[Open] Shopping for Mom

[Saito Toshiaiki]

Toshiaiki looked in his money pouch, carefully counting the money both he and his mom had managed to gain throughout the past few weeks. It wasn't all that much but he figured it would be enough to get them through the next week. It had to be enough. It wasn't like they had the option of miraculously getting more money out of nowhere. Of course, he would be keeping his eyes out for any way for them to get a little bit more here or there but he wasn't going to count on it.

"Alright, so, we can get some food and uhh- soap, yeah, we need some more of that-" He was muttering to himself as he walked, not paying any attention to where he was going. He had lived in the cloud his entire life and although he was only 9 he knew the streets better than the back of his hand. Besides, since his dad was gone it was a common thing for him to go shopping for his mom. That way she could stay at the shop and continue to work so they could have money for next week.

Once he got to the general store he stopped for a moment, going through his list once again - in his head this time - and adding up an approximation of the prices everything would be. He was pretty sure he would have enough money for the things he was planning on buying but he wanted to be certain. Nothing would be more embarrassing than having to put something back because you don't have enough money

Certain that he would be able to get what he needed, Toshi walked into the store and began to grab some food and other necessities. He was smiling as he shopped, glad that despite their hardships they would be able to rest easy for a while.

Word Count: 315​

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Three months into the academy and she was finally making some progress. She was not nervous anymore to and from and now that things were settling into a routine she was doing what she always did this time of the week. Shopping!She had to decide what would be on the best sales and what would be the most efficient. She got a stipend from the academy and as such all bills and food would be taken care of first. Thankfully she was stupidly frugal with her money making sure if for whatever reason she did not receive pay she could still make it a little while. Plus as long as you were training to be a shinobi people often allowed for side work. She used it as training but that was a side product. Since she was only feed herself she was doing okay. Mom would be proud if she knew.

She hummed one of her new favorite songs as she made her way to the store, well stores..she was a predator when it came to saving money and if walking around all day window shopping was a crime then she was a bandit. She held her small purse on her right side and decided she would wear a longer skirt. She still was not used to how cold it got here but someone said she dressed to warm and looked like a foreigner. So despite being cold this was her attempt to fit in.

As she was making her rounds in the store she happened to cross paths a few times with another person about her age shopping. She found it weird that they were by themselves and she guess that her training was starting to make her notice these things. She quickly scanned his items and she felt a pang in her heart.

She started to have a mini-crisis. No...no no no no. This boy was around her age right? Would it be rude...she never bothered anyone else. He looked so happy...but...deals!

She simply could not resist. She ran up to the boy and said, “I just...I’m sorry...I have to say this.” She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. As she looked into his bag she said, “Only two of these things are good to buy here that you are buying currently.”

She pointed to some of the food and said, “There are a few smaller local stores that give at least ten to fifteen percent less in cost with equal portions. They are a bit obscure but I can let you know where they roughly are. They are family owned and small so they should be easy enough to find if you ask around the general area.”

She felt her cheeks go flush and then she paused...wait...what had she just done…

She looked the boy in the face and then awkwardly smiled…”I’m...sorry…” This was where she needed to curl up and die. Why did she feel possessed to do this? Was it because he could be so much happier if he saved money? She had no idea.

She bowed deeply and weakly let out. “Sorry...sorry...sorry…” There was no way the boy was smiling now. Her short black hair shoulder length hair barely covering her face.She thought mentally she needed to grow her hair out.

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Rinko looked over the clipboard in her arms. Ever since the child had learned of a curse that gave her money woes, her father had been trying to find creative ways that the teen tanuki could help out with the family's business without having to lay a hand on physical cash. Today's attempt had Rinko offering to reduce the principle on the loans of local businesses in order for her to buy this week's groceries. As she entered a general store, she gave the doorframe a slap with her tail, the Tanuki way of letting a debtor know that it was time to collect. The man at the cash register gulped loudly and gave the thirteen-year-old a weak smile. She waved to the gentleman and wandered the aisles in search of the usual supplies.

As Rinko pulled a jar of jam down from the shelf before her, she heard a girl cry out in the next aisle down. The tanuki girl peeked around the corner to see a black-haired girl speaking to a boy in a pink hoodie. Rinko's ears twitched at the mention of 'percent less' and her lips curled into a sly grin. Nothing got a Tanuki's heart beating like the sweet allure of bargains. By this point, the black-haired girl was uttering a slew of apologies, though Rinko wasn't sure why. Taking this opportunity to enter the scene, Rinko slunk into the aisle and slid next to the two children, creating a triangle between the three. She curled her bushy tail behind the remorseful girl to block off her exit. "Mind if I cut in? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and am most intrigued. I vote we band together, label ourselves the Bargain Brigade, and storm the Susukino District in search of deals fit for daimyos." She looked between the two children, giving each one an eyebrow wiggle.

 

[Saito Toshiaiki]

He looked up in surprise when the girl started talking before he looked back down at his basket, a little troubled. Was she right? Had he been wasting money by buying most of his things here?

His gaze went back to her with a smile, glad that she had stopped him to tell him as much and that she was even offering to help him find the cheaper products so that his money would be able to go further. Just as he was about to thank her, however, she started to apologize. Why was she doing that-? She had been helping him, not bothering him!

"No- you don't have to apologize! It's okay, really!" He declared. She was helping him, he didn't want her to feel bad for that. Even had he been offended he wouldn't be upset with her when he could tell her heart had been in the right place. Who would be mad at someone for wanting to help?

"I'm actually glad you came to help-" He started, cutting himself off as a second girl came over, stopping the first one from leaving with her tail.

Bargain Brigade? That honestly sounded like a great idea- It would help him get the things he and his mom needed for less and these two seemed to know what they were doing! At least, he was certain the first girl did and the second one seemed fairly confident that this would be a good plan. At the very least she was willing to search for good deals and that was never a bad thing-

After a moment of consideration he nodded. "That sounds like a great idea! We can all help out! Right, uh-?" He paused, realizing that he didn't know this girls name...either of them really. Sure, he had seen them around once or twice but he never actually talked with any of them.

Well. There was an easy way to fix that problem at least. "What are your guy's names-? I'm Saito Toshiaiki but you guys can call me Toshi!"

This was great. He had come here just to shop and now he had the chance to find good deals with these girls, that meant new friends! He was excited to be able to make even more friends. They both seemed very nice so he was certain that they'd get along!

Word Count: 342​

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

The sudden comment of mind if I cut in caused Airi to jump. She noticed a girl next to her but once she noticed it was not something terrible she placed a hand on her chest to attempt to control her beating heart. She noticed that a few people had started to notice the group and as such her embarrassment only grew. She had lost her focus and composure when apologizing. She really needed to avoid being snuck up on in the future.

Her brain finally caught up to what she had been said. The girl next to her mentioned they should form a group, a group that found the best deals in the area. The two of them seemed to be really excited about the concept of sharing information about where to get the best things. She thought this would be a good idea but…would it be enjoyable? She was hesitant but looking at their faces…especially the girls…well how could she really say no?

The boy introduced himself. He gave a nickname but she felt like they really did not know each other well enough for being so informal. She bowed her head slightly and said, “Nice to meet you S-S-saito-kun, my name is Irie Airi. I – I have only been in the city for a few months but I hope to be of assistance.” When the other girl would introduce herself she would bow to her as well. Airi looked between them and started to say their names over and over in their head. It would be very rude if she suddenly stopped remembering their names. She was also a little conscious of the fact they might just be using her. So far at least the boy seemed nice but so had that other group of kids. She was praying on the inside that she could have these to be her first real friends. She was so desperate having been alone so long.

“Ah-A-As I was saying…the basic produce and meats here are so far the best in the area but anything that has been manufactured or serviced in anyway are up-scaled here by ten percent. They are hoping people are lazy with their shopping and just accept it. I al-al-also noticed…and sorry for getting into your private shopping...but getting soap here is terrible. There is a-a-another store that sells equal value soaps at ei-ei…huh…about eighteen percent less. I would not buy any of the cleaning stuff here. That’s where this store makes most of its profits.”

While the other girl…wait…did she have a tail? She felt as if she was staring at it for way to long. “Sorry…” She was really nervous as such holding her hands together in front of her. Thankfully she had not grabbed anything yet or else she might have spilled it everywhere. She did not know what else the boy was getting or what they might be looking for. “For the past twelve or so Sundays I have spent a majority of these days just walking around and looking at different sales and general pricing. I know a fe-few alternate places if you are looking for anything else. I do not know what I am really saying…sorry.”

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

She was in, at least for now. Rinko resisted fist pumping as the fellow children introduced themselves. "Tanuki Rinko. Feel free to call me Rinko in case we bump into Pops or Gramps. They like to wander through the business district occasionally." She gave a bow of her head to both kids and listened to Airi stutter out her explanation. Afterwards, the girl took a long look at Rinko's tail before apologizing and finishing her bit. The tanuki cupped her hands behind her animalistic ears and twitched them. "Haven't seen anyone like me yet, have ya? Don't feel bad for starin'. It only makes sense if you've only been here for twelve weeks." Rinko gave a cheerful smirk. "Tell ya what, if you're curious about people like me, I can give ya a crash course. Consider it compensation for helping us out." Rinko turned her smile to Toshiaiki. "The offer is open to you too."

With her "generous" offer given, Rinko quickly replaced the items on their respective shelves and returned to Airi. "Why don't you show us what's good to buy here, we'll decide if we want it or not, and then we'll continue on our journey to the next shop?" She looked down at her clipboard, over to the shopkeeper, and finally back to her new friends. "Why don't you two pay first...I don't think the owner will be in a good mood after I'm done with him."

 

[Saito Toshiaiki]

"Nice to meet you too, Irie-chan." He replied, only being formal with her because she was with him. He didn't mind it despite allowing her to be informal, he just didn't want to risk offending her if he was informal with her. It seemed like she preferred to be formal until they knew each other better and that was okay with him. Besides, they would be friends son enough, he was sure of it!

"And you too, Rinko, it's nice to meet you!" He was glad that she was okay with him being more informal with her. It was always a good step into friendship in his opinion. Why be formal if you're planning to be friends anyways?

He looked at Airi, surprised as she explained that she had only been here for a few months, meanwhile he had lived here his entire life and he didn't know there were better deals elsewhere- "Only a few months? That's amazing! I'm sure you can show us a lot of cool deals I haven't found!"

This was genuinely exciting! He was making new friends and getting good deals! His mom would be so excited!

He had noticed the tail, of course, but didn't think much about it. There we plenty of strange things in this world, he knew that despite not getting to see much of it. Besides, at the time he had been more focused on what the two girls had been saying to pay too much attention to it. However, now that she offered to explain about people like her he looked at her tail and ears once again. It was kind of cool, actually, unique for sure.

He smiled back at her as she extended the offer to him. "Really? That would be great!"

"That's a great idea! What do you say, Irie-chan? How about we get some stuff here then check out the other stores?" He paused, looking back over to Rinko curiously. "Wait- why won't the owner be happy?" She didn't look like she was going to rob him or anything, especially not when she was talking about getting good deals together, so why would he be upset?

Word Count: 361​

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Airi was thankful that the…uhh…Rinko yes Rinko, was not upset with her for staring. She even offered to educate her on what she exactly was. Airi was surprised if they were so common that she had not seen any yet but the…uhh…Toshi, Toshi had not been worried either. As such she resolved to herself to not be quite as thrown off by new things. After all she had seen of the medical branch at this point she should not be surprised. She felt a shiver go up her spine at the thoughts.

She noticed that Toshi mentioned Rinko by her first name and a sudden dread filled her heart. Did I mess up? She was thinking that being informal might make things awkward but now that both of them were on a first name basis it made her the odd person out. Maybe…if she just started using the names it would just smooth over? She figured it would not hurt to try.

When Toshi told her she was amazing she really did not feel very amazing. She figured that if nothing else having something to give was a better way to receive something then to beg for it. Plus really it was just something she picked up from her mother. Good thing she listened to her parents.

They mentioned that they should go through the stuff that was good here and then make their way to other stores and that she and Toshi should buy what they wanted to before Rinko went and spoke to the shop keeper. Toshi asked a question but Airi nodded to Rinko and said, “It’s not our business why he will not be happy. Let us take a quick walk around and then go pay shall we?” She felt confident for the first time since speaking. Rinko knew more than them so it made sense to just nod and agree.

As she quickly moved through the aisles the main thing she wanted to stress was, “Produce and meats are best to buy here because the price will not fluctuate that much between businesses. They get everything here unless it is something imported.” She pointed out to Toshi that the only things she had were food items that were not packaged. “Anything like cleaning or soap stuff is cheaper to get elsewhere, also anything that would be considered something made…umm…anything like candle’s, or…umm…sorry. Just things that are made from other things, you typically want to go to those specialty stores.” As such she pointed out some of things he had gotten and highly encouraged he put them back.

Moving over to produce she had nothing really to share there. “Make sure even if you want it to only buy things that are in harvest. Supply and demand after all. I would just consider going to the library on a day off and writing some notes about when the things you like in season to be cheaper. That or of course start a rotating garden but I admit I’m not very good at growing things so I just buy my stuff. Growing things is cheaper though!” She had a terrible black thumb…

As they made their way to the meat section she went into some details, “Buy meats with bones and typically I suggest getting what is natural to Kumo over stuff we do not farm. With the bones and fatty bits we can make a soup after that saves money giving you a bonus meal with the left overs. When it comes to meats you need to be efficient on a budget!”

Once she went through that and made sure Toshi had only the right things she made her way to the counter. When they came up though she did look to Toshi and began with, “Umm…Toshi-san. If you did not mind, I would not mind helping out with your purchase. I can tell by how much you are buying that you are feeding more than just yourself and most people are not bargain hunters unless they love it or need it.” She felt like she might be over imposing though and as such…

“You can say no of course but I thought as a token of friendship for our first time meeting…?” Either way he decided she would pay for what she could either hers or hers and some his and then she waved to Rinko-san and smiled and decided she would walk with Toshi outside while they gave Rinko some space.

Airi was trying to remember if she had any classes or anything with either Toshi or Rinko and felt like she did not. Airi kept to herself at school though she wanted to have more friends. “Toshi-san…?” She kind of paused for a moment and then decided it would be a stupid thing to ask. “Never mind.” She figured that he might pry so she shifted her thought and said, “Sorry…I was just thinking if that guy got mad I was scared for Rinko’s sake.” It was a lie but she thought at least that it was a good one.

Now to wait…

WC: 850

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Rinko simply smiled at Toshi as Airi defended the tanuki's methods. "Nothing illegal, I assure you. Now let's sniff out those bargains." Airi led the two around, even lecturing as she showed them the good and bad of the store. Rinko flipped to an empty page on her clipboard and began jotting down notes. "A garden, huh..." While it seemed obvious that growing your own produce would result in savings, the Tanuki mind was always more focused on being the middle man and getting to play with the money of others. Since she wasn't capable of handling money, perhaps this could be a way she could help her family. Going to the library to study produce sounded like a pain, but if it meant she wasn't a useless layabout at home, she'd deal with it. The three wandered to the meat section and Rinko swallowed a lump in her throat. "Bone...soup?" It sounded oxymoronic, but Airi had intense conviction, at least when it came to shopping. So Rinko did as she was instructed and found a few T-bone steaks.

With a small basket of meats and fruits, Rinko took a spot behind the two kids and waited for her turn. Airi offered to pay for Toshi, and the tanuki girl's grip on her pen stiffened. Her instincts told her to offer him a loan, which he might be inclined to do since he seemed to sort who might not like taking charity. But this was what had stopped her from making other friends, surely. The only reason her one and only other friend still stuck around was probably because a teacher had stopped her from swindling him. Rinko took in a breath and exhaled, doing her best to keep her trap shut.

After the two had decided on the fate of their money, it was Rinko's turn to pay. She looked to them and gave them a thumbs up, hoping to reassure them that she wasn't planning to dash out of the store without paying. She placed her basket on the counter and flipped her clipboard back to the front page. Rinko to on a slightly gruff accent, one she'd heard her father do when he was collecting. "Eh, chip chip churoo. Iz time ta pay ya due. But I gots a special offa' for yas. You let me take dese meats wit' me, and I cans reduce ya principal on the loans ya gots. You gots a nice store, it'd be a shame if yas lost it." The man seemed a bit shocked, but nodded his head. He added up the amount and gave her a slip of paper. Rinko took it and made a note on her clipboard. "Wonda'ful. We may comes to ya anotha' day wit' anotha' offa', we'll see." The man nervously bowed his head as Rinko smacked the counter with her tail, a symbol that their transaction was complete. She approached her new acquaintances and smiled. Her voice was back to its lighter tone. "All done. He took it better than I thought. He didn't shed a single tear. I guess I've got a ways to go before I'm as good as Pops. So what's next on our list partners in cost-effectiveness?"

 

[Saito Toshiaiki]

Irie was right. It really wasn't their business but he was still curious about it. What was his new friend going to do? He would have pushed it and asked more but Rinko assured him that it wasn't illegal and he figured that was as much as he was going to get - for now. He was going to keep an ear out if any other clues popped up.

He nodded to the other. "Okay- As long as you won't get in trouble I guess-!"

As he followed Irie around he started to put back the things she told him were more expensive here, grateful that she was willing to give them so much information. He almost felt like he should be taking notes but he figured if anything he could always just ask her again later. As long as she doesn't mine, of course, but that was a problem for another day.

Farming? That was a good idea but he wasn't sure if he'd be cut out for it or not- He'd never tried to grow anything before...Maybe his mom would know more about it? He would ask her later and see if she wanted to help him start up a little garden of some sorts. He nodded again, deciding to tell Irie as much. "I can see if my mom wants to help us grow things!"

He followed suit, grabbing some meats with bones in them, making a mental note to tell his mom what she had said. He was certain she'd be able to make a good soup out of the leftovers somehow! And she would probably be grateful for the tips just like he was.

"Thanks for all the tips!" He proclaimed as the approached the counter. A smile formed as she used the nickname he told her. They were already becoming friends! This was great!

And...she wanted to help him pay for it? "Yeah, it's for me and my mom but I-" He wasn't sure what to say- No one had ever offered to help like that before and he wanted to say yes but was it okay to? It should be as long as it doesn't become a habit, right? Besides, she wanted it to be like a token of their friendship. "Okay- Thanks- but you don't have to make this a habit, okay?"

After they paid he happily followed Airi out of the store, giving Rinko a smile as they left. He trusted her to not do anything bad so he wasn't worried. Just still curious-

"Yeah-?" Never mind? Well now he was curious what she was going to say and about what Rinko was doing.

He wasn't certain if that really was what she was going to say but he figured if she wanted to say the other thing she would do it later- He smiled once again, trying to reassure her. "I'm sure Rinko will be okay! And if she isn't she has us, right Airi?" He chanced being more informal with her since she had been with him. It should be okay but if it wasn't he would switch back to being more formal.

He didn't shed a single tear? Why would he even have cried?

He shook his head slightly, not wanting to pry when they had already discussed that it was her business. "Yeah- what's the next place with good deals?" He didn't mind if the next store even had things he needed or not, figuring that knowing their deals would come in handy sooner or later anyways.

Word Count: 590​

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Airi was happy that both of them seemed to think that her information was worthwhile. Sometimes people who came off as they knew everything were annoying. While she did not feel like she was smarter than anyone, she was just really happy to help. She was told not to make it a habit of helping him and she could understand that. A one time gift was different than support and them feeling indebted to her. She did not want that by any means. She hoped that they could support each other given time.

Saito-san was smiling a lot and seemed to be in a great mood. She needed to keep her spirits up and not worry so much. She smiled at him as well as they waited for Tanuki-san. When he mentioned that if Tanuki-san was in trouble they would be able to go and help her she was surprised. They were basically strangers yet they were both so accepting. They really were great people.

Apparently whatever happened between Tanuki-san and that man ended off better than expected.That was good, if a little bizarre. They both looked to her wondering where their next shop was. She would have been too nervous to answer if she was caught off guard but because she was expecting this she simply smiled and spoke calmly, “The next place if a few blocks from here called the Academy Surplus Store. Follow me.”

She started to walk south down the road figuring that as they walked they might be able to get to know each other better. She decided that offering something first might make things better then asking a question. “I lived outside the village, before this, with my family. While I was at school a man from Kumo came and did a test on all the kids and apparently I had decent enough chakra levels that they wanted to move me to the village. They checked the rest of my brothers and sisters but I was the only one who met the criteria.”

She waved at a few of the local stands knowing that she would need to say hi at some point. As she turned and started to walk backwards she wanted to see them as she spoke. “As such I did not want to uproot my family so I came to live here by myself. Hence why I had to learn where all the good prices are. I am doing part time work in the afternoons so I can support myself without bothering my parents.”

She stumbled slightly as she was walking backwards but thankfully caught herself. She moved to walk next to Saito-san allowing him to be in the middle of the three and said, “If I may ask. What about you two?”

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

The three set out for their next destination. As they walked, Airi was the first to speak up. She gave a bit of her backstory, and Rinko fiddled with her pen. No wonder she was so shy when we first met. The girl then asked about her companions, and Rinko figured she'd go next. "I don't think I was born in the village, but I've lived in it for as long as I can remember with Pops and Gramps. Pops co-owns a few businesses in the village, does missions for the village, and works as a money lender part time. Gramps runs a law firm with my uncles...who are more like my second cousins or something? Family lingo is weird. Anyway, if it wasn't obvious, I'm an academy student. You may not have met me since I kinda ditch class a lot. I also spent some time being homeschooled. Soooo, yeah, that's most of my story. I mean, I guess there's some other stuff, but I don't think I'm quite ready to share that yet. I haven't even told my one other friend." She looked to Toshi and pointed her pen at him. "That leaves you champ."

 

[Saito Toshiaiki]

He frowned Poor Airi- She didn't have any of her family with her! He could, of course, understand why but that didn't make it suck any less. He knew he would miss his mom like crazy if that happened to them...just like how he missed his dad- At the same time, however, it was nice of her to do that so her family wouldn't have to uproot themselves. Plus she had them now!

His smile returned at that last thought, along with even more determination to remain friends with these two. They could help each other not feel as loney and give each other a reason to smile!

Oh- so Rinko's family were all bussiness people? He assumed that meant she would have money, or at least the family would, but maybe that was also why she wanted to find the best prices? Wasn't it good business to not blow your money even if you have it?

But...money lender?

He was curious about a few things and wanted to ask more but she said that was all she was willing to share so he didn't want to push things. Once they were closer friends they would find out-!

"That leaves you champ."

Right- He had to tell them his 'story' too. At least it was a simple one-

"My mom and dad had this really good system when I was growing up!" He smiled happily at the thought of his parents working together. That was how they met, after all. "Dad would catch the fish and mom would sell them!"

"But one day dad-" He paused, frowning. He didn't think about this much let alone talk about it. "Dad didn't come back."

And in the next moment he was smiling again. "So now I'm in the academy to earn money from missions and me and mom have our own little system! That's about to get a lot better because of our Bargain Brigade!"

He was doing his best to focus on the positives, rather than thinking too much about what happened to his dad. That was how one moved on. My thinking about the present and the future rather than wallowing in the past.

Word Count: 365​

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Tanuki-san…

She has a head for business and comes from a family of both shinobi and business leaders. Another prime example that some people do make through their early years and even then…they can even thrive. Airi also made sure that she remembered that Tanuki-san’s Father was into money lending. Something she would need eventually when it came to getting out of an eventual apartment, hopefully making it that far. She continued on saying that her family even had lawyers. Airi came from a little family who owned a tea shop so hearing a massive family like Tanuki-san’s made her eyes sparkle. What life must have been like for her…she felt like a person from another world.

She mentioned that they might not see her much because she ditches class a lot. While Airi would not normally condone that Tanuki-san was also getting homeschooled so she imagined there must be a system set up. That and the fact she just felt she could run rings around Airi in any shinobi based skills. She really needed to pick up on her studies…

Saito-san mentioned that his family worked in tandem of one another. His father would go out and catch fish and then his mother would sell fish. That was similar to how her parents operated. When he mentioned that his father died though she felt bad. She had never experienced that…one day she would…as a weird hopefully. Saito-san immediately went cheerful again which she thought was very strong of him. Airi knew there was no way she would be as cheerful about it. That’s how she knew she was weaker than him.

Saying how sorry she felt would only push negative feelings so she decided to focus on the positives that were mentioned; no use being the wet blanket. As such as they were talking Airi had been walking around a few blocks. At first it might look like they were going to a shadier part of the Susukino District but as one would notice that was not really the case. While the buildings started to look a little shabbier and more open, the feeling you got was not one of concern but one of history. These were the stores where the families owned the business and while they could not look as amazing or well put together as larger companies, they were able to offer direct services.

As Airi walked she nodded her head to those whom she passed by. Airi walked with her hands behind her back not in a studious way but more of a relaxed slow walking way. She kept her back straighter and her head forward. Normally she would have stopped and spoke to a number of these older couples but they noticed she was with others and a polite nod and smile was all they needed as they kept walking. Eventually they came to a store known only as “Torēdā Hinshitsu Hito”.

Airi walked through the doorway and was immediately greeted with a happy, “Hello Airi-chan! Are you here for…oh you have brought guests!” before them was an old bald headed man with a few missing teeth. He smelled suspiciously of cheese but his breath smelled of chewed mint leaves. He wore a drab brownish green robe which made him look and feel as old as the earth itself. His expression was one of fun and wily wonder. She was unsure if Tanuki-san knew this man from her work but the man went by… “Hello esteemed friends! My name is Dosurobimaru. Please to make your purchase.” He gave a polite bow and said, “Are you showing them around then Airi-chan?” Airi nodded and followed with, “Yes Maru-san. This is Tanuki Rinko and Saito Toshiaiki.” The man smiled at them and picked up his Sudoku he was working on and said confidently, “Need anything feel free to shout.”

Airi quickly moved to a few Aisle’s away and then spoke to the three in hushed voice. “Dosurobimaru is a fake name he uses when he conducts business. He is an eccentric old man but makes everything in here by hand. The quality is not the best but it is surprisingly not the worst. The main draw though is that most of the things here cost around fifteen percent to thirty percent less. I would suggest avoiding anything on sale however because usually there is a fault with it. So unless you are desperate…” She paused look at toilet paper that was on sale and just thought about how terrible it must be. It said fifty percent off and she had fallen for it once…not that she would bring that up.

She shook her head though and said, “At this store I only get cleaning supplies, made by his wife, and anything that is once again fifteen percent off. It means that is his quality stuff or things he used to make and trained in how to make. I avoid everything else. The reason he is able to price things so low is because there are no other employees but himself and his wife. Overhead is very low with now shipping and the fact that he himself makes the stuff with his wife. Hence the benefit to smaller stores.” While Tabuki-san might know that she explained it more so for Saito-san.

Airi had taken them to cleaning supplies but as she walked through she noticed the store smelled of a home cooked meal which she always loved. The store had an assortment of goods but nothing that you could say was top of the line. Airi grabbed sponges, tissue, floor cleaner, dish shop, hand soap, and then moving over to an herb section she started to buy spices for cooking. Also made by the wife. As a matter of fact if someone was closing reading everything… “I really only grab the things the wife makes. As she puts hard work into them. He really has more of a business mind than a crafters mind.”

If they asked Airi was willing to show them around or answer any questions they might have.

WC: 1014

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Rinko chewed her lower lip when Toshi described his backstory. She was tempted to say that perhaps his father was still out there somewhere, but she thought better of it. It was possible Toshi just didn't want to outright say his father had been found dead. And even if they hadn't found his body, giving Toshi false hope felt wrong. He seemed to be over it, or at least masking his pain well enough, so she let the topic shift to a more optimistic one. She asked the two of their likes and dislikes, curious if they had more in common than just preferring to save money. It wasn't long after that the group entered the older section of the shopping district. They approached an establishment and Rinko began flipping through the papers on her clipboard. She couldn't find anything with the store's name, so she was relieved to hear that the owner introduced himself. However, when she couldn't find a sheet with the name Dosurobimaru, she finally looked at the store clerk. Her eyes widened when she saw the ancient man behind the counter. No wonder this guy doesn't have a debt, he probably paid it off eons ago!

Rinko followed Airi a ways away and took notes as the savvy girl clarified what they should and shouldn't get from this store. Since the elderly owner wasn't on her list, Rinko shrugged. "Hmm. We don't need cleaning supplies. Since Gramps' tail, among other things, drags on the floor, he's the one who handles the buying and using of cleaners and the like." There was truth to her statement, but honestly Rinko just didn't want to make Airi feel like she had to foot the bill for both her and Toshi. She followed the two around the store and made notes on what Airi specifically picked out. Rinko might not have been able to buy anything, but that didn't mean her other family members couldn't come in later. After they had finished collecting their supplies and were finished paying, Rinko followed the two out of the store. "So...um..." She found the words hard to find. "If you guys ever wanna....come by my house for a visit, you can do that. Just gotta let me know first so I can make sure Gramps has his apron on." She looked everywhere but at the other kids. "But, I mean, we should focus on shopping for now. Where to next?"

 

[Yamamoto Airi]

Airi showed them around the store and tried to explain things as best she could. She noticed that Toshi seemed to be deep in thought. Probably wondering if these products were better than the ones he normally gets. Rinko decided to speak up first though. She mentioned that she did not really need the cleaning supplies due to her father’s...tail? Weird that they would consider that cleaning but Airi wondered how effective it would be.

Rinko offered for them to come over anytime and Airi’s eyes got wide. Rinko...actually...invited...me? She felt herself have issues breathing for only a moment. She wanted to tell her right now she wanted to go...but that would be inappropriate. She then wondered if she should offer for them to come over to her home...her home…

Her eyes went wide and she said, “Oh no...I mean yes...Rinko I would love to but I thought I was only going to be out a short while. I need to get back home!” She quickly pulled out a paper and wrote out her number for both Toshi and Rinko. “Please call me to meet again! I’ll see you around!”

She ran to the front and left the things she collected and bowed to the owner. “Sorry I’ll be back for these!” He nodded and smiled. Airi took of out the door and down the street.

What a time to make something that slowly cooks over time. She wanted food for the week and now she was missing out on making friends...so stupid.

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