kscans

Chapter 88 - Small Happiness

"It's great that we found just the right request!"

Takahashi laughs. With our current abilities, we could handle jobs worth tens of millions of yen, but we're recreating the old days. Back then, we'd be happy if we could get a million yen reward, and we'd split it among everyone. So this time, while we were picking out clothes, I contacted the president and had him find us something around that level.

"But was that okay? Won't we be taking work away from rookies and mid-level folks?"

Suzuki's concern is valid. I've heard similar things from the president before. But there's no problem. Suzuki's been out of the field for so long he seems to have forgotten...

"It's Obon season, you know?"

"...Ah, that's right."

Summer is one of the busy seasons in the supernatural world. So there are more than enough requests to go around.

"Besides, when I mentioned owing him a favor, he was happy to send work our way."

"Sorry, Hiro. All this trouble because of me..."

"It's fine, it's fine. This is nothing at all."

While we were talking, we arrived at the station. Back then, we couldn't teleport freely like we can now. Transportation meant trains.

"Wait, local train!?"

"Well, I get what Saionji means. But this guy prioritized having money to have fun with."

"Right, right. He was such a cheapskate."

"Don't call the frugal heart that wants to save even a little bit 'cheap.'"

"A fool who'd blow through a day's reward in one day talking about being frugal."

"You often borrowed money from us too."

"Hehe, did I really?"

We bought local train tickets and boarded. It's about an hour and a half to our destination. Using the express would actually be more economical in the end. But when you're young, you don't understand the value of time, so you prioritize saving a little money. Though looking back now, I think learning through those losses was good experience too.

"Oh, lucky."

I found a manga magazine on the overhead rack. Should make good time-killing material. We always looked for manga. If there wasn't any, we'd chat while messing around with our phones (flip phones). Fortunately, there were plenty of empty seats, so Suzuki, Takahashi, and I sat wherever we wanted.

Me
Aisle
Suzuki Takahashi

Something like that. Chika-san has a puzzled "Huh?" expression. Looking confused, Chika-san sat down next to me. Then the train started moving.

"Here's a topic."

"Yes, go ahead."

"Huh?"

"Please tell us about something that didn't quite make you angry but genuinely annoyed you recently, in an entertaining way."

She's making a face like "What's with this mood?" I think the same thing. But this is pretty much how it was in high school. Random, nonsensical conversations breaking out was an everyday occurrence.

"Okay."

"Alright then, Takahashi, go ahead."

"This happened yesterday. After work, I went to a ramen shop with a colleague."

"Oh, a ramen shop."

"You know, one of those ramen places with long lines. We had pretty high expectations."

...Now I'm craving ramen.

"About an hour, I guess? We finally got into the shop after waiting in line. We sat at the counter."

"Right."

"We ordered and were about to start eating when... it became clear."

"Oh ho, what became clear?"

"The shop owner was a pretentious type."

"Ahh."

Suzuki and I nod knowingly. There are people like that. They have rules about how you should eat. If you violate the owner's personal rules, they'll say they don't need your money. I can understand that response for truly unreasonable customers, but getting criticized over the order you eat things or seasoning usage is genuinely irritating.

"Fortunately, he wasn't the stubborn type who'd kick you out... though in some ways that might have been better."

"Meaning?"

"He'd mutter. Like... 'Eh, you're putting on that much pepper? You just don't get it...' in a voice you could barely hear."

"Small! His character is so small! What? The ramen bowl he's serving is still bigger than that!"

"Right!? I ended up finishing my meal feeling frustrated."

"He has no business running a restaurant. Food should be eaten deliciously and enjoyably within the bounds of not bothering other customers. That's basic, absolutely basic."

"So that's my story about something that didn't make me angry but was annoying."

I see.

"10 points."

"10 points."

"Wait, we're doing a scoring system? Then, then I'll give 8 points please."

"28 points. So close. We look forward to next time."

"Saionji is harsh."

"Eh...?"

Though confused, Chika-san looks like she's enjoying herself.

"Well then, since you've thoroughly annoyed us, let's change topics. A small happiness you've had recently... yes, Chika-san."

"Me!? And you're changing topics so fast!!"

This kind of thing depends on mood, you know, mood.

"Hiro probably knows, but I was incredibly busy last month."

"Good work."

"Thanks. I couldn't go home some days and had to sleep at the office."

"That happens. I often sleep at the office during busy periods too."

We'd even compete to see who was best at making a makeshift bed.

"During times like that, I just eat whatever's convenient. That day I was completely exhausted."

She was starving, but so tired her brain wasn't working, and even going into a restaurant felt burdensome.

"I bought two lunch boxes and a tapioca drink. Without thinking deeply, just looking at the portions and thinking 'this should be about right for now.'"

"Tapioca... that thing should be dead by now."

"It's not dead. The boom just passed."

"This is getting off topic, but with rising prices now, there's a lot of keeping prices the same while reducing quantities, right?"

"Yes yes yes."

Convenience store food is exactly like that.

"I noticed around the time I entered the company lobby. Ah, everything I bought was in containers that would be easy to deceive with."

"Ugh..."

"But I was too tired to care, so I just went back to the president's office and started eating."

It's not even any trouble really, but when you're utterly exhausted, even the smallest effort becomes bothersome. I get it, I understand completely.

"But when I actually started eating... huh? This isn't getting smaller at all."

"!"

"The fried chicken pieces were each unusually large too, and it wasn't just skin either."

Could it possibly be...?

"I looked it up later and apparently they'd decided to go in the direction of increasing quantities and raising prices. And you know, even though they raised prices, considering the increased portions, while they're still making profit, it's gentler on consumers' wallets."

In this gloomy world, they managed to avoid losses while deliberately increasing satisfaction!

"I was happy to hit such a small lucky break in that extreme state."

"I see... 10 points."

"10 points."

"35 points!!!!"

Oh, foodie Suzuki-san just gave 35 points!

"Wait, wasn't it out of 30 points!?"

That's what happens with random moods...