/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45180352
I'm proud of Kosuzu for pointing out that single motherhood is terrible thing for your child.

It was another slow day at the Suzunaan. I'd already finished shelving the returns hours ago, and it didn't take much longer to do all the bookkeeping. The children were doing the dusting and sweeping so I didn't have to do that, and there were no print jobs to do. Nothing more to do then get some reading done and wait for customers. It's not slacking off if there's no work to do after all. I kept my ears open as I turned my attention to that book I was meaning to finish. If this day continued to be this slow, I could start another book this day and really work on going through my backlog. Only a few hundred more books to go! After a while, I found my attention turned away by the sound of footsteps entering the store. I turned my gaze from my book to see who my customer was and saw a glimpse of red and white. Oh no.

Reimu stood in my store. It has been so long since she last came to the Suzunaan, but I couldn't call this a happy reunion. Like a rabbit stuck in a trap, all I could do is feel my heart rapidly thumps in my chest and freeze in place as I watched my frie- my former friend disappear behind some shelves.

A dark thought sounds an alarm in my mind. My children are here! The more rational part of my mind tries to calm down the terrified mother in me, saying that even Reimu wouldn't attack children for now reason. Sill, I stood ready to pounce.

But I didn't have to wait in terror for long. A few minutes later, Reimu approached the desk with a book under her arm. There was no avoiding it. I'd have to talk to her. "Hey Kosuzu, how are things?" She said with a smile.

That threw me for a loop. This wasn't the Reimu everyone had unfortunately had gotten to know since her family left her. That Reimu haunted everyone like a ghost, drifting through the village with tired and unkept features and dirty clothing making it look like she has crawled out of a grave. That Reimu had an air around here that warmed even the most friendly types that interacting with her would not be worthwhile. No. This Reimu looked rested and alert, and her clothing was clean and mended. I saw no sign of treachery on her face as she smiled. It was like she was actually happy.

"Sometimes it's a little slow, but everything is good, thank you" I said, realizing a little too late that telling her about how happy my life was might be a bad idea.

But her smile didn't falter. "Ah, that's good to hear. Are those your kids here?"

"Yeah, they are. Daisuke and Fumiko" I turn to see two heads poking out from behind a shelf. "Come say hello, you two" I said, waving them over. They nervously stepped out and made their way towards us. I got the feeling that if a youkai showed up right now, they'd rather run towards the youkai.

Reimu crouched down and chatted with them for a bit. After a while all the 'How Old are You's and 'Do you like the Suzunaan's and other questions were asked and Reimu let them go free.

She dropped her book down on the desk along with a few coins. "Just this for now. I don't have any debts here, do I?"

I tried to remember the last time she came here and where the ledger would be. "I'll look to see. You can pay for this for now and I'll add it to your tab if I find any outstanding payments" I said, tensing up slightly as I jot down her name in a ledger.

But she doesn't get upset. "I guess I'll find a way to pay for it if that's the case. See you Kosuzu" With a wave goodbye, she leaves the shop and my heart starts to return to a normal pace. When I'm sure she's gone, I let out my breath.

My children run up to see me. "Do you really know her?" Fumiko asked me, still upset. I couldn't blame them. They were part of the generation that never knew Reimu as anything often then that wicked miko that hurt people.

"Yeah, I've known her for a long time. Before you were born, back when she wasn't so mean" I admit.

"Woah, that's a long time!" Daisuke said with an innocence that didn't do anything to make those words hurt less.

"She's not going to hurt you, so don't be scared, okay? If you're done, you're off for the day" The two of them run off into the streets to play.

I slump down in my chair. Why did her mood improve so suddenly? Ever since that place opened up, she'd been a wreck. It was a shock to me hearing Anon's new career so it must have been hell on her. But the HSE was still open and her family still separated from her, so she had to be something else she has happy about. I just had to know, it could be something big.

I had no leads, but all that talking with Agatha Chris Q over mysteries and reading mysteries wasn't for nothing, My detective's sense told me the HSE would have clues. Of course, it was no place for a married woman with kids, but all I had to do was have a plan to get close enough to investigate.

I felt so young again, like Akyuu was still with me. If nobody else was going to solve it, then it was up to Detective Kosuzu!