There were two kinds of problems in life. The first kind were the big problems such as making rent, remembering the password to the bank account needed to pay rent with, the general cost of living, and the existential dread of existence. Oh, and avoiding calls from concerned parents wondering where all their grandchildren were.

Then there were the problems in life which were not problems at all. Not big problems anyway. In fact these were such small problems that Reigen didn't even notice. That was what Mob was for.

"Man, I am on fire today." Said Reigen as the fifth guy in as many minutes stopped what he was doing and watched her walk past. Money in the bank, another job well done, the promise of ramen to come, and now this. Everything was coming up Reigen Arataki.

"It's not that hot out, Master, but I can carry your suit coat if you want." Said Mob. She didn't think it was very hot out but she was in her school uniform. Fewer layers. Master had to wear a suit which had a coat and a long sleeved shirt as well as an under dress called a slip, which showed sometimes but served an important function, Master said, as well as stockings. The entire outfit looked like it was way too much work, Mob thought, but Master said that this was how grown adults dressed to look presentable out in the world.

"Oh Mob, Mob, Mob. My sweet little Mob. One day you'll understand…" said Reigen. Mob was still so young, she didn't care about the attention of the opposite sex yet. Not that Reigen was complaining. Mob was young, way too young. She still played with dolls, or 'collected' them as she said.

"I don't understand." Said Mob simply. There were a lot of things that she didn't understand. Usually Master explained them. Like why you had to wear shoes that pinched your feet, because they made you look good, or why you could totally live on ramen if your budget could allow it, it had all the food groups in it. Master was really good at explaining things.

"It'll become clearer as you get older." Said Reigen basking in the attention of yet another head turning in her direction.

"That's what my mom says when I ask her questions that she doesn't want to answer." Said Mob

"Like what?" asked Reigen before she could stop herself. Right. This was Mob. The questions in question could range from 'why is the sky blue' to 'why do bad things happen to good people'. Unlike Mob's mother, not that Reigen would put herself into such a role, Reigen was a master bullshitter.

Come on Mob, bring it on.

"Why do people have to be married to have kids?" asked Mob

"Have to?" asked Reigen

"Yes. Have to." Said Mob

"They don't, it's not a requirement. That's some dystopian future stuff right there…." said Reigen

"Oh. Mom said that they did. Mom said that she and dad got married because she was going to have me and that only married people were allowed to have kids." Said Mob

"Oh. Well that's something I didn't know about your parents…" said Reigen

"Yes, because I just told you just now. I didn't know either, that they got married because of me. I never really thought about why they got married, they've just always been my parents and have always been married. I just wanted to know why people got married, that's all. Then mom said that people got married to have babies and that only married people were allowed to have babies. Then I asked mom how single parents worked and she said that I could know about those things when I was older. She says sometimes when she doesn't want to answer the question, it's true. Ritsu told me so and he never tells lies." Said Mob

"Single people have kids by themselves all the time, Mob, but it's just harder. Raising kids is easier when there's more than one person around." Said Reigen

"Oh. Ok. Is that why you don't have any kids?" asked Mob

"What are you, my mother?" asked Reigen. Mob shook her head.

"I know that's a rhetorical question, Master, Ritsu taught me about those." Said Mob

"You're right, it is a rhetorical question. Mob, I don't have kids because I haven't met the right…guy…yet…" said Reigen. Another guy's head turned. Her eyes met his, he looked away. Tall and broad…cute too….but Mob was right there. Damn.

"Master, what's wrong?" asked Mob. Master Reigen was walking slower now, and looking off to the side. She usually went straight to the ramen place when they had a big job. Not that their last job was that big, it was a pretty weak spirit, but Master left the small fries for her.

"Nothing, nothing at all…feeling pretty good actually." Said Reigen brushing her hair out of her face.

"Because we're getting ramen?" asked Mob

"Of course. You can't get through a big job like that without getting something good to eat afterwards. Always rewards yourself Mob, treat yourself every now and again. It's good for the soul." Said Reigen

"Ok. That job wasn't that big, though. I've met stronger spirits." said Mob. Reigen patted her on the back.

"Well, Mob, you've got to get that practice in a safe environment. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Said Reigen. Yup, master bullshitter. Mob really was better off with her than anywhere else. She was so trusting, thank God some weirdo didn't get to her first.

"That makes sense, Master, but I'm sorry that you didn't get to do anything." Said Mob

"I trust you to work on your own, student! You're old enough." Said Reigen

"Thank you, Master." Said Mob smiling. She wasn't little anymore, even if Master Reigen did keep getting her dolls for her birthday and Christmas and Girl's Day. Well you were supposed to get dolls on Girl's day. Mob didn't dislike dolls, she collected them, but she was fourteen and much too old to actually play with them.

"Remember, I'll always leave the small fries to you." Said Reigen

"What about the big fries?" asked Mob

"Huh? Sure, if you want. When you're older." Said Reigen patting her on the head. Mob straightened her braids out.

"When I'm as old as you?" asked Mob

"Who are you calling old?" asked Reigen. What was it? The new top? The skirt? No, she wore this skirt almost every day. The shoes? This pair hurt like a bitch but they made her calves pop.

"I'm not calling you old, Master, I'm just saying that I want to work for you when I'm as old as you." Said Mob

"When you're twenty eight?" asked Reigen. Twenty eight year old Mob….she couldn't picture it. When she pictured Mob she still saw that eleven year old in pigtails and the pink dress with the kittens on it and the Sailor Moon doll clutched in her hand.

"Yes. When we're the same age. I mean when I'm the age that you are now. We'll never be the same age, Master, because that's not how time works." Said Mob

"You're right about that, Mob." Said Reigen slightly distractedly. Maybe after she and Mob finished up she could get dressed up and head on over to Happy Trails…or just head on over. There was something about this outfit, or maybe she was just super confident….

"So can I?" asked Mob. Master Reigen got that far off look again. Maybe because people were looking at her. Mob wondered why. It was rude to stare, she had been told so at least a thousand times.

"If you still feel like working for me in fourteen years." Said Reigen

"Of course I will, Master." Said Mob. Why wouldn't she? She loved working with Master Reigen. It was like working with her best friend, if she had a best friend. Ritsu didn't count because he was her little brother. Little brothers did not count.

"Well then I'm looking forward to it." Said Reigen

"Really?" asked Mob

"Of course. We'll make a splash and take on the town, you and me." Said Reigen. Adult friends with Mob. Adult Mob. Heh. That would be nice. Mob was a great kid, kind of like the little sister she never had. Not that she still wanted a baby sister or anything. At this point it would just be weird, having a sibling thirty years younger than her. Heh. Well that was what she had Mob for.

"Master?" asked Mob. People usually stared for a reason. People stared at her because she was weird looking. Back in elementary school that was the reason people gave for why they stared at her so much. Mob didn't mind people staring but maybe Master Reigen would.

"What's up?" asked Reigen

"People keep looking at you." Said Mob simply. Maybe Master Reigen would want to know why people were looking at her. Mob would want to know, if she were in Master Reigen's position.

"I know, Mob, I noticed. You'll understand when you're my age." Said Reigen as they got to the ramen place. She shook out her hair a bit to give it some more body.

"Oh, ok. When I'm your age will I have to have lipstick on my front two teeth too?" asked Mob. Reigen stopped in the doorway of the ramen place. She used the window as a mirror and just stared in horror for a second before wiping her teeth off with more force than was strictly necessary.

"Mob…why didn't you say anything sooner?" asked Reigen checking her teeth to make sure that she didn't still look like she just came from a particularly sadistic dentist.

"I don't know, I just didn't notice." Said Mob. Reigen sighed.

"…Let's just get some dinner." Said Reigen. Well at least only a dozen or so people had stopped to gawk. That was something. Yeah, she was fine. She couldn't sweat the little problems in life. Yeah! She couldn't let anything break her stride!

Not even public humiliation.

Thank God she had Mob to notice the small things.