'Call me when you need me, boss.' Mamoru said.
'Sure.'
The black sedan merged into traffic and disappeared into the endless stream of cars.
Mamoru still had work to do.
Managing several hundred delinquents was basically the same as running a kindergarten for grown men.
Good luck.
May at least half of them survive today.
———————
When I turned around, both girls were staring up at the buildings.
' Whoa!' Saki pointed excitedly.
'That cat just jumped to the next screen!'
I followed her finger.
On one giant billboard, a fluffy cat chased a cotton ball. The ball rolled off the edge of the screen…
Then appeared on another billboard.
The cat jumped after it.
People around us were filming it.
'It's so cute.' Saki said. 'Right, Kasumi?'
'Un.' Kasumi nodded softly.
Her eyes followed the cat as it hopped from screen to screen.
'Are you two country bumpkins?' I asked as I walked over.
Saki scoffed.
'Sorry, rich boy. Unlike you, I don't travel around cities whenever I feel like it.'
'Some of us are poor.'
Kasumi quietly added.
'My parents never really took me anywhere.'
'And I didn't have friends to go with.'
Her voice wasn't bitter.
Just calm.
Like she had already accepted it.
Saki immediately wrapped her arms around her.
'Don't worry!'
'You've got me now!'
'We'll go anywhere you want!'
I stared at Saki.
A few seconds ago she complained about being too poor to afford travel.
Now she was planning world travel.
Yes.
This girl was definitely dropped on her head as a baby.
'Thanks, Saki.' Kasumi said softly.
She gently patted Saki's back.
For a brief moment, her smile looked different.
Small.
Careful.
Like she was holding something fragile.
Something…precious.
————————-
When I searched Shinjuku online, it said the district had one of the highest pedestrian traffic counts in the country.
Standing here now…
I believed it.
People everywhere.
Businessmen, tourists, students, street performers.
A living ocean of humans.
An endless tide flowing between towers.
'I regret coming already.' I muttered.
'What?' Saki asked.
'Nothing.'
'We can explore first before lunch.' I said.
'Okay.' Kasumi nodded.
'Oh! Let's go to a shopping centre!' Saki cheered.
She said it with the excitement of someone discovering civilisation for the first time.
Despite living in Tokyo.
——————————————-
The shopping centre was enormous.
But the crowd somehow made it feel cramped.
Saki had already begun grabbing random clothes.
'You'd look so cute in this, Kasumi!'
She held a dress up against her.
Kasumi looked at the price tag.
Her hands froze.
'But… It's expensive.'
'If you want it, I can buy it.' I said.
My goal today was simple.
Make Kasumi feel valued.
And gifts were the easiest way.
Also, 90% of the stores here sold women's clothing.
Unless I secretly planned to become a cross-dresser…
I had nothing better to do.
'But—'
'Don't worry about money,' I said. 'You heard Saki earlier. I'm rich.'
Saki squinted at me.
'You say that way too casually.'
'I mean… you said it.'
Saki instantly raised her hand.
'Yes…?'
'Can I get a gift too?'
'Sure.' I said. 'Since you're here too.'
'I guess you're not a terrible bastard.' She said proudly. 'But you're still a bastard.'
'It sounds like someone doesn't want a gift.'
'I'm sorry.'
She lowered her head dramatically.
Then leaned closer and whispered with a grin.
'Bastard.'
*Chop*
'OW!'
She clutched her head.
'Why did you hit me?!'
'Discipline.'
She shook her fist.
'One day I'm getting my revenge!'
From the side…
'Giggle.'
Kasumi covered her mouth.
'What's so funny?' Saki asked.
Kasumi tried to speak through her laughter.
'You two are just…'
'Too funny.'
Her shoulders trembled as she laughed.
It wasn't loud.
But it was genuine.
The kind of laugh someone makes when they forget to hold themselves back.
I noticed something.
She laughed a lot today.
More than I'd ever seen before.
—————————-
Later Kasumi stopped in front of a small display.
She didn't pick the dress.
Instead, she looked at a tiny charm bracelet.
Her fingers gently touched it.
'Don't you want the dress?' I asked.
She shook her head.
'I want something more meaningful.'
Her voice became quieter.
'This will be the first gift I receive from a friend.'
Her fingers curled around the bracelet.
Like she was afraid it might disappear.
Saki overheard.
'WAIT!'
'I will buy that for you!'
She proudly pulled out her wallet.
Opened it.
Looked inside.
Her shoulders slowly sank.
The wallet contained…
A tragic number of coins.
'You don't need to buy something expensive.' I said. 'It's the thought that counts.'
She looked up.
'…Really?'
'Maybe you can make something for her.'
Her eyes slowly lit up.
Then suddenly…
'YES!'
'WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!'
She grabbed my shoulders.
'You're actually a useful bastard!'
Kasumi laughed again.
And this time, she didn't try to hide it.
——————————-
Kasumi eventually bought a bracelet.
But she insisted I pick the design.
So I did.
'You seriously have no taste.' Saki said. 'What even is that?!'
'I thought it looked good.' I shrugged.
Kasumi stared at the bracelet.
Her eyes sparkled.
She held it in both hands.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
'…This is…'
She smiled softly.
'… My first gift.'
Saki immediately leaned closer.
'You actually like that design?!'
'Un.' Kasumi nodded.
She gently smiled at me.
'I'll take very good care of it.'
'I guess everyone's taste is different.' Saki muttered.
Then she pulled out her own gift I bought.
'Behold…'
She raised it dramatically.
'The gift among gifts.'
'The swordfish hat.'
It was exactly what it sounded like.
A hat shaped like a swordfish.
Complete with a long pointy bill.
Saki proudly placed it on her head.
'Hahahaha!'
'No villains shall survive before the mighty Swordfish Knight!'
She looked around dramatically.
'And my first order of business…'
Her eyes locked onto me.
'To take down the villain in front of me!'
She charged.
Like an angry rhinoceros.
'Sigh.'
I simply lifted the hat off her head.
'Hey!'
She jumped.
'Give it back!'
I raised it higher.
Far above her reach.
'Damn you!'
'Stop height shaming me!'
'Kasumi, can you do something about her?' I said.
I turned around.
'Kasumi?'
She was laughing.
Hard.
'…Sigh.'
—————————-
Later we walked through the busy streets again.
That's when I noticed a familiar red-haired girl near a vending machine.
Marie.
Should I say hello?
Before I decided, Kasumi spoke.
'Is something wrong, Di-ran?'
'You're observant,' I praised her. 'I saw someone I know.'
'Then you should say hello,' She said, 'It would be rude not to.'
Sometimes she acted older than her age.
I reached over and patted her head.
'HEY!'
Saki immediately pulled her away.
'GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!'
'Sorry.' I said. 'Habit.'
'I-it's okay.' Kasumi said.
But her face turned bright red and she hid it behind her hands.
I walked over.
Marie's friends were talking.
'If only your childhood sweetheart were here.' One teased.
'Marie, you should forget about him.' Another said. 'He probably forgot about you.'
'Long time no see, Marie.' I waved.
She turned.
'Do I know you?'
Her smile was polite.
Perfect.
Fake.
'I'm Dylan.'
'Mr America himself.'
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
'Dylan?!'
She scanned me from head to toe.
Then she ran forward.
'Darling!'
She jumped into my arms.
'Easy there.' I patted her back.
She looked up at me.
'Why are you in Japan, darling?'
'I'm a transfer student.'
I gestured behind me.
'These are my friends.'
Marie turned toward them.
Her smile sharpened just a little.
'Nice to meet you.'
'Nice to meet you.' They said.
Behind me, Saki whispered.
'I don't trust her.'
Same.
Marie gave off the same feeling as the nobles from my old world.
Polite.
Charming.
Dangerous.
A fox waiting for the right moment.
And if I learned anything from nobles…
You are nothing but pawns in their games.
'Darling.' Marie gestured. 'These are my friends.'
She introduced them.
A blonde girl laughed.
'So you're the guy she keeps talking about.'
'I honestly thought you were imaginary.'
'Darling isn't imaginary.' Marie said sweetly. 'Right, darling?'
'I'm here in the flesh.' I spread my arms out.
She grabbed my arm.
'Why don't you come with us?'
Her eyes flicked briefly toward Kasumi and the Swordfish Knight.
Testing.
Measuring.
'Sorry.' I said. 'I promised my friends lunch.'
Marie smiled.
'Then we'll join you.'
She turned to her friends.
'That's okay, right?'
'I don't mind.'
'I want to see if boyfriend kun is worthy.'
And just like that…
Our group of three became six.
Which meant my peaceful lunch plan had just become significantly more complicated.
—————————
[Marie] Starless: 21st Century Nymphomaniacs