Slipstream

Chapter 4: Impetus

As time crept by, once every few weeks became once a week, then even shorter. After a couple years, I had become accustomed to spending multiple days a week at the mansion of the Sakayanagi's, where I had underwent many novel experiences.

Director Sakayanagi, too, became a familiar face. I would often see him in deep discussion with my father over various things, from the latest sports event, to moral debates, to the most efficient way to raise a child. In addition, he never failed to gift me sweets whenever I was allowed to go over to visit his daughter.

Arisu and I, having now known each other for a couple years, were what I would consider to be friends. At least, I was pretty sure we were friends. I only had a sample size of one, but she insisted that we were, and Arisu had a tendency to be correct.

Over the years, we had competed hundreds of times, with me claiming the vast majority of wins. She had only grown even more sharp over time, however, and would occasionally snare a victory in whatever we were competing about at the time.

Whenever she did, she would become insufferable for a few days, and her smug aura would become nearly suffocating. Still, the score was still 462-106 in my favor. No, make that 463.

"Checkmate." I spoke, watching as she smiled delightedly and tipped over her king.

"Fufu, I was close this time." Arisu giggled.

She didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the loss today, having spent most of the game staring deeply into my eyes in what I assumed to be some form of psychological ploy to unsettle me.

She seemed preoccupied today, I noticed. Her cane was absently tapping on the ground- Arisu tended to do that when she was thinking on something. I didn't call attention to it and merely waited for her to speak.

"Kiyotaka-kun, do you want to go to the city? I've obtained permission to bring you shopping, but if you want to go explore, I might be convinced to... Look the other way."

"Seriously? How did you manage to talk my father into that?" I wondered out loud. The Professor had become much more lenient in recent years- in fact, I hadn't had Special Testing for almost a year now and suspected he had something to do with that.

Even so, he was notably resistant to letting me go places other than Arisu's house, and even then it was probably only because he and the older Sakayanagi had apparently rekindled an ancient friendship.

"Fufu, it was child's play. I merely had to replace their wine with something a bit... Stronger. After that, the two of them became much more amenable to my requests." She laughed cutely as she said something decidedly uncute.

"You got our parents super drunk and then begged them to let me go into the city?"

"Well, when you say it like that it sounds morally dubious..." She fiddled with her cane.

"It is morally dubious. Lowering inhibitions via foreign substances is a typical 'date-rape' tactic." I pointed out.

"Look, do you want to go outside or not?"

"..." I looked at her.

"..." She looked at me.

"..." I looked to the side awkwardly.

"..." She smirked, waiting for me to speak.

"... Good job, Arisu."

"Fufu, it was my pleasure."

—-

Ants. That's what the people living in the city reminded me of. Countless thousands of them, busily marching and scurrying around the vast labyrinth they called home.