Prelude of Humanity

Chapter 4

"How's your hangout, kid?"

"Well it's fine. Time flew. My first time as well."

"First time, and you're 18?! Goodness gracious, how did you spend your first years of adolescence?"

"Living and contemplating life alone, but everyone has to have their firsts right?"

"Heh, got a point there, I take back my words."

That was Aka and I having yet another afternoon talk at her mochi store back at the apartments. We took a seat at the front, with the other three tables occupied by people as they're having the time of their lives with Aka's legendary cuisine consisting of mochi and hot drinks to serve.

It was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. After having my "errands" at the City Square with that restaurant that I can't get fed up on, I went home. It was the same route back and of course, I went on to Autumn Street again that had all of those fancy big trees. Going back there the second time, it was much windier than it was us Ala-chan walking earlier in the morning, with lots of leaves falling off from the breezy wind. Surprisingly enough, I memorized the route that Ala-chan and I took earlier, just going in reverse this time.

I say surprising, because I really have bad short-term memory. But I guess if things in your life had an impact on you, it might be one of the greatest memories ever in mind.

"Huh, never saw the shop with the tables full here inside, well apart from us."

"It's simple common sense, today's a holiday, so almost everyone has the freedom to roam around the city. That means the freedom of ever finding this mochi store around. I bet the youth is having the cheers and fun of today." She gladly sipped on her coffee.

Well, only one group in one of three tables had laptops and paperworks, so they're definitely having the time of their academics, not their youth—well unless if stressing on schoolwork is part of their youth.

"Well kid, tell me more about your hangout earlier. As an adult, it's great to reminisce about my youth again—you can't do anything of that much when you're older..." Aka placed down her mug, and lied on her arms crossed on the table, looking up towards me.

"Hmm, Ala-chan and I took a walk in Autumn Street just the uphill past our apartments, then I finally met Ala-chan's group, and us four had some sort of brunch in this burrito/taco restaurant, then we just went the craze on window shopping in the Shopping District near City Square."

"Ah, it's the same usual hangouts I used to have back in the day, perfectly normal for 'ya then! Have a picture or something?"

Without a thought, I immediately skimmed through our group conversation on my phone and showed her the picture, orienting my phone in landscape though.

"Awh, you cute kiddielets! And-" Aka burst into a chuckle, "Oh come on Akko, at least put a smile when you pose. 'Ya look like one of those chubby kids posing dead with a balloon next to a restaurant mascot or something"

"Grr.." I hastily closed my cellphone, back into my pockets.

"Oh hey, no need to be angry, it's you after all-Anyways, who's this short chick beside you?"

"That's Tomo, but we literally had like less than 50 words of cumulative conversation the whole day. She's dead silent to me except to Ala-chan and Miko over there."

"Ehhh that's odd, probably jealous that you just got in their group," She swayed her hand back and forth in the air, "No worries, that'll change or somethin' the more mutual you get with those three. Dang, was about to say you two look good together."

Despite calling Aka the one who possesses the "womanly of all women" demeanor (Miko may be second, but she might probably take her title soon), she engages in spicy talks with me, like a cupid on the loose; a love insurance advisor.