Isabel folded away her notebook and shoved it back into her bag. Lectures on modernist architecture had just wrapped up. "Kazuhiko?"
"Kazu's fine, Isabel," he replied. "What's up?"
She swung her backpack over her shoulder. "Need a partner for the computer design project?"
He blinked at her for a moment. "A-ah! Right! I've been forgetting that's a group assignment!" The project was due at the end of term. They needed to mock up a version of modern architecture with thematic elements of flow and, as their professor had put it, "playfulness". It was quite vague, but Kazu was sure he had something in mind. "Though, isn't it a three-people assignment?"
Mikhail put his forearms on Kazuhiko's head. The part-Ukrainian was exceedingly tall, and Kazuhiko was also fairly short, for Western standards anyway. In his native Japan he might as well have been exactly average height. "That's where I come in!"
"Whoa, Mike! Didn't see you."
"Isabel and I were discussing it two nights ago. It made the most sense since we're all in the same dorm anyway." Mikhail took his arms off Kazuhiko's head. His hair may have been flattened a bit, but it was still as messy as ever. Kazuhiko had said he preferred that it look that way. Isabel had replied once that it made him look constantly tired.
"Yeah, smart thinking. Should we head to the lab now?"
"Sure!" Isabel replied. She gave Mikhail a glance, who smiled back and winked.
Takaharu tapped his phone nervously and broke a smile. "Y-yeah, I'll be heading back to Sumida after exams are over."
Noriko, one of his classmates, had stayed behind after tutorials. She smiled and held her bag in front of her, then swayed back and forth. Takaharu figured she was just as awkward about it as he was. "So… what then? I'll be nearby, in Taito, just across the river."
"I, uh, I don't know yet. Though my dad has been bugging me to work part-time. I kind of agree. I feel bad about being at home and eating up his budget."
"Aw, well, you're still his son!"
"Yeah, but…"
She nodded. She had a face similar to Yuuka but was a touch taller and not quite as slim. "I get it, though. I feel the same way sometimes at home. So, what will you do?"
"Hah, uh, actually, I want to see if my family's veterinarian is in need of part-time staff. Even just clerical work or something like that would be nice."
"Veterinarian? Oh, you must be in the pre-vet program then?"
"Yeah." The two began to walk out of the lecture hall. "We'll see what happens then. If not there, then hopefully somewhere."
She nodded. "I would do something like that too, but I don't know if any family physicians would be willing to take on someone who's only finished their first year."
"I'm sure there's always something that needs doing. Even just fielding phone calls and managing paperwork is valuable experience. But anyway…" He trailed off, glanced at her, then looked straight ahead when she met his eyes. She did the same.
"Anyway…"
They walked in silence out of the hall. Exams would be upon them incredibly soon as January came to an end.
"How about we… meet up for coffee in, uh, in… Asakusa somewhere? A-after exams are over, I mean," he stammered.
Noriko's eyes brightened and she nodded. "Sounds good to me! I'll text you tonight. See you then!" She waved goodbye and walked in the opposite direction of Takaharu's campus house. He watched her leave, then held in an excited laugh and pulled up his phone.
• • • • • • •
Sumida Tamers
Segawa Takaharu
Oi oi
Guess who's got a date after exams
15:11
Ishida Yuuka
Congrats! Hope it turns out well
Don't get too distracted
15:14
Tokuda Satsuki
Our baby's growing up so fast!
15:14
Segawa Takaharu
(งಠ_ಠ)ง
15:16
Koyama Ryuta
That was a scorcher
15:18
• • • • • • •
Satsuki really could get people off guard, couldn't she? Takaharu grumbled and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. "Whatever," he muttered to himself as he crossed a road and pulled his jacket up closer, "I've finally got one!" He checked his phone. Lomamon was still resting inside. He sighed and put it away. Surely it – and the other Digimon – could do more than just sit around and eat. Falcomon was responsible enough to handle a business, at least. What about the others?
Lomamon seemed content enough to see the rest of the world and go on adventures, but someday he would be tied down to a job. He'd have to work hours, see customers, hopefully have a practice of his own. Vacations and exploration would become a rarity. What would Lomamon do then?
A car honked to warn him off crossing an intersection against his signal. He backed up from the curb. "Sorry! Sorry!" he yelled as the driver passed slowly.
Yuuka looked up from the shelves she was refilling. Shouting was coming from the cashier's desk. She winced. It was going to be one of those days, it seemed. There had already been a few of those that week. The winter had a habit of turning people sour, but today was especially bad. She figured it must have been something to do with a recent legislative change to tax codes that was making accounting and consulting jobs terrible. It was also bothering Falcomon, but it was doing as best as it could. It, too, had to throw out a lot of its old sheets and start again.
"It's very clearly not fresh at all!" The male customer was wearing a very ruffled suit. He might not have even had time to have it washed properly. The sun had long gone down for the night. "Look, the rice is all hard and crumbly! Is it even cooked properly?" He threw down a box of chicken and rice. It had been opened and it seemed a few bites had been taken out of it. "What a waste of my money. I had to work twelve hours and come in early to work!" The cashier cringed as spittle flew out of his mouth. "I haven't even seen my daughter awake this week!"
Yuuka eyed the cashier from across the store. The poor girl behind the counter was a college student just like her working part-time. She didn't deserve this. Yuuka heaved a heavy sigh and set down the box of juice bottles, then walked over. "Excuse me, something seems to be the matter. How can I h-"
"Everything is the matter!" came the exasperated response. The man gestured wildly at the box of food. "How can you people sell this at that price?! What kind of quality is that?" He produced another half-eaten bun. It still had some wrapping on it showing it was clearly marked down, so it was from well in the morning. It didn't seem to matter. The bun was thrown off the cashier's table and thumped on the floor. A faint streak of oil was left on the countertop.
"And this thing bounces! It's rock hard!" The customer pointed at the bun lying on the floor. "I spent seven hundred yen for trash!"
Yuuka bowed deeply. "Please accept our deepest apologies! We'll refund your purchase! Feel free to take a replacement meal if you so desire!"
"All I want is my money back so I can get a real meal tonight!"
The cashier stared, stunned, then tapped at the cash register. She poked the wrong buttons a few times, then finally managed the cash drawer to pop open and handed back a few notes. The customer snapped them out of her hands and strode away as Yuuka was still bent forward. She watched the doors slide open, then shut.
"I…"
Yuuka straightened up and looked over at the cashier with concern. Her fingers were still shaking and the drawer was still open.
"Why…"
Yuuka got behind the counter and gently put her hands on the cashier's shoulders. "It's okay. It's not your fault at all."
"He…"
"It happens. Everyone's on edge right now." Yuuka handed the girl a tissue. She'd been on the receiving end of this several times already, so she was used to it. Yuuka gave the girl a sad smile. "Are you okay to keep working the desk tonight? We can switch roles."
The girl wiped her face dry and nodded. "That would be nice."
Yuuka headed upstairs to get a damp cloth as the girl resumed racking inventory where the box had been on the floor. As she did, Falcomon popped out of her bedroom. "I heard shouting."
"Just an angry customer."
Falcomon gave her a concerned look. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I'm fine. The part-timer is shaken, though." She wringed the excess water out and spritzed it with a cleaning solution. "It happens from time to time."
Mariko also popped out of the washroom. "Another angry customer?"
"Yep. It seems winter is the worst for this," she replied as she headed back downstairs to clean off the residue and throw away the half-eaten food.
Her mother nodded. "I've noticed."
Falcomon looked up at Mariko. "Is winter really that harsh?"
"Ah… I think it's just that time of year for everyone. Lots of things come due in April. You know. The cold, snow, and lack of sun doesn't help anything."
Falcomon nodded and crossed its wings. "Yeah, I know. I guess I should have expected some people to get edgy about it. What a shame, though. I hope the girl is fine."
Mariko headed to the stairs. "I'll go check on her myself. Hopefully she isn't too fearful of returning." She gave Falcomon a sad look. "I don't want Yuuka to be tied up doing these jobs forever, even though she's off classes. She needs time to practice, after all."