Knock knock knock!
"Headmaster Aragami! Please open up!" I gasp.
"You may enter." I throw open the doors and walk to his desk.
"Someone once told me that if you work for the Otogi Bank for three years, you get three enormous favors. Is it true?!"
"Does it make a difference? You haven't served your time."
"Please sir! If you don't take my word, take comfort in the fact that you could force me to work the other two years against my will if you had to…!"
He smiles wryly. "Well, that is true. What is your desire, child?"
"Please, I don't care how, it doesn't matter what I must do, please get me to and from the city Morino Ryoshi has moved to! I must get to him. He has to keep attending Otogi Academy." The Headmaster eyes her.
"Very well… because you have suffered at my hand previously, to pay for my misjudgment earlier, I can get you to his house."
"Thank—"
"Don't be so quick to thank me, child. You may not know it, but Morino Ryoshi belongs to a pretty well-off family."
"As a matter of fact, I didn't know that." Ryoshi is… what? Rich?
"His family owns several boarding houses, like the one here in town. His village is about five hours away. Once transported there, you will have to work as a maid in his house, which has other staff and twenty eight rooms."
"Why?!"
"Because I want pictures of all the other maids in their uniforms!" The Headmaster says with perverted glee. Disgusting!.
"That's gross, I can't do that!"
"No pictures, no trip!" What a sick pervert.
"Ugh, fine! How long can I stay?"
"You have three weeks to get this boy to notice you, which will be harder than it sounds…"
"I don't care. I'll do whatever I have to."
"Then we have a deal. You will be picked up by bus tomorrow at 5:00 in the morning. I'll phone the Morino household and tell them I've found a wonderful new employee. Lucky for you, they've been short staffed lately. We'll take you and Morino home the same hour at the bus stop on 16th and Broadway in three weeks from today."
I bow graciously.
"Thank you, sir."
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"Otsu, can I talk to you?" I enter the HQ after I know everyone has left, and Otsu is left alone, tidying up. She leans her broom against the wall.
"Of course! I'm so sorry about this morning!" I wave her away.
"I just need a maid uniform. Right away."
"Well, okay." She glances at my chest.
"We may have to find you a smaller bust size than mine." I frown.
"Grrr, whatever!" She guides me to a back room that I've never noticed before. Otsu unlocks the door. Racks and racks of costumes line the walls.
"So this is where the President keeps all his disguise stuff." I say, digging through a few outfits.
"Here it is!" Otsu hands me a standard, black and white uniform with ruffles and cap sleeves. A large back bow covers the waist, matching the black, metal buttons on the white undershirt beneath the white apron in front of the black dress. I hope it doesn't make me look like a penguin.
"Ugh. I can't believe he's going to see me like this."
"Who will?"
"Oh! Um, it doesn't matter, Otsu. Thanks for everything! And don't tell the others, okay?"
"Okay! Don't you worry, Ryoko! I can take a secret to the grave!" she giggles.
"Sounds good." I pat her head.
"I'll see you in a while."
"Bye!" Otsu waves a gloved hand as I go back up the stairs, costume in tow.
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I sneak out of the dorm at 4:30 to the bus stop. At exactly five, a white bus pulls into the street. When it creaks to a stop in front of me, the bus driver that opens the door is a surly-looking middle-aged chick.
"You the maid girl?" she puffs a cigarette.
"Yeah."
"Get on, then." I lug my suitcase up the stairs and find a seat. Since it's still dark out, I try not to be too excited so I can go back to sleep, but fail.
"Restroom's in the back." Is the last thing my driver tells me.
"Five in the morning. Jeez. He better pay me good for this." She mutters to herself.
I'm coming, Ryoshi. Just wait for me.