A Token for Your Time Pt. 1

Ah, the weekend—those sacred, fleeting days where I get to pretend life doesn't exist. No responsibilities, no homework, no social obligations. Just pure, uninterrupted peace. Assuming, of course, that I've finished all my assignments ahead of time… which I always do. Not because I'm studious or anything. I just like having nothing to do for a day. Two, if the gods are generous and I don't suddenly feel guilty for being a useless lump on the couch.

At least, that's what it should've been.

I was rudely torn from my blissful slumber by the soul-shattering screech of my phone buzzing. Groggy and half-blind, I checked the screen—and the moment I saw who it was, I sighed, rolled over, and declined the call with all the grace of a man choosing peace.

Biggest mistake of my life.

Before I could even fully flop back onto my pillow, I heard it.

SSHHK—SLAM.

My balcony door slid open like a horror movie jump scare.

I shot up with the speed of a man who'd just heard a home intruder—or worse, a surprise test.

"Aikami!" came a voice way too energetic for this ungodly hour. There stood Lana, wielding her phone like a weapon of justice. "Why did you decline my call?!"

I blinked. Twice. My brain was still loading. Bedroom? Check. Balcony? Check. Intrusive goddess in my personal space? Also check.

Ah yes, just another chapter in the ever-growing saga of—

"The hell are you doing here?!" I snapped.

"The hell am I doing here?! The hell are you still doing in bed?!" she fired back without missing a beat. "C'mon! Get up! We've got a whole day planned!"

"What?! It's Saturday!"

"Exactly! The perfect day for an outing with your favorite goddesses!"

She said it so proudly, so confidently, that for half a second—even I almost believed it. Almost. For half a second.

"No," I muttered, pulling the blanket over my head and dramatically flopping back down like a true weekend warrior.

"Eh?! Oi! Get up!"

"I said no!"

That's when the tug-of-war began.

"Dude! Are you out of your mind?!" I grunted, yanking the covers back with the desperation of a man trying to preserve his final shred of freedom.

"You think I care if you said no?! As a goddess who literally has the power to smite you into next week, I hereby order you to get up!"

"Then smite me! At least then I'll get some sleep. For eternity!"

"Aikami!"

And so began a tragic scuffle—me clinging to my blanket like a lifeline, and Lana pulling it like she was trying to win a tug-of-war tournament with her sisters. Spoiler alert: it didn't end in my favor. How the hell am I supposed to win against a literal goddess who doesn't know her own strength?

Eventually, I accepted defeat and sat up, hair a mess, dignity in shambles. "...Fine. I'll at least hear you out."

"Oh, you're doing way more than just hearing me out," she muttered ominously.

"...Huh? Wait—Lana?!"

Before I could even process what was happening, she pounced onto the bed, pinning me down like some overexcited wrestler. She wore a devilish grin as a bright light engulfed us.

"H-hey! This is assault!" I cried.

"Don't care~!" she beamed. "You're coming with us whether you want to or not!"

And that's how my weekend of peaceful rest died a swift and brutal death.

May it rest in peace.

When the blinding light finally faded and my retinas stopped screaming, I found myself no longer in the comfort of my soft, warm bed.

No... Instead, I was now standing—barefoot, disoriented, and emotionally violated—in the middle of an entertainment street. People were walking around, music was playing from nearby shops, and the scent of street food instantly assaulted my nose.

"What the hell?!" I looked around frantically. “You teleported me out in pajamas?! I don't even have shoes!”

"You'll live," Lana said, completely unfazed. "Anyway, where's Chloe and Alice? They were supposed to meet us here—"

"Wait. You planned this?!"

"Obviously. I've been hyping this day up all week!"

"To who?! Not me! You didn't even tell me it was happening until two minutes ago when you stormed my balcony like the police!"

Before she could respond, a new voice joined in.

"Ah, there you are," came a soft, almost whispery voice. I turned to see Chloe, wearing an adorable pastel outfit and holding what appeared to be… an enormous stuffed rabbit.

"Oh... Aikami's here too…" she added, cheeks turning pink as she glanced away.

"Hey! You brought Mr. Bun again," Lana said, patting the plushie. "Nice."

"I-I just thought he'd like to come along..."

"He has more of a say in this trip than I do," I muttered under my breath.

Then, as if summoned by the sound of my sarcasm, Alice strolled in like she was walking down a runway. Elegant. Poised. Completely out of place for a casual outing.

She stopped in front of us, one hand resting on her hip, the other holding a shopping bag—presumably from a store she'd already raided while the rest of us were dealing with teleportation-related trauma.

"My, my," Alice smirked, eyes landing on me. "Dragged out of bed by force and still handsome as ever. Pajama fashion really suits you, Aikami."

"I hate all of you right now," I mumbled.

"Oh don't be so grumpy. You're getting free food, free entertainment, and the company of three beautiful goddesses. Most men would consider this a blessing."

"Most men don't wake up thinking they'd be publicly humiliated like this."

As if on cue, an elderly lady passed by with a chortle. "Oh, dear. Quite the fashion statement, young man."

The moment she had disappeared from view, Lana burst into laughter, doubling over while Chloe awkwardly covered her mouth to hide her giggles. Even Alice had the audacity to chuckle under her breath.

This is it. My dignity has officially left the chat.

And the worst part? This was just the beginning of the day.

The first store we walked into was a clothing store, where Alice had me fitted for an outfit dedicated to the cold weather. After that... I don't even know. I wasn't paying attention for most of it.

"Aikami?" Lana tilted her head, leaning in closer. "You good, buddy? Anyone still home in there?"

When I didn't respond, she proceeded to knock on my head like it was a front door.

"G-Guys! I think Aikami's dead!" she gasped, hand to her mouth like she'd just discovered a crime scene.

Right on cue, Alice and Chloe entered the scene from opposite sides—like some kind of overly dramatic police investigation. Both leaned in, scanning me with overly serious expressions.

"He looks fine to me," Alice said plainly. "Hey, Aikami. Wake up."

"I'm awake..." I groaned, slumping forward like a dying plant.

"Then why are you sitting there like a corpse?"

"Oh, I don't know," I said, rubbing my eyes. "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I got five hours of sleep last night."

"And whose fault is that?" Alice asked, crossing her arms like a prosecutor mid-trial.

"I was finishing all my assignments!" I snapped. "And you wanna know what my main motivation was?"

"To hang out with us?" Chloe chimed in, her eyes sparkling with hopeful sincerity.

I glanced at her. That face… she really meant it.

"No, Chloe..." I sighed, deflating. "It was to sleep in. For once. I was gonna wake up in the late afternoon and feel absolutely no guilt about it. But instead—surprise—I'm here, doing the exact opposite of what I planned."

"Can you really call it a surprise, though?" Lana shrugged. "This has been our routine for, what, almost a month? School on weekdays, hangouts in the evening."

My eyelids drooped mid-sentence. "…Today's the weekend, though…"

"Huh? I said that too, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't!"

"Eh?! I totally did! Right, Alice?!"

Alice nodded without hesitation. "Yep. She definitely did. You must be more tired than we thought, Aikami."

I blinked slowly, expression blank. I'm getting gaslighted. I am a hundred percent getting gaslighted right now, and no one's gonna convince me otherwise.

Like I said, I was supposed to sleep in today. But clearly, I was a fool for thinking peace was part of the divine plan.

Suddenly, a man in a casual jumpsuit walked past us, hauling a ladder over his shoulder like it was no big deal. Maintenance guy? Maybe? Then again, what kind of maintenance worker strolls casually through a public plaza like he owns the place?

"Oh. Hey, Miss Fates," the guy said, giving a lazy wave.

"Sup, Hephy," Lana replied.

"Lord Hephaestus," Alice added with a polite nod as he passed.

I blinked. Slowly. "…He-Hephaestus…?"

"Oh, oops," Lana said, casually whistling. "Forgot you don't usually notice the gods just walking around. But yeah, they're everywhere, so get used to it."

"…Uh-huh."