The Absurd Two

“You know. You parents used to go there quite a lot.”

Those were the words mentioned by his uncle before Yukikaze left the house.

9:47 a.m.

The eeriness from yesterday's night had been taken over by sunlights reflecting onto green dews. The station now looks more like a garden rather than a cursed spot. However, it still won't change the fact that the maintenance on this place could use some hand.

Did it rain last night? The pebbles on those brown tracks seemed to be wet. And it smelled of petrichor here. Fortunately Yukikaze was wearing a denser hoodie than yesterday's. His hands were getting chilly by the minute.

He walked up to the customer service booth–where he went last night–and slumped onto a tattered seat next to the booth’s window.

He flicked the poster in his hand, giving a thought onto his uncle's word.

Does that mean his parents used to work here? That can't be it though. They had a toy shop in the past. He knew because he worked there too–although only as a poster boy. And he never really heard anything about this station from his parents.

Did they never mention it to him? Hiding something from him? Or he just never took notice of it before?

In any way. It seems working here might be his best bet to know–even a little–more about his parents. The money was just a bonus.

“Yeah, a bonus~ Ehehehe~” He was aware of the greedful face he's making. Luckily no one was there.

“Yuyu, Yuyu, he's making a disgusting face.”

“Mimi, Mimi, he's muttering to himself.”

He was looking at the station's ceiling at that time, so it seemed like two fluffy hairs were bouncing–as if whispering to each other. One in pink, and one in blue.

He dropped his head back to the voices in front of him. Two girls were there. Their height was the same as his–at least, the same as when he was sitting currently. And they were wearing conductor uniforms. Just like the girl he met last night.

They looked the same in everything. The ties. Twintails. Their weirdly diamond-star shaped pupil. Even their squeaky high tones were in pitch.

The only difference was the colors.

But never mind that, did they just mock him? These kids… Simply rude.

He clicked his tongue with ‘tsk’, then wore a haughty expression. “You kids shouldn't say stuff like that to adults you know.”

“WHA–!?”

“Mimi, Mimi, this mister called us kids.”

The pink ones were quite taken aback. While the blue ones just stated the oh-so obvious fact while pointing at him.

“Also, it's dangerous to be here you know.” Yukikaze continued.

“We aren't kids!!”

“Yeah! Yeah!”

The pink ones stomped her feet. And the blue ones punched the sky.

Pretty much what anyone would expect how kids would react. But seriously, who's letting their children loose out here? Train tracks would be the end of their tiny lives if they got careless.

Yukikaze looked to his left, then to his right. Not a single entity that can be classified as a parent was there–primarily because the station was empty to begin with.

“Where are your parents, kids?” He asked.

…

A sudden silence.

The blue one tugged at the hem of the pink one's suit, “Mimi?” she asked.

The pink one just stood there, looking down. It's hard to see her face clearly when she's doing that. But even Yukikaze could tell he might've touched a sensitive topic.

Was it their parents?

“H- Hey…” Yukikaze tried to approach her.

“I… not…” She muttered.

“W-What was that?”

“I… not… k..d…”

“Hm?”

Her hand suddenly slid behind her. And now that Yukikaze got a good look at it, there's something mounted to their back.

*Swoosh!*

There was a sudden acute noise, like the air had been cut.

Something silverish glisten. Like steel. And it was close.

Actually. Too close.

Just inches from his retina.

…

Concern turned into confusion.

And then fear.

“I SAID I'M NOT A KIDDD!!!” The pink one shouted.

It almost burst his eardrums.

But to hell with his eardrums. Something even bigger was in front of him.

No. That something was huge. Almost their height.

And moving now would be a bad ‘BAD’ choice.

“Mimi, Mimi.” The blue one tugged again. “Look.” Then she pointed somewhere below Yukikaze.

The pink one’s eyes were holding back tears. Yet she followed the blue one’s finger.

And then a click!

Like a switch getting flipped, her pupil expanded the stars within. The gap between her mouth broadened into a smile. And the thing she was holding, got mounted to her back with a swing.

Yukikaze's palms were grabbed. Her hands were soft and small, not enough to cover his.

“BIG BRO!” The pink one shouted. “ARE YOU JOINING US?!”

…

“...yeah…” He squealed.

The answer doesn't really have anything to do with the question. He assumed it was the one she wanted to hear.

“Yuyu! Yuyu! A new member, Yuyu!” said pink.

“Mimi! Mimi! A new member, Mimi!” said blue.

The two clasped their hands together, jumping in a merry-go-round.

It was cute–if not for the fact that his skull almost got split in half by a giant axe.

“Oh? What are you two up to?” A familiar voice sounded from within the booth.

It was hard to turn his head after the shock. But he forced himself to do so anyway.

A pink fabric was poking out the booth's window. No–A pink ribbon?

*Slide~*

A hand pushed the window to the side. And the owner leaned her head over the counter.

Black hair, pink ribbon–definitely her.

“...Suzumeyu…” Almost a plea.

“Woah. You surprised me.” She said.

Surprised? That's a lie. Her smile doesn't seem to change from last night even. Still casual and puzzling.

“Sis Ruu!!” The twin shouted, springing themselves towards the counter.

“You see! You see!” said pink.

“This mister here is going to join us!” said blue.

“I know.” Suzumeyu hummed.

“As expected of Sis Ruu!”

“Sis Ruu knows everything!”

“Haha. As cute as always, you two.”

She patted the cotton-candy hair of theirs–it was cute.

But that's besides the point.

“...h- hey…” Yukikaze muttered.

“Hm?” Suzumeyu turned to him. She then hummed as if coming up with a word.

“No need to worry. These two are harmless.” She said.

“You're kidding… right…?” Yukikaze asked.

“No, really. They are.” She then continued. “But it's quite surprising though.”

“What is?” Yukikaze asked.

“You ‘is’.” She said.

What does that even mean?

“Right? Sis Ruu.” said pink.

“Why would you pick this place, mister?” asked blue.

The two rested a hand on their chins. Puzzled.

But even Yukikaze himself was puzzled.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“What do ‘we’ mean?” the twin asked? They raised an eyebrow to each other.

Obviously he picked this place for that million yen salary. But saying that would make him look like an insincere jerk.

“I just thought it's near where I live.” He said.

“You picked this place just for that?” Suzumeyu asked.

“Yeah?” He shrugged. “Why?”

“Mimi, Mimi, did he not know?...”

“Yuyu, Yuyu, maybe he didn't?...”

The two sent obvious whispers.

“What? Just spit it out.” He slipped a chuckle out of peeve.

“Didn't you read the poster?” Suzumeyu asked.

“Yeah?” He said. Even lying the poster onto the counter.

Well, the font was too absurd for a human to even read. But nothing beats a million yen.

“It's a 12-hour shift.” Suzumeyu tapped the poster.

Still doesn't beat a million.

“One day off a week.” She continued.

Still doesn't beat a million.

“Combat involvement.”

Still doesn't beat a million?

“No insurance.”

A million?...

“And for the monthly salary.”

He guessed it.

“A hundred thousand.”

…

That's different from a million. Like, ‘losing another zero’ kind of difference.

“Eh?” Yukikaze stumped. “You mean a million, right?” He asked.

“Huh???” said the three.

They took a closer look at the poster on the counter. They paused. And then started pointing at it as if counting.

“Ah!” The blue one muttered. She took out a marker pen off her shoulder pocket, scribbling something onto the poster. “And~ done!”

“Well done, Yuyu!” The pink one patted the blue.

Yukikaze joined their heads, forming a circle around the poster.

He counted the number of zeroes supposedly written there.

One, two, three…

Six. So that's supposed to–

Wait–no–the last zero was crossed with a thick red line. So the total would be five… zeroes…

“A hundred… thousand?...” His eyes slumped.

He turned to Suzumeyu. And Suzumeyu turned to him with a smile.

“Don’t mind.” She said. An ‘OK’ gestured in her hand.

“Aunt Yu!” The two shouted.

Yukikaze was caught off the poster.

A pitter patter tapped the concrete tiles to his back, urging a turn to the figure of the two, already scurrying towards the station's gate.

A deep violet pulled his eyes.

Wool trimmed the neckline of the heavy coat. Thick braids rested against her shoulder. And a red lily resides in the corner of her bang. About her late twenties?

Even with the twins shoving their heads against the coat. He felt a shroud gloom over her.

× × × × ×

Author's Note:

Done with the rewrite for this one. The best I've ever done so far. It's great that I'm improving in both speed and writing. I did thought about quitting last week. It seemed my persistent was worth it. Now I feel like writing anything even.