26 Bonds - Part 6 (1/2)

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!”