Bonds - Part 6

After leaving the mall, it took us about ten minutes to get to the address. It might sound like things were a bit awkward between us if I put it this way, but Nicholas and I exchanged not a single word during the entire walk there. I think the silence was the result of the silent agreement that the two of us had come to after our conversation in the arcade. That even if we don't get along, we'd have to at least tolerate one another so long as we share our mutual friend.

That friend being Chase.

Also, there's one other thing.

Nicholas' face has been pale ever since he entered the address into his map. I'd bothered him for an answer, but he kept saying that I'd understand when we got there. It's a damn shame that I'm still pretending to be phone-less today or I'd enter it as well. I eventually gave up on finding out with a sigh and allowed him to lead me towards our destination.

"Here it is…"

He stops in his tracks.

Wait.

Wait a minute.

Wait wait wait wait wait just a minute.

This is…

"Smooters?!"

That Smooters?

The fast food and beer place where the girls serve you in low cut tank tops and booty shorts?

Chase is here?!

"Why?!"

"Okay Sig, just what the hell is going on?"

"Ah, Nick-kun. And Scarlet-san. You guys made up, huh?"

We managed to spot Sigmund who was pacing back and forth a bit of distance off from the front entrance. He appears to be just about as confused as we are.

"Let's not talk about that right now. We've got better things to worry about."

Nick gazes up at the building.

"Hmmm... Smooters, huh? Honestly looking at this place, it feels like I'm looking right at the mighty Lavos himself. If this truly is what our dear friend has doing every day, then perhaps he never really was a member of the 'Fated Ones' to begin with. In fact, I wouldn't put it past him to have been planning to lead us astray from day one."

As usual, half the things they're saying are going over my head.

But I'm not as annoyed by it this time. After hearing Nicholas's story, I feel like I can tolerate at least this much. It's just how they enjoy each other's company so there's no reason for me to cringe over it. In fact, it's actually kinda sweet.

I wonder if this is how Chase has felt about them all this time. If so, then perhaps it isn't as bad as it looks from the outside…

In any case, Nicholas is right. This is seriously weird. Why on earth would Chase come her after work?

"Sigmund, are you sure you saw him go in there? Isn't there like, an age limit at Smooters?"

"Of course not. It's not like the waitresses take their shirts off or anything. I've eaten here with my dad more than a few times and the only drawback of being underage is that you can't get any sake. Anyway, getting in shouldn't be a mondai for us. It's just that once we do, a waitress will lead us to a table so we won't be in incognito mode anymore."

"Yeah… Um, what's incognito mode?"

And mondi? Saakay? What are you even saying half the time?

Nicholas adjusts his glasses.

"It means we'll be in plain sight, so any and all disguises are worthless."

"Huuh, is that so?"

I toss the hoodie that I'd taken off halfway into Nicholas's sentence straight at Sigmund's face.

"Hey! Watch how you're handling it! Wait, how'd you take it off already?!"

"So, we just have to walk in and bust him, right? Seems simple enough. Come on, let's go."

Leaving them with those words, I casually stroll toward the restaurant. The two of them seemed to hesitate for a moment before following behind me.

"Hey, um, Scarlet-san."

"Hm? What's up?"

"You're awfully, uh… calm about this."

"Calm? What do you mean?"

Sigmund scratches the back of his neck as if answering isn't something he's quite capable of at the moment.

"The hell are you on about? You should be more shocked that your boyfriend comes here to ogle Smooters girls every day."

"Oi! Don't be so upfront about it!"

"Tch. As much as I hate to admit it, just this once, the guy might be in the wrong here."

I sigh.

"Yeah, I guess so. But we don't really know why he's here right? So there's no point in being worried."

"Sugoi, you're a real adult, huh? Sorry for asking about it then. Let's head inside then."

"Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker."

"So you really do think you're John McClane, huh?"

I sigh as the three of us head towards the building before us.

They're probably right. I can't deny that I should be more shocked about this.

If I truly felt nothing about the fact that Chase was leaving school early every day to eat at Smooters of all places then I'd have to be pretty weird, right? But that point of view only works if we really have been dating all this time. Since it's all a lie, it would be weirder if I did feel anything at all about this.

But the truth is, I do.

I do feel something.

Ever since Jen spoke to me about him after school, something's been happening inside of me whenever I think about Chase.

I just hope that I have the strength to face whatever it is we find on the inside.

"Hiii! Welcome to Smooters, can I get you a table for three?"

Once inside, a hostess wearing the typical Smooters uniform greets us at the door. It wasn't exactly the most welcoming greeting I've ever had, but it was… Wait.

"H-h-hey! W-w-w-we would l-like a t-t-t-table…"

"O-oppai… Sugoi oppai desu ne…"

Okay, have neither of you actually seen a real adult woman before?

I sigh.

"Sure Michelle, a table for three would be nice."

As the only one who isn't brainwashed by the two blobs of fat that were shoved into our faces at the door, I decide to properly respond with a smile after reading the name on the tag stuck to her top.

She giggles as if the two drooling idiots were something amusing to her and then turns back to me.

"Okay, sure. Follow me please!"

The moment she turns around, their gaze drops from her breasts to the back of her shorts that clearly outline the shape of her butt.

"God DAMN!"

Before I knew it, my fist was already slammed into Nicholas's skull.

"Ow… Fucking violent bitch."

"Seriously…? You're both disgusting,"

"Heh. Who knew you were such an amateur when it came to Smooters, Nick-kun? How can you even call yourself our leader when your self-control goes out the window just because you see a little skin?"

"Tch, whatever man. I'm gonna tell your precious Momo-chan that you get off on staring at Smooters girls' tits."

"Dude, don't even joke about that!"

I do my best to ignore them as I reluctantly follow the hostess back into the restaurant.

As far as I can tell, most of the other diners here are men in their forties and fifties. Seems like this place is really good at making men of that age range feel young again, huh?

Well, whatever.

Older men aren't a problem for me since they tend to avoid talking to girls my age. The only guys who approach me are middle school and high school students, and I can't seem to find anyone who fits that mold at any of the tables.

And unfortunately, that includes Chase.

"This is strange Sigmund, I thought you said he came in here."

I whisper back at the other two, but their attention seems to be focused on the waitresses around us. Their eyes scan the area for beautiful women as if they're deciding on a pair of shoes to buy. Ugh, this is the worst place Chase could have gone to. Smooters is like heaven for guys in our year, of course these two going to be idiots the entire time.

Though, I can't say I blame them. Just imagining a Smooters of shirtless men with 6 packs makes me…

Haaa…~

"Dude Sig, check it out. She's drooling too."

"Seriously? Scarlet-san are you bi?"

"Well, it'd make sense if you think about who she's dating…"

"S-shut up! Mind your own business!"

I wipe the drool from my mouth.

Why are these two so good at pissing me off today?

The hostess turns back to us after that little exchange with a look of worry on her face. I thought she was going to warn us about yelling, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"Um… I'm so sorry guys! It turns out that there aren't any tables available right now. If you'd like, you could wait outside for a little longer until another one opens up. Is that okay?

"Seriously!? Dammit dude, we've come so far! Will I really have to wait even longer get served by the oppai?"

"Man Sig, lower your voice dude… I mean I get it, but…"

The two of them devolve into another argument as I scan the entire restaurant, but there's no real sign of Chase anywhere.

I can't help but feel like Sigmund lied to us just so that we could eat with him at Smooters. And now that there isn't even a table to sit at, I think it's time we call it quits and head home.

But just as I came to that conclusion, a strange voice calls out from behind us.

"Woah woah woah, Michelle! Are those high school students? The hell're you bringing them in for?"

The words came from a dark-skinned woman sitting at one of the tables. She appears to be dressed from head to toe in expensive streetwear brands. She's definitely pretty stylish if you ask me. Her long, flowing curls stream down from her cap and stretch all the way down to her back. I'm surprised that someone so young and so well-dressed would eat at a place like this. Is she into girls or something?

"Oh my god, I didn't realize that was you Rachael. I nearly had a heart attack, don't tease me like that! There's nothing wrong with bringing high school students in. It's not even that uncommon."

"Right, right. I was just messing with ya, my bad."

She scratches her head with a sigh then turns to face the three of us more closely.

"Huh. There's a girl too. Hey Michelle, mind if they sit with me? There's plenty of room over here, right?"

"Ah well, I guess that depends on them. What do you three say?"

"Yuck, we've got enough thots in our company. Let's leave it at that and find our own- Ow, ow, ow!"

I yank at his ear.

"And just why on earth are you still being such a misogynistic cockroach? And actually, weren't you just drooling over the hostess a few seconds ago?"

"That's different, dude. She's offering up a service by dressing like that. There's no foul play or deceit involved, is there?"

Yeah? Like hell there is. You're probably gonna tip her your entire allowance.

"Hey, I work here too, you know. My shift actually starts in half an hour so I happen to have some time to kill."

"H-hmmm… Th-that's, um…"

Yep, you're definitely a pervert. God, I feel like I just lost whatever small amount of respect I had left for Nicholas in the past five minutes. At least Sigmund seems a bit more mature than…

"Hey, Rae-chan, do you like anime? Ehehe."

"Why are you already sitting next to her?!"

"Sig you damn traitor! I'll have you excused from the 'Fated Ones' for this!"

"Oh be quiet dude. You know I'd never cheat on Momo-chan. I'm just getting to know this fine ojou and her potentially exquisite taste in anime."

"Quit putting Momo's name in your ridiculous jokes!"

"Yeah, she's just a thot like everyone else!"

"What'd you say, cockroach?!"

As our conversation takes a turn for the worse, the hostess giggles and puts herself between us so that we don't break into a fight.

"Okay okay, I'll leave you kids at this table then. Rachael, can you help them out with the menus? We're kind of packed today so it would help out a lot."

"Haaa… I'm a customer right now, you know. Oh whatever, it's not that hard anyway."

"Thanks hun. You're the best. Okay, once you three have decided on something, please don't hesitate to call on one of the waitresses, kay?"

She leaves us with those words and turns back the way she came.

"Gosh what a pain… Wait, you too?!"

Nicholas is already sitting on the opposite side of the table as he curiously inspects the woman sitting across from him with his usual intense stare.

"Haa, oh whatever."

I give in and end up sitting next to him.

Really, both of them completely lost track of our objective the moment they laid their eyes on the hostess' body. Maybe Nicholas really was onto something when he said that men are weak to their hormones.

"So, what're you four doing getting food at Smooters of all places? Not the ideal dating spot if you ask me."

"W-w-we're not on a date! I'm not even friends with these nerds! Don't lump me together with them!"

Besides, four? There's obviously only three of us here.

"Man, that's my line. Why on earth would I willingly let myself get seduced by this thot? She's ten years too young to capture the heart of a gentleman like me."

"Ohhh? Gentleman, huh? A misogynistic cockroach like you?"

"Heh, you misunderstand m'lady. T'is not misogyny, but the fact that I am already a fully-fledged member of the thot patrol. No simple-minded bitch will stand in the way of my mission to create a better world. I'm merely tell it as it is."

"Why the hell are you using swearing in front of strangers?! Are you an idiot?! Listen, I am like, so sorry for his behavior. He was dropped as a child so he honestly doesn't know any better."

"Oh be quiet. Like you know anything about common courtesy either. Why don't you take a page from Sig's book? He's being polite and letting everyone else introduce themselves first. Right? Sig? Hello?"

I hadn't paid much attention to Sigmund until just now, but he's got a really creepy grin stretched across his face. Is he even okay?

"Uh, Sig? That's your queue to respond."

"Dude…"

"Yeah? What's up bro?"

"I'm really hard right now."

"That's not fair man! Switch seats with me!"

"Ugh! Why are you both so damn disgusting?!"

"Ahahahahahaha!"

Rachael suddenly bursts into laughter.

The ridiculousness of the conversation must be amusing to her.

The three of us can only silence ourselves as she seems to take in everything that's happening around her as good fun.

"God, you kids are the best! Haaa, I haven't laughed that much in a while. Scarlet, Sig and Nicholas, huh? Yeah. I like you three. You're definitely interesting."

Huh? Seriously?

"What are you talking about? These two are objectifying the hell out of you right now. How and why is that okay to you?"

"Hun, I work at Smooters. It's part of the job description. I don't condone it by any means but as long as there's no touching then I don't have any problem with it."

"Duh, Scarlet. If she's gonna work as a lowly Smooters employee of all things then she has to know her damn place."

"Uhuh, uhuh. And what exactly is wrong with working at Smooters, kid?"

She grins at him, but it feels a bit more intimidating than she's letting on, almost as if she took offense to what he said. Even Nicholas looks like he's been caught off guard by her grin.

"W-well… I mean this whole joint is just about shoving your tits in old dudes faces right? What kind of cheap service is that? You're basically an eye prostitute for middle-aged men."

I shake my head in disappointment.

"What? I'm right, aren't I?"

"Hmmm."

She folds her legs then stares down at the table.

"Well, you aren't wrong about it, but again, what's wrong with it? Apologies if I'm shattering your innocent world view but sex is what sells, hun. Society today is all about marketing sex to people as a means of making a quick buck. Get people addicted to it through mediums such as movies and pornography then have them spend money on anything and everything related to sex. Video games, comic books, all your nerdy hobbies are guilty of the same thing: marketing sex to people for a quick buck. Hell, our obsession with sex is so bad that our society has developed to the point where it's obsessed with shaming people for being virgins, as if abstinence was a sign of failing as a person. Back in the day, it was considered a good thing to save yourself until marriage. I'm not saying that many people back then actually did it, but at the very least it was a sign of a strong mind and something worth praising. But that's all in the past. Today, we're living in a society obsessed with sex, so unless you go along with it, you're just a modern day loser. So calling me something like an "eye prostitute" just because I'm falling in line with said society isn't much of an insult."

"I mean… Even if you say that, your entire value as a person weighs entirely on how hot you are by working here. If you like, feed into that, you'll never be anything more than a hot girl, and even that has a time limit."

Wow, that was shaky. I've never seen Nicholas act that timid before.

"Sorry kid, but this is just a part-time job for most of the people working here. Personally, I major in health science right now. I'm mainly juggling this job with school so that I can afford to pay off my student loans while keeping up with rent. And even if that weren't the case, there's nothing wrong with working here full-time. If it's just showing a bit of skin then there's really no harm, is there? I'm not exactly a feminist so I have no problem with taking advantage of men who would pay just to see a bit of that. But even if you are a feminist, the tips at Smooters are better than most other waiting joints I've worked at so this job is a nice way of flipping the wage gap off. You can earn a healthy living as a college student or as a good-looking woman straight out of high school without having to physically sell your body to men like it's the 19th century. You might see it as devaluing women, but this job is a good thing for us in today's world. Wouldn't trade it to work part time anywhere else really. But enough about that, have you three checked out the menus yet?"

"… No, not yet."

Geez, he looks utterly defeated. I can't say I was expecting that. Going by what I've seen of him before, I wouldn't be surprised if he argued til the bitter end, even if he felt like he was in the wrong. I guess adults have a different effect on him, huh.

The two of them scan their menus for anything appetizing to eat.

Sigmund in particular has been unusually quiet since he sat down. I'd thought it was a joke at first, but I wonder if sitting next to such a beauty really is making him feel uneasy.

It really feels like Rachael has complete control over the atmosphere, to the point where even these two loud-mouthed idiots can't find it in them to say a word.

While it's different compared to Jen, she's probably just as good at dictating the flow of a conversation. No, she might be even better. And that's because she also has the added benefit of being well-spoken like Momo. The combination of charisma and eloquence means that she's capable of giving off a more intimidating air than either of them ever could.

But, that doesn't mean much of anything to me.

Because no girl could ever be as scary as any guy I've met before.

I clear my throat in order to disperse her air of control and begin speaking.

"Hey. Are we the only high school kids to come in here today?"

When the hostess brought us in, Rachael seemed surprised to see high school students here. Doesn't that mean that Chase hasn't come through here after all?

"Hmm, why do you ask?"

"We're looking for our friend. We think he might've come in here so…"

"Pfft, so you followed him? Are you guys stalking him or something? You crushing on him, Scarlet?"

"T-that's none of your business!"

"Ahaha, you're right. I'm sorry."

I sigh.

I guess this means that Chase didn't come in here after all. What, so everything we did today was for nothing after all.

I turn back to find her eyes drifting away from my face and lower themselves down my body. I feel kind of uncomfortable about it.

"Hey, is that Prada?"

"H-huh? Oh."

She was just checking my handbag out.

"Yeah, it is! I love it! It goes so well with this outfit, and-"

"I'll buy it from you. What was the store price?"

She reaches for her purse and begins unzipping it right before my eyes.

"N-no, um. It's not really for sale you know."

"Oh, that so?"

She zips it back up and packs it away.

Seriously, is she some kind of compulsive buyer? I thought she said she worked here just to get by. Well, I guess it explains all the brand clothes she's wearing at least.

"Still though, Prada bags are actually pretty expensive, kid. Did your parents buy it for you?"

"Yep. Well, my mom did. I'm an only child so she tends to spoil me like this sometimes…"

"Hmmm."

She stares silently at me as if to take in my appearance.

"I have to say, you're pretty stylish and cute. I kinda don't get it. Why are you hanging out with these two? You've obviously got nothing in common with them."

"Well, you said it not me."

I wait for Nicholas to shoot back with his usual hateful remarks, but he seems to still be a bit scarred from Rachael's words from earlier.

"Um… We're just searching for a mutual friend, that's all."

"Ohh, you weren't joking about that, huh? You know, I might actually know who you're talking about."

"Wait, really?"

Not only do I react to her words, but Sigmund and even the defeated Nicholas turn to face her.

"Why didn't you say so, then?!"

"What? You won't tell me why you wanted to see him so why should I? For all I know, you're intelligence agents out to prevent him from becoming the next student body president."

She smiles and wiggles her fingers at me playfully.

For some reason, that finally gets Nicholas to perk his head up like he usually does.

"Hmph, intelligence agents? Don't be ridiculous. I'll have you know that he is not only a close friend of Sigmund and mine, but he's also a valuable asset to our group. As the heart of our group, he serves as one of the most important members of the 'Fated Ones'!"

"And what exactly is the 'Fated Ones', then?"

"Heh, like I'd tell just anyone about that. I have a sacred oath to keep, you know."

"Hmmm~"

She turns her head to face me.

"And what about you, hun? What's our mutual friend to you?"

"He's…"

I try to mouth the answer.

The words I'd practiced saying for so long.

But… nothing's coming out.

What the hell? I've told a few people that he's my boyfriend already, so why are the words not coming out now of all times?

"Yes, go on. He's what?"

"He's…"

Go on, say it.

Just say it.

Let it out, Scarlet.

Tell her.

Tell her the truth.

"He's…"

But.

Before I realized it, I had already mouthed something completely different to what I originally planned on saying.

A different set of words that, from an outsider's perspective, would appear to mean the exact same thing.

But to me, those words meant something else completely. And it would probably be those that words would eventually sound the beginning of the end.

"He's…"