Spider - A Nightmare Downtown (1)

Mogumogu…~

Ugh… Niki-han, how are you even able to eat crepes after eating so many pancakes…The more I look at it, the more my heart burns.

Oh no, what’re you saying, Kohaku-chan? Didn’t you know? Crepes are the very definition of “sweets are for a separate stomach”¹, they’re a groundbreaking sweet treat.

Hm?

Take a peek at this crepe. Look how thin it is.

It could totally fit as much space as possible in a stomach that just seems full. Mogumogu…~

What’s with that explanation? It makes way too much sense.

Oh, Niki. A bug just landed on your crepe. I’ll shoo it off for you, so just give it here.

Eh? I couldn’t catch sight of anything, so is that true? Uuuun, I don’t see any bugs…

Nono. Niki, you just aren’t looking right. I asked you to give it to me because there’s a little trick to finding them.

Eh? Well, if you’re really insisting that much⁠—here.

Whereeee is it~?

Here~? Mogumogu…

Ah! What are you doing?!

Mogumogu… gulp⁠—what is it, Niki? I’m working really hard to find these bugs for you right now.

Nn…I might’ve been wrong when I thought I saw a bug land on it, so I’ll give it back now. This is really good.

My crepe! How dare you, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you…!²

It’s fiiine, it was just a bite. Don’t get so worked up over something so small, Niki.

It’s like you always say, “Good food tastes good alone but tastes even better with others”. You got to share your food with me in the end, so you should be happy.

You say that, but you took a huge bite! If you wanted to take a bite so badly then why didn’t you just say so to begin with?!

Nooope~! I was just looking for bugs!

What are you, an elementary schooler!? How dare you tell a lie like that?!

…Haa, you’re on your own.

⁠—Eh? Come to think of it, HiMERU-han’s been gone for a while now…?

Ah, he’s behind there. He escaped because those two were making a racket didn’t he? Smart move.

HiMERU-han. Isn’t it cruel to escape by yourself?

⁠—Ah, Oukawa. Apologies, HiMERU couldn’t stand being seen with those two anymore…

What, so it’s fine if I’m seen with them?

That’s not it…Understood. From now on, Oukawa can join and we’ll evacuate together.

Right, right. Honesty is always the best policy.

Anyway, HiMERU-han, you look like you bought a whole bunch of cookies from that cafe earlier.

Is that what you wanted to get so badly? And yesterday you mentioned something about circumstances?

Ah, these? They’re meant to be a gift of gratitude for someone that assisted HiMERU with work. Aside from the pancakes, the pastries were also very popular, so he thought they’d suffice.

Of gratitude? If you wanted to give them that kind of gift, then they didn’t have to be from that cafe, did they? You can get sweets from anywhere.

No, it’s because they can be found anywhere that these small things make a difference in testing one’s sense of style.

By sending a meaningful gift, one will leave a lasting impression and the gift receiver will enjoy it more.

It may seem like something small, but it’s the accumulation of such small things that will form the impression HiMERU makes. It’s because of this that he can’t afford to make any errors.

Hm. I get it now. HiMERU-han is always so perfect, I should learn a thing or two from you⁠—

Hey! Kohaku-chan, HiMERU-kun, I don’t want you two leaving me! I mean, don’t leave me here with this tyrant!

Gyahaha! Niki-kyuuun, I won’t let you gooo~

Me and you are inseeeeperable, aren’t we~?

Gyah! Don’t jump on me! You’re heavy, so I’ll be crushed~!

Help me, Kohaku-chan, HiMERU-kun!

Even though we’re trying to avoid Rinne-han and Niki-han, they’re still coming at us at high speed. What are we gonna do, HiMERU-han?

⁠—Haaa…HiMERU really regrets being here now.