Chapter 12: Strong Italian Man

The music picked back up as soon as the man stepped down from the platform. Yujin stared forward, as though still processing the information as their grip tightened over my shoulder. I reached up to touch their hand with mine in a comforting gesture. The contact seems to pull them back into the moment, and they fixed a mean stare down in my direction. The flash of rage only lasted a fraction of a second before they returned to a neutral demeanor, leading me quickly through the crowd.

On our way through, they snatched a cocktail from a passing server and downed it quickly with a practiced grace. Having spent the last week getting to know them, I was bracing for how much they were going to drink throughout the night. With a few more hours to go until midnight, I worried about the pace at which they were going.