She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 47)
by BrDPirateMan

Even before the last day of summer vacation swung around, the climate was already starting to take a colder turn. The leaves on what few trees there were in the city were browning. People traded their summer wear for more layers.

Fall came a little early this year.

Eri and I spent the afternoon walking around our neighbourhood, observing the changes that were gradually happening. Not quite willing to let go of summer, she looked at the world with wistful eyes.

"It only seems like yesterday," she said, "that we were all enjoying the Hachi Fest."

"Yeah… Beat and Rhyme have already gone back to Nagoya too."

"Not only that, today's the last day of summer vacation."

"Back to college, huh… Damn."

"I actually have to set my alarm clock from now on."

"Not that it'll help you wake up," I teased.

"I was never good with mornings," she admitted, laughing. "I don't know many times Granny has had to wake me up, despite all the alarm clocks I placed beside my bed."

"And now it's up to me to take up the slack for her."

"Eheh… I'll be counting on you!"

Tomorrow we're back to being students. That meant doing away with a lot of the things we got accustomed to over the long summer break, like staying up late and goofing off. It's a bit of a drag to have to reset our biological clocks all over again, but that's how the cookie crumbles. To be totally fair, though, college isn't all that bad despite the stress and assignments. Having Eri close by my side adds a little fun to my daily life too, so that's always welcome.

"Oh, right." Eri glanced at her watch. "It's almost time. I gotta get ready for work."

"Then we'd better go back." We still had to tape down her chest in preparation for her job at the butler café. That usually took a while. "Do you still have gauze?"

"Yeah. Got enough for another two or three weeks."

And so the autumn season began for us…

XOXOXOXOXO

The first week of college breezed by at a languid pace. Assignments were few and very easy to complete, but we all knew this was the calm before the storm. It wouldn't be long before we had to burn the midnight oil.

Other than that, everything was exactly the same as it always had been. Cooking on Saturdays, swimming on Sundays. I was still working that bakery job on Sundays too. And Eri still cross-dresses for her butler job.

Then something turned up to ultimately change my weekly schedule forever.

After a grueling afternoon, I was ready to catch the bus back home. One of our classes was taught by a new lecturer, but he was as dull as dishwater and I wanted nothing more than to get his droning voice out of my head.

Just as I was finished bidding goodbye to my classmates, my cell phone rang. I was surprised to see that the caller was none other than Mr Hanekoma. We exchanged numbers purely as a precautionary measure; in the event either of us needed help, we could call the other. Up until now, he never once called me, so he must have a good reason to do so now. I mean, he's hardly the type to want to have long chats over the phone. He'd rather have his conversations over a cup of coffee.

"Hello?"

"Hi Phones, it's me, Hanekoma. You free to talk?"

My brain was going on overdrive trying to think up of possible reasons he'd want to get in touch with me. I pressed on, albeit cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm cool, Mr H. What's up?"

"If you have the time, can you come on over to WildKat? Let's just say I have a… potential part-time employment opportunity that I think you might be interested in."

Part-time? Could it be…?

"Then is it okay," I said, "if I come over right now?"

"Absolutely. I'll have coffee ready for you once you're here. My treat… at only 200 yen a cup!" He could be heard barking over the line with laughter.

"No freebies, huh… Oh well." Not that I liked coffee to begin with… "Anyway, I'm on my way."

The two Reaper buddies who frequented WildKat so much they were like part of the furniture were nowhere to be found. Were they somewhere else in the middle of a steamy tryst, I wonder? Well, that's what Kariya would wish for, and what Uzuki would kill to not make a reality. Mr H invited me to a small table in a corner of the shop where we finally got down to business.

"So," I said, hands slightly clammy with anticipation, "what's this 'opportunity' about?"

He took a swig of coffee. "I was wondering if you'd like to work part-time here. One of our guys left to go abroad, so we have a spot available. I seem to recall you telling me once that you were looking for work, so now that we're a man short you're the first one who came to mind."

That was awfully thoughtful of him. He could've just looked for someone else but he went to the trouble of contacting me. I had to say, I was quite honoured.

"Oh, uh, thanks for considering me, Mr H! Um, well…"

"Do you already have a job?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm with my friend's bakery. I help out every Sunday making and selling cakes and stuff."

Impressed with my seventeen-word resume, his grin widened. "So you have some experience in baking and serving customers. Splendid! You should be right at home here. Let me tell you a little more about what we do."

Mr H gave me a thorough explanation of what was expected of me should I become his employee. There was a rotation system in place so everyone had to take turns with duties – cooking, serving, cleaning and so on. Eventually I'd have to learn how to cook the entirety of WildKat's menu, which was a far cry from the cakes I was so used to baking. To help give me a clearer understanding of things, he even took me on a brief tour around the place so I could catch a glimpse of the staff at work. The kitchen was where I was intrigued the most; that's only natural since I had a knack for cooking.

All in all, I had to admit I was rather interested. This might just be the stepping stone I needed to snag myself a job with higher pay.

Speaking of which, how much was the pay?

"And now," he said with a sly grin, "I bet you're wondering about the most important thing: money."

I gulped. The timing was just too perfect. It was almost like he could read my mind. Maybe he just did. You never know with him.

I didn't quite know how to respond. As eager as I may be to know about the salary, I didn't want to pounce on the topic and appear too calculative. That might make me look bad in his eyes, so I decided it would be best to stay silent and let him do the talking.

"Now, Phones, I'm just gonna get straight to the point. No beating about the bush, no taking the roundabout way, nothing of the sort. You hear me? I'm going to give you the cold hard facts, shove 'em down your trap and make you love it. Now, I'm all for good lengthy chats over a cup of coffee, but I can be all serious-like when the situation calls for it. And right now – "

I held up a hand. "Uh, Mr H… y-you're not, you know, getting to the point at all."

"…I'm not?"

"No."

"…Oh. Heh, my bad!" He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. "So like I was saying, I can be very serious when – "

"No," I repeated. "N-No side trips, please. Just gimme the facts."

"Whoops, there I go again, going off on a tangent." He was chortling and frankly, I think he said all that crud to mess with me. "You have my apologies, boss. Right! For realsies this time!"

My stomach clenched, waiting for him.

"Supposing I were to take you in," he said, "I'd say a rookie like you should be getting at least 3500 yen per hour."

My eyebrows jumped at the numbers. That's better than the 1600 yen I make at the bakery each Sunday! Much better! But that wasn't all.

"You'll be working three-hour shifts at a time, so that would be… uh…" He scrunched his brow as he worked it out in his head. "…about 10500 yen per shift. I'll round it off so that it's a nice whole number 'cuz I like whole numbers; less confusing that way. So let's make it 11000 yen."

My jaw dropped. "No way… 11000 yen?"

He chuckled at my reaction. "Hey now, it's not all milk and sunshine here at WildKat! I'm gonna work you to the bone just like any self-respecting employer would. But if I'm gonna make you work for it then I might as well pay you well. Hmmm… I think three days per week should be good. So then…"

"Hold up. Lemme do the math this time."

"Sure, be my guest."

Let's see… 11000 yen per shift for three shifts a week… That's 33000 yen I could make in a week. Imagine how many things I could buy with that kind of money!

To any outside observer I must have looked like an idiot getting excited over what must seem like a relatively paltry amount of cash in this day and age. But money was money and going from 1600 yen to 11 grand per shift just like that was like a dream come true.

Before I started counting my blessings, I slowed down and gave it some serious thought. There were still one or two things I needed to be sure of.

"This is good pay," I mumbled, half to myself. "Which days would I be working on?"

"Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7 to 10 pm. We really need someone to cover these three days."

Yeah, that sounds manageable. It's not quite as hectic over the weekend, so I should be fine.

"Are there any other duties I should be made aware of?"

"Well, if someone asks us to cater for a party, you'll need to help out."

"Okay, that's fine by me."

"And if we need you to wear a maid outfit, you'll have to do that too."

I recoiled at the sound of that. Last I checked, I wasn't a fan of cross-dressing. Eri looked fine dressed up as a guy – handsome, even – but me dolled up as a maid? I feared this alone would scar me for life.

"I-I'm gonna be a… maid?"

"Just kidding." Mr H threw his head back in laughter. "We're not a maid café, so we'd never put any of our staff in frilly outfits. Besides, if I did that I think all of my customers would be scared off."

"Oh, uh… yeah, that's good to know." Real good…

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

"I should be okay for now. I'm tempted to take the job, but is it okay if you give me a day to think about it? I just want to be sure I'm making the right choice."

"Yes, that's fine," he replied, his kindness overflowing like water. "Now, I can't leave that position empty for too long – business is business, after all – but I can spare a day for you. So don't dilly-dally thinking about it, and get back to me as soon as you can."

"You betcha. Thanks again, Mr H."

I couldn't believe my luck. This was what I'd been looking for ever since my very first part-time job: something actually worth my blood, sweat and tears. I'd have said yes in a heartbeat, but I wanted Eri to know what I was getting into at the very least.

And boy, was I stoked to tell her the good news! I practically flew the whole distance back.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Eri, I'm home!"

My announcement was made to thin air. She'd usually come bounding over by now… Maybe she couldn't hear me?

I called her name as I searched around the apartment, but I was always met with silence. "Ollie ollie oxen free… C'mon, no fair hiding. I've got news to tell you!"

The last room I had yet to check was the bathroom. I didn't hear anything from inside, but if she was having a good soak, I should just give her a big surprise…

"I know you're in there!" I mischievously called through the door. "And I don't care how much you're wearing, I'm coming in!"

I twisted the doorknob and flung the bathroom door wide open, only to find no one inside. Huh… funny.

The silence was shattered by the ring tone of my cell. Oh, speak of the devil. It's her on the line.

"Neku," she said, "I'm afraid I'll be a little late coming home this evening. A friend of mine really needs my help."

"What's this about?" I asked. "Work?"

"Yeah… Listen, I'm on my break now, but I gotta get back to work real soon. My friend, you see… She caught a cold and can't come to work today. But her schedule's tight, and someone absolutely needs to fill in for her."

"And you drew the short straw?"

"I wouldn't put it like that, Neku. More like… if someone was going to be her replacement, she'd want it to be me. She said so herself. And I'm okay with that."

"Your friend had her sights on you the whole time? What's she work as, again?"

"She's a model."

I gulped the wrong way and ended up in a choking fit. It got so bad enough that Eri's voice was filled with alarm.

"Neku, what's wrong?!"

"I'm fine!" I spluttered, trying to keep my coughing under control. "It's you we should be worried about! Are you seriously helping your friend to model in her stead?!"

She was ever so nonchalant. In my mind's eye, I could see her shrugging. "Yeah. She's supposed to make the centre spread of next month's issue of XYZ Digest. But since she's not available, and no one else can fill in for her, I'll be in it instead."

XYZ Digest was one of Japan's most popular men's magazines. One of its defining features was a lavish set of photographs of the current month's cover girl. It's all tastefully done and no nudes have ever been taken, but they're still sure-fire crotch-warmers. I should know. I once leafed through an issue with pop idol Itsuki Musashibo in the spotlight, and had to spend five minutes calming down before I could leave the bookstore without looking like there was a hamster in my pocket.

Long exposition aside, Eri's going to be October's cover girl. Oh boy. There was one thing the worrywart in me had to confirm.

"Tell me," I said. "Are you wearing anything that exposes at least ninety percent of your epidermal surface?"

Two seconds of silent confusion impregnated the conversation.

"H-Huh?"

"Ahem… I mean, are you wearing anything sexy right now, Eri?"

"I'm in a string bikini. Does that count?"

I knew it. My worst fears were confirmed.

"Good grief!" I exclaimed, horrified. "They're making a total newbie wear that right off the bat?! Don't they know you're just a stand-in? Isn't that, like, a violation of trust?"

"It's okay, Neku," she reassured. "My friend told me beforehand that the theme of the photoshoot would be swimsuits. I'm prepared for it."

"B-But…"

"Besides, you know me. I'm comfortable wearing all sorts of clothes. Putting on bikinis is like second nature to me! So don't fret too much, Neku. I'll be alright."

I appreciated that she was trying to assuage my concerns, but I was still very much worried about her.

"Listen, I can sort of live with you being half-naked on the cover of a magazine that's being read nationwide by thousands of slobbering lecherous men…"

"Wow," she giggled, "that's a real gentle way of putting it."

"…but I need to know that you're safe and sound. That's all I ask. I won't take any compromises. You're either safe or you're not. And if you're not, get outta there real fast."

She noted the kindness hiding behind my brusque manner of talking and reflected her gratitude in her voice.

"Thanks, Neku. But like I said, I'll be A-OK. The crew here is a bunch of professionals who've been doing this for years and they're not one bit sleazy. In fact, they're really nice and courteous!"

"A-Alright, if you say so. Just don't let your guard down."

Knowing that I wouldn't be able to completely throw my worries out the window, I quickly thought of a good idea. A little probing revealed that she wouldn't be done until about 7 pm, but by that time it would be dark outside. Not the safest time for a girl to be out and about by herself. I offered to escort her home, and despite repeated claims that she would be fine on her own, I practically forced her to let me accompany her and she eventually relented, giving me the address of the modeling studio.

It'd be a whole hour before seven, so I spent the majority of it preparing dinner for the two of us. Then I wrapped it all up in cling film and headed out. When I arrived at the place, which was a huge labyrinthine office complex, I nearly got myself lost within its twisting corridors. Fortunately I was able to locate her studio. She was already outside the main doors, waiting for me. It was a huge relief to see her alright and smiling, if a little tired. We walked out of the building, side by side.

"So how did it go?" was the first thing I asked. "You are still in one piece, right?"

"Of course I am!" she giggled. "I wasn't left to fend for myself against a pack of hungry wolves."

"Looks like it went well, huh. I'm glad."

"Yeah, but I had to change into so many different outfits. And for each outfit they had to take a lot of photos, so the whole thing took a long time."

We sat at the nearest bus stop, waiting for the bus to come around.

"Was it uncomfortable for you at any point, Eri?"

"Nah, I was fine. At first I was a bit nervous, but everyone was so nice to me that I managed to relax and the rest of the session went by relatively well."

"R-Relatively?"

She scratched her cheek sheepishly. "Okay, maybe it wasn't smooth-sailing all the way through. In the beginning, they were all like, 'Your posture is too stiff! Relax a little!' or 'No need to smile so wide. Be more natural!' But in the end I got the hang of it. More or less for what it's worth."

"Now this is new," I said, finding a delicious opportunity to poke fun at her. "I didn't think the ultimate fashion designer would be as wooden as a tree."

"I can't help it," she huffed, pretending to be annoyed. "It's my first time being a model. I don't have any prior experience…"

The bus rolled around and we kept the conversation going as we hopped onboard. There were a lot of passengers and the only two empty seats left were right at the back. We squeezed into those just as the bus chugged off with a rattle.

"So," I said, "you're going to be XYZ Digest's latest cover girl, eh?"

"Well, that's what they say. We'll have to wait until the next issue goes on sale to see if they really made good on their word. Otherwise I'll have given myself scoliosis for nothing. My god, seriously…" She wiped her forehead in a symbolic display of physical exertion. "Those poses are absolute backbreakers! And I had to stay still for minutes at a time while they checked for faults in the pics."

Turning up the dial on the teasing, I said, "Sounds like hell of a job. You didn't dislocate your butt, did you?"

"Nope. It's still in place and ready to rock!" And Eri cheekily tapped herself on the hip. If there was enough standing space on the bus I bet she'd get up and give her behind a nice loud slap.

"Oh, goodie."

She absentmindedly rapped the soles of her boots against the floor, her smile taking on a faraway quality. "But I'll admit it was kinda fun. Despite the weird poses, the constant changing of clothes, and the camera flashes blinding me at every turn, I gotta say I legitimately had a lot of fun."

"Glad to know you enjoyed yourself at least."

"I got paid too!" she added with great emphasis, before leaning in to tell me the sum of money that she received. "Twenty thousand yen!"

For a single night's worth of work, that's more than what I would be getting at WildKat. Almost twice the 11000 yen I'd get per shift. But she deserved it so I was happy to hear that her hard work was well rewarded.

"Really? That's great! I say you earned it."

"Of course I did! I worked hard, you know. If I made any less money for the poses I was put through, I wouldn't think it's such a good deal."

"That's hard work alright. I could give you a back rub when we get home, if that works with you."

Eri could've responded with a salacious remark, but gave my suggestion some serious consideration. At last she agreed.

"Yes please, I think I need one," she said, her brow etched in a deep frown as she rocked her stiff neck from side to side. "The small of my back hurts in particular."

"Then I'll be your masseur for tonight."

"Have you done massages for anyone before?"

"No, you'll have to be my guinea pig, Eri."

She gulped, not exactly thrilled with being worked on by an amateur. "A-Am I gonna be okay?"

I took a few seconds to try and compose a relatively comforting reply. She couldn't wait that long before becoming suspicious.

"Neku, I can't say I like this pause."

XOXOXOXOXO

"You ready for this, Eri?"

"I… uh, I don't know."

Eri was on my bed, lying on her stomach, and her arms crossed underneath her chin. She'd gotten out of her clothes and a tiny towel was draped over her buttocks. Prone and vulnerable, she waited for me to start.

"Well," I said with a shrug, "ready or not, here I come."

My hands reached out for her exposed back and I dug my thumbs into her shoulder blades. She immediately winced in pain, biting down on her lip for dear life.

"Ow! Neku! N-Not so rough!"

"S-Sorry! Um… how about this?"

I eased up on the pressure I was applying to her upper back and this time she seemed to take it better. With emphasis on 'seemed'.

"No offense, I appreciate the effort," she mumbled, "but I feel like I'm getting a back rub from a mountain gorilla."

"…I'll take that as a compliment."

My thumb slipped and jabbed into what must have been a sore area, because when it did she shrieked in agony.

"ARGHRAHARGAH!"

"Whoa." I instinctively released my grip. "Can't say I've heard you go, 'ARGHRAHARGAH' before."

"Sh-Shut up! You just pinched me, you oaf!"

I ought to try a different approach. Maybe I'd have better luck that way. And maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't need to complain so much. So this time I pressed the palms of my hands on her back, making circular motions. Everything seemed to go well and she didn't say anything, which I took as a sign that I was on the right track.

Then when I fanned my hands out to cover a bigger area, my fingers happened to barely skirt the sides of her breasts. As soon as I touched that unmistakable bulge, her voice pierced the air in a sharp moan.

"Aaahn…!"

Again I froze. I was just getting into the groove of things when that happened, and my concentration shattered like a wine glass. Not cool.

I said, "I don't know which is scarier: you making that moan out of nowhere, or you going 'ARGHRAHARGAH'."

"I can't help it with the moaning," she protested, "but can you quit poking fun at my screaming already?!"

Five minutes later she was done. I turned out to be so horrible at massages, she practically begged me to stop. My torturous treatment left her a complete wreck. And I just wanted to help.

"Just for the record," she groaned, "I'm really thankful that you wanted to do this for me. But I had to stop you. You were this close to killing me."

"Sorry." I felt kinda bad. "I didn't mean for things to turn out this way."

"Oh, never mind. It's the thought that counts. I still love you."

I sat cross-legged on the floor beside the bed. With her head turned towards me, we could be at approximately eye level to talk. I lazily caressed her back with an outstretched hand, a gesture that she took no mind of.

"Say," I said, "can we talk about something serious for a sec?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Mr H is offering me a job at his cafe, and I'm interested, but I thought I'd let you know first."

I revealed to Eri all the details of my meeting with Mr H. She now had a clear understanding of my current situation.

"Sounds like a good deal," she said. "It's definitely an upgrade from your job at the bakery."

"Yeah, it works out to be 33000 yen a week! I could use that kind of money."

"Mind you," she reminded gently, "you'll need to work longer hours and on more days too. I just want you to be aware of what you're in for."

"Thanks. And don't worry, I'm not going to overwork myself like I did last year. Three days a week with three hours of work each day should be manageable."

"Less time for yourself on the weekends though."

"Can't be helped. He needs someone during the weekends. We'll just have to live with it." Then, teasing her, I said, "Or are you scared you'll be lonely while I'm away at work?"

"Ha!" she laughed. "Are you sure it's not you who'll be lonely instead? Seriously though, this WildKat thing definitely works out to be the better deal."

"Does this mean you'll be okay with me taking up this job?"

She smiled. "Of course! I'm glad you can finally upgrade yourself."

"I know, right? I sure can't wait to finally get a fatter envelope at the end of each shift."

"The two of us are finally within the same income bracket," she said jokingly. "But my work clothes are still prettier."

"Heck, you're a butler," I laughed. "You're supposed to be fabulous."

The laughter eventually petered out and all that was left were the smiles we had for each other.

At last she spoke up. "I'm happy for you, Neku."

"Thanks. I'll work my hardest."

Just you watch, Eri. I'll work hard, and then I'll become an even better boyfriend for you. The mistakes I made in the past have taught me much, so I had a better idea of which pitfalls to avoid now. I had no idea how far this new adventure would take me, but it's a start and I was ready for the ride.

That Eri was taking the ride together with me was sure to make the journey a whole lot sweeter.

The next day, I made a beeline for WildKat and told Mr H that I was ready for work. Having sealed the deal, I became an official employee of his and couldn't be happier.

The next thing that needed to be done was a little more somber: sending in my resignation with my friend's bakery. I felt a little guilty leaving him behind when he was the one who got me this job in the first place, but he was very understanding of my circumstances and gave me his blessings, adding that if ever I needed work again, I could always turn to him. Grateful for his offer, I thanked him and hung up my uniform for the last time.

It's all a bit sad, but at the same time, I knew this was what I needed to improve myself as a whole. With that in mind I bravely walked out of the bakery and into a new chapter in my life.

XOXOXOXOXO

Friday evening marked the first day of my employment at WildKat. My first task was solely behind the scenes since I was placed on cleaning duty. After three hours of scrubbing the toilets and mopping up the place among other things, I was thoroughly exhausted. It's a good thing I had those weekly swims with Eri to help build up my stamina or else I wouldn't be able to make it through this evening, let alone the next two nights of the weekend.

The reward for my blood, sweat and tears was an envelope containing my hard-earned cash. As soon as I was out the door, I pried it open and drew out the notes from within. A quick look at them confirmed that, yes, every one of my beloved 11000 yen was accounted for. I couldn't wait to show Eri the fruits of my labour and jogged the whole way home, not stopping even once for a break.

"Eri, I'm home."

She scurried out from the kitchen to greet me, happy like a dog seeing its master come home. "Welcome back! I was making some light snacks. Have some!"

She placed a plate of sandwiches on the coffee table. I grabbed one and peered in between the bread slices. "Salmon and egg? Cool, thanks."

Eri beamed with pride as I tore into my food hungrily. Those three hours really helped to work up an appetite and her sandwiches were just the thing I needed.

"How was work?" she asked.

I told her everything about tonight, most importantly my salary.

"11000 yen per shift, huh?" She finished counting the notes and slid them back into my envelope. "Hee hee, good for you! You know, I never did ask what you're planning to do with this much money."

"Uh… hmmm…"

"Don't tell me you're gonna dump it all in a bank and not touch it ever again. That'd be so anti-climactic given the squeals of joy I've been hearing from you for the past few days."

"D-Do I squeal that much?"

"Yes, like a pig in a mud bath. Shall I do a reenactment?"

"No thanks, you'll probably botch it. Anyway, I'm just happy I've got this much cash all of a sudden. I guess for starters I could get a cake…"

"I didn't know you had a sweet tooth."

"I don't, but my girlfriend does."

She gasped with undiluted joy when she understood what I was getting at. "You're buying me a cake? Really?!"

I smiled. "Really as really gets. What flavour would you like? We'll go get it tomorrow from Valhalla Cakemasters."

That awesome name, by the way, was that of Shibuya's largest bakery. If you wanted a literal slice of heaven, that's the place to go. That's why Eri was drooling all the way to the floor.

Unable to keep her excitement down, she was reduced to stammers. "V-Vanilla… no, wait! Chocolate! Chocolate fudge!"

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes!"

"Then chocolate fudge it is." I grabbed the last sandwich and sauntered back to my room, chuckling at her childlike excitement. "I'll buy one for you. That's a promise."

I felt the wind knocked out of my lungs when she literally threw herself at me and hugged me like a vice. "Oh god, thank you, you're the best! I love you!"

"Not so tight, Eri," I gulped, straining against her death grip. "You're going to squeeze out my insides like a tube of toothpaste."

"I know. But I'm just so happy."

"I-I'm happy too. But I'm still gonna suffocate in a few seconds."

XOXOXOXOXO

October came round and the two of us made sure to keep our eyes peeled for the next issue of XYZ Digest. We knew it wouldn't magically appear the moment it became October 1st, but it didn't stop us from combing the stores for a copy. For the next few days nothing turned up.

Our quest would come to an end on October 5th. I was in the middle of an afternoon class, perched high up in the upper seats of the lecture hall. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.

That is, until my friend who was sitting beside me whispered for my attention.

"Hey, Neku," he said, his voice kept on the down low, "I got something cool to show you."

He rummaged deep within his knapsack and pulled out a magazine, slightly misshapen from being squashed together with the other books within. This he laid out on the table for me to see. At first I thought nothing of it. All there was to see was the back cover, which showed some kind of cologne ad.

Then he flipped it around. I had to do a double take on the front cover.

"This… This is…!"

"Quiet, dude," he said, chuckling softly. "I know you're excited but – "

"Holy crud!"

In my growing excitement I forgot to turn down the volume of my voice box. I could be heard all the way from the lectern. Suddenly at least thirty pairs of eyes were riveted towards me and my friend shrunk into a ball.

The lecturer was not amused. "Sakuraba, what is the meaning of this outburst?"

Whoops! Gotta say something, quick!

"O-Oh! N-No, sir, I was just astonished that advertisements could be done that way. It's… quite interesting." The topic of the day was about ads and how they shape our world now. Good thing I was attentive in class!

He coughed. "Good to see you're invested in the class, but keep it down, please."

"Y-Yes sir, I'm sorry."

The class tittered briefly before returning to the lecture. I was left to try and beat down the redness on my face.

My friend came out of hiding, hissing, "Dude, ain't you got an indoor voice?"

"Sorry, man. It just came out involuntarily. I mean, look! My girlfriend's on the cover of XYZ Digest!"

Yes, it's true. The October issue of XYZ Digest was finally here. And Eri was the cover girl as promised. Clad in a bikini and a 100-megawatt smile, there was none of the stiffness she claimed she had. If I didn't know she was a total newbie who was asked to model for the magazine in a pinch, I'd have mistaken her for a pro. She was an absolute natural. And she was drop-dead gorgeous to boot.

"Um, dude? You're droolin' on my magazine."

"I know, right? That's Eri for you."

"No, seriously, stop drooling. You're gonna leave a stain." And he hastily pulled the magazine away from me, stashing it back into his knapsack. "Sorry dude, but if you wanna slobber all over your girlfriend's photos, then get your own mag."

And after classes were done for the day, that's exactly what I did… minus the slobbering part. I made for the nearest bookstore like a man possessed and grabbed myself a copy. Then I found a seat somewhere and pored over the contents.

The photos refused to let go of my attention. Her photoshoot was swimsuit-themed just as she said, so what she wore for this month's issue left very little to the imagination. She's like a guy's wet dream given flesh.

Damn, she's hot. Like, so hot it's abnormal. And that's a good thing.

Off to the side, I spied a trio of young fellows huddled over their own copy of the magazine. They were smiling more widely than their mouths would allow and I bet it was because they were admiring her photos too. The overprotective part of my personality stirred to life and I wanted to put these guys in their place for leering at Eri like that, but I got over it quickly once I realized a simple yet powerful fact.

She's already someone's girlfriend. Heh heh… You hear that, boys? XYZ Digest's latest cover girl's already taken! By me! Ogle all you want, I'm not giving her up!

Satisfied with this insight, I went back home after lingering around town a little longer. There was something else I needed to get…

XOXOXOXOXO

"Eri, I'm ho– "

"Neku! Lookie here!"

She teleported in front of me, a jumpy bundle of energy. In her hands, she was clutching her own copy of XYZ Digest's newest issue.

"I'm on the cover of a magazine!" she practically screamed, overjoyed. "I'm wearing a bikini on the cover of a magazine! Can you believe it?!"

"I sure can!" I said, getting caught up in her happiness. "You look amazing in those photographs."

Playing up her vain side, she flicked her hair with a mighty whoosh. "Thanks, you know I wouldn't settle for anything less! Still, I'm surprised everything turned out well."

"Not me. I knew from the start you'd be a winner."

"Really? Hee hee... Thank you for having faith in me."

"I got you a little something, by the way."

I dangled a cake box in front of her. She took a mere second to recognize where I bought it from.

"Valhalla Cakemasters!" she gasped. "Is... Is it chocolate?"

"Just as I promised," I said calmly, with a smile. "Chocolate fudge to be precise. Your favorite, if I remember right."

"My favorite?! It's more than just that to me. Picture this: the two of us, making wild love to each other. Put us on a tray while things are all nice and steamy, add lots of icing on top, and then bake to perfection. What you get coming out of the oven…" – she wagged her finger in front of my face – "…wouldn't even come close to the goodness that is chocolate fudge." And then, with an audible sound, she snapped her fingers, causing me to recoil a bit. "You see now, Neku? That's the beauty of it."

"Wow, um, n-nice analogy there," I coughed. "I guess that's proof that chocolate is better than sex."

She gladly relieved me of the cake and dragged me to the dining room so we could share it. When she took the first bite, she squealed in delight.

"Wondrous taste!" she gushed. "This, Neku, is what it's like to be in heaven."

"You worked hard, Eri. You deserve it."

"Here, you have some too!"

This time, since we were dining in private, I was more than willing to open my trap so she could spoon-feed me.

"Wow, you're right," I said. "Nothing can quite compare to chocolate fudge."

"Hee hee. Told ya."

I had my magazine laid out on the table and was flipping through the centre spread where her photos were. Behind every photo was a small anecdote she was eager to share, leading to a lively, happy conversation.

"Almost had an 'accident' with this one," she said, her finger tapping on a particularly risqué photo. "I didn't secure my bikini bottom well enough, and it slid down too far. Half of my butt ended up hanging out!"

"And they didn't go with that?"

"It wouldn't even make the cut in a mainstream magazine," she laughed. "Censorship and stuff, you know."

The end of the centre spread came too soon, but there was a silver lining: hidden away in a corner of the page was a notice encouraging readers to check out the full range of photos on XYZ Digest's website.

"That'll be my homework for tonight," I quipped. Cheekily, I added, "Maybe that's where your wardrobe malfunction photos ended up."

She was all smiles and giggles. "I find it flattering in a weird way that you want to search for my butt online."

Soon, nothing remained of the cake. As a token of her gratitude, she wrapped her arms around me and did a big number on my lips. I could taste the fudge in her mouth as her tongue slithered over my own. It was sweet. Very sweet.

"Thanks, Neku," she sighed. "You're the best boyfriend ever. And I mean it."

I returned her smile. "I know you do."

XOXOXOXOXO

Despite being the face of October for XYZ Digest, Eri didn't enjoy any sort of overnight fame. With the exception of a few friends who were slightly curious about her, no one really paid her any mind and whatever little hype she was surrounded by dissipated in a couple of weeks.

Maybe it's because she's a fresh face that no one knew about. Either way, she didn't really care; she was just filling in for a friend in need and never had any dreams of attaining nation-wide recognition in the first place.

But her modeling stint was more significant to both of us than I thought it would ever be.

It was the middle of October now, and people seemed to have largely forgotten about the cute newbie cover girl. I had seen a few passers-by take second glances at her, perhaps wondering if they had seen her somewhere, but that was about it. No one made a real fuss over it.

Seeing how things were returning to normal, I thought that was that. I thought wrong.

"Hey Neku," she said over dinner one day, "do you think I should become a model?"

"Wh-What brought this on?" I quizzed. "I thought you wanted to be a fashion designer."

"Oh, I want to be one alright. But I'm talking about part-time work now. I was thinking of working part-time as a model."

Perhaps something clicked within her when she posed for XYZ Digest. After seeing what she was capable of, I had no doubt that she could be a great model if she wanted to, but I wasn't sure she should pursue this line of work. Besides…

"You still have that butler job, don't you, Eri? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. It's just that a change in pace would be nice. The butler gig is cool and all, but I think I should do something that is actually related to fashion in some way."

"Hence modeling?"

"Yeah." She took a moment to chew her mouthful of rice. "You know, the guys who helped do that XYZ Digest photoshoot with me belong to Fujisaki & Co. Management…"

I perked up. "Fujisaki? Haven't I heard that name somewhere before?"

Eri gave me a hint. "Remember? Back at the Red Tide…"

It all came flooding back in an instant. "Of course! The talent scout who approached you came from that modeling agency! Small world, huh?"

"Heh, yeah. Anyway, I got a call from Fujisaki & Co. this morning. Apparently they really liked the results of my photoshoot and urged me to attend a job interview. Seems like they're keen on hiring me…"

Whoa, for real? She's just waiting to get employed! Most people would have to queue for days for a job interview and here it just fell on her lap. Come to think of it, wasn't I the same way with my new job at WildKat? Neither of us had to do much of anything at all. Talk about lucky!

"What did you tell them?"

"I said I'd get back to them by tomorrow. I just want to be really sure I want to do this."

"Alright, wise choice," I praised. After slurping up the last beef cutlet, I continued, "Do you know what you're supposed to do as a model? I don't think it's all about dressing up in skimpy outfits and sticking out your boobs for the camera."

"Of course not," she laughed. "I did some research, Neku. Asked them, asked my model friend too. And what I know is…"

Eri explained that Fujisaki & Co. was mainly centered around gravure idol photography, but commonly outsourced their models to do other jobs as well. They've been asked to help out as booth babes at anime and video game conventions, or as race queens at road shows, among other things. It sounds sleazy, and the majority of public opinion certainly agrees so, but if you can look past the hooker-esque outfits and the emphasis on their image as sex objects, it's just a job at the end of the day.

She also added that she'd typically need to work twice a week, but if there was additional work to be done – such as the aforementioned conventions – then she was expected to participate.

"Well, if you can handle it," I said, "and Fujisaki & Co. is as trustworthy as you say, then there should be no problems. What about the pay?"

"My friend told me that while the pay isn't fixed, a rookie like myself can expect to earn anywhere from 5000 to 7500 yen per hour. Work typically lasts anywhere from one to three hours at a time, so the pay isn't too bad at all. We get more if we do extra jobs too."

I nodded. "That's actually pretty good. It's more than what I'm getting."

Eri looked me fully in the eye and spoke in a soft tone that reflected her sincerity. "Neku, tell me what you think. Should I quit my butler job and become a model?"

I hesitated to reply right away. Yet another important crossroads had appeared before her and whatever I said next would send her down one of two paths. Stick with her butler job, or quit and take up modeling? After some consideration, I came to a suitable answer.

"I think you should try your hand at modeling, Eri. You've got potential, so I think it'd be a waste not to utilize it to the fullest. When you work it out, the pay is better too, and…"

"And?"

I afforded a cheeky smile. "You wouldn't need to tape down your breasts anymore."

Eri pretended to have a revelation and gasped. "Oh my god, why didn't I think of that? You're right! Neku, you're a genius! That's it, I'm through with the Seishirou-sama business. Fujisaki, here I come!"

I chuckled. "I hope you're not quitting solely because of that."

"Of course not," she said, still giggling. "But it's great to finally let my boobs run free and wild."

"You make it sound like your breasts are free-range chickens."

"More like free-range puppies if you get my drift, ha ha!"

The conversation was punctuated by more laughter. Then I had serious words for her.

"Eri, go for it. I think you've got a chance. The odds are already tipped in your favour, so I say grab this opportunity and don't let go. Who knows, maybe it'll give you the exposure you need to jump-start your career in fashion design. I'm just saying, anything's possible."

"Yeah, this could be my big break." Still unsure and in need of a bigger push in the right direction, she said, "Y-You are sure, right? That this is the path I should take?"

I flashed her a sincere smile. "Absolutely. You are a star. So go forth and shine."

"Go forth and shine, huh…"

She remained silent for the next minute, deep in thought. Then at last, her mind was made up.

"I'm gonna go for that job interview, Neku," she said, firm and resolute. "I'm gonna become a model. Once my employment with Fujisaki & Co. is confirmed, I'll quit my job at Tea & Orange."

"Attagirl."

"And you can bet I'll be the best darn model there is in the whole of Shibuya… no, the whole of Japan!"

"That's the spirit," I praised. "You're in a good way, Eri."

"I'll be a star, Neku," she beamed widely. "I'll go forth and shine, just like you said. And I'll make you proud."

"Don't be silly, Eri. You already make me proud."

"Thanks! Hee hee."

"By the way, what's going to happen to Seishirou-sama?"

Eri broke into a laugh. "It's too bad for the rabid fangirls he's gathered over the course of his tenure, but he'll have to go on indefinite hiatus. Unless you're willing to take up his mantle?"

"Hell no."

"Ha ha ha! I knew you'd say that."

XOXOXOXOXO

Fujisaki & Co. arranged for a job interview with Eri. They must have been set on employing her from the get-go, because she got the job within the hour. They told her she could start work right away – this coming Thursday, actually. I took Eri out to dinner at a family restaurant to celebrate.

Eri dressed up as Seishirou-sama one last time to notify the management at Tea & Orange that she was quitting. She had to lie to them through the nose, claiming that she was going abroad. She was relieved of her duties with good grace and Seishirou-sama would go down in history as the stuff of legends. Up till the end, she never divulged her true identity, which was for the best. Honesty would just make things too complicated at this stage.

Then it was finally Thursday evening, the first day of work for Eri. I offered to accompany her to the agency until it was time to get started, and she gladly accepted.

The receptionist told Eri to wait in the lobby while she went to fetch who would later be Eri's manager. We sat on a couch that was too hard for human bottoms, but it didn't bother her. She was too excited to care.

"I wonder what my first assignment will be, Neku," she mused.

"They'll probably start you off easy. You're a rookie, so I'm sure that's what they'll do. That, or another bikini photoshoot."

"Bikinis?" she giggled slyly. "That's all that's on your mind, huh? I see your habit of thinking with what's between your legs is in full force again."

"Hey, I'm a guy," I retorted coolly with a shrug. "I can't help it."

While we were poking fun at each other, the receptionist came back with someone else in tow. The second person had a simple yet trendy dress sense – just a pair of jeans and a sleeveless top. His hair was dyed a strange lavender colour and was long enough to hang over the top half of his eyes. Overall, the whole greasy anti-hero look was strong with him. I guess some girls might dig it.

Was this going to be the guy in charge of showing Eri the ropes? Sure seemed that way.

He flashed a wide grin that showed off all of his teeth. I could already tell he was the flirty type who couldn't live life without hitting on the nearest woman. Kinda like Kariya, except he seemed to be more aggressive. I know I'd just met him, so I shouldn't be so judgmental, but with some people, you can just tell right off the bat…

And what's wrong with Eri? When she laid her eyes on him, her smile faded away with much of her excitement. Was there something about him she didn't like or something? Could it be…

Could it be she knew this person from somewhere…?

"Alright, Eri," said the receptionist cheerily, "allow me to introduce your manager…"

"Tsubasa," muttered Eri, finishing up for her.

I glanced at her, dumbstruck. So she did know him! How? From where?

Tsubasa ran a hand through his locks. His smile matched the dramatic fashion with which he played with his hair. And he said, all suave-like, "It's been so long. I'm looking forward to talking to you again, kitten."

'Kitten'? He's using nicknames already? Just who did he think he was?

Eri didn't look like she liked the sound of that but swallowed her pride, knowing that she would be working closely with him from now on. And when rookie and manager shook hands to seal the deal on their working relationship, she did so very reluctantly.

What history did she share with him? Was he an old flame, perhaps? One she didn't want to meet again? I'd have to find out the full story from her later.

One thing's for sure: this guy reeked of bad news…

…

…

Author's note: Tsubasa is not an original character. He's actually in the video game. You can find him as a shopkeeper at Molco, in the D+B Molco apparel shop.

Also, I understand that this chapter has a lot less comedy than before. It may even – heaven forbid – come across as boring, what with all the serious stuff about new jobs and such. I tried to make it funny, but it's still solely about character and plot development. Some might not find it compelling, but I feel that I had to include this because it's important not just for Neku and Eri but also for the story as a whole.

Regardless, I hope you had a good time reading Chapter 47. Come next chapter, we'll touch a little more on the little mystery behind Tsubasa. See you next time!