This Wasn't a Dine-and-Dash

“Mm— Better—mmf—pick it up then,” Kaoru commented with a stuffed mouth.

You better pick up jogging— “Ow! Hey! I didn’t even say anything!” A sudden blunt force made contact with my left foot.

“I can read your mind…” Kaoru pouted with a mouth full of fries. I could only respond by throwing my hands up in frustration.

“Ahem—” Fujioka interjected herself back in. “Like I previously stated, the deadline is soon and you have two options.”

“...Those being?”

“One, you finish volume two and revise both, submitting both volumes. Or two, focus all of your attention on refining number one… Now that I say it, knowing you two, option one sounds impossible… as well as two… hmm.”

“Okay-okay, option two-option two. That one’s realistic.”

“Barely.”

Course Two: Large Cherry Cola

Constantly doubting my abilities is her downfall… it’s everyone’s downfall. I mean yeah, I will admit I have failed in the past… a lot. But isn’t it that failures like make you stronger or something? I’ve failed so much I’m technically the best writer, no? “So going with focusing solely on volume one, where do we start? I’ve never really… re…” I trailed off.

Fujioka’s eyes lit up like I’ve never seen before. It was akin to when you’d say Takechi around Yoshika or food around Kaoru—a genuinely happy expression. “You’ve never what?” She leaned in.

“Revised…”

“Sorry, a bit louder, I must be hard of hearing.”

“I’VE NEVER REVISED ANYTHING BEFORE!” Every occupant in the diner swiveled towards me like they were given a queue card to do so. “A-ahem… I’ve never uh… revised before.”

“Pfff—” My wonderfully kind illustrator attempted to stifle her laugh. “Hhahaahahhahahahahaha.” She paused to wipe a tear away. “Ahahahahahahah— Ohh~ That’s just music to my ears.”

“Nice… Now ho—”

“Bahgaahhahaha oh heavens, Makoto, that really is something.”

“Done?”

She cleared her throat. “Mm, yes.”

“How—”

“Hahahaha—”

“That one was faked!” I slammed my fist on the table. As I did so the waiter came by and dropped off Kaoru’s third course—a burger and Kale chips. Weird choice. As he did, he also politely scolded me to keep my voice down. I wasn’t even being that loud… “How do I start, ya’ know, revising?”

Course Three: Everything Burger Supreme & Kale Chips

“Alright Makoto, I’ll be serious. Revising, in my opinion, is the single most important aspect of any creative work. Whether you’re a musician, writer, illustrator, does not matter. No one, sadly not even myself, can obtain perfection on their first attempt. For me it’s usually my second, but for most it takes dozens. Hundreds of scrutinizing hours of the most grueling painful re-re-re-re-reading of your life. A crucial skill that not many have what it takes!” Fujioka had grown fairly red in the face… Was revising a touchy subject for her or something?

Fujioka and I finally got our food. I ordered the English breakfast meal while she went with a simple mix-salad. Along with our food came another side of fries, and I bet you’ll never guess who they were for.

With a heavy breath to center herself, she finished her rant. “So, do you believe you have the guts?”

“I mean, well, I have to, right? To make it in the industry.”

Fujioka paused, she seemed to have a response pre-charged, but my answer wasn’t the one she was expecting. “...Hm, very well.” Her left eyebrow cocked. “Since you have no experience I’m assuming I have to baby you through this process… because I’m your… partner or whatever… I say we move to the library once we’re done eating and begin revisions.”

“H-hey! I’m the president of the writing club and the lead of this project. Shouldn’t I call the shots?”

“Alright, very well president. What do we do next?”

“...Ahem… Go to the uh… library.”

Fujioka wore a terribly annoying smirk on her face. “Incredible idea, president.”

I shook my head and stood up from the booth. “T-thank you. It’s only natural that I come up with good ideas… Now, I’m going to go refill my soda.” A cup suddenly was waved in my face—the holder, Kaoru. She looked at me with big pleading eyes, obviously asking me to refill her’s too. No matter how much I want to, saying no to that face would be a crime.

“Another wonderful idea from our president,” Fujioka commented—standing up as well. “I’ll see myself to the bathroom then, I suppose.”

Before the two of us could walk any further from the booth two Geisha walked past us and sat in a nearby booth. Some sort of weird convention going on? I haven’t heard of any nearby festivals… We both went our respective ways in the restaurant. I watched Kaoru’s cup fill with the fizzy-brown liquid, something must’ve been wrong with the machine though. The pressure for the dispenser was abysmal…

Hey! Abysmal—that’s a good word, I should use that in my light novel. Now in a sentence… I feel abysmal that my precious sister is on a date with some hoodlum. Suzuki-san’s chest began to tighten… the abysmal thought of actually having to perform in front of strangers crept into her mind. Is that not bad? I should ask Kaoru.

I finished filling the cups and turned back to the booth where she was nowhere to be seen. Must’ve gone to the bathroom with Fujioka or broke into the kitchen. When I sat back down two more Geisha had sat down with the ones who previously entered. I can’t diss them, it’s just not my style of cosplay, ya’ know? Of course I respect the tradition but it really doesn’t do anything for me.

Fujioka returned shortly and sat opposite of me. “Where is Kaoru-chan?”

“Wha? Was she not in the bathroom with you?” Fujioka shook her head no in response. “Huh… Maybe she went to the kitchen for an early fourth course.” My light-hearted jab got a smile from her but still, Kaoru was nowhere to be seen.

“I believe this is what you call a “dine-and-dash”. Perhaps she ordered more food than she could afford.”

I let my head fall back and rolled my eyes. “She promised not to…”

“Promises are made to be broken, no?”

I slipped my wallet out of my pocket. “I get half you get half?”

“This works for me.”