The room felt foggy as hot bodies shuffled in and out of the hallways. The bass from the speakers was pumping in the background as lights strung around the ceiling twinkled as if dancing along. The Kisaragi graduation party had taken off with 17-18-year-olds stumbling around congratulating one another, signing yearbooks, and a slight undertone of sadness to be leaving.

Amongst the noise and commotion, Kishinuma Yoshiki lifted the back of his hand, quickly swatting away the sweat on his forehead as he made eye contact with the petite girl across the table. He leaned forward, dropping a small white ping pong ball into one of the cups in front of him, coating it in a film of water.

Narrowing his eyes, a smirk played on his mouth as he arched his back to take his shot.

"You can't keep drinking all night, Shinozaki. You're going to have to start playing by the rules."

The small girl at the other end of the table was beginning to giggle uncontrollably, crossing her arms as she shook her head. "I can drink all night! You're not getting an article of clothing off of me!"

She patted the skirt she was wearing for good measure. Yoshiki took the opportunity to appreciate how good she looked outside of her uniform for once. She wasn't one to be girly, but he supposed for the occasion she decided on a denim skirt and black short sleeve top. Hidden by the table, she wore a pair of short black heels, raising her height slightly.

Shrugging in response he yelled over the music, "You're about to regret saying that!" and with that he flung the ball in her direction, letting out a loud "Yes!" as it landed in one of the 3 remaining cups in front of her. Pulling away from the victory high five from Satoshi, his beer pong partner, he turned to look at the girl once more.

"Can Naomi drink for me?" She inquired across the table. The alcohol had begun to affect her quicker than she anticipated. Turning her head, the room seemed to lag a second to catch up to her vision.

"No way!" Satoshi yelled, pointing at Naomi who had barely drunk at all throughout the game solely due to how poorly Satoshi played.

"Sorry Ayumi…" Naomi minced a smile, picking up the cup to hand it to her.

"Drink up!" Yoshiki beamed, hands on his hips triumphantly, feeling elated by his lead in the game. He was beating these girls handily, even with a crappy partner like Satoshi. "Unless you want to take something off instead." He offered nonchalantly.

Ayumi lifted the drink to her lips and drank it as quickly as possible, hiding the scowl on her face. She assumed it would be better to get the game over with and deal with being drunk away from the two boys rather than be humiliated.

"How many is that, Shinozaki? Five now?" Yoshiki teased, immediately distracted by Satoshi flubbing another shot, it bouncing somewhere in the corner of the room.

"Tch… seriously?"

Satoshi looked pained, mildly tipsy himself from drinking throughout the game as well. "I'm usually not this terrible, I swear."

Yoshiki nodded sarcastically, then looked back at the two girls grabbing the lost ping pong balls. The score was now 2-6, the boys having a handy lead.

"Small triangle!" Naomi asked, forming her hands into the shape of a triangle as if to visualize her thoughts.

Ayumi leaned towards her, "what's this?"

Naomi smiled, having known Ayumi never played this game, it was still humoring to see her innocence.

"In the game we can ask once for our cups to be rearranged into a different shape. With the six they can do three in the back, two in the middle, one in the front. It'll be easier to hit a cup now, rather than when they were all scattered." Naomi explained, pointing at the triangle the boys were forming to further prove her point.

"Hm," Ayumi responded, dunking her ball in the cup of water before aiming to shoot, still not entirely sure what the water was for.

Yoshiki grinned then quickly turned to Satoshi, murmuring something in his ear before both the boys laughed. The two boys watched as the girl aimed her hand, closing one of her eyes to measure her shot.

"Shinozaki…" Satoshi said, watching as the girl reeled her arm back to make her shot.

"You look beautiful tonight." He added, using dramatic hand signals towards her from across the table. Yoshiki held in his laughter. Satoshi, when drunk, was far more mischievous than sober.

"W-what!?" Ayumi gasped, letting go of the ball, it wildly missing any of the cups she had aimed for.

"Satoshi!" Naomi yelled, her eyebrows raised in shock.

"Easy!" Yoshiki laughed, grabbing the ball as it dropped rapidly up and down on the floor. Realizing the trick, Ayumi felt her cheeks grow red.

"Sorry Shinozaki, you do look nice though, if it helps. However, this game is ours to win, I hope you understand." Satoshi interjected, hand humbly on his heart as he bowed forward slightly.

Naomi furrowed her brows, instantly throwing her shot before the boys could think to toy with her too. At the sudden sound of the ball sinking into a cup, she let go of the breath she was holding. "Idiots!"

Score: 2-5

Satoshi looked into the cup and chugged it. Already being tipsy, another beer wouldn't hurt. Letting the alcohol slide down his throat, he shook his head as he placed it in the pile with the others.

"How much more can you take, Shinozaki?" Yoshiki dared, rinsing his ping pong ball in the cup of water as he looked on at her.

Ayumi felt an idea in her head, the alcohol mixing with her self-confidence heavily. Feeling brave, she couldn't hide the devilish expression on her face as she stepped back from the table. "Go on." She said calmly.

Yoshiki raised a brow and then cocked his arm back to take his shot. These two girls could lose this round if Satoshi could get his game together a little more.

As his arm moved forward, he was met with a sight he had never expected to see in his life. Something he actually only saw in his dreams. Ayumi Shinozaki stood at the end of her table raising her arms up as she was holding the bottom of her black tank top in her hands. Leaning forward, her bra remained exposed for the entire room to see. Despite this, she knew only one person's attention mattered.

"GAH!" Yoshiki choked, his failed shot bouncing off the table.

"Ayumi!" Naomi laughed in awe, grabbing the girl's hands and pulling them down.

Ayumi smiled largely, showing her white teeth at the boys as she crossed her arms over her chest once more. "Games not over yet!"

Satoshi observed the others, then calmly leaned to the side, his face closer to Yoshiki's as he whispered, "I didn't expect this." Turning his head, he now met the boy's gaze, "Now what." Completely puzzled.

Yoshiki shrugged, the red heat on his face still visible as he avoided any and all eye contact with Ayumi. He now had knowledge Ayumi was wearing a small white wire bra, with what looked like a bow in the center of her two breasts. He shook his head, attempting to focus.

Satoshi went to shoot his shot, then peered over to Naomi. "I'm ready. Whenever. It'd be just terrible if you were to do anything drastic." He added, lagging his hand movements to emphasize he was truly waiting.

Naomi's eyes widened once more as she turned around to shield herself. Satoshi then shot his ball, it bouncing a few times on the table before rolling off.

"Oiiii… Satoshi, you said you used to be good?" Yoshiki let his palm hit his face as he witnessed the boy miss shot after shot.

Satoshi's words slurred as he stumbled back a step, "I don't know any more Yoshiki. Most likely not."

Yoshiki huffed out of his nose in response, appreciating the honesty.

"Hey girls, maybe focus on getting me to drink now, my partners not looking too great!" Yoshiki howled over the music, patting Satoshi's back.

Ayumi shook her head, laughing more and more out of nowhere. The music was fast and upbeat, the rhythm deep and roaring. She felt immersed in her environment and could feel her shoulders finally relaxing.

"Yes, sir!" She smiled, grabbing the ball and shooting it into the water cup, water splashing onto the table due to the force. Picking back up the ball, Ayumi smiled at Yoshiki dramatically. "You ready, sir?"

Yoshiki rubbed his neck uncomfortably, "You don't have to keep calling me that."

"Sorry, sir!" Ayumi laughed out in a choke, throwing the ball without looking, it miraculously hitting a cup within the smaller triangle.

Score: 2-4

"HA!" She jumped, the two girls cheering, then turned to hug Naomi in victory.

"Second of the game! You're getting lucky." Yoshiki boasted back, before lifting the cup to his lips to take a drink.

"Luck is my middle name!" Ayumi poked her tongue out, resuming her stance at the table.

Finishing his drink, Yoshiki placed the cup in the pile with the 6 others. With a 2-4 lead, it was still good, but nowhere near where he thought he'd be.

Just then, Naomi bounced the ball amongst the commotion. Yoshiki leaped forward but it was too late. The ball bounced into the cup right in front of him. Floating atop of the beer, it taunted him.

Score: 2-2

"Satoshi! Are you here at all!?" He wailed, turning to Satoshi who was talking to someone next to him at this point. "Oi!"

Satoshi turned back, visibly confused. Then he saw the ball in the cup and picked it up to drink in one fluent motion. Yoshiki groaned once more, picking up a second cup and drinking it as well. He hated the bounce rule when it hurt him the most.

"Oi!" Ayumi imitated, visibly intoxicated by this point, mocking Yoshiki's voice. "You still thirsty or do you want to give up now?"

Yoshiki passed the two ping pong balls back to the girls for both making their shots, shaking his head back and forth. "Oi- er, hey, Satoshi, we're tied now bud. I need you." He sounded defeated. The girls were ecstatic, smiling ear to ear as they cleansed their ping balls once more before returning their attention to the table.

Satoshi looked back, and counted the cups slowly. "Oh no." He whispered to himself, "Is me being drunk not helping?"

Yoshiki placed his hands on the boy's shoulder, pushing him with one motion. "Not yet. We can do this."

Satoshi nodded his head affirmatively, then focused on the girls.

"Kishinuma-Kun, Sir. I'm going to go, okay?" Ayumi directed the ball in her hand to the air, as if that would prove her point further.

"Got it. Go ahead, princess." Yoshiki sighed, standing guard in case one of them decided to bounce the ball once more. He wasn't a sir.

"Princess!" Ayumi shook her head, letting out a loud laugh as she shot the ball, it landing again in one of the two remaining cups.

Score: 2-1

"I like the sound of that!" She resumed, smiling, placing her hands up to her cheeks.

"Seriously!?" Satoshi yelled, turning towards the wall behind him with his hands in the air.

The two girls laughed maniacally, Ayumi shocked by her own comeback. Naomi looked at Yoshiki as he placed the cup to the side, taking off his t-shirt in response. He didn't intend on getting drunk and had assumed he could beat these girls…

"Kishinuma! What are you doing!?" Naomi laughed as she watched, grabbing Ayumi's attention.

"I'm not drinking! Now make your shot!" He yelled back, the loud music still pulsating between them. Being in the hot room, he didn't mind taking off his shirt really at all. The breeze was welcomed.

"Kishinuma-Kun!" Ayumi sounded shocked as she raised her hands to cover her eyes, still laughing. She was drunk, he was confident in it now.

Naomi shot the ball with one remaining cup on the table but had missed. Finally.

Yoshiki let out a breath of relief, "Nakashima, you've got a real skill! Making me nervous." Yoshiki encouraged her, grabbing the ping pong balls and handing one to Satoshi.

Ayumi peered at Naomi, feeling a pang of … jealousy? Why did he compliment her? She was the one beating him.

Naomi grinned in response, "Thank you for noticing." Is all she revealed, waiting for the boys to take their turns.

"Satoshi," Yoshiki elbowed the boy, getting his attention. "How about you go first. Switch it up a little."

The boy took the ball and nodded his head, positioning himself at the lower end of the table, eyeing up the two remaining cups.

"You girls are going down." He said as he sat up, shooting the ball into the air. It hit the rim of a cup, bouncing on the table before miraculously bouncing back in.

Score: 1-1

Yoshiki clenched the ball in his hand, high fiving Satoshi as he looked at the two girls.

"Well, Shinozaki, it looks like this could be it." he coaxed, as Naomi finished the drink in her hand.

"I've made it this far!" She piped up, swaying her hips to the new song that had begun playing. Denim hitting her thighs as she hummed along.

Yoshiki smirked, letting his previous drinks catch up to him as he aimed his final shot. Shooting the ball, he felt the bass of the chorus hitting his chest in excitement as it fell from the air.

A swift pang of the ball hitting the alcohol made his chest flutter as he jumped, fist in the air. Completely forgetting he was shirtless, he pulled Satoshi into a victory boy as both boys cheered.

Ayumi looked at the cup on the table, its contents reflecting the lights from the ceiling. The liquid was still rippling from the ball landing on top of its contents.

"I don't think I can," she began to giggle, having been feeling this way for too long, another drink made her want to hurl.

Yoshiki picked up his shirt and flung it over his shoulder, "Well?"

The girl looked at where Satoshi and Naomi had gone off, presumably to get either water for Satoshi or a beer for Naomi.

"Can we play next?" A boy asked, his face pressed in between the two.

"Yeah, free table. Take it, we're out." Yoshiki shrugged them off, placing his hand on Ayumi's shoulder as he ushered her away from the table so the next round could begin. Feeling her feet stumble at the movement, she gripped Yoshiki's arm for support.

Yoshiki leaned over to the beer on the table, holding it as his victory trophy as he looked down at Ayumi, who was now feeling incredibly sassed.

"Fine! Give it here!" She goaded, pretending to grab the cup, feeling surprised when the boy actually gave it to her. This … shirtless boy.

Drinking it slowly, she began to feel her hips sway to the music once more, nodding her head best she could as she finished the cup.

Yoshiki let himself indulge as he watched the girl drink from the cup, taking in the way her hips moved to the music. Her motions short but rhythmic, her shirt riding up slightly as she lifted her arms for the cup to reach her mouth. One of her pigtails was on the verge of falling out, she looked relaxed and free for once.

"I don't know if I feel so good." She sighed, holding in a small burp, still swaying to the upbeat pop in the air as she lowered the cup from her mouth. The lights were still flickering wildly as the two stood in the corner of the room, away from the people as much as they could.

"Let's get some fresh air. I'll find you some water." Yoshiki offered, guiding her towards the kitchen entrance. Fetching a solo cup filled with tap water, the two walked out onto the lawn of the home. The music was now a distance buzz, the house filled with people's laughter and screams.

Gulping the water down, Ayumi sighed in appreciation. Her feet feeling the damp grass tickling her open toes, the cool night air on her cheeks. "Thank you, sir."

Yoshiki ran a hand through his hair as he stopped walking, shifting his body weight in response. "I'm no sir."

Ayumi shrugged her shoulders, finishing off the water.

"Want to go back inside?" Yoshiki offered the party beginning to dwindle slightly. He checked his watch, the time reading 23:53 (11:53 pm).

"Or I could walk you home?" He added, feeling a small chill from the night air's breeze.

"No!" Ayumi's demeanor changed completely, off-put by that idea.

Yoshiki was taken aback, confused.

"I can't go home like…" The girl laughed, motioning to her own body, her fingers wrapping around the pigtail as she tugged on it lightly causing it to fall out of her hair. "Haha! Like this!"

"Want me to find Nakashima then? Maybe you could crash with her?" Yoshiki offered, his gaze drifting back to the houses' front door.

"No… no… she's with Satoshi. I don't want to spoil that."

Yoshiki kicked his foot on the dewy grass below him, placing his hands in his pockets as he hesitated his next offer.

"You want to come to my place then?"

Ayumi placed a hand over her mouth, eyes wide as she jumped.

"Pervert!"

Yoshiki shook his hands and head frantically, "No! I just live alone- "

"Pervert! Pervert, pervert!" Ayumi cut in, laughing once more as she acted up.

"Tch…" He fumed, feeling thoroughly embarrassed. "It's a place where you can stay without any parents finding out," he interjected, raising a hand in the air before letting it fall to his side, defeated.

"Oh…haha." She smiled once more, her expression calming. "Okay, yes sir."

"What?" Yoshiki was perplexed.

"I said okay, take me, please." She raised her voice as she patted his shoulder. "But first," she followed up, gaze following from his bare shoulder to her hand. "As a so-called princess, I request you put your shirt back on." She pursed her lips as she stepped back, surprised at the contact of touching his skin as if she couldn't tell he still hadn't put his shirt back on.

"Uhuh…" He mumbled hesitantly, lifting his shirt over his head to put it back on "Alright. Follow me, we're not far."

Ayumi nodded, trailing behind the boy, smiling as she nodded her head to the song she was humming in her head. She didn't know any of the words, it must've been playing over the speakers and subconsciously got in her head. She liked this feeling, though, which was new.