Date X Death

Akihabara was buzzing with activity, like every night. Tatsuo followed the map on his phone and reached the meeting place, a water fountain. He froze when his eyes found her. The girl was wearing a mask, but it was definitely Cutyfox.

She was wearing a cute black outfit, which contrasted vividly with her red platform shoes and her pink hair styled into a side ponytail. The forty-year-old virgin had a hard time trying not to ogle either her chest, which was pushing against the strapless cloth, or her creamy thighs, which were barely covered by the mini ruffled dress.

He took a deep, calming breath and walked forward. "C-cuty-Chan?"

He saw her look up from her phone, and he marveled at her eyes, which were shining like stars. "Tatsuo-kun?"

He bowed. "It's an honor to finally meet you, C-cuty-Chan. D-Did you wait long? Sorry for the wait."

The girl hastily bowed herself. "Nonono Tatsuo-kun, I'm the one honored to meet you! And don't be sorry, I actually came earlier than our appointed time."

They straightened up, and he did well by holding her scrutinizing gaze, but the little accomplishment didn't last long when she closed the distance between them and nearly pushed her face into his. He could feel the hot, sweet air coming out of her petite nose.

"Ta~Tsuo~kun! How do you feel to finally meet me Irl? You like it, right!? You are excited, right!? You couldn't stay put, riiight!!? Or maybe it's just another date?"

"N-no! I feel like I am d-dreaming."

"Oh! You are so smooth~" she took a step back and smiled at his reddening expression. "I just know this would be a wonderful date. Look! You even wore black! You know what it means? Matching outfits!"

The lively girl reached into her red heart shaped handbag and pulled out a red bow tie before approaching again and tenderly putting it around his collar. Tatsuo would have relished the view of her bulging breasts if not for the glares he received from four men. They were dressed in black suits and looked like they would break him in two any second.

Cuty noticed his unease. "Don't worry about them. They are my bodyguards. You know, sometimes fans are too... passionate. Just ignore them. They will make sure no one bothers us, and the girls will help with the shooting."

"O-ok."

"Well, are you ready, Tatsuo-kun? It's time for you to meet the Chat!" He melted when she grabbed his hand and let himself be dragged to one of Cuty's staff, a woman with a camera in hand.

"Hello Chat! Look who's finally here. 'LoveSeeker415'! or Tatsuo-kun for intimates. Tatsu-kun~ some greetings?"

He got out of his stupor and bowed. "It's an honor to be here tonight, in front of you all. I'll do my best to keep our Cuty-Chan happy."

"Hihi! See Chat? You all said he would be some fat creep who wouldn't be able to align two words. You were wrong! He is such a love. Now, Tatsu-kun, where will you be taking me tonight?"

He recalled the arrangements they had made before and answered. "Huh, umm, why don't we... walk a bit first and try to get to know each other more? T-then we can relax in an arcade with a cinema later, and lastly, we could go to a barbecue. W-what do you say?"

"It's great! You really thought it through, huh? Let's go already; I can't wait!"

The streets of Akihabara were always full of lights, people, and life. Tatsuo and Cuty walked side by side amidst the wave of individuals, and from time to time there would be stares directed at them, mainly toward the e-girl, who didn't let the surrounding men be indifferent. Some had tried to approach her, only to be harshly blocked by her bodyguards.

Tatsuo could feel the pressure created by the disdain he received here and there but managed to keep himself together with the subtle encouragements of his Idol, the 'accidental' physical contact she made, and her sing song voice.

"So, Tatsuo-kun? what are you doing for a living?" He heard her ask.

"I... work a night shift at a local convenience store."

"Ugh, it must be tough on you— Wait, this date won't put you in the red, right? I don't mind paying for everything you know."

"No! Let me settle the bills. And you don't need to worry, Cuty-Chan. I-I have side activities that bring in some money."

"Heeeh? Tell me everything!"

Tatsuo's chest puffed a little in pride. "I w-write web novels in my free time, and some of the time I draw manga, one-shots, and D-Doujins. I have nearly three thousand follows."

"Wow! Three thousand! That's a lot, right? And each of them is supporting you?"

"Not everyone. Among them are true fans who are actually paying for my work. It is thanks to them that I am able to live adequately despite my minimum wage."

"I totally understand. Without fans like you, Tatsu-kun, and my Chat I wouldn't be able to lead this carefree life. You should give me your artist name, Tatsu-kun, and I'll support you back! I'm sure you are really talented."

"Actually..." He forced himself to carry on. "I have a college degree."

"What!!? Seriously!?"

Tatsuo was glad to have taken the opportunity to flex. A bit. "Yeah... I majored in art and literature." He liked it, the amazement she gave him.

"Awesome!" Cried Cuty. "I'm liking you more and more, Ta~Tsuo~kun!"

The optimistic man found himself with a new addiction.

After visiting a few stands and stores where he bought his date a pink teddy bear, they proceeded with their date and went to the arcade. Brows were furrowed in deep concentration, and hands were harshly pushing red buttons as a heated battle was taking place.

Ryu closed the distance with a hurricane kick, which was blocked by Chun-li's guard. He followed with a low sweep and missed, the Chinese martial artist evading with a low jump.

Cuty smiled at the blunder and quickly slid forward, intent on laying a good dragon punch. However, with an out-of-the-mechanics move, Chun-li, who had yet to touch the ground, pushed a foot in Ryu's way, landing a hit and breaking his momentum.

She froze when she saw her glowing, "No!" and then came the barrage of kicks, every single one of them brutal, savage and adding to the combo counter.

The streamer hoped when she saw a bit of life in her character, but it was short lived when the gorgeous female fighter bend in a straight angle and released her trademark projectile, the Qigong Fist. The match ended.

"FUC—Oops! Sorry~" The Chat was bubbling. "Geez, guys, me too, I have my moments!"

The e-girl tore her gaze away from her smartphone and looked at her opponent. "I give it to you, Tatsuo-kun; you are better than me at this. What was that move you used? She was definitely too close to the ground!"

A shy smile appeared on the man's face. "If you play with Chuni, whenever she makes a low jump, by moving the joystick like you do for a dragon punch, and repeatedly hitting the kick button, she will execute that little move before touching the ground. It's actually a well-known defect of this Arcade model." Tastuo's heart fluttered when he saw her pout.

"Not fair! I didn't know about it. And who is 'Chuni'? Is it the little name you gave her? So cute~"

The pink-haired girl grinned when she heard the nervous laugh. She wasn't finished. "Tatsu-kun, I bet you did the same with all your Waifus. You have Waifus, right? Let me in on the secret. Who are they?"

"Huh..."

"Go on!"

"It... It is..."

"It is?"

"T-they..."

"Gosh! Spill it already!—Hmm?" She abruptly stopped and looked at her phone, which was buzzing. The Chat. "What? Is it true 'Babydoodles'? You shall never ask a man about his Waifus? That's bullshit."

He had dodged a bullet. Tatsuo let out a relieved breath and thanked the Chat in his heart for their support, distracting her from the question.

"Hum... Is there an issue, Cuty-Chan?" He said, seeing the frown that appeared on her face.

"Oh! Nothing Tatsu-kun. Let's get back to the game. I'll definitely win the next match! W-wait! Don't look at your— phone..."

Tatsuo saw the messages defiling his screen and knew what the issue was. The haters were hating, writing their rage in capital letters, and accusing him of lying about his degree.

[Look at that, NEET! WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR DEGREE??? INSIDE A GARBAGE CAN?!] He saw.

[If you're a graduate, I'M ELON FUCKING MUSK!] He read.

[People like you are just disgusting. Do you feel better about yourself? I know things are bad, but you shouldn't delude yourself with a fictional life. Please, wake up to reality.] He could nearly hear the ridicule in this one. and in many more.

He looked up from the device and watched the embarrassment settle between him and the e-girl.

"Tatsuo-kun... Don't concern yourself with them. They're just jealous! Yes, Chat! Stop bullying Tatsu-kun!"

"It's okay, Cuty-Chan! Let them talk, it doesn't bother me." He lied, "And the fact is, I do have a degree. Why am I working a night shift at a convenience store? I—"

He got interrupted by his idol before answering the unvoiced question. "You don't need to prove anything, Tatsuo-kun!" She said, her reproachful tone directed at their e-audience.

Takeda nodded gratefully but carried on. "I don't mind Cuty-Chan. I-I won't sit still while being treated like a cheat! If I end up working nights..." He paused, searching for the right words. "Bad luck, I guess? I'm not blaming others or the world— I'm the only one responsible.— But, things just happened."

"I..." He uttered after another pause. "I graduated from an art school in my early 20s and was fortunate enough to find a job, weeks later inside an animation studio as an illustrator. It's was stressful, but all was well..."

"What happened?" Asked the e-girl, encouragingly.

"Two thousand eight happened. The recession came and took everything, everyone, who wasn't ready. Five years of work experience down the drain. Jobless and confused. I tried... I really tried to get up, but how? When those at the top, those with the money, were struggling,

"Even after the beast left, the industry was still bleeding. Too many artists for too few jobs, unpaid overtimes, skipped paydays, and... Robotization—Digital art. With the rising popularity of technology, I had already recycled myself during my working years; however, the industry desired newly graduated; youngsters with few obligations, few experiences, and ready—eager to be abused. We, the paper generation, didn't stand a chance.

"I was trapped, in a series of underpaid commissions and short, very short-term contracts, and things became harder and harder, and I... I snapped. I know, I should have persisted, I should hav— Oh! Look at me, babbling and babbling. Sorry Cuty-Chan! I'm boring you with all these details!

"Cough, Long story short. The recession came, took my job, got me a little depressed, and I ended up wasting my life away... But! Now things are alright, piecing myself back together and ready to face the world again! A new begin—" The Has-been-artist abruptly broke off again, but this time, the one at fault wasn't him but his idol, who jumped into his chest in a tight hug.

"I know you will make it, Tatsu-kun," he heard her say. "Takeda Tatsuo. It means Dragon Man, one who reaches far." He saw her look at him. "You are like a carp, swimming against the current, swimming against the waterfall, and when the time comes, you will transform. I know you will." He found himself with a boner... and also moist eyes. That too.

The date was approaching its end. The forty-year-old man and the twenty something girl—and all her staff—were going to Beef&Stake, a well-known restaurant in the district, for the planned barbecue.

They were walking down the ever-busy streets of Akihabara, the pink-haired streamer locking herself onto the right arm of the cursed man— cursed by the Chat.

"I can't believe you, Ta~Tsuo~kun!" She said, remembering their time at the cinema. "You are such a crybaby!"

"Huh?" He didn't hear her, lost in the myriad of feelings his arm was experiencing.

"You cried when Naruto kissed Hinata, cried when he confessed to her; and you cried even earlier, as he removed the spider threads from her hair. I could understand the kiss, the confession, but the hair?"

"They were beautiful. The way she shyly looked elsewhere, the care with which he removed them, and the sweet mood—I couldn't help myself. The emotions were powerful."

"Aww~ you are such a romantic, Tatsu-kun. Aren't you?"

"Guess I am, haha."

The couple arrived at the barbecue, which was bustling with people, laughter, and aromas. They found a table, Cuty's staff seating nearby, and ordered what fancied their eyes on the menu. The waitress, a woman of an older age than Cuty and less pretty, left for the kitchen while Tatsuo sat there, wondering if he had hallucinated the smile, she gave him.

"You caught her eye, Tatsu-kun."

"M-Me!? No," he shook his head vehemently. "She was just being polite."

"That smile was more than polite, I tell you. It takes a woman to understand another, and why are you surprised? You are good looking and very classy in that black shirt. You also look like a long-term relationship."

"Thanks?" He said, a little confused about the nature of the last compliment. "But I don't think I'm good looking. Just average and... too old."

"Geez Tatsuo, have confidence. And what? You are still in your 30s. That's not old."

"... Forty..." He uttered.

"Come again?"

"I'm forty this year..."

"That old!?" He too, couldn't believe it. "S-sorry— I mean, you don't look your age; I assumed you were in your early- to mid-thirties, at most."

An embarrassing silence settled once again. The Chat was laughing with vengeance. Cuty tried to restart the conversation but found herself lacking what to say and too tired to put up her persona; the date had left her spent.

"It's okay." She heard and sighed more tiredly.

"Tatsuo, listen. You're a charming man, maybe not the most handsome, but there's so much more to you than your physical features. Your intelligence, shyness, manners, humor, and your street fighter skills are all qualities that make you attractive and unique. Trust me when I say there are thousands out there who will be interested in you and see what a wonderful person you are. And the one who will become that second half will be very lucky to have you in their life."

"Thank you, Cuty-Chan." He bowed in his seat. "I... I... I—"

"You don't need to say anything, Tatsuo-kun! And I was just speaking the truth."

He raised his head with a smile. "Thank you, truly."

The waitress returned, their plates in hand, and the insecure man started to believe he hadn't hallucinated the smile when their eyes locked a little too long, too long to be polite.

"See? She's definitely into you—but the nerve she has! Tatsuo-kun is mine! Right?"

"Y-yeah, haha..."

The pieces of meat made a satisfying sound as they touched the hot grill between them. Cuty added on some sliced legumes and mushrooms before helping herself with a sip of her beer mug. Their table became rich with scents.

"You know, Tatsuo-kun," She said after a contented sigh. "To be honest with you, I didn't expect much of this date. You could have been some weirdo with touchy hands, or worse, one of those retards entitled to something because they chose to support me..." She grimaced. "But, luckily, you have been a gentleman all along."

"Have I?" Uttered Takeda, in his mug.

"Totally!" She took another mouthful of her mug. a big one. "This date was a huge success! Right Guys?"

The Chat, as always, was buzzing. Many were crying their love to the e-girl, submerging her screen with compliments on her reddening cheeks, flushed by the alcohol. Another majority was crying with envy, repeatedly asking when the next date (the next lottery) would take place. While a few admitted to having a good time, fewer were still at Takeda's throat, hating and cursing to no end.

"Yep," uttered the e-girl, looking at the chaotic comments. "A success. Couldn't be any better."

She shouldn't have said that.

The Chat buzzed once again. horrified by the comment of a fellow keyboard warrior.

[It could be better. With a Kiss.]

Takeda sat stunned as he watched the initial conflict explode into a full-scale e-war, pitting the loyalists of Cuty against the Others—more open-minded fans who, in reality, weren't rooting for Tatsuo but wanted to experience this kiss through him. like any other man does when having a good time with Abella Danger.

The loyalists were losing. Enthralled by the idea of having their idol; angel; goddess demystified; to have her brought down to the realm of the common— their realm, so that their fantasies could become less of a dream; they (Diehard fans) too, became more open minded.

Cutyfox, seeing the danger ahead, took the matter in her hands and made the first move. She leaned over the table and laid a peck on her lucky viewer's cheek. "There! Now, the date is perfect! You guys should be satisfied, right? Heeeh? It definitely counts as a kiss! You aren't serious… a French one? Ugh, sorry, but those are reserved for special people! Right Tatsu-kun?"

"Y-yes!"

"If I have a special person? You guys know that I don't. I'm still looking tho. Tatsu-kun? Yeah, we are on a date, but! It's a friend-friend one, an outing. Sigh, you won't let go, huh?" A playful grin spread across her face. "Well~ Maybe I might do it~ if you guys support me, a million… usd of course~"

The joke was on her. Someone did.

[Here, ten million Yen. This is more than enough for a kiss. It's high time for all of you, SIMP!, to get real. Stop giving your hard-earned money to someone who doesn't care a bit about you! She doesn't have a special person? Ha! Of course, she does! And whenever the guy took her like a bitch— Trust me, he did— IT'S YOU HE IS FUCKING!

How maddening. Modern society has brought down countless men, and the witch is using your frustration and helplessness to lead you by the nose. WAKE. UP. Me and the others have been biding our time, and now the time has come! We, the ThotSlayers, had broken the spell, and if it takes a kiss to enlighten our brothers, we will gladly pay the price! Now, OPEN YOUR EYES AND BURN THIS SCENE IN YOUR SOUL!!!]

The e-girl was the first to shake off her stupor, her mind racing. The situation was tricky but not that troubling. Ten million yen was a lot and even her biggest donation to date; however, the donation was nothing compared to what she earned yearly and paled in comparison with the money she got by organizing the date (many viewers subbed to Tier 3). In the end, it wouldn't be worth all the loyalists who would stop supporting her after the kiss.

Still, ten million was a lot. She couldn't accept it without playing the kiss off, and she knew her viewership would take a hit if she were to refuse the money. Not the end of the world, but annoying. In sum, she couldn't kiss Takeda; she wanted the money, and more importantly, ten million yen wasn't a million usd.

Cuty smiled; she could make off with it. "Well, Tatsu-kun, it is your lucky day today." The Chat howled, and Takeda trembled. "We have to give them what they want, right?"

The plan was simple: before their lips could touch, she would interpose her mask, 'kissing' the older man indirectly. They would definitely feel each other through the thin material, but she didn't mind that much. It would be enough to quell all the flames that might arise.

She leaned over the table for a second time, her mask ready in her hand, but how could she, or her date for that matter, have known that amidst the new group of costumers that sat behind them was the barber—the one who gave Tatsuo his cut—and that he wanted to help a bruh?

"I got you, playboy." Was what the frozen Takeda heard before a strong hand pushed him forward.

Their lips met in a sweet kiss and the devil known as male's instinct took hold of the forty years old virgin and slipped in his host's coarse tongue; rolling, wiggling, undulating it against the confused and shocked wet tongue.

The response was direct and came in three installments.

The beer that splashed on his face awakened him from his trance, and the vapor—charged with particles—that rose from the grill assaulted his eyes, blinding him. If not for that, he might have seen the speeding hand that landed with a resounding 'Whack!' on the left cheek. As he sat, head down, full of tears and snot from the slap, vapor, or shame, she gunned him with a Gatling of words born from the foulest of languages no angel should know.

Everything that followed was a blur. One moment he was having a nice yakiniku with his idol, and the next he was walking the empty and desolate streets of his district; his miserable form looked at by stray cats and the sympathetic moon above.

"It was my fault… y-yeah, Cuty-Chan was just defending her virtue—sniff, it was all my fault... I shouldn't have—sniff, I took advantage of an angel… my fault— sniff" He was trying but couldn't stop the tears from sliding down his sad face. The silence around him only added salt to the injury by making him remember those foul words, those hurtful words.

"Retard!"

"Bastard!"

"Who do you think you are!? Degenerate!"

"You think because you wear nice clothes you are someone!!?"

"Disgusting."

"Savage!"

"I know creeps like you, acting all right but rotten inside. You will get off it tonight, right? In that dark and nasty 60 square feet. Retard"

"People at forty have wife and children; you? Waifus. Oh! Let's not forget handy. Get yourself a life."

"What if you have a degree? Thrash. It only proves your incompetence. Stupid."

There were more, a lot more, but he didn't register them after the second mug of beer she poured on him. He was too ashamed of the silence in the room. After leaving the restaurant without paying the dinner— sympathy of the chef—the e-girl's staff brought him in front of the camera, where the two of them clarified the situation and exchanged apologies.

"Man up. Don't go and kill yourself somewhere. It will only worsen the bad buzz you gave me." was the last thing Cutyfox said to him before entering the taxi. That, and a little "freak."

Tatsuo was tired. He wanted to get back to the comfort of his room, the embraces of his waifus, where he could forget himself and the night. However, she was not finished with him.

As he reached a corner, a hand violently flew out, striking him on the right side of his face. He staggered, a metallic taste in his mouth. Before he could find his footing, the same hand flew out again, grabbing his throat, chocking him, and slamming him against the alley's wall.

"Please..." he moaned in pain. "P-Please… I don't want any trouble—sniff. Take, take all my money... Please…"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY!!!" came the voice, harsh and fierce.

"I don't want… trouble…" Tatsuo could hardly breathe with the hand tightening around his windpipe. "My... wallet is... pocket... please... my watch... gol—"

He broke off as his aggressor, a mountain of a man wearing a hoodie, retracted his arm and rammed him harder. His vision whitened. "I said I don't want, YOUR MONEY!" The man bristled and, in his anger, smacked his detainee for a second time.

The metallic taste strengthened in Tatsuo's mouth. He feebly raised his head and met the teary eyes of the man. "I don't know you…" He muttered. "I don't know you! I don't.know.you!! I did nothing to you! Nothing! Nothing to anyone!!!— sniiiff, I don't know you… please stop… this is a mistake…"

"Yes, you don't know," Tatsuo heard the man say. He also heard the shake in his voice. " You don't know how hard it had been, don't know how much I went through, don't know how she saved me, don't know anything and yet… What did you do? What did you do — WHAT DID YOU DO!!?" Tears spilled out of the man's eyes as rage rose in his voice. "YOU DEFILED HER! YOU DIRTIED HER! YOU!!!"

"I… can't… breath…"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! HOW COULD YOU!? HOW COULD YOU!!? DOING THIS TO HER!"

"… breath…"

The madman loosened his hand. His anger lessened by the outburst. "Were you there when she began?" He puffed, "Did you encourage her when she wanted to stop?? Did you assist her when her parents stopped financially supporting her after she dropped out of college? It was me! Me!! I gave her allowance!!! And y-you… You came and... and..."

Tatsuo stayed silent.

"It should have been me," he monologued. "I should have been the one to go on a date with her. After all those years, those six long years... We would have finally met, and I would have given her a better time... I should have been the winner. Should have been with you, my sunshine…"

Tatsuo stayed silent.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked the mountain man, out of his reverie. "You think you are better than me with your degree and fancy clothes? You think I'm pathetic and pitiful, huh?"

Tatsuo stayed silent. His mouth opened in a voiceless scream at the sharp pain in his guts. He looked down and saw his aggressor leisurely retrieve the bloodied knife from his belly before sticking it inside a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth time.

"That's for locking arms with her."

an eleventh time.

"That's for kissing her."

a twelfth time.

The man with the hoodie wiped his knife on his victim's shirt, took his wallet and gold-toned watch, then left. "Justice has been served."

"You…" uttered Takeda, his shaking hand on his punctured paunch. "Y-you... you... you... you... simp."

The leaving man halted. "It doesn't count when it's your girl." He said, before disappearing into another street. He didn't hear the "She… thot…" that came after.

The alley grew colder as it fed on Takeda's blood. As he sat there, groaning in pain against the dirty wall, he tried to call for help, but his weakened voice could only reach so far.He could have called the ambulance, but his aggressor had thrown his smartphone away from him at the other end of the alley.

Takeda Tatsuo sat there, dying.

His eyelids grew heavy, and as they closed, he thought of his Waifus, wishing to hear, for a last time, their voices synthesized from their respective voice actors with the help of a web tool: Hear_Your_Waifu.ai.

He so much wanted them to lull him as he entered a long, long sleep.