Chap 8: just a regular day at the shop.
A teen girl ran hurrily on the streets, her black hair flutter without a care behind her head as she ran like a track racer. Dodging other people, pole, animal. Running close right behind her is another girl with blonde hair, her friend, kaska.
"Why *huff* are *huff* we *huff* Running." The blonde girl asked, struggling to keep up.
Maybe if she'll go outside more to exercise, then she could catch up.
"Din't you hear, the newest chapter for dragon egg just got publish and i'll be damn if i don't get my hands on it first." She said before speeding up more.
"Hey, wait *huf* up."
The two made it in less than 15 minute, Himiko stopping in front of the place and kaska just right behind.
A quaint little store with shelves filled with colorful manga volumes and anime merchandise.
They had gone here for the last couple of months, it was the only place that provided them a safe heaven. Away from schools or the scolding household, but in here they are welcome.
The chime rang as they passes through the door. A fresh smell of fragrant brushed passed their noses when they entered. Since they are still early in the morning of a sunday, leaving the store without many customer beside two or three woman here and there looking at the ero section of the shop.
Sitting behind the store register, a young man in a death metal black shirt with eye covering bang on the left side of his eyes, sporting quite the goth look over his lean body.
"Sup." A plain greeting from him.
""Hello Mr. Takune."" Both girl return his greeting in a more polite manner.
"Is Takumi oni-chan not running the counter on this day?" Spoke the blonde, curious of the changes.
"Nope, he's out. Doing that fighting class thing, probably not back for another few hour. Now is there something i can get for you two ?" Takune asked with an tired voice.
"The newest chap for dragon egg please ?" Himiko waste no time hoping on the counter, stating what she want. But such a short stature, she has to hang on the counter with her hand while her feet dangle in the air.
"Right, here you go. Now get off the counter, if the table break then you'll pay for it." The boy let out a sigh before reaching down under the counter and handed it to them.
"Wow."
"Yeah, wow."
The girls eyes sparkled with excitement as they held the book in their hands. They both admire the book like a sacred artifact, holding it with care.
*Ehem* a feint coughing sound take away their eyes from the manga. Takuni sat with his hand in open palm, motion his hand asking for the payment.
"Oh right, the money." She said realizing they haven't even paid for it yet.
The two scramble their pocket and handed him the corresponding amount of cash for the manga.
"Can we head to the reading room?"
The boy look at them for a moment, before getting out of his chair and walk over the two girls.
Kaska was suprise to see him walking toward them all of the sudden. The two eyes were drawn to the huge bulge in his pants.
"Wa-"
"Hmmm...let me just." Takuni said as he reached for something just over Kaska shoulder.
He pulled his hand back with a leaf in his palm, the blonde face turned bright red as he did so.
"It must have gotten caught there while i was running here. Thanks we'll be goin now." Redness was all over her face as she drag her friend away. With a heart beating so fast, it might jumped out of her chest. Himiko saw this and immediately checking if there's anything on herself too.
On the side of the room, neatly tuck next to two large bookshelf is a door hiding in plain sight. One may just throught that it's just part of the building decoration. But it is for this reason that this room became the secret lair of the frequent kids that come here.
Sliding the door open to the side, revealing a warmly lit room. No longer having the manga poster or figure plaster on the wall. But rather a plain texture wallpapper that create a relaxing atmosphere.
The room has one large round table surrounded by a bunch of sofa and cushion chair.
'Must be new ?' Himiko throught.
There's a few shelf but the book here is not for selling but rather a place where reader share their most enjoyable stories. There's even a cafe conected to it with someone currently behind the counter, already brewing a new batch of coffee.
A young man with Long black hair tied into a neat pony tail, alowing her to see his soft and cute face. He wore a simple white T-shirt and black pants, with a apron over his shirt. His clothing accentuates his naive appearance but still clearly shows his maturity as an adult.
"Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears... oh wait, that's not what I meant to say! Uh.." Himiko tries to greet him but did a terrible job at it.
Kaska look from the side with a gaped mouth, her eye conveyed a 'how can you fumble this bad.' Look.
"I think what she was trying to say is hi, by the way hi, Takichi ani-san." Kaska came in to save her friend from death by embarasment.
"Himiko, kaska. Nice to see you two, let me guess....dragon egg?"
"Hm, ah yeah. We just got it, the newest release of the series." Himiko show up the cover with both her hand.
Soon, she got out from her previous state of embarasment and got into a conversation about the series. Any boy her age would scoffed or just made fun of what the girls are doing. But Takichi seemed actually interested in what they reading and actively making a fun talk with her and her friends. Not only him, all the three brothers of the shop is also like that.
"Is there something i get for you ?" Takichi asked.
"Uh, i'll just have an ice tea please."
"I'll take a coke."
He was about to turn to making the order when another figure enter the room. There was no need to look, they knew who this is. They could almost smelled it in the air.
"Hi, Mr. Takichi." She said.
"Hi there Yoshine. Do you want something to drink too ?" He greeted her happily just like all the other, before asking for an order.
"Medium almond latte, extra milk." She said, trying to sound tacky as possible.
Yoshine isn't a someone bad by any mean, she just 'unfiltered' as Kaska would put it. She's been on that internet for too long, it affected her real life. A 'troll' as she like to call herself and to be honest, she look like one too.
Long black hair reached her back, her body isn't fit but doesn't count as fat either. A black hoodie and skirt with so many holes in it, it look like someone decided to pull a gun and empty a full mag through it. Thankfully she does have her short skirt inside.
"It'll be done in 15, i'll bring it out to you girls."
"Thanks again Takichi ani-san."
"Yeah, just don't put ligma in it?" Yoshine said.
And right away, both girl realise what she's doing.
"Ligma ?" Takichi asked confused.
Takichi has his back to her but they could see it, the most devious grin they could imagine. She was about to say the most depraved shit known to womankind, it could break the Geneva convention.
Himiko slap her face across the floor, stopping her attemp at committing a war crime. Amd dragging her away.
"Hehe, it's just a new words we use." Kaska was quick yo find a reason that could distract Takichi.
"Oh, you young kids and your weird language." Luckily for them, he doesn't care too much and just act as if this is a joke and turn away giggling.
"What the fuck was that ?! You retarded bitch!"
Himiko was about to punch the living soul out of Yoshina, it took her every bit of her will power to not punch her, plus Kaska blocking her.
"Chill, it was just a prank hoe. Beside, it's not like he would understand it." She said playfully with no remorse for what she attemped.
"Yoshina, shut up. I'm already holding one crazy bitch back. I can't handle two." Kaska said while pushing Himiko back.
After few minute and with served drinks, they finally settle down. The little group of friend soon find themself reading and talking about random stuff. At first it was trivial stuff, like home work, video games, until it turn to a more lewd topic.
"Who do you think is the hottest?" Yoshina
"What ?"
"I mean, come on. Like you never through about it?" Retorted Yoshina.
"I can't belive you would talk about it in here. What if they catch us."
"They won't hear it from here."
Turning to check on Takichi, and just as predicted. He doesn't bat a eye at them.
"See."
"Obviously it's Takune." And like usual, her reasoning is anything but.
"I still don't understand why you're into goth ?"
"But that's the best part, he's a goth. Woman would kill for such a dommy goth daddy like him."
"Yeah, someone should put you in a spych ward."
"Ok then, if my choice is so bad then what yours ?"
"Hah, why it's obviously Takichi. He's pretty, nice and can cook. And that's all any woman want from a man."
"Hold up, we're talking about beauty. How does cooking and be nice has to do with this ?"
"*Tis tis* being nice and able to cook is also a part of men beauty. This is why you'll never get a man for you." Himiko said with a fake sadden tone while shaking her head, faking disappointment in her friend.
The two keep bicker about this until Himiko decided to turn to her friend Kaska who's been busy reading from the sideline.
"Hey, Kaska." She called.
"Hmm, What ?" The blonde slowly raise her head from the manga.
"Who's hotter. Takuni or Takichi aniki ?"
She hummed for a bit, thinking about her answer.
"It's Takichi."
"What ?"
"Ha, suck it bitch i told you. All woman like their man sweet and gentle like Takichi."
Kaska just ignore them, tuning their childish bickering to background noise and raise her manga up to hide her lying face from them. She just pretented to think about the question so her friend belived her.