His Heart Beats 6 Times a Year

Stripper Girl

"Hey. I've been meaning to ask. Your new place... How did you even get a place like that?" Nobara asks, a bit disgruntled.

"Uh... I don't know." You say simply, wiping the bar counter. "Saw an ad, reached out, did a tour, asked a few questions. It was all pretty standard."

"Geez, it must cost a fortune." She wipes her brows with her forearm, inspecting the lipstick stain on the whiskey glasses. "What does this look like to you?"

You look. "Maybelline probably.... Gotta be cheap if it sticks." and turn back to the shelves.

"We really need to go shopping sometime." She muttered, grabbing a rag.

"Hm?"

"I said if you wanna work more shifts, let me know. I'll tell Maki." she says, wiping the matte lipstick off.

"No need. They cut the price. By a lot, actually."

"huh?!" now she had to look you in the eye to see if you're lying. "Do you, like, have connections with the Gojo family or something?"

You shoot her a questioning look, "No..."

"then, did you, like, flirt with one? Everyone knows Satoru Gojo is a big flirt." She says not buying it.

"Absolutely not!" You make an X with your arms, stopping her in her tracks. "I didn't flirt with anyone! I could never be so desperate." You choke flushing red, "I told you, I did a tour, asked some questions, and they reached out. Besides, I don't know who that is. Or the Gojos."

"You don't know?!" she practically jumps to her feet in shock.

"Nobara, I just moved here, remember? I don't know who anybody is." You had a feeling what she really wanted to know was how to get housing. It was better to crush that hope before it had a chance.

She grumbles. "geez, the Gojos are only like the richest family in the entire area. They're old money. Own a bunch of real estate, like the housing complexes you live in, for example."

"Well, the guy I talked to wasn't named Gojo,"

"what was his name?"

"uh..." What was his name? He was very sweet; soft-spoken too. And he definitely said it in the beginning, but you didn't think you'd get the housing so you didn't commit it to memory. But you do remember he was very nice.

"Okatsuko? Okoto? Something with an O." You say, snapping your fingers in a circular motion as if the name would appear like magic. "But I know for a fact it wasn't Gojo. His first name was Yuta. I remember that because his car was a Yulon. Get it Yuta.... Yulon..."

"Nerd." she deadpans. "well, maybe it's extended family. They all take care of their own... better than the Zenins, anyway." She waves, continuing with the history of the local area, "Anyway, the Gojos, Kamos and Zenins, are these 3 stupidly wealthy families that pretty much own everything. There are others too, but these 3 have the most leverage and the deepest roots."

She walks over stocking the whiskey glasses. "But unlike the Gojos and the Kamos, the Zenins aren't respected."

"why?"

"it's a rich people thing." she shrugs, "To us normies, rich is rich, but to old money, rich isn't just about money, it's about prestige. How you earned it matters too. The Kamos own all the medical facilities, including major hospitals around here. Doctors are respected. The Gojos own real estate, and invest a lot in the infrastructure. That's considered respectable too. But The Zenins on the other hand..."