SS ー Tequila's Birthday (2024)

I was so engrossed in my work that it had already turned pitch black outside.
I didn't want to stay cooped up all day, so I went to my go-to bar.

"Look who's here, Vanilla. Lucky me~"
"... You must have taken me for someone else."
"But there isn't a single soul as beautiful as you around."
"That's for sure."

As I sat next to Vanilla who was drinking at the counter, they flashed me a dirty look.

"Anything interesting going on lately?"
"So, you went from sitting next to me to having a whole conversation, huh?"
"I'm not trying to hit on you. I just want to add some excitement to the mix!"
"And why must I comply with it? Give me a break."

Vanilla requested a strong drink from the bartender,
grumbling about how the people they had their sights set on never came over when I was around. 

"What are you trying to accomplish by getting me drunk, huh~?"
"It's for me. I can't deal with you unless I'm drunk."
"Kukuh, I knew you'd pay attention to me."
"Old man? Spit it out, chop chop."

After soothing my throat with a strong drink as well, I set the stage for the memorable event that went down today.

"Okay so, it was quite funny―――"
"I'm docking you points for getting off to that start."
"But I want to score points not vice versa!"
"We play by my rules."
"Fine. I've been cutting steel all day today,
and I spilled all the swarf I had amassed on the floor. That was bad bad!"

Swarf can be any size or shape depending on how the steel is cut.
Today's pieces were quite sharp and thin,
so I was nervous and excited as I cleaned up, wondering when they would pierce my gloves or get into my eyes.

"I was wearing goggles, but when I dropped them, I was so surprised that even the goggles went flying, ahaha."
"......... Cringe. You're going to drop dead one of these days."

ー We’re all gonna kick the bucket eventually, aren't we? I can feel those words bubbling up, but I drown them out with booze.

"You're totally right, Vanilla. As long as we exist, death is here.
If I screw up and come to a bad end, then so be it."
"Do you truly believe that 'anything goes as long as the process is fun'?"
"Yup. If you're enjoying yourself, the sky's the limit. Until your blood runs cold, that is.
Ah, but there's no bad ending unless something life-threatening happens!"
"In that sense, I think we are similar. When the time comes I no longer have my beauty, I fear it'll be the end."
"Isn't there an urban legend about that? Something to do with cryopreservation?"
"Human cells cannot handle excessive heat or cold. It revolves around how well you can preserve the brain, no?"
"You into that stuff, Vanilla~?"
"I could ask you the same question. Do you understand such a complex topic?"
"I enjoy thrilling and challenging endeavors."
"I suppose you're not a member of SAP for nothing.
So, how do you feel about your current job? Are you enjoying it?"
"I am. But I can't get showy, so I feel itchy!"

You only live once, so make the most of it.
In this game of life, it doesn’t matter if you reach the finish line ahead of time or take your time getting there.
You can choose to knock a stone bridge or decide against it.
Ultimately, you might even opt to jump instead.

ーSo, what are YOU gonna do?

Happy Birthday, TEQUILA.

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石橋を叩いて渡る (ishibashi o tataite wataru) means knocking on a stone bridge before crossing it. It's a Japanese proverb used to remind people to always double check things.