Chapter 297 – Worry (4)

{Yes, tomorrow… It will be around 10 o’clock.]

I keep saying it’s hard, but suddenly… ?
It’s nice that I can go on a date with Rapid, but I’m a little embarrassed.
If… Are you sorry to say I have no friends?

For some reason, I think that’s really the reason, so let’s not think too deeply.
Just thinking about it, it must have been the right time.
I’m sure it will.

[Then, shall we see you tomorrow?}
{Yes!]
[I’m looking forward to it, where should I see it?]
{You must be tired from going through this and that… Mr. Anger, wouldn’t it be more comfortable to live somewhere close to where you’re staying now? I’ll go.]
[Then how about District 15?}
{Aha… Yes, I like it.]
[I’ll find out where to play.}
{Yes!]

District 15 has many secluded places with little to see, but it’s not without anything to do.
There is also an appropriately configured entertainment complex for people who came to the nearby district factory as day laborers to spend their hard-earned money. However, it is different from the densely populated area.
Then… Where’s the fun in District 15…

{I’ll be called by Ash, so I’ll go!]
{To train!]
{See you tomorrow!]

Then, Rapid’s message lit up the screen of the vision phone.
A name made up of two letters is clearly inserted into the field of vision.
At that moment, as if avoiding and turning away, I recalled memories that I had forgotten for a while like a sharp pain.

Don’t get closer to Rapid, don’t contact him first, and don’t turn down Rapid when he asks to meet you.
Don’t tell me what happened in Reef’s secret lab.
And the reaction that Rapid has shown so far while talking… Bringing up the story of Ash casually, like I had no idea what had happened.

Ash lives in the same district as Rapid.
Same training, same life… We will probably talk a lot with each other.
Still, Ash never told Rapid about meeting me.

This does not mean that Ash will turn a blind eye to Rapid and I continuing to communicate.
If so, you wouldn’t have tortured and threatened me like that.
It means that what happened that day really shouldn’t be known to Rapid, and he doesn’t want to know.

The moment I violate that, I will be targeted by Ash and I will be killed.
You shouldn’t try to get closer to Rapid, you shouldn’t ignore Rapid’s contact, and you shouldn’t tell Rapid what Ash did.
… So, from now on, you can meet Rapid while being more careful not to be caught by Ash.
It’s okay if you don’t get caught.

It can be said that entertainment facilities in District 15 are of a lower standard than other districts.
If there is a game center in another area, this is a private game room, a small and narrow coin karaoke room instead of a karaoke room for many people, a movie room instead of a movie theater… It consists of facilities that are cheaper and require less space and maintenance.
However, that might be better.

A narrow, dark room… A place where touches, which can be argued to be accidental, are likely to occur…
It seems like it would be a safe and private date.
Wouldn’t it be better to sit still and hold hands like a movie theater? Or would it be better to pretend to be in a good mood while dancing excitedly like at karaoke? .

It’s kind of a song, but since I only know the theme song of the magical girl anime I saw when I was young, I guess it’s better not to go.
I want to see Rapid sing…
After all, is the game room the best? But is it really a good choice to go to the game center and go to the game again?
While thinking about it, the vision phone vibrated to announce the arrival of a message.

[Are you going to a restaurant?]

As soon as I check the message Grape sent, the hunger that I forgot about while chatting like crazy rang in my stomach.
I turned on the navigation to the restaurant and started walking down the street.
You’ll soon get hungry, and if you think about it while eating, you’ll come up with a good idea.

# # #

The restaurant building was shaped to create the unique atmosphere of District 15.
By putting a transparent outer wall on top of the concrete… I think there were people who liked this kind of thing, but in my eyes, it only looks like a well-made abandoned building.
Still neat… Well, it does look a lot more atmospheric than making it unnecessary and flashy and looking cheap.

{How about going there yourself? I’m curious about the appearance!]
[It’s the same as the picture uploaded on VisionNet.}
{Can you take a picture for me? The glass door of the store is pretty, but let it all come through!]

The first thing I did after arriving at the restaurant was to send Grape a picture of the restaurant.
I don’t know why they asked me to come back later and take a picture, but since I’m going to pay with Grape’s card, I took a picture and sent it to him.
While I was taking pictures, a couple who had been waiting next to me enter the restaurant.

A couple in the restaurant… Couple… Only couples… I wonder if this is the only popular restaurant in District 15…
But… Because it’s District 15…
If you try it today and it’s delicious, next time you’ll bring Rapid and Grape here.

“Welcome, how old are you?”

I confidently entered the restaurant by myself, gave the clerk a confident thumb, and sat down.
After receiving the menu board, I immediately order a few of the popular menu items.
I ordered a lot, but it’s okay because it’s not my money.

When I ordered the menu, the clerk took the card from me and returned it with the receipt after a while.
Apparently, this restaurant is supposed to pay in advance.
It’s called City A, but it’s also District 15… It must be because there are people who eat and run away.

“You waited a long time.”

Soon after, the tables were filled with dishes prepared in a hurry.
Ingredients… It is not artificial food, but it seems that processed ingredients are used for easy storage.
This is a restaurant that uses fairly good ingredients.

{Who’s next to you?]
[Next?}

The moment I was about to start eating, I got a message from Grape, who didn’t reply for a while, probably because he was busy with work.
I looked around wondering if there was anyone next to me or if Grape was watching from somewhere.
There is no one by my side… Grape is not visible either.

[What are you talking about?}
{Who did you go to the restaurant with?]
[I came alone… ?}
{Really?]

What… Why are you doing this all of a sudden…
The question that arose from Grape’s unknown behavior naturally led to the card payment.
Am I getting angry because I ordered too much, and when I saw the amount on the payment notification, I thought it wasn’t like this… ?

[Sorry, it’s just because there are so many things I want to try… Did you make it a little too much?}
{Yes?]
[I guess I was too excited when Grape said you could buy whatever you want…}

If you apologize for this much and remind me that this is what Grape said it’s okay, then the anger will subside… ?
After seeing my reply, Grape was silent for a moment as if lost in thought, then a cute character sent a smiling emoticon.

{Did you have a lot to eat?]
{Have you ordered anything?]
{Show me the picture!]

Is it resolved… ?
Is it solved right?
As Grape requested, I took pictures of the food I ordered and sent them.

{Don’t get so close… Can’t you take a picture so that all the statues are visible?]
{Since they said they ordered a lot, I was curious about how much it came out.]
[Yea, I got it.}

Again, take a picture of the table in full view.
I can see various dishes on the round table, which is not very large, and the space except for the forks and knives placed on my side is filled with dishes.
After sending the picture like that, Grape sent a lot of emoticons with a strange character smiling.

{Wow, you ordered a lot!]
[Sorry.}
{No, it’s good to eat a lot of Anger, eat it quickly!]
{I’m sorry for suddenly asking something strange! Bon appetit!]

… It’s unlocked right?
Seeing that he keeps sending various emoticons, it seems to be correct.
Even when we worked together, Grape seemed to send emoticons when he was shy or if he misunderstood something… That’s right.

But in the first place, wouldn’t Grape be angry?
She gave me a card to buy and eat as she pleased…
I didn’t do anything wrong.

{Try it, and if you have something delicious, tell me the next time we go together!]
[Huh.}
[This is delicious.}
{At a glance, this dish seems like Anger would like it…]

Grape seemed to think so too, he continued to talk to me by sending emoticons.
The dish was delicious.
It’s a taste that makes you wonder if it’s not a restaurant frequented by District 15 couples.

By the way, Grape lives near District 15, so he tends to find restaurants like this…
If you’re not sure where to play with Rapid, let’s ask Grape.
I think I can recommend some good places.

“Whoa…”

After a satisfying meal, I went out of the restaurant.
Now… What to do…
There is nothing to do right now.

Even after returning home, Grape is still working, and Rapid is training right now…
Shall we go to find out some of the dating places we learned about while eating? .
At that moment, a couple like me who had just left the restaurant passed me by and said,

“I ate well… Right?”
“Yeah, I’m full. Shall we go there?”
“There? Have you been there before?”
“I like it there, the atmosphere is good…”
“…Then will you stay there until dinner tonight?”
“Okay~”

There… ?
I don’t know where it is, but since it has a good atmosphere, is it a dating spot for couples living in the area?
I stood still and looked at the backs of the couple moving away from me, then quietly moved on.

Game rooms, karaoke rooms, and movie rooms do not have a particularly good atmosphere.
Aside from those three things, if local couples say that the atmosphere is good and you can go on a date many times, it’s not a bad place.
I’ll follow along, and if it’s a good place, I’ll go with Rapid.

With that thought in mind, we followed the couple and arrived at the walkway in the artificial forest.
There are no people, and there is a high hill on one side of a maze full of trees, and several couples are sitting on it.
I see people leisurely looking at the scenery or lying on the lawn and talking.

… It is a slightly different landscape from what I expected.
All I want is more… It’s dark and atmospheric, but it’s good to do naughty things… It’s such a date place…
This is not the date place I want.

“Aigoo, enjoy your meal.”

After leaving the disappointment behind and walking along the promenade, I see an old man selling skewers with a small cart.
I immediately bought several grilled skewers for dessert and chewed the meat while enjoying the stimulating taste of the seasoning.
It’s cheap yet addictive.

However, the texture is not bad for something bought on the street.
It’s not natural or processed meat, but it still has the texture like beef and the flavor like chicken… I feel the lack of artificial meat…
Are there any artificial meat brands that are so good at making the texture of meat… ?

“Huh?”

While walking along the promenade while chewing on skewers, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my left hand, so I stopped and clenched my fist.
As if reacting to something, the veins on the back of the hand twitched and trembled.
Feeling strange, I looked around, but I couldn’t see anything.

What should I say about this feeling?
Even on a sunny promenade… It’s like being on a subway where you don’t know when negatives will appear… Something, a cool yet hot sensation tickled the stomach uneasy.
At that moment, the air in front of my eyes was torn apart.

“Uh?”

At the same time, without giving time to react and without warning, shimmers like transparent flames jumped out of the air.
It took shape slowly, folded its half-spread black wings and grabbed my wrist holding the grilled skewer.
Esther’s voice spoke to me as I shrank in surprise.

“Anger…”