VI. A Group of Not-so-protagonists and a Jobless Woman

Modern Earth 20xx – 8 (not fictitious anymore)

“What time will father arrive?”

“Around past nine or something.”

Her parents were still at the age that’s too early to retire. Her mother had to be a full-time housewife but the father still continued to run their business even at an old age. It had been modern times. Huge infrastructures and tallest buildings had been constructed due time.

Malls were no exception. After these malls and huge joint businesses had been established, most of the well-named stores from food to clothing to hardware gathered there and secured their own spots inside. It was to secure sales and circulate competition. A lot of the city’s population visits the mall each day so securing a spot inside it should also secure sales.

Despite being a well-known and have lots of customers, the father decided to still keep their business separated from business joints. They still continued to run their business on a small building downtown. It lessened the competition they had within that area but at the same time, it also lessened their customers that came through time.

The father paid no heed. It was not like the decrease in their income from their business would impact greatly with their needs. Besides, the woman was not married. All the salary she’s getting from her previous work either she puts at their joint account with her parents, or she puts at her separate account for emergency purposes. They never really had financial crisis to begin with. Her father continuing to run the clothing store went just as an old man’s hobby.

“Can you pass me the pudding at the fridge?”

The woman was watching TV. She had been sitting there for long already. After taking a bath and eating, she felt so refreshed that she wanted to just laze herself around all night until she feel sleepy. Her mother was washing the dishes so she was not sure if she heard her or not.

“Well. I think I will wait until someone gives it to me.”

She was already procrastinating.

After a few more minutes of watching her mother finally approached her, carrying a cup of pudding which she requested a while earlier. The mother then sat beside her and got the remote. She then changed the channel to that of the news.

“Wha!— But I was watching that drama each night! You can’t just do that. We can watch the news later.”

“Oho, little girl you really forgotten who’s in charge here.”

“Bu—Wha—Eeeeh?!”

The woman was worried. Each second spent at the other channel would be another second of the scene she won’t be able to watch. She just looked at her mother, nearly teary-eyed, hoping she would change her mind and have the channel back to that prime-time soap drama.

“Fine fine. But only at that series. After that we’ll switch back to the news.” –and she won.

She got the remote back and immediately switched back to the channel that was airing her favorite soap. But the scene was almost over.

“aaaaAAAAAAAAHH!! NOOO!! I missed the kissing scene!! NOOOOO!!”

“What are you making tantrums for? You still a high schooler who’s into romance? I could record it for you to watch later on.”

“AAAAHG!!”

Sulking as she now was, she just continued to watch the remaining of the show while eating her pudding.

“You know, you’re still really a spoiled brat.”

“Hmp! And just who do you think looks over the spoiling?”

“Tell that to your father.”

Despite having an argument, the mood was pleasant. It was a happy mother-and-daughter time for the both of them which they had not experienced for a long time. While still a kid, the woman was a playful and as free as she wanted to. She had been spoiled to a certain extent but not too much.

“You know, your middle school friends have been trying to reach you since you got back here. They still were even after you went on to your uncle. Why don’t you keep in touch with them and hang out at times?”

The woman made a pause.

It was a sudden topic that her mother opened up. Missing out the scene she’s been waiting the most killed her mood to continue watching the episode. It did not bothered her that her mother opened up such one. Perhaps she could answer thoroughly if she decided to fully drop the episode she’s watching.

She chose the latter.

“Well let’s see. It’s not like I’m hiding from them or anything. Guess I’ll give it a shot.”

“Yea, I really think you should. I’ll leave you their contact details at your room later.”

Their talk was suddenly interrupted by her father which just arrived from a hard day of work.

“I’m home!”

“Welcome back father. Good work for today.”

“I’ve heard from your mother a while ago over the phone. It was really a rash decision.”

After putting down his coat and bag the sofa besides the one the two were sitting at, he found himself a comfortable spot at the couch too.

The family continued to talk their remaining time before they went to sleep that night.

---

TRIM…

TRIM TRIM…

TRIM…

“Gosh your hair is too long. It looks like you haven’t had the time to at least visit the parlor each month.”

Her mother was quite knowledgeable to parlor stuff so she’s asked her to fix her hair for her.

“Instead of paying so much at the parlor for minor changes, at least I could save a day of expenses if I just ask you.”

The mother was too focused. She just didn’t want to make any mistakes that would make her daughter look funny due to a failed hairstyle so she avoided talking too much.

TRIM.

“Phew, there finished!”

Her mother wiped the sweat on her forehead and handed the hand mirror to her.

“Hmp. This is fine. I expected nothing less.”

“Well at least you could ask me a few days before your day out with your middle school friends. But asking a few hours before. You got me nervous here.”

It had been just a week since she came back after resigning at her previous work. She’s actually a jobless freeloader at their house right now. But she still didn’t want to be a heavy load for her parents so she was trying to minimize her daily allotted expenses as much.

Right after she arrived a week ago, her mother have talked to her regarding a meetup with her old friends. She considered it as hanging out or a reunion after a few decades of not getting in touch. She had no reason to refuse at all since she don’t have current work at the moment.

Also she wanted to let off relieve some stress.

She looked at the mirror. Her black hair was trimmed nearly short, with a few centimeters below her shoulder. Her silky black wavy hair that resembled her mother’s were trimmed just the way she asked for.

She had less time to be conscious about the way she looks while she was at her previous work. It was only at this time that she noticed her hair was too long already so she had decided to had it trimmed.

It’s always better to look at your best if you’re on your way to meet people from your distant past. At least for good impression purposes.

“Hmmm… Perfect.”

“Well it was me who did it.”

Her mother gave an oldies bragging.

“I know, I know. Well I guess I could go now.”

“Here’s your purse. I’ve put everything you might need in there.”

Her mother handed her a small red purse with a thin red strap which she could use to hang it at her shoulders. It was too small to be considered as a hand bag and it looked like it could only fit a wallet, a handkerchief and a lipstick, but the way her mother talked made it sound like there was an invisible black hole there which she stored their whole house with.

“Well I won’t be surprised whatever I would find here, so I’ll trust you with your words.”

It was a sunny Sunday. She had nothing to do at home. Most of the household chores had been completed too.

She had all the free time in the world at that moment.

“Where are you going?”

Her father who was unaware of almost everything while slouching himself at the huge couch at the living room asked her where she’s off to.

“I’m off to meet a few friends from middle school, right?”

“Oh that was today?”

“Yes. I won’t be home until late night.”

“Do you bring ‘it’?”

“No. I don’t carry one and I don’t intend to. I still have no plans yet.”

They talked about something not even their mother could not immediately catch on. It should be something within the realms of the deep and dark stages of being an adult.

“Okay then, if you say so. Just don’t get drunk so much.”

“It will take a lot for that to happen, so I doubt it would.”

“Just take care you silly girl.”

The woman did not further argued. She’s not really the type who always like to win arguments over with her parents even if she knew she was at the right. There should be nothing wrong with a parent being cautious of their daughter’s safety so she just let them speak out their reminders as much as they want.

After listening to a few more, she finally set foot out and left the house for a day off.

---

Her middle school days were not really that exciting but not that boring too. It was just right too normal to be considered as one like a protagonist of a shoujo manga or a slice of life series. If one could imaging a whole classroom with a few characters whose hairs were so different from normal that you could already play ‘spot the plot-related character’ game then she’s probably not in one of those characters.

Her and her group of friends would probably a noticeable group of middle schoolers gathering at the background where there would be a scene shot from the main characters. They could be branded either of the following: as the geek club, as the nice and supporting character club, the class representative and his lackeys, an out of the world nice guy and his harem.

They could be either of those stated.

They were five, including her, a middle-aged looking man (quite young but stressed), and three other girls.

After meeting up at the station, they went to lots of places the whole afternoon. It was a typical gathering of not-so-kids anymore group of people which were trying their best to once again live out their youth.

They went to the batting center

They went to the bowling center

They went to the karaoke

If they still had the time they would also go to the amusement park. But it was already late afternoon towards evening. So just to do something appropriate for their ages, they stopped by at a coffee shop of the mall at the center of the city.

There were five of them, they had been calling themselves nicknames over each other, just like the way they did back from their middle school days. The only boy’s nicknamed Riku. The other three girls went on by Gretty, Eriri and Kotocchi. They have started calling the woman Big Sis since meeting up. They should be shocked at how much she have ground from a span of a decade and a half.

“So how was your previous work?”

“Uhm… Well… It was fine, I think. It was not just fit with me anymore that’s why I’ve decided to leave.”

“Aaaaw such a waste. Well it’s not like I wanted to be at that line of work too. I think I wouldn’t have the courage even if I wanted to.”

“But we’re really shocked about how mature-looking you’ve been. You we’re waaaay very different from how you looked back at middle school. You went and looked like a fine woman at the age of mid-twentyfive. What do you even do to keep those looks? It seems like you’re not aging.”

“Tell us Big Sis.”

They have been talking only to her and was pushing her to tell them stories of her past since she graduated and parted from them. To her they were like little siblings that were waiting for their sister’s stories of her school adventures and puppy love talks.

“Ugh. You’re really having your sweet time teasing me, huh? Then what about you guys? What have you been doing this past years?”

The other four went silent.

Somebody needed to tell her a story of her past so she would not think that they were only pressuring her just to tell hers and kill time. Each of them should be embarrassed to tell about their past too. In any case there had to be a sacrificial lamb, just to keep the topic going on.

“I have been working at the showbiz industry recently.”

The first to speak up was the girl in the nickname of Eriri. She sounded quite confident about it. Being seen at TV had always been treated as something cool ever since.

“Whoah! So you’re an actress?”

“No. It’s more like on the news, a news anchor perhaps.”

The group had a blank expression. They had expected too much from Eriri.

“Well that’s new. I would expect you to be an actress since out of all of us, you are the one that had lots of other friends during our school days”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve considered the offer once, but the course I went in at college applied more on news… So I might as well take advantage of what I gained from studying.”

Eriri told that to them which implied that she got an offer to be an actress.

“Whoah… really…” –they were just amused at the way it sounded too normal to Eriri. She must have had a reason so they tried not to pry in anymore.

“Well that’s good for you, as long as you’re enjoying it.”

The woman then looked at the girl nicknamed Kotocchi.

“How about you Kotocchi?”

“Whoah… I mean, I don’t have much to tell…”

The girl who was the very active one during their discussion a while ago, now being shy and reluctant after being questioned. Amongst all of them she must have had the most embarrassing experience she needed to hide from them. The looks from the other four became sharp and evil. They wanted her to speak, no matter how embarrassing it was.

“I… I’ve been a shut-in for a long time.”

She turned bright red out of embarrassment, that’s to be expected. But the woman was too understanding. She stood and tapped the left shoulder of the embarrassed girl, and told her

“I know the feeling, I’ve been there once before I decided to take my previous job. To tell you guys the truth, I was a shut-in too.”

She did not tried to make the girl nicknamed Kotocchi feel better. She just wanted to tell everyone the truth. But they seemed to not believe it, but rather thought it was the prior option.

“As expected of our big sis. To be so much mature after so much years’ worth of experience.”

The woman was not sure if that was just to tease her too or really a compliment given towards her. She could try to ask them but she chose to not. She just let it slide as a teasing and gave a sigh of disinterest.

“Didn’t you had any job even before that?” –she asked.

“Well… It’s too embarrassing to say. And It’s not something I could be proud of saying.”

“Uwah— That killed the mood.” –Eriri told her.

“Well if it were something like what we were thinking as Kotocchi mentioned, then I guess we should leave it at that.”

The mood became heavy. The girl named Kotocchi among them circle of friends was one of the shy students at their class, or rather, one of the composed students. Being someone who would work for a shady business won’t really fir her so the other four was shocked by that statement.

“Fine… I was… I was… a waiter on a maid café…”

“Wha—”

Of course the four was shocked again. After all those hard thinking on how to even console a friend, or move on to another topic. She would suddenly break her silence and shatter all those worries that they had with something like ‘I was working at a maid café, teehee~~’.

“Ugh, we got worked up for nothing. Back to the discussion.”

Eriri was the next to speak.

“How about Gretty, you haven’t spoken for a while. We’re getting suspicious.”

“Uhm me?”

The girl nicknamed Gretty finally spoke. She had been silent for a while when they started talking about the topic. It seemed like she was trying to hide something from them so it piqued the woman’s interest. Now she’s been trying to find out what was it.

“It’s not like I’m going to hide it from you guys. In fact, I was about to open it up once we’ve gathered here.”

“Hide what?” –Kotocchi asked her.

“After graduating from middle school I went back to my hometown and there I met my destined… I’m now married and have been raising a daughter for a while.”

“Whoah.”

There was a sudden silence. All of them did not knew how to react. The fact that it was a sudden news, all of them had no background or experience with having a family. It had only been being thought to them during their science class, ‘the process of making a baby’ by their term standards.

“Haha… Congrats…”

She had just been sitting there for a while, sipping her coffee, talking to her friends and laughing, teasing, getting teased, and other stuff. But now she gave Gretty and awkward best wishes.

“Yes, from us too, best wishes.”

“Well you suddenly became like big sis here. After graduating you suddenly lost contact too and didn’t even tried to contact us. We’re just shocked about it.”

“Riku here has a family now too, not like we lost contact with him after middle school. That makes you best buddies if terms of family raising. Aaaw how cute.”

The other three followed her.

“Well Kotocchi and Gretty really surpassed our expectations from them, so… I guess we should celebrate this get-together with a cheers!”

“Come on now big sis, we aren’t drinking beer.”

“Oh, were you suggesting we have a drink after this?”

“We still have time before late night so…”

“Uwaaaah another night of drinking, you will see my most embarrassing moments of drinking again.”

“Whoah really?”

The long talk between them continued. They still had a lot of time that afternoon until they go to their next destination.

---

Her parents actually told her not to go home late too much, just before she left the house.

The woman checked the time at her wristwatch. It was already minutes past ten.

She have asked her friends that she would not want to worry her parents too much so she needed to go home early. But they were not at the age anymore where parents should worry about them having a nightlife and going out with friends. It’s an age way long past the borderline of a parent’s babysitting.

“Well in any case, I won’t care anymore about the time. Besides, it’s already past eight. I’ll just apologize to them later I guess.”

“You still live at your parents’?”

The girl in the nickname of Kotocchi asked her.

“Yeah, but I’m planning on relocating once I’ve found a new job.”

The woman could smell the scent of the booze around their area. They rented a room at a drinking bar where they could drink and shout all they want. The room had a size not too big, but could fit up to six people, including their luggage. There was a sliding door at the side, and a talkie-like device where they could call in the waitress and order more drinks. It was a room that was designed for group drinking activities.

“Haaaah?! –hic! I would like to recruit you to ours! Pass me your –hic! Resume!”

Eriri was already broke and drunk. She was not the type to handle her liquor well.

Gretty and Riku were the ones that you might wonder if the alcohol really gets into their system or not. They had just been quietly drinking while making small responses to the topic. If they were on a blind date, the girls would probably brand them as killjoys and just leave them with the bill. But they knew each other quite well, so they just let them be, as long as they don’t pass out.

The ones that were active on the discussion were just the other three: a drunk maid at the maid café, a tired and stressed news anchor, and a jobless woman.

“That’s not really a job that would interest me, besides I don’t have the background.”

The woman could still answer the question straight though.

She looked at the glass of alcohol she’s holding. Perhaps she was already drunk too. There had been countless of bottles already aligned at one of the corners of the room. She could only think of how she would excuse herself to her parents when she gets home. She’s drunk, but she could also say the same for the other four, especially for the girl named Eriri.

Concerned as she was for both of the reasons she had been thinking, she did not noticed that so much time had passed already. She did not know whether who’s still even aware of what he/she’s doing. All of them were already drunk eitherways.

“Uhm, what time is it again?”

“Come on now, you have your watch.”

“Oh right.”

She checked her watch and was not sure it the reading was already past eleven, or a few minutes before ten. She could read whether the time went forwards or whether it went backwards. That’s how drunk she was already.

“Hmm, guys I think we should wrap this up.”

“Eeeeh? But we’re just getting started.”

“Fool no we’re not. It’s too late already.”

“You’re such a kid big sis.”

“That doesn’t sound really convincing.”

The other two were just prolonging the conversation. It was an act to buy some more time to have the alcohol the woman drank to further affect her system. It was not poison, but their real aim was to have her spend the whole night with them drinking their worries away. It was like when drugging someone, but it’s just alcohol.

“Like really, look at you Eriri and Kotocchi. You look too broke already. It would be hard for you to go home if you stay here further.”

“Big sis is right. I think we should wrap this up. Both Gretty and I vote with big sis to go home.”

“Eeeh? Gretty you traitor! Also why also speak up now Riku. You’ve been almost quiet the whole time.”

“Well I guess if it’s three on two. Honestly I don’t want to end up puking inside the cab too.”

“Eh? You really do that?”

“Hahaha of course no.”

The conversation still continued

and continued

and continued…

Until…

“Aaaaaah!! Don’t!! I don’t wanna go hoooome!!! Ughwaaaaak!!”

They had been dragging Eriri towards the entrance of the bar while letting out the booze she’s housed in her stomach. She had been a goner.

Kotocchi presented to go with Eriri and escort her home. A drunk woman who can’t even stand on her own anymore should have someone to support her until she gets home. And since the effect of alcohol seemed to subside from her, Kotocchi took the role of the knight in a white horse for the poor Eriri.

“You sure you know the way?”

“Yeah, I’ve gone to her apartment lots of times already.”

“Well then, see you guys.”

The three sent their goodbyes to Kotocchi and to Eriri who was immediately knocked out at the backseat. The cab then left with Eriri and Kotocchi.

“How about you Gretty, you’ve said you’re now living at a remote town, it’s too late already. We could check in at a hotel if you won’t be able to catch the last trip.”

The woman was pertaining to the train. The trains should have long stopped operating for the past hours already.

“It’s fine. I could walk myself to the station. My husband should be waiting there already to pick me up.”

“Oooooh, okay. Then. Take care. We’ll contact you again. Also invite us to your wedding.”

“Sure.”

Gretty started walking away.

“Oh by the way.” –the woman followed up on her. “Introduce us to your family every once in a while, okay?”

“Sure! I bet you will really like my cute daughter. You should raise one too, before it’s too late. Fufufu.”

Both of the two were quite surprised. Gretty didn’t even had traces of alcohol effect with her. It seemed like somehow before the alcohol reaches her stomach, it will then be transported by a mini black hole towards another whole dimension. Normal and unscathed as she was, Gretty then left too while politely nodding her head back at theirs.

“So, it’s just the two of us now, Riku.”

“Yeah, I’m really thankful that you’ve invited me here. You know I’m one of the most anti-social students way back from our middle school, RiRi-nee… no, Seria-nee.”

“Heh, you’ve become too cocky, using my cute little nickname back at middle school against me.”

The woman gave a smirk and tapped Riku’s shoulder.

“Want to take a walk? I know you’re quite drunk too. Still got some time before midnight, might as well have a walk to sober up.”

“Yeah, I’ll take on the offer.”

---

The two were walking at a park late at night. There were street lights, but just enough to light up the way across the park. It was quite delicate walking at that time at the park because there might be molesters or thugs lurking by, but who will even want to rob two drunk middle-aged man and woman looking broke and walking at the park suspiciously late at night?

“Back when I confessed to you, what did you think of me?”

Riku spoke bringing up a past between the two of them.

“Ah, that time…”

“Oh come on, don’t make it sound like you just banished the event to oblivion, it hurts me to know that, you know?”

“Hahaha! Don’t be silly. Of course I remember.”

There had been a past between the two of them that the other three amongst their circle might or might not know. Riku confessed to the woman. It was one of the youthful events of their life.

“Well, that time I really considered you as a younger brother.”

“Cheh, even though we’re just at the same age.”

“I mean, look at you, you’re like someone that had just been a miserable character pulled out of a drama manga. I would feel more at ease if I were to watch over you as your ‘aneki’ than be your lover. Besides, I really can’t develop those feelings and such, for that time I was still a young and free-spirited girl that just wanted to explore and explore.”

“Siiigh… So I really didn’t stand a chance, huh?”

Riku looked up while he continued to walk. The woman acted as a support in case he were to hit an obstable or there’s a sudden open manhole and he’s about to fall.

“Come on now, it’s not a bad thing, right?”

“I think…”

Riku started blurting out his honest thoughts.

“I think I’ve really admired you by that time… I mean, look at you, you still acted as our big sis even though we’re at this point of age already… Even though we could act on our own already.”

“Sorry, old habits never die.”

“No no no don’t take it badly.”

“Still…” –the woman was worried.

“You see, back then, you are the one who made me break out of my hard shell and face the world. I’m really grateful to you for that…”

Riku suddenly stopped walking and looked towards the woman. He had been grateful to her. He must have been waiting for too long to finally express his gratitude towards her and that time was now.

“Thank you. I really think it was because of you that I’ve met my wife.”

Even with the whole group which he considered the closest friends, there were things Riku could not even say. He’s currently married and was raising children. He had a stable job and didn’t have any hard time. He was truly happy. He’s just worried what might have happened with him if he had a chance with her ‘big sis’. Even if he was not flat out rejected immediately, it might have had a different impact with him and could shift the course of his future headed to something besides the one he’s currently having.

“Am I the only one left who does not know of this?”

“Yeah…”

“Uwaaah. Now I feel so left out.”

The two laughed.

“Say… Are you still finding a job?”

Riku then broke the joking around with a sudden topic.

“Yes, kind of.”

The woman was grateful for her parents because for a very long time, even if she’s at the age where she should be moving out to build her own family, she still could stay at their old house.

She was once a cute little girl.

She was once young and free.

Her parents granted her almost all the freedom that she needed while she was young. She grew up a bit and went to a faraway place for long to gather experience and live her youth freely. She went back home after and became a shut-in for a while. She then again grabbed a chance to live faraway again and gained further experience as an adult. She then came back again to them.

It had been a repeating cycle for her. And every time she goes back there she would find her parents home with welcoming arms.

She was grateful. In fact she wanted to stay there forever. But the time has come to leave her nest. It should be for the best. The last experience in life that she needed to have: to be able to stand alone on her own. And for that to happen she needed to have a stable job.

“Well I had a job, and it’s a job that required me to stay away from home, so I guess I could say this is just a continuation of what I’ve started.”

“You know…”

Riku handed a calling card to her,

“I could refer you to our company. It’s a manga publishing company. Though you will serve under me. I think it’s better than considering other options. Bu-bu-but it’s not like I’ve invited you for a walk to get ahead of the others and recruit you to my current company.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” –the woman paused a bit. “Heh. Fine by me. I’ve been there before.”

Seria had lots of time to find herself a work that would suit her interest, but it would just prolong the time that she would be freeloading at their house so she decided to take Riku’s offer. Besides, it would be best to work with a company where there’s someone she already knows. A referral would also increase her chance of being hired.

“You know, it might bother me to serve under you but it would be better than passing random resumes to different companies.”

“Ugh… Why do I feel like I’m being threatened?”

“Hahaha!! Just kidding”

The woman smashed Riku’s back.

“cough cough!! What was that for?!”

“Hahaha!! Nothing. It just felt like you came right on time, with the perfect offer. Thanks a bunch Riku.”

“Gosh… Seria-sis.”

“Come, it seems like the effect of the alcohol both subsided. I wonder if they got home safely. Better leave them a message later.”

The two walked towards the park exit.