...
The day after meeting Shun and quite a few others, I woke up and groggily began to work. Said work just so happened to be interrupted by a text from Shiroko.
Sensei.
I saw a fennec fox on the way to school today.
Oh? That's surprising.
Yes. I've seen it around lately.
Yesterday morning, I saw something like a meteor shower.
I see a lot of different things when I run.
I really enjoy it.
Sounds like it.
I probably can't keep up with your full runs, but I'll be cheering you on.
...Thanks.
I'm not used to having anyone cheering for me.
So...
Thank you, Sensei.
Sitting down the phone with a smile on my face, I make a quick decision.
I think I'll do something nice for that wolf girl.
Before I can do anything, I get another text.
"Oh. Nodoka?" I say, surprised by the text.
Do you believe in horoscopes, Sensei?
Not at all. I hate future telling stuff.
I really despise that shit. 'Oh, you're going to have a great day tomorrow!', then the next day is filled with just as much death and pain as the last.
...The last five years really fucked with me, huh...?
Really? Then let's check the daily horoscope reading in the paper! The horoscopes have never been wrong!
I'm not gonna stop you.
According to my horoscope, I have money coming my way!
I haven't gotten a horoscope like this since I joined the Spec Ops...
I can't wait!
Good luck to you, then.
Thanks, Sensei.
Oh, while you're here, did Cherino get y'all back to the main school?
She told us that she's working on it, but...
Like I said, good luck to you.
I hope that loli keeps her promises. Ivan Kupala's still a week or two away, so I'll check back on her then.
I then got yet another text from Tsurugi.
Sensei, what is sweet romance?
I read all about it in magazines and novels, but it doesn't seem realistic at all.
Kyaa;agjsl
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have sent that.
What brought this on?
Strangely, she didn't respond.
Worrysome...
—————
After getting some work done, I grabbed a little something from the store and headed to Abydos. No-one was around, so I waited for Shiroko to show, seeing as how her usual exercise route has her come back about this time of day.
Sure enough, Shiroko shows up not long after, jogging, or perhaps running. She stops and breathes heavily, looking at me with her usual muted surprise. "...Sensei?" She asks.
"Yo." I say simply.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"Figured I'd do somethin' nice." I say, holding out the energy drink. "Here."
"Thank you, but... now's not the best time..." She says, awkwardly.
"Oh, are you busy?" I ask.
"The thing is... right now is..." She says, red faced, struggling to form words. "I mean... I just finished running. Not that it matters much, but...!"
Oh, I get it.
"It's fine, I can wait to give it to ya. Just go take a shower if you want, you don't have to explain it to me." I say.
"...Thanks." She says, relieved, as she hurriedly walks towards the school.
—————
I wait in the Foreclosure Task Force room for a while, idly scrolling on my phone as the energy drink rests on the table next to my seat. Soon enough, Shiroko shows back up, less nervous than before.
Looking up at her, I silently hand her the drink. I pocket my phone as she takes it.
"I didn't know what flavor you liked, but I still wanted to do somethin' nice for ya." I say, hoping she likes it.
"It's fine. Thanks." She says simply as she opens the can and takes a few big sips. Guess that sweat combined with the shower really dried her out.
We sit in silence as she sips her drink. Soon, it's broken be Shiroko. "Sensei."
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Do you like bicycles?" The wolf girl asks.
"I... I guess? I haven't ridden one in a long time." I say. "What about you?"
She hums, while nodding her head in affirmation. "I like them." She remains silent for a moment. "I heard that a new bicycle shop opened in the next town over."
"You wanna go check it out?" I ask.
"You want to come with me?" She asks, a little surprised.
"I don't see why not." I say.
A small, yet bright smile appears on Shiroko's pale face.
—————
The two of us then walked to the next town over and reached a small mall, the bike shop awaiting within.
"Thanks for coming with me, Sensei." She says in her usual quiet tone.
"No problem." I say. "I'm kinda curious to see other's hobbies, y'know?"
"I think I get it." She says simply.
We walk in silence for a little bit, looking for the shop. My wolf companion speaks up suddenly. "Bike riding is changing a lot these days with wireless shifting becoming more common. I don't really understand the appeal, personally... Maybe that makes me old-fashioned. I like handling something that feels like it takes some muscle."
I nod in agreement, a bit surprised by her sudden talkativeness. "I always preferred riding with coaster brakes over hand breaks, so I kinda get what you mean."
"Still, keeping up with new technology has its merits." She stops speaking suddenly, before looking at me with a nervous expression. "Uh, sorry. I was rambling, wasn't I?"
"Kinda. It was a nice change of pace, though. Really shows how much you like bikes if the mere topic makes you so talkative." I say simply, hoping to stop her worries.
"U-Um..." Shiroko mutters, her face a bit red. She looks away from me and moves away slightly. "The bicycle shop is over there. Let's go take a look." She then quickly walks over towards the bike shop.
I chuckle and shake my head as I follow her.
The two of us spent the rest of the morning and a bit of the afternoon browsing the bike shop. It was fascinating hearing her know so much about bikes.
—————
After returning to Schale, I made myself a late lunch. I checked the mail beforehand and found an odd envelope. Inside were two vouchers for an upscale restaurant for having an excellent credit score.
Hmm... Tsurugi worried me a bit earlier, maybe I should do something for her.
I decided to worry about that later, as I was hungry now.
As I ate, Shiroko texted me.
Um, I had fun today, Sensei.
I got to see the new wireless transmission and the new carbon frame. And I bought a new water bottle for biking.
Glad to hear you had fun.
Um, can we go together again next time?
Sure. You got me kinda interested in them too.
Thus, I ate.
—————
After eating and getting some work done, I walked down the street, on my way to buy some things. A glint caught my eye as I walked down the quiet street.
Oh? It's a five-hundred yen coin. I idly pick it up, content to have found a-
"WAAAAIT!" A female voice shrieks as I stand back up.
Turning to the source, I see Nodoka of all people, panting in exhaustion. "Nodoka? What are you...?" I begin to ask.
"Sensei! That's my coin!" She shouts.
"Oh? Did you drop this?" I ask.
"No, I didn't drop it, but..." She begins. "I found it first! From one kilometer away!"
"You found... a coin... from a kilometer away?" I ask, slowly.
"Yeah! If I look through this telescope-" She says, motioning to the big telescope she carries. "-, I can even see ants crawling from hundreds of kilometers away!"
Hundreds? Doubtful.
"My morning horoscope was auspicious, so I was looking through my telescope the entire morning to see if something good might happen today... and I got lucky!" She explains. "Supply distribution is terrible at Spec Ops two-two-seven, so we don't get enough snacks..." She says sadly, before perking up. "But five-hundred yen will buy me a pile of pastries and drinks from the convenience store! So, Sensei-" She says, looking at me expectantly. "-, please give me the coin!"
"Nope." I say.
"Huh?! Why?!" She whines.
"You don't see to understand the rules of the streets." I say, seriously. "Finders keepers."
"You're mean! You're stingy! You're unreasonable!" She says, accusing me.
"Instead, let's go buy some snacks and stuff. I need something sweet." I say. "I've been wanting to try that L'Oiseau Bleu place for a while."
Why the hell is a cake shop called 'The Blue Bird' in French, anyways?
"Wh-What?" Nodoka shouts in disbelief. "Isn't L'Oiseau Bleu that... fancy sweets store where the cheapest cake is over a thousand yen?"
"Maybe. I've never been in there." I say.
"A-Are you sure?" She asks.
"Of course. I'll get one for me and one for you... Maybe one for Shigure too. Y'all deserve sweets every now and again too." I say, explaining my thoughts.
"Th-Thank you." She says, still stunned. "Seriously, this is one lucky day!"
"Feh." I scoff. "You gotta make your own luck. Now quit dawdlin'."
The two of us then went to the cake place where I bought three small, yet quite expensive cakes.
I ate all of mine. Nodoka, on the other hand, barely ate half due to her being intimidated by the cost. It wasn't even their most expensive one!
We parted ways soon after, a content smile on the blonde girl's face. I hope Shigure likes her cake too.
Not long after I got a text from someone else, Kaede.
Argh! Not again, Sensei!
Not what again?
People are calling the Inner Discipline Club 'kind of weird' again!
Why do that? Everyone's kind of weird. Seems kinda redundant.
And a tad rude.
I know right? I'm glad you agree, Sensei!
I was just practicing my one-liners at the playground. Why would they say that? They're so mean!
One-liners...?
Personally, I wouldn't practice one-liners in public.
Huh? You know, they're what the Inner Discipline Club say after we defeat bad students.
I practice a lot so I don't forget mine.
My line goes 'In the name of the colorful autumn leaves, I shall never forgive you!'.
It's been a big hit, so you can use it too, Sensei!
The pose goes like this. Hiyap! Oh, I'll show you a video, hold on.
Ah, okay. Well, you've got my support.
Thanks, Sensei!
I'll send you a cute sticker in return!
Thanks.
Anyway! It's time to do something! Maybe it's time we take special action?
So, I have a favor to ask!
And so, Kaede asked me for a favor.
...I don't think I can keep up with this girl...
—————
A little while later, I met up with the shortstack miko near Hyakkiyako.
"Everywhere I go, all I hear is how people think our club is full of a bunch of weirdos. It's gotta be a big misunderstanding! We're not weird at all. What do you think, Sensei?" She says.
"I told ya before, everyone's a little weird." I say, sagely.
"I guess... But here's the thing!" She says happily. "Even if the Inner Discipline Club denies being a bunch of weirdos and says it's all a big misunderstanding, that doesn't mean we'll change people's minds. You know?"
"I know." I say, jokingly.
"People only believe what they want to believe. To convince them otherwise... there'd have to be a heated battle that scorches them at the core of their very souls!" Kaede proclaims. "At least, that's what Mushiqueen said last week."
"Mushiqueen?" I ask. Is it like that card game?
"What's wrong with learning from Mushiqueen? I don't see the problem!" She defends herself. "Anyway, I've been thinking about a way to resolve this misunderstanding. Then, when I was having dinner with Tsubaki and Mimori, a great idea suddenly popped in my head!" She then moves closer to me and looks into my eyes, expectantly. "Can you guess what it was, Sensei? Hmm? Take a guess!"
"...I, uh... I got nothin'. What was it?" I say, defeated.
"Do you now? Well, listen up!" She says with a smug grin. "As you know, I'm cute, smart, adorable, and practically the mascot of the Inner Discipline Club."
"I'm following you." I say, wondering where she's going with this.
"Therefore, it's up to me to do all the PR for our club and show the world just how normal we are!" She declares. "I'm calling it... 'Mascot Kaede's PR Blitz'! I'll be going all out for this." She looks at me again. "What do you think, Sensei? This plan is foolproof!"
"Well... you're confident, so... go for it." I say, reluctantly.
"Good, so you're on board." She says. "That makes us partners in crime! You wouldn't turn me down, would you?"
"You're losing my confidence, Kaede..." I say deadpan.
"Whatever, let's go!" She says, grabbing my hand and pulling me off... somewhere.
—————
And that's how Kaede dragged me into the middle of the city, to have me help spread the message of how normal the Inner Discipline Club is.
"First, we should show them what kind of work the Inner Discipline Club does and how helpful we are." Kaede says. "They need to see what we're capable of! How about... we start off by picking up some trash?"
"That's certainly a good deed." I say.
"Yeah! We'll go around with a trash picker like this..." She begins to say, as she notices something. "Oh! There's some trash!" She walks over and picks it up. "We pick it up like this. Simple, right?"
"Simple." I say, agreeing.
"But don't let your guard down, Sensei." She says, serious. "We don't know what kind of trash we'll encounter in Kivotos. For example, in the corner of that alley... Oh?!"
"What is it?" I ask, worried by her sudden outburst.
"Look, Sensei! Someone threw these out!" She says, digging in the trash as she pulls out...
"Trading cards?" I ask.
"Yeah!" She says, looking closely at them. "They're old school Mushiqueen cards! Looking at them closely... I think they're banned from use in the trading card game these days. But just throwing them away like they're worthless seems too cruel!"
"Yeah... Damn, they threw away a lot! What kinda idiot would throw away old trading cards instead of selling them?" I ask, annoyed by these people's stupidity.
"Haven't they ever heard of the heart of the cards?!" She shouts, upset. "The spirits within won't take kindly to this!"
"Spirits within...?" What, does this series have a Yu-Gi-Oh style anime?
"Oh! There's more garbage over there!" She says, walking towards it.
"Jeez, that girl..." I mutter, shaking my head.
—————
The two of us then picked up trash for a while. It was late in the afternoon, but not yet evening, when we got done.
"Phew. We collected a lot of trash." The shortstack miko says, exhausted, as we pass through a playground. She then turns towards me and regains all of her energy in an instant. "What do you think, Sensei? Will people have a better image of the Inner Discipline Club now?!"
"Hopefully, in the long run. Just one little act isn't enough to change a person's mind, after all." I advise.
"Oh, so that's how it works?" She asks, genuinely surprised. "Hmm... PR is a lot harder than I thought. I'm not giving up just yet, though. Let the operation continue! What should we do next?"
"Hmm..." As we thought over what to do...
"I wanna get on the swing now!" A little girl shouts.
"What?! You didn't push me long enough! I pushed you so much longer than that." Another shouts back.
"But it's my turn now!" The first argues.
Kaede runs over to them. "Hey! Why are you two fighting?"
The second girl looks at Kaede funnily. "Huh? Aren't you from the Inner Discipline Club?"
"Listen!" The first girl shouts. "We were gonna take turns on the swing, but then my little sister-"
"But it's my turn now!" The second snaps back.
"Both of you stop it!" Kaede shouts. "Siblings shouldn't be fighting over a swing like this! Now apologize to each other!"
"O-Okay." The first girl says, ashamed.
"S-Sorry..." The second apologizes.
I walk over to her, a smile on my face. "That was a rather nice thing to do, Kaede."
"That was nothing! I play with them all the time." She says.
"Oh, they're friends of yours?" I ask.
She nods in affirmation. "But how can we help them get along again after a fight? Oh! I have an idea!" She then turns back to the kids. "Hey, you two! I have something for you!" She says, handing them... the Mushiqueen cards?
"What are these?" The first little girl asks.
"Trading cards?" The second asks.
"Yeah! I found them. You can't use them in a tourney or anything, but they're more fun to play with than fighting over a swing! Here. I'll teach you how to play." She says, before coughing a bit, "Oof... My throat's a lot drier than I realized."
"I'll go get us some drinks, then." I say.
"You'd do that? Thanks, Sensei!" Kaede says, happily.
I then walked over to a vending machine on the edge of the playground. Two women were conversing nearby. I silently listened to them as I bought drinks.
"That girl over on the playground... She's from the Inner Discipline Club." One says.
"Huh? You mean that club full of weirdos?" The second asks.
I find myself feeling quite annoyed by this...
The first woman chuckles. "Look at her playing with those kids. That club might be kinda weird, but they're not so bad, huh?"
"Yeah. I see them doing a lot of community service around the district too." The second adds.
I feel a smile come to my face.
"Hold on. What's going on over there?" The second woman asks.
Turning my head slightly to look, I hear Kaede speaking to the kids and...
"...the hell is she doing?" I mutter in disbelief as she does all of these anime-esque poses.
"Look! When you're playing the Mushiqueen game, you should pose like this!" I hear her, even from this distance. "You'll feel super powerful if you make this pose while attacking your enemy!" She says, to a crowd of kids, who look at her in awe. Where the hell did they come from?! "Let's do it together! Mushiqueen! Attack!" She shouts, posing.
"Mushiqueen! Attack!" The kids shout back, all of them attempting to mirror her pose.
"Okay, no. She's still weird." The first woman says, deadpan.
"I'll say..." The second says.
Chuckling to myself, I walk back over to Kaede. "Yo."
She turns around and sees me holding out a drink, before taking it happily. "There you are, Sensei. Check it out! Look at how many kids came to play. They're totally into Mushiqueen!"
"Miss Mushiqueen!" The first little girl from before says.
"That was amazing!" The second says.
"She's a Mushiqueen master!" A third kid says.
Mushiqueen master!" All the kids shout.
"I bet this counts as another step forward for the Inner Discipline Club's PR efforts! Don't you think, Sensei?!" Kaede shouts.
"Definitely." I say with a smile.
I could tell her about the onlookers, but I don't quite have the heart to do something so cruel.
Kaede just laughs joyously.
I ended up leaving Kaede to hang out with the kids, saying I needed to get back to work. She was sad, but not very much, as she went right back to playing with the kids.
As I began to leave, I noticed someone familiar sitting at a table, staring blankly off into space.
"Yo." I say, walking over to her.
"S-Sensei?!" Tsurugi shouts, snapping out of her trance. "H-How did you find...? I mean..."
"It was just chance. I was nearby and saw you, so I figured I'd say hi." I explain, as I sit down at the table. "So, what's goin' on?"
"W-Well... it's just..." She tries to say, her face red as a beet. "I-I can't deny it."
"Do you wanna talk about it?" I ask, softly.
She remains silent for a moment, before explaining. She's been doing a lot of stuff for her Justice Task Force work.
"...That's it." She finishes.
"So, you've been pushin' yourself too hard, huh?" I ask.
"Th-That's not it." She corrects me. "I-I..." I look at her, expectantly. "I've been wondering if... I'm wasting my youth."
"...Where's this coming from?" I ask, softly, really worried about her now.
"My life isn't anything like what I see in magazines or books. They say when you're young, you see everything with rose-tinted glasses. I think mine are tinted with blood..." She says, despondent.
"Because you're settin' your expectations too high. Life isn't like a book or a movie." I explain.
"I-I wish I knew wh-what it was like to... g-go on a d-d-date." Tsurugi stutters out. "...Sorry. You don't need to hear about that."
"Hmm... That gives me an idea." I say, pulling those vouchers I got out and handing one to Tsurugi. I was thinking about taking Hoshino out, but since they expire in just a few days, and Tsurugi's full of worry...
"Huh? What's this?!" She shrieks as she reads it.
"I got given these, for some reason. So, why don't I take ya out on a... practice date?" I ask.
Tsurugi gasps loudly as her body locks up while a massive, crimson blush appears on her pale face. Her eyes widen and dilate in shock.
With a quiet voice, she agrees. I then call the place and arrange the dinner.
Tsurugi and I make our way toward the restaurant in silence, as her nervousness has taken hold of her.
—————
As we enter the building, we ride an elevator up to the actual restaurant, at the top of a skyscraper. Inside is a beautiful, gold-tinted dining hall decorated with large windows and chandeliers. A robotic man at a desk turns to us as we enter.
"Welcome. We've been expecting you, Joshua." He says. "Welcome to Luxus-Palast. We offer fine dining for only the most exclusive clientele." Tsurugi jolts at the nugget of info. "Feel free to relax and enjoy your meal five hundred and fifty meters above ground with a perfect view of Kivotos' night sky. Allow me to show you to your table. Right this way." He says, grabbing his notepad as he motions us to follow.
"Thank you, my good man." I say with a smile. Turning to my side, I see Tsurugi stuck in place. I gently grab her shoulder, causing her to look up at me with a fiercer blush.
—————
Not long after, the two of us sit at a fancy table, with plates, napkins, an assortment of utensils and even a candelabra. Tsurugi's nervousness has taken hold again as she has her fingers touching those of the opposite hand, along with her entire body shaking, causing the table to move every so often as she touches it with her shaky body. Her eyes are wide and a blush is present on her face.
She taps her thumbs together, causing me to take notice of her black fingernail polish. Her eyes dart around the room. I try to eat my food, but can't look away from the poor girl. I feel a bit out of place, too.
She begins speaking to me in a hushed, stuttering voice. "Wh-Wh... What are you thinking bringing someone like me to a place like this? I don't belong here. This is no place for someone like me."
"Tsurugi." I say, as look into her shrunken, frantic eyes. "It's fine. Just relax and... let's enjoy ourselves, okay?" I ask with a smile.
"Oh..." She says, surprised, as her shaking stops. "...Okay."
"One more thing. Don't say this ain't a place for someone like you. You're a good person, Tsurugi. You deserve it." I say.
She stares at me in awe for a long moment as a silly smile appears on her face.
We both had a wonderful time.
I hope I gave Tsurugi a good first date.
—————
Back home, I got a text from Tsurugi while getting ready for bed.
Oh, um...
So...
Kyaaaahaha!
You okay?
I-It's nothing...
All right, then. Good night, Tsurugi.
G-Good night, Sensei.
I chuckle to myself a bit. My phone buzzes again as I get a text from Nodoka. Guess she got back to Red Winter.
Ah... I can't sleep because I can't stop thinking about those fancy sweets that place had.
I'll buy you some other stuff from that place next time we get a chance.
No! If you say that...
I won't be able to sleep!
Seriously though, get some sleep. And sweet dreams.
She doesn't respond for a long moment.
Sweet dreams, Sensei.
If could see myself, I'm sure I'd have a big grin on my face now.
I finished my nightly routine and hopped in bed.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring...?
—————
AN
Christ, Kaede talks a lot. But she's cute, so she gets a pass.
Also, I wish Tsurugi had more voice lines. I adore her L2D dialogue.
Next time, something completely different.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to the next!