IV. Anemone Side B: With Fred

Modern Earth, 20xy

I bowed down my head and apologized to the audience.

Actually I didn’t want to do it. It was more like I was being forced to.

Khuk! And here I thought I’ve gained enough strength to oppose her. Fu fu fu… as expected from my lovely Kyrie-schwenpaaai.

I was being forced to do something yet I was happy.

I’ve continued to apologize for a bit more to the audience and to the staff, and gave Kyrie-senpai a serious stare. Nothing much have changed on her since she’s graduated. How much time has passed since? A year? Two years? It really felt like it was just a span of two or three weeks.

“I’ll tell you beforehand or before you have any funny ideas. I did not do this because I was concerned about your chastity or something. I just did this because it would only demerit Fred.”

“Eh? Who?”

We were whispering to each other, not the audiences could hear us nor even the closes MC. It was just the two of us. But that was not the issue that moment. She have mentioned an unfamiliar name.

Was she with her boyfriend? Why was she even here at the first place? Did she got herself employed at the same publishing company? What a coincidence.

“Oh, you must not know yet, sorry I had to use a name unknown to you. Whom I mean is Maou-spence Sensei.”

“You don’t mean.”

Yes she meant it. Kyrie senpai was not the one to make jokes to cover up for what the purpose of what she’s doing was. I’ve been with her for just a short time in the past but at least I’ve known her most important traits. What she would do on events like these.

It was not a very distant past. Actually I’ve just took drawing manga career seriously at the third year of high school. I’ve been interested on romance stories and soap dramas at prime time television during evenings, so getting hooked to romance genre novels and mangas won’t be hard. At those times that I was already obsessed with Kyrie-senpai she have introduced me to the world of manga.

From there I’ve stumbled upon Maou-spence sensei’s work.

“Mic test.. Mic test…” thud thud thud.

She suddenly had the mic. Did my mind wandered off again for too long – is what I asked myself. She had the mic so she did the apologizing.

“Humu. Okay. Hi ladies and gentlemen. Blah blah blah… Second… I would like to apologize to Old man over… blah blah blah… by this lowly creature.”

Call me a masochist, but calling me a lowly creature while I’m on ‘chuuni-mode’ sent chills down my spine, so I reacted instinctively.

“Kyah! Kyrie-schwenpai called me!!”

“Shut up.” –then she kicked me at my sides. She then continued talking.

“Where we are again… uhm… Let me apologize for Anemone-sensei’s behavior. Blah blah blah…”

She bowed down again and it was followed by the crowd’s cheering.

“Humu. Now that everything’s said and done, Anemone-sensei… Are you ready?”

“Eh? About what?”

It was when Kyrie-senpai pulled out something familiar: one of the greatest weapons ever invented on primetime television’s reality sitcoms. It was a paper fan that was folded several times which the other end was tied with a tape so that the other end could be expanded and make it a giant paper fan which not really served its purpose.

The paper quality was not at its top condition because it was quite used towards somebody already. The pain by being hit by the paper fan is far comparable to those torture devices, but still getting hit with this in front of a huge crowd looked far more pleasurable than any other forms embarrassment.

“Ky-ky-kyrie-schwenpai… May I ask what are you going to do with that?”

I asked Kyrie-senpai even though I’ve known of its purpose already.

“Ohoho… Nothing. I’m just going to scold my little junior that’s so unsightly shown excessive skin than what was needed. I really could not tolerates such acts. Nothing personal.” –Kyrie-senpai must have referred to my excessively revealing clothing.

A memory of a snapping tea-set platter came across my mind before it happened.

“P-p-please be gentle…”

“Fu fu fu… NO.”

WHACK!

“KYAH!~~”

She gave me a minute or two of harisen beating.

“I’ll be getting off from here. Well I’ll meet you again soon later, so for starters it was nice meeting you again, Little Annette.”

Kyrie stood back up, and got off the stage at the side platform.

I was still hurt and dumbfounded when the emcee decided to resume the program with a “Sorry about that sudden interruption, but it seems like the problem has been resolved now, so let us get back on track!”. I was still looking at her walk and disappeared on the crowd as I’ve heard the noise coming from them resumed.

I covered my revealing costume again with the trench coat I initially used and got back to the program too.

---

“I didn’t know how you sneaked up those items you’ve been buying online onto your luggage but I’ve kept telling you to dress formal and act appropriately! You’ve been making my nerves pop since day one!”

It was like an endless barrage of machine gun bullets. The endless scolding coming from Old man hit me directly as the time I needed to spend on stage went finally over. Whatever was happening at the program did not concerned me anymore, for I’ve done my job.

I also looked at the other party’s side: Maou Spence-sensei’s team.

Kyrie-senpai was with them and she looked like she’s a kid having fun. It was a face once familiar to me. She was not practically smiling but you would notice the calm happy feeling she’s letting out.

What have Kyrie-senpai experienced in a short span of time?

I was a bit excitedly curious but there should be a right time for me to talk with her, so I just let it be decided by fate.

They then split into two groups and exchanged goodbyes with each other. The first group was the supposedly assistants which included Kyrie-senpai, a girl that looked like Moemi-senpai in terms of body build, and the overly clingy girl towards Maou Spence-sensei which I could assume head over heels for him but they’re not really dating. Then the group of the very trending author and his editor.

“Haven’t you been informed? Do you want me to explain to you every last detail of what’s happening after this?”

“I know, I know… The after-party.”

“Tell me, do you drink?”

“Water: yes. Alcohol: not yet. I could try but who knows what might happen.”

“Then juice it is.”

He decided it like he was my father. But at least it meant that he’s concerned on my wellbeing.

“SIIIGH… Sorry for the trouble one of Fred’s assistants did.”

The other editor named Seria approached Old man and started talking. They seemed to be colleages from way long back since Old man started in this industry. What I just knew was she’s older than her and more mature in terms of work experience. But that’s contrary to what how I’ve seen her handle Maou Spence-sensei.

“Ah no, if that’s the case then my LITTLE SHITHEAD OF AN AUTHOR here should be the one to blame. But really, such a turn of events. I never knew the two were acquainted.”

“Hmp. For a lowly little servant to push the blame onto his master. You sure are quite getting ahead of yourself.”

THUD!

“Ouchie!! That’s sexual harassment! I’m going to file charges on you for sexual harassment!!”

“No. That’s wrong in every aspect. All he did was hit you on the head.”

“No… Stop it Fred. You’re not looking at things fundamentally. It was entirely your fault for not holding Kyrie’s leash. You should consider that event as a learning experience to improve your writing and produce even more results.”

“No, don’t steer the conversation even more away from the main point.”

“Wait wait! Don’t treat my… My Ky-ky-kyrie schwenpai like a dog! Her existence is not for you to belittle!”

“Hey Old man, your author’s got a few screw loose.”

“A ton of them actually.”

“Come, let’s head to the venue already.”

“Ah, right let me just get my car at the parking. Let’s meet up at the entrance.”

Old man then left and brushed off every single word I’ve blurted, protecting Kyrie-senpai. That made me wonder what kind of experience they’ve had with her, with the very little time they’ve been with her. I’m not trying to compare the very little time I’ve spent with her, but I’m pretty confident that I’ve experienced more with her than they did.

But just…

The scene of Kyrie-senpai smiling with Maou Spence Sensei.

“HEY!! DON’T IGNORE WHAT I’M SAYING!! GET BACK HERE MY SERVANT!!”

Then we went towards the venue.

---

It was the four of us at Old man’s car. It was a sedan-type so the four of us is very fit like a whole family: that’s composed of an overly-cautious father, a yankee mother, a nerd and uncertain brother, and a very normal chuuni little sister.

“Aren’t you going too slow? Let me drive.”

“No. I won’t ever entrust my car on you, nor our lives.”

“Eeeh you cheapskate.”

The two were still quarreling like cats and dogs. I’ve reminded them it would be too dangerous to drive if they were to continue that useless unnecessary quarrel but they wouldn’t listen so I just entrusted my life onto Old man, who seemed to be a more reasonable driver than Seria.

SIIIIIIIGH…

I let out a long sigh due to the exhaustion building up on me.

Honestly… I want to sleep…

I looked at Maou Spence-sensei at my side, the others had been calling him ‘Fred’ but I didn’t want to get too familiar all of a sudden. The very least I could do at my situation was to be professional and call him by his pen-name.

“Hey, Maou Fred.”

AAAHG! NOW IS NOT THE PERFECT TIME TO BE PLAYING TRICKS ON ME YOU STUPID BRAIN OF MINE!

I looked at him. Besides maliciously laughing at him during our chance meetup at the venue, I hadn’t really gotten the chance to talk with him well, not even a proper greeting. That wasn’t really the time to be pulling off a chuuni sentence for laughs. It really had been infecting my mind.

But there was no response.

I looked at him to confirm what he had been doing. He was looking outside the glass window of the car, seeing the relatively passing vehicle lights at the other side of the road. He looked too absorbed that he did not heard what I just said.

What was he thinking about?

Was he thinking about the clingy girl that went separate ways with him back at the venue?

Or was it another different entirely different story from a faraway place he could only look from the position he was given at the moment?

Now I’m getting curious. Maybe I’ll try to yank something out of him later.

---

The place was crowded with people. It was pub a few stations away from the original venue. It was not an obligatory event to attend to so the number of people was incomparable to the prior event. It seemed like it was just a gathering of people who just wanted to spend their nights wasted.

We entered.

“Uwaaaah! What’s that smell!”

“Alcohol of course. And here I thought you’re quite familiar with it already.”

“I’m not at a legal age yet. Don’t expect anything.”

“OH HERE’S THE STAR OF THE NIGHT!!”

“OH REALLY?! WHITWEEEW!!”

“SHOW US ‘THAT’ COSTUME AGAIN!”

“HEY QUIT LEERING AT OUR NEWBIE SHE MIGHT RESIGN IF SHE GETS FED UP”

“JEEZ OLD GEEZERS!!”

“BOSS BRING ME ANOTHER PITCHER AT TABLE SIX!”

It was an absolute chaos.

My very first time at the after party shocked me so much that it left me trembling and speechless. It was like a confinement of barbarians and amazons getting along with each other after a peace treaty had been signed by both tribe’s leaders.

“Quickly, I’ve reserved a table! Come here!” –Seria waved at us. I was surprised she quickly found a place for us right after we entered the bar.

Maybe I just dozed off to long again.

The table was round and small. The size was a real fit for the four of us. It had a grill at the center which we’re supposed to cook anything being served by the bar.

“What would you get?” –somebody asked someone while I was looking at the menu, so I did not knew whether it was directed to me or not.

“I guess I’ll have a mug of beer first.”

“Now Fred, don’t be shy, I know you would want to drink your stress away for the night. I’ll keep you company.”

They were talking about something they shouldn’t in front of a pure girl like me. Or I was just mistaking the pure thought for something else.

“For you, Anemone, I guess I’ll order you orange juice.”

Somebody finally spoke to me, as usual it’s my editor.

“What if I told you I would like alcohol too?”

“Then I’m quitting as your editor.”

“Fu fu fu, what a stingy servant. You do not only know, but this ‘Queen of Darkness’ here could handle any liquor.”

“Try me. I have your parent’s contact on me.”

“How the—!!”

Of course I’ve always wanted to drink. But all of the external factors were preventing me to. I know the right time should come and I could drink all I want, but I really felt that it didn’t make any sense. What’s the use of patiently waiting for the right time, especially when it would still come. If I was going to be a sad lonely lady drunkard then at least I should practice myself now or I won’t get used to it fast. –is what I would love to tell them but it’s best I shouldn’t.

“Fine.”

After we got served, a member of the team stood up and self-proclaimed himself as an emcee of the bar’s program. He stood up and said “Any words from our newest author?” I’ve got trouble answering. Good thing I’ve still remembered my speech at the original program and made a carbon copy of it.

Of course drunk men couldn’t distinguish what’s happened and what’s currently happening already so they paid no mind.

They went on with their usual crowd cheering and then suddenly somebody shouted “To the new young sexy and crazy author Anemone-chan! KAMPAI!!”

Everybody responded with “KAMPAAAAI!!”, including the three on my table.

“I felt offended.”

“Now now, Anemone-chan you know drunk men spews out everything up to the very last of the nonesenseness in this world. Pay them no heed. If somebody sexually harasses you I’ll kick them sorry asses out of here.”

“Now I’m more troubled.”

“Old man, do you have a smoke?”

A flying box of cigar suddenly passed across the grill on my peripheral vision while talking to Seria. It was quite bad manners but on a primitively uncivilized area, you could do almost everything without anybody yelling at you.

“Do it at the rooftop.”

Maou Spence-sensei, or commonly called as Fred, stood up holding his mug of beer and the cigar at the other.

“You’re really irritated and unsociable tonight. You could tell me what happened.”

“Nothing. I’m just feeling unwell.”

“Oooh that lover’s quarrel with Ingrid still bothers you, huh?”

“Shut up. We’re not in a relationship.”

“Tsk, so stingy. Such a killjoy.”

Fred then headed towards a door that must have been a passage towards the rooftop. That was quite a new sight for me, seeing one of the two main reasons why I chose my current career path looking at that state: an unenthusiastic stressed author. Something must have happened beforehand or he’s really already stressed from everything. He might’ve caught up on a deadline too so he’s like a dead fish or something.

The bar was too busy. Nobody noticed him left besides us at the table. It really killed the mood for us three. Now we couldn’t even talk, nor try to open up something.

Well it’s a chance.

I needed a time alone with Maou Spence-sensei so I could talk with him. I really needed to see what type or person last year’s award-winning oneshot and my masterpiece inspiration’s author really was.

“I need some fresh air.”

“Whoah, too sudden. You’re intent is as obvious as your sudden change in tone.”

“Quit it Seria. At least let the two authors have time alone to talk.”

They’ve really understood my intentions of talking with Fred alone. The very one who knew how much I’ve been meaning to was Old man himself. He’s the only one I’ve talked with about Fred, no one and no one else. Nothing bad would come from it so the two gave me a go signal to head upstairs.

I hurriedly rushed, keeping in mind not to waste time.

I must know. I must see it for myself. What happened with him and Kyrie-senpai.

---

Puuuffff…

He was smoking at by the rails of the rooftop, letting the smoke vanish to thin air. The smell of cigar filled the place, but only for a short time after he puffs and it was also being carried away by the blowing air.

A man at his early twenties, looking at the city’s nightlife while smoking and thinking about his fair share of worries. It was a nice reference for that manga I’m drawing. I took note of it and stared for quite longer.

Puuuffff…

bleeeeew…

A gust incidentally blew on his best puff that pushed the smoke towards me.

COUGH COUGH!!

“Bleeergh!!”

“Oh, how long have you been there already? Haven’t noticed you.”

I wasn’t supposed to make a noise for quite some time more. But it couldn’t be helped. I’m not used to the smell of cigar especially when it was forcibly blown towards me.

“Well… I was just here for the fresh air.”

“You won’t get fresh air from an urban place like this.”

“Ah yeah, I just got blown with cigar smoke at the face.”

“Not my fault. It’s the wind.”

“Yeah…”

And there was silence.

Things suddenly got awkward. What do I do?

“You’re here to talk?”

Honestly… What’s wrong with these sharp people.

Lately, everybody that has been too sharp that they seemed to know what’s on my mind already even before I start talking. They were very different from these shounen protagonists that were so thickheaded that they don’t even know they’re carrying a power that could change the world.

“Heh, peeping onto my mind, huh?”

I’ve talked like how I used to when making first impressions with others. Even though he would only think of it as me being a chuuni with a screw-loose (which I’ve been troubled if I really am), at least I had to show some consistency.

“Ah no… I don’t have that ability. Well if only I could. But really. I’ve been summoned here just as a normal human being.”

Huh??

The guy had experience talking with chuunis like me. Or he might have been just influenced by Kyrie-senpai’s lifestyle for all I know. Kyrie-senpai might have been working with him since she graduated.

“Ooooh. It seems like somebody finally caught the wind of how things are. Fu fu fu… As expected of Maou Spence-sensei.”

“You could just call me Fred.”

He gave me the go signal already. I guessed it should be fine with him.

“Fu fu fu. I won’t show any restrainsts then, Maou Fred.”

“Also you can stop the crappy acting now, Morgianna.”

?????

“Hiding behind the name of Anemone, also picking the same profession as I did. What are the odds? I’ve already seen you from years ago: coming here, rescuing me. I’ve been waiting for this for about two years.”

He was smiling at me full of hope, like I was a savior sent to rescue him on a predicament that could cost him a lifetime. He was practically treating me like a saint or something else higher than a normal higher class being.

What… in… tarnation…

“Hmp! Naming me on somebody else I don’t even know. How shameless.”

“Wha-what…”

He seemed too startled. Where did all that energy from a while ago went?

“The… Then Proctor, is that you? I couldn’t think of anyone else. Whoever you are, please tell me what happened after I died!”

Now now… What kind of play is this?

The alcohol seemed to have gotten deep within Fred’s system already. Some people really could handle their liquor but some don’t. I wondered whether whenever he would be sober he would be able to remember what he’s been doing in front of me. He might get embarrassed.

Those words he had said might’ve been a mix of delusions and absurdity. I tried to be careful and answered,

“I am not one of those you have been mentioned, and rest assured I am not from the place where you came from.”

I looked at him, he had that sad and solemn eyes. It seemed so deep in jet black that it indicated all of the experiences and events he might have had. I started to question myself again how old he was.

“I see…”

He regained composure so fast. It seemed like he accepted my rejection.

“Sorry you have to see that side of me. But I won’t let my guard down.”

Was he pertaining to the competition as fellow authors? Or was he still hung up over ‘that’ thing he’s been talking about?

“In…In any case, I’ve got something to discuss with you.”

“Ah… yeah… Kyrie, I suppose.”

“You pick up fast.”

“I would be lying if I’ve shown something like being shocked. Kyrie already told me a week before. It seemed that she did a little background check about ‘Anemone-sensei’, sorry about that. Well I was pretty shocked at this coincidence too.”

“Ah, yeah that’s too typical of Kyrie-senpai.”

So he said it. It was not like the publishing company reveals the identities of their authors. It was just that Kyrie-senpai had too much connections that she managed to immediately know her true identity.

Wait, isn’t that breach of confidentiality?

Well at least that ones who’ve only knew was Fred and her, his teammates might be too. I was still too naïve about having no care at all about my identity being revealed that moment so I’ve let it slip.

“So, how did the two of you ended up with each other.”

“Ah it was really a long story, but let me summarize it to she wanted me to be her test subject so she triggered a flashbang inside her apartment just to catch my attention. Considering her, she must have known that I at the veranda of my apartment and planned everything.”

“For short?”

“We’re living on the same apartment complex.”

“Aaaah… I’m starting to get the whole picture now.”

I left it at that, I would not want to hear a complicated story so I’ve stopped him before he started spouting unneeded things. He’s quite drunk already, that’s all.

“Well she just gave me a bit of the background.”

He’s wanting to ask about it too, but he’s just too shy. It’s written all over his face, the ‘I’d like to pry in as much as possible’. Kyrie-senpai was his assistant after all, though the mixing the term Kyrie-senpai and assistant really doesn’t sound good to me.

“Ah, before I tell you the story about it, there’s something I’d like to ask first.”

Telling a long story without getting something in return is a bummer so I’d have him exercise his tongue too.

“Ah, no my lips would be sealed. You won’t get any confirmation about my past life.”

“HUH??!”

“Ah, sorry I got derailed, what was the question again?”

“Why as an assistant?”

“Uhm…”

He went to think hard. Did all of us who had experienced living with Kyrie-senpai had the same experience with regards to that would lead us to thinking hard when asked with: ‘how’s living with Kyrie?’. I wondered.

He took the last puff of his cigar and blew it upwards so it wouldn’t be blown by the wind towards me again. He was still being considerate for the wrong cause.

“Well to be honest I don’t know too. Maybe she’s taken a liking to me?”

“Wha—?!!”

I threw my glass of juice towards him which he evaded. But he evaded only the glass, he did not knew that there was still juice on it.

Splash!!

“Whoah! What the hell? What’s getting you so agitated? It was a misunderstanding! What are you gonna do with the glass?!”

I heard the glass crashed at the ground floor it sure must have broken, but I was a first time customer at the pub so I thought I could get off the hook with just a scolding from Old man. That was the very least of my worries so far.

“Ho-Ho-How dare you!! Ky-Ky-Kyrie-schwenpai won’t fall in love with anyone! Not even the slightest bit on such a lowlife scum like you! I won’t approve of it!!”

“I’m telling you it’s a misunderstanding! Listen if you were really a friend of Kyrie from long ago I’m sure you must have experienced something extraordinary from your first meeting! That’s what I meant by ‘taking a liking’! stop getting enraged over the slightest misunderstandings!!”

A memory of our first meeting flashed onto me.

The very first scene of her I remembered which had already been imprinted on my memory: A scene of her having a cup of tea at a very quiet calming and peaceful place called a clubroom.

“You mean…”

“Yes that’s right! You’re not drunk like me so think properly!”

“Ah yeah?! We’ll do this from the start again! Well fine I’m going to tell you the whole story!”

I was envious of course. I’ve longed for meeting Kyrie-senpai for the past two to three years, yet she just got by on her own, with a new plaything called ‘Maou Spence-sensei’. But what got me agitated the most was why she’s chosen to step down from being a superior being who’s supposed to stand up above all and letting Fred took the spotlight on their team.

“Fine fine, I’m all ears.”

And there, the two of us went interested on something common. There we started talking about Kyrie-senpai.