[YOTB] Borrowing

In order to get different fillings for the Mochi, Shibani had to collect extra ingredients from the Wonderland Casino. There was a catch of course, Shibani had to help Hops create a new drink menu by taste testing her new drinks. Shibani was actually excited to try the new drink with Hops; it had been planned for a few days, and she was eager to get Shibani’s opinion on her new creations, apparently she was creating special blends of malt and hops, and she was curious to see what it would taste like to others.

When Shibani arrived at the bar, he saw that the drink was already waiting for him with Hops right next to it grinning brighter than the stage lights. Shibani didn’t hesitate to take a sip and was immediately impressed. The drink was smooth and had a subtle sweetness, with a hint of citrus flavoring. He took another sip and felt a pleasant tingle in his mouth. That’s when he knew he was going to like this drink and finished the rest in one large gulp.

Shibani finished the second glass just as quickly and ordered another to Hops delight. He felt the alcohol start to take effect and knew he should at least try to slow down, but he was having too much fun to stop and Hops was great company when she was excited about something. It was clear the drinks are good and are potential best sellers from what she could see from Shibani’s endless drinking. Still, she had to hold Shibani still when the room began to spin in his head and he was close to tipping over his seat.

The next thing he knew, Shibani was in the kitchen of the bar, eating strawberries. His reward he was supposed to give to Dan, he had no idea how he had gotten there, but he was really enjoying the sweet taste of the cut strawberries and maybe being drunk made the strawberries taste way better than they usually do but he couldn’t help himself. He could save maybe… one or… two? That’s enough for a filling right? Shibani continued to eat one after the other, savoring each bite and trying to calculate how much he can enjoy before rationing for the mochi.

After he had eaten the last strawberry before the cut off, he stumbled out of the kitchen and back to the bar. Hops was staring at him in amused shock when she realized that he must have eaten all the strawberries in the kitchen besides the very small amount he put in a sandwich bag. Shibani seemed to be embarrassed, but also strangely satisfied whenever he described how many strawberries he had.

Shibani knew he had gone too far with the drinking, but he couldn't help but smile. She had had a great time, and the new drink will certainly live up to its reputation. He thanked the Hops and made his way home, feeling a little bit tipsy but also a little bit proud.

The next morning, Shibani woke up feeling a little bit embarrassed, but mostly thankful that he had been able to enjoy the new drink at Hops from what he remembers. Sure he knew he had taken it a bit too far, but he was glad that he had a better experience than usual with ingredient collecting. He would definitely be back to try more of Hops' new creations. 

As he prepared himself for the day, Shibani couldn't help but daydream about how often he should visit the bar for drinks before it would be considered too much and had a realization that if the drink is too good he definitely can’t help himself. Still, if he hadn't taken the chance to try the new drink he wouldn’t have the handful of strawberries (or maybe half a handful?) Shivani smiled, feeling grateful that he had taken the risk, and vowed to always take a chance on new experiences.

Shibani had learned her lesson and knew he would have to be more responsible with his drinking in the future regardless. But he was also glad that he had taken the chance to try something new and have some fun. After all, life was too short to not try something new.