/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45031498
I adjust my hat to be a bit lower on my head and pull up my coat. The cool autumn day made it perfect for walking around covered up without attracting too much attention. It seemed like I wasn’t the only one with that idea, as I spied plenty of figures shuffling around the street covered up enough that one couldn’t recognize them on sight. I guess I would blend right in. As long as I didn't attract too much attention to myself I shouldn’t get found out. It might be interesting to read stories where the villains find the good guy is investigating them so they have them beat up, but it wouldn’t be too much time to actually live through it.


I turned my attention to the the Hakurei Shrine Experience itself. For a brothel, it was certainly conspicuous, with a sign boldly announcing its existence to everyone on a street that used to be a normal. At least they held a bit back and had some sense of decency. My kids had seen the place a few months back and asked me if they could go. I was too busy trying to dislodge my heart from my throat to give them a solid answer, but I was lucky they were too young to hear all the rumors about the place. I unfortunately, was not. How did things turn out like this? I met him when he was just an Outsider getting used to his new life. He’d become a customer of the Suzunaan back then, and sometimes he would help me understand details from Outside World books I had picked up. Then of course came the wedding, surprising us all. Then came the news of Reimu’s behavior and the birth of their daughter. After that, the visits from the Hakurei family slowly tampered off into nothing until Anon showed up to visit after he had left his wife. He had seemed so happy back then, wanting to catch up on what had happened since we had last met. So why, Anon? Why do this?

I was going to get answers. I made my way towards the street, tucking away my notebook out of sight. I couldn’t even remember what this street was like before the HSE showed up, but it was busy now. Stalls had sprung up like mushrooms all around the street, hawking wares. I saw a lemonade stand run by an excitable fairy and a bored looking purple haired woman. There were a few food stalls, and some selling clothing and accessories. A few stalls showed nothing but were draped in bad curtains. Something in my gut told me I shouldn’t ask what they were selling. I was going to look around the outside a bit more, get a better understanding of how things operate and th-oh that stall is selling books!

I jogged over and picked up the first one on the stack. A drawing of Anon was on the cover, looking out with a scared expression. It could be informational about this place, it might be just what I was looking for to learn more. I flipped through the first few pages. Seemed like it was one of those manga instead of anything informational. Skimming through it, it seemed to tell to tell a story about a few tengu confronting Anon about debts his wife owed them. I turn a few more pages and quickly close it seeing what came next. I really hoped this book wasn’t accurate, I really shouldn’t be reading books like this about someone I knew.


“Looking for something more vanilla?” The stall owner questioned me as she pulled out another book from one of the stacks. “What about this one? It’s just the shrine husband and his wife sharing a bed” Not wanting to be rude and having already gotten an eyeful of things I shouldn’t already, I take the book and cautiously flip through it. The content was much nicer to him, but no less explicit. I noted his wife in this book looked nothing like Reimu and more like the average village woman. How odd. At least the printing of this book is good. Nice clean inking, good quality paper, and solid binding. Very good.

“This is a nice print-job. Who does your printing?” I asked, having forgotten why I was here.

“Oh, I know this printer. They don’t really deal with new customers unless introduced, you know? They’ve already got their hands full with jobs anyway”

“I guess your books must sell well then” I said, glancing over the stacks of different books. There had to be at least three or four different titles here. At least she was dedicated, questionable as it is.

“Can’t complain. I’m making money. At first at thought it might be a bit difficult considering most people would just blow their steam off there and won’t be interested, but I’ve had to put a few orders in. I guess it helps that my stuff is accurate”

“Accurate?” I responded.

“They let me bring art supplies into my sessions. The art is very true to life. I’m proud of that. This place opening up has been a windfall for all of us, you know”

I’m lucky enough that my coat hides my reddening face. That was information I was better off not knowing. As I try to get over my embarrassment, I feel a faint energy leaking form the book. A youma book? It was too weak to have any real energy, but it was written by one.