Chapter 12 – The OTHER Other Two
Misao's POV
¥100,000…there's so much I can do with that kind of money. I can get that gaming computer I've been eyeing on, I could splurge on my birthday coming up, and my biggest dream thus far…
…
I CAN FINALLY QUIT THIS GOD-FORSAKEN JOB THAT I HAVE! I'LL BE FREE AT LAST! HAHAHAHAHA!
"*snicker* Free at last! *more snickering*"
"Uh…Kusakabe. Are you feeling alright?"
"H-Huh? Oh…sorry, Senpai. I was just thinking of something."
"I see…well, try not to be too noticeable. The manager will get mad if he sees you slacking off again."
"Ha. That lard-ass otaku? I bet he's just in his office binge-watching Magical Girl anime again. "Manager" my ass."
"Be glad he isn't around to hear you say that, Kusakabe…"
So, the person who was giving me a bit of a lecture just now was my older co-worker Hinata Miyakawa. The two of us work at a small manga shop in Akihabara. With me being a recent hire.
And let me tell you…I absolutely HATE this job with a burning passion!
I only took this job so that I could earn money for my parent's Hakone trip. It took me a little over a year to afford those tickets…even with the discount Sachiko gave me. And I even said to myself that once I gained enough money, I was going to quit.
But every time I tried to, something ended up happening. Whether it be a "Super Mega Otaku Sale" or Hinata-senpai being the only employee that day or…and this is the most common one…the manager would just disappear for days. Roaming around Japan for the latest anime merch.
So, now…3 months later…I'm still here. Hating this job even more and DESPERATELY trying to leave.
And with this ¥100,000, I plan to do just that!
*sigh* I'm SOOOOO bored~! When is that lard-ass otaku coming back?!"
"You really are pushing it, Kusakabe." Hinata-senpai said. "At this rate, you might actually get fired."
"Heh. Good. It'll finally give me a chance to spend some of this ¥100,000 I got with me. Hah~…I just feel that gaming computer within my grasps~…"
"W-Wait, excuse me? Wh-When did you get ¥100,000?"
"Ah…well…"
…
"…I-It's a…complicated story." I replied while keeping the encounter with Chibikko a secret.
It would be best if this store didn't know that their #1 customer is secretly dealing with some stuff…
"I see. Well, good for you for acquiring so much money, Kusakabe. Make sure you don't spend it all rapidly and such."
"You know…that's HIGHLY hypocritical coming from you, Senpai." I said with a huge sweatdrop.
"Wh-What do you mean by that?"
"Seriously? I'm talking to a girl who spends her entire pay on anime stuff and not much else. You're so bad with money that you never have enough to buy food for you and your sister."
"I-I am TO good with money! I don't know what you're talking about, Kusakabe-san!"
"Oh, really? How much money do you have right now?"
"Hmph. Easy. I currently have…" Hinata-senpai then brought out her wallet and showed me that she had EXACTLY ¥1250 on her.
…
Which is honestly a lot more than I expected her to have…but it still wasn't much.
"S-Senpai…you'll be lucky to get a cup of instant ramen on sale at the corner store with that much money."
"I-I know." Hinata-senpai gained a blush of pure shame. "I-It's pretty pathetic to constantly have little to no money to my name. Especially when I got Hikage to feed…"
Tell me about it. The number of times they go hungry at night due to having no money is astonishing…
"Well…tell you what, Senpai. Since I got the money…how's about I treat you guys."
"Wh-What? N-No way! Kusakabe-san, there's no way I can let you do that!"
"Come on. What's the big deal? It's the chance to have a big meal after a while." I then thought to myself a bit. "Well, in your case…the chance to have ANY meal."
"Okay, one…RUDE." Hinata-senpai gained an exasperated look. "And two…to accept money from a complete stranger just depletes my dignity as an older sister."
"Who said anything about taking money? It's just one simple dinner. And you don't have to pay me back or anything, either."
"Well…"
"Come on. Think of it as a "Goodbye Party" for me. I did say that I was quitting this crappy job."
…
…
…
"*sigh* Okay fine, Kusakabe-san. I can accept your offer." Hinata-senpai said after giving it some thought. "Thank you so much for doing this."
"No problem, Senpai. Trust me, you are going to LOVE it." I then took off the work apron I was wearing and headed for the door. "Welp, see ya then."
"Huh? W-Wait, where are you going?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm quitting this dump."
"Y-You mean you're quitting NOW?! Wh-What about me?! I'm the only one here!"
"Then come with me."
"B-But what if somebody comes by?!"
"Senpai…we haven't had a customer in DAYS. This place has been dead ever since Covid came and made going outside a safety hazard. Nowadays, people just read their manga online."
"That is true…"
"And besides…with that lard-ass otaku of a manager gone, who's really going to notice this store being closed? Take this chance and be FREE, Hinata-senpai!"
…
…
…
"Ugh! Fine…" Hinata-senpai said as she too took off her work apron. "…You know, it's honestly annoying how carefree you can be sometimes."
"Really? Huh…my friend Ayano says the same thing all the time."
"Go figure…" Hinata-senpai gained a sweatdrop.
"Anyway…let's get going! I know this restaurant that has the JUICIEST meats ever made! Hikage's gonna love it!"
"Two carnivorous girls at a meat restaurant. I can already worry what could happen there…" Hinata-senpai's sweatdrop only grew from there.
*LATER THAT NIGHT…*
"…And that's what brought us to now. Pretty sweet, right?"
"So, you just offered your former co-worker and her sister a free dinner?" Ayano asked after I had explained to her what we were doing tonight. "Misao, we JUST got that money, remember. We shouldn't already be reckless with it."
"How is it reckless? I'm just helping out a friend."
"I get that…but we haven't even decided what WE wanted to do with the money. We could've at least gotten that out of the way, first."
"Oh…right." I said with guilt as I sat next to Ayano on a bus stop bench. "Sorry, Ayano. I've just been super excited about this money. Having such an amount that kids our ages can only DREAM about having…it kinda made me selfish a little."
"At least you're able to own up to it." Ayano said with a smile before giving a quick kiss on my cheek. "Let's just be a little more mindful about how we spend this money, okay?"
"*giggle* Sure thing, Aya-chan."
"Hey! Kasukabe-san!"
We were then greeted by Hinata-senpai and her little sister as they walked up to us. The latter of the two…currently looked highly exasperated. And I could probably guess why.
That ¥1250 didn't even last a day…
"Senpai! Glad you made it!" I cheered. "Though, you're like…10 minutes late."
"Sorry, sorry. It's just that some…last minute errands came up."
"And by "last minute", she means that she spent the last of our money on doujinshi instead of food. Again." Hikage said. Her face getting more exasperated the more she thinks about it.
"H-Hikage, you didn't have to mention that!"
"S-Senpai, we can clearly see the bag in your hand…" I said with a sweatdrop.
"W-Well…i-it was a limited edition one-of-a-kind rare as all hell Erika-chan figurine! There was NO WAY I could pass that up! I'd loose my otaku status…"
"Your otaku status is what's making us poor in the first place!" Hikage shouted in anger.
"Psst! Hey, who's Erika-chan?" I asked Ayano.
"She's the main character of the anime series "Magical Girl Cutie-Pie Erika's Heart-Throbbing Miracle Cure". It's a popular show nowadays. Even Ayano's a huge fan."
"Huh…"
What the HELL is with that name?!
"A-Anyway…it's been a while since we last met, Hikage. How's life been treating ya?"
"Oh, you know…the usual. Waking up hungry, going to school hungry, coming home hungry, going to bed hungry…it's the standard cycle when you constantly live in poverty and have to make the tiniest amounts of money stretch out for a whole month. Not that I like it or anything…"
"I-I see…" Both Ayano and I gained huge sweatdrops.
"But in any case…it's nice to see you again too, Kusakabe-senpai. Who's your friend?"
"This is Ayano Minegishi. She's my…"
"Oh~! *giggle* So, THIS is the girlfriend you kept gushing about at work." Hinata-senpai teased. "She's a pretty one, Kasukabe-san~."
"You would "gush" about me?" Ayano asked me.
"S-Senpai!" And I yelled at Hinata-senpai with a huge blush.
"G-Girlfriend?" Meanwhile, Hikage gained a faint blush of her own. And I had a slight bad feeling about what it meant.
"L-Look, Hikage. I-It may be weird for you to see this but…"
"W-Weird? Wh-What do you mean "weird"? I-I don't find it weird for two girls to be in love with each other. N-Not one bit. Hehhehhehheh…" Hikage then looked away from us as her body continued to shake rapidly. A reaction I've never seen from anyone before.
Then again, I've only been a lesbian for about a month or two…
"O-Our parents were…really religious people." Hinata-senpai said. "They would drill homophobic stuff in our heads to get us to think their beliefs. And Hikage got the most of it."
"I see…" I said.
"L-Look, it's not that big of a deal!" Hikage yelled while still having the blush on her face. "I never believed in that hateful stuff Mom and Dad would drill into my mind! Honestly…hating people because they're gay is just as scummy as taunting others because they're forever stuck in poverty."
"I-I don't think those are equally comparable…" Ayano gained a sweatdrop.
"Especially since gay people would ironically become poor people simply because their families will never accept them." I added.
"Now you're just making it worse…" Ayano's sweatdrop grew from there.
"A-Anyway…" Hinata-senpai said. "…how's about we head for that restaurant now? Where do we go, Kasukabe-san?"
"Oh, right. It's actually nearby from here. Trust me, you guys are gonna love it! An all-you-can-eat meat-only buffet!"
"A-All you can eat?! M-Meat-only buffet?!" Hikage shouted in pure glee. "Kyaaaaa! To think there would be such a haven here in Japan! It's a dream come true!"
"H-Hikage, you're drooling…" Hinata-senpai said as she wiped her sister's mouth with a rag she had with her.
"I still have a bad feeing about this." Ayano said. "You would tear Mr. Hiiragi's barbeque to the bone…you might just put an entire restaurant out of business with your carnivore appetite."
"I can control myself, damnit." I pouted in retaliation.
Ayano's POV
A few minutes later, we arrived at the restaurant and found a table to sit at. The place was insanely huge! It was built like some kind of arena with tables surrounding what looked like a big rollerblading rink. And the kitchen, while you can't see it, was cooking so much meat that it honestly felt like a museum for all things meat. And the fact that they BRING the food to you in cycles every 10 minutes was impressive. I've never seen that kind of service before.
"Hamberg steak!"
"Tonkatsu!"
"Teriyaki!"
"Yakiniku!"
"Kushikatsu at ENDLESS amounts!"
Although, I can think of two people who were enjoying it more than I was…
"W-Will you two calm down! You're disturbing the other diners!" I scolded Misao and Hikage-san after they were chanting all of the different meats we've been eating.
"*giggle* Sorry, Ayano. I'm just having too much fun with this." Misao said.
"All of the different kinds of meat available for us to eat at any given moment…I can be full for DAYS! *happy-filled giggle*" Hikage-san added. Their plates and mouths were filled to the brim with meat.
"Just don't be greedy about it, Hikage." Hinata-san said. "We don't want to spend all of Kusakabe-san and Minegishi-san's money."
"Kay." This was said Hikage-san shoved another piece of meat in her mouth. Clearly in her own blissful little world.
At least she's forgotten about the lesbian thing from earlier…
All and all…this was a pretty nice restaurant. I'm definitely surprised that Misao found a place like this. Especially with how fancy it looks.
I can only IMAGINE the bill…
But there was one part of this place that me curious.
"So, what's the deal with the rollerblading rink in the middle of the building?" I asked.
"I read about it on the restaurant's website." Hinata-san said. "Apparently, they recently started doing these Sentai-like shows for certain audiences while they eat. Most of the time it's to keep the kids entertained so their parents wouldn't have to deal with them."
"Endless meat AND a show? Man, this place rules!" Misao cheered.
"Is there a show happening tonight?" I asked.
"Tonight's show seems to be a fan-favorite amongst customers. An event called "Sweets Paradise" hosted by someone named "Suīto Amitī"."
"Suīto Amitī? Well, that definitely confirms that it's a kid's show." I then looked around the restaurant. "But despite that, I'm seeing less kids around and more boys in their early 20's wearing cake hats. Is this show really for kids?"
"The website says that it's for all-ages. Maybe it's got that seinen feel to it…"
"Ah, well…I can totally handle it." Hikage-san said. "I mean…if I can handle stuff like blood, the underworld, and panties on those late-night TV shows, then this will be nothing!"
"H-Hikage, I keep telling you not to watch that stuff!"
"And I keep telling you to stop buying otaku stuff when we have bad months. Seems fair to me." Hikage-san then shoved another piece of meat in her mouth.
"*moan* Meanie." Hinata-san pouted like a child.
*sigh* Their behavior is similar to mine with Ayuko. Glad to know that I'm not the only one in the world with a questionable older sister…
"Minasan! Omataseshimashita!"
"Ooh~! It's starting!" Misao silently cheered after the lights went dim and an announcer's voice echoed throughout the restaurant.
"Koko mīto hebun byuffe ni kanojo ga tōjō suru no wa kore ga saigodesu...Ima ga, kanojo ga tsukutta oishī yunīkuna suītsu ya dezāto o mankitsu dekiru saigo no chansudesu...SUĪTO AMITĪ!"
"It's her final performance? Wow…how lucky of us to catch it." I said.
"Perhaps it'll be extra special since it's her last one." Hinata-san added.
A single spotlight then appeared at the center of the rink. And after a few seconds, what looked like sparkles of crystalized ice circled around like a typhoon and revealed a short blonde-haired girl in a strawberry-themed pâtissier's outfit. With a white puffy hat on her head and a big white bow on her back. Both of which were also strawberry-themed.
"Kon'nichiwa, min'na! Amatō ga bakuhatsu suru hodo oishī suītsu o takusan tanoshimu junbi wa dekite imasu ka?!"
"*CROWD CHEERS*"
"*giggle* Sore o kiite ureshī! Koko de no pafōmansu wa saigo ni naru kamo shiremasenga, konoyo no mono to wa omoenai yabai suītsu de minasan o o haraippai tabe sasete itadakimasu! Subete no okage de..."
"SUĪTO AMITĪ!"
"Sā, iku zo!"
Once the introduction was over, this Amitī girl did something bizarre: she started skating on the floor and circled the perimeter of the rink. And I say that's bizarre because there was a trail of ice coming from her shoes and she was basically ice skating.
…
The floor is made of WOOD, I remind you.
H-How the hell is she doing that?!
"Perfecto pâtissier~…Parufe!" The girl cheered as she pointed at a nearby table.
And then…
*POOF*
"*CROWD CHEERS*"
"D-Did she just make a parfait appear out of nowhere!" I shouted in total shock once a huge parfait appeared on the customer's table.
"Woah~…so cool!" Hikage-san cheered in excitement.
"Motto hoshīdesu ka?!" Amitī asked.
"*CROWD EXCITEDLY CHEERS*"
"*giggle* Soredewa, ikimasu! Monte!"
*POOF*
"Konfityuuru!"
*POOF*
"Gurassaaju!"
*POOF*
N-No way…she's just spawning all of these different sweets like it's freaking magic! Not to mention that she's still ice-skating on a wooden floor! How is this girl doing all of this stuff?! No way in hell is any of this freaking logical!
As I was mentally freaking out from what was happening, Suīto Amitī came skating by our table and spawned another one of her sweets. While she did so, I managed to gain a closer look at her as a person. And noticed a bright crystal-like gem around the girl's neck.
W-Wait…that gem…where have I seen that thing before?
"Woah~! Look how big this sundae is!" Hikage cheered as we looked at the giant ice cream sundae now sitting at our table.
"It looks just as delectable as the sweets from Yutaka's job!" Misao added as she took a spoonful of ice cream. "A-And it tastes just as good! Better even! This Suīto Amitī girl's AMAZING!"
"Hmm…" I said as I took a spoonful for myself. "…It is good. But don't you guys think it's insane how these sweets are being made? I mean…they're being materialized out of nowhere."
"Eh, it's probably some special dust or whatever to make it look magical."
"B-But then what about the ice-skating?"
"Special effects. You would get it if you'd watched anime more, Ayano."
"B-But even then…y-you agree with me right, Hinata-san?"
"WOOOOO! SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ!" Hinata-san wasn't even paying attention to the conversation and was cheering alongside every 20-something-year-old boy in the building.
Looks like somebody gained a new fan… I gained a huge sweatdrop.
"Soshite ima...Gurandofināre o mukaeru!" Suīto Amitī cheered before spinning in a circle on one leg. Particles of snow soon circled around her. And she was even glowing a bit as her speed increased at a rapid pace.
What is she going to do?
"Suītsu no rakuen… mugen no tanoshimi o! Fore Nowaaru!"
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
*POOF*
"*CROWD CHEERS LOUDLY*"
"No freaking way…" I said in disbelief after Suīto Amitī made a TON of sweets appear with a snap over her fingers. Cakes, cookies, ice cream, and candy. Every single customer had some variant of those sweets completely overstocking their table. Some were to the point they couldn't see anymore.
"SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ! SUĪTO AMITĪ!"
But I'm sure they didn't care in the slightest.
"Minasan, hontōni arigatō! An'nani oishī okashi o kubaru nante, hontōni saiakudeshita! Minasan no koto wa kesshite wasuremasen! Baibai!"
This was the last thing Suīto Amitī said before disappearing the same way she appeared earlier. Leaving the audience in awe and filled to the brim with sweets.
"Wow…that show was AMAZING!" Hikage-san cheered. "The best I've ever seen!"
"I know, right?!" Misao added. "And we get to keep all of these sweets! A reward for watching such an awesome show!"
"*sigh* Too bad it was the last one." Hinata-san said. "I would come here every day to see her perform more."
"And have yet ANOTHER thing to recklessly spend money on? No way, Onee-chan." Hikage-san said with a stern look and tone.
"*whine* Hikage~…"
"Wasn't that show the greatest, Ayano?" Misao asked me.
…
"Ayano?"
"H-Huh? Oh, yeah…it was definitely something." Was all I replied with.
After the show was over and we paid for our food (the bill was so damn expensive! Even with the sweets being free!), we said our goodbyes to the Miyakawa sisters and began making our way back home. And while Misao was still reeling from the sweets performance, I was thinking about something else.
That girl really did all of those tricks like it was nothing! Ice-skating on a wooden floor, making sweets appear, speaking perfect Japanese…
…
O-Okay, that one's not really a power. I'm just shocked that a foreigner could speak such perfect Japanese like that…
Th-The point is…that was NOT a normal performance. And I feel like that gem I saw around her neck earlier is the reason behind it.
I know I've seen that gem somewhere. Why can't I remember? It's on the tip of my freaking tongue…
"Ayano…AYANO!"
"H-Huh? What?" I came out of my thought trance.
"Geez, it ain't like you to space out like that. What's on your mind?"
"Ah, well…that Suīto Amitī performance really had me thinking, you know. Just how exactly was she doing all of that stuff…?"
"I told you, Ayano. It's just special effects. Those Sentai shows use them all the time and it was probably done the same way."
"You can't seriously believe that food materializing out of nowhere is simply "special effects"."
"Well, what do you think it is?"
"I saw this gem around her neck that glowed nearly the entire time she performed. I'm pretty sure that was causing everything to happen. And to make it even crazier…I think I've seen that gem before."
"You've seen a gem that supposedly lets people perform these "magical tricks" and such? What, are ya becoming a Yuru Yuri character or something?"
"N-No! I'm not THAT crazy!" I grew insulted from that assumption. "But I'm serious when I saw that I've seen that gem before! If only I could show it to you…"
"*giggle* Sure, Ayano. If only you can show me a special effects gem that does magical things. That's definitely possible. *giggle*"
"I-I'm serious, damn…"
*BONK*
"Ow! Wh-What the…" I yelled after a random object had hit me in the head. When I looked to see what the object was…
"W-Wait a minute! That's the gem!"
"Huh? This thing?" Misao asked as she picked up the gem. Giving us a better look at the crystal-like gem that just felt other-worldly from the aura it was giving out. "G-Geez… it's giving me a ton of chills. What the heck is it?"
"N-No way…" I answered. "…This thing's actually real?!"
"Huh? You know what this is, Ayano?"
"D-Don't you recognize it, Misao? I-It's a…"
And as I was about to answer…
"Ah! There it is!"
"Huh?" We noticed a blonde-haired girl running up to us in a panicked fit.
"*pant* *pant* Th-Thank God…*phew* th-thank God I actually found it."
"H-Hey! You're Suīto Amitī!" Misao yelled in shock. "From the restaurant performance!"
"You saw that? Well…glad you liked it. S-So, about that crystal…"
"So, this thing really is yours?" I asked while taking the gem from Misao. "That would mean that all the stuff you did before was because of this thing, right?"
"W-Well, uh…th-there's actually some technical stuff to it, but…th-the point is I need that crystal back!"
"Why do you have such a thing in the first place? It could be dangerous as hell."
"L-Look, it IS dangerous as hell! And it's definitely something people in this world shouldn't be messing around with! So, please give it back!"
"W-Wait, did you just say "this world"?" I asked.
"Tch! Aw, crap…" And that was when Suīto Amitī's face went pale.
"O-Okay, seriously! What is going on?! Why is this gem so damn special?!" Misao yelled. Obviously frustrated from not understanding the current scenario.
"You really don't get it, Misao?" I asked before letting out a sigh. "Then let's have Suīto Amitī explain it for you."
"Um, I-I rather not…" Suīto Amitī said nervously.
"You want this thing back, don't you?"
…
…
…
"*sigh* F-Fine…" She then gave in after going silent.
"I thought so. Then first off…"
I then got up to her face (we're surprisingly the same height), showed her the gem that she wants back so desperately…
…And asked this one question:
"Tell the truth. This is a Crystal Shard…isn't it?"
Author's Note: After an unexpected show to go with their meat buffet dinner, Ayano and Misao actually run into the very same performer. Wanting a strange gem that they found on the ground?
First upload of the year! I know this story's been getting a bit neglected lately. I'm doing my best to keep the gaps short. Other stories still prioritize over this one, though.
Also, some good news: THE VIEWS ARE BACK! I can finally see view stats for my stories again after it being broken since September! I was just about to fully give up and start transferring more stories to AO3. But at least now I can be a lot more lax about it.
Thanks for reading. Later.