Mr. Nobu’s Otherworld Chronicles v1c1

n.o.busada’s First Close Call

 “Ok then, manager. I will be going first.”
 “Sure, thanks for your work.”
 
 I had finished my night s.h.i.+ft and left the shop.
 I’m Izumi n.o.busada I worked as an a.s.sistant Manager at a certain convenience store.
 Even though I was an a.s.sistant Manager, it wasn’t that much different from my earlier jobs.
 Overtime increased a little, day-off decreased a little, holiday work increased a little.
 No, let’s stop with the gloomy topic. I was barely able to get a vacation after this.
 
 “Now then, it’s going to be a long vacation. As for the moneyー”
 
 I lacked sleep from trying to come up with various plans yesterday. I was like a grade school kid.
 After all, I had lots to do that got piled up in my schedule; I have to tidy up my laundry, air the futon and knead the pickled vegetables. I’m just a 35-year-old bachelor. As for cooking, was.h.i.+ng, and anything a housewife does, I’m confident I won’t lose to them. There aren’t many things that I can be proud of.
 Anyhow, I was able to do everything by myself because I didn’t have relatives anymore since the earthquake disaster three years ago. I was able to manage somehow, as a person at his wit’s end.
 
 “Now then, I should probably buy some ingredients before going back. Should I just make something simple tonight and go somewhere tomorrow?”
 
 I bought some cooking ingredients at a certain Pharmacy chain. I have not yet been back at a supermarket. The country has not been able to revive economically yet. Both my wallet and my body was able to endure as expected because there was cheap food at the convenience store in the first place. With this, getting food was not troublesome. But I must not say who I work for.
 I filled my shopping bag with the ingredients I bought and went back to my car.
 
 “This is great, there was a lot of things that I needed that was on sale! This month was really tough.”
 
 Yup, I just talked to myself. I am not lonely!
 
 “What’s this? Why is this lying around in the car?”
 
 An unfamiliar gla.s.s marble was on the pa.s.senger seat. When I picked it up and looked at it, the color changes like a rainbow depending on the angle I’m looking at.
 Since I somehow liked it, I shoved it into my pant’s pocket. Shall I put it on a display it when I return home? While thinking such thing, this old man just wished some healing by greedily revving up the engine and went back home.
 
 “I’m backー”
 
 I came back home without anyone to welcome me. It already became a habit of mine to say that I’m back during the time when I still have a family. I felt like feminine if I do say so myself. Even now, I still haven’t got over it.
 
 “Should I prepare Tofu burger steak for tomorrow night and just boil some fresh ramen today?”
 
 I love meat, but taking in too much when I’m already 35 years old rings an alarm in my mind.
 So I mixed tofu with it and had a Tofu burger steak. With this, I was able to increase the volume.
 I have finished preparing the Nukadoko mix. This house and Grandma’s nukadoko were the only things left to me by my parents. Honestly, this house was too big for a bachelor and the maintenance cost was expensive too.
 But I have no intention to sell at all. I have already given up on marrying! So there won’t be any problem to live as long as I can save some of my earnings.
 
 
 Sluuuuuuuurrrrrrp
 I slurped some ramen while reading a web novel on my smart phone.
 
 “Um, delicious. Compared to instant ramen and any expensive average ramen shop, this fresh ramen is delicious.”
 
 For a while, I was absorbed in cooking, trying to make some handmade tonkotsu ramen, I was surprised that it took this much time and effort to do it. I can’t always do this unless this was my job.
 Takatan♪ Tanta♪ Takatan♪
 A theme song from a certain peasant uprising flowed out from my smart phone. There was a meaning for this.
 “Oh, what’s wrong useless kouhai?”
 “Is that your opening line!? That is very cruel for a very very cute miss kouhai!”
 
 Of course, it was just friendly banter. She was a kouhai from my old high school, one of the few friends that I have.
 
 “So? It’s very unusual for you to call me during this time. What is it?”
 “Well you see, the reason I called is because I heard from the manager that senpai is on vacation today, I was going to return the DVD that I borrowed quite a while ago.”
 “Ah, that one? Sure. I’ll wait for you tonight since I’m just going to lounge anyway.”
 “Roger dodger! See you later then!!”
 “Sure.”
 
 Hmm, that gal was restless as usual. I can’t imitate the lightness of her footwork. I’m just probably too heavy.
 
 . . . . .
 
 “Huh?”
 
 At that time, I felt like someone was calling me?
 There was no one when I looked around. Great, should I refrain a little from borrowing horror films?
 
 . . . lp . . . qs . . .
 
 “Is&h.e.l.lip; it&h.e.l.lip; Auditory hallucination?”
 
 Cold sweat was streaming down.
 And then.
 
 “Whaー’
 
 Light vigorously overflowed from the tatami mat and all I can see was pure white.
 
 “What the h.e.l.lーーーー”
 
 I quickly lost consciousness.