My name's Gaiyashi Itomi. I currently live in Tokyo with my Grandma. She's really nice, and too old to work. So I moved out here to help her. Before I moved out here, she even found me a job. I work at an electronics shop handling the cash register. My boss taught me everything I need to know about these new computers, called persocoms. Now I own one of my own, let me tell you how it all started…
"Hey, Gaiyashi, I need some help in the back room!" yelled Mr. Takanowa "Okay, be right there! Here's your change, thank you for shopping with us." Once the customer left, I went to the back room. "Yes, Mr. Takanowa? Oh, let me help you with those!" He was dragging large rectangular boxes into the back room from outside. "Ugh… Here we are. What's all of this, sir?" I asked after bringing in all of the boxes, there were 10 sitting up-right. "Well, they're all persocoms. They were given to me a long time ago… Actually, I believe they were the original owners. He left them all here, in this very room. But, I forgot to pay the storage bill so, here they are again! Heh heh…" I shook my head; I never knew someone could have so many persocoms. They could've been leftover inventory…
"… and they're too old to sell so- Hey, Gaiyashi are you listening?" "Oh yes, sir, sorry, sir. I just zoned out for a little while. So they're too old? Hmm…" I scratched my head "What are you going to do with them?"
"Oh, well, I was just going to give them away… Do you want them, Gaiyashi?"
"Oh! I couldn't take them all, there's not enough space in my house."
"Well, how about this; I'll let you take home one of them, and you can decide if you want the rest. If not, it be best to keep the rest for parts."
"Deal!" We shook hands and opened all the boxes. After examining all of the persocoms, I chose the one that stood out the most. She had bright red hair, and she was wrapped with a sheet. I guess I'll have to buy her some clothes later… "Gaiyashi, come here! I found another box outside. Its light…" he dropped it on the floor of the back room, and cut it open. Inside there were clothes, labeled for each girl using her hair color. I grabbed the one labeled 'Red Hair'. It was a dark blue kimono with red and yellow lining; and it was detailed with gold flowers and leaves.
"Um, excuse me? Is anyone here?" called a woman's voice from the front of the store.
"Coming!" I called from the back, I looked at the manager and he shooed me away. Then he began looking for something. I shrugged and ran toward the front.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
"Well, I purchased a persocom last week and told the owner I'd pick it up today."
"Mr. Takanowa, there's a woman here who says she needs to pick up a persocom!"
"What's her name?" he responded. I looked at the woman, "Yakashi…" she told me. "Yakashi!"
"Oh, yes, I remember her. Come help me with this box, will you Gaiyashi?" I ran to the back and picked up the other end. "Here you are ma'am."
"Thank you, Mr. Gaiyashi. Um, here's the rest of the money I owe you." She smiled and handed Mr. Takanowa the $1,000 she stilled owed. "And for you, young man." She handed me a tip of $100. "Oh, ma'am I can't accept this, it's simply too much."
"Nonsense, I know a hard worker when I see one. And hard workers deserve money, no matter how much or how little." She walked out of the store. Minutes later, a man walked in and took the persocom out to the car. Then they drove off. "Well, let's get back to your new persocom, Gaiyashi."
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"Thanks, Mr. Takanowa!"
"Like I said, they're too old to sell! Hah hah…" Then he walked back into the electronics shop. I got in my car after putting the persocom in the back seat. Minutes later I drove off without knowing just how much this opportunity would change my life…