Urban Life

As a child, Iroko was angry, very angry. Everything irritated him, so people either responded aggressively or avoided him. As a result, he always had few friends. He got used to being hated, so he thought everyone naturally had a negative image of him in their minds.

However, one day he changed his attitude. He started smiling at everyone. It wasn't a normal, genuine smile, but a forced one. Because of this, people still found him scary. He tried to avoid people or be nice to them whenever they spoke to him, but only his closest friends knew that he hid this aggressive personality deep inside, having to repress it all the time.

This helped him a lot, as people began to simply avoid him instead of bullying him. Now, he was distant from everyone, even his closest friends, who drifted apart after they finished school. He learned not to meddle where he shouldn't, just like most people. He learned to... be passive and nice, all the time.

He was nice, not kind. He couldn't feel much for anyone unless it directly affected him. He couldn't genuinely smile, laugh, or cry. Everything was forced, to fit the moment and the place. However, he could still find joy in some things. Such as having a purpose.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way... when was the last time I truly laughed? At least in this game I can find happiness amidst the chaos. Order isn't for me.

"Are you deep in thought, Iroko?" Kasugo asked, noticing his silence.

"No, I'm just..."

"Thinking about Minako, hm? Is she your type?"

"Well, kinda..."

"You like strong women? Because I do. You protect them, they protect you."

"Yeah..."

"Did she do something to you?"

"No, it's just..."

"She's kind to those she considers friends. She didn't hit you, did she?"

"No..."

Am I already friends with her?

Kasugo smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Then she doesn't dislike you, at the very least."

She doesn't hate me...? But what if she's just... Do I have a chance with her?

Kasugo and Iroko left the apartment and took a walk around the city for a bit. Kasugo was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, while Iroko was only wearing a cap.

Wearing too many clothes can attract more attention...

"You wanna try, Iroko?" said Kasugo with a smile.

"Uh? Try what?" said Iroko, as his friend pulled a can of spray paint from inside his hoodie and tossed it to Iroko to catch.

"Painting this wall. It looks kinda ugly the way it is."

"Really? It looks fine to me."

"Look around, buddy. Most colors here are neutral. They don't look bad when mixed with more vibrant colors, but on their own they seem..." Kasugo grabbed another can of spray paint and began drawing something seemingly directionless on the wall. "...corporate, lonely."

"I hadn't thought of that..." Iroko replied, reflecting on the street's aesthetics.

"People go to work every day and are greeted by this neutral, depressing tone. And what happens to their day? It becomes longer and more tedious. Giving life to the city is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Wow..." Iroko held his spray can, impressed by Kasugo's philosophy. "But isn't that considered vandalism?"

"As long as it looks good, the property owner probably won't complain."

"Probably?"

"Yeah, some hate uniqueness. I hate ugliness. Come on, paint something. If it looks bad, I'll cover it with more paint."

"Are you sure? I don't want to get in your way."

"Yeah, just try it, it's fun."

Iroko followed his advice and tried spray painting the wall. The paint didn't come off very well.

"Shake it a little," Kasugo advised. 

Iroko shook the can and sprayed again, the paint covering the wall in many tiny dots that merged to form a solid color. "It's... weird. The sensation, I mean."

"It smells good, doesn't it? Go ahead, do your magic."

They continued painting the wall for a while, making various drawings. After they finished, they contemplated their final work of art: a dragon.

"Thanks for the help, pal," Kasugo thanked.

"You did most of it... I just made some random lines."

"That's not true. I used your drawings as inspiration for the final artwork. Cool, right?"

"It's really cool, but I don't know how you do that."

"Ah, it's a little hard to explain. Art in this scale isn't for everyone."

"Yeah, I think I don't have the patience for this..."

"Don't worry, it's just an one-time thing. I don't do this that often too."

"Really? Then how did you get this good?"

"I used to practice when I was in college, before this death game. Speaking of which, we shouldn't stay in the same place for too long. Want to go home? To Kuroki's apartment, I mean."

"Yeah, why not? Thanks for the opportunity, Kasugo."

Kasugo gave a thumbs-up. "We're friends for a reason, right?"

They returned to Kuroki's apartment. He was there, waiting on the sofa.

"Took you long enough," he said. "Did anyone follow you?"

"You know I wouldn't let that happen, boss!" Kasugo confirmed.

"No, I don't know. Iroko, when you guys left, I realized we don't have enough discreet clothing. How about you go shopping with Minako?"

"Eh?" Kasugo was confused. "What about me?"

"It's best if you two don't spend too much time together outside, because the other players will get suspicious."

"I understand the reasoning, but..." Iroko glanced at Minako's room. "...will she agree to this?"

"Minako!" Kuroki shouted. She came out of her room after a few seconds. "Could you accompany Iroko to the clothing store? He can't go alone, and, well, you know more about fashion than I do or Kasugo."

She knows about fashion?

"Hey, I know a little about fashion," Kasugo said, confronting him.

"The clothes you choose are too suspicious," Kuroki retorted.

"I can't argue with that..." Kasugo gave up.

Minako went back into her room without answering at all.

"Huh?" Iroko murmured, confused. "She refused?"

"She's changing," Kuroki confirmed. "Wait a little while and you can go."

"I think you have a little too much faith in her..."

"Hey, Iroko..." Kasugo put his arm around Iroko's shoulder with a snarky smile. "You know what this sounds like, hm? A date!"

"A d-date? It's nothing like that! We're just on a mission!"

"Alone, with a girl... and she's protecting you..."

"That sounds even more like a mission!"

"I'm joking, you don't need to have a romantic relationship with her. But becoming friends with her could save your ass in the future. I'm not saying you're not friends yet, but there are layers, right?"

"Layers...? So now she has a neutral image of me?"

"Neutral? Nah, friends aren't neutral. She thinks of you positively, at least."

"I had some friends who were neutral..."

"And you parted ways after school, right? True friends can't stay neutral."

Wait, that actually makes sense...

"Thanks, Kasugo. You're a really good friend."

"I can say the same about you, pal."

Iroko and Minako left the apartment and strolled along a boardwalk. Her tall and imposing figure drew a lot of attention, even though this time she was wearing a black hoodie and a cap instead of her usual cloak. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, emphasizing her mature appearance.

She kept her eyes fixed on what was ahead, observing everyone without turning her head. Even though she was the bodyguard, she walked faster than Iroko, always staying ahead of him. Her stride was perfectly rhythmic, without any inconsistency. She seemed more like a soldier than a martial artist.

Now I get why Kuroki chose her... I can't fight at close range, and neither Kasugo nor Kuroki could. She's the perfect bodyguard.

Suddenly, she turned around and went into a clothing store.

Damn, I almost lost sight of her.

He followed her. She browsed through some options and handed it to Iroko, who, confused, didn't know whether she wanted him to test, rate, or buy the clothes.

These seem to be my size... how did she know exactly what to choose?

He picked them up slowly and went to the fitting room to try them on. She leaned against the wall, watching everyone outside and trying to hear if anything was happening inside the fitting room, in case some player had set a trap there.

They fit perfectly. And they're quite generic, but I guess that's the point.

Iroko left the cabin and nodded to Minako, who went to the cashier, looking down on him menacingly, and then paid for the clothes.