Akari and Friends' Leisurely Shopping District Summit - The Shopping District at Rock Bottom! Akari's Tearful Crisis

Wednesday after school. A heavy silence hung over Café Hinata in the Hinata Shopping District. "...So, about the specifics of the Hashigo Set!" Akari sprang to her feet with force. Her bob cut, trimmed neatly at the shoulders, swayed, and the large eyes beneath her bangs—pinned back with a red clip—sparkled brightly. In her hands was a new file she'd stayed up late into the night to make. The cover read "Operation Hashigo Set: Revised" in magic marker. "You pulled another all-nighter, didn't you. You've got bags under your eyes." Rei, sitting beside her, narrowed her cool, sharp eyes. With her left hand, she swept her straight-cut bangs aside. "Akari-chan, you worked so hard." Misaki smiled, her gentle brown eyes—which turned into crescent moons when she narrowed them—crinkling even further. Her long, softly waving black hair, tied at the waist with a white mizuhiki cord, swayed gently. "So, what kind of idea is it?" Rin asked quietly. Her silver bob was cut cleanly at the jawline. Her intelligent, calm gray eyes gazed at Akari's file. A faint scent of lavender drifted from her today, as always. "Yes! First, I fleshed out the 'Collaboration Assortment Box from Each Shop' that Rin-san proposed last time! Ishikari Meat's minced cutlets, Yaotoku's seasonal vegetables, Konayuki's—" "Akari, hold on." A low voice cut off Akari's words. Her father, Tsuyoshi, sitting at the counter, had his arms folded with a stern look on his face. He was the second-generation owner of Ishikari Meat and the vice-chairman of the shopping district association. His usual vigor was gone; he'd seemed downcast all day since morning. "...Dad? What's wrong?" "No... Chairman Tsunoda hasn't shown up yet." Akari glanced around the café. The table at the back of Café Hinata. Normally, Chairman Genzo Tsunoda would be sitting there first, but—the seat was empty. "The chairman's always so early, too." "He's probably just doing inventory at the hardware store or something." "No... I checked his shop earlier. The shutters were closed." That's when it happened. *Clink-clank.* The café's doorbell rang. "Ohh, sorry, sorry. My chest was feeling a bit tight, so I'm late." The one who appeared was Genzo Tsunoda, owner of Kadoya Hardware and chairman of the shopping district association. His hair was streaked with white, and he wore rumpled work clothes. His complexion looked somehow sallow. "Are you alright? You look pale." "Nah, it's just age. When you hit 78, everything starts falling apart." Tsunoda slowly sat down in a chair. The motion seemed terribly heavy. "Alright then, once again! About the Hashigo Set—" "Akari, the chairman looks unwell. Quiet down a bit." "It's fine! The chairman always says, 'Well, it'll work out somehow'!" Akari opened her file and tried to continue her explanation. "Akari-chan... The chairman really does seem to be in a lot of pain." At Misaki's voice, Akari looked at Tsunoda. —Something's wrong. The chairman was clutching his chest. Beads of sweat covered his forehead. "I-I'm fine... Just a little, chest..." His voice was hoarse. "Chairman!?" Tsunoda collapsed forward. *Thud.* ""Chairman!!"" The café erupted into chaos. "Someone call an ambulance! Hurry!" Tsuyoshi shouted. Rei immediately pulled out her smartphone and pressed the buttons with trembling fingers. Akari stood frozen. (*No way.*) (*He was talking normally just a moment ago.*) "Chairman... Chairman!!" She tried to rush over, but at that moment— "Don't move him! It could be his heart! Leave him lying there!" Tsuyoshi grabbed Akari's shoulder and pulled her back firmly. His eyes weren't looking at Akari. They were fixed desperately on the fallen chairman alone. * The ten minutes until the ambulance arrived felt like an eternity. The sound of the siren echoed through the shopping district arcade. Neighboring shop owners gathered, wondering what had happened. "Is he gonna be alright...?" "Hey, they say Tsunoda collapsed from overwork. He's been preparing for the stamp rally all by himself lately." Akari just stood there, rooted to the spot. A stretcher was brought in, and Chairman Tsunoda was placed on it. His face was pale, limp. "Contact his family. The hospital is Asatsuki Municipal Hospital." The ambulance doors closed. The siren faded into the distance. The file slipped from Akari's hands. *Flutter.* The cover reading "Operation Hashigo Set: Revised" lay face-down on the cold asphalt. * "—A mild heart attack, caused by overwork." An hour later. Tsuyoshi, having received word from the hospital, informed the shop owners in a heavy tone. The community space on the first floor of the Hinata Center. The gathered shop owners buzzed with unease. Senda from Marusen Fish Shop, Tabata from Tabata Pharmacy, Wakaba from Hair Salon Leaf, the couple from Tofu Shop Shiroyama. And Akari, Rei, Misaki, and Rin. "Fortunately, his life isn't in danger. But he'll need to be hospitalized for a while." "I see... Thank goodness..." Akari let out a sigh of relief. "So, I need to discuss something with everyone." Tsuyoshi looked around at the shop owners. "Right now, the chairman's recovery is our top priority. As for the stamp rally, for the time being—" "Wait, please!" Akari jumped forward. "The chairman isn't here. But we can't cancel the stamp rally! I'm sure the chairman wouldn't want that either!" "Akari, you stay out of this." "Why!? I'm a member of the shopping district association too, aren't I!?" "This isn't something for a kid to stick her nose into!" Tsuyoshi's voice rang through the community space. The surrounding shop owners held their breath. "You still don't understand anything about this shopping district. Do you have any idea how hard the stamp rally is, or where the budget for the prizes comes from?" "That's—" "You're just making noise and doing whatever you want, aren't you!" Akari's throat tightened. (*Why?*) (*Because, I...*) (*I just wanted to be someone who helps the shopping district...*) "...Ngh." Tears threatened to spill over. But if she cried here—she'd truly end up as "just a kid." Akari bit her lip. "...Anyway, we're done for today. Everyone, I'll contact you again once things have settled down." The shop owners filed out with heavy steps. Akari remained standing there, unable to move. "Akari-chan..." Misaki gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, it's okay..." "...Misaki." Akari bit her lip. Rei remained silent, staring at Akari's back. Rin was looking out the window, as if lost in thought. * Outside, the shopping district at dusk was quiet as always. But that quietness felt painful today. Akari sat alone on a small bench behind the Hinata Center. Her father's words from earlier kept spinning around in her head. (*You still don't understand anything about this shopping district.*) (*You're just making noise and doing whatever you want.*) "...That's not what I meant to do." She hugged her knees. "Akari-chan, you were here?" The one who spoke to her was Makoto Wakaba, the owner of Hair Salon Leaf. She was the shopping district's information hub, a chatty woman whose trademark was her bright perm. "...Wakaba-san." "That was rough back there. Your dad went a little too far." Wakaba sat down next to Akari and pulled a candy out of her pocket. "Here, strawberry milk. It'll cheer you up." "...Thank you." "But you know, Akari-chan. If you're really thinking about the shopping district—there are some things you might be better off knowing." "...Huh?" Wakaba lowered her voice a little. "I heard that Yukimura-san from Konayuki might be closing up shop soon." Akari's mind went completely blank. "...No way." "A customer who came to my shop yesterday said so. That Yukimura-san is torn about whether to go back to Tokyo." "But, I mean, Rin-san—" (*She was helping with the stamp rally preparations with us.*) (*Just the other day, she smiled at me so kindly.*) "Well, it's just a rumor. Don't take it too seriously. But if it's true... it'll be lonely." With that, Wakaba waved and said, "See you," before heading back to her salon. Akari couldn't move for a while. (*Rin-san is... leaving?*) (*If she does, what about the Hashigo Set? The natural yeast bread?*) (*No, more than that—*) Something inside Akari wavered unsteadily. "...I have to find out." Akari stood up and started running toward Boulangerie Konayuki. * Konayuki was already closing for the day. The shutter was half-down, and the lights inside were dimming. "Rin-san! Rin-san, are you there!?" Akari went around to the back of the shop. Rin had just stepped out to take out the trash. Her silver bob was dyed by the sunset. "Akari-san... What's the matter?" "Rin-san, is it true!?" "...Is what true?" "That you're closing the shop! That you're going back to Tokyo!" Rin's expression froze. The light vanished from her gray eyes. "...Who did you hear that from?" "Wakaba-san said she heard it from a customer—" "...I see." Rin quietly lowered her eyes. "What happens to my shop is my decision." "But—" "It has nothing to do with you." Rin's voice was as cold as ice. A dismissive tone, one Akari had never heard from her before. "...Nothing to do with me?" "Yes. After all, I'm an 'outsider' to this shopping district." So saying, Rin opened the back door. "Well then, goodnight." *Slam.* The door closed right in front of Akari. The lock clicked shut. "...No way." Akari stood frozen before the door. (*An outsider...*) (*I've never once thought of you that way.*) (*We were supposed to work hard together for the shopping district—*) A single tear spilled over. * By the time she walked to the front of Yaotoku, the sun had almost completely set. The "Yaotoku" sign was illuminated by the arcade lights. Akari gazed up at the sign vacantly. "Akari!" A familiar voice came from behind. She turned to see Rei standing there. Out of breath, glaring at Akari with sharp eyes. "...Rei." "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you—" "Sorry..." "More importantly, did you know? There's a weird rumor going around the shopping district." Rei's voice was trembling. "...A rumor?" "They're saying the chairman collapsed—and it's your fault." Akari's heart lurched. "That because you kept babbling unnecessary stuff at the meetings, the chairman pushed himself too hard. That he was doing almost all the stamp rally prep alone, but you kept making a fuss about 'let's have meetings' and 'let's do the Hashigo Set'—" "Rei... Who said that?" "I don't know! But that's what people are saying!" Tears were welling up in Rei's eyes too. Akari knew. Rei wasn't angry at her. She was angry—frustrated, unable to forgive—that someone was badmouthing Akari. But. "...Is it my fault?" The words slipped out. She understood in her head. That Rei was just worried about her. But—her heart couldn't keep up. Rejected by her father, rejected by Rin. And now, even her one and only best friend had said this to her. (*It's my fault.*) (*It's all my fault.*) "...Akari, no. What I just said—" "That's enough!" Akari shouted. "You... You don't understand how I feel!" "Hey, wait!" Akari ran. Rei's voice chased after her, but her legs wouldn't stop. She dashed through the shopping district arcade and ducked into a small alley in front of Yaotoku. And then— She crouched down. "...Uu, ugh..." The tears wouldn't stop. (*I just...*) (*I just wanted to do something for the shopping district.*) (*Why, why did it turn out like this—*) A sob escaped. Akari stifled her voice and cried. The file fell from her hands. The cover reading "Operation Hashigo Set: Revised" was caught by the wind and fluttered deep into the alley. The sunset dyed the shopping district orange. In the distance, a crow cawed. At that moment— "...Meow." A small voice sounded. She looked up to find Tama right in front of her. The 19-year-old calico cat.

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Episode 4

Name: Akari and Friends' Leisurely Shopping District Summit
Author: Novelia

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