[ ah, yes. the drinks at the bar. tseng had experienced something related to those as well, although his symptoms were limited to a miraculous ability to breathe underwater for a couple of hours. that there was a cocktail that could inspire loneliness is... unsurprising, although he's not happy that rufus ended up drinking it.

it also doesn't escape him, that rufus' drink of choice was something fruity and brightly-colored. maybe it was just because they hadn't served whiskey neat at that bar, but if that were the case, then rufus could just as well have not drunk anything at all. the fact that he chose to order one of those cocktails regardless... it's been a long time since tseng saw rufus allow himself that kind of indulgence. ]

I see. [ rufus knows what tseng looks like when he's making a series of mental notes. loneliness, compulsion for companionship... not erotic companionship, but the simplicity of human connection. ] Finding the dosed food and drink is often a matter of trial by error. Please be careful, sir.

[ bodyguard, and food-taster, and private chef, and sugar daddy all rolled into one. tseng sure has gotten a job upgrade today.

he turns to cross the kitchen into the living room, where he goes through the drawers of his desk and returns with his work-in-progress map of the resort. while the residential floors are sort of glossed over, there are extensive notes on certain other areas of the resort—the maintenance tunnels below, the supply room with its multitude of guards, the jail, the library. tseng also hands over the notebook currently serving as his dossier, with names and notes written in his tight, meticulous hand. ]

For your reference, while I make dinner.