The Delicious Taste of..., Part 2
1290 Words
So, this is Harumi's modus operandi: Interrupt the storytelling and leave it in a cliffhanger. Just like what Scheherazade did to keep Shahryar entertained and save herself from decapitation.
Today's school was nothing significant. Build another machine in my mechatronics class.
And this time, yes, I'm given homework.
I just need to build a basic blueprint for a machine of my choice.
Easier said than done.
Good thing I have some drafting paper lying around.
It's now 5:31 pm.
I don't see Harumi around.
Either she's home early, or she'll be arriving late.
Either way, I must get to the target site pronto!
Oh, there she is!
Presumably, she's putting the finishing touches on her apartment unit.
“Hi again, Gunpei!”
“Your unit sure looks nice. It's indicative of a full-fledged lady!”
“Why thank you.”
“Well, shall we continue with our little storytelling session? I've been itching to know how you react to my side of the story.”
“Sure thing.”
It's now six o'clock, and our hour-long session commences.
“What happened on the second street corner...”
***
There were two groups of people shouting invectives against each other.
That street corner was colorful due to political campaign posters and streamers hanging everywhere, including two parked vans, so that had to be two campaign trails belonging to two rival candidates for this town's mayor coincidentally meeting.
Therefore, it must be the candidates' rabid supporters going against each other.
For five minutes, I listened to the groups' ramblings.
“Your political party sucks balls. You silence everyone who's not sharing your ignorance. Don't blame us when those controversies that hounded your god-emperor mayor started six years ago. And as usual, the allegations of my dignity being bought for a few thousand yen would fly with no counterpoints being presented. Pfft.”
“Hey, I've heard your party increased their wages on shills like you. Good thing you're not being hospitalized for a job that's much worse than being a pickpocket.”
“Hahaha. You're as dumb as you sound. You're only good at parroting, huh? Show me proof that I'm being paid. Pea-brain.”
“And who's the pea-brained ones among us, kid? Your job must be great, right? You're making a fool out of everyone else. You're still alive, but deep inside your soul is burning.”
“Hahaha. Feeling righteous, huh. Stop accusing and show proof, dumbbell. I ain't going to hell, even if it's true.”
“Hahaha... You really love gaslighting and sealioning us, huh. Guess when those abuses happened... You love labeling our beloved incumbent mayor 'abnormal'. So who's enforcing the laws now?”
“Are you dumb or what? Why does it matter if the administration's changed? They're following the same law set up by your poor excuse for a mayor. Do you honestly think the implementation will change with every new admin? IT'S A LAW. UNLESS IT'S MODIFIED, YOU'D HAVE TO FOLLOW IT BY THE BOOK. Moron.”
“Moron calling me a moron. Can't even point fingers on who to blame properly. Hey, smart aleck, a law is just a block of text until someone implements it. And will only take effect when implemented. So, who will be blamed for this improper use of the law? The one who implements. Now, if you can't understand what I've said, I can guide you to the nearest high school, and let you take your first learning about logic there, because your statements are pointless.”
They were resorting to name-calling and other insults.
In this side of Japanese politics, these supporters of those two mayoral candidates were the worst ever.
They're treating the two men like gods that need to be worshiped.
Even in a polytheistic belief system, this kind of worship is ridiculous.
When I couldn't take them anymore, I accumulated so much energy in my lungs, and then shouted...
"SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!"
They were rendered silent.
For five more minutes, I explained to the two groups the fallacy of supporting a certain candidate blindly and outright demonizing his rivals.
"Listen up, folks. We ordinary folk are getting sick of political mudslinging that leads to nothing, and you supporters who are blindly worshiping your revered candidates do absolutely nothing .to stop it If we want to progress, we must use not only our passionate hearts, but also our discerning minds," I expounded.
Soon, they got my point and stopped their verbal combat.
They asked if I'm a neutral poll watcher.
I replied, "No. I'm just an ordinary citizen like you, doing what I must. Nothing personal."
I immediately bade goodbye to them and continued my journey to the grocery store. On the third street corner...
A middle-aged man who wore a semi-formal suit was cornered by four youngsters.
They were all armed with retractable lancets and brass knuckles.
I surmised... that man just withdrew a huge amount of money from an ATM and then those kids were out to mug him.
This was another anomaly in this otherwise peaceful Japanese town.
Some criminal syndicate, the yakuza even, could be using those kids to source money illegally and immorally.
Without any second thought, I rushed to the scene. The muggers were surprised, but they had a plan. Two of them would mug the man; the others would try to hurt me.
Good thing I have a strong martial arts background. When the two attackers tried to s***h me, I dodged their strikes, and then I deftly grabbed their shoulders and twisted them like ropes. I then Irish-whipped them to the corner.
The other two were surprised by what I did and then rushed at me with pure rage. I dodged their rushing attacks, and then proceeded to ambush them via a flying frontal dropkick aimed at their backs. They were knocked out.
A policeman saw the scene and asked me what happened. I explained everything with some help from the would-be victim. He then arrested the muggers.
In response, the man showed his appreciation.
“Thank you, young man. Because you have saved me, I've decided to offer some of my withdrawn cash to you as a reward.”
I replied, "No thanks. You deserve the money more because you have a family. I'm about to raise one if not for the girl who jilted me... It's my job to defend the helpless... nothing personal."
He and I then parted ways.
Finally, one kilometer more and I could reach the convenience store!
But what I did on those three street corners eventually took a toll on my body.
The scorching heat didn't help, either.
Right on the facade of the convenience store, I fainted due to fatigue.
And then...
I felt my lips touching another set of lips. Not from a girl, but from a bottle.
An energy drink, to be exact.
And the girl I've talked about to the man who was about to be mugged... was you.
The rest is history.
The delicious taste of helping others... quenches my spiritual thirst. And yours.
***
“And thus ends my side of the story.”
“Hmm... not too bad for a memory recall. You know what... I still remember that scenery that day.”
“Yup, in that street with the three corners. However... the convenience store there moved somewhere nearer our place, and in its original location now stands a bookstore.”
“And on that same street... our current mayor has already dealt with the criminal syndicate employing those gangsters.”
“Yup, I recall it.”
“And that's it for our six o'clock story time. Hope you're tuning in tomorrow, Gunpei!”
“I sure will.”
We then head back to our own units, doing our usual routines of dinner and studies.
Right now, I'm drawing the schematics for an uninterruptible irrigation system powered by a micro-controller.
It simply regulates the amount of water being introduced into farmlands and will also have safety checks in case of droughts and floods.
And while my hands guide the pencil that takes care of the drafting, I can hear the soft and almost inaudible sounds of a brush being dipped in paint, and then that same brush bringing the paint into a canvas.
Ah yes, Harumi clued me in on an artwork of hers.
I'm working on a technically-inclined creation, and she's working on a creatively-inclined opus.
Truly, we're opposites being attracted to each other. Sorta.
- Writer
