When I Saved a Lost Plushie, I Got Close to a Young Lady From a Yakuza Family
I stood in line in the store, fidgeting and feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
After school, Uruwashi took me to a trendy, modern café.
Even though it was a weekday evening, the place was packed with young women, a place I would never come to on my own.
I had been told yesterday where to go, but when I finally arrived, I felt out of place.
Apparently, acai bowls are all the rage here.
I thought it was a breakfast salad bowl or something because it’s good in the morning, but it’s not.
“Expensive…..!”
It seemed like the payment system was done via touch panel, and as I looked at the menu screen I blurted out:
I covered my mouth, but it was a little too late and I was staring at the people around me.
Wait a minute. Is it really this much?
It’s over a thousand yen.
“I’m not really hungry, so why don’t we both buy one and split it fifty-fifty?”
I’m sure that she was aware of my financial situation. How kind of her.
Maybe she thought it was wrong to buy me a meal, but she made it easy for me to swallow the fact that she had her own circumstances.
I wonder if it is because she grew up in a family of professionals that she is able to act in such a way that makes her a good friend.
“Yes, that’s right. Let’s make it half and half.”
I felt a little pathetic for her consideration, but I took her up on her offer.
Many cafes require one order per person, but this one seemed to have no problem with that, probably because of the large number of junior high and high school students.
After ordering and taking a number tag, I was summoned a short time later and went to pick up my order.
In the cup, there were strawberries, bananas, kiwis, and other fruits, with a purple paste underneath.
It looked tropical and healthy.
But it’s so small! This size for that price?!
“I’m sorry, but if we split it in half, it’ll be gone in no time.”
I went back to my seat and apologized to Uruwashi.
“Why are you apologizing?”
She asked me to share half of the price with her, and she did not change my stance.
In addition, Uruwashi continued,
“Today’s main focus is on the plushie activity.”
Uruwashi took out a stuffed animal, Banira-chan.
She is a furry, fancy white rabbit with big eyes and stars in them.
After sitting down in an empty seat, I asked her about something that had been bothering me.
“Well, what kind of character is Banira-chan?”
I had never heard of her before.
Is she a character from some kind of anime?
“She’s the mascot for the idol I’m idoling, Asterisk.”
I have heard of that idol.
I don’t know much about it, but I have seen its name in advertisements in town and on social networking sites.
I heard that she is popular both in Japan and abroad.
“I didn’t know idols had mascots.”
“Every idol group has its own mascot. I heard that this mascot was designed by a famous American designer.”
“I see. I wonder if the American designer is Elder san, because of the shape of the mascot. That’s why it pops so much.”
“Sagara-kun, you know a lot about designers, don’t you?”
“I know a little about stuffed animals. but I didn’t know that he designs mascots for idols.”
I like stuffed animals, but idols are a world I don’t know.
I like to hear about this kind of thing.
“Thank you for telling me, and I hope you will tell me a lot more about idols.”
Then I quietly take out my own plushie.
It is a small stuffed toy of a human girl’s type.
“That’s Sagara-kun’s stuffed toy. She’s so cute.”
“She’s called Kuon, and I made her myself, so I’m glad to hear your compliments.”
“No way, you made it yourself? it was so good I thought it was for sale.”
Uruwashi put her hand over her mouth in surprise.
“Thank you. But I think I can make it prettier. I’m not even close.”
“Not that. When I go to Sagara’s house again, you can tell me all about stuffed animals.”
“That’s fine.”
I’m glad that she doesn’t deny that I make stuffed toys, but rather wants to hear what I have to say. It would be fun to talk about what we like to do.
Hey, wait a minute, Uruwashi, are you planning to come over to my house?
Looking at me to ask that, Uruwashi-san said, “It’s going to melt,” and without giving me time to pursue the question, she arranged the acai bowl and Banira-chan on top of it.
Seeing this, I switched my mind to do the activity for now.
The tables in the restaurant were gray with a modern design, and the location was excellent with natural light coming in.
The acai bowls are colorful and look quite nice.
Uruwashi changes the angle several times to get the best shot.
The word “cute” occasionally leaks out of her mouth, and the gap between a beautiful woman with a good face returning to her childhood in front of a stuffed animal is precious.
—Pasha
I took a picture of the precious scene spread out before me with my phone in hand.
Oh no, my index finger just did it. This was no time to be talking about capturing it, it was a spy shot!
“Did you get a pretty picture?”
I was worried that I might be arrested or have to pay the price, but Uruwashi didn’t show any sign of concern and said
“Well, you know, that ……. It’s very cute.”
I pointed my phone at Uruwashi to show her the photo I had taken as if to confess.
Then, shyly squeeze out praises.
“I can tell. Banira-chan is cute.”
She nodded her head in satisfaction.
I’m sure you don’t think my earlier comment was directed at Uruwashi?
I’m so ashamed of my loss!
But was this a good thing ……? I tilted my head.
I take pictures of my own stuffed animals alongside my acai bowl too.
I sometimes take pictures at home, but I don’t often do it outside because I’m too embarrassed.
This time, I have a girl to do it with me, so my resistance is considerably eased.
I’m glad to be able to bring Kuon to such a fashionable place. I’m glad Uruwashi is here.
The acai bowl seems to be eaten with a wooden spoon, which is very conscious.
The key taste is quite delicious, with a mouthwatering texture.
It is indeed a popular place to eat. I can’t eat it easily because of the price, though.
I never dreamed that we’d be sitting around after school, playing wet-noodles, and eating one sweet treat together.
—Pashha
As I was about to take another bite, I heard an electronic noise.
I looked over to see Uruwashi-san holding up a cloth and taking a picture of me.
“Did you get a good shot?”
I asked, thinking that she must have taken a picture of the restaurant and Banira-chan together.
“Yes, it looks good.
Sagara-kun with Banira-chan in the picture.”
“M-me??”
I couldn’t help but shout out loud, wondering what was going on.
I wonder if it’s okay to have someone like me in the camera roll of Uruwashi’s phone.
It makes me sad to think that it is taking up even a small amount of capacity.
“You are so cute, just like a stuffed animal.”
Uruwashi laughed when se saw the picture I took.
I wonder if she’s playing a joke on me.
“Hey, let’s send each other pictures.”
Uruwashi-san shows me a QR code on her phone.
T-this is an exchange of Instagram accounts.
I have an Instagram account that I opened in order to post my stuffed animals and accessories someday.
But I have 0 follow and 0 followers, and I haven’t posted anything. It’s obvious that I don’t use it.
But this is a unique opportunity to exchange contact information with girls.
I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by!
I took the shame out of it and scanned the QR and followed her.
When I looked at Uruwashi’s account, it showed 0 followers and 1 follower.
I had just followed her account a few minutes ago, which meant that I had just followed her.
“Sagara-kun is my first, you know?”
Is it okay for me to be honored like that?!
Then I get a notification on my phone. It seemed that Uruwashi had followed up with me.
“It’s nice that we’re both new to each other.”
Uruwashi-san, that means follow, follower, right?
I can feel my heart rate rising.
I hate myself for taking it in a meaningful way, as I’m in the throes of puberty.
“I love this picture of the three”
While I was thinking about something strange, Uruwashi looked at the picture I had sent her and said something
“The three of us? It’s Uruwashi san and Banira-chan, right?”
“No. It’s me and Banira-chan in the picture, but Sagara-kun took the picture, so there are three of us.”
I see. If I wanted to take a picture of only myself and a stuffed animal, I could do it with a selfie, but this picture would not be complete without another person in the picture.
I’ve always wanted to have someone take a picture of me with my stuffed animals, so I’m glad.
“Thank you, Sagara-kun,” Uruwashi said, smiling the biggest smile of the day.
Uruwashi may be the daughter of a family of Yakuza, but she seemed to be a normal girl who loves stuffed animals, has a crush on someone, goes out to eat what’s trendy, and yearns for normal things like that.
“Did I hear something about Uruwashi just now?”
“Yeah, it sounded like it was coming from over there.”
“Eh, scary. Are there gangsters involved?!”
Suddenly, the café was in an uproar.
The name “Uruwashi” is not familiar to me, but it is a target of fear for the locals.
As I fretted over what to do, Uruwashi stood up and left the café as if to run away, saying, “Let’s go.”
I gathered up my belongings and ran to follow her
“It’s ruined by me.”
She mumbled in front of the store as if repenting.
I had nothing to say in reply.
We didn’t speak for the rest of the way home, and the only sound between us was the dry thud of my loafers.