She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 51)
by BrDPirateMan
"Come over right now," said Auntie. "We need to talk."
I gulped hard. This was serious, to say the least. Uncle just had a heart attack…
We ended the call just as Uzuki rolled onto the scene in another sedan not unlike her lazy Reaper partner's, except hers looked much better maintained and it actually worked. She stuck her head out the window, grumbling, "You're hopeless, Kariya."
"Aw, girl, you wound me," he chuckled, trying to save face. "These are unforeseen circumstances, you know? And when you think about it, it's a good thing my car broke down here. Can you imagine how much it'd suck if it went kaput in the middle of the road?"
"Quit making excuses for yourself and hop in."
Everyone piled into the car except me. I was hesitating, you see.
Uzuki called out, "What're you waiting for? Christmas? Get in, Neku."
"Um, actually," I said, "I don't think I can make it to the expo after all."
That left the others surprised. I was raring to go just as much as the others just minutes ago.
"Why, bro?" asked Shooter. "GAL-AXY's gonna be there! Live! In person!"
I didn't want to miss out on this chance to catch Eri in action either, but I knew where my priorities lay.
"I just got a call from my aunt. She said my uncle had a heart attack… so I'm going to the hospital to check up on him. Real sorry, guys… Just go on without me."
They muttered amongst themselves briefly, trying to find the right thing to say. But it was Uzuki, the most level-headed one of them all, who responded to these circumstances in the smartest way.
"Get in."
"Huh? B-But I'm not going to the expo."
"I know. I'm giving you a ride to the hospital. The rest of you are okay with that, right?"
A chorus of simultaneous voiced agreements from the rest of her entourage followed. I didn't want to have to rely on my friends too much, but getting to the hospital by car would be quicker.
"Thanks, I owe you one!" I jumped into the back seat, squeezing in together with Mina and Shooter.
As we swung out of the parking lot, Uzuki muttered, "Sure, whatever. Just make sure everything's okay with your folks and we're good."
Kariya simply chuckled at her brusqueness, though. "So the ice queen can defrost once in a while!"
"Can it or I'm dropping you off."
"Yes, ma'am… heh heh! But to be real serious, Phones. Your uncle really got a… heart attack?"
My fellow passengers stared at me, concerned. "Well, yeah, that's what Auntie said. The only other thing I know is that he collapsed at home and she had to rush him to the hospital."
"That sounds… harsh. I'm… I'm not really sure what to say but just hang in there."
"Yeah, bro," said Shooter, "it'll be fine!"
Mina got in on the encouragement bandwagon too. "You just do what you gotta do and let us know if you need anything."
Hearing so many kind words from my pals helped to calm the maelstrom of emotions that was swirling inside of me. I was glad they were on my side.
"Thanks, fellas," I said, from the deepest corner of my heart. "I really mean it."
As much as it pained me, I won't be able to keep my promise to Eri today. But I'll be responsible. I needed to tell her at the very least, but first I'll go to the hospital and get my facts straight with Auntie.
Uncle… wait for me.
XOXOXOXOXO
Uzuki dropped me off at the hospital and shooed me off after my profuse thanks irked her. She may talk rough much of the time but there's definitely a heart of gold underneath that spiky exterior.
"Excuse me," I said to the receptionist, "I'm looking for my uncle. Where is he?"
After I gave her his name, she replied, "Your uncle is in the operating room…"
I gasped. "Wait… operating room?"
"Yes, he is undergoing surgery right now."
Surgery! That was a word that has always scared me. Ever since I knew about it, I associated it with painful-looking operations where you'd get cut wide open. The grotesque imagery was bad in itself, but knowing that every operation had a chance to go wrong made my fears even worse.
And now Uncle was going under the knife himself. I had every reason to be frightened for him.
I swiftly located Auntie in the hallway outside the operating room and found her to be an absolute wreck. Her face was pale and she was wringing her hands, trying in vain to keep the trembling at bay. When she saw me and stood up, she almost looked like she was going to lose her balance and fall over. It was like she had become a different person.
"Neku," she said weakly. "Your uncle… he…"
"I know, Auntie. He's being operated on now, is what I heard. Is… Is he gonna be fine?"
"I don't know…"
I felt my throat clench. For a second, I was unable to breathe. "You need to tell me everything."
I joined her on the bench, urging her to calm down so she could tell me all the details without getting too fidgety. According to her, she and my uncle were both at home when his heart attack happened. One moment he was in the kitchen getting food out of the fridge, the next he was keeled over, clutching his chest. It was a most alarming sight to my aunt. She managed to stabilize his heart somewhat by making him gulp down a ton of water, which afforded her enough time to bundle him into the car and rush to the hospital.
The doctor said one of the arteries in his heart was clogged up with fat and that's what ultimately led to his heart attack. And now the surgeons were racing to unblock it.
"Goodness," I breathed, "is it that bad?"
"It is. I… I can't say it's looking very good. We'll just have to wait… and see how it goes."
The air-conditioning in the hospital was on full blast, but I was perspiring all over from the immense dread. It's deathly cold waiting here, yet I felt like I was in a sauna, sweating the dirt out.
Fear is a strong emotion.
We waited mostly in silence for the surgery to finish. I had no idea when it'd all be done, and I knew watching the "Surgery in progress" light wouldn't make it switch off anytime soon. I was impatient, and it killed me knowing I couldn't do anything.
Halfway through I suddenly remembered about Eri.
"I gotta make a call, Auntie. I'll be back real soon."
I walked out to a quieter place where few people were around. There's still at least twenty minutes before the promo began, so Eri might have some free time. If I was going to call her, it'd have to be now.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is unreachable – "
No luck. I tried calling her number a few times; none got through. She must have switched off her cell phone. Makes sense. It wouldn't do for it to go off in the middle of the show.
The next best thing was to give Kariya a call.
"So, um, if you get a chance to talk to Eri, could you tell her why I can't go?"
"Sure I will," he said. "We'll still be around after the promo's over, so we'll grab a hold of her somehow. Ah man, I wish you were here, though. There's all sorts of stuff to see. And the cosplayers are all so hot!"
"I can't help it, Kariya. Uncle's being operated on and I need to be here for my folks."
His voice dropped to a low murmur. "Damn, surgery? Th-That's heavy, dude. I'm sorry to hear that you guys got it rough."
"I never expected something like this to happen in my family. And there's nothing to be done for now. Just gotta wait for the surgery to finish and hope for the best."
Kariya chose his next words carefully. "Hey, don't fret too much, Phones. If your uncle's anything like you, he'll bounce back."
It wasn't often that he said stuff that actually held emotional weight. Most times, he talks about all kinds of crud and generally isn't very serious about life. So hearing this from him was both touching and surprising.
Before I could thank him for his thoughtfulness, he spoke again, this time sounding distracted.
"Uh-oh, I think I see someone dressed up as Optimal Pride. I gotta get a photo with that guy!"
"Alright then, I won't keep you. You go and have fun now. And, uh… thanks for everything. Really, I mean it."
He replied good-naturedly, "You'll pay us back someday. Good luck, and I'll catch you soon, hombre."
The only way Eri could know about my situation now was if he told her. I decided to write her a text as well, in case he got too busy chasing skirts and forgot. He probably wouldn't, but… well, one can't be too careful.
I'm at the hospital, I wrote. Uncle got a heart attack, needs surgery now. Gonna stay here and wait for him. Sorry I can't turn up… Will tell you more later.
The message underwent my scrutiny multiple times before I was satisfied. I didn't want to sound too blunt, but at the same time I was scared that she might get freaked out by the news. "Heart attack" is a strong term, after all.
Now, I just have to pray that everything will be all right.
XOXOXOXOXO
Eventually the operation was complete and he was wheeled to one of the wards. It was there that my aunt and I waited, watching over his sleeping form. The head surgeon told us that the surgery went well and that my uncle would be right as rain in due time. He's not completely okay but this was heartening news. That was like a weight I could lift off of my shoulders. Not the entire weight, mind you, but it was better than nothing.
While waiting, I tried to keep myself distracted by trawling through the internet on my phone. Eventually, I chanced upon a forum where the hottest topic was about the ongoing expo. I locked onto this like a guided missile but found myself overwhelmed by the thousands upon thousands of posts. The expo-goers were a frenetic bunch and it was hard to keep track of their discussions. I settled for skimming through them in hopes of finding something worthwhile.
yolo88: finally got a release date for When Titans Attack w00t!
JusticeKick: Jan 25 HERE I COME
Kawaii_Desu_72: Yes! At long last some actually important news!
yolo88: gimme a W! W! gimme an O! O! gimme an O and a T! What's that spell? WOOT!
JusticeKick: sis boom bah! XD
Xeroxman: guys calm down lol
YUNoLike: don't worry MY MAN-BOOBS ARE AS CALM AS THE OCEAN
Xeroxman: I gotta admit, best new meme ever 10/10 XD
yolo88: lulz btw I hear theyre teasing Bizarre Journey to the North Season 2.
moonshinelady: yeah can't wait!
huehuehue913: how many episodes for BJttN?
JusticeKick: 50
huehuehue913: freaking 50? :OOO That's awesome HUE HUE HUE
BrDPirateMan: Took some pics of the Gynoid Dreams promo. Enjoy. XD
My eyes instantly latched onto those words. That's just what I needed. I scrolled down the page in a hurry, hoping to find shots of Eri in her GAL-AXY getup. Indeed, there were photos of the promo show, but to my disappointment they were badly taken. From the looks of it, whoever posted these must have taken them at the rear end of the crowd. They were grainy and blurry and… well, I didn't know what I was looking at.
The following posts were of everyone else openly lamenting the lack of visual quality (and chastising the user who posted them). One of the clearer photos – and that's not saying much at all – showed what looked like someone in a full-body suit. There was a pink wisp where the head was, but the face was unrecognizable; this, I knew, had to be Eri. It's just a shame I couldn't verify this with confidence.
My phone, which I'd set to silent mode, suddenly vibrated in my pocket, startling me out of my train of thoughts.
Hmmm… Eri, huh? I excused myself and went off somewhere else before answering the call, making sure to speak softly so as not to be rude. I hoped to find some solace in her chirpy tone, but forgot that Kariya probably told her all about my situation and that she was just as worried as I was. The moment I picked up the phone, she sent an army's worth of questions straight into my poor ear.
"Neku!" she squawked. "I heard all about it. Is it true your uncle really had a heart attack? Is he okay? He's got to be okay, right? When did this happen? How did this happen?"
"Eri, calm down…"
"How can I be calm when I can't even be there for you and your family?"
Her voice wavered with worry and desperation. I hurried to put her out of her misery.
"The operation is over and my uncle seems to be fine now."
She became quieter, calmer. "Really? So he's… okay?"
"I'm not sure I can say he's completely out of the woods yet. It's left him in quite a state, and he's staying overnight here at the hospital so the doctors can monitor him closely."
"Is that so? C-Can I talk to him for a bit, see how he's coping?"
Her concern was awfully touching, but I was forced to deny her request. "S-Sorry, I forgot to mention that Uncle is sleeping right now…"
"Ah… okay. Th-That's alright. In that case, let him rest."
Her voice trailed off and there was a dip in the conversation where she must be trying to think of the next best thing. I took the initiative to bridge the gap and make things a bit less awkward.
"Relax, everything will be alright. Um, how's work?"
In light of the distressing news surrounding my uncle, Eri couldn't show any of the infectious enthusiasm she was famous for. Much of the time, her speech had the lovably manic quality; here, she was so distracted and… out there.
"Ah, yeah, it's good," she said. "It's stressful because I'm in front of… so many people, but overall it was… well… it was a great experience. So… yeah. All good, considering."
Poor Eri was worried sick, that much was obvious. I needed her to calm down; luckily I knew the smart, practical way to go about it.
"Eri," I said kindly, "you're not being your usual self."
"I… but…" She wanted to justify her messed-up emotions, but restrained herself, eventually settling for a muted, "I'm just thinking about how you all are faring. I know you guys are more or less fine for now but I can't say it hasn't been on my mind."
"I know, thanks. Now, I won't say 'don't worry about me' because that's the last thing anyone in your position can do…"
"Yeah, you're… right about that."
"…but right now you still have a job to do, and you need to do it well. If you need to worry, do that later when we're both home. Don't let your concerns cloud your head so much."
I half-expected her to protest, but after a moment of hesitation, she simply agreed with me. "Alright, I gotcha. It'll be hard, but I'll try to concentrate on my job for now. We can always talk about this at home."
"Yes, let's."
"I would pay your uncle a visit," she said, "but I'm only off duty as seven. And of course, visiting hours would be long over by then."
"Hey, don't sweat it. I'll pass your regards on to my folks. I'm sure they'll be happy to know you care."
"Oh, thanks! Uh, I'm sorry I can't talk for much longer. My break is almost over."
"Alright, see you later then. Have a good one."
Our conversation offered some respite from all of the worry and stress that had been piling up throughout the day. I swore not to let anything else get the better of me. It won't be easy from here on out, but heck, what's life without a few speed bumps? We just need to find the strength from within to overcome them.
"Who was that?" asked Auntie blankly when I returned. "Friend of yours?"
"Eri. She wanted to know if everything's okay."
"You told her about what happened to your uncle?"
"Yeah."
She gave me a small and brief smile. "Well, it's nice to know that she cares. You really found someone special."
The heat got to my cheeks when I heard that. I just shrugged. "I guess I did."
At that moment, I fancied I saw Uncle smile in his sleep, if only a little. But it was probably just my imagination…
XOXOXOXOXO
Visiting hours were over and Uncle still hadn't woken up. We were reassured by the doctors that he was simply very, very exhausted from the entire ordeal, and that if we wanted to see him we should come again tomorrow morning. But they did promise to let him know that we dropped by today and stayed with him.
As I walked out of the hospital with my aunt, she said that she would prepare some simple foods for him. I, on the other hand, offered to buy some fresh fruits.
The entire saga left a deep impression on my psyche. If I could sleep on the spot, I would. So when my aunt offered to drive me home, I didn't decline. I just wanted to get home and rest.
I came back home to an empty apartment. Exhausted, I soaked in the bath and mulled over the day's events. My fingers and toes became wrinkly from staying in there for too long.
In fact, I was still there when Eri came back. I heard the front door unlocking and her calling out that she was home, but I was too zonked to reply, much less do anything else. It was only a matter of time before she found me in the bathroom. She peered at me through a gap in the doorway.
"Neku, is… is everything okay?"
"I'm… fine, for what it's worth. Been better, though."
"I can tell. Can I join you?" Then, thinking she might have said something insensitive, she backpedaled on her words. "Uh, i-if you need your space, then that's cool."
"Nah, come on in. I could use some company."
Without another word she got out of her clothes and stepped inside. I watched her sit down on a stool and soap herself up, but I could feel no arousal. My head was much too muddled for me to enjoy the sight.
She slipped into the bathtub and we sat there, face-to-face without a single word for the longest time. My eyes ran over the contours of her bust and shoulders, not out of lust, but simply because she was in front of me and there was nothing else noteworthy to look at. Having her here with me made me feel a little more safe and secure.
Eri broke the silence at long last. "Neku, can you tell me more about what happened with your uncle?"
I told her the whole story.
By the time I reached the end of my tale, my words had regressed to a mere whisper. "I'll be real honest, Eri. Things may seem okay now… but I'm scared. I don't want to lose my uncle."
"I know how you feel," she said. "My parents and I may have our differences, but if they vanished from my life, I… I think I'd feel so lost."
"Yeah…"
"But your uncle's a tough one, right? He's doing his best, so we just gotta have faith in him and it'll all work out."
I was grateful for the figment of hope she just gave me, but I still couldn't find it in me to smile. The time didn't feel quite right for that yet.
"Thanks, Eri. I appreciate that. Still, I want to say the worst is over with the surgery done, but my uncle was asleep the whole time. Even when visiting hours were over, he still hadn't woken up. That's what worries me."
She frowned slightly. "Oh… that is quite a matter of concern. Still, I'm sure it's due to your uncle being tired and such. I mean, it was a pretty serious operation, after all. Anyone would be zonked out if they went through one."
"That's what the doctors said too. But I just… well… I just don't know…"
"Just stay strong. For him. You have me to depend on too, so lean on me now and again, why don't you?"
Her words were comforting to hear, but my heart wasn't completely at ease yet. There's one thing I had to get off of my chest.
"Neku?"
"Listen," I said, "you might be sick of hearing this from me, but I'm sorry I couldn't make it to today's promo show."
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, but it wasn't done out of spite or anger. Annoyance, perhaps, but it's the kind that showed she cared.
"Oh please! Must I say it again, Neku? Sure I was hoping you could come, but it's not your fault. Well, it's no one's fault, really. Your uncle's heart attack wasn't something you could have predicted. And you did the right thing seeing him first, so don't beat yourself up over it, okay? Or are you saying you should have ditched your uncle to watch me at work?"
"N-No, of course not."
"Then it's settled! Apologies from this point on are forbidden, okay?"
"Y-You got it."
"Just so you know, I'd have hated it if you did that. I may not look like it, but I know where my priorities lie. You should, too."
"I do know about that. And you're right, of course."
"Chin up, okay? I know it's hard but you can't stay sad and sulky forever."
"Okay, I'll try."
Bathtime was soon over. Eri hopped out of the bathroom clad in just her towel, leaving me by myself to get dressed. My movements were sluggish and my mind was getting fuzzier by the second. It's been a long day and all I had in my mind was sleep.
When I retired to my room I found that Eri had already settled into my bed. She stirred as I slipped into the covers beside her, noting that once again she had elected to go unclothed for the night.
"Hope you don't mind," she whispered. "I think you could use a cuddle buddy tonight."
"Oh, uh… yeah, okay, that's fine."
I lay on my back, eyes toward the ceiling. Eri snuggled up close, resting her head against my shoulder. A few stray strands of her bubblegum-tinged hair tickled my neck.
"Hey, Eri?"
"Mmm?"
"You still awake?"
She giggled. "Would I be asleep by answering you?"
"Well, you do say some strange things in your sleep sometimes."
"I do not," she gasped, feigning outrage as she mock glared at me. "I'd never do such an uncouth thing!"
"But you ever mumbled something about not having enough salt in your orange juice…"
"Hmmm, maybe that's a subconscious reminder of what I did when I was a kid. Me and the other neighbourhood kids had a dare to see how much salt we could add to our OJ before we gave up and puked."
I made a face. "You did what now? Ugh."
Her soft laughter filled the air. "Yeah, I was a stupid kid back then. Anyway, I'm not going to take your accusations sitting down. What else do I say in my sleep that you consider to be weird? Give me a solid example this time round and maybe I'll fold. But if you don't…"
"Then what?"
She chuckled impishly. "Then I'll just have to tickle you to death."
"Hmm, no pressure then."
"Nope. None at all! You can just relax." And she tittered like a bird on an overdose of coffee.
This time I actually had to think a bit before I replied. The silliest people were often the hardest to beat in a battle of wits, as some might say. At last I came up with:
"You said something truly bizarre one time. How did it go again? Um… I think it was 'One teaspoon of hot sauce, two tablespoons of ginger juice…'"
"…a dash of pepper," she continued for me, "some mint, some cilantro, a little wasabi and as much turmeric as you can jam into a shot glass."
"T-Took the words right out of my mouth," I gulped. "But seriously, what in the world is that supposed to be? Sounds like something you need to summon a demon."
"No, silly!" She smacked my arm affectionately. "That's the recipe for my experimental hangover cure that I created two years ago. Mix it all up and pour it down the hatch. Simple! …Though I don't need it anymore."
I could just hurl thinking of it. "Nasty stuff. First salty OJ, now this? You really have a knack for making weird things… So, uh, just for the record, does it work?"
She bit her lip and thought to herself for a few seconds.
"I don't know for sure," she said. "I only tried it once or twice, and every time I drank it… next thing I know, I'd wake up and it'd be the next day. And by that time my hangover would be gone…"
"So it makes you black out?! That's scary!"
"Ha ha ha! Oh yes, the taste was something else. Horrible beyond comprehension, ha ha! I was a reckless girl. Good times!"
"Hell of a ride, eh."
This detour had gone on for long enough and more than anything I really didn't feel like being tickled right now. So I got us back on track.
"Eri, tell me about how your day went."
"It was glorious," she beamed, excited to tell me all about her new experiences. "It's a rush being adored by the fans; kinda reminds me of my time as Seishirou-sama. Everyone was so pumped and the energy was all over the place and it was, like… wow."
"Bet you had to pose for lots of photos."
"Sure did! You know, I thought I'd have problems with some of the fans being massive creeps and stuff, but they're actually all a swell bunch. Didn't even try anything weird. But man, I was kept busy the whole time. They kept telling me to 'look this way!' or 'pose like this!' Feels kinda like a photoshoot, really. Except there were a thousand percent more people around me than usual."
"Glad to know you had fun. But wasn't it hard work?"
"Heh, you don't say…" She paused to yawn. "I know I said it's like a photoshoot, but the fans can be so demanding! And have you any idea how numb my face is from smiling all the time?"
"Don't they say smiling is easier than frowning?"
"Whoever said that obviously never tried smiling for the whole day. And tomorrow I'm gonna have to do it all over again."
"Then you better catch some z's, Eri. You did good, soldier. You did real good."
"Hee hee… thanks."
I stroked her hair and in response she purred with delight. It felt like I was holding an oversized cat in my arms.
"I still have a little juice left in me," she said, "so before we go to bed, let's have a quick one."
Were her feral instincts bubbling to the surface?
I coughed. "A… A quick one, you say? But won't that be bad for tomorrow? You need all the energy you can get…"
"I'm a sprightly young woman!" she retorted. "I can take it, no problem! So give me your best effort!"
My heart thumped faster. This probably wasn't going to be good for her, and I wanted to say no for her own good, but if she claimed she was fine with it then maybe this was a risk worth taking.
"Um… well… if you're up for it, Eri, I sure as hell can't say no."
As I reached over the bedside table drawer, however, she grabbed my arm and stopped me. And then she delivered the twist in the story.
"Neku, you don't need condoms for a tickle fight."
"A… A tickle fight? What tickle – oh…"
Her frame trembled with the giggles she was trying so desperately to hold in. "Wh-What did you think I meant?"
My face reddening rapidly, I groaned in disappointment. "Dammit, Eri, that's not fair."
"Ha ha ha! Admit it, you're a naughty little boy! We can't have that now, can we? It looks like we'll have to punish you…"
I didn't care anymore.
"…Fine. Bring it."
Her reaction at my brazen words was one of surprise. She licked her chops, relishing the challenge that lay before her.
In milliseconds we were onto each other, wrestling for control as we plunged our fingers into our opponents' weak spots – ribs and armpits and whatnot. The blanket was flung clean away. The mattress was turned into mincemeat as we tumbled all over it. No punches were pulled. I almost lost when she pinned me down but I managed to reverse the situation on her. However, she was a feisty one and a quick countermeasure of her own allowed her to maintain equal ground with me once more.
"Not bad, Neku," she snickered. "Not bad at all!"
"You're pretty good yourself. Now come at me with all you got."
Eventually we were locked in a deadly impasse. Both of us were on our knees, hands intertwined together as we struggled to overthrow the other like gladiators in an arena. We were evenly matched and neither of us could budge. But we were also tiring out. Every muscle in my body burned like fire, ready to yield. I couldn't lose to her now!
"G-Give it up," she wheezed, her arms growing wobbly. "Your defeat… is… at hand!"
"I could say the same," I panted. "Prepare… to be… toppled!"
"In… In your dreams!"
"This… victory… will be mine…!"
"C-Crazy talk. I got this in the bag!"
"No you don't. I'm gonna win!"
"Your fly is open!"
"Not falling for that one."
"The stove is still on. Hurry and – "
"Nice try, Eri. I checked."
"I look great naked, don't I?"
The entirety of her body was on display but I was strong enough to resist the lure of supple bare skin. Her attempts to distract me helped her situation none. At least she was hilarious.
But I had to put an end to this soon, so I established an ultimatum. "If you can't get out of this deadlock in thirty seconds, I claim this as my win."
"There's no such rule in tickle fights!" she protested.
"There is in this one. Twenty-five seconds left."
She's resilient, but I was starting to slowly gain an edge over her. And her exhaustion made it easier to keep her in check. Ten seconds passed, ten more to go. I felt a smirk crawling up my lips. I was going to beat her at her own game. Just a little more…
Eri was straining to stay afloat in the game. "Gotta… use my… secret weapon…"
I ignored what I thought was her trying to psych me into wavering. "Six. Five. Four… three… two – "
However, I was too complacent. Suddenly, she cut off my countdown by using the last ounce of her strength to lunge at me. Her face closed the distance quickly and the very next moment, our lips touched. The sweet flavour in my mouth threw me off guard… and that was all she needed to follow up with a shove that sent me crashing onto my back. It happened so quickly I couldn't do anything. Let's just say it's good that it's the bed we collapsed onto and not the floor.
Eri sat on top of me with a big goofy grin on her face. By now we were so spent that we both just silently agreed to do away with the tickling altogether and end the fight.
Stabbing a fist high above her head, she breathlessly announced her victory. "I won!"
"You're such a kid, Eri."
"It's good to tap into your inner child once in a while. Whew!"
She passed a hand over her forehead. It's unbelievable how roughly we had been playing for the past few minutes. My shirt felt gross and sticky with sweat. Having opted for nudity, she had no such issue, but her body had now become quite shiny, like a bronze statue. We looked at each other and came to an agreement.
"Eri, we're going to need another bath."
"I'm with you."
Into the shower we went. We didn't linger around and were back out in ten minutes tops.
"No rematches," I said, as we toweled off. "We go to sleep right afterwards. Understand?"
"Hee hee… yes, mum. But you're smiling now, right?"
Puzzled, I just said a stupid-sounding "Huh?"
"I know the whole thing with your uncle gave you a ton of stress. Ever since I got back home, you didn't smile once. So I thought I'd help put a smile on your face again."
It suddenly dawned on me that in her own weird way, she was trying to cheer me up. Even if it had to involve a sweaty and protracted tickle fight. It's like what Auntie said. I really have found someone special. Of course, I knew that long ago.
"Yeah," I said, "I'm smiling alright. See?"
I flashed her a purposely misshapen grin that caused her to break into laughter.
"That is so hideous!" she giggled. "You need to do an encore for me later. I simply have to take a photo."
"That one will cost you."
"I have cash."
"I accept credit, not cash."
"Pfft… ha ha ha! You're a riot, Neku."
If I wasn't exhausted before, I certainly was now; that tickle fight took whatever was left of my energy reserves. I didn't even bother with the clothes anymore; that's how tired I was. So back in my bedroom, the two of us settled into bed naked. She was very appreciative of my decision, if her constant peeking under the covers was any indication. Cheeky girl, that one.
There was one thing I forgot to ask. "You bumped into Kariya and his lot today, right?"
"Oh yes, they were awesome. We had a group photo taken and it was awfully fun!"
I coughed, "Did Shooter do anything weird?"
"No, he just went ballistic when I said hi to him. He must have been really happy to see me, because right afterwards he flew off through the ceiling."
"Didn't I tell you to go easy on him?" I sniggered.
She shrugged, retorting in a playful sing-song voice, "I tri-iii-ied…"
XOXOXOXOXO
The next morning I saw Eri off at the bus stop. Then it was off to the supermarket to get some fruits for Uncle. My mind was a torrent of thoughts as I filled my shopping basket with apples and oranges. I had spent much of yesterday envisioning how I was going to handle today's trials. My hands would be full looking after Uncle, but having been given Eri's blessings I was prepared for the difficulty of the task ahead.
It surprised me none to see my aunt already in the ward when I arrived at the hospital. And if I knew her, she must have gotten there as soon as visiting hours began. She's always been a bit of a worrywart, quick to take action on the smallest issues and move mountains with the biggest.
But most importantly, Uncle was awake and by the looks of it he was coping quite well. The relief was tremendous.
"H-Hey there, sport," greeted Uncle with a weak smile. "Good to see you."
"Am I glad to see you! How are you feeling, Uncle?"
"Obviously I'm not okay yet, but I feel much better. Better than when I had that heart attack, anyway."
"Just take it easy – "
My words stopped dead in my throat when I saw what was sitting on one of the chairs by his bedside. It was a stack of bento boxes, which should be nothing out of the ordinary, except it was easily three feet tall.
"A-Auntie?" I stammered. "Did… Did you make this?"
"Of course." She seemed rather proud that she had gone all out. "I made half of them yesterday, after I got back home. The other half I whipped up this morning."
"I-Isn't this a little too much?"
"Don't be silly. It never hurts to be careful."
"Yeah, but ten, eleven… twelve bentos?" I continued to gape at the skyscraper of food, which easily dwarfed everyone else in the room.
"I made sure to include foods from every level in the food pyramid and in the right quantities too! Lots of grain and vegetables, some meat, and as little fat as I can manage. Hopefully with good food like this your uncle will recover faster."
"Are you sure stuffing Uncle full of food is the right way to do things?"
Uncle was on my side. "That's what I told her. I don't even feel like eating much in the first place."
She brushed off our protests like a stone wall being pelted with acorns. Sticking to her guns, she said, "It's better to prepare more rather than less. Too little and you'll be in real trouble when you're actually hungry."
My uncle was about to say something but I stopped him. "We're just gonna go round in circles here, you two. If Uncle can't finish this – and I'm positive he can't – then I'll take some back home to share with Eri. Sure beats wasting it."
Both spoke at once. "Oh, good idea!"
That was something both could finally agree on, but not because of the practicality of it. Nah, they're just excited at the mere mention of my girlfriend. They couldn't get enough of her… as well as the faraway prospect that in several years, we'll give them lots of grandchildren to play with.
Auntie and I spent half the morning keeping watch over Uncle, tending to his needs. At first he insisted on doing things himself, but she was adamant that he should just sit back and that we handle the rest. After picking up a bento box, only to have it snatched away by her with a scolding of "You relax, I'll feed you", he threw his hands in the air and surrendered. No one could fight against the coercive power of my aunt and win.
The light snowfall outside filled me with a sense of melancholy when I looked out the window. By now the morning session of Eri's promo show would be well underway. I had no intention of going there, but I couldn't help glancing at my watch every so often. This didn't go unnoticed. Uncle was the first person to point it out.
"What's the matter, Neku? You looking to catch some TV show?"
"Oh, er… no, nothing like that."
"Then why do you keep checking the time? Is there someplace you need to be?"
"Nah, don't worry about it."
Neither he nor my aunt was convinced that everything was fine and dandy. "If you have something on your mind," she said, "then go on, say it."
I shrugged. "I'm just worried about Uncle's welfare."
"That's nice," he said, "and I'm mighty thankful, but that doesn't explain your looking at your watch. You're thinking real hard about something else, aren't you?"
Damn, he caught me. I guess when you've been brought up by someone all your life, it's only natural they'll know what makes you tick. I didn't want to bother him with my troubles. Still, seeing as he's seen through me, I saw no need to keep any more secrets.
"It's no big deal," I said. "I was just thinking about Eri."
"What about her?"
"There's this expo in Akihabara – "
And I told them the whole story. Both of my folks nodded in understanding.
"So," said Uncle, "today's the last day to catch Eri in action, huh?"
"Yeah. It'll be okay, though. I explained everything to her."
"Then why don't you go do just that? This is your final chance to make some memories. I say you shouldn't waste it."
"But I can't just leave you here, Uncle… so I'm staying."
"No," he said more firmly. "You're going."
I wanted to protest, but I didn't get a chance. He kept talking.
"I'll be fine, Neku. Your aunt is here to help me out if I need anything. And I'm feeling kind of stable myself, so things should be smooth-sailing from now on. Who knows, I might even get to go back home today, heh heh! Well, most likely not… but you get my drift."
That was good news, but I still wasn't sure that I should leave Auntie to handle the burden of taking care of him all by herself. This I mentioned to them both, but she merely brushed my worries off.
"I can handle it," she said. "Besides, I've got help."
"H-Help? Who's coming?"
Right then and there – the timing couldn't be more perfect – a bevy of about three or four of our relatives trooped in. There was another uncle of mine and his family whom we were quite close with and it was they who showed up. And they brought apples, so now our Mount Everest of food just got a little taller. If we wanted to grab any food from this pile now, we'd need climbing gear.
Greetings were followed by concerned questions about my uncle's well-being. Even with the shadow of his heart's condition looming over us, the atmosphere in the ward was jovial, peppered with his good-natured boasts about how strong he was.
Amidst the jokes and small talk, Auntie pulled me aside, out of earshot of everyone else. "Neku, go see your girlfriend. She's waiting."
"But Auntie, what about – "
"No buts. Your family are not the only ones you should care about. Your girlfriend's just as important."
"Um…"
Impatient, she pushed me out of the ward. "Go! Get out of here and say hi to her for us." Unable to go against her words, I gave up. Now I knew how Uncle felt.
"O-Okay! I get it, Auntie! I'm going to the expo. So, uh, I guess I'll see you later."
"That's more like it. Run along now." As I was walking away, she added, to my great embarrassment, "Oh! Your uncle and I want pictures! Be sure to take some, and make sure both of you are in the same shot!"
I raced out of the hospital and ran for the nearest bus-stop. The morning promo would be over very soon, so I wasn't in a hurry. At this point all I wanted was to see her.
The bus ride shouldn't feel like forever, but it sure felt like it…
XOXOXOXOXO
Here at last. Akihabara. The electric town. The otaku's paradise.
Clutching my ticket, I stood before the community hall where the expo was taking place. It was hard to see through the tinted glass doors, but I reckon from the din coming from within that it was chock full of people.
At any rate, I was in. And needless to say, I was right on the money with my guess that it was crowded; I just didn't expect it to be this packed. It was like diving headlong into a can of sardines. Elbow space was a rare commodity. On the plus side, the coolest cosplayers were never too far away. I didn't need to walk far to bump into someone dressed as a swordsman or space marine, and guys and girls with weirdly-coloured hair weren't hard to find. Then again, who was I to talk with my orange mane…
After wading through the throng of people for what seemed like far too long, the Gynoid Dreams booth loomed into my field of vision. Now should be the time for the fans to take photos of the crew. And that's where, hopefully, I'd find Eri.
But getting to the front proved to be my biggest challenge yet. The crowd was at its thickest here and people weren't willing to give way. The sea of fans was impenetrable. I wished I could make like Moses and clear a path with just a wave of my hand, but this wasn't the time for wishful thinking… this was the time for action!
I clasped my hands together into a wedge shape and used it to help me 'swim' through the crowd. All those Sunday lessons at the pool did more than just teach me about the breaststroke apparently! Some of the more stubborn fans were a little difficult to get past but I kept going.
Just a little more… Just gotta breach that last line of defense and…
Freedom at last! I emerged victorious, standing at the very front of the crowd with no one to block my view.
The Gynoid Dreams cosplay crew was standing before me, portraying different characters of the cast. As cool as they were, I wasn't here for them so much as I was here for… her.
GAL-AXY. Well, okay, Eri. She was absolutely gorgeous. That catsuit of hers hugged her curves wonderfully, although her bust looked kinda artificial. Damn bra pads. I get that she had to match the proportions of her anime counterpart, but I was a stickler for natural beauty. Regardless, I was spellbound.
Our eyes quickly met, and now it was her turn to be stunned, even recoiling ever so slightly. She didn't expect me to be here. In that single disarming moment she almost spoke to me but I snapped a finger to my lips as a reminder to her not to break character. To my relief, she got the hint and stayed silent. Instead, she implored for an explanation with her eyes.
Somewhat sheepishly, I started, "My folks, they… uh… pushed me to come. They insisted they'll be alright, so here I am."
I didn't expect her to fully understand, but she gave the slightest nod, which I perceived as "I'll find out the whole story from you later."
Until then, I had things to do. I took my phone out of my trouser pocket. "Um… in the meantime, could you pose for me, please?"
Like a true professional, she obliged with a smile. She made a 'finger gun' gesture with her right hand, kissed the 'barrel' and then pointed it in my direction with a wink and a good dose of cheekiness. Bang!
That's one of GAL-AXY's signature moves. Boy was I glad she got that right. She really did her homework!
Everyone's cameras went crazy trying to capture the moment.
She shot me in the heart, I think. Shot me dead and center.
I had a few more photos taken together with her. Break time came for her in ten minutes and she was finally able to get away from the horde of fanboys. She led me outside the building, where much fewer people were about and we could chat in peace under an awning.
"Whew!" She shifted her coat, shivering slightly from the cold. "It gets pretty intense in there, you know."
"You seem to be handling it well enough, though."
"So what's the deal with your uncle? Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?"
"I was actually there just now, but my aunt and uncle found out about the expo and how you're involved. Then they kicked me out of the hospital and told me not to come back until I brought back proof that I was ever here."
This turn of events left her quite confused. "They… forced you to come?"
"They insisted. But don't worry, we got a bunch of relatives at the hospital now to help out."
"Is that so?" She nodded in understanding, relieved that everything with my uncle had been taken care of. "Well, so long as I'm sure you didn't shirk your filial duties."
I chuckled weakly. "C'mon, how about a show of faith? Do I look like the type to cheat on my uncle?"
She shot me a strange look. I hated it when my brain didn't work together with my big mouth.
"Not in that sense," I coughed, desperate to rectify the situation. "I mean to say – "
She held up her hands. "N-No, relax, I got it. You're great with your foster parents. I just have a hard time envisioning you cheating on – "
"Yeah, don't." I shuddered visibly. "For the love of all things good please don't. 'Cause that's wrong in more ways than I can imagine."
I cleared my throat, marking the end of that awkward exchange.
"If everything is going well," she said, "I guess I don't need to worry too much."
"Sorry if I startled you. Bet you thought I was bailing out on my uncle."
"I totally thought that way at first! I actually had half a mind to split your nuts wide open."
I shivered. "O-Oh, um… glad to know I'm still on your good side."
"And I'll give you extra brownie points if you can tell me how good I look in my GAL-AXY costume. Hee hee… what are you waiting for? Go on, shower me with your praises! Spare no expense, your queen awaits!"
I laughed at her purposely inflated ego. But she did look fantastic. Some positive comments were in order, that much was certain.
"It rocks, Eri. I think it flatters your behind, and that's just for starters."
"I always did have confidence in my butt. Keep it coming!"
"Hmmm, I appreciate how tight the material is."
"Oh yes, that's always a plus point, isn't it?"
"But your chest… is a little weird."
The stream of compliments ground to a halt and in my head I could almost hear the cartoony sound of screeching brakes to go with it. The way her face changed from that haughty, high-on-praise grin to a blank look was so hilarious I almost burst into laughter. When she finally came back to earth she wasted no time grumbling.
"These bra pads," she seethed. "They're just stupid, I tell you. They make my breasts look like missiles!"
"I bet you can launch them if you try real hard."
That took much of the sting out of her unfavorable situation and she managed a grim chuckle. "Neku, I'm not some kind of walking missile launcher… thing."
"The term you're looking for is 'mobile weapons platform'."
"Whatever, geek."
I took out my phone once more. "Is it too much trouble to ask for some more pictures? Auntie specifically asked for ones with both of us in them."
She squealed gleefully. "Ooh, really now? She digs us as a couple more than I thought she would!"
I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment. "Yeah… you know how she is. My uncle too."
"Okay, I got about ten minutes left so make the most of it. But no kissing allowed. I don't want to ruin my lipstick."
I took oodles upon oodles of photos of ourselves. In fact, we got so carried away, we might have taken a little too many, if the dwindling space in my phone was any indication…
In the middle of taking what would have been our 42nd photo, Eri suddenly piped up and delivered the sad news.
"Uh-oh, it's time! Sorry, Neku, but I gotta get back to work."
"Um… five more minutes?"
"And get myself fired? Yeah, that sounds like a bright idea."
"I know, right? I'm a genius."
"Alright, smartass," she chortled, "let's get back inside already. But before I forget…" Her voice softened and she gave me her sweetest smile. "…let me just say I'm really happy you turned up. This means a lot to me. So… thanks."
Her sincerity never failed to move me where it counted. For a moment I didn't quite know what to say.
"Hey, uh… you know what they say, that's what boyfriends are for."
"I'm serious." She moved in for a hug. "It's not that I hate my job, but it's still hard work. So seeing a friendly face round these parts helps make the experience more bearable."
Auntie's words from earlier echoed in my head.
Your family are not the only ones you should care about. Your girlfriend's just as important.
I know, Auntie. I know all too well.
I hugged Eri back tightly, reluctant to let go. Even in the bitter cold, I felt warm.
Armed with approval from everyone, as well as the knowledge that my uncle was definitely recovering, I was able to enjoy myself without feeling guilty. I wound up sticking around to comb the rest of the expo in earnest. No booth escaped my attention and I stayed to watch the Gynoid Dreams afternoon promo. It was the last thing on my agenda and easily the highlight of the day. It was interesting to say the least, and by the end of it all I learnt a whole lot and enjoyed myself even more.
All in all today turned out just fine. A call to my folks afterward confirmed that they were still holding up well. Seeing that they would be okay without my help, and how Eri would continue to be busy enough for the rest of the afternoon that she wouldn't have time for me, I left after the promo and headed back home. Between taking care of Uncle and braving the crowds at the expo, it's been quite the day. I couldn't wait to kick back and rest my tired feet.
Having finally tied up all of my loose ends, I wasted no time crawling into bed for a nap. I deserved it. Sorting my plethora of photos could wait.
XOXOXOXOXO
Poke.
"Ungh."
Poke. Poke.
My eyes were still stubbornly closed but I could tell something or someone was poking me in the cheek. I turned over onto my other side, hoping to discourage whoever that was.
Didn't work.
Poke poke poke poke poke poke poke –
I roared like a dragon awakened from a long slumber and sat up, eyelids still squeezed shut.
"Whassit?" I mumbled. "What d'you want?"
A couple of seconds passed in silence, and then…
Poke.
"Cut it out!"
I flailed an arm, trying uselessly to fend off my harasser. Fed up, I opened my eyes and saw Eri bent over with a finger poised to poke me again.
"Finally woke up, sleepyhead?"
"If I haven't before, I sure have now."
"Calm down, O furious one. It's 8.30 pm. Just wanted to tell you dinner's ready."
Wait, what? It's eight thirty at night? But there's no denying the time the clock was showing. I meant to catch a couple of hours of shut-eye so I could prepare dinner just in time for her to come back. But, well, I guess she did everything I was planning to do.
"Damn." I scratched my head, disappointed by my ruined plans. "Overslept…"
I followed her into the kitchen where a simple spread of soup and pan-fried eel fillets was waiting for me. The aroma did wonders to wake me up fully.
"Made like a real sleeping beauty, you did." She scooped some rice into a bowl and handed it to me before getting her own. "How tired were you?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
Dinner was a quiet affair with none of the footsie shenanigans we were fond of doing every now and then. The sound of chopsticks clinking softly against porcelain as we ate had a calming effect. Each of us had cleared our own hurdles and we were the worse for wear both mentally and physically. Even Eri's teasing was subdued and infrequent. Throughout dinner words were sparsely exchanged.
It was only when we settled in for bed did we chat a little more.
"Neku," she said, "when will your uncle be discharged from hospital?"
"I don't know, but it likely won't be tomorrow, at least. With any luck though, he should be good to go home in a couple of days."
"Can I go visit him?"
I smiled. "Sure, why not. We'll go together, won't we? I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."
"Does he like apples? I'll get him some."
"Well, he actually got way too many fruits from our relatives. It's come to a point where he'd probably want to share them with us."
"That many!" she giggled.
"And don't think about cooking for him. Auntie already got that covered… by about 500%. Yesterday, I had to help eat some of it so that it wouldn't get wasted."
"Then what do you get for a man who has everything?"
Without missing a beat, I replied, "Money."
The straight face I put on while I said that tickled the bejesus out of her funny bone. "I'm serious."
"Then, flowers. It'll be good enough. If possible, get daffodils. They're his favourite."
"Daffodils it is. Hee hee."
I had a thought or two to put forward to her.
"If you don't mind, Eri, I just want to say something. But please don't take offense or anything."
"This isn't about my missile breasts again, is it?"
"Heh… no. It's, well… you're just as concerned about my uncle as I am. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but… I guess what I'm trying to say is, while any of my friends who knew about my circumstances would show some concern, you have been downright worried for someone who's not even remotely related to you. You were almost panicking at some point."
She hesitated a little. "It's fine, right? You're my boyfriend; doesn't that make your uncle kinda like my own?"
So she's already regarded me and my folks as part of her family. It's like when you get married and you call your in-laws Mum and Dad too. That's how close we'd become. It's like the two of us were already wed. That's a sweet thought…
"O-Oh, er… I… I suppose that makes sense…"
"R-Right?"
"Um… y-yeah…"
We spent the next few minutes blushing like idiots. It's nice when you don't have to be embarrassed alone.
Love is like that.
XOXOXOXOXO
Uncle was eventually discharged two days later. His rehab would continue at home, where he would be subject to a strict diet and, when he's up for it, an exercise routine consisting of mostly light cardio stuff. His return to relatively good health was a great relief to all of us, but they say if you get a heart attack it permanently damages your heart muscle and leaves you vulnerable to future attacks. We had to be very careful from now on…
In his own words, he had to "bid adieu to my love affair with tempura and other fried delicacies… for now." Time will tell if he'd learnt his lesson…
Incidentally, the cusp of his recovery happened at around the time we were going to have exams. And once we were past this mountain, then we could look forward to winter break. Neither Eri nor I had any holiday plans laid out yet, but perhaps another trip out of the city would be good? We could hit up an onsen or something –
"Neku!" huffed Eri. "Hello? Earth to Neku!"
Her words jolted me back to reality. I was sitting on the couch waiting for my TV show to start, and I must have spaced out. "Oh, uh… I was just narrating…"
"You're not the protagonist in some dumb fanfic, Neku. And please make this the last time you wander off into space when I'm talking to you."
"Sorry! I'll be good. Y-You were saying?"
"I wanted to know where you kept the rice crackers."
"In the fridge," I called over my shoulder, as she went into the kitchen. "There's some left."
"I know. But where exactly?"
"Way in the back. Dig around a bit and you'll find it."
I left her to search for them herself while I turned my attention back to the TV. Gynoid Dreams premiers next month, so I was watching a currently-airing sci-fi anime to whet my appetite. The promo was a huge success and fans everywhere were now even more excited. The forums were full of people talking about it. Some had opinions to share. Others brought fan theories to the table, taking stabs at how the show would progress. Still others simply counted down the days. For everyone, next month couldn't come fast enough.
Riveted to the unfolding space drama, I initially failed to take notice of Eri coming over until she spoke up.
"Scoot over." She sat beside me, lightly nudging me in the hip with her butt. "I wanna watch this."
What's this? Was she actually settling down to watch an anime? The one thing besides video games that she wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole? This was new…
"Alright, out with it," I said, a smile creeping onto my face. "Since when did you become a fan of Mighty Gear: Endorian Crisis? I've known you since high school and last I heard you still didn't like stuff like this."
She popped a rice cracker into her mouth. "I don't. Not really, anyway."
"Then why?"
"Why am I watching this, you mean? Well… when I first cosplayed for the expo I thought of it as just another job where I could wear a nice outfit. I wasn't crazy about anime, is what I'm saying, but you know…" Eri paused to grab another rice cracker and bit half of it off. "…after I saw how much fun all the fans were having at the expo, I got curious. Thought to myself maybe there's a whole world out there that I'm missing out on."
Really now? Interesting… Maybe she's getting caught up in the hype? She was exposed to it non-stop over those two days, after all. It wouldn't be too much of a surprise to see how she might have developed some interest in anime after all that time, even if it's just a miniscule amount.
I threw an arm around her shoulder playfully. "It's never too late to try new things! I'll make a fan out of you yet, just you wait!"
"Heh… don't get your hopes up. I'm… dabbling in it, nothing serious."
"Sure, sure! That's totally fine! Uh, you might have bitten off more than you can chew though."
"Huh? Why's that?"
"Mighty Gear is super-complex to understand if you don't start from the very beginning. If you go into it without a clear understanding of everything, you'll be hopelessly lost."
We both turned back to the TV, where the show was just starting. "What's so difficult to get about a bunch of oversized robots duking it out with each other?"
"It's much more than just epic battles, Eri. There's politics, power struggles, backstabbing, love triangles and so on. It's a huge mess waiting to be untangled. But it's one hell of an awesome mess."
"Hmmm… I can't say I get it then."
"Why don't you watch this episode and you'll see what I mean?"
Neither of us spoke from that point on. The main antagonist was giving the hero the fight of his life and the battle was looking bad for the latter. His mecha's left arm had been blown completely off in the last episode and he was forced to make do with his remaining arm. But it was a fight he looked destined to lose with grave consequences.
The scene kept me glued onto the set and I almost forgot Eri was by my side. Then I happened to glance in her direction…
Ah… she already fell asleep.
Five minutes into the show, and she was already bored? At a fight scene at that too! I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.
I guess some things never change.
…
Author's note: And this concludes the Collapse arc. I don't know about you guys, but I feel like something crucial is missing. I set up the story so that Neku would be stuck between two important things, but I'm not sure I properly captured the urgency of his uncle's situation. Did I make it seem too easy for Neku by having his aunt and uncle say "It's okay, you don't need to worry about us" and make him attend the expo? Was his uncle's heart attack not serious enough in the first place? Was Eri too concerned about Neku's uncle after all? What could I have added or changed to make this better?
Something is nagging at the back of my mind about this entire arc, and I can't pinpoint what it is. But if you can, please let me know. Until then, please look forward to Chapter 52. Bye for now!