That Half-Finished Drink Was Lethal— What Happened When I Left My Bottle Behind in a 1:4 Male-to-Female World - 12

Chapter 12: That Wine Is Lethal—Wet Eyes Awaiting Judgment

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The pounding rain painted the city’s cluster of buildings in gray. In a prime location in the heart of the city. In the reception room of a building housing one of the country’s leading advertising agencies, Rin knelt on the freezing marble floor, pressing her forehead against it.

“I sincerely apologize. This is entirely due to my lack of supervision. Please… could you grant us just one more chance?”

It wasn’t her mistake. A junior she was in charge of had fatally overlooked a numerical value in the submission data. The company’s credibility had plummeted, and losses in the tens of millions were inevitable. Normally, the junior would have been fired, or even expelled from the industry. But without hesitation, Rin chose to take the blame alone.

“You, of all people… why would you go this far to protect a junior?”

The client company’s president cast a cold gaze at her. She lifted her face and, through her damp bangs, met her with eyes that were endlessly sincere and clear.

“She just entered this industry and doesn’t know her way around yet. To crush her potential over a single major mistake would be too much… I believe she’ll learn from today.”

Faced with her self-sacrificing sincerity, the president let out a sigh, as if the fight had drained out of her.

“…I’ll make an exception this time, in consideration of Asami-san’s sincerity. There won’t be a second time.”

“…Thank you very much.”

When the matter was resolved and she returned to the office, the trembling junior rushed up to her desk.

“Asami-san…! Thank you so much! I really don’t know how to repay you…!”

“It’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes. Think of it as an experience.”

She smiled gently and patted the junior on the shoulder. From around them came admiring murmurs. “As expected of Asami-san,” “She’s the true professional.”

But… several dozen minutes later.

“Rin-san, you’re seriously a lifesaver! I owe you one! Anyway, I’ve got drinks with my boyfriend tonight, so I’ll head out early!”

The junior left cheerfully, as if she had already forgotten that Rin had sacrificed her own dignity to protect her.

(…I did it again. There’s no point in devoting myself to others. Maybe I can only prove my worth by giving myself up for someone else. The more I give, the more everyone leaves me behind and goes somewhere happier.)

At the office, Rin was the model worker everyone relied on, the very image of a pure and upright “ideal woman.” The aura she emitted shone like crystal, allowing no impurity near it. But behind that crystal, a severe “energy shortage” was occurring.

(No good. I’m at my limit. I’m running out of battery…)

She kept smiling as she revised presentation materials, listened to her juniors’ complaints, and continued to play the perfect “Rin Asami.” But inside, a devastating emptiness spread.

(I need to smell it. Now.)

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Rin Asami’s POV

After returning home, I headed straight to the closet without even turning on the lights. At the very back. In a carefully covered corner, there was a literal “shrine.” On either side sat small piles of purifying salt. In the center, as offerings, were coffee beans of the brand Yuu-kun liked to drink. And enshrined within an acrylic case was the sacred object, Yuu Yuuki’s boxer briefs.

After carefully purifying my hands, I opened the case with trembling fingers.

“Yuu-kun… Yuu-kun, help me…”

Taking out the sacred object, I pressed it over my entire face and inhaled deeply, so deeply it felt like my lungs were changing shape.

“Ah… ahhh…!!”

Every cell in my body trembled with joy, and my withered heart rapidly regained moisture. Selfless “sincerity.” It was the rarest resource in this distorted world, and at the same time, a potent drug that drove the women who touched it into lifelong dependence.

“I’m full… I’m alive. I can still keep going…!”

My empty battery rapidly filled with the energy called his scent. With an enraptured expression, I rubbed the fabric against my skin. But soon, despair struck. Through repeated “use,” that rich fragrance had now faded to the brink of disappearing.

“I can’t recharge… it’s getting faint… this won’t get me through tomorrow…”

My fingertips trembled violently. At that moment, an image of Yuu-kun being exploited somewhere, just like me, came to mind.

(He must be… even now, somewhere, being kind to someone, used by a bad woman… and in the end discarded like trash. I won’t allow that.)

The light vanished from my eyes, replaced by a sticky possessiveness.

(Wait for me, Yuu-kun. I’ll protect you… I’ll make you mine alone.)

I picked up my smartphone and, switching seamlessly into the faint, fragile voice of a woman asking for help, called him.

“Actually… The way Yuki-chan is acting is a bit strange. We picked her up together, after all. …Yes, I feel somewhat lonely and helpless. …Please, could you come over?”

The moment I hung up, my lips twisted into a sinister smile.

(Tonight, I will have you.)

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“Excuse me. Rin-san, is Yuki-chan okay…?”

As soon as the door opened, Yuu Yuuki leaned forward with concern. Drops of rain from his wet hair fell onto my floor. That defenseless kindness stirred something dark and sweet in my chest.

“Ah, Yuu-kun. Sorry for calling you so suddenly. Yuki-chan seemed unwell earlier… I was worried and didn’t know what to do…”

I perfectly performed the expression of a “woman who evokes the urge to protect,” cultivated through sales training, letting my voice tremble slightly. Yuu-kun accepted it at face value, looking at me with utterly sincere eyes.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, just say so. Let’s take a look.”

“Oh, wait. I’ll go get some water now.”

As he stepped inside, I headed to the kitchen and filled a glass with water to the very brim. Everything was going according to plan. For this moment, I had waxed the hallway to make it slippery and practiced the angle of falling repeatedly.

“Here you go… ah, oh!?”

I deliberately tripped and fell into his chest.

Splash!!

Cold water soaked through his thin shirt.

“A-Ah! I’m sorry, Yuu-kun! My hand slipped… what should I do…?”

“Whoa… ahaha, it’s okay. It’s just water. Rin-san, are you hurt?”

(He’s drenched, yet the first thing he does is worry about me. That hopeless kindness is what drives me mad…)

“No, you’re so wet… you’ll catch a cold. …Hey, Yuu-kun. Why don’t you take a shower? I’ll dry your clothes while you do.”

Without giving him a chance to refuse, I pushed him into the bathroom. The moment the sound of the shower started, my mask completely collapsed.

“Hah… hah…! It worked… Yuu-kun is in my apartment, showering defenselessly…!”

I slipped into the changing area and reached for the basket holding his discarded clothes. And then, I froze. Inside was a pair of boxer briefs identical to the one I had enshrined.

“Yuu-kun, you’re the type who values efficiency and buys the same things… What a convenient gift from the gods…!”

I grabbed the freshly removed underwear.

(No, Rin. This is a crime. You’re a respectable adult, trusted by everyone. Don’t do something so filthy…)

My rational self screamed, but the powerful scent overwhelmed it.

(What should I do… I can still turn back…)

My decision was…

“Ah… this is… amazing…! This is too much… no wonder I’m losing my mind…!”

I chose to bring it to my nose. It felt like my brain was being stirred with a burning rod.

(The scent is completely different… if the old one was a perfectly aged Bordeaux, then this is a raw, vibrant nouveau straight from the barrel…!)

(Hah… I’m being recharged… Every cell in my body is filled with Yuu-kun…)

I tore off my stockings…

A few minutes later.

After carefully holding the new treasure to my chest, I hid it in my clothing. Then I placed the old one among his spare clothes, as if it were his. In that moment, overwhelmed by bliss, I forgot a simple fact. That this was enemy territory, and the shower would eventually stop.

Click. The water shut off. But to me, lost in ecstasy, it was distant.

“Whew… I feel alive again.”

The bathroom door slid open. There stood Yuu Yuuki, completely naked, steam rising around him.

“…!”

A strange sound escaped my throat. Before me was a body like a sculpture, water gliding over defined muscles.

“Rin-san!? Why are you here!?”

His voice struck my brain directly.

(Ah… God…)

My gaze traced his body… and then—

“…!”

My brain overloaded. My reason snapped.

“…n… n…”

My legs gave out, and I collapsed.

(I have no regrets…)

Rin Asami lost consciousness in overwhelming bliss before fully seeing him.

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“Rin-san? Rin-san! Are you okay!?”

Yuu’s voice echoed faintly. When I opened my eyes, he was looking down at me in concern.

“Yuu-kun… what happened…?”

“You collapsed outside the bathroom. Did you get dizzy? I was worried.”

His kindness cut into me. He was wearing the old underwear that I had used countless times before. His “freshly removed” underwear was tucked in my inner pocket. 

(…I’m the worst. I’m truly the worst…)

Yuu-kun’s untainted eyes. Every time I looked at them, the ugliness within me surged up to my throat like muddy water. I had lied to bring him here, stolen his underwear, and peeked at him in such an indecent state… I really was nothing more than a filthy criminal, wasn’t I?

(This is not good… I can’t keep doing this anymore…!)

The more I was touched by Yuu’s kindness, the more I couldn’t bear the depth of my own darkness. I couldn’t keep pretending to be the perfect saint forever.

(…Even so… at least he deserves to know the real me… the monster I am…)

With tears in my eyes, I made my decision.

“……Yuu-kun. …I… there’s… something I have to tell you…”

A heavy, oppressive feeling hung in the air, like the calm before a storm. With a trembling voice, I took the first step toward destroying everything I was, and placing my fate in his hands for judgment.

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