"Awoom~!"
...
Aika eats her favorite bento lunch that consists of panda-shaped rice balls.
"Mmmhh~!"
Hinagi, too chews her self-cooked pork cutlet with a side of chopped vegetables in oyster sauce.
The whole class is in awe as they watch Yoichi eat together with the three beautiful girls in class..
“Hmph~! I refuse to eat together with plain white bread!” Yuumi looks away from Yoichi with a pouted expression.
Hinagi gave a portion of her pork cutlet to Yuumi… Although she took a bite out of it, she was stunned by the flavors of her cooking…
“Ehehe… It’s so good~”
Of course, anyone would be filled with envy to see this one ordinary-looking guy eating together with them.
"This guy... That loser actually has to hang out with the Black Rose, the Pink Blossom, and the Clumsy Blonde Airhead..."
...
They actually have names for everyone at this point?
PFFT…
Clumsy Blonde Airhead… Ahahahaha!
Well-deserved name… I like my classmates.
I thought as I sat together beside a few other otakus… Well, just Yoshikawa….
"Hey, Haruto... You still play that gacha game lately? I noticed you're not that active a lot..."
"Huh... You've been really keeping tabs on my profile?"
"Yeahh... After all.. You have every single cast of the game, and wasted thousands of yen to get it! Of course I do... But there's one thing you haven't got,"
"Got what...?"
He pulls his phone and shows a very skimpy girl dressed in revealing military clothes waving her gun.
"Commander... Reporting for duty...!" Her voice blasted in his phone speakers.
"Ohh... I can't believe I really really really got her... Hehehe~"
He hugs his phone as he happily moves left and right...
"I wish I could be as excited as you for her," I monotonously replied.
"What do you think? She just came out and everyone loves her when she came out,"
...?
"I'm not even updated to this game,"
"N-N-Nani? Haruto usually keeps tabs on every single girl and would get them the next day...! I can't even comprehend how much money you throw on the day just to get one... WITH FULL LEVEL!"
"Jesus H. Christ"
How could I ever have the ability to do that?
"Have you been watching too much Hollywood movies lately? Why the Engrish?"
"N-nothing, that’s a religious figure too,"
"Not too long ago you suddenly get the balls to fawn over some 3d girl... Tch... So disappointed in you,"
"Huh... Really... I mean, I still play games but to think I could actually phase out so easily after that,"
"Whatever... Our deal is already broken when I saw you with those guys…"
...
Well, I mean I could just go there right now, but...
"Itachi... Oi, what are you doing over there?" Aika called as she brought an extra seat and patted it beside her...
The two otakus turned their head to me immediately and exhaled really really loud.
I guess being hated by an otaku group is no different...
"Just go... Our stars have no longer aligned a long time ago," Yoshikawa said as he tapped his thumbs through the phone.
Someone just grabbed my forearm immediately.
"Itachi, what are you even spacing out for?"
"Hah?"
"Hey stop pulling my arm! It's starting to hurt,"
"No no no... You're eating with us,"
I sat beside the Aika as the four of us just enjoy our own lunch.
It's such a weird view to both me and everyone around.
"Huh... Since when did Itachi get close with them too?"
In their eyes I might have looked more like a comic relief best friend of Yoichi.
The black-haired rose picked up a small portion of rice and meat and held it close to Yoichi's mouth.
"Aaaaah~" Misaki gestures Yoichi to open his mouth as she cupped her hand below the chopsticks as she guides the food to his mouth.
"H-Hinagi-chan, w-what are you doing?"
"Isn't it alright? After all, we're close friends," she uttered.
"N-No.. T-that's way too sudden... Only those couples do these things, not friends!" The dense protagonist backed away as the girls bring
"Aaah-" Aika picked up her portion of food and held it close to him too beside him.
"A-Aika-chan! Not you too~! S-stop doing that,"
I can hear the class grumbling as the two just casually tried to feed this freaking lucky guy with everyone's sight on them.
...
"AaaAahh~!" I mimicked a voice of an anime girl. A bad one though because I cracked my voice.
"Itachi! What the fu- "
GULP!
"Mmmphh~"
I fed him a portion of my half-burnt half-baked egg rolls that I lazily cooked because I woke up twenty minutes before class started.
I only have five minutes to make my lunch, but I can't even waste it.
Yoichi spat out the food that I just fed to him.
"That's my half-baked lunch. I made it on the spot, and I could've eaten it myself. To actually spit it out..."
"There's even eggshells in there too… Why would you do that?"
I looked around the classroom and I can see them actually holding their laughter from what I did...
Pfft...
Same thought too.
"Here, Itachi you want some, too?" Aika switched and gave her portion to me right after I almost laughed.
"Huh? No, I'm good,"
"Come on, I didn't make this for Yoichi too, you know?"
...!
"Really... Why would you make that for someone else? That's quite unusual for someone's childho-"
"Oh shut up, eat it already before it's cold~!"
GULP!
.
..
...
It...
It's actually...
Really good...
I'm not counting the taste...!
It's horrible...
I'm talking about eating with others...!
It truly enhances someone's taste buds...
To an extent...
I now understand why Yoichi tears up when he ate Aika's portions sometimes.
I placed whatever she put in that riceball in the corner of my cheek…
“You like my homemade panda rice balls?”
"I'll just... Go to the bathroom to wash my hands..."
"Ehh? You like my handmade rice-"
I hurriedly rush to the bathroom. I can't even regurgitate whatever I have or she'll obviously be upset.
Uergh!
But how can you actually screw up cooking that bad...?
I'm lazy as hell but cooking can be made simple by decent ingredients!
Where the fuck did you make riceballs that taste like it's been fermented under a cave filled with droppings from bats?
Not saying I've tasted it, but it's that bad!
...
Fshhh~!
I let the faucet running as I wash my hands...
I can smell a hint of...
Nicotine...?
And a voice in the distance...
"Tch... This freaking school is getting in my nerves... First my girlfriend got jumped by some roach, and now that nerd is no way in sight..."
"Fumiko? Tch... You really like to hang out with girls with long painted nails, Ryuujin?"
Shit...
"Puff... I swear I'll punch whoever actually did that to her. She came out crying in tears and said that pshe has been defiled. I thought she actually got molested or something. It was just a roach,"
"So we're going to beat up that roach who jumped on her... Right?"
"Bastard, I'm talking about an actual roach, not calling him a roach..."
"Huh... If he actually looks more of a roach if I see him, there's no difference between the two,"
"It looked fucking planned. As if it's calculated! The targets are usually the gals in that class,"
"Who do you think would that be?"
"I don't fucking know..."
"Shit, I'll just beat up anyone then... It might be one of them anyway,"
Stomp~!
"Who's there!?"
The two bullies looked at the bathroom and saw no one.
"I think that guy saw us catching a puff,"
Shit shit shit...!
Stupid slippery floor!
I hid inside one of the toilets...
It's only the best place to hide!
I swear under the sink is filled with disgusting mold!
...
"He might be running outside then..."
Stomp... stomp.. stomp!
Their footsteps both light and heavy ran outside the bathroom.
...
It's clear... I think.
I unlocked the bathroom door, turned my head around swiftly like a paranoid freak.
Phew...!
I'll just walk outside from the bathroom door.
As I step outside, something grabbed me by the chest.
"Aha! It's the little runt...!"
They grabbed me back to the bathroom and locked the door
Shit shit shit...
My heart is racing by the second...
"You've been away from us lately, Harutoooo... Did you miss us?"
His smile does not correlate with his eyes.
It looks more like he wants to crack his prey's neck with those eyes.
"So... You heard anything about this incident?"
"W-W-What?" I cowered as I responded.
"Don't act dumb!"
BLAM!
Fuck... My stomach!
"P-Please..."
"Lately, things have gotten too quiet with you..."
...
"Haven't you seen him? He's been hanging out with the transferee and the loser.."
"Is that why...?"
"If she was that easy to hang out with him..."
...!
"Wouldn't that mean my chance is better with her?" Okanashi turned his head at Ryuujin...
"Who knows...? Kekeke…"
"Shut up... How'd even Fumiko even have a chance with you?"
"It's all this... Baby!"
He flexed his bicep, revealing a bump that protruded through his shirt.
"That looks tiny! Check mine,."
.
..
…
"Aaarghh!!!"
He squeezed my forearm with his hand...
His grip strength is so freaking strong, I can feel my blood vessels cut off through my wrist.
"Holy shit look at those veins and forearms...!" Ryuujin commented, stunned at the huge bicep just popping off through his shirt.
Okanashi, not only is just a big guy, but under all those fat are hardened fibers of muscle that is yet to be exposed just by a glance.
"I'm stronger than you,"
"Nah, your chubby face may be the reason why... She likes me ‘cuz I’m handsome too," He slicks his blonde hair back as he tries to attempt a handsome pose that every asian models would do.
“If you do that shit again, you’re next after this guy,”
“Pfft… No need to act too cocky, Oka.” He takes another puff and blew smoke to my face.
Cough...! Cough!
They're just talking normally as if I'm nothing more than just an ant...
"Well, who knows? This wimp..."
"Right...! Haruto... Isn't it time for me to introduce your 'new friends'?"
Wham...!
Okanashi paused as his eyes slowly turn towards me, his face as stiff as a weeping angel.
"Y-You..."
I can feel my knuckle pass through his face...
I... I actually punched him… It must be…
BAM!
"You fucking bastard! You think you're hot shit because you got beautiful ladies with ya?"
KICK!
S-Shit!!
My fucking chest!
"Fucking cocky bitch!"
Okanashi grabbed my hair,
Tch...!
It feels like my hair is gonna be ripped if he pulls it that strong!
BAM!
This big guy kicks the toilet door open!
"WAIT!"
"You shithead...!"
The other guy just relaxed as he kicked my knee, making me kneel to the toilet.
It...
The toilet...!
I grabbed hold of the toilet rim...
!!!
The force of his arm!
I tried to push myself away...!
Eurgh!
"What? You don't like to have a refreshing drink? It's just clean water!"
"Hahaha... Yeah! You can just taste test it... Kiseki High's water claimed it's one hundred percent clean,"
I pulled my head away with as much force as I can...
PINCH!
"Aaaahhh~!"
His hand gripped my head and pushed me further...
My neck fucking hurts but no!
...
It...
It gave out!
SPLASH!
"Blub...! Blub!"
I tried to pull my head from the toilet, but!
I can't anymore...
BLUB BLUB BLUB BULB!!!!
I struggled as I tried to do anything to get my head up...
But he keeps pushing me down!
"How'd that taste? It's clean anyway right?"
I can't fucking pull myself!
GET...
...
ME...
O.u.t...
SWISH! SPLASH!
...
Cough...! Cough!
"Damn, look! He needs a bit more air before a deep dive..."
Wheeze!
INHALE...!
I tried to take a deep breath and exhaled while coughing up the toilet water.
Chlorine...!
My mouth burns...!
"Don't worry... it's clean..."
"Up... we... Go!"
SPLASH!!!
"BLUB BLUB BLUB BLUB!!!"
I can't fucking breathe...
My chest!!!
...
I'm...
I should get myself... OUT!
...
SWASH!
Huuuuu~!
“Must have been nice taking a deep dive in Okinawa’s seas, eh?”
He pulled me back on top, forcing me to stand!
I can’t see anything…
The toilet water is getting through my eyes!
BLAM!
Eurhg!!1
They punched me right in the stomach again…
“Oh… Haruto…! You’ve become a firm punching bag… Can’t believe you took that hit!” Okanashi’s voice muffled as I feel the pain reach my nerves…
Ryuujin straightened his legs, walked up to me, as I am held tight by Okanashi’s arms…
BFFP!!!
“AAAaaaahhh~!”
“Oooh, that’s a good kick Ryuujin,” Okanasih nodded as he watched me fall in pain from that extremely painful kick
“Heh… Don’t worry…! That pent-up anger from that cockroach incident really makes me relieved…”
“This is just practice… Once we find that bastard, we’ll really give him a beating… hahaha!”
“Hahahahaha!” Ryuujin laughed as he threw the cigarette to my face…
The radiating hot cigarette drops near me…
I can smell the nicotine and the smoke wiggling on top of the burning ash.
“Your fucking hand smells like shit and chlorine…!”
The two washed their hands and walked outside and their muffled voice soon start to fade…
…
Right…
…
I’m soaked, but at least they didn’t hit my… In the face I guess.
…
Picking up my wet handkerchief, I wiped whatever I have on my uniform and made sure my whole face does not look like a puffed up marshmallow…
I can feel my stomach resonating with those hit.
Rustle…
Stand…
Fucking stand please…
I tried to get up and wash myself again, and tried to cover my bruise as much as possible.
…
At least it’s not in the face… again.
I’ll just walk normally like I should.
This is a romcom world after all… and I’m just a mob character, hahaha!
Right?
I walked back to my classroom and acted normal..
Though it fucking hurts…
Aika and Hinagi is there anyway…
The door slides open.
“Oh Haruto! You’re back, hehe… Sorry about tha- What happened to you?”
“Oh, this? Yeah some bastard forgot to close the liquid soap properly so I slipped on it, and the floor was wet too… Fucking unfortunate…”
I sarcastically laughed as I wiped myself continuously.
“Tch… That’s unfortunate… Hahaha…” She giggled uncomfortably.
As I look to the corner of my eye…
Okanashi and Ryuujin just freaking slept the entire day as if it’s just nothing.
…
I don’t want to look at them~
“Yeah… Unfortunate indeed…”
RIING!
“Let’s go home together… Itachi, Yoichi!”
Shit…
If I walk together with them, they’ll see me limping too…
“Y-You go on ahead,”
“Ehhh~? You want to sleep in class even though no one’s here?”
“Yeah… It’s a nice place to sleep sometimes…”
“Come on! Not this again~!”
She pushed me a bit,
!!!
It fucking hurts!
I jerk my shoulder a bit…
“Let me freaking get my sleep first, just go without me…!”
“Hmph… If you just want to sleep then go ahead and don’t wake up…!”
Tap tap tap tap tap!
Tch…
Stupid childhood friend. Only cares more about him anyway after all…
…
I’ll just lay here for thirty minutes then I’ll leave…
By then, they won’t be able to see me in this state anyway.
I must find a way to deal with them by myself.
…
…
Wait!!!
Ms. Sakura’s…
Can’t believe I’m late for that…
Teacher’s Faculty
“Haruto Itachi… You’re late! Didn’t I tell you to come here right after class!?”
“I…I wasn’t aware! I swear!”
“Tch… After all I said to you, and you came late… I’ve been waiting here for the past thirty minutes,”
“I… I’m really sorry Ms. Sakura, I just-”
“Dooon’t caare~!… Now come with me,”
Ms. Sakura exits the office and we walked outside the school…
We arrived to the parking lot, and her car…
It looks small and cramped…
“Ehh? T-That’s…”
That car can’t even fit four people… It’s pretty cramped too.
This vehicle is so small that I swear some British guy would place a chair on top and drive it with a mop and a rope.
“Well?”
“Where are we even going?”
“You’ll see when we get there… Hehe~”
Hehe???
She opens the door for me…
Ms. Sakura likes to drive a really small car for someone who actually has an above average height for a Japanese woman.
As she twists the key, and the car engine starts, she puts the gear on reverse, we left the school premises and moved straight to the main highway of the city.
…
Inazuma Music Studio
As the door opens, I rolled over… Breathing heavily!
Pant…!
Her car is freaking suffocating!
“I’m low on rent right now, so I can’t pay for the extra gas… Hehe…”
Hehe my ass!
I can’t feel my legs and it’s freaking hot in there.
Ms. Sakura leaves the car too in a quite, fashionably maldita way.
Unbuttoning her blazer, as her sweat runs down to her neck, as she fans herself with her hand…
“Are you freaking used to this ma’am?”
“Huh? It’s payment due next week, I got to save up before it goes overdue,”
“Why the hell are you saying that to a teenager?
“You live alone too… You pay bills on your own too, right?”
“Yeah that’s true, but god damn Ms. Sakura, how long have you been used to that?”
“Hmm… Months already since I got this car?”
“And I thought adults are financially responsible…”
“Well, let’s head over to the entrance,”
As we enter the place…
“Good afternoon, welcome to Inazuma Music Studio!” The attendant greeted in a cheerful voice.
Ms. Sakura handed a gold card to the attendant.
She examined it carefully and looked back at her, and me.
The attendant then raised her eyebrow as she look at Ms. Sakura…
“You know, Amamiya, it’s quite unusual of you to bring your student here,”
“Ahhh~ no need to worry. Just show us to the room, and we’ll get on with it…”
…
I’m… very confused…
Like, I don’t get the idea why the clerk is asking this to her?
“He’s one of my potential student and he’ll probably be a new member in our band,”
“Ahahaha, alright… This way please,”
As we approach one of the five rooms available in the music studio, I can hear the low, and muffled sounds of music instruments just nearby.
The attendant politely knocked the door of the proceeding room.
…
The muffled sounds are still playing ahead.
BANG BANG BANG!
“Oi, check the door, someone’s there1” A muffled female voice yelled from afar.
The door opens and the attendant bowed then extended her arms towards us…
“Amamiyaaaa~! You finally arrived,”
A woman opened the door, waves both her hands as she smiles, and Ms. Sakura entered the room.
“Asai-chaan!” She hugs this beautiful short-haired woman.
“How are you in that school,”
“Oh, it’s been quite good in some days, haha,”
“That’s great, that’s great…” This short-haired woman, Asai, as you call it peeked over behind Ms. Sakura…
“Oh, who’s that gloomy kid over there?”
“That’s my student, come in, Itachi, let’s get ourselves comfortable,”
Comfortable???
“U.. Uh huh, yeah…” I anxiously entered the room.
I don’t know what I’m getting into…
It’s a music studio after all, right?
As I entered, I am greeted by a huge variety of music instruments.
There’s even a few people from here. Another woman just sitting behind the drum kit as she plays off a few beats.
Another man, with a short beard, his long curly hair, in a long sleeves at the editing room, filled with a few heavy grade sound amplifiers and equalizers.
“Yo” He raises his hand as he approaches us.
“Tadokoro, I didn’t know you’re here too…,”
“I’m just here to edit your songs, don’t mind me,”
The drummer stood up and she came up to us.
She’s the girl who stands out the most here. Her clothes are revealing, and though she wears a crop top… Let’s not forget that her chest is big of course.
She has a hint of a low undercut when she tits her head at a small angle, after her long smooth blonde silky hair.
“Miya, you still didn’t change after these past years?”
“Ah, you look so different now what happened to you!?”
I’m surrounded by a bunch of old friends…
Being a mob must mean actually getting used to being with a bunch of people who know each other.
…
In no way these guys are featured at all in the manga..
These are extras… right? Extras!
No matter where I go, I still feel like I am not needed.
I guess that’s a perk of being in that way.
“Who’s this? Don’t tell me you brought a boyfriend that’s a student?”
I rolled my eyes…
“Ah~ no no, he’s our new member in the band!”
“Ehhhh? Well, we do have vacant spot for our instrument,”
“Naomi, It’s getting tiring to be singing while holding the guitar. It’s just the three of us anyway… An extra lead and a rhythm guitarist is going to be good,”
The three women looked at each other, contemplating if it is a good idea if a mob like me… Well, technically I’m the youngest in the band, which is quite unusual.
“Ehh… I guess, there’s no problem. Where are we going to start?” Naomi, the drummer raises her arms.
“Our school will have a field trip in a few weeks. We’ll just play our old songs,”
“But it’s just the three of us who composed our songs,, how can we add an extra?” Asai asked
“For now, just let him play the rhythm,”
“That’s… Well, great for starters,”
Asai runs to the back of the room as she rummages through the various instruments.
She runs up to me and then gave me an electric guitar, and a tiny plastic thingy. A guitar pick.
One that is simple, yet, beautiful. A guitar that lasts in all eras of the electric guitar from the 1950s to today. A telecaster…
I examined the guitar and get the feel of it.
“Umm… You’re expecting me to play this?”
“Amamiya did invite you, so lets see how you go,”
GULP…!
Uhh…
“W-Well, I’m kind of rusty,”
W-What the hell should I do? I don’t know what to play. I haven’t touched a guitar since Ms. Sakura handed me the guitar.
“It’s alright, our songs are quite simple,”
Ms. Sakura handed me a paper that’s a bunch of songs that I don’t even know.
“Well, you’ll just play right away, you’ll have to follow the chords, and where I’m singing,”
“B-But… I don’t know the song! You can’t expect me to suddenly just play it in one attempt…”
“He’s got a point, Amamiya, we’ll play it first, then he’ll follow us along. How about that?” Naomi commented as she fixed her drum chair.
“Ehh… But I haven’t prepared my singing voice, yet… I’m rusty. Hehee~!” Ms. Sakura made a fake dumbfounded look.
“Shut up.. My drumming skills too are rusty~! I haven’t touched my damn drums since work.” Naomi raised her fist as a cartoon vein popped on her forehead.
“U-Umm… my bass skills too are rusty… Hee hee…” Asai made a relaxed but silly smile as she holds her bass instrument.
“Shut up Asai! Your role is the easiest.” Naomi stuttered.
“W-Well, to be honest, we haven’t done this in a while after all. It doesn’t matter. Haha! On my mark! Se no!”
♪♫
The drum plays within a few seconds a whole combination of drum kicks, a snare that compliments the drum right after a few beats, creating a very upbeat tempo and a small starting chill atmosphere.
The bass guitar pops with a great amount of slaps, as octaves hit on beat with the drum kicks and snares.
After a few couple of seconds with a very poppy and funky bass, Naomi and Asai approached each other and nodded as the drummer plays a fill with a multiple hit of snares, and the n a split second, they paused.
CRASH!
The electric guitar has entered with a high rock power chord, creating a very nostalgic type of feel.
One that sounds similar to a an old 2000s rock song.
♪♫
Ms. Sakura’s voice, though almost a bit raspy, she captures that essence of being a singer in a rock band.
I watch in awe as they play their instruments, though there’s a few off-beat hits, they…
They play their music that creates a beautiful and vivid feeling when they all play together…
So this is what close friends looks like that spans for years.
To play a song together that reveals a brief glimpse of their past.
The song ends with the last chord as the drummer repeatedly hits the crash cymbal while the bass follows along with the drum.
This is… Quite an already coherent song for just the three…
Why would they add me?
“There… H-How was it?” Ms. Sakura wipes off her forehead as she pants. That song really took a toll in her voice too.
“You screwed up the second part!” Naomi placed her hands near her mouth, amplifying her yell.
“Eh? It was barely noticeable,” Asai commented…
“That’s quite… Well, I don’t know why you have to bring me here…”
Ms. Sakura relaxed her eyes, and paused for a second.
“Your sense of unbelongingness mindset is what’s making you stunt your growth!”
“Aaahh,”
She drilled her fist to my forehead, irritated by what I said.
“Tch… Best way you can do is play along with me, alright? No need to think much about that,”
I silently nodded.
We practiced for a while, and though I was able to grasp the song bit by bit, I still tend to screw up a few parts.
I was able to memorize my parts, and pause at the right time.
It’s like playing a rhythm game in real life! I play the song on the beat, but this time I’m strumming by the beat.
Those memories of me being able to practice the basic chords, and a little on the notes… It’s…
It’s really unusual of me to do this…Isn’t it…?
“Itachi, just keep doing what you can. You’re doing well so far,” Ms. Sakura commented as we just finished three rounds of the same song.
“Whooo~! I’m really tired,” Naomi wipes off her sweat that runs down to her chest.
“I think we’re done for today… Should we go grab something to eat?” Ms. Sakura closed off the mic and returns the rest of the instruments to their cases.
Zip…!
As we finish packing up our stuff, and left the music center, I glanced outside through the large window pane.
It’s… Dark.
We’ve been practicing all the way until it’s evening.
“Oi, what are you staring over there? Come on, let’s grab something to eat!” Ms. Sakura gestured meto come to her.
“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” I followed them along as they lead their way to the exit of the music center.
“I’ll be leaving by then,” Tadokoro waved goodbye to the girl band as he placed a bunch of his equipment to his utility van and drove off.
We pass through the streets as we walk around the bright city, still booming with life despite being at night.
Arriving to a nearby food district, the girl band casually strolled around to a small food shop.
The food shop however doesn’t seem to be active. No lights opened, people passing don’t bother why no one is present in this place.
“Ah, it’s already closed down? What happened to the owner?” Naomi read the closed down sign, tilting her head.
“Well… Should we find another place?” Asai asked as she placed her finger under her chin.
Taking another detour, we wandered around until we find a small ramen shop.
Although it doesn’t look as bright as the rest of the shop, it looked more like it’s run down.
RMK Ramen Miso and Karaage
“This… this looks quite intriguing… I think we should-” Ms. Sakura bit her thumb as she anxiously stared at the ramen shop.
“Let’s eat here!” Asai’s eyes lit up.
“W-what? If no one eats here, then it must be bad, right?” Naomi questioned Asai.
“You won’t know until you try it,” Asai dashed forward towards the suspicious ramen shop.
“But, you can tell the quality by the effort they made in that shop. No way they-” I nintervened.
“It must mean that it’s overprice or no one has heard of this,” Asai
Despite the group’s effort to stop her, we nervously approach like a bunch of sheep hesitating to follow the sheep ahead.
As we take a seat, we waited anxiously as it felt like no one is here.
There’s a bell that’s meant to call the attendant just right in front of me.
Turning my head from every direction, I placed my finger on the bell.
DING!
“Waaah!” I jumped from my seat.
“Yo, yo yo! R to the M to the K, we got some Ramen Miso and Karaage, baby…”
A man with short hair, and a bandage patch covering his left cheek, stood up throwing hand signs at me, as he excitedly gave me a menu written by hand.
Wait…
“Y-You’re that homeless guy!”
“Homeless? Who you calling homeless? I ain’t one, yo,”
“You’re the one who asked for spare change,”
“You’re the wimpy looking kid with bitches in the park,”
“Bitches? Don’t call them bitches,”
“Yes I can, bitch,”
“Isshin, don’t fight the customer. Ask them for an order,” A voice of a low grown old man echoed from behind the stall.
“Mr. Shiro, it’s that kid again… From the park,”
“The kid?”
A familiar voice from the back walked up front to the table.
The bald man with glasses, and a goatee, in an apron stared at me.
He leaned forward slowly…
I can feel my spine wanting to run away from that.
“D-Did you do something to this guy, Itachi?” Ms. Sakura’s sweat runs down to her forehead as she watched this bald man stare at my face in a very malicious manner.
“If it weren’t for you and your friends…”
My skin is starting to crawl by the second he said that.
“I wouldn’t have made a ramen shop. You just kickstarted my cooking career again,”
“Isshin, let them have an eight percent discount,”
“That’s gonna be unfair for our business, man.”
“He gave us a glimmer of hope while we’re on the brink of crippling debt. We should thank him,”
“Fine, old man… I’ll do it just for him,”
Shiro nodded silently as he prepares the ingredients and the cooking utensils.
…
Blub blub blub!
The hot steam from the boiling of water.
Sizzling of the fried Karaage…
The smell is heavenly…
Despite the awful presentation of the place, the cooking equipment and the utensils are clean, the quality is…
Although not too high, it gets the job done.
What makes it better is that the inside of the facility is cleaner than the outside.
This old man really has a nab for cleanliness.
“Y-You know this kid?”
“Yeah, lady. He’s cool. Except for this,”
“Itachi did this?”
“No. His friend did,”
“Hey, I thought we agreed to forget about this event,”
“The food’s ready,”
Mr. Shiro skillfully threw the bowls to each of us.
Pouring a broth soup that consists of miso to the ramen, and to finally top it off with fried karaage chicken.
“Eat it while it’s hot. Don’t let the chicken soak for too long,”
“Itadakimasu!” The entire group clasped their hands as they thanked for the food.
I hesitantly looked at mine, despite the beautiful presentation of the food, and the amazing smell.
I wonder how they have been able to think about this in a short amount of time.
“Mr. Shirou?” I called the cook.
“Hmm…?”
“What made you to just all of a sudden make a ramen shop?”
“When we went to that shop near the park. I thought of something… Perhaps the best way to pay debt is that Isshin and I should start a business,”
“Yeah, after we took a bit of taste of actual ramen. He came up to me and said. Isshin, we need to cook. We kind of have to pay our debts or else we’ll be homeless forever. You’re a freaking chad, you know that? I’ll be grateful for that except for the part where your girl kicked my ass,”
“Itachi has a girlfriend?” Naomi intervened.
“What? No…I never mentioned having one in the first place,”
“My, Amamiya actually brought an interesting kid indeed,” Naomi said as she twirls the ramen with her chopsticks.
“Even nerds do have interesting connections and hobbies,” Asai thought.
Isshin leaned over and whispered to me.
“Save some ladies for me. You’ve been grabbing girls left and right,”
My eyes widen, and my eyebrows rise.
I’ll speak in a language he can understand. I whispered back to his ear.
“Ain’t no way I’m pulling anyone. I’m just being dragged along,”
“Don’t freaking act dense, yo. Look around you, and don’t tell me, that you didn’t do this by yourself.,”
“Shut up… I’m trying my best not to think about it,”
“Oh, so you do realize it?”
Isshin and I turned our gaze to the older girls chuckling as they chatter each other’s conversation.
“You see that? I’m not the center of attention,”
“Look at it in the long run, kid. If anyone turns down on you, you get more to choose,”
“I’m not a freaking playboy like you, man. Get that shit out of here,”
As we head back to the front of Inazuma Music Center, at the front of Ms. Sakura’s car parked just ahead, we bid goodbye to each other.
“I’m looking forward to our next session Tachiiiiii~!,” Asai happily waved with a jolly smile as she separated ways together with Naomi.
As we get back to our ride, and Ms. Sakura closed the door…
The usual happy and jolly Ms. Sakura during the entire time, silently looked at me.
Across the road as she brings us to the usual destination…
She’s awfully quiet this entire time.
I silently look through my phone as I unconsciously touch my own thigh.
It’s bruising up and it kind of feels stiff.
“You’ve been trying to hide something from me, don’t you?”
Ms. Sakura said in a very low, and serious tone.
“Huh? What am I trying to hide from you?”
“Something just feels unusual with you today,”
“Yeah?”
I stopped holding my thigh and straightened my back upright.
I can’t let her figure out that I was injured the entire time.
“I don’t know where you get that attitude from before,”
“Huh? I’m always the same as you think I am,”
“I’m proud that you’re not that same quiet kid, but I can’t put my finger on when you’ve been acting like that. It felt awfully like you’re not the same person,”
“What makes you think so?”
“It’s still there. Your usual defeatist attitude. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have friends, but at the same time, you’re making weird connections with unusual people,”
“I just met them in the park, there’s nothing wrong with that,”
“Even Naomi is impressed about you. She usually has a bad influence around her, and I’m trying my best not to let her corrupt you,”
Corrupt? I’m already corrupted myself. What makes her think I’m any different to her?
“I don’t see anything wrong with her… She’s just a drummer,”
“You won’t know until you get to know her…”
“I see,”
…
Holy shit… That was close. If she realized that I got beaten up by a bully, it’ll be a different scenario…
…
“Well this is your stop right here, right?”
“Y-yeah, thanks for giving me a ride,”
“Alriiight! Study well, exams is just a week ahead!”
She zoomed out of my view as she takes a turn to the next street, her vehicle’s engine fading away as it echoes across the dark street.
…
Exams are already coming up!?
I need to get my shit together…!
Such a bit*h
I'm looking forward to the day i see the despair of bullies.
I think I should sort things out with the bullies before thinking about the exams
What a bro