By Zephyria 
“Noooooooo!”
Bill screamed silently and threw himself forward urgently. He probably hadn’t rushed this fast even when chasing a puck toward the goal. Of course. This was a matter of life and death. Whether his longtime hometown friend died, or he died, or everyone died.
And he’d probably try to kill me first.
In the mere seconds that passed, his past flashed before his eyes like a panorama. Especially Ashley’s face, always trying to catch Bill whenever something happened. But not this time.
“Yee-haw!”
Bill, snatching the table runner off the table, shouted and swung the cloth at his oblivious friend. Whack, the cloth cut through the air with a sharp sound, hitting his friend, who turned to him in bewilderment. Bill quickly said in a loud voice,
“Alright, ladies! Time to give tips! Express your love generously to these raging buffalos!”
With those words, Bill quickly handed the cloth to his friend and pushed him forward. Stumbling forward, his friend awkwardly did as he was told, walking among the sisters, showing his back, letting them touch his arms, and getting tips. Of course, everyone knew that they were all just dollar bills, and that they wouldn’t even make $100 even if they worked all night. They were just enjoying the atmosphere.
Except for one person.
Koi, who had been sitting next to Ashley without a second thought, laughing and watching his friends, suddenly glanced at Ariel and was horrified. The former queen of Buffalo High School and amateur boxing champion was glaring at Bill with a terrifying look on her face.
Why, why is she like that?
“What’s wrong?”
Ashley whispered, noticing Koi’s strange state. Koi pointed to Ariel with his eyes, unable to hide his anxious expression. Ashley followed his gaze, then let out a short exclamation.
“Why is Al so angry?”
Ashley kissed the anxious Koi lightly, as if to tell him not to worry.
“It’s nothing. You’ll find out soon, so just wait.”
“O-okay…”
Koi reluctantly nodded and hunched his shoulders. A long arm wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him closer. Koi leaned his head on Ashley’s shoulder and finally relaxed. The lively show was still unfolding before his eyes.
What is that bastard doing?
Ariel rested her chin on one hand and glared at Bill with a fierce expression.
Her mood had soured not long after the party started. At first, she had readily agreed, thinking it would be fun, but when the show actually unfolded before her eyes, it wasn’t as pleasant as she had imagined. Rather, a sense of displeasure filled her, and her stomach even started to churn.
She began to get angry after Bill revealed his bare body. Ariel also laughed and added her voice to the cheering sisters and the heated atmosphere, but it gradually became more and more outrageous. He didn’t have to go that far, but Bill deliberately twisted his waist seductively and even winked and flirted with the sisters. That dissolute bastard. Ariel felt resentful.
But she could still bear it. Quite some time had passed, and it would soon be over. She was, after all, thinking of ending the party successfully as a considerate and generous leader of the Cheerleader sisters. And she was confident that she could be patient enough.
Until the other sisters started touching Bill’s body.
“Wow, amazing.”
The vice-captain, stroking his bulging biceps, widened her eyes. Other sisters also admired Bill’s body up close.
“How do you build this muscle here? I’ve been doing it for over a year, but I can’t get muscle here.”
Bill laughed at the sister who stroked his latissimus dorsi without hesitation.
“Pull-ups are the best for that. If it’s too hard, do chin-ups. It’s probably hard for women.”
“Bill, show me your shoulders. Oh my, you have muscles here too.”
“How many hours a day do you work out? What do you mainly do?”
The sisters surrounding Bill chattered like sparrows, touching his body as they pleased. Ariel stared intently at the scene without moving.
Hold on, Al. Be cool, the sisters are doing that because they don’t know. Hold on, why are you getting so angry over someone like Bill? This childish behavior is something Ashley Miller would do…
“Your butt is so pretty. What kind of exercise do you do for your butt?”
Just then, the vice-captain touched Bill’s butt. In that instant, the last bit of reason flew out of Ariel’s head.
“Stop!”
Everyone was startled by the sudden shout and turned their attention. Bill also widened his eyes, but Ariel didn’t care. She was angriest at that stupid face looking at her more than anyone else.
“Bill Gulliver! What are you doing!”
Everyone just stared at her in bewilderment as she suddenly shouted at Bill. Ariel didn’t care and strode towards Bill with large steps, stopping abruptly in front of him.
“There are things you should and shouldn’t do, what are you doing showing your butt and chest to just anyone without any modesty! Do you like being touched by anyone that much?”
“Eek!”
Ariel, unable to contain her anger, slapped Bill’s butt. Bill screamed at the sharp sound and jumped up, and the others also flinched in surprise. Bill, who hurriedly rubbed his butt, was terrified by Ariel’s still fierce glare.
Could there be anything more unfair than this?
He was desperately trying not to be killed by Ashley, but he got hit by his girlfriend. Moreover, his girlfriend was a former amateur boxer, and her punch was still going strong. Bill teared up because his burning butt hurt so much.
Instead of comforting him, Ariel turned around and shouted at the root of all evil.
“Ash, you too. Can’t you stop catching Bill whenever something happens? What is this, it’s all because of you!”
Koi was flustered and didn’t know what to do, but Ashley just looked at them with an indifferent face. As if it had nothing to do with him. Seeing that, Ariel felt even more resentful.
If the ice hockey team guys, including Bill, hadn’t volunteered to sacrifice themselves, the bachelor party would probably have been held without Koi. There was no way Ashley would have let anyone, male or female, strip in front of Koi. It was only after Bill’s tearful efforts that he received the promise that ‘no one but the gorillas will show any unsightly behavior’ that the party was finally held. Bill did his best for his classmates. Also, in a way that he could survive.
“It’s all because of you, Ashley Miller! Don’t bully Bill again, I really won’t let it go!”
Bill, hearing Ariel’s warning, began to sob as if his sorrow had exploded. Hearing that sound, Ariel felt a mixture of pity and guilt and hugged Bill, patting his back.
“A-Al.”
“Yes, Bill. It’s okay. Did it hurt a lot?”
“Ouch.”
Everyone lamented in unison at the sight of him, a huge man sobbing and hugging a woman who was not even half his size.
The atmosphere of the party was broken, and for a while, only Bill’s sobs were heard in the silence. The vice-president was the one who spoke up.
“But… why is Al angry about Bill’s business? What’s their relationship? Are they dating?”
Another silence fell suddenly. Bill, who was burying his face in Ariel’s shoulder and sobbing, also stopped crying. Ariel’s hand, which had been stroking Bill’s back, also stopped. Everyone held their breath and just watched them.
“…Al.”
Bill hesitated and took a step back, starting to speak. Seeing him looking around hesitantly, Ariel opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind.
“Sisters, let me introduce you. My boyfriend, Bill Gulliver.”
“Kyaaaaaa!”
“Wooooo!”
The sisters and gorillas alternately screamed and cheered at the same time. Koi was momentarily dazed by the uproar that seemed to blow the hotel room away. Ashley also seemed to be the same, frowning and covering Koi’s ears with both hands.
Bill couldn’t hear the surrounding noise. He looked down at Ariel, speechless with emotion. Ariel had introduced him to her friends as her boyfriend. Could there be anything happier than this…?
Yes, of course.
At that moment, Bill knelt down on one knee in front of Ariel and took her hand.
“Al, will you marry me?”
“Hiiiik!”
“Ughhhh!”
The sisters and gorillas alternately screamed again, then suddenly closed their mouths. In the tense silence, Ariel rolled her eyes as if flustered, then gave an awkward smile.
“Bill.”
“Yeah.”
Ariel gave Bill, who nodded hastily, a kind piece of advice.
“Could you put on some clothes properly and do it again?”