

"Hey," Ash suddenly said. 

"Huh?" Keiko shook her head, focusing up. "Y-Yes?" 

"Did anything happen while we were gone?" Ash asked, sitting up and moving on the bed to where she was now sitting next to Keiko. 

"Um..."  Aside from being told that I'm a terrible lover?  "No." 

"You didn't puke your brains out or anything?" Ash asked. 

"Not yet," Keiko answered. 

"Well, that's good, at least," Ash said, and then suddenly, she was hugging Keiko loosely. Admittedly, Keiko hadn't been prepared for that so when the half-demon's arms wrapped around her she gave a little yelp. Ash kissed the side of her head and sighed. "Let me know if you need any, like, healing or whatever. Or if you wanna head out and buy anything to help with this shit. Okay?" 

"Y-Yes..." 

"Okay, just wanted to let you know I'm going to try to help. Even if I have literally no fucking clue what I'm doing." 

At that, Keiko chuckled, allowing herself to lean into the hug a bit. 

"It's appreciated..." 

Then, Kaori returned, holding a tin cup in her right hand. She smiled when she saw the two of them on the bed, though Keiko's smile disappeared when Kaori entered the room. 

"So... Yeah," Kaori said. "All things considered, the whole thing with the demon we fought went easier than expected, just... Weird. Now though, we can start doing stuff again outside the city." 

"How fun," Ash muttered. 

"Mhm!" Kaori chuckled.

She then went on to talk about a few knights she and Ash had encountered at the shrine, but Keiko had a hard time focusing on her words. All she could think about was what Caroline had said and how now, it looked so obvious to her that Kaori was forcing at least some of this positivity she was exuding. 

Do I need to change?  Keiko asked herself.  Maybe I should ask for advice. Yes,  she decided.  Training. Relationship training, as laughable as that sounds, might be what I need. But... Who do I even go to? 

The only option that came to her mind was that same green-haired girl who'd stolen a kiss from Kaori just a couple of nights ago. The same one who, just the thought of her face made Keiko mad. 

Obviously, her first reaction was to spit at the very idea of going to her for help. However, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made, to the point where her logic started winning over the bubbling anger she'd felt just now. 

No, she loosened up, I should swallow my pride, Keiko told herself. You can't learn something without humility. If she's better at this sort of thing than I am, then that makes her a good candidate for a teacher, even if I want to punch the smirk off of her face right now. 

And that was something Keiko began to consider, now that her ego had taken such a hit.