Chapter 05 - The Conveniences of Commuting to Work

Story Arc 2: Ramen on a Rainy Day
Chapter 05 - The Conveniences of Commuting to Work

“It’s a promise. I’ll treat you to ramen on the next rainy day.”

I’m Aoi Akabane, age 27, the nonchalant-looking guy stuck in traffic on this cloudy Tuesday morning in Sakura City. Rainy days are my best days, and Saturdays always feel nostalgic for me.

I’m a freelancer, working alongside my mother and two younger sisters at our family freelancing business, G.Biv. We all have our own trade and specialties. For starters, my mother, Midori Akabane, is an experienced botanist. She helps the local science community, as well as renovators, and land surveyors, in identifying and preserving local flora. Of course, with such an important task, her services aren’t cheap. It also doesn’t help that she’s a bit too money-centric, though I know she means well.

Ai and Murasaki “Saki” Akabane are my sisters. Both are aged 25 and are twins. Ai freelances as a mediator, and Murasaki as a detective. They have been skilled in their respective fields since elementary school, and graduated university at the top of their classes, receiving their professional licenses shortly after graduating. 

During elementary school, whenever there was a conflict, Ai always stepped in to find a mutual resolution. And whenever something was missing or seemed out of place, Saki was always on the case, which would usually be solved within a day or within the week. Some of her cases include “The Missing School Pin,” “The Missing Neighborhood Cat,” and “Who Ate My (Saki’s) Strawberry Daagen-Hazs Ice Cream.” We’d never thought to hear the end of that ice cream case until she entered high school. Though, I’ll tell you that story some other time.

And then there’s me, the firstborn and older brother. Unlike my mother and sisters, I don’t have a specific field of expertise. Rather, I have a vast array of skills, such as being able to learn and complete a task in a quick and precise manner. I enjoy helping people whenever I can and however possible to the best of my skills and ability. Apparently, my helpfulness has become recognized throughout the town of Misato and is synonymous with our family business. Farming, moving furniture, pet-sitting, you name it. Not once have I received a complaint. Naturally, Mom saw this as an opportunity to grow wealth. “Anything you can do well shouldn’t be done for free!” she proudly proclaims as her motto. So, I guess you can call me G.Biv’s mascot.

At the moment, I’m on my way to a freelance job. Still stuck in traffic. 

“Aagh! What’s the hold-up?! Did someone stop at a red light and are commemorating it?!” 

Looking for a way to get out of traffic, I looked to my left and noticed a narrow road that lead down a neighborhood. I’ve been down this road a few times before. At the end of it, a person could turn left or turn right and it’d circle back to the main road. Maybe, if I go down this road, I could cut ahead in traffic! I have time to gain and nothing to lose!

I signaled my blinkers that I was turning left and proceeded to drive down the narrow neighborhood road. 

“Lucky! Serves you right, traffic!” 

As I continued the drive, I encountered a truck that occupied half of the road. How frustrating! Couldn’t they have parked on the grass or something? No matter, I can still manage to fit through. I eased my foot off the pedal to decelerate in order to pass through what little space of the road remained. Slowly. Slowly. Halfway passed by. Almost passed that huge ass truck. Aaaaand…

Thunk!

Fearfully, I closed my eyes right as I heard that sound. Some seconds later, I opened my eyes. I didn’t hit anything or anyone. But. One-third of my car was stuck in a drainage ditch on the side of the road. 

“Unbelievable!” I shouted, throwing up my hands in frustration and disbelief. 

The nearby workers, who were also the owners of the truck, stopped what they were doing to spectate what had just occurred. 

It’s your fault your truck was taking up half the road! 

I set my car into reverse with hopes of backing out of the ditch. Nothing. Just the sound of the wheels turning fruitlessly against the air. 

“OH C’MON FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!” I exclaimed, throwing up my hands higher than before, hitting the inside roof of my car. 

The three workers continued to stare, not moving an inch, not even a centimeter. 

Don’t just stand there and stare! Your truck’s the one who caused this! 

I placed my two hands on the steering wheel and took a long, frustrated sigh. I’m definitely not getting to the freelance job on time now. 

“These guys!” I growled to myself. Without further delay, I opened the driver’s door to the car and hopped out. My head was lowered, a furious expression across my face.

“Hey, are you okay?” one of the workers, the leader of the three, called out. He appeared to be in his mid-50s, sturdy built and of average height. 

The worker next to him had a smokeless cigarette in his mouth and appeared to be in his mid-to-late 30s, tall and lanky but also sturdy. The third worker was about the same age, a bit short with a slightly hunched posture. As they drew closer, I raised my head, displaying my full anger and frustration.

“Hey, you bastards! Your flippin’ truck caused me to go into this stinkin’ ditch! If it weren’t for your huge ass truck taking up half the road I would be on my merry way to work! What are you gonna do about it?” I was fuming, poking at the leader’s chest with my index finger at every uttered word.

“W-We’re sorry budd --”

“Can your truck lift my car out of the ditch? It sure don’t look like it! Can either of you suddenly gain the Incredible Green’s power and lift my truck out without destroying it? It sure as heck don’t seem like it because this ain’t a comic book!”

I noticed one of the lanky workers smoking a smokeless cigarette pen, promptly grabbed it from his mouth, and broke it in half in pure, calm rage. 

“Didn’t you know smoking is harmful to your health?! Didn’t your parents raise you better? Were you skipping the health assembly in your school days?!”

“W-Well,” the now cigarette-less man began to speak. But I didn’t give him the chance.

“Enough of this!” The sound of thunder was heard after my shout. “Either you all get my car out of this ditch or you will be in there with it!”