Just Like That

“You’ve never really cared about anyone, Sotetsu,” Chika scoffed from his seat on the floor next to his Shito. “You only care about sex.”

“Hey, hey, Chika, that’s not true…” Sotetsu feebly protested, taking another drink of his tequila.

“Really. Tell me one person you’ve ever really liked,” challenged Koyomi.

“Well…uhh…”

“That’s what I thought,” replied Koyomi, and sure that she’d made her point, turned away to talk to Chika.

What they didn’t notice was Sotetsu’s glance across the room. Across the room, where Michiru sat quietly stringing beads together in a desperate attempt to make a little bit of money. As she glanced over at him, feeling his eyes on her, Sotetsu’s lips crinkled into a little bit of a smile. He held up his drink to her, before downing the rest of it.

And I let her go, just like that.