Chapter 16 – It’s good that it’s out

Editor: Sammy

Proofreader: Happy Bubbles

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*Content warning: slight NSFW scene*

Vann Winston never possessed the discipline to give Hunter a sense of security for after all, he was the type to indulge without restraint.

Realising this point, Hunter suddenly fell, but his abdomen felt like it was about to explode.

A whistle resounded from the top of his head.

Hunter gasped and raised his head to face Gina’s eyes.

“I almost thought I wasn’t charming enough to get a reaction from you at all.”

“Ah… haha…” Hunter awkwardly laughed. He now wanted to hide his reaction with something.

“Hey kid, you shouldn’t be so embarrassed, this just proves that you’re still healthy.” The bartender winked at Winston. 

Gina smiled as she tied her bow tie back on, only saying ‘I’ve something on backstage’ before passing by Winston who handed her a $100 tip.

“You…” Hunter pointed at Gina.

“Aren’t you here to pick up girls? Isn’t Gina better than the woman you encountered at the other bar?” Winston questioned. 

Hunter was speechless, were there any friends more generous than Winston?

“Oh, come on. You clearly told me to make Hunter happier for a bit, but I could only seduce him without ever touching him.” Gina turned around and raised her middle finger, laughing as she faced Winston with disdain.

“Why?”

As Hunter gradually sobered up, he was suddenly in a bad mood.

Winston paid Gina to dance for him, but why wasn’t touching allowed?! Why wasn’t touching allowed?! As he sat there, he restrained himself just then to the point where his back muscles were going to collapse!

“This will truly reflect Gina’s excellent skills,” Winston replied matter-of-factly. 

“Hey now, you’re just making fun of me.” Hunter could no longer forget about Winston’s light smile. “You want me to watch but not eat.”

He couldn’t even tell if his reaction from a moment ago was caused by Gina’s fire-inducing, flirtatious skills or Winston’s icy gaze.

“I… I want to go to the bathroom…” Hunter’s ears reddened to the base as he jumped off his chair.

“Haha, kid, don’t wait till we’re closed to come back!” The bartender laughed.

“Fuck!” Hunter impulsively turned around and gave the middle finger.

Winston remained seated as the bartender poured him a glass of water.

“Aiya… the last glass of You Rule Me might make him a little excited, I reckon that he won’t be back for a while…”

“En.”

“Ah… I seemed to have told you before you came that the bathroom is broken, the flush doesn’t work so we just locked it up!” The bartender rubbed his head.

“How did the other customers go to the bathroom?”

“They settled it right on the spot behind the warehouse.” The bartender laughed unsympathetically. “Alas, that kid should be careful not to be seen by some bad uncle! He’s obviously a very cute one!”

Winston raised his glass and took a sip before getting off the high footstool, briskly walking towards the back door.

At the moment, Hunter felt an intense fire burning near his stomach so he wanted to get some kind of relief immediately.

He was still calm and steady when he’d left his seat, but only up until he reached the bathroom door where he realised that it was locked when he pushed forcefully.

“Hey, if you want to go to the bathroom, take care of it at the back,” a man moving boxes raised his head and said.

“Fuck—” It was so urgent that the blood vessels on Hunter’s neck were about to explode, he kicked the door hard. 

“Hey! Kid! You’ll have to pay for it if it breaks!” 

Hunter’s mind was completely empty at the moment. As he rushed out of the back door, the cool air struck and diluted the smell of the alcohol, but Hunter still didn’t feel clear-headed yet. Something was violently charging around in the depths of his mind, making him want to plunge head-first into iced water. 

The back alley was gloomy, but it was a good location to show deep affection.

Leaning against the wall, there were some already going at it.

Listening to those sounds further made Hunter feel worse.

He came to a corner wanting to relieve himself, yet his fingers were trembling.

Someone whistled and a teasing voice resounded, “Do you want me to help you?”

It was the voice of a middle-aged man. Hunter whispered, “Fuck off!”

“Hey! Don’t misunderstand, not being able to accurately grab your junk after drinking so much is normal. I’m just worried that you’ll piss on yourself!” 

The latter appeared to be walking towards him, but Hunter’s mind was a sea of ghastliness, so he didn’t want to be bothered by the stranger even more so.

An icy voice resounded, bringing forth a sense of oppression, “I’ll help him, it’s none of your business.” 

Winston walked over and stood in front of Hunter. 

“Oh… turns out that he has a partner, sorry.”

Hunter didn’t know what Winston had said to the other, only that his arrival made him feel much more at ease.

He could finally concentrate on solving his issue.

Winston came over, both hands propped beside Hunter’s ears. “Ok, I’ll block you. Hurry up and relieve yourself.”

“Thanks…”

Hunter’s forehead leaned against Winston’s shoulder as the other’s arm tightened, hugging him entirely. 

A minute had passed and Hunter’s forehead was drenched in sweat. Winston opened his mouth to say, “Why hasn’t it come out yet?”

The frosty voice combined with his soft breath, swept past Hunter’s ears like a fatal attack, causing his entire body to stretch taut.

“You… Only you would be able to settle it within a minute!”

His nose was full of Winston’s smell that wasn’t a greasy men’s cologne, just a light body wash… Hunter was very familiar with that scent as it was the same brand of body wash that he used.

Hunter breathed in hard, he went mad from the desire of wanting to squeeze into the man’s embrace, wishing that he’d hold him a little tighter. 

But, he was unable to say it out… he’d be laughed at by the other.

That was what Hunter thought, yet he didn’t expect Winston to really tighten the embrace. The amount of strength used was almost enough to crush his bones.

But Hunter wasn’t afraid at all, he even wanted to destroy himself in the other’s embrace.

Winston’s cheek was gently stuck to one side of Hunter’s face. It was unknown why, but Hunter felt that the other’s cheeks were as hot as his own… maybe even hotter than his.

“Do you really know how?”

“…Why would I not know how?!” Hunter gnashed his teeth in reply.

Can’t you stop talking?

Hunter’s body lightly trembled.

“I’ll give you 30 seconds, if it still doesn’t come out, I’ll handle it for you.”

His cool voice was like ash falling upon the surface of water; the heat hadn’t submerged, rather, the whole ocean evaporated instead.

Hunter instantly let it rush out.

He breathed hard, Winston slowly loosened the embrace that was initially enough to strangle Hunter and gently patted his back.

Much like a form of appeasement. 

“It’s good that it’s out,” Winston spoke.

“…Why does it feel like I’ve lost face…” Hunter’s voice was a little husky. The previous feeling of flying high towards the horizon was now a stifled one.

“If you feel embarrassed because of me, I can let you block me instead, one time.”

Hunter couldn’t help but laugh at Winston’s indifferent tone.

“Better not do it… I’m afraid that I won’t be able to sleep at night.”

“Then don’t feel ashamed. Now let’s go, I’ve ordered a cup of mint lemonade for you.”

“Thanks.”

Hunter lowered his head and followed Winston’s back, soon returning to the bar.

The view of the latter’s back was mature and calm.

The bartender blinked at him. “My apologies, the bathroom is under maintenance.”

“I think that you did it on purpose,” Hunter replied.

The bartender paused for two seconds then eyed Winston who was sitting next to him, and whispered, “I think the one who did it purposely was someone else.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Peppermint lemonade suits you better.”

Hunter took a big gulp, the cool sensation made his entire body feel pleasant. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Ah… it’s so comfortable…”

The bartender chuckled.

“It’s getting late.” Winston raised his wrist and looked at his watch.

“Fine… let’s go.” Although Hunter wanted to stay here for a while longer, when he thought about Marcus finding out that he hadn’t returned the whole night, he knew his end would be really sorrowful. 

Winston threw the car keys towards Hunter, he went to foot the bill. 

“Wait for me in the car.”

There was no choice; based on finances, Winston was better and according to age, this guy was his senior. Hence, footing the bill, such a gallant matter, was of course passed on to him.

Before leaving, Hunter didn’t forget to thank the bartender.

“Your alcohol is excellent.” Hunter shook hands with the bartender.

“It’s not the alcohol that’s excellent, but rather the intentions.”

“What?”

“Do you understand the meaning behind the drinks that you drank?” The bartender squinted his eyes and smiled. 

“I understand English.”

“You’re really cute. In this bar, it isn’t just about the literal meaning in English.”

“Oh? What do those glasses of alcohol mean then?” Hunter touched his chin. It seems like there’s a special meaning behind those drinks? 

“Dark Night— As night falls, my heart’s desires move restlessly, are you the same as me?”

Hunter nodded.

This glass of alcohol’s purpose should be used to probe one’s feelings. If someone bought them a glass of Dark Night, it was to see if they had any interest in the buyer.

“Lip on Finger— My lips, not only do I want to kiss your fingertips, but also you entirely.”

Hunter’s heart missed a beat, the already cooled down temperature inexplicably raised once again.

“Crazy Desire— Your sexiness makes me lose my rationality, I want to destroy everything just to attain you.” 

There was a surge in Hunter’s throat, he didn’t dare get off the seat.

“There’s also the last, You Rule Me; you rule my everything, I only exist for you. Last month, our pub’s boss proposed to his bride with this glass of alcohol. Afterwards, they had an extremely frantic and passionate night.”

“I…” Hunter shrugged his shoulders, he didn’t know what to say at the moment.

Now he roughly knew why he was so misguided earlier.

“Isn’t it romantic. We look forward to your next visit, but I don’t think you’ll be able to have these four drinks without Winston.”

“Why?”

“Because no one dares to give them to you.”

The bartender spoke as he packed the empty glasses.

“Why!?”

“Hahaha!” The bartender laughed but didn’t answer.

Hunter’s mood was complicated, he felt as if Winston had used those four drinks to flirt with him.

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The author has something to say:

When frying eggs:

Winston: Did you really think I’d buy you drinks to help you flirt with girls?

Hunter: If not… then what can you do?

Winston: I’ll make you cry next time.

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Notes:

nura: I… wasn’t expecting this… You’re telling me that Hunter was drunk but all they did was hug and y’know???? QAQ

****EDIT:

nura:

I’m really so sorry!!! I really did thought that it really was a pissing scene QAQ but it was actually something slightly hotter…. I’ve made a minor change towards a sentence, but the whole text is supposed to be an innuendo, for y’know heeheehee. I’m really sorry if my previous trigger warning painted a different picture for you, because I really did mistake it for something else QAQ…

Much love to Byff for clarifying about it and the other babees on dummy for joining in the discussion! Muah muah <3