Prologue

Struggling on the floor, a dark form reaches its hand out and mutters, “where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Its question, directed to the figure walking away and towards the opening of the cavern that they were both inside of.

The figure stops for a moment, before turning back. 

“I’m bored.” it said.

Without further comment, the figure exited the cavern; leaving the dark form on the floor to wallow in its own misery.

Wanting to have the last word, the form shouted while furiously shaking its fist in the air. “Curse you hero! One day I will catch up to you! Until then, sleep with your sword next to your pillow!.”

                                                                       OMOTENASHI

Birds chirp and leaves fall from tree branches inside the bustling city of Tokyo, Japan.

Sandwiched in between two large skyscrapers, stands a very small 24 hour grocery store.

Inside the store, the buzzing of a white ceiling lamp rains down on a dead white room with an office table in the middle.

Sitting across from one another is an older woman with large comical glasses and a young man with a very generic look. They are in the midst of what appears to be an interview.

The woman is reading a paper in her hands, while the man sits upright with a wide smile on his face.

With a grunt, the woman adjusts her glasses before looking up to the man, then to the paper, then back to the man.

She puts the paper down before clearing her throat.

“Is this a prank?” she asks with a serious demeanor.

The man shakes his head in response.

The woman points to a paragraph on the paper. “Let me get this straight. According to this resume, you’re the hero of seven realms, whatever that means; slayer of the great dragon god; destroyer of heaven?; a mercenary for hire; betrothed lover of someone named Alta; a credited philosopher and a world renowned celebrity, did I get that right?”

The man simply points to a particular line below everything else.

The woman adjusts her glasses and takes a closer look, it says, “qualified janitor with 5 years of experience.”

She looks up to the man, who has a smug look on his face. She sighs while thinking, “am I really this desperate?”

Without much resistance, she reaches out her hand to shake the man’s, “yes I am.” she thinks.

They shake hands with a firm grip. “I’m Keiko.” the woman in glasses introduces herself before asking, “what would you like me to refer to you as?”

The man utters the simple name, “Sho.”

Having made acquaintances, the two walk out of the office and begin their tread to the back of the store.

Suddenly, they stop behind a female employee stocking shelves. “Good morning, Hana.” said Keiko.

Hana turns to face the two of them with a disinterested look and a lollipop in her mouth. Keiko continues, “I'd like you to meet Sho.” she gestures to the man who is standing right behind her with a stupid smile on his face. “He’ll be your new coworker from now on, I hope you guys can get along.”

With gray eyes, Hana scans Sho up and down before taking the lollipop out of her mouth and simply responding, “I don’t think so.”

Sho and Keiko helplessly stare as the girl named Hana walks out of the store and slams the glass door behind her.

Sho turns to look at Keiko, who still has her eyes glued to the door. She clears her throat and adjusts her glasses before turning away and towards the back of the store, once again.

They begin walking without a word being uttered between either of them.

Finally, they reach a locked storage closet hidden behind a set of shelves. Keiko reaches into her pocket, takes out a key and unlocks the door.

Swinging the closet door open, reveals a series of cardboard boxes, haphazardly stacked one on top of the other. The boxes fall out and collapse on top of Keiko, who doesn’t even attempt to move out of the way. This surprises Sho, but before he can do anything, Keiko’s head pokes out of the rubble.

She adjusts her glasses, before walking out of the pile with a green t shirt in her hands. She blows a layer of dust off of it and into Sho’s face.

“Welcome to the team, I guess.” she mutters, looking away while handing Sho his “new” employee uniform.

Sho takes the shirt with a warm smile and makes sure to put it on right then and there.

While adjusting the shirt, he flinches a little as an army of bugs crawls out from under his sleeves and onto his arms and face.

Keiko is left speechless, staring at Sho’s goofy, unaffected smile.

Suddenly, a feminine voice pokes out from behind Sho. “That's disgusting.”

Sho and Keiko turn to see Hana, who simply points to the rubble in front of the open closet before muttering, “I ain’t cleaning that.” and walking away.

Sho turns back to Keiko, who then hands him a broom while reiterating, “welcome to the team.”

She then walks away and back to her office, where she then slams the door behind her. Leaving Sho responsible for a silent pile of who knows what.

Nevertheless, the joy on his face refuses to fade.