Chapter 141: What If (IV) - The Burning Feather and the Bright Sun

"What a nice man... Why can't everyone be like El?" I walked around the road to go to where I was supposed to go: Aqua's workplace.

Good thing it didn't take long for El to patch up my head injury, so I still have about two hours to hang out with Aqua, thinking about it now I'm very excited to go ally hang out with her.

My legs were frolicking around in excitement like that of a happy kindergartener, a massive grin can be seen on my face as I jump around. "Oh right! Gifts! I know that there's a nearby bakery here, so I'll get some bread for her and the kids.

I entered the bakery and was met with the delicious aroma of the bread around me. The glass cabinets are filled with different types of bread; from croissants, donuts, pretzels, and others else. Not only that but you can also buy lots of desserts such as cakes, cupcakes, and pies.

"All of these are tasty... Maybe I'll come with Aqua, Homura, and Asahi next time here, we could also bring Miyu and Ayame too." I took one serving tray and took a tong at the table near the glass cabinets.

"I wonder what I should get?" From what Aqua said there are about 20 children at the daycare including Ayame, and 3 workers including Aqua so I need a lot... "I wonder if my wallet could handle it..."

All those tournaments that I participated in were supposed to be used to buy myself more games and extra content in my games, but... I guess spending my money on more useful things is a good chance to start over.

"That'll be 4,200¥ in total." The pretty girl at the cashier told me.

4,200¥... That's a lot, I could buy some sh*tty games somewhere online with that money, I guess buying bread for children is a much better alternative than playing games that I know I wouldn't enjoy.

I grabbed my wallet and opened it to grab the payment for the bread, but soon as I open my wallet all I see was a 10¥ coin.

The cashier saw what was inside my wallet and I could see the disappointment appear in her eyes. "It's the store policy that once scanned you have to pay..." She said to me with a straight deadpan face.

Such luck... I could only avoid getting gaze, trying to think of another plan to get out of here, just looking at the body I could see how well-maintained her body is and in comparison to my body I only started going outside just yesterday, I have no way of beating her in a race if I try to escape.

Not only that but she's still a child, so if I fight back I'll get arrested.

"Umm... You see..."

"I don't have time for excuses..." She nonchalantly said without giving me a chance to talk. "Though, we do have another alternative for payment."

"Really? Can you please tell me?!"

"Get me fired from this job and I'll pay for everything you bought."

I was speechless, my brain wants able to process what the girl said. "Can you repeat that?"

"I said, You have to get me fired for this job. Seriously people like You are what I detest the most."

A single vein appeared on my head upon hearing what the girl said, she might be cute and elegant but something about her is punchable to me. It's not her face or stares that were punchable but her personality is awful to handle.

Also, judging by her attitude isn't the store policy that she said just a massive lie? It looks like she's just using me to get fired. "Hoy b*tch... You're lucky that I don't have time to get arrested for punching a minor, and anyway what the h*ck is a child even doing work here for?! You look about the same age as my friend's little sister, no you look younger than her! And even so, why can't you just quit on your own?"

"Minor..?" Her voice was trembling from rage and she was clenching her fist to avoid making a scene. "I have you know that I'm much older than You!"

"Older..? Okay, okay, you're already a working child yet you still act childishly, I can see why you want to quit so that you can fulfill all of your childish desires." Who the h*ck would take this child seriously? I admire that she started working at her age but if she keeps complaining about little things at work she is still an immature child. "So quit on your own and go cry to your mother-"

My body was light as a feather when I was sent flying into the air, the impact of her punch is equal to that of being hit by a truck, not that I experienced getting hit by one but this child's punch is powerful enough to kill someone.

I fell on one of the glass cabinets that contains the cakes, the glass shattered and this time luck was on my side, not a single shard of glass managed to injure my body. "What the h*ck..?"

She jumped from the counter and managed to land on my stomach successfully with her feet first.

The impact landed on the very center of my stomach, I almost puked out the breakfast I had but I managed to stop myself.

She then sat on my chest- still angry at me. "How dare you! How dare you call me a child!" She punched me in the face and punched again another time, her punches were fast and strong that I couldn't avoid them even if her hand was small.

When she was about to get ready for her sixth punches someone grabbed her hand immediately. "Stop that, Ho-oh." A woman whose voice is as soothing as listening to the ambient of summer came and stopped her from punching me.

I looked to see who the woman who stopped her was and I was bewitched by her beauty, her long black hair that has an orange tip along with her star-shaped pupil was as bright as the sun.

The child, who was apparently named Ho-oh then stood up and looked at the woman, a chill came down to her spine and she was trembling as she slowly tries to avoid looking at the woman's gaze.

Looking at the woman now my entire perception of her changed, her gaze when angry was sharp and toxic to look at.

It was like a venomous viper staring at her prey, waiting for it to take an action first before charging an attack. The way her stare pierces at my neck was enough to shake fear in me and looking at the child named Ho-oh I could see that she herself was afraid to look at the woman's eyes.

The gaze she was giving out hurts, it was sickening, it was frightening, looking at it makes me want to burn myself alive, but most of all it was traumatic to look at. It may have been the first time I've seen this woman's gaze, but something about it makes me want to kill myself, like being reminded of past trauma of some sort.

My eyes couldn't stop looking at hers, I was deeply afraid that once I avoided her gaze I'll die. That's just how frightening her toxic gaze was.

The woman looked at me with a smile so beautiful that it could make anyone fall for her, she closed her eyes, and immediately my fear of her was gone. "Good morning, I'm sorry for the trouble that my employee caused you."

"No, it's okay... It was my fault for making her mad anyway..."

"I see... But you know Haruki that there's a lot of cleaning to do here." She looked at the glass cabinet that was destroyed and then proceeds to look at me. "Though my employee might start it first, in the end, you're still the main reason why she punched you. Do you get what I'm trying to point out?"

I stood up in fear and did a salute. "Ma'am yes ma'am, but I don't have any money so can I pay with something else?" I bowed my head and prayed for luck that she won't charge me.

The amount of damage that I did could possibly get me bankrupt, the only way for me to get money is through gaming tournaments in which chances are I sometimes lose, so paying for the destroyed glass cabinets and the cakes would hurt my wallet.

"Don't worry, I don't plan on getting someone bankrupt... It could lead to a bad view of me you know? So, instead, would you like to work part-time here?"

"Huh?" I was shocked at what she said, no one in their right mind would ask that question to anyone else, unless... "Excuse me ma'am, I might be wrong but didn't I hear you say my name before, or was it on my mind?"

"Of course, you heard it correctly Haruki Mimasaka."

My body froze, the way she said my full name was outright terrifying, I'd never met this woman before and this was also the first time I'd been to this bakery, so hearing a stranger say my name is definitely a red flag. "Excuse me, but how did you know my name..?"

My voice trembled as I asked that question, this woman was terrifying already but every time she speaks despite her beautiful and charming voice, it still has this threatening sound onto it.

"That's a secret... But if you're curious about how I know your name then you better start working with me and impress me with your work."

"Uh-" Wait... I probably said my name before when I was looking for bread to buy but did I though? No, the former no might be right. "Sorry, but that's not enough to convince me to work..."

"Then how about if I say their names?" Her eyes had a sign of mischief as she looked at me with a sadistic smile. "What were they perhaps? Asahi Kishimoto, Homura Suzuki, Miyu Kishimoto, Ayame, and Aquamarine whose last names I don't know. So what do you say?"

I was speechless, this woman said the name of my friends without mistaking their names for other people, then that means that she knows my name too and it wasn't just me muttering it without me noticing.

Just... Just who is this woman..?

I looked at her beautiful starry eyes, it was burning with passion yet dangerous, it gave me the vibe that this woman wasn't ordinary at all. "Then I'll work for you then..."

I could only surrender to her intimidation, whatever she wants from me I'll do it if it means that she won't harm any of my friends. "Please just promise me one thing, please don't hurt any of them!" My head was bowing on the ground and I was sweating profusely waiting for her answer.

"Of course, if you're working for me then I must protect them too Haruki Hotaru." She answered with a joyful smile. "Oh, how rude of me to forget. My name is Mikoto, Mikoto Ohirume."

Mikoto looked at Ho-oh who was avoiding looking at me and was pouting beside her, Ho-oh noticing Mikoto's gaze became afraid of her and decided to speak.

"My name is Phoenix, that's all... I don't have any last name due to reasons I won't tell you. You can call me Ho-oh because that's basically just the Japanese Phoenix. It's nice to meet You..."