Chapter 210


    "Culture Day is upon us," Daichi said, looming over us at the head of the table.


    Mio, Riku, Yu, and I, who were in the middle of ying Monster Hunter together on our Switches, stared up at the one man who wasn''t ying and interrupted our hunt. Summer has since passed us. We were well into October. Outside, the trees have gone from green to red and orange. An atmosphere of new change hung over the entire campus, but not us.


    We skipped all the festivals during September and avoided Sports Day. Mio and I visited my grandparents recently, and as always, they showered us with gifts. One of them being new kimonos. Unfortunately, we haven''t gotten a chance to wear them yet.


    "Come on, Daichi. You know as well as the rest of us that we have nothing to add to Culture Day," Riki said.


    "Yeah, who cares about Culture Day. But you know what I care about? Killing this Rathian that''s been getting on my fucking nerves!" Mio growled after being carted by poison damage.


    "M-Mio! What happened to all your antidotes?" Yu asked.


    "I used them all up because this green bitch kept poisoning me!" She was on the verge of chucking her switch across the room.


    "Guys, this is important!" Daichi mmed his hands on the table. "Where''s your sense of cultural pride? Love for your country? More importantly, I feel like I''m on my way to bing a shut-in if I don''t do anything! Look!" He ran over to the window and threw open the blinds. "Our fellow students are out there working day and night to prepare for Culture Day. What are we doing? ying Monhun!"


    No one paid him any mind.


    Outside, students were setting up decorations. Clubs practiced to put on performances. Stalls had already been built outside the resource center and on the promenade for student organizations to sell things at, the best time for them to make some extra money for club and circle activities.


    Mio leaned over to Yu and asked, "Was he like thisst year?"


    "Nope. We stayed in and yed a dating sim the entire time," Yu answered, much to Daichi''s dismay.


    "That''s precisely WHY I want to do something!" Daichi cried.


    Culture Day was on the third of November. Less than two weeks away. At Tsukiji High, we held a Culture <i>Festival</i> and did a maid cafe. It was wild to imagine that so much time has passed by me. That memory felt like only yesterday. However, Culture Day in university was a much more serious endeavor for the serious-minded.


    "What would we even do for Culture Day anyway? Make another dating sim game?" I asked, echoing the others''ck of interest.


    "Urk… I haven''t… thought of anything— <i>yet</i>, of course! It''s only a matter of time. Wouldn''t it be nice if we can all sit down and brainstorm together?" Daichi pleaded with us.


    The four of us defeated the Rathian as per Mio''s request, and she sat back in relief.


    "I hate this game, but let''s do another hunt!" Mio eximed.


    "Sorry, Daichi. Looks like Mio shot down Culture Day for more Monhun." Yu shrugged, only to get his Switch snatched by Daichi.


    "Fine. But I''m tagging in." Daichi sighed.


    Once again, the manga circle ended another day without doing any activities. Our short-lived sess of selling Ai-Monogatari ended with Summer Comiket. We achieved little else afterwards and had been using the money earned for snacks, games, and new furniture.


    On the way out, however, watching the camaraderie between club members made me envious. I realized that I wanted to do something, too. I just didn''t have that drive toe up with anything.


    "What if we teamed up with another circle?" I suggested.


    Everyone paused and turned to face me.


    "That''s it!" Daichi shouted aloud, drawing some attention from passing students. "There''s probably a whole lot of other clubs that want to do something but don''t have the resources to. We can pool our ideas, money, and manpower to make it happen!"


    "One problem. Do you even know who to ask?" Mio put both hands on her hips.


    "Hehe. You leave that to me," he said.


    The very next day, Daichi called us to one of the lecture rooms in the student resource building. It mimicked a lecture hall but on a much smaller scale, usually reserved for somewhat sizable clubs doing a presentation or meeting. When we got there, twenty people were already waiting. It was obvious who was in what group, because they sat together and were spaced off a few seats from the others. Among them, one creepy girl with long ck hair sat alone. Weird.


    "My manga circle is here! Now we can start," Daichi said from the front of the room.


    "Ehh… I was honestly hoping Daichi would be kidding. I didn''t expect him to actually have a n," Riku whispered.


    "I think it could be fun. Let''s just hear what he has to say," I insisted.


    "W-Well, if Saeko wants to, then count me in!" Yu hopped onto the bandwagon as soon as I showed interest.


    The seats were mostly filled. There wasn''t a space where we could distance ourselves from the other groups. The only ce left was…


    I locked eyes with the ck-haired girl, who returned a very awkward pursed-lip smile. Yu, Riku, and Mio already picked their seats, leaving me thest remaining one next to her. The moment I sat down, I felt her burning gaze on me.


    "Hehe… You''re Saeko, right? The subus?" she asked in a low, airy tone.


    "Y-Yeah, I''m Saeko… What''s your name?" I tried my hand at conversation to be polite.


    "I am Dolce. Pleased to meet your acquaintance." Dolce bowed her head slightly, then lifted her gaze back up to me. "I''ve been wanting to meet you for a long, long time…"


    An eerie chill ran up my spine.


    "Ahem!" Daichi cleared his throat. "Gathered here today are several clubs and circles without any activity or n for Culture Day thising November 3rd. We''re here to propose something that we can all do together bybining our efforts. First, is my club. The manga circle." He threw a hand in our direction, sending the entire room''s attention to us and causing Riku and Yu to shrink, and Mio and I to wave awkwardly. "There is also the Fishing Club, the eSports Circle, Painting Circle— not to be confused with therger and more established club— and… " When he got to Dolce, his brows knitted." What was yours again?"


    "The ult Research Circle. Of which I am the sole member." Dolce smiled.


    "Sole… er… Far from me to deny anyone interested in contributing to Culture Day! Wee aboard, ult Research Circle! With that out of the way, let''s get right into the nitty gritty. I propose a miniature carnival! Uh… How does this terminal work?" He fiddled with theputer until the projector screen rolled down on the board behind him.


    It showed a drawing of a circle, and each of the room''s groups were arranged as smaller circles within.


    "The n," Daichi continued, "is to form our own little block with activities and games to do inside. For example, the Fishing Club can do a fishing game. The Painting Circle can do caricatures. You guys can do that, right? So on and so forth."


    Mio shot a hand up.


    "Already raring to go? Yes, Mio!" He pointed at her.


    "Sounds like the others got a theme going on based on what they do, but what the fuck is our circle going to do?" Mio asked.


    Naturally, the question stumped Daichi. The only reason we were here was because none of us coulde up with anything to begin with.


    "That, uh… We''ll get to that when we get there." Daichi pushed the issue aside. "For now, I''ve secured arge enough spot for us in the promenade. The student board also awarded us with 30,000 Yen each for a total of 120,000 Yen to cover supplies, too! So, let''s get to brainstorming!"


    By the end of the day, the Fishing Club and Painting Circle went with Daichi''s suggestions. The eSports club nned to set up a fighting game tournament. They would bring out one of their gaming PCs from their club room and set it up on a projector screen to have contestants y on. The only ones left without an activity were us, the Manga Circle, and the ult Research Circle.


    "We''re just back to square one!" I eximed.


    "I''m sorry! I thought hearing everyone''s thoughts would stir up some creative juices." Daichi sulked.


    "I believe I know what it is I want to do," Dolce suddenly said, reminding us that she was still here. "I shall do a fortune telling reading. However, I would like Saeko and Mio''s help."


    "W-Wait, you can''t just poach my members…" he muttered.


    "Ah. I wouldn''t dare to. I''ll only need them for a little bit. They can return to whatever activity youe up with at any time. <i>If</i> youe up with one that is," she said cryptically.


    "I''m down!" Mio bounced with joy. "So, what are we doing?"


    "I still need to make preparations. However, if you''re willing to exchange contact information, I''ll be more than happy to tell you by tonight." Dolce waved her phone at us.


    For some reason, I thought this was a ploy just to get my number. It was for the sake of our Culture Day sess so I ended up giving it to her anyway. After Dolce had left, we were still left with a problem. The Manga Circle had nothing to do.


    The four of us red at Daichi foring up with the bright idea. He managed to help the otherse up with something but not us.


    "Forgive me! I''lle up with something before the end of the night. I promise!" Daichi prostrated before us with his forehead scraping the floor.


    "If it matters that much, why don''t we do a cob with Asakura?" Mio suggested to us.


    "To do what though?" Riku asked.


    "Asakura has a program called Therapy Floofs. They bring their animals to schools, usually grade schools and middle schools, and offices to relieve people''s stress. It also helps to convince people to adopt the foster animals. I can talk to the director— <i>without</i> charming him obviously," she made sure to emphasize thest part to me.


    "Ooooh! That''s it!" Daichi tried to get up, but I forced him back down by nting a foot on the back of his head.


    "Stay there. You should be grateful to Mio foring up with this n and saving your butt," I said.


    "Okay…" He sighed.


    Therapy Floofs sounded fun. That likely meant the employees at Asakura would be around to do most of the work. We probably only need to be an asional hand. It worked out since Dolce wanted me and Mio to help her, too.


    Now that every group in our little carnival project had a n, we finally break for the day. A lot of work was ahead of us tomorrow as we had to constructst minute stalls and decorate it.


    Mio and I dropped by Asakura to get things moving along. When we exined everything to them, the director was ted.


    “It’s a wonderful idea! Mio, you’re still new here and already taking the initiative. Rest assured, Asakura is in!” Director Nomu, a pot-bellied man more jovial than Santa us, agreed to bringing Therapy Floofs to Tsukiji University.


    “Hehe! Anything for these furballs!” Mio grinned.


    “Is there anything the Manga Circle can do as volunteers? We don’t want to let you do all the work,” I offered.


    “Hmmm. Extra hands can probably help with the letting a few people in at a time. It can get rowdy with young adults and their cameras. The sh can sometimes agitate sensitive and skittish animals. Maybe you can use some subus wiles to keep order?” he suggested in jest, but Mio was fully prepared to protect her animals’ lives over humans.


    “I’m just going to pretend you didn’t ask me to be a subus security guard…”


    It was still early in the evening when we finished getting things sorted out at Asakura. Mio and I decided to have an impromptu dinner date with hot pot to celebrate.


    “Mmmmm! I can feel it. Culture Day’s gonna be a st! I wonder how popr Therapy Floofs will be? Maaaaan, I wanna go back to Asakura and tell the animals all about it,” Mio went into a spiel as she stuffed herself with the hottest choice on the menu.


    “Geez, Mio. Slow down.” I wiped the broth from her chin with a napkin. “You’re going to get a stomach ache. You know we’re going to be working, right? This isn’t a y day for you.”


    “A. I can y with them a little!” She pouted.


    I sighed and couldn’t help but smile.


    “Just a little,” I reiterated.


    “Fuck yeah!” Mio pumped her fists and went back to scarfing food down.


    The both of us went to get some bubble milk tea on the way back to the apartment. We bought drinks for Casey and Kairi, too.


    “So, so, so! Word on the street is your Manga Circle is doing a group thing with other clubs. Is it true?” Casey grilled us as soon as we got back.


    “Y-Yeah, why?” I asked, taken back by her enthusiasm.


    “Aww, man! I joined the traditional fashion club, and we need models for our walkway event. I promised them I’d bring you and Mio on board since your circle wasn’t doing anything,” she exined.


    Mio nudged me. “We can probably do it, right?”


    “What do you mean probably? We have both the Therapy Floofs AND Dolce to help. You want to throw in a third responsibility?”


    “But— hnngh…” She looked like someone punched her in the gut. “Wait, hold that thought!”


    Without saying anything else, Mio bolted into our room and mmed the bathroom door. Casey, Kairi, and I followed worriedly into my room.


    “Mio? You okay in there?” Casey hollered.


    “I will be in two hours…” Mio replied in a pained voice.


    “Pretty sure all the spicy food and tapioca balls caught up with her,” I told them.


    “Ah…” they replied.


    A text from Dolce popped up on my phone, telling me that she was ready to meet up. Now? Of all times?


    “Mio, how long are you going to take? Dolce’s ready to meet!” I shouted at the door.


    “What the… Go without me and tell me all about it when you get back!” Mio called back.


    “Uuugu… I don’t feel so good meeting with her alone… I-I can just wait!”


    “Don’t wait for me! We promised her! Also, Casey? We’re modeling for you. Saeko don’t get to say no,” she replied.


    Casey turned to me, squealing and expressing her eternal thanks. Sighing, I went without Mio to Dolce’s apartment. She was a second year student and lived in an university apartment off-campus. The buildings here were all single story, fashioned to look like adobe houses in a desert. Instead of grass fields, sands andrge stones were amon sight.


    I knocked on the apartment 29-C in the very back where the streetlights barely reached, then braced myself with a deep breath. Dolce opened the door, dressed in avender robe. A hood draped over her eyes. The creepy smile was all I saw. Not to mention, it was extremely dark inside.


    “Oh, Mio isn’t here?” Dolce nced behind me.


    “No, she uh… she’s glued to the toilet,” I answered honestly.


    “That’s fine. You alone will do. Come on in, Saeko. Wee to my humble dwelling,” she said, stepping aside to reveal a rather mystical studio room with many ult items on the wall. Skulls, dream catchers, shrunken heads… all in a hazy, room with dim purple candlelights and drapes in ornately stitched designs.


    I wasn’t sure what to make of all this.


    “Take a seat,” Dolce insisted on the way past me.


    There was only one seat to take. All she had for furniture was a round table and two seats, facing across each other. She sat down on one, and I sat down on the other.


    “So… what was it that you wanted our help for?” I asked timidly.


    “I would like to do a reading on you, Saeko, to test how far I’vee. I’m able to perform both palm reading and divining through a crystal ball. You’re here to help determine the uracy of my readings. After all, there. Would be many unhappy students if I gave them a bogus reading, wouldn’t there?” Dolce rested her chin on both hands and smiled.


    “I guess… so… I’m fine with either. Y-You can choose!”


    “In that case,” she began with an even bigger smile, “shall we do a diving?”


    I gulped. I shouldn’t have done a divining. No way this woman had magic… right? Mikami was a special case… First of all, why was I so nervous? I was the subus queen of both Earth and Elza!


    The choice had already been made. I relented as she extended a hand forward.


    “I require from you a special object that you hold dear,” Dolce said.


    The only thing I could think of on hand, literally, was the ring Kana had gifted each of us. Since I didn’t want to take it off, I extended my hand towards her. I thought she would try and touch it, instead she levitated her hands over mine. One above and the other below as though levitating it.


    The white gold band glimmered like Dolce had casted magic on it. But I couldn’t sense a thing with my aura.


    “Hmmm. Yes, I can see something. Palm reading gives me a more intimate sight into what awaits you. On the other hand, divining offers me a glimpse into your future,” Dolce said quietly.


    “Uhmm… isn’t that the same thing?” I asked.


    “No, not at all! Your palm lines are threads, the journey. Divining is the terminus. The destination, if you will.” She smiled.


    Yeah, I one-hundred percent prefered Mikami.


    “And what exactly did you see there?” I gulped.


    “Good question, I see— eh. Pardon me. My visions must be getting misty.” Dolce leaned closer, her lips pursed and quivering out of frustration.


    Was this a bad thing? Now I was getting worried. Damn it. Why did Mio have to get stuck in the toilet? I could have had her gone first, then made an excuse when it came to my turn.


    “Your future appears to have a nostalgic leash. The one who holds itmands not only your body, but your path thenceforth. Also, I see many male genitalia,” she exined.


    I slipped off my seat.


    “Th-That’s because I''m a subus! B-But a nostalgic leash? Who’s holding it?” I asked.


    Dolce shrugged. “I can only fathom. If it is nostalgic to you, then your memories hold the key. That, however, is for you to recall on your own. I believe we can call this test a sess. You may leave now.”


    And with that, I returned to my apartment with Mio having note by at all. I also couldn’t shake what Dolce divined from my ring. Leash? I had many leashes over the past year. It was such amon kink. Beatrice? Daichi? Mio? Kana?


    Did I forget anyone else?


    I pushed the thought aside and entered my room. Mio was sleeping in my bed like a slob. The bedsheet was half on the ground, one leg dangling off the side, and her pajamas were disheveled.


    “Mio…” I sighed as I picked the sheet up to tuck her in. “If you’re going to sleep in my bed, at least keep my sheets— ahh!”


    Mio yanked me into bed with her.


    “Hehe… I was wondering when you were getting back… A quickie… let’s have a quickie… zzzz…” Mio rubbed her cheek against mine and fell back to sleep.