/jp/ - Otaku Culture

I watched her silently. "It's just-" Ah, there it was. " Usually, Ringo sets up nearby, so I at least have something to focus on and someone to talk to, but she's apparently done so well for herself that she decided to just take the night off, so here I am, stuck on my own with too much dango." Ringo? "Rin- Er, sorry, I didn't mean to say all that. Ringo's that moon rabbit with the blonde hair and the hat." Ah, I knew I'd recognized them from somewhere. I'd seen them on the streets of the village once or twice, doing the exact same sort of thing. "...Right. Er, two black sesame dango. Is that right, Mister - Uh..." She trailed off, staring at me blankly. The unfinished words hung in the air like oppressive mist. Silently, she offered the dango over to us, and I handed one to Yamame. "I - Er, didn't catch your name." We introduced ourselves.

This whole thing was starting to feel a bit strange. "I'm Seiran. As, uh, you can probably see...On the sign." I could. The silence then stretched itself out like a snake. The tension, meanwhile, wound itself up like a coiling snake. Finally, I asked her how much we owed her. "Oh! Well, er, two sticks, so...Eight mon?" I frowned, then reached into my pocket for my change. After a bit of rummaging, I found the right amount, as well as an empty wrapper that I didn't remember putting in there, some string, and two napkins. There was always a bit of string. I handed the money over and Seiran counted it slowly, making sure it was all there. "Thanks. Oh, hang on..." She said, ducking her head back down and looking for something out of sight. "Have you got, uh...five more? Running low on coins and the kappa are weird about that sort of thing. I've got a five here." I nodded, then went back to my pocket to pull out five more coins. "Oh, there you are." She muttered as she took the money and handed me back a note. "Er, enjoy your food."

Nodding, I turned to move off. I wasn't really sure how to gauge that conversation, but it seemed that it wasn't quite over yet, because I came face to face with a man. "Well, now. There's a face I don't see very often." He said with a wry smile. "Months and some change, I should think." I shrugged, then said that I'd been busy for a while. "Busy, hmm? Busy being dead, the way I've heard the tale. Over and over, matter of fact. You'd think that you're an immortal for the number of ways I've heard of your demise." What could I say? It was a little flattering to know people cared enough to come up with so many deaths for me. Privately, I'd decided to take Keine's advice to heart and stop feeling bad about myself in regard to the village. "Ah, I can see how that might be the case. Just try not to emulate it in real life." I'd do my best, I replied dryly. “Ah, you’re trying Miss Seiran’s dango? They’re very excellent, aren’t they?” I hadn’t actually tried them yet, but I certainly hoped he was right.

"Um, hello." Yamame suddenly piped up. She'd been standing there, looking back and forth between the two of us like she wasn't sure what to say. So, she'd bravely charged in. "I'm, er, Yamame." She bowed, but she was trying to keep the dango stick free from getting on her clothes or on mine, she it was a little awkward. "Do you two know each other?" She asked curiously.

"Only vaguely, I believe. We're about the same age, so we've certainly seen each other growing up. Same class, no?" I nodded. Same class while I'd been in Keine's schooling. "You look like you're doing rather well for a dead man." I ran a hand through my head as I replied and said that dying did wonders for the complexion. "Is that right? I'll refrain from trying that out for myself, if you don't mind." He looked over my shoulder. "Miss Seiran? I've checked out the back. Not a scrap, scrip, or sign of any ledgers." I looked between him and Seiran, who was chewing on a fingernail. "Might recommend starting over at this point. Only might, though." I decided to offer a suggestion and said that perhaps he should ask Aunn Komano, since she had a nose for this sort of thing. I did make sure to specify that if Aunn looked grumpy and annoyed, it wasn't the right Aunn, and he should go and look for the other one. "Ah, she's the Shrine's komainu, correct? I'll try that now. Miss Seiran, if you don't mind?" Seiran nodded, and he turned and disappeared into the crowd again.

Dango delivery!