A study meeting... but it's still a meeting. If my sources don't fail me, it'll either be a dynamic study group or it ends with sexual results...
(That only happens at parties.)
No, but it's possible. What would a bunch of girls alone in a house do...?
(Study, you idiot.)
You have a point...
I sighed, trying to clear my mind, and headed toward the main hall.
"Has Her Majesty finally come down to receive her friend?" Camila, in a good mood, watched me as she said it.
"Hehehe, you're right." I placed my foot on the step. "Rejoice! Her Majesty, immaculate and perfectly refined, grants you the honored invitation to bask in my radiance!"
"Is the humor a family thing, or is it just that weirdo?" Arisha gave me a strange look from where she sat comfortably on the sofa.
"Hahaha, it's all her." Camila, with a small laugh, took a sip of wine. "Please take care of her. As you can see, she's very 'special.'"
"Yeah, I've noticed. Don't worry, we'll be back by seven." Arisha paused, then pointed at the person pouring wine for Camila. "By the way, is that one always like that?"
"Please ignore me and continue your conversation." Misaki shot her a glance and returned to her task.
"Alright, forget all that. Isn't it time we got going?" I tossed a piece of bread I'd saved from breakfast toward Arisha. "Here, my esteemed warrior. The unknown lands of Sir Daisy await us. We'll have to cross the Amazon jungle known as the city to get there."
"This shit's hard..." She threw it back at me. The damn thing really was hard as a rock.
"A very bold move... Your father would be upset if he knew you stored bread like that," Camila said without looking up from her phone.
"Then don't tell him, okay?" I walked over and grabbed Misaki by the arm. "Come, my dear friend. We must head to Sir Daisy's chambers." I smiled at her while trying to hold back my laughter.
Arisha stood up from her seat. As I led Misaki toward the exit, Arisha inclined her head toward Camila.
"Thank you for the reception. We'll be off now."
As Arisha came out to join us, just before the door closed, I caught a glimpse of a smile on Camila's face.
Outside, there was no sign of Osvaldo or anyone else.
"So, how are we getting there?" I asked.
"Well... I don't know. I thought Mr. Osvaldo or someone else would take us." Misaki and I both looked at Arisha.
"Are you two really that spoiled?" She sighed. "We'll take the train. Her house isn't far from the station."
Excited, I grabbed Arisha by the shoulders.
"We're taking the train? Damn... We're allowed to take the train?!"
"C-Calm down!" Arisha pushed me back. "You're way too excited..."
"Ah... yeah, sorry. I lost my composure..."
Misaki stepped closer.
"Don't worry, miss. It's okay to be excited. Just tone it down a little, all right?"
"Understood... Arisha, could you show us where to go?" I met her eyes.
"...Yeah, fine. Just follow me."
We started walking, and the walk stretched on for a good while.
"Still, your house has a nice atmosphere. My sister would've loved it if she'd come."
I shamelessly took her hand, and Misaki's too.
"Really? Wow, I would've loved to meet her."
"If you go to Mass on Sundays, you will. Just don't mention me. She gets really pushy..."
As we walked, one poster in particular caught my eye:
"The traditional family: if you already have one, only happiness awaits. If you don't, poor soul. Visit your nearest office and start prospering!"
"That's one of the Church's posters. Pretty popular, right?" Arisha didn't pay it much attention, but Misaki did.
"I'm honestly surprised Mr. Toyohisa agreed to appear on that..."
I stopped.
"Wait... that's a man?!"
"Yes... That's what I wondered too when I met him..." Arisha nodded in agreement with me.
"Well, I can understand it a little... but I've heard he's a good man and a good teacher. In fact, he'll be in charge of the sports club exams."
"I see..."
As we walked toward the station, I kept wondering if a man would really look like that...
At the station, I waited on the bench while Arisha and Misaki bought the tickets. A little girl approached me.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" She tugged at my skirt.
"Yes? What is it, little one?"
"Do you know where my little brother is? I miss him so much." She teared up a little.
"Hey, don't cry, okay? Um... how about we go look for him? As long as we don't leave..."
"Really?! Yay!" She jumped up and down with joy, so I went with her.
As I accompanied her through the station, I saw many posters. Some showed drinks and food. Except one... a central poster with the slogan:
"The united people will never be defeated."
"What's your little brother like?"
"Um... um... he's chubby... and he has green hair."
"I see, I see." I lifted her up and sat her on my shoulders. "Shout if you see him."
"little brother! Where are you!"
We searched among everyone we could see and couldn't find anything for several minutes.
"little brother! Your sister is looking for you!"
Then a hand pulled at me.
"Hey, are you crazy?! We've been looking for you for half an hour!"
"Looking for me? I only spent a few minutes with the girl..."
Arisha grabbed me by the shirt.
"What girl?!"
"Uh... well, this one...!" There was no girl there.
Then Misaki came running over.
"Miss, are you okay?! Where were you?"
"I... I don't... know... I was looking for the little girl's big brother in the crowd..." I was very nervous.
"Crowd? Miss, there's no one here..." Misaki looked at me strangely.
"You're joking, right? Look at all the people... they're..." There wasn't a soul in the station.
"I'm sorry... I think I made a mistake..." I took Misaki's hand.
"Well, what's done is done... Let's wait for the train. It'll come soon. Just... don't wander off, okay?"
We walked back to the bench.
"Now that I think about it, isn't there a lot of advertising at the station?"
"No, miss. Advertising is prohibited in this station because it was discovered that the director's husband used it as an excuse to come eat, ignoring his diet." Misaki began to ramble.
(Wait... Then did I see something illegal? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?)
Then the train arrived, very well maintained. We got on. Before boarding, I saw the main poster... Now it read:
"Worship your ancestors. Visit your nearest temple!"
On the train, I asked directly:
"Hey, why was the station so empty?"
"Because Mass is at this hour. Besides, the Sacred Flame Festival is coming up, so they use weekends to prepare and build." Arisha answered each of my questions, most of them irrelevant, until we arrived.
We continued walking in silence. Daisy's house was surprisingly close to the station, about fifty meters away.
We rang the doorbell.
A little girl opened the door.
"Good afternoon. Is Daisy home?" I smiled as best I could.
The little girl ran inside.
"Sister! The rainbows are here for you!"
"Hey... what if we just go in now?"
"No... I don't think you should say things like that so casually..." Misaki squeezed my hand tightly.
"Okay, okay. I just wanted to do a little sneaking around... I wasn't going to break any vases..." I accepted Misaki's refusal.
"The colors are looking for you, sister!" The shouting continued until someone came to the door.
"I'm so sorry. Daisy is very absorbed in her own world. Please, come with me." A kind, quite young woman received us and guided us through the house.
"Sorry for the delay. We had a..." Arisha glanced at me. "...mishap on the way."
"Hahaha, don't worry about that. It's water under the bridge. Please help my daughter. She..." The woman's expression grew sad for a moment. "She wants to impress her irresponsible father."
"Irresponsible? We thought he was a great... father, based on what she said..." Misaki lowered her face, then put on a rigid smile.
"Yes... that's my fault... I set too many expectations for him." When we reached the room, she paused in front of the door, then sighed and left. "If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"
"Okay."
"All right."
"Understood!" We all answered, and finally opened the door.
"Damn... this is a..." I found myself surrounded by stuffed animals on the floor, along with torn sheets of paper scattered across the entire room, and books piled on the floor next to a body.
"Okay, help me." Arisha sat in front of the body. "Sienna, sit on the left. Misaki, on the right." We did as she said.
"Open fire!"
We opened fire with the stuffed animals, left and right.
Thud. Thud.
"Mom! They're killing Daisy!" Her sister watched us, horrified by such an act.