24. How I Long to Be Young Once More

Tobacco and alcohol. The perfect combination for relieving stress.

The Yamazaki Hakushu tasted excellent. Haruno Tsukasa had finished six glasses, and the intoxication was already rising. Though his vision blurred, he maintained his composure by controlling his pace.

However, Shimizu Yuko had already downed ten.

She swayed her glass with unfocused eyes, her full bosom pressed against the bar, creating an even more alluring silhouette. Her hair had become disheveled, and a noticeable flush had risen to her cheeks under the dim, yellowish lights. Her legs, encased in sheer stockings, were crossed, shifting and rubbing against each other from time to time.

Swirling the ice in her glass, Yuko stared at it blankly before suddenly saying, "Tsukasa."

"Why must there be regrets in life?"

The way her legs shifted beneath the bar suggested that their owner was becoming as emotional as her words implied, her voice laced with bewilderment. She let the thin cigarette in her hand burn down to ash, only tossing it aside when it nearly scorched her fingers.

Clearly, even someone with a high tolerance could not resist the numbing impact of alcohol on the brain after two bottles of Yamazaki Hakushu in such a short time.

Haruno Tsukasa was no exception.

Because they had been clinking glasses and chatting, the distance between them had gradually closed. Yuko’s blouse had two buttons undone. From his slightly elevated vantage point, he could clearly see the snowy expanse pushing against her white shirt, and the bottomless cleavage squeezed between those two soft, fair mountains. For someone already parched from drinking, the sight was a visual assault.

He didn't know why there were regrets in life. But he did know that these were truly magnificent.

Still, Haruno Tsukasa looked away. While he was no saint, he couldn't possibly harbor such thoughts about his mother’s close friend. After all, she was his elder.

Yes. Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

[Malice Target: Shimizu Yuko]
[List of Malice:]
[1. I really want to drink ten more glasses. It’s a pity I don’t have enough money, otherwise, I’d drink to my heart’s content. (White)]
[2. I really want someone to lean on. (Purple)]
[3. There’s no money in the public account. If only I could find a few hundred million yen like in the movies, then I wouldn’t have to look at that guy’s disgusting face anymore. (Purple)]
[First malice item fulfilled.]
[Randomizing basic reward...]
[Reward: Critical Rebate Card (Limit 1,000,000 yen)]

Haruno Tsukasa glanced at the pale red light screen, but he didn't pay it much heed. Having owned such items before, he knew their function, and with his brain clouded by alcohol, he had no energy to spare. He swept his gaze over it, and it slowly faded.

"Because as long as there is a choice, there is regret," Haruno Tsukasa answered her question.

"Why not say that regret only comes from making the wrong choice?" Yuko asked, tipsily resting her chin on her hand.

"No matter what you choose, it’s actually wrong." Haruno Tsukasa set down his glass, feeling a dizziness like an elevator plummeting. "Children have to make choices, and adults face decisions every single moment. Every choice made leaves one feeling sorry for the option not taken."

Yuko nodded silently at his words. Then, looking like a drunken woman, she let her head droop, her slender fingers tracing the rim of her empty glass, appearing utterly dejected.

"Yes, it’s a pity, always such a pity..."

Seeing this, Haruno Tsukasa remembered his purpose. He forced himself to stay alert and asked nonchalantly, "What’s a pity? Has Auntie Shimizu run into some trouble?"

Admittedly, he had no real power in Tokyo yet, and he couldn't help her with her professional troubles just because he was a civil servant, as his mother had suggested. But that was only for now. If he wanted money, he currently had a one-hundred-million-yen investment limit that he could spend in various ways. And as for offending people...

As a local civil servant, he knew better than the average person that the status of a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member carried significant influence—it was far more than just a fancy title. A Tokyo assembly member held broad powers, including legislation, fiscal control, and supervision; they participated in drafting local laws, deliberating on the budget, and overseeing government work. Furthermore, they enjoyed privileges like immunity for their speech, ensuring they could exercise their duties.

That was why one could see assembly members spouting nonsense on television, proposing even more absurd ideas than polygamy or polyandry, without ever being held accountable. Assembly members were also paid, with a monthly salary of no less than 600,000 yen. While that didn't match the high salaries of lawyers or doctors, it was three times what Haruno Tsukasa originally earned.

Moreover, this status was hard to measure in money. At the very least, whether it was the Speaker or the Governor of Tokyo, pushing any agenda required securing the votes of assembly members. It was a highly respected profession. If he were to rise to the level of the National Diet, it would be a true class transition.

Although he wasn't one yet, since the Malice List had rewarded him, there shouldn't be any accidents. With this identity, while he wouldn't become a master of Tokyo, he could certainly resolve some minor troubles by calling in favors.

According to his mother, Yuko had once helped his former self, and it was worth his repayment. Besides, from his memories of his mother, she was never one to add to his burdens. If it weren't for a close relationship or a genuine debt of gratitude, she wouldn't have spoken up.

Compared to Yuko, who had brushed off the topic when she wasn't drunk, she now turned her head and stared intensely at Haruno Tsukasa’s face.

Then, her gaze drifted downward.

It settled between his legs.

Running her fingers through her short hair, she said with a hint of mockery, "It’s nothing but the kind of thing you men think about."

"..."

"Workplace harassment?" Haruno Tsukasa asked after a moment.

Feeling that her previous tone might have unfairly vented negative emotions onto him, Yuko bit her crimson lips and didn't elaborate further, only nodding. "You could say that."

"Understood." Haruno Tsukasa scanned Yuko’s exquisite figure again, lost in thought.

"Tsukasa."

"Yes?"

"Do you think Auntie is pretty?"

"Pre..."

"Tell me the truth."

"...Alright, I’ll tell the truth. In my eyes, even though you are over forty, your skin is well-maintained. You are gentle and graceful, possessing the beauty of a mature woman. Especially..."

Haruno Tsukasa’s voice trailed off.

Yuko looked at him, her eyes twinkling with a hint of a smile. "Especially what?"

Haruno Tsukasa didn't speak for a moment. Even in his drunken state, he didn't say anything overly frivolous, instead looking at the deep cleavage framed by her disheveled collar.

After carefully choosing his words, he continued, "You have a great figure."

Yuko kept her eyes on his throughout. When she heard him mention her figure, her hazy eyes narrowed slightly, and a fire seemed to ignite in her chest, sparking an inexplicable interest.

A few seconds later, seeing him still staring at her chest, she didn't pull back; instead, she leaned forward slightly.

"You child, you like them big, don't you?"

"You saw right through me."

"You’re shameless! It’s just that I’m not holding it against you. When you were little and I visited, Tsubaki was just feeding you. When you were in my arms, you even tugged at my clothes wanting to eat. If your father hadn't come back, you almost would have." The more she saw Haruno Tsukasa trying to hold back from saying something bold, the more she wanted to tease him, resting her chin on her palm and smiling as she recounted the past.

*Could I make up for it now?*

Haruno Tsukasa almost asked that out loud. But out of respect for his elder, he shook his head. "I don't remember any of that."

"Liar. You’re actually thinking of some inappropriate images, aren't you? It’s okay, as long as you’re honest, I won't blame you." Yuko didn't seem to want to let him go, leaning in even closer.

"No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really, no."

Breathing in the scent of alcohol and peach-scented cigarette smoke, Haruno Tsukasa said helplessly, "Fine, though it’s a bit offensive, I was indeed thinking of some images just now. After all, Auntie Shimizu, you are truly beautiful."

"You actually dared to say it!?"

Yuko pushed him and scolded him with a laugh. After pushing him, seemingly afraid he would overthink it, she smiled and added, "Don't be nervous, Auntie isn't really blaming you."

"At your age, it’s normal to think about these things. I’m not one of those old fossils who likes to lecture people. Auntie’s mind is quite progressive."

Clearly, compared to his mother, who always appeared quiet in his memory, this close friend of hers was much more cheerful and liberated. At the very least, she didn't mind making inappropriate jokes. They were likely long-term friends because their personalities complemented each other.

At this moment, they didn't feel like an elder and a junior, but more like colleagues and friends letting off steam after work, chatting about mischievous topics.

Haruno Tsukasa was much more sober than Yuko, having drunk half as much. Through intentional and unintentional probing, he had roughly figured out what trouble she was in. He knew his own limits and, fearing Yuko would drink too much, he controlled his pace until she seemed sleepy, at which point he ended the topic and sat in silence for a few minutes.

Haruno Tsukasa pulled up the Malice List again, intending to just glance at it before paying the bill, but what he saw made it impossible to look away.

[Malice Target: Shimizu Yuko]
[List of Malice:]
[1. I want to be young once more, to experience the taste of youth and fall in love with a shy boy. (Blue)]
[2. I really want someone to lean on. (Purple)]
[3. There’s no money in the public account. If only I could find a few hundred million yen like in the movies, then I wouldn’t have to look at that guy’s disgusting face anymore. (Purple)]

Seeing the information on the pale red light screen, Haruno Tsukasa was shocked to his core.

*Is this the alcohol bonus!?*

*As expected of Auntie Shimizu! Your thinking really is progressive!*

*I haven't even had any crooked thoughts, yet you, a highly respected elder, have developed lustful feelings for me?*

*I’m speechless!*

He thought of the "NTR" master Kurosaki he had encountered before. He hadn't expected to find someone even more advanced! This left Haruno Tsukasa, who defined his looks as ordinary, in a state of self-doubt. He wasn't a Tokyo heartthrob, nor was his wealth enough to make people throw themselves at him. While Suzumiya Sayaka’s abnormal attachment was because he had her by the throat, why did Auntie Shimizu have such thoughts?

*Is it an overflow of maternal love?* Definitely not.

*Is it just drunken impulse?* Possibly.

Just as Haruno Tsukasa looked at Yuko, who was about to pass out on the bar, his phone screen lit up, and a crisp ringtone interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello? This is Shimizu Yuko."

"Hm? Mitsui-san? Rent... rent? I know, I'll pay it back soon. Don't you trust me?"

"What do you mean you don't trust me..."

"Tomorrow, definitely tomorrow, believe me!"

"Let’s leave it at that, tomorrow, we’ll talk tomorrow..."

After hanging up, Yuko returned to her drowsy state, the phone loosely held in her hand as if it might slide to the floor at any moment.

Then, there was no more movement. She rested her chin on her forearm, her eyes still hazy, looking no different than before.

But Haruno Tsukasa felt that her spirit had withered much more than before, as if she were being crushed by something, wanting only to get drunk to find a moment’s peace.

After all, this was Tokyo. The number one city in Asia, built by the nation’s total effort, carrying the dreams of countless young people. But reality was not a TV drama. While Haruno Tsukasa hadn't seen men eating bread while weeping on his way home, most wore numb expressions, looking exhausted—many were little more than walking corpses.

One only sees the survivor bias. Behind the screens of phones, countless exhausted faces lived at the bottom of society.

Just as Haruno Tsukasa was lamenting, not knowing how to speak to her, her low voice came from his right.

"Tsukasa, Auntie is a little tired."

Haruno Tsukasa turned his head. Yuko was tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, struggling to rise with a heavy gaze.

"I’ll take you home."

"No need..."

"I’ll go pay the bill first."