I sat in the tavern with Chloe and Alexandria, enjoying a delicious meal. After finishing, Chloe immediately ordered sake and drank it all. Not long after, she ordered a jumbo-sized beer, and I was surprised when she said she ordered two portions at once—one for herself and one for me.
I couldn't refuse Chloe's offer, even though I knew I wasn't good with alcohol. Alexandria, on the other hand, wasn't allowed to drink alcohol because she was underage. I saw her looking at us with a smile, as if she was enjoying watching the two of us enjoying our drinks. Chloe handed me the jumbo beer, and I took it in disbelief. I knew I would regret this later, but I couldn't pass up the chance to have fun with Chloe.
I couldn't refuse when Chloe insisted I drink the beer. I raised the glass and drank, feeling the bitter and cold taste flowing down my throat. Meanwhile, Chloe gulped hers down quickly. However, without realizing it, I drank too much and began to feel the effects of the alcohol.
Chloe started to get drunk and talk nonsense, making me laugh. I myself didn't realize I had already drunk too much beer, to the point where I ordered another drink from the waiter without thinking. Chloe, half-drunk, praised me for ordering another drink, and she also wanted to order again. I felt that tonight was going to be very long and messy.
Meanwhile, Alexa was busy booking us a room at the Tavern because Chloe and I were starting to act crazy at the peak of our drunkenness. I gulped down my beer until it was finished. Unconsciously, my body felt light from the alcohol, and before I could think clearly, I was already standing. My hand reached out, gently pulling Alexa's arm, leading her toward the wall of the Tavern room.
Not many people noticed. The room had been specially rented by Chloe for tonight. A private space so we could eat and drink without disturbing others—and not be disturbed either. Only Chloe glanced in our direction, but she seemed too caught up in her own world or perhaps too drunk to care.
Without fully realizing what I was doing, my body moved on an impulsive urge driven by the alcohol that had taken over me. When my hand pressed against the wall beside Alexa's head, my movement unconsciously resembled a kabedon, a gesture I'd often seen in dramas or anime—but this time it was real, and I was the one doing it.
Alexa looked at me with wide eyes—shocked, confused, maybe even scared. She had never been treated like that by any man before. Her breath caught. I could feel it. But in my heavily intoxicated state, my mind had lost control. Without thought or logic, I leaned in, too close, and before anything could be stopped, my lips touched hers.
For a moment, time seemed to stop. Then suddenly—brak! Alexa shoved me with all her strength until I fell to the floor. Her face turned red, not just from the alcohol, but from shock, anger, and maybe... a feeling she didn't understand herself.
Without saying a word, she turned and left the room, leaving me there, sprawled on the floor. Meanwhile, Chloe had already passed out in the corner of the room, completely unaware—too much drinking, too far gone from consciousness to understand what had just happened.
***
THE NEXT DAY – MORNING AT THE TAVERN
I woke up with a heavy head, as if I had just come out of a dream I couldn't remember. My vision was blurry at first, then slowly began to focus on the ceiling of the small inn room around me. Morning light filtered through the window slats, and a faint smell of alcohol still lingered in the air.
I realized I was lying on a narrow bed. The next sight made my heart beat faster—Alexa was asleep, hugging me. Her body pressed close as if she didn't want to let go. Meanwhile, on the other side, Chloe—with messy hair and steady breathing—was still fast asleep, though I had already released her grip from my hand.
I swallowed hard, trying to remember what happened last night. Vague fragments came like flashes of light: laughter, clinking glasses, music, blurry conversations… then darkness. Nothing explained why I had woken up in the same bed with these two women who were my companions.
The wall clock in the corner of the room showed it was past seven. I slowly lifted my head, trying to move, but Alexa tightened her hug without opening her eyes, as if sensing my movement in her sleep. I turned to Chloe, who looked more peaceful.
A strange feeling crept into my chest. Something wasn't right. This wasn't just an ordinary drunken night—not just a wild party. Something was missing. Something hadn't been revealed.
I stared at the ceiling once more, took a deep breath, and whispered in my heart, "What really happened to me last night? And why do I feel like there's a part of the story missing?"
My thoughts were interrupted as I noticed a shift in Alexa's body—I thought she was about to wake up. But Alexa remained asleep, her body curling slightly, her forehead furrowed as if she was holding back something—maybe a dream, maybe a memory.
"Avery wants to be acknowledged by Daddy," Alexa said, almost like a whisper from a little girl afraid of being scolded. Her voice sounded fragile. Then she mumbled again, even softer, "Daddy, Avery promises not to be naughty again…"
I frowned. Slowly, I sat up in bed, my eyes fixed on Alexa as the worry in my chest shifted into a growing curiosity.
Avery?
That name echoed in my head like a call from somewhere distant, yet it demanded recognition. I had never heard Alexa mention that name before. Not once. But the way she said it—so clear, emotional, and… full of longing—it struck something deep inside me.
"Daddy, promise okay… you'll celebrate Avery's birthday…"
I looked at her sleeping face. Her cheek was wet—sweat, maybe, or tears. Whatever it was, I knew there was something hidden behind that dream. This wasn't just a random sleep talk. It felt like a confession. Or maybe… a cry from the past.
For a moment, my mind spiraled into wild thoughts. *Could her real name be Avery?* But I shook the idea off quickly. Alexa didn't seem like someone who'd hide something so fundamental. Or maybe Avery was someone from her past? A sibling? A friend? Or… could it be her? A younger version of herself, scarred and forgotten?
Carefully, I began to ease her body away from mine. I moved slowly, cautiously—as if I might wake something more than just sleep. She stirred slightly but didn't wake, only hugging her own arm tighter and taking a long, deep breath, still adrift in her dream.
I watched her for a moment, then slipped off the old gray jacket I always wore—the one that probably carried my scent more than anything else I owned. Gently, I pulled it over her, wrapping her shoulders and arms to keep her warm.
Once I was sure she was comfortable, I rose from the bed. Chloe was still fast asleep on the other side, turned away, breathing steadily like someone with nothing to worry about. I glanced at them both briefly, then made my way toward the door.
The door creaked softly as I opened it, and the morning air rushed in to greet my face—cool, a bit damp, filled with the scent of wet wood. My footsteps echoed quietly on the tavern's wooden floor.
I walked down the stairs and stepped out onto the small front porch. Standing there, I closed my eyes, letting the breeze run through my hair. The chill nipped at my skin—but somehow, that was exactly what I needed.
There was something lingering in my chest—guilt? Confusion? Or maybe… a strange kind of intimacy that had unintentionally been created last night, now quietly begging for an answer.
"Maybe it's time I find out the truth," I thought to myself.