They were talking about photo books now; Sū ěr dreaded to think what they'd talk about as they got closer.
He knew exactly why Araragi met the vampire: he was out trying to buy some "R-18" materials when the streets were empty.
Wait, is there even an 'R-18' concept among yōkai?
Sū ěr soul shuddered.
"It's great, isn't it?" Rikuo said with a look of helplessness. "Actually, Kanna Hashimoto was good at first too. I used to flip through her stuff at night, but..."
Hashimoto Kanna—those who know, know.
"Yeah, really... it makes you speechless," Araragi said with a look of deep mourning.
A great loss indeed.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Rikuo threw his head back and slapped his thigh. "Interesting! Too interesting!"
"Hmm?" Araragi looked curiously at the yōkai he'd just met. This heroic spirit and energy, like something out of an ancient book, was something he—a modern city dweller—admired.
Human by day, yōkai by night. But day or night, Rikuo Nura was Rikuo Nura; there was no split personality or memory loss.
"Hey, Koyomi," Rikuo turned and looked seriously at Araragi. They had just met, yet they were already using first names—a sign of closeness.
It was a strange feeling. To Rikuo, the "yōkai mood" was right. So they drank and laughed. It wasn't the same as drinking with the yōkai he grew up with, but it felt more interesting.
Was it the boy's identity? Not quite yōkai, but a Western vampire. A human a month ago, now possessing power that even he felt threatened by.
Araragi had laid all his cards on the table. Rikuo had shared a lot, too.
"Hey! Koyomi!"
Repeating the name, Rikuo's smile vanished. He looked incredibly serious.
"Eh?" Araragi blinked through his bangs. Was the yōkai drunk?
"Drink the San-Shichi [3-7] Sakazuki with me."
"...3-7 Sakazuki?"
Is this some weird yōkai custom?
The serious look was a bit scary. Araragi looked to Sū ěr for help, but Sū ěr didn't know what it was either. He only heard the old monster beside him laughing loudly.
"What's a 3-7 Sakazuki?" Sū ěr turned to ask.
"In outside terms, it's an exchange of cups. Among yōkai, we call it the 3-7 Sakazuki," Nurarihyon nodded with a grin. "Simply put, the sake is split into two cups. The big brother drinks seven parts, the little brother drinks three. it's a ritual of loyalty among yōkai."
"For example, the leaders of the Nura Clan all drank the 3-7 Sakazuki with me. From that moment, they offered their 'Fear,' and Nutanurarihyon became the Lord of Pandemonium," Nurarihyon said with some pride. Though he looked old and frail due to his past injuries, he was still the same... monster.
"Besides the brothers he grew up with, Rikuo has finally reached the stage of reaching out to external yōkai, hasn't he?" Nurarihyon looked touched, dabbing at his eyes mockingly.
It was the pride of seeing his pig finally learn to go after someone else's cabbage.
"Heartwarming," he said. "Heartwarming."
While Nurarihyon explained the 3-7 Sakazuki to Sū ěr, Rikuo was sincerely explaining it to Araragi. But Sū ěr was suddenly reminded of something else.
"Nurarihyon..." Sū ěr sipped his sake.
"Hmm? What is it?" Though his yōkai instincts were screaming "DANGER" like needles pricking him, Nurarihyon couldn't think of why Sū ěr would suddenly turn on him. So he just took another swig.
"If I recall correctly, when we first met, you invited me to drink an exchange cup, didn't you?" Sū ěr voice dropped to a low, chilling whisper.
Nurarihyon: "..."
How is your memory that good?!
[Yes, he said it.]
"Ah, ahahaha, I just remembered there's some exotic wine from foreign yōkai in the back room. Let me go get it so we can all taste it..."
Nurarihyon wiped his smooth forehead and wobbled to his feet, trying to turn and flee. His aged body was incredibly nimble, but just as he was about to use his demonic power to vanish, a hand clamped onto his shoulder.
"Koyomi, you stay here and drink with Rikuo. I just thought of a peerless landscape I want to show Nurarihyon. We'll be back," Sū ěr said with a "kind" smile to the youths.
"Leave Koyomi to me, Sū-sama," Rikuo said, naturally slinging his arm around Araragi. "No problem if you're gone for a while. I'll help him train starting tomorrow."
"Good. Sorry for the trouble—let's go, Nurarihyon. Time to hit the road."
"Wait! No! Rikuo!!! HELP—!!"
But the people were gone. Only the echo remained.
In the blink of an eye, Sū ěr had taken Nurarihyon away.
"...Um, is it really okay?" Araragi turned back, bewildered.
"Don't worry. They're old friends. It'll be fine... probably," Rikuo filled Araragi cup. "Come, drink."
Araragi: "..."
If I recall, I'm a high schooler, right?
And Rikuo is an underage yōkai too.
Underage drinking is really okay?
Is this... yōkai?