Author's Notes
Well, compared to the usual update schedule, that was a ridiculously long wait.
Thank real life-itis (because real life causes inflammation, totally), then writer's block coupled with a lack of motivation.
Regardless, this is where the story begins to change a bit.
No ETA for Chapter 15.
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Chapter 14
No Breaks
I awoke, bursting suddenly from my sheets, drenched in a cold curtain of sweat. I had been asleep for all of half an hour, before that dream—no, nightmare had awoken me.
In the darkness, I thought.
Beads of cold sweat dripped.
Each one falling on the sheet was like the ticking of a clock.
I was here, alone, again.
*
When I got up, the morning seemed to move at a glacial pace. My head kept wandering back to the night before.
I had to forget about it.
The trek to school was made painful by an unseasonal chill that swept over the city—almost like what I should have experienced on the April night I arrived here.
Tadashi greeted me at the lounge, looking slightly worried. We decided to keep each other company on the journey.
"Tadashi-san, last night... was Shinako-chan with you?"
He seemed amused.
"Funny thing is, I was about to ask you the same thing."
I stopped.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think we were in the dream world last night... or at least, maybe not the part we were usually in. I had a somewhat normal dream, despite the fact I had gone to sleep at the right time, and that I was ready to enter. Judging by your question, I would assume that you didn't manage a trip to the dream world either?"
I nodded. "So, you have no idea what happened?"
"Well, not really, I have many hunches, but I doubt any of them are correct. Judging by your expression, I assume you're not ready to return to the dream world in a rush, so this issue should hopefully resolve itself by then."
Tadashi seemed supremely unconcerned by this.
"You seem to be oddly lax about this, Tadashi-san."
"The matters of entering and leaving the dream world are out of our hands. I see no point in trying to fix this issue, especially considering how little knowledge we have of even the most basic mechanics of it."
"But even still—"
"—we wouldn't be able to fix this ourselves. Hajime-san, even if we are to do something about it, I don't think you'd be fit to enter the dream world again for at least a week. You look like your cat just died, or something. I'm next to certain a poor mental condition will hamper both you and me, and I know that even with the little knowledge we have."
*
Looking back on that morning, I realized that Tadashi was right. If the dream world was just a dream, then logically, only my mind would move over. If my mind was clouded and in a wreck, then logically...
I don't even want to know what would happen. I'm imagining having random chunks missing from me.
And besides that, I had to set things right here.
Shinako had disappeared after last bell, being nowhere near her usual spots. Damn you, Shinako. I had to fix everything up at another time.
Instead, I found Shichiro (or more accurately, he found me.)
"Hey, dude, Hajime-kun! Been, a while, man!"
How I'd love to move at Shichiro speed—where one day is a 'long while.' I could take it easy as much as I wanted.
"So, like, I was thinking we should hang out today! Hika-chan's busy today, so I've got some time too!"
Well, I didn't have anything else to do, right?
"Hmm, sure, why not?"
*
Not for the first time, I found myself in a small ramen shop. Between the many meals of instant noodles at the dormitory, and the many trips for noodles with just about everyone, I found myself being, admittedly, somewhat tired of it.
It was still delicious though, don't get me wrong.
"So, you know, I've been hanging out with Hika-chan for a while now..."
"Why yes, I've noticed."
Shichiro frowned.
"Yeah, I guess that was kinda obvious. Why'd I say that?
"Anyways, she's got me thinking..."
He slurped some more noodles.
"I gotta think about my future sometimes too. I mean, she seems to look forward to everything, but man, I didn't even think about past high school before."
"Jeez, now you're starting to become like Shinako. It's almost like there's some kind of mental parasite latching onto everyone's brains."
I stopped.
"Actually, let's not tempt fate."
Shichiro chuckled.
"So, basically, I decided that I'll open up a hot dog stand."
"Wait, what? Back up." I said.
"Dude, you don't get it? Let me outline what opening a hot dog stand means..."
OK, now this was going to be good.
"Firstly, I make a couple bucks, maybe a couple hundred if I go for it long enough. Secondly, I can use this on my resume as work experience. Just imagine how nice it'd look. Thirdly, I can use those couple hundred bucks as a nest egg for university tuition. Fourthly, I can continue the hot dog stand for more money, and maybe I do well, expand. Dude, it's win-win!"
I nodded. That wasn't a bad idea, actually.
"So, Hajime-kun, you're going to help me out, right?"
Wait, what?
"No, you're not going to be stuck grilling hot dogs or something, that's totally lame. Just heavy lifting of hotdog boxes and buns, and helping me move the stand around. I'll give you a free hotdog!"
"Well, can't say no to a free hotdog, can I?"
I heard the sound of glass breaking. Time stopped.
"THOU ART I AND I AM THOU. THOU SHALT HAVE OUR BLESSING OF THE MAGICIAN ARCANA."
Go hotdogs!
Time started again.
"I'm telling you man, it's going to be a sensation! Shi'd-dogs! Hot dogs given that Shichiro treatment! You know, like it got Shichiro'd! They'll be like "oh man, this hotdog hasn't been shi'd on!""
Oh, Shichiro, you person.
"You might want to rename them. I mean, uh, just think about it."
"Dude, I like the name Shi'd-do—oh... OH."
"Yeah."
*
Dear journal...
Today, I fixed everything up.
With you as my witness, I promise never to screw up so bad again. You hear me?
I had a pretty strange day today, to be honest.
Firstly, after school, Brandon approached me for a copy of my notes. Toshiro did at about the same time.
Let me tell you, they really hit it off.
At the end, I just passed my notes to Brandon to let them share them. He gave them back later, when we both went back to the dormitory.
Moreover, I found Shichiro today (well, technically, he found me), and told me he was setting up the hot dog stand today. That guy really moves fast.
"So yeah, I'm looking into importing a nice hot dog grill overseas right now. I'm borrowing Hika-chan's griddle for the moment. Went shopping last night for buns, weiners, condiments, and drinks."
"So, the school's OK with this?"
"Yeah, actually, the business club got wind of this, and are giving me a bit of support. The office was totally cool with it! I was kinda surprised, actually, I was expecting at least a week. They even gave me a little mini-fridge."
"Why would they have a mini-fridge lying around?"
"I have no idea, but I'm not complaining."
At that moment, Hikari came in with a medium sized cardboard box. I could only assume it was the griddle.
Shichiro rushed over. "Hey, let me help, I'd feel horrible if I let you carry that all the way here."
"I'm stronger than you, Shichiro. And plus, where were you for the last half hour if you felt that way?"
"OK, let's not start that again."
She unpacked a small griddle, and looked for an electrical outlet. "Hrrm, I just realized, Shichiro, if you're buying a hot dog griddle overseas, you also have to get a plug adaptor or something. Also, we need to move the desk over, the wire's maybe three inches too short."
We were setting up on a desk in the middle of the school lobby. There were loads of people going in and out of the lobby, hurrying to the library, home, or to clubs. By now, we were starting to get some curious onlookers.
Shichiro started to lazily drag the table.
"Hey, Hajime-kun, help, man!"
The desk was surprisingly light. Shichiro was now moving packs of wieners into the mini-fridge.
"Hey man, could you help me stock the drinks into the fridge?"
I really wish he would stop sticking "man" into every sentenced addressed to a man. It was almost like saying "ya know, in case you forget."
And despite all that, I still had a bad feeling about it all.
"Shichiro-san, are you sure you really thought this over?"
"Dude, I already thought it about for ages, and I already told you. This cannot be a bad idea, man!"
"I'll... just come right out and say it. I don't think this is that great of an idea. Who here eats hot dogs? Even if you're making it western style, I'm not sure if that's even a good idea. Sure, it's western style, but I'm not sure if anybody here would care if they don't think it tastes good. And even still, the school vendor sells better food for similar prices.", I said. "Also, that business club seems shifty. 'Oh, look, what a good idea, sell food. Let's make a takoyaki stand or something.'"
Shichiro looked surprised. "Ehhh, maybe I should've thought this over some more. But even still!
"It's an experience, Hajime-kun, it's like, you know, a thing where you do things, and even if it doesn't work out, you've done a thing, and that's all that matters!"
"What he means to say, Sakamoto, is that even if he doesn't do so well, the point is that he's got the experience. He's done it, and no matter the result, that can't be taken away from him. Corny, yes, but the point is, it doesn't matter.", Hikari said as she passed by. "That being said, I do have a good feeling about this. I'm sure people would like hot dogs."
I stood there, and thought for a little.
You know, they were right. No matter how much I screwed up, as long as I was still alive, I'd be able to fix it.
You know, unless I really screwed up, in which case that'd be the least of my concerns. Regardless!
I ran off, knowing what I had to do.
"Hey, man, don't you want a hot dog!? Get back here and help!"
Not for the first time, I couldn't find Shinako anywhere.
Then I suddenly realized I had baseball practise today. Hoo-rah.
Practise was nearly over by the time I had reached the diamond.
"You're late, Sakamoto. Really late."
Iwano (the team manager, if case you forgot) was there to greet me.
"We were finishing up anyways, I trained a few guys to act as pinch-hitters in case you're a no-show."
I peered at my watch. They did that in less than an hour?
"Well, anyways, enjoy your evening, I'm also calling off all practise for this week. Everyone's been absolutely exhausted, and exams are coming up. Just focus on academics, OK?"
This was unbelievably uncharacteristic of Iwano. We had to practise even during mid-terms before, but now we get to skip for two weeks?
"OK, Iwano-san, we had to practise during mid-terms last time, why on earth are you calling it off now?"
He seemed a bit surprised, and a bit annoyed by my question. "That's none of your business, OK?"
I waited.
No? No glass breaking? I kind of expected that by now.
I found Shinako sitting at the benches in the diamond, chatting up someone (not a teammate, as he wasn't wearing a jersey or something similar), probably having watched practise.
Hell no, I'm not going to get ninjaed.
I ran over, and greeted her and whoever her friend was.
Her friend turned out to be a former member of the baseball team—the guy I had replaced, actually.
"Oh, hey, Sakamoto, how's the team doing these days? You still been hitting OK?"
"I'm just fine. The team's kind of... err..."
"So I assume they're no better than when I was there?"
I nodded, and looked away, pretending to be interested in watching the team pack up.
"Well, uh, I should be going. See you two."
Makoto walked off.
Awkwardness.
"So, uh..."
...
"Yeah?"
I had to do it soon.
"Shinako-chan, I'm sorry about uh... a few days ago."
"OK. Let's just put that whole thing behind us, alright?"
"Alright, great! Now, let's find Tadashi-san."
"What for?"
"I want to return to the dream world tonight.
"I have some business to take care of."
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Shi'd Dogs – possibly overstepping the limits of T?
Since copy and pasting is great...
And as with before, please do review. Not to beg or anything.
But seriously. Please do. If you enjoy the story, please do. I'm a shallow being, and that can give me motivation.
And if you didn't enjoy the story, well, then I urge you to inform me.