Episode 4. Oxygen Cafe

It was hot in Harajuku in the morning. The area in front of the station was crowded with young people dressed in colorful fashions. Weaving my way through the crowds, I walked with Hana to a shop that sold cosplay costumes.

I hadn't walked with a young woman - an android - in decades. I crossed the street with mixed feelings of elation and embarrassment. I glanced sideways at Hana to see how she was feeling, and she was pacing around like a puppy dog.

"Is it funny?"

I asked.

"Yes. It's my first time in Harajuku."

Her eyes twinkled.

As I entered the store, a flood of pastel colors hit me. It was my first time to choose a cosplay costume for a young woman. I felt slightly dizzy.

"A forest fairy, right?"

I looked around for an outfit that fit the image.

"Okay, Hana. Try this on."

I asked the clerk to send Hana to the fitting room.

"What do you think?"

I looked at Hana as she came out of the fitting room and sighed. A light green Tinkerbell-style dress. It was both dainty and refreshing. It had wings on the back.

"Yes. It's perfect. Okay, I'll buy some shoes to match. I'll buy some everyday clothes as well."

I tried to imagine what kind of clothes would look good on Hana,and to my surprise, I found it enjoyable. Maybe this is what it feels like to have a daughter.

The next morning, when Nana saw Hana changing in the staff room, she said

"Wow, she's so cute. She looks just like a forest fairy."

"The image of the Cofe was now solidified. Okay, let's open the Cofe."

Soon after opening the Cofe, the old man with lung cancer came in. He was carrying a Shiba Inu.

"Sir, we don't allow dogs in our Cofe. ......"

"Yes, I know, I know. I was just stopping by for a walk. I'll leave Goro tied up outside."

The old man took a seat by the window.

"I'll have a wiener coffee,"

He ordered.

"Tinkerbell, I see."

He muttered to Nana as she brought him his wiener coffee. A few moments later,

"Fynn, fynn."

I heard a dog whimpering outside. It seemed that he was tired of waiting. Hana said

"Dog."

and ran out. I hurried after her.

"Dog."

Hana pulled poor Goro's ear to the side as hard as she could. Goro shook his head as if he didn't like it.

"No, you can't treat him like that."

I pulled Hana away from Goro.

"Do you like dogs?"

I turned around to see an old man standing behind me. Hana didn't answer.

"No, She was probably trying to make him quiet."

"Goro is cute, I get it. Goro is cute.I see. "

"Well, young lady, my name is Taizo Kobayashi. If you want to play with Goro, let me know. I'll bring him to you."

Taizo laughed.

In the evening, a group of young men who looked like college students came into the coffee. They looked like frivolous young men. They were chatting and drinking coffee for a while, when one of them left his seat and approached Hana.

"What's your name?"

"Hana."

"Hmmm. Hana-chan. You know, when you're done with work, why don't you come hang out with us?"

"What are you doing, man? That's an android."

”I don't care if it's an android. She is cute."

"Because you can't ...... with an android."

I watched the exchange from behind the counter and felt anger rising in the pit of my stomach. What are you going to do to my precious Hana?　　I left the counter and approached the young man, glaring at him and saying in as scary a tone of voice as I could manage.

"Hey, kids. I don't want you to do anything strange to my valuable employee. If you want, I can call the police on you for obstructing business, okay?"

It's hard for me to say this, but I'm confident that my face is scary.

When the young man saw my face, he was completely deflated.

"No, no, ...... that's ......."

He stammered.

"Just be a good boy, drink your coffee and go home, kid."

"...... Yes."

I went back to the counter, satisfied.　They're probably college students, but even those who belong to the highest school are like this?　

It's a pity. I glanced at Hana. She didn't seem to understand what was going on. She was standing there in a daze, her eyes like marbles. I shouted at her, "

"Hana!　　You've got to stand up to the demands of customers like that!"

"What kind of demands?"

"Pick-ups."

"What's a pick-up?"

"It's when they seduce a woman and try to do all kinds of immoral to her."

"What do you mean, 'do immoral'?"

I held my head in my hands. What am I supposed to explain to an android?

"Well, the ultimate goal is sex."

"I have no reproductive function.."

Ugh. I know that. I know that. I know that, but...

"But you have to say no to that stuff!"

"Okay."

I took a big breath in and let it out. Well, as long as she says no, that's all that matters. Hana is an android, but she looks like a cute young girl. I'm sure this kind of thing will happen in the future. Thinking about it, I was not in the mood for it.