City of Witches - Chapter 320: Gehenna's Host Club (3)
1.
As soon as Takasho brought Siwoo to his office, he offered a drink for him.
An unusual champagne.
The bottle looked unique and there was a shield-like logo on its surface.
Even Siwoo, who didn’t have a particular interest in alcohol recognized what it was.
Moët et Chandon Dom Pérignon.
“Here.”
Since Takasho took out a cigarette after offering him a drink, Siwoo also took one himself.
Actually, he came here to ask him for relationship advice.
But, things happened and they ended up in this situation.
-Pop!
Takasho removed the bottle’s stopper skillfully and poured the content into the tall champagne glasses that were standing side by side in front of them.
The drink bubbled up beautifully as he did so.
Without any hesitation, Siwoo took a sip of it.
A sweet and ecstatic flavor of fruit exploded in his mouth, it was as if a star had exploded in his mouth.
He already knew that this thing was extremely expensive, but tasting it drove that point home even more.
The alcohol he usually drank with Eloa couldn’t even compare to it.
Well, of course it wasn’t really appropriate to compare the two, since Eloa and he usually only drank cognac and whiskey, but he just couldn’t help it.
“So, what’s going on?”
“How much did you hear from Paul?”
“He told me that you’re losing money because you have no customers.”
“…I see.”
Siwoo tried to word his answer carefully, but Takasho still looked quite taken aback after hearing it.
He had known the guy for six years, but this was the first time he had ever seen him acting like this.
The Takasho he knew was someone whose smile wouldn’t disappear even if the sky was being turned upside down.
Siwoo stood up and slapped the back of his close friend. It was a hard slap, the sound even echoed inside the room.
“Ow! What the fuck is your problem, you bastard?!”
Takasho exclaimed, holding the back of his head, trying to protect it.
“Oh, shut up. It isn’t like we know each other for a day or two. Why are you hiding shit from me, huh? Spit it out, tell me everything.”
“I appreciate your sentiment, but it isn’t that simple. Where would I put my face on if I make you worry for no reason, hm?”
“The alcohol…”
“Huh?”
“I’ll pay for them.”
Hearing Siwoo say those words so bluntly, Takasho gave him a blank stare.
Then, he made an expression that only a heroine of a story would make, as he bit his lip, holding his tears back.
“S-Siwoo… I-I…”
“Stop that! I’ll go somewhere and leave you to cry on your own. Fuck, it’s sickening to see you like this.”
“Siwoo, I love you!”
“Aaaack!”
He suddenly jumped from his seat and gave Siwoo a strong tackle hug.
Feeling the strong muscle of his that he hid under his suit, Siwoo let out a scream.
Only after they joked around for a bit longer did they sat back down and continued their business.
“Fuck… Why are you still so strong…?”
“Would you believe me if I were to tell you that it’s because of my love for you, Siwoo-kun?”
After hearing Takasho’s brief explanation, Siwoo came up with a conclusion.
There was a much better solution than him trying to help Takasho on his own.
“Alright, I know someone who’d be a massive help to us. Do you have a crystal ball?”
“Yeah, I have one here for work. Why?”
“Give me a moment, I’ll contact that person right now.”
Leaving the confused Takasho behind, Siwoo immediately contacted a certain someone who had left her business card to him the other day.
2.
Not long after that.
The front door of the host club swung wide open.
“Welcome!”
-Clack, clack, clack!
The sound of the clacking heels marked today’s relief pitcher’s entrance.
With her elegant-looking ultramarine blue hair and eyes.
A curvy body, covered by a fuschia velvet dress.
There was a fur shawl draped over her chest and shoulders.
A pair of heels, so tall that it was a wonder how she didn’t break her ankles yet, decorated her feet.
With a luxury handbag in her hand, the Witch of Fortune walked in.
Cybele Periwinkle had arrived.
In truth, Siwoo didn’t know anything about business since it wasn’t a subject that he studied in both worlds.
That was why he thought it would be better for them to consult an actual expert on the matter instead.
And so, he called upon Periwinkle.
Her actions made her seem like a vain third-generation chaebol, but she was someone who owned and managed a world renowned hotel brand.
She slightly raised her eyes as she looked around.
It only took her three seconds to understand what was going on.
The corners of her smiling mouth instantly went down.
As if thinking ‘Should I even bother acting all elegantly?’, she repositioned the luxury bag in her hand in a rough manner.
Her dignified posture was instantly gone.
She shot Siwoo a glare and a disapproving look.
“For Ms. Periwinkle herself to accept my invitation and come all the way here, I’m truly honored…”
“Shin Siwoo! You better have a good explanation!”
Siwoo had changed into a tuxedo that Takasho had prepared for him.
When she saw him, Periwinkle immediately went on a tantrum, scratching her head frustratingly.
“I thought you’re asking me out on a date, so I went all out in dressing up, but you!”
Her voice that came out was as sharp as her glare.
Takasho and the other hosts that greeted her instantly went stiff after seeing this.
Everyone could tell that the woman in front of them was a witch and seeing at her appearance, it was clear that she was a big deal even among the witches. That kind of witch was visibly mad, it wasn’t a wonder that they got scared.
“Well, you were the one who told me to call you whenever I need you, no? Anyway, don’t be like that, let’s get inside first, okay? Haha!”
Then, Siwoo’s answer made them scared out of their wits for the second time.
The hosts didn’t know who Siwoo was.
They only knew that he was Madame Takasho’s friend and someone who got along well with some of the witches.
When facing an angry witch, even if one were to kneel on the ground and instantly apologize, in most cases, it wouldn’t satiate their anger at all.
They would still be having their heads inside a crocodile’s wide open mouth; Their fate was on the witch’s mercy.
Some of the hosts were already closing their eyes, offering their prayers.
“…Gulp…”
The atmosphere was tense.
With her blazing eyes, the witch was still glaring intensely at Siwoo.
Everyone’s anxiety slowly rose up as the thought that they would definitely receive the brunt of her wrath crept into their hearts.
“Ugh, seriously… I even put on my clothes and took off my underwear for you…”
“Too much information.”
“Say another word like that, I swear, I’ll leave.”
“No, please, I’m really, really sorry. I’m feeling the same way as you too, you know? I mean, it’s the rare chance to have a date with the prettiest witch in the world, Ms. Periwinkle herself and I had to waste that chance for this occasion…”
Siwoo immediately began to flatter her.
Her eyes instantly lit up to his words.
“Elaborate.”
“Really, I didn’t want to waste it in this way, but I ran into a problem that I can’t solve alone. I know several witches, but you’re the one who immediately came to my mind.”
“Are you telling the truth?”
“Of course. I have no doubt that Ms. Periwinkle is able to see through this complex problem and give us a clear answer!”
Siwoo had roughly guessed what Periwinkle’s personality was like.
She liked it when he acted boldly and for some reason, she assumed a role akin to a big sister for him.
While at a glance she seemed to be uncaring, she’d willingly roll up her sleeve to step up and help if Siwoo were to get into trouble.
“Fine, that’s a pass. Let’s go in.”
“I can hold the shawl for you.”
“You silly guy, my chest would be exposed if you do that. I told you, no bra.”
“Ah, alright.”
Even though Siwoo could tell that the situation would develop this way, Takasho wasn’t, so he stood still, frozen in place.
In truth, what Siwoo had done was something he could do without much difficulty.
The thing that surprised him was ‘who’ was it that pulled the move off.
Back when he was still a slave, Siwoo was a fool who didn’t even know the f in flirting and got in trouble with Associate Professor Amelia because of it for years.
Well, of course, part of it was because Amelia was as hopeless as him in that regard, so it was understandable that their relationship was awful, to say the least.
In any case, the Siwoo that he was familiar with was a virgin who knew nothing about the intricate relationship between a man and a woman.
It was hard to believe that he was able to control the heart of a woman so skillfully like this.
Maybe they were right, experiences do change people, huh…?
Only after Periwinkle vanished from their sights did the hosts finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Um, Hyung…”
“…”
“Hyung!”
“H-Huh? What?”
Liam, who had been reciting his prayer, quietly approached Takasho.
The other hosts also started to flock to him one by one.
“Who the hell is that guy?”
“From that interaction, it feels like that witch is his close friend…”
“The way he treated that picky-looking witch…”
“It’s like taking candy from a baby…”
The first thing Takasho did was to hide his admiration towards his matured disciple, Shin Siwoo.
Then, he spoke out in a solemn voice.
Since Siwoo had shown them the ideal form of the host he wanted them to be, he took this as an opportunity.
“Boys, that’s the pinnacle, the peak that every host should aim for! We need to not only provide sexual entertainment with our customers, but we also need to build spiritual bonds with them! Engrave the thing that you saw today within your hearts!”
“Yes, Hyung!”
“The pinnacle that every host should aim for…”
“Anyway, I should join them now.”
After giving that speech, Takasho hurriedly followed Siwoo and Periwinkle to the salon.
3.
Periwinkle’s instant response to Siwoo’s call…
The way she snuggled up to his arm, as if it was natural for her to be there…
And the way she rubbed her thigh against his secretly at every chance she got…
“Hello, I am Madame Mimaya Takasho from the Rose Glass. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Even after witnessing such a scene, Takasho’s composure didn’t falter.
He still greeted her with dignity, his low and calm voice echoed as he sat down in front of the pair.
Then again, it was as expected of the guy who seduced witches for a living.
“Madame? Ah, right, a host club, makes sense…”
“Yes, so my friend over here recently opened this host club, but business isn’t going well. That’s why I invited you here, Ms. Periwinkle. We want to consult you on this matter.”
“Well, first of all, I don’t work for free…”
Even though she said so, the fact that she was here meant that she would help him, or at the very least, listen to his request.
As for the reason why she acted like this…
“Two days and one night.”
“No, three days and two nights.”
“Why don’t we do two nights straight without resting instead?”
“I’d rather we do three.”
She wanted to get a dose of hot time with Siwoo.
Of course Siwoo wouldn’t lose out in this deal.
If anything, instead of payment, this felt like a reward to him.
Maybe it was because they had done it once already, he didn’t feel the slightest aversion to do it with her again.
Since Sharon had woken up, the guilt he felt when he first did it with her was gone.
The only reason he didn’t accept immediately was only because he thought it wouldn’t be fun if he were to do that.
He wrapped his arm around Periwinkle’s waist before gently biting her ear.
Then, he whispered in a low voice.
“Now, if you get too greedy, I’ll punish you. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Pfft—! Hahahaha!”
Periwinkle, who’d normally cover her mouth whenever she laughed, didn’t do that as she burst out laughing.
She laughed so hard that she kicked the table several times.
If she were sitting on the floor, she’d probably be rolling around instead.
“W-What was that…? T-That didn’t suit you at all!”
After laughing to the point that she started panting for three minutes, Periwinkle stopped, but she was still holding her stomach, curling her body like a shrimp.
“Jeez… Siwoo, did you look up something weird on the internet again? Please don’t say something like that again, okay? It just doesn’t suit you.”
“Ugh, stop that…”
Now, Siwoo felt embarrassed.
If this was ■■■ instead of Periwinkle, her face woulda turned red and she’d nod shyly to his words.
As he was whining in his mind like that, Periwinkle nodded her head, a cheerful smile still hanging on her lips.
“Alright, since you made me have a good laugh, we’ll do it for two days. 48 hours, no more, no less.”
“Fine, that’s a deal.”
As this was going on, Takasho was watching everything in disbelief.
Is that really Siwoo?
The Siwoo that he knew wasn’t the kind of guy who’d be able to make a witch laugh with a perverted joke, let alone setting a date to have sex with her.
Knowing how Siwoo was when he was a slave, the probability of him doing this was even lower than Takasho himself realizing the futility of his worldly desires and decided to walk the path of an ascetic.
“So, what exactly is the problem with this place, Madame? Tell me in detail.”
Takasho, who was half-dazed by the scene unfolding in front of him, nodded in a hurry when he heard her words.
In any case…
Since it was Siwoo himself who called this witch over, there was no doubt that she’d be able to help him out, even if it was only a little.
He decided that he could place his bet on his business’ life and death on her.
And so, he began to brief her about what was going on with a confident gaze as he laid out the documents that he had been carrying under his arm on the table.
“Understood. I’ll explain everything and present the relevant data to you.”