“We don’t have much time”, said Haruka to Jens. Her heels clicked in a rhythm that suggested both urgency and irritation. Jens slowed down a little, so she wouldn’t have any need to run. “So, here’s the summary of nomikai etiquette: don’t drink before toast. Don't pour your own drink. Don’t leave before the department chief. Remember, we are still at work”.

His face clouded with concern. He’d hoped for fun and joy, a relaxed atmosphere, the hygge spirit - not a part of work. He’d hoped for maybe meeting some new people, that, with a strike of luck, he could become friends with. Someone he could go to an Izakaya with, or hiking, or to try some food in a new restaurant. 

Oh well, at least he could try to find out who left him the note.

“What would we do at a drinking party then, if we are at work?”

It wasn’t so much a look from Haruka as a small committee of eyebrows holding an emergency meeting.

“We drink and party, what else? Oh, the chief of the department, Noro-bucho will probably have some toasts, and then the first round of drinks, the second, the third, and probably all the rest”

“Do we talk about work?”, for Jens this was starting to look like some sad excuse for a drinking party, like in some hellish American corporation.

“Sometimes. You’ll see”

It was quite cozy and empty in this Izakaya. For Jens, it did not seem like this kind of place could fit all of them, but he would be proven wrong. It looked like it was rented just for their group - or at least this main room was. He followed Haruka,who seemed to instinctively know where to sit and how to behave, and he just imitated her. They sat at a second table, near the top. There were four long unassuming wooden tables, all a little too short for Jens. The air filling the room was warm, and had the faintest quality of grease and cigarettes.  Their Team Leader somewhere at the first table took a tablet, from what he saw, with a menu, pointed at the whole group, talked quickly to the waitress, and she bowed politely, and strode out. It was clearly not the first time this department came here to drink after work. Not even a minute passed, and some waitresses started to distribute big mugs of beer.

In front of them sat Minato-san.

“Nice to see you Jens. I hope they will bring sashimi first, I’m famished”

“Nice to see you Minato-san!” Jens greeted him, and turned to Haruka.

“How am I supposed to pour that to anyone else?!” Jens whispered in a way one would argue with a librarian.

“You don’t pour beer for others if you don’t have any bottles.” Haruka was starting to think Jens’s mind was not made for heavy-lifting. Well, that, or maybe his European, good-work-life-balance brain could not stand the pressure of hard work in a Japanese corporation.

He wanted to say something more, but she shushed him, as everyone got their drinks, and a short and heavier man stood with his beer. Jens recognized the man instantly - Haruka made sure he remembered all the managers and leaders in their department. It was his first time seeing him not through the glass of his private office he almost never came out from. The man cleared out his throat loudly.

“Good evening, everyone. Glad to see so many faces proudly upholding the traditions of great companionship, not like some of the new generations that have a tendency to lack respect in this regard. Raise your glasses! Not to lack of respect or frivolity, of course, but to the steadfast maintenance of standards. Kampai.”

“Kampaaaai!” Everyone raised their glasses and drank. Before Jens did that, he smelled his beer. It was flat and yeasty. He took a sip. It somehow tasted worse than it smelled. He felt homesick for a second.

Sitting in front of him, Minato-san laughed seeing his face. “You don’t like it?”

“It’s… one of a kind,” said Jens. Which surprised Haruka - this was a really polite, even a little Japanese-like response. She just could not get a grip on him. Sometimes he seemed really sharp, and other times she could not get a point across to him. He ignored some of the non-written rules and regulations, but other times he was perfectly polite and on point, even taking in Japanese standards. What’s with this man?

“So, Jens.”, started Minato when the waitresses started to put some complimentary snacks on the tables “How was your first week? Different from Danish companies, for sure?”

Jens just laughed.

“It could not be more different. Not in a bad way, of course”, he quickly added to not be misunderstood.

“Oh, I would not assume”, laughed Minato. “So tell me, do you have any drinking parties in Danish companies?”

“Not official after work. Some people sometimes go out, but if there would be any official party, it would be starting at, like, 2 or 3 PM, and staying after work hours would be optional.”

“No way”, said Minato. His eyes were glistening. 

“Jens-san! Tanikawa-san, Minato-san!” from the other end of the table, Hina waved to them “Are you joining shiritori?”

“What’s shiritori?”, asked Jens.

“It’s a game of taking the end of one word and starting with another. If you say the wrong one or take too long to think, you take a shot”, said Haruka. She was talking to someone on her right side, but once Jens asked this question, she turned to him without skipping a beat to answer him.

“I can play a round or two”, said Jens to Hina. She smiled brightly. Haruka sighed. 

“I guess I’ll play too”

“I’ll pass this round!” said Minato. “I haven’t eaten anything.”

“Okay, we’ll be starting.” Aoi, who was sitting near Hina, was writing something, Saito also joined, with some other coworkers Jens ate lunch with once or twice before - Ito, Ogawa and Okada.

“Okay, I’ll start.” Hina thought for a second. “Orange!”

“Jelly!”

Jens noticed that words were similar to English words, or well known. They were making the game easier for him, so he can play. That was really considerate of him.

“Natto”, said Haruka.

“Tofu” followed Jens.

Next, Ito couldn’t find his next word, and had to drink while others clapped and laughed. These chains continued, at some point getting more and more elaborate, while still keeping it easy for Jens to understand. At some point, the guys just started to throw out English words, and argue that if you say them with an accent, they work just as well as Japanese ones. Hina was relentless in making them drink.

“Sakura”, said Haruka.

“Ramen”, followed by Jens.

Hina started to laugh. “At least, we got you Jens!”

“What? I said the word”, said Jens.

“N is the end of the chain”, Hina was smiling brightly.

“I didn’t know that!”

“My bad,” said Haruka, and took a sip of her beer, stifling a slight smile.

Jens pouted.

“Guys, I’m done, we can play the king's game,” said Aoi. She now waved some long cards with something drawn on them.

“What took you so long!” scoffed Hina.

“You were having such fun, I couldn’t interrupt you.” smiled Aoi softly.

“Let’s eat something and then we play some King’s game!” ordered Hina.