“Hey chief, that’s the place?” Keen asked

“It should be.”

“Wow, that looks like quite a classy one!” I commented.

I am now with the boss and Keen on the way to the mysterious bar that Barbara told us about. She said that it was a place where men disappeared but it looks too good to have that reputation. From the outside, it looks like an establishment where rich people go out to have some elegant fun with some classical music by the side. Not something broke University students like me would try and go to just to get out later upon seeing prices that are half of our monthly allowance per drink.

“If you are worried about money, I got you covered for now since this is an official investigation.”

“Sweet. free drinks!” I cheered but then I noticed someone is not so happy about the news. “Hey Keen, why do you look so glum?”

“Why won’t I be? I don’t like bitter things.”

“Oh? Sounds like an excuse that is heavily used by children.”

“What’s so good about it anyway? Alcohol just makes you feel dizzy as fuck.”

“It is good for a social get together. It unleashes the fun side of everyone. It gets even better when everyone is getting wasted.”

“Clouding your mind with alcohol will just lead to making mistakes.”

“But that is what youth is all about, making mistakes that will destroy half of yourself just to see developments that will make you brand new!”

“Would you just shut up? It’s not like I understand you anyway, you brat.”

“I have been pouring my soul here for a speech of a lifetime and you’re giving me that!? You better take some remedial lessons.”

“Hey boys, that’s enough. We’re here.” The boss told us as he entered the establishment. Keen and I stopped talking and followed him.

Wow! It is even classier than it looks outside. It is filled with bright yellow lights and chandeliers. The chair looks so comfortable and tables are shiny clean. There was also a stage with a piano on it.

The bar shelf is filled with a line up expensive looking liquor. I am excited to savour some of the ones I can’t afford. We went and sit beside the bar counter. Keen was in the middle while the boss and I are beside him.

“What can I get you sirs?” The bartender greeted with a smile.

“I’ll have a taste of the most luxurious one you got!” I uttered excitedly.

“Hey brat, have some shame.” Keen whispered as he looked at me angrily.

“It’s fine, I’ll have a hard one.” The boss uttered.

“ Tsk, I’ll take something that is not too strong.”

“Right away.” The bartender then turned his back to prepare.

“Hey, hey, Why did not you just order milk instead?” I asked Keen.

“Who orders milk in a damned bar?”

“I thought you don’t like alcohol?”

“I don’t but why would I order milk? What do you take me for, huh!?”

“A dog, arf arf!” I teased Keen as I imitated a dog pose.

“You! I’m gonna fucking smash your face one day.”

“You always say that but you never did it even once. You are just a dog with all bark and no bite.”

“Fuck! Hey chief, would you tell this brat to shut the hell up!?”

The boss was just looking at us while giggling silently, it was actually the first time I saw him break his serious face.

“Hey Chief?” Keen asked with a confused look.

“Sorry, I was just happy that you guys get along so well.”

“Well a dog is a man’s best friend!”

“Does it fucking look like I get along with this brat?”

“Aw, what a shy puppy you are!” I said while tapping Keen’s back.

“I’m so gonna punch you later.” Keen replied while he looked down with his fist clenched.

“Sorry for the wait, here you go.” The bartender came back with three glasses. The one for the boss had a bronze like color and Keen’s was light brown, both in simple glasses. Mine was of a blue color with a sliced lime at the lip of a tall curvy glass.

“Fuck, the difference in appearance is too great, like heaven and hell.” Keen uttered as he saw our drinks.

“Feel free to order one too if you’d like.” The boss suggested.

“No I’ll pass.”

I was just silent while playing with the glass as the blue liquor swirls around. I knew I’m the one who ordered it but now that it is here, I felt guilty maybe?

Maybe I should not have abused the boss to have him get me this. But since it is here, I better try it. I took a sip and it tasted... complicated? It’s not bad at all but I thought that I rather had a cheap hard one or a beer instead.

“Hey brat, what’s with the face?” Keen asked me after I tasted my drink.

“I just thought it might have been better to just have bottles of cheap brandy and take it home for a long time supply.”

“I still have to spend a lot either way, huh.” The boss gave a slight smile then took a sip off his drink.

“Ugh!” Keen gave a sound of someone that took something horrible after he drank his drink bottom’s up.

“You really do not enjoy liquor do you? Drinking bottom’s up is a sign of being a newbie, you know?”

“Fuck, I just wanted to get it over with.”

“That’s exactly why you are a newbie! You need to savor every sip as it goes down to your throat until the burn is in your chest.”

“Cray’s got a point. It will be obvious that you did not want to have a drink in the first place if you don’t act like you enjoy it.” The boss interrupted. “So, what do you think?”

“It was terrible.” Keen answered with disgust. He might thought the boss was asking about the drink.

“It looks a pretty nice place. Way too luxurious to be a place where crime is committed or maybe it was set that way so there with be limited suspicion.” I answered while keeping my voice down.

“I see.” The boss answered as he took another sip.

“Hey there!” A beautiful lady, clad with jewels and necklaces in a sexy violet dress approached us. ”New customers?”

“Yes, we just happen to try this bar out.” I replied with a smile. Keen and the boss just nodded to the woman as a greeting

“Oh how delightful! What a bunch of pretty boys!” The woman uttered as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I can smell her perfume very well which is too strong for my tastes.

“Not as beautiful as you are, madame. What a nice place you have here”

“Why thank you! You are really adorable, aren’t you. You look so young though, are you sure you are old enough to drink?”

“No worries madame, I drank wine as a substitute for milk as a child.”

“You’re quite the talker too. You must know, right? Young men should not mess with older women, they are more dangerous than they seem.” The lady whispered slowly in my ear.

“Don’t worry madame, I eat dangerous women for breakfast.” I replied with a whisper.

“Hahaha, you’re too funny! In fact, I like you. Maybe I’ll do a special performance tonight as a welcome for this pretty boy.” The lady unwrapped her arms and winked at me before she turned her back.

“We will be looking forward to it” I replied as she walked away.

I was laughing inside with the cringe of my crappy lines. It was my first time that a woman was so close to me that my heart cannot stop pounding. In order to hide my nervousness, I acted quite boldly.

“Fuck, what the hell was that?” Keen looked at me with a sort of disgusted and confused look.

“Nice job, I did not know you were quite the charmer.”

“How was flirting with a woman a nice job?” Keen asked again with the same look on his face.

“Even I can’t say lines that bold. How about you Keen?”

“I’d rather fucking die than do that.”

I guess I really got overboard this time huh? Maybe I should practice more at home sometimes so I’ll be prepared if ever things like this happen again.

A voice of a woman singing and a piano filled the place through the speakers. We looked at the stage and we saw the woman I was talking to a while ago.

She was playing the piano while singing as she put her whole soul into the song. The light at the whole bar got dim and a spotlight lit on her. All the guests had their eyes glued to her magnificent mature appearance.

Everyone was silent as all the focus was on her. She had a beautiful voice which is deep and has texture but still pleasing to the ears. The song was slow but it was not boring. The way she performed as well was sight to behold. Even if one is deaf, one can definitely tell that she was performing.

After the song ended, the crowd gave him a round of applause as acknowledgement for her great performance.

“Good evening!” She greeted everyone with a wave of her hand with a lively energy.

“We have adorable new guests with us today! I’d like everyone to welcome them! There they are!” The woman waved her hand at us. The spotlight then turned to us. I just waved my arms back with a smile in response, Keen just covered his head in shame and the boss was just silently laughing at the side.

This is embarrassing , definitely embarrassing! But I have to get my act together. I gave out a sigh of relief as soon as the spotlight’s focus returned to her.

“As a welcome to our lovely guests, I’ll be performing a special song! Make sure to enjoy!”

The woman started playing again. This time, it was even slower than the first one but her voice was way higher. It felt like something similar to a lullaby? I do not know exactly why but it kind of makes me a bit... sleepy? Or maybe I am just unused to drinking expensive liquor? All I know now is I am being incredibly drowsy.

I did not want to fall asleep in a public establishment so I bit my inner lip to wake myself up which helped but not much. I looked at the other guests and they were all sleeping soundly. I checked on Keen and the boss and they were also unconscious with their face lying on the bar counter. I tried to wake them up but it was no use.

I am feeling drowsy as well. It might have been because of her singing. Damn it! I looked at her again and I saw her appearance changed. White wings grew from her back and her legs became similar to a mermaid’s yet she continued to sing. So the incidents that occurred was definitely the fault of a possessed!

I tried to stand up but my legs felt so weak that I fell to ground. I bit my lip again but it did not help this time. I am starting to lose consciousness. Is that the only choice I have again?

I placed my hand on the demon’s mark in my chest and used every last bit of my energy to call out the power of the demon. My horns and nails grew which pierced my gloves. I was able to transform in time and my drowsiness was instantly gone. They will pay for trying to do a cheap trick like this.

“Hahahaha! It’s play time!”