Chapter 2 - Stupid Papers

"Bite something and it'll bite you back." -Amidamaru, SKF 01

Instead of disliking someone, how about trying to like the ones willing to stay by your side and appreciate you for you who you are.

The sun is finally up together with birds chirping. Everyone in Aomori enjoys the cool breeze blowing through except for one person, Anna. She is in the middle of the not so busy street handing out flyers of some hot springs that senior Anna, sitting in a near shaded place with her sunglasses on, had given her.

"Excuse me, Anna-san, can I ask a question?" Anna questioned senior Anna at the same time, approaching her.

"What is it?" senior Anna responded.

"How is handing out flyers a part of an itako training?" Anna stated with both of her hands on her waist.

"I told you last night right? Your training will start this morning."

"It's morning already."

"Yes, obviously."

"Then what am I doing handing out flyers to a street where only a few people pass instead of training?"

"Since you're doing it this morning, it's your training."

"You do know that I came here for itako training."

"Yes, Kino-san told me."

Before Anna could say another word, senior Anna interrupted. "Hmmm, how about you give away at least 2 flyers then go back here. Oh, and remember to be yourself, ok? And try to actually approach people instead of standing still."

Anna walked away with her annoyed face. "Be myself? Be myself while handing out these papers? One more stupid thing and I …" She murmured.

An office lady and a tourist finally pass and Anna gave a flyer to each of them, being herself and all, a typical Anna will just give these papers without saying any words at all.

"You saw it right? I handed two already." Anna insisted with a two-figure of her hand towards senior Anna.

"I saw it."

"And…?"

Senior Anna smiled and reaches for hand bag. She then pulls out a … ribbon? Together with a cute and colorful jacket, she handed all of it to Anna.

"What am I going to with these?"

"Wear it of course."

"No!" Anna complained as she throws the ribbon and jacket. "I knew it. I shouldn't have listened to you all along. A senior itako? I mean look at you. I don't care if you're actually a 40 year old lady that likes to have fun. I didn't come all the way here just to hand out some stupid papers for advertisement." Anna sputtered.

"That's rude. I'm only 32 years old." Senior Anna sneered with the irritated Anna staring at her. "Land one on me. Hit me once with anything you can. I'll give you three seconds."

"What?"

"3…2…"

Anna quickly summons an oni but …

"…1, you're late." Senior Anna then put a seal on Anna's movements so she wasn't able to summon her oni.

"What happened?" Anna asked, unable to move. A group of shikigami kooni then emerged around Anna, restricting her every move.

Senior Anna then stands up and told Anna. "I won." She picks up the dropped ribbon and jacket and put them on Anna. "Now, you have no choice but to hand these flyers out wearing these cute clothes on."

"Release me first." Anna requested.

"Oh I forgot. Sorry." Senior Anna smiles after. "And unlike earlier, do your best to actually talk to these people, one is enough ok? If you don't, you won't see the results of this training."

"Let's get these over with. Just one person right? I'll show you that there will be no results to this training." Anna murmured to herself once again.

"There's a new hot spring hotel near this area. And…I was told to give out these flyers."

The person Anna gave her last flyer was an old woman.

"Oh! What a cute little girl. But you better finish this early and go home already. You might catch a cold out here." Those words were all told by the old woman to Anna while smiling.

Anna was shocked, unable to move that she didn't even notice the old woman walking away from her.

"How does it feel? Do be liked by someone you completely don't know." Senior Anna asked the immobile Anna.

"But…" She added.

"It doesn't feel right. Wearing all of these..."Senior Anna said while taking the ribbon on Anna's hair. "…makes you feel like you're not yourself. It's because you can't please anybody. No matter how good or bad you are, how significant your efforts have been, there will still be people who'll dislike you for some reasons. "

"I heard you that time, at the restaurant. Even though you have already met this Asakura guy, things such as hatred and grief can't easily be forgotten. Then how about setting those things aside and disregard them? Just be yourself and do limitless things to your heart's desire. Won't it feel better to be assertive with who you really are? Enjoy the company of the ones who prefers being on your side and have assurance that they won't let you have any lonely feelings, at least. Anyways, we better go now and start your itako training and this time, it's for real."

"That woman, this training, I actually felt comfortable and moved with those words of her. I suddenly began to feel like I can trust her all of a sudden thanks to these stupid papers." Anna, completely loss in thought, assumed as she follows Senior Anna.

Next Chapter: The actual training where Anna tries to get in touch with a special person for her after a long time.