Asshole
It was a typical afternoon at the small convenience store. Kohaku had just finished stocking the shelves with snacks when the clock ticked to 2 PM. The light outside filtered through the windows in soft, golden beams, and the hum of the fridge and register was a familiar, comforting sound.
She yawned as she leaned against the counter, her mind wandering as she wiped down the surface. The store was slow, which was a welcome break from the usual rush. She was starting to zone out when the bell above the door jingled.
The man who walked in was tall, dressed in an unassuming, dark jacket and jeans, but something about him stood out. His sharp red eyes scanned the aisles with an almost clinical precision, as though he were analyzing every item on the shelf. His spiky white hair with green tips only added to his unapproachable air.
Kohaku straightened up from the counter, ready to assist. "Can I help you find something?"
The man didn’t immediately respond. He walked closer to the batteries section, his fingers running over the rows as if inspecting the labels. Finally, he turned to her, his voice calm but with a certain edge.
"I need a set of... alkaline battery units, but not just any. They must possess a high degree of energy retention, capable of sustaining charge for long durations—preferably in the range of 3000 milliampere-hours or greater. Preferably a double-A type, but... if you have something superior, it would be acceptable."
Kohaku blinked, trying to process what he’d said. She wasn’t sure if he was speaking a different language.
"Wait, you want... batteries? Like regular ones?" she asked, a little confused. She took a step closer to the shelf, pointing to the standard battery pack. "These ones?"
The man stared at her, as though he couldn’t quite believe she didn’t understand. "No, not just any batteries. I’m talking about the ones with high capacity—energy-retention optimally high for power-intensive devices that demand sustained output," he repeated, slower this time, though still overly complicated.
Kohaku furrowed her brow. "I... uh, I don’t really get what you mean. Just... regular batteries, I guess?"
The man sighed, clearly annoyed, and rubbed his temple. "Why is it so difficult to find someone who understands basic scientific needs? This is elementary information—"
Kohaku’s patience snapped. “Hey, I’m doing my best here!” she said, crossing her arms. "You can’t expect me to know what you’re talking about just ‘cause you’re using all these big words. I’m not a scientist!"
The man gave her a long, piercing look. “And I’m not asking you to be one. I’m merely looking for an item. Can you just help me or not?”
Kohaku bit her lip, her annoyance growing. "I’m helping you, but you’re making it sound way more complicated than it needs to be. Just say what you want more clearly!"
As they continued to bicker, Yumi walked in, the bell above the door ringing as she entered. Her bright smile froze as she took in the scene unfolding before her. Kohaku and the man were so caught up in their argument that they didn’t even notice her.
Yumi’s patience wore thin as she stood there for a moment, growing increasingly impatient. Finally, unable to stand the bickering any longer, she broke the silence.
"Kohaku, I think this... gentlem—"
"Gentleman my ass, more like an asshole!" Kohaku snapped, interrupting Yumi with more irritation than she’d shown all day.
Yumi blinked but didn’t react. She knew better than to get in the way of Kohaku when she was in one of those moods. Instead, she turned her attention to the man, giving him a slightly disapproving look before speaking.
"Right, I don’t wanna interrupt your... conversation, but I think he’s looking for high-quality, long-lasting AA batteries... I think," Yumi said, her tone more helpful than it had been earlier.
The man turned to Yumi, his face softening a bit, but he still had a touch of irritation. "Finally, someone who speaks in plain language. Yes, exactly."
Kohaku shot Yumi a glare but didn’t say anything more. The situation had been diffused—though not exactly in the way Kohaku had wanted.
"Do you see them there?" Kohaku asked, crossing her arms and nodding toward the row of batteries on the shelf, her voice tinged with frustration.
The man—still standing with his arms crossed—glanced at the display. His sharp red eyes narrowed as he scanned the options. He wasn’t exactly being helpful, but Kohaku wasn't in the mood to play guessing games.
"No, not really," he said, his tone flat.
"THEN WE DON'T HAVE ONE!" Kohaku shouted, her frustration bubbling over. The sound of her voice echoed through the store, and she could see the man flinch slightly. The moment hung in the air, thick with tension.
The man blinked at her, seemingly caught off guard by the outburst. For a moment, his sharp red eyes were wide, but then his lips curled into a small, amused smirk.
"You're quite the lion, huh?" he remarked, his tone cool but not unfriendly, as if he found her frustration mildly entertaining.
Kohaku’s face reddened, both from anger and embarrassment. She opened her mouth to snap back at him, but before she could, Yumi, who had been watching the whole exchange from the door, couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Well, someone’s got a temper," Yumi teased, the mischievous grin spreading across her face. She had that way of breaking tension with her infectious smile, and for a moment, Kohaku’s irritation faded as she turned her glare on Yumi.
"You think this is funny?" Kohaku shot back, though her voice lacked the earlier bite. "He came in here, acting all high and mighty, talking about batteries like he’s some kind of genius or something!"
Yumi just shrugged, still smirking. "It’s not about the batteries, Kohaku. It’s about you, yelling like you're ready to fight a bear."
The man chuckled quietly to himself, shaking his head. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or impressed, but either way, I’ll take it as a compliment. You’ve got spunk." His voice softened a bit, as though he appreciated her straightforwardness.
Kohaku was ready to retort, but Yumi, sensing the moment was about to go south again, stepped in smoothly, her voice light and sweet. "Alright, alright, let's all take a breath here," she said, glancing at the man, who seemed to calm down slightly. "I think what Kohaku's trying to say is that we don’t have the specific kind of batteries you’re looking for."
The man sighed, his sharp gaze softening as he glanced at the shelf one more time. "Fine, I’ll just grab what’s here then," he muttered, his voice a little more resigned than before.
"Good choice," Yumi said, giving him a friendly smile as she leaned against the counter, still clearly amused by the encounter.
Kohaku huffed, turning away from both of them and walking back to the register. She felt a little embarrassed now, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit it. "You two can laugh all you want," she muttered under her breath. "But he came in here acting like he was above me."
Yumi, still grinning, walked over to Kohaku’s side. "Yeah, well, maybe next time try asking him for a translation before going full lion mode, yeah?" she teased, nudging Kohaku playfully.
The man, now holding a simple pack of AA batteries, gave them both a nod of acknowledgment as he moved to the counter. "I’ll remember that," he said, the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You’ve got quite a firecracker working here."
Kohaku crossed her arms, still a little flustered. "Don’t make it sound like I’m some kind of pet."
Yumi rolled her eyes. "Oh, you’re definitely a handful," she said to Kohaku, before turning to the man. "That’ll be ¥300 for the batteries," she said with a cheerful voice, though still clearly enjoying the situation.
The man handed over the money, still with that smirk, and took his change. "Thanks. Maybe I’ll stop by again if I need more... complicated things."
"Great," Kohaku muttered under her breath, still annoyed but managing a half-hearted smile.
As the man turned to leave, Yumi waved him off casually. " Have a good day!" she called after him, her voice friendly but with that mischievous twinkle that only she could pull off.
Once the door shut behind him, Kohaku let out a long sigh, walking over to the counter to ring up the next customer, which thankfully came in at that moment.
Yumi watched her for a second, then leaned in close. "You know, Kohaku," she said in a teasing tone, "I think you might have a bit of a crush on that guy."
Kohaku immediately turned her head, eyes wide. "What?! No, I—"
Yumi just laughed. "Relax, I’m just messing with you. But I’m sure he’ll be back... for the batteries, of course."
Kohaku rolled her eyes, but deep down, she couldn’t deny there was something about that guy that kept her mind racing.
"Shouldn't you be in the bakery? Why are you here?"
Yumi grinned widely, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well… guess who you just met?" she said, her voice practically dripping with excitement.
Kohaku’s curiosity piqued, though her exhaustion was still hanging over her. "I don't have time for games, Yumi," she muttered, wiping her hands on the counter. "What are you talking about?"
Yumi leaned in, lowering her voice like she was about to share a deep secret. "you just met him—DR.S!"
Kohaku frowned,"Yeah, and?"
"AREN'T YOU SURPRISED?" Yumi practically shouted, before Kohaku quickly raised her hand to shush her. "Does it look like I care about the 'Dr. S' guy who's apparently living with you and your brother?" Kohaku continued, her voice flat. "No, I don't."
Yumi pouted a little, but the grin never left her face. "You should care! He's the genius scientist from the company! The one who...UHHGG you get it!"
Kohaku rolled her eyes, already feeling the weight of her long day settling back onto her shoulders. "I'm not impressed, Yumi," she muttered, half-walking, half-dragging herself back to the register. "It's just a man looking for batteries."
Yumi, clearly not bothered by Kohaku’s indifference, skipped off back to the bakery. "Well, if you're not interested, maybe you can leave all the future 'Dr. S' encounters to me," she teased, waving as she left the store.
Kohaku sighed and finished her shift, her mind wandering back to the mysterious man who'd come in earlier. "Dr. S"—she couldn't shake the thought, even though she really didn't care. After all, it was just some scientist, right?
When closing time finally rolled around, Kohaku locked up and hopped onto her scooter to head home. The night air was cool against her skin, and she took the ride to clear her head. But of course, the encounter kept bugging her.
___________________________________
Later that evening, the atmosphere in Chrome and Yumi’s house was casual and relaxed as they sat down for dinner. Yumi had prepared a hearty meal, and even Senku, who wasn't exactly known for showing enthusiasm, was nodding in approval.
“This is really good,” Senku remarked, taking another bite of his food. “Better than some of the stuff I’ve had at high-end restaurants. Who taught you to cook?”
Yumi’s eyes sparkled with pride. “I’ve always wanted to be a chef! But since that’s not happening yet, I settled for cooking here.”
Chrome looked over at Yumi with a soft smile, clearly proud of her. “She’s got some skills. You should see the desserts she makes.”
Senku raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Maybe I’ll take her up on that someday.”
Yumi smiled back, then suddenly glanced at Senku with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Hey Chrome, wanna hear a funny story about your boss..Dr.S, who was having an argument with our dear Kohaku" she said grinning at Senku.
Chrome, who had just taken a sip of his drink, nearly choked at Yumi’s words. He coughed a few times before turning to her with wide eyes. “Wait, what? Senku— Dr. S— and Kohaku arguing? Oh, I have to hear this.”
Senku, still casually eating, barely reacted. He simply glanced at Yumi with a look that said, Really? You’re going to do this now?
Yumi grinned, ignoring Senku’s unamused stare. “Oh, trust me, it was priceless. So there I was, minding my own business, when I walked into the store and found Kohaku and this guy—” she jabbed a thumb at Senku, “—basically at each other’s throats over batteries of all things.”
Chrome burst out laughing before she could even continue. “Wait, wait, batteries? That’s what you're fighting about?”
Senku exhaled through his nose, clearly unbothered. “It wasn’t a fight, it was a… disagreement. A scientific misunderstanding, if you will.”
“More like you were being an ass,” Yumi quipped with a smirk.
Chrome was practically shaking with laughter now. “Okay, okay, tell me everything.”
Yumi leaned in dramatically. “So he comes in, looking all serious, and asks Kohaku for some high-capacity, low-resistance, alkaline power cells or some ridiculous scientific nonsense like that—”
“They are called that,” Senku interrupted, unimpressed.
“Nobody calls them that,” Yumi shot back. “Anyway, Kohaku obviously had no idea what the hell he was talking about, so she was just standing there, trying to figure out what kind of alien language she was hearing.”
Chrome, already wiping away tears of laughter, nodded. “Oh man, I can see it. She probably got so pissed.”
“Oh, big time.” Yumi snickered. “She kept asking, ‘Do you mean AA batteries?’ And he—was like, ‘Technically, yes, but I need ones with low internal resistance and high discharge rates,’ or whatever. So after five minutes of this back-and-forth, Kohaku just snaps and yells, ‘THEN WE DON’T HAVE ONE!’ right in his face.”
Chrome nearly fell off his chair, laughing uncontrollably. “She yelled at you Senku? Oh god, I wish I was there!”
Yumi was laughing too, but she wasn’t done yet. “And then—this is the best part—Senku just looks at her and says, ‘You’re quite a lion, huh?’”
Chrome slammed his hand on the table, wheezing. “A lion? You called Kohaku a lion?”
Senku finally looked up from his food, barely suppressing a smirk. “She roared at me. It seemed fitting.”
Chrome couldn’t stop laughing. “Oh man, she must’ve been so mad. She hates being compared to animals.”
Yumi nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, she was livid. If I hadn’t walked in, I swear she might’ve thrown him out of the store.”
Senku shrugged. “I don’t know. She seemed more confused than actually mad. Like she wasn’t sure whether to throw a punch or ask what I meant.”
Chrome shook his head, still chuckling. “Well, congrats, boss. You’ve officially made an impression on Kohaku.”
Senku smirked, taking another bite of his food. “Oh, I’d say the feeling’s mutual.”
Yumi groaned, rolling her eyes. “Great. Just what the world needs—more chaos.”
The dinner continued with laughter, Chrome still occasionally chuckling about Senku’s “lion” comment while Yumi made a mental note to tease Kohaku about it later. And as for Senku? He simply finished his meal, his mind already thinking about the next time he’d inevitably run into that fiery blonde again.
After all, she was far too interesting to forget.
END OF CHAPTER