by Ko Hiratori
She performed a completely elegant, sophisticated curtsy. The flower swayed in her open cleavage. Her long, pale legs peeked out of a dress with deep slits up the thighs.
The commotion had already stilled. The men’s eyes were all riveted to her.
“Allow me to apologize for interrupting your party. I’m a prostitute who lives to serve. I hope my indecency will entertain both your eyes and ears.” With that, Kizuha stomped the floor again. A glance to signal the band. Music began to play.
It was a song of passion. An abandoned woman sang like a scream of her love, regret, and pity regarding the man who left her. But the only one who could sing this song was gone, so only an intense performance rang out.
Kizuha didn’t sing. But she danced—something none of us knew until that moment. She lifted her skirt in her hands, sometimes stomping the floor, showing nearly the entire length of her bare legs.
She was beautiful. Her footwork, her expressions—even the tips of her fingers were soft and supple, captivating everyone who watched. The band put some energy into the music and crescendoed. The men forgot their fighting and watched Kizuha, mesmerized.
I had never seen that dance before. It was obscene, yet attractive. Her long limbs and straight back seemed made especially to dance on the stage. She was so cool, and yet so alluring. It was thrilling. You felt like you were seeing something you shouldn’t be.
“Masters, if you’d like to see more of me, please call my name. A single order is all it takes to make me dance madly for you all night.”
The men shouted her name as iftheyhad gone mad.
That night was the first time I ever saw Kizuha come down from the second floor. And I learned something.
All of us had been devalued.
The ones who will be in trouble if she doesn’t stay upstairs are us. SheisBlue Cat Nocturne.She danced that sad love song like she was grinding it under her heel. And she smiled. All as she drove the men wild.
My tears were unstoppable again. I was so frustrated. How could I call her worthless? I was a half-baked prostitute and could never be like Madam. I was the only worthless one here.
The son of the guildmaster came in with a bunch of tough-looking guys. He surveyed the tables, gave instructions to his people, and kicked the problem customers out.
Kizuha looked at me sobbing in the middle of the shop and seemed happy. She took the blue flower from her cleavage and held it up toward the customers.
“This flower is me. Whoever gets this flower will be my master tonight. Please put your hands all over me.”
Then she threw it. In the men’s scramble, the flower was torn to shreds. Kizuha laughed aloud and continued her dance.
I wanted to plug my ears and run away from there. I felt like I was going to be sick. But it was work. There were things I had to do.
“...Thank you for coming even though it’s out of your way.” I bowed my head to the guildmaster’s son. Come to think of it, the guildmaster was out in the country with Madam. I asked the son how much our fees would be this month.
“Don’t worry about it.” I didn’t understand what he meant, but before I could ask him, he took a huge gulp of his drink. “I suddenly thought of Shequraso’s singing, so I just happened to come drinking with friends—that’s all.”
He set down his empty cup and stood. His guys had finished their job, so they gathered around him.
“I’ll be taking over my dad’s job soon. You do your best and make some money, too.”
I buried my face in my hands and just stood there. Kizuha’s laugh reverberated. The customers were still going nuts.
I went to my room, took my feelings out on my bed, and, at some point, fell asleep.
Oh...my face looks awful.
I can smile all I want, but I’ll still look scary. I wonder if makeup can fix this.
Right, I’ll eat cake. If I’m going over there, I might as well buy some for everyone. That’ll cheer us all up a bit.
That’s what I was thinking as I headed to Sumo’s. When I got there, I froze.
“Oh, Lupe! I’m back!”
From the middle of the terrace, Haru raised a hand and smiled.
“I was gonna go straight to the shop, but Kiyori said she was going to perish if she didn’t get some sugar in her, so we decided to come get cake first. And now I get to reunite with you in this miraculous way! Okay, c’mon, sit down, sit down—next to me. There’s so much I want to tell you!”
Across from Haru, Kiyori was slumped over the table like a dead person.
Sumo came out happily with a big cake platter. I grabbed one of them bare-handed.
Even I don’t quite know why I did it. Just on impulse, I guess.
Haru was cheerfully waving me over when the cake I hurled reunited in a miraculous way with her face.
“Why...?”
With her face now coated in white, she froze mid-motion. I took a few breaths, almost like I was hyperventilating, and then finally spoke.
“Haru, you idioooooooooot!”
I shouted louder than I meant to. All the men sitting around us turned to look. But I couldn’t stop. The minute I saw her, everything came pouring out.
“Wh-What do you mean, ‘I’m back’? Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to see you? To have you rescue me? You weren’t there then, so why now?”
I started to cry again.My eyes will be red again tomorrow. But I don’t care anymore.There was so much I wanted to say.
“I hate that about you! You’re so selfish and carefree. You’ve probably never considered anyone else’s feelings. You think I’ll let anything go, but I’m not like that!”
People started to cluster. They jeered. It made me even more frustrated.This is between me and Haru!
The man with the bad leg and the beard grinned and said, “Hoo boy, girlie. You can fight even though you’re a woman? Well, do what you have to do. If you lose, I’llcomfortyou—if you know what I mean.”
I was so embarrassed, I blushed. But really I was furious.
Haru banged the table and stood up. The people around us got more excited. “Do it, do it!” they teased. I could hear the laughter of the men surrounding us, and feel their breath. It reminded me of the previous night, and I got a little scared.
“Sumo!” Haru shouted.
Still holding the tray of cakes in one hand, he got between Haru and the customers, and raised one leg. It went straight up, practically to the heavens.
He shook the ground with a stomp when he brought it down. Then he did the same with his other leg. When he lowered his body and glared at the customers, he shut them right up.
He didn’t seem like his usual self. He looked really strong. I wondered what sort of martial art that was.Teach me, Sumo.
“Thanks, Sumo... Also, sorry, but do you mind selling us all of those cakes? We’ll pay and clean up after, so please forgive us for what we’re about to do.”
Sumo nodded. Haru took one of the cakes he’d been carrying. Then she held it up.
“Eat this!”
I shut my eyes instinctively, but the splat I heard came from next to me.
The bearded adventurer who had been teasing me had a face full of white.
Everyone was dumbfounded. But Haru was in high spirits.
“How do you like that? Sumo’s cake is pretty good, right? That’s a girl bomb!”
The adventurer licked at the ream grass juice covering his face and said, “It’s surprisingly tasty.”
“Ow!” I got caught with my guard down as the next cake hit me in the face.
Haru was laughing. That pissed me off, so I said, “Sumo, over here too, please!”
“You little—!”
The cake I threw missed completely and exploded on Kiyori’s face. But she didn’t even flinch, so I worried maybe she really was dead. “...Give me a break...no more...fighting...”
Oh, she’s alive.She couldn’t move, but she could talk.Well, that’s fine.
“Maybe you should pa
y attention!”
A cake came flying at me, but this time I was able to dodge. The guy behind me got covered in it.
I threw a cake. Unfortunately, that one also hit an unrelated man. But what did I care? I was mad. I would cover everyone who approached with frosting! Haru and I continued lobbing cakes at each other.
“I don’t smile all the time either. I get pissed off and want to bad-mouth people sometimes too. I’m just like you, Haru!”
“I know that!You’rethe one who doesn’t speak up. You’re always making me vent for you! Well, I want to anyhow, but...”
“I want to vent, too! I do. But if I did that—”
“Vent, then! You’re still Lupe even if you talk shit or complain. And I want to hear it! I’m genuinely interested in what kind of biting comments you’d make. So tell me!”
“But there are lots of other things I want to talk about. I want to talk about fun stuff with you. I want to laugh. That gives me more energy, and I love it!”
“Lupe, that’s exactly it. Your goody-two-shoes-ness is showing. You’re acting like someone’s mom. Be more open! Show me the dark parts of you, even just a little at a time!”
“Then here’s something: Madam is crazy. If she’s going to leave the shop for multiple days, she needs to tell me way further ahead than the day before! The shop and my heart need to prepare!”
“Good—just like that! That’s what I wanted to hear. But wait, Madam isn’t around?! Lupe, that must make things super hard for you!”
“Itdoes! I bawled my eyes out in the shop—my eyes: out. The guildmaster’s lazybones son even sympathized with me! It was the worst!”
“Yikes. He seems like the type to get high on himself encouraging you.”
“And then there’s Kizuha!”
“Figures! Everyone’s favorite gal pal. Did she do something to you, too?!”
“It’s just, everything about her is so scary and obscene. She’s always putting on this weird air. I’ve felt physically threatened by her any number of times.”
“Seriously? I’ll never forgive her. She can’t do that to my Lupe!”
“But she has me beaten on so many levels. I can’t win. She’s really just amazing...”
“Yeah, well...c’mere, Lupe. I’ll there-there you.”
At some point the cakes had sold out (We’ll pay and clean, Mr. Sumo!) and I was in Haru’s arms. When she hugged me, the cake got smooshed all over us. I started crying again. But these tears were different; they felt really good.
I put my arms around her and said, “Don’t ever leave.”
“I won’t. I’ll stay right here.”
I snapped back that that had to be a lie. I just knew she would go off to some weird place and leave me alone again—because this girl is a ball of curiosity and the power to act on it. She makes friends so easily.She doesn’t need me.
“I won’t go anywhere. My house and my world is here. I’m going to be one of you.”
I wailed and hugged her. I tensed my arms to lock her to my chest.
Stay with me, best friend.
So I did all that embarrassing stuff, but I don’t regret it. That’s me. All I did was show a bit of my darkness. There’s still way more.
After that, I told Haru the no-fun story of how I got into this work.
When I finished, Haru laughed and said, “So could it be that you...take after your mom?!”
“Oh, you’re right, huh?” I laughed, too.
Every day was so busy. I put my all into my work and got a little bolder.
The other day I fought with Kizuha and wore her down to the point where she had to finally listen to what I wanted to say. The edges are starting to come off of her personality. I don’t know whose influence that is. I made it a rule not to ask.
But after that incident, Madam started being a bit more considerate of me. They’re a strange mother-child pair.
I’ve started speaking up with my opinion more often, since I have one and all. I want to make changes around the shop, especially with regards to how the girls are treated.
I told Madam I want to hire some of the regulars, if the terms work for them, to stand on guard in the pub and upstairs. Just having them around would make the girls feel safer while they work.
I started having all sorts of discussions with the guildmaster’s son. When I told him I wanted the girls to have private rooms separate from their working rooms, he said he would find me a building nearby. Once I actually tried befriending him, he was a surprisingly nice guy. Although he did give me a weird look and ask why I’m trying so hard.
There are just so many things I need to protect. Haru caused a whole other huge fuss. I need more people I can rely on. I’m busy every day.
I was meeting Chiba for lunch. Haru said, “No way!” so I walked over to Sumo’s on my own.
“Oh, Cake Lady. This week’s new one is tasty as usual. Here, try it!”
“Thanks.”
The bearded adventurer who hurt his leg kept coming to the cafe even after he healed up—because, he said, he wanted to eat cake. But I think he’s gone overboard.
There were a few other guys nibbling cakes. And some girls. While I was looking for a seat, all kinds of people called out to me. “Oh, Cake Lady.”
That was pretty mortifying, to be honest, but I couldn’t say it was too hard to come eat alone anymore. These were our seats. The cake ladies’ spot.
While I waited for Chiba, I picked at my dessert a bit and continued my knitting.
I’m glad I found the perfect yarn. It’s a sunny orange. It reminded me of Shequraso’s pretty hair.So I know it’ll be cute. I’m sure it’ll look great.
Trusting in that, I worked my knitting needles industriously. I was still learning, but I wanted to be able to make all sorts of things. Like my mom.
“Sorry I kept you waiting! Once again Crimson has completed his training in the forest. It’s weird, though. Lately there aren’t any demons. The army even came to survey the place and chased us away. I know what it is. The demon lord must finally be afraid of me. Well, Endless Crimson Rain is a pretty—huh? Did you already eat?” Chiba suddenly asked in the middle of his ramble as he took the seat across from me, his eye on the cake.
I replied that another customer had just given it to me.
He made a grumpy face for some reason. “You let guys besides me treat you...?”
Ever since I cried when I was a bit down the other day, Chiba has sometimes said controlling stuff like his, as if he has claimed me as his lover or something.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“Uh, no, not at all!”
But I don’t really worry about it because the moment I give him the slightest glare, he looks like a little boy again.
And my only issue is with that attitude. It’s not as if I dislike Chiba, and I don’t actually mind if he assumes we’re together.
Not that I have time to hang around with someone with so much free time; I’ve got things to do. So that’s where I’m at with it.
“But lunch is on me!”
“Thanks. You’re always so nice.”
His heart’s always on his sleeve; it cracks me up. Chiba makes me laugh.
Boys like that are precious. I’m grateful—truly.
“It’s fine. I mean...”
I was still knitting when he looked at me all bashful for some reason.
“You’re knitting some kind of flashy something for me, after all...”
“This? This isn’t for you. It’s a hat I’m going to give to Haru.”
“Huh? To Haru? Hold on, though, isn’t that kind of small for a hat? Did she grow a horn or something?”
He answered so blankly that I was shocked.Are you kidding me?Haru hadn’t told him yet.They’re friends, though! How cold!
“It’s for the baby. Haru’s having a baby. Everyone’s freaking out about it.”
“Hmm.” Chiba relished the scent of the tea Sumo served us before taking a sip, turning to th
e guy next to us, and spitting it everywhere.
“Whaaaaaaaaat?!”
Then he screamed at the top of his lungs, fell over backwards, clonked his head, and stopped moving.
As Mr. Sumo was hesitating over what resembled the murder scene from that one time, I ordered meat for two. I needed to build some muscle.
I’m sure Haru’s kid will be a naughty little thing. I’ll be even busier.
I Wanted To Save You Like A Hero, Cont.
Wait—holy... Is this marijuana?
Hot sun shone down on the forest.
Like the book I bought at Comiket with a sweltering hot babe on the cover, this summer seemed like it was going to be wonderful. But my gaze and ambitions were riveted on the criminal plant before my eyes.
Moisture, the smell of grass, and bugsong. No other people around. I surveyed the area carefully before reaching out for the forbidden flora.
No doubt about it. This was the real thing.
Time to strike it rich. No, this was my chance to rule the world.Does this other world have drug culture? If not, then I’m the kingpin starting today.A young gangster moving up in the world through the power of dope.
I used my subweapon, a short sword, to harvest as much as I could. A crazy smile crept over my face, and my heart pounded out a crazy beat.
Corruption, pleasure—a life of high leisure—set on my mark, I’m about to join the dark. The summer of my boyhood is over today—get a taste for violent crime and live authentically. That’s right—a cool new me. Starting right now the rest of y’all are zeros. Why’s that you say? Cuz baby, I’m the hero. Your dawg Endless Crimson Rain’s about to go viral. Smoke the weed he grows and you’ll be seeing spirals. Buddha on the Ganges cracking up on grass. Getcher rope ’n roach—you’ll be flat on your ass. Welcome to the other-world underground. Here Chiba’s God, so ya better bow down.
Endless Crimson Rain’s about to go viral (chorus fade out).
“Oh, boldgrass. I can wash as many pairs of panties as I want! Thanks.”