Canti remained at Naota's house, washing dishes, fetching drinks, and finally learning how to bake bread properly. He also landed some odd jobs around town, and even joined the baseball team.
Naota's father and Grandfather had pretty much remained their old, silly selves, which somewhat annoyed Naota; it was almost as if the more he matured, the more immature they became. Kamon's journalism career was a bit slow, but steady in a way.
As for Mamimi, she left for America to become a photographer, and no one really heard from her.
And then there was Haruko. After she departed, she was gone and made no contact with Naota or anyone on earth.
And today was an ordinary saturday like any other. Kamon was performing his normal shenanigens as usual. Today he put a "now hiring" poster on the bakery window. He figured if Canti made the bread and someone managed the place, they wouldn't have to do any work. The last thing Naota wanted was another immature adult in the household.
He walked into the kitchen to see Canti serving his father and grandfather sandwiches, apparently celebrating such a ingenius idea. Naota shook his head at their behavior. No one even asked for the job yet. He decided to look past this, because he was looking forward to Eri coming over. They were going to go on a nice evening stroll to the river. They started doing this a while back, and it kind of became a nice routine.
Just then his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Kamon excitingly went and answered it. Standing there, a strange sight to behold, was a young man wearing a dark suit and tie, brown fedora, and circualar sunglasses, the kind where you can't see his eyes. He also had short brown hair and no facial hair.
"Uhh you need a manager for the bakery?" he asked. Kamon made a grin.
"Yes indeed we do! I'm so glad you decided to take the job! You're hired!"
"Uhh okay great! So uh what do I do?"
"All you have to do is go down to the bakery, and keep track of the orders and money, and make sure the customers get their items."
"Very well. I will get started right away." the man said leaving the room. Once he did, Kamon acted really excited for his now even lazier lifestyle. Naota shook his head, and decided to meet this man who would be now running the family bakery. He walked down to the bakery to see Walt and Canti standing around. There were no customers.
"Ah, and you are?" the man asked.
"You can call me Naota."
"It's nice to meet you Naota." said the man shaking his hand. "My name is Walt doo- er uh Dume. Doo-mei."
"Pleasure to meet you too." said Naota. He had never met a man so polite and professional before. "So where are you from?"
"Out of town. Far, far out of town. I came here to seek a temporary job. I'm always on the move you know."
"Lucky you. The first chance I get I'm outta here."
"Yeah? And where would you go?"
"Anywhere away from here...but if I could choose...America."
"America? Mmmm I don't really like that country very much."
"It's only because my brother lives there but why not?"
"I have a troubled past in that country. I've been trying to escape it."
"I know what you mean..." said Naota.
"Heh heh well probably not quite like mine."
"Try me."
"Okay what is your troubled past?" asked Walt.
"A small scale alien invasion, with an alien woman using my head as a portal to find some being of supreme power."
"Wow that's something alright."
"And you?"
"You could say I've done some things that I'm not proud of."
"Ah...but you're trying to clean yourself up?"
"You could say that, yes."
"Naota! Ninamori is here!" yelled Kamon.
"Well, it was nice talking to you, but my friend is here."
"I'll see you around." Walt said with a smile.
Naota walked back up to see Eri looking pretty as ever. When she noticed him, she smiled, and greeted him with a hug.
"Hi Nao! What's new?"
"My dumb father hired a manager for the bakery so he wouldn't have to work. The man he hired is actually pretty decent."
"Hm. You don't say. Well that's a change in pace for you, huh?"
"Yeah. Thank god. Anyway, ready to go?"
"Yep!"
"Alright, let's go."
Naota and Eri left the house and were walking on their way to the river. It was ever since Haruko left that the two of them made these walks. It just tied together their normal, peaceful, life. They soon reached the area under the bridge, the place where they sat to be alone and talk.
"Ahh you know, I always look forward to our time here. It's the only place I can escape the wretched immature people of the town and just sit with the only sane, mature one in it." said Naota.
"Hm..."
Eri sat and leaned up against Naota.
"Eri?"
"Naota...well...I was thinking...you and me?"
"What is it?"
"Well...what exactly are we?...me and you."
"Well, I thought we were dating..."
"Yeah, I know...but you see Naota,...I..."
vvvvvvvvrrrrrrrrooOOOOOOOOOOOMMmmmm...
"Wait...I know that noise...it's...a vespa...it's...I think it's..."
Naota took Eri by the hand and started running.
"Naota! Where are we going!"
Naota didn't say anything and they kept running. They ran all the way back to the bakery to see the extraterrestrial herself standing by the building.
"Hmmm he's not here..."
"Haruko!" shouted Naota, running over to her with Eri.
"Well, if it isn't little Ta-kun."
Naota said nothing but jumped and hugged Haruko. She simply smiled and hugged him back, then looked up at Eri.
"And...you are?"
"I'm Eri Ninamori! His girlfriend!" Eri said, a bit upset.
"Eri..." Naota said embarassed by Eri saying she is his girlfriend.
"Oh...hmmm yeah I remember you...yeah you didn't have the right kind of head."
"Hmph." said Eri, angry.
"Anyway, what are you doing here?" asked Naota.
"Ohh I just thought I would stop by. I couldn't find Atmosk so I decided to take a break. Hmmmm? I smell a new presense..."
"What?"
"Don't tell me. There's a nooby around your house, no?"
"How did you..."
"Ohh little Ta-kun. Growing up fast but still a little squirt." Haruko said holding him close and giving him a noogie. Eri got agitated by this.
"I'm a patrol officer from space. I know these things. Now, let's go see!" she said enthusiastically dragging Naota with her. Eri sighed and followed them. They went to the bakery and walked inside. Walt looked up at them.
"Hmmmm..." he said, puzzled, looking them over.
"You!" shouted Haruko pointing at him. "Who are you and what are you doing here!?"
"My name is Walt and I am the manager of this bakery."
"HA! Likely story. What you really are is a target!" she said pulling out a guitar out of nowhere and holding it over her head about to hit him.
"Haruko no!" shouted Naota but it was too late. She swung it down, but it was blocked. Walt was holding it with his bare hands.
"What is with you, lady?" Walt asked pushing Haruko away. The sheer forced knocked her and Naota back into the street, taking any part of building with them. Haruko angirly got up and growled. Walt calmly and emotionlessly walked outside while a shocked Eri watched.
"Well, I'll just have to try and hit you harder! Kyaaaa!" Said Haruko lunging at him. The guitar was blocked by a gold katana which Walt seemed to pull out of thin air. She swung many times but each swing was blocked.
"Lady, you have some serious problems!" said Walt as they continued to duel.
"You're head is mine!"
"I said ENOUGH!" shouted Walt as he grabbed Haruko's guitar with his free hand, and smashed it in two on his knee. Haruko took a step back, shocked at this, as did Naota and Eri. The alien woman then seemed emotionless and stood still. Walt dusted off his suit.
"Well now...I guess you're done." he told her. She just stood there for a bit, until she turned around and began to walk away.
"Haruko?" asked Naota. She just ignored her and kept walking. Walt walked back to the bakery to see Kamon shocked at the destruction.
"AHH! I want to know what happened!"
"Some vespa woman tried to beat me to death with a guitar."
"Really? Well that would explain alot..."
"Look, I'll pay to fix the bakery."
"Oh! Well no harm done then!" Kamon said walking away. Walt sighed and leaned on the wall of the bakery. He took out a cigar and lit it. As he was smoking it Naota and Eri walked up to him.
"You know, Haruko seems really upset for what you did!" Naota told him. Walt turned his head at him.
"Look, that woman is completely insane. And probably not the good kind either."
"...Good kind?"
"Yes. There are two kinds of crazy people. Those who are in control, and those who can't control them selves. She is one of the latter."
"But she still has feelings!"
"So what do you want me to do about it?"
"I don't know...apologize?"
"So...you really are still just a kid. If it's one thing I never do, it's apologize for my actions."
"Well you should anyway."
"She was the one who went ape shit with a guitar."
"Yeah well still...it's better to be the bigger man."
"You should hear yourself. Bigger man...she started all of this nonsense. Now please, allow me to smoke in peace during my break."
Naota and Eri left him be. After a bit Walt finished his smoke, then sighed, knowing that kid probably won't let this go anytime soon. So he decided to go find the vespa woman to get some answers, and if he had time, apologize, maybe. So he walked down a path past some buildings and over to a bridge where he saw her sitting beside the river. He walked down there and up to her.
"Hey..." he said. she didn't even look up at him. "I don't know what is so funny running around going hittng people with guitars, but it's sensless."
"Yeah...you just don't understand."
"Look, I enjoy a bit of the good ol' ultra-violence as much as the next guy, but you can't just go around randomly hitting people."
"What?"
"You need to calm yourself, there will be times where you can do that but not all the time."
"No, what about you liking violence?"
"Oh...well yes, I happen to enjoy doing such things as well. You may have noticed my gold katana." Walt said as it appeared in his right hand.
"Ultra violence is my specialty. I'm not sure what kind you are used to. It seems you do it to get the things you desire. What do you desire?"
"Power..."
"Ah Power. A good thing to have, power. But you know what they say..."
"Yeah yeah big responsibility blah blah. But you don't understand."
"What?"
"I may seem tough, but even I have limitations."
"I don't"
"What? But how..."
"I'm just built that way. I am immune to all physical and mental harm."
"Heh...I wish I had it as easy as you."
"Well, that's just the way I am. Oh uh...and about the guitar...I'm uh...I'm...sorry."
"Hm..."
"Here." Walt said pulling out a wrapped gift in the shape of a guitar into her hands. He then quickly turned and began to walk away.
"Apologizing...making amends...that's not like me at all...I feel...weird..."
Soon Walt reached the bakery, and walked through the broken entrance and to his position. Canti continued to roll the dough as if nothing happened. He sighed, and made a call to a special friend of his, known as "The Cleaner." He would get the placed all fixed up in no time. So after doing so, Walt decided to take another smoke break. He then decided to clear his head of these new thoughts by snorting some snow. He went up to Naota's room, where he now stays on the top bunk, and closed the door. He took out a small bag of substance, and placed it on the desk. After cutting up a bit, he snorted, then let out a small sigh in reaction to it, the proceeded to snort the rest. After doing so he fell to the floor, grinning, his nostrils covered in the cocaine, but noticed the familiar pink haired alien staring back at him from his bunk.
"Hiya."