I'm Not a Hero Anymore

Chapter 1 Life... Encounter. Cont. 6

Part 2

A personal record!!

It took 23 minutes to get here.

Kofu's shop is just like any other video store. Blu-rays and DVDs stacked up on shelves. The magazine stand and the room behind the curtain, which had a sign above saying adult only.

The name of the shop was the Eye Candy. You can already understand it's implication. But he sold not only adult videos but others too, films you can rent, mangas and their adult counterpart alongside the magazines. And not forgetting his light novel section.

I come here whenever I have the chance. Personal reason or when I'm here to pick up dad's weekly collection, so I do have a personal relationship with Kofu.

…Ding ding…

The bell overhead rings when I open the door to the shop and enter. My sight is greeted by a smiling Kofu standing behind the glass counter which had many videos on shelves.

"Yo, that you Rin? What brings you here today?"

So that's Kofu. An average built man, taller than I am, about dad's height, the same age as dad, with a red textured haircut faded at the sides—he made it so just to look young—and bright reddish brown eye colour. When it comes to looks he tops dad by a small margin.

Kofu and dad go way back since the prehistorics which is the term I use for the old school days. And when dad brought me here when I turned thirteen, me and him hit it off since he was just like dad.

"Afternoon Kofu. Just passing by."

Side note—rather obvious—due to our similar habits, friendship with my parent and the fact he want to look cool with the youngsters—namely me and Orino—he said not to use the honorifics. I wanted to clarify because it might have sounded rude to address an elder as equals.

"Sure you are."

He leans on his elbows, fingers interlocked on the glass counter.

"Your dad tells me you still ain't gone grabbing yet let a lone have some eye candy. You're a wuss you now. Upon all that we taught you, you still to coward to even try."

I can only nervously chuckle and rub the back of my head since he's right about that.

[That old man! Quit making me look more pathetic in front of your friend!]

"It can't be help. I don't want to get caught. Beside I don't have a girlfriend to get grabbing."

I mean you can't go around grabbing someone who you aren't cool with breasts, now can you?

"That may be true but you can't keep skipping out on the peeping or you can never call yourself a man. Even less is the fact you acting cowardly. A man shouldn't care much about the consequences just the outcome. You're a teenager for crying out loud, you should be acting on your libido else you'll die an old prune who never got the guts to try and be a man."

Harsh! This is definitely something worth the lecture!

[~He's totally right~] I thought to myself. If my mind had eyes it would be crying.

"I guess you're right!"

"Like hell I am… So how's school? Still slacking? Your friends? Your mom? No first of all how's Orino-chan? Haven't seen her in a long while. heard she's finally grown in. I wonder how she looks now."

I get why everyone goes after mom but I don't get why everyone is so into Orino… Truth be told I think I do, she was a cute girl with a flat chest and all, and now, just in a short time she's already into womanhood. But is she any different from any other growing girl?

It's heart wrenching you know. Having a hot mom and a beautiful sister. Yet look at me, Average. Dad? Average. We the men are too average.

"Everyone's fine… especially Orino. Yeah, in the words you want to hear, her funbags are in, adding to everything you'd expect. A perfect balance."

"Way to go O-tan~. See even she's far ahead of you. She's already a woman and you still slacking."

How does that compare to me? Guess that's how kofu is!

"I don't get how that makes any sense but okay, I guess."

"Right, so what can I do for you today? It's going to be late soon and you can't be around too long. You've been hearing the news right?"

Yea, I remember what was going on from the reports this morning on TV. Seems people have been going missing and a few bodies have turned up, mutilated.

"Yea, saw it on the morning news."

"So why don't we hurry it up and you hurry on home."

"Sure but don't worry about me."

"…I have to. Anyways, what can I get you?"

"I know dad was here yesterday but I do need another batch. Anything good I can get?"

"I see. So you're already done with the ones he got. Kids of these days, you don't know how to savor anything. You know the rules… Since you're still a minor I can't have you get caught in the adult section, will be bad for business. You can only get it after shops closed or before it's open. And I can't have you staying late, the reports you know."

Yea, now that I take notice there are people around. Seems today is a good day for him. Ever since dad brought me here, except for him bringing me I had to stay out of the adult section until the shop closed because it would be bad to see a kid in there. And as for the report I think I can survive one night out. I don't anything 'd happen to me.—Little did I know I jinxed it.

"Yea I know. I don't mind waiting and I'll be careful when heading home."

"I don't know, things a getting pretty serious out there."

I join my hands together in an upright manner and bow my head.

"I'll be sure to be careful. So please."

I look up and I see him wear a smile before he says,

"Sure, I guess I can trust you on that…"

"Thanks I do appreciate it."

"I was once a kid so I understand… Say, whiles you here how about you help e around the shop. I'll make it worth your while. The usual."

Here we go again. Bring on the sweetness.

"Sure… I don't mind helping around." I stand straight.

"Alright why don't you get started. First stop. A few of the shelves are empty. I was going to do it before I close up. Why don't your head into the store and get the boxes and fill the empty spaces."

Kofu for you… I don't know whether it's a coincidence or he deliberately does that but anything I do turn up the outer shop is always has a few empty shelves and I'd have to help up replacing the empty spaces with the boxes in the store. I'm not complaining! Not one bit! It's all not for nothing though. The perks on helping out is great you see. Sometimes I do get paid and on most occasions I get an additional bonus of new stack of magazines, novels or DVDs rent free till I return them or free sometimes, personal use only. All in all it's a sweet gig. Who in their right senses would pass it up.

"Sure… Hang on to this for me."

I hand him my bag and move towards the white door which had a sticker that had 'STORE, EMPLOYEES ONLY' written boldly on it a little ways from the adult section room.

The room is narrow. It had shelves on both sides of the wall and at the end as and all had boxes on them. There is a ladder which helps in reaching the higher shelves. On the floor too there are boxes stacked as well. There are tags on all the boxes in here so it's easy to allocate everything. The tags are in parent guides like 13+ and others and under them their genres.

In a way this is the best part of coming here. Sometimes I get to keep some of the old ones.

I grab the apron that is hanging to the wall beside me and put it on.

"Alright! Let's get started."

I roll up my sleeve and dive straight into it grabbing the first box I saw.

If I remember correctly this time I need to fill the 16+ Action and thriller shelve but what the heck I'll just grab anything in the action genre and get going.

One by one I unstack the piles in the box and arranging them on the shelves around.

When I was half way into the second box Kofu calls for my attention.

"Hey Rin, been thinking for a while. Why don't you come do part time here? Pay's great and I throw in a number of awesome perks."

I carry the box and turn to him.

Why didn't it occur to me long ago. If I had been working part time here everything could have been a little easier. How come I never thought of that? How dumb am I? Thinking about it, it's a great idea. Aside from getting new mags and Videos first hand I get to make money for myself.

"Hadn't come to mind. I wouldn't mind that at all. I could make a little money myself but could I think about it…? Should have an answer in a couple of days. But rest assured I'd take it."

That's the truth of it. I am definitely taking this job. Sweet sweet perks. Heh heh.

[I think I should a talk with mom and the old man.]

"Awesome… And don't forget to let you parent's in on this."

"Sure will… But it's been so long, why didn't you get one till now?"

"I did have one about a little while ago…well his time here was a little short. Now hurry along."

That phrase makes you think it's something dark. But I can assume whoever it was, was more or less student and you know…

Working here, so cool! Awesome! I get to make money working here. Can't wait to! Alright if I stand here any longer daydreaming I wouldn't get any work done.

A short while I was done with the arrangement and returned the box back into the storage. Returning into the shop again I grab the broom which was in the cleaning cart and begun sweeping the dust.

I pause and turn to Kofu.

"Hey Kofu-san. Can I ask you something?"

"How many times I told you, no need for that. Just call me by my name, Kofu… Whatever. Sure. Shoot, kid."

See! What did I tell you.

"You've known dad since school time…"

True and true, dad mentioned it time and time again, and so have I. They've been a perverted duo since their school times. So I've always wanted to know. What was he like when he was a teenager? Was he always like this—I mean a pervert?

"…Tell me about dad. What was he like back then?"