It was early afternoon. Yuta and I were walking down the sidewalk after just coming out of the convenience store, each of us carrying two packs of wafer rolls.
Our car was parked just outside the store, yet Yuta insisted on walking the rest of the way to our destination because, as he put it, "The car wouldn't fit."
I decided to just follow along.
"I haven't eaten this in years."
"Well, you're eating it now."
He then obnoxiously took a really loud sip of the grape juice he bought, carrying it in his other hand.
"Come on bro... Where are we going anyway?"
Yuta pointed towards the random alley entrance we were close to passing by.
"There. Probably the longest alley in town. Full of corners, and that gives shady brokers some sweet spots."
"Are you sure you're not just picking at random?"
"Just trust me."
The alley was nothing special at first glance. But after we reached the next turn, a colorful stall stood immediately in the corner.
It was covered with bright neon lights, the complete opposite of the dark alley.
Yuta walked towards it and knocked on the table four times.
Then someone came out from inside.
"Too early for neon lights, Ray."
Out appeared a young woman with a sort of eye-catching appearance, matching the colorful stall she runs.
She has shoulder length black hair with dyed neon blue streaks framing her face, giving her a slightly rebellious look.
"Just tell me what you need."
"I don't need anything. My friend does."
She looked at me.
"You look..."
"Nerdy?"
"The cuter type of nerdy."
"I'm here for info, not compliments."
She looked at Yuta. He nodded back.
"Alright. What type of info?"
"Anything about... microchips."
"Micro... chips? The ones inside computers and such?"
I spoke up.
"No, these ones were used inside humans. Well, there was one in a car as well, but you get the point. They're very different from regular chips."
She stared at us as if we were crazy.
Can't really blame her. Even while talking about it, I can't believe myself.
"A chip for humans, huh? Hmmm. Nope, doesn't ring any bells."
I expected this. There was no way some stranger living in the literal lighthouse would know anything about it.
Still, I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
We moved on, deeper into the alley.
Arriving at the next stall, we were greeted by a hyperactive Mexican man.
"Hola soy Jose! How can I help you amigo?
"Provocative microchips."
"No, no informacion for that."
I couldn't help but sigh.
Of course.
"But I have tortilla chips."
"... We'll take some."
And to the next stall.
"Sorry, dudes. No relevant results."
"He meant he doesn't have info." Yuta said.
"I know what he meant."
And the next stall...
"Hey, boys. Wanna hang out?"
"No, thank you." Both of us said.
"But there's two of us... and there's two of you, if you know where I'm going."
"Still no."
"Just a date, we promise."
"No!" We said for the last time.
"And didn't he tell you, glasses guy? Your friend Yuta over here hanged out with us. It was a fun night, wasn't it?"
I looked at him; my eyes filled with shock and a hint of disgust.
"Dinner. I swear. And arcade. That's it."
"Oh, so you just paid two random strangers to hang out with you?!"
"Uhm, I was lonely?"
"So... what'll it be boys?"
"Forget it, are you two even informants?"
"Well, would you like to know?"
"Oh just fuck off." I walked away, dragging Yuta with one hand.
And the next stall...
"What did the egg say to the angry egg?"
"I don't give a damn."
"Wrong. It said Relax; I was yolking Hahahaha!"
"What even is this stall?"
"Didn't you read the sign? It's yolks and jokes, Hahahahaha!"
And the next...
The next...
...
"Let's just go."
"Wait!" Yuta shouted.
"If you want me to wait then just take me to the real stuff. You said there were actual informants here, right?!"
"This is the only way."
"What way? Oh, right! Going through every stall in this place, wasting my time, and finding out your pale ass slept with two whores!"
"I did not!"
"Did not what?!"
"Did not sleep with them?!"
"Well that's not the fucking point Yuta! Point is this... this is not helping."
He stared at me, not saying a word.
"... What? Yuta! Say someth-"
"Then what the fuck did you want me to do?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want me to watch you over work and kill yourself huh?! I'm not blind, Saitou, You're clearly exhausted. When was the last time you got proper rest?! Even now you're so easily irritable!"
"Please, you're exaggerating. Others have gone through muc-"
"Who gives a shit?! Other people suffering more isn't an excuse to hurt yourself. Face it Saitou this research you're doing all alone isn't going to amount in anything!"
"..."
"So... just take a break alright?"
"..."
Before I could even speak back, soft rock jazz started playing nearby. A few steps to the right.
We looked at each other before silently following the music.
After reaching the source of the sound, we were greeted by a food stall. Of course, it looked as presentable as the last ones.
At this point, I'd given up even hoping to find actual info in this place and was convinced that Yuta only took me here to hang out and get rid of some stress.
Who am I kidding. That was obvious enough, especially with that "argument" we just had.
I mean by the third food stall we've crossed it's pretty damn clear that these so called "Informants" were leaning more into the entertainment and satisfactory part rather than doing their actual fucking jobs of informing people.
And it's pretty clear the "entertainment" part wasn't working.
They were too sketchy for it.
If he wanted to hang out, he could've just said so and not lie about it.
... No, I'm being stubborn here with all of this.
Whatever, my goal for now has changed, I'll just hang out with Yuta and be a good friend.
I rang the bell at the food stall, hoping to order something.
Yet what came to my surprise was, a ten-year-old kid that rose from under the counter, struggling to stand up on top of a small chair.
"Beef curry for two?" The boy fell from the stall but managed to get up again.
"Kid, where's the owner?... And turn the music off, will you?"
He turned the music off and proudly said, "Well, you're looking right at him!" Followed by a smile.
I looked at Yuta; he looked at me.
Although he looked just as confused as me, I still pointed at the boy, asking.
"Do you know this kid?"
"No... I don't."
Confusion filled the air.
I don't usually judge a book by its cover. But if the cover was a literal child in such a sketchy place, then I had my suspicions.
So, I asked him something. Only to make sure he wasn't just a midget acting all childish.
... It could happen.
"Anyways, do you have any information about microchips, suspicious ones?"
"What's a microchip?" The kid asked.
"Just say it, kid."
The boy scratched his head. A good actor I see, but not enough to fool me.
"Hold on. He might actually not know what we need... Or anything at all."
Yeah... if he were indeed a midget, why would he act like a child?
For confirmation, I asked him one more time.
"Kid, do you know what this place is for?"
"For business stalls."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely! I just started selling last week! My neighbors greeted me with big smiles, and a lot of customers, especially rich ones came and went. I've been moving in and out, but I think this is my permanent home."
"Yeah, sure." Yuta then looked at me and shook his head, before ordering like it was naturally the next step to do.
"Anyway, I'll take two chicken curry bowl. Large size for the both of us."
Meanwhile, I was still stuck on what the kid had just said.
"So, this place actually gets rich customers?"
"Seriously Saitou? You're still stuck on that, just forget about it."
The boy quickly grabbed the cash that Yuta just took out.
"Two chicken curry rice bowl coming right up!"
He went inside the stall, the clanking of pans, chopping, and all kinds of things could be heard from the inside.
Eventually, after a while has passed, he came out.
"Two chicken curry rice bowl, very hot."
We were already sat down at a shabby table for two right at front of the stall.
So, when the food arrived, I immediately took a spoonful of rice with curry sauce and shoved it into my mouth. The wafer rolls we had were nowhere enough food.
My tongue was greeted by scorching red pepper slices and the sweet, milky taste of the sauce. Just the perfect amount of spice for me.
"Whoa! I wasn't expecting that type of spice. Seriously." Contradictory to what he had just said, Yuta proceeded to take another spoonful.
We ate for a while, talking about various things and catching up with each other.
It was fun...
Until the kid asked something.
"By the way, what does a "whore" mean?"
Both of us choked.
***
The last stall at the end of the alley.
It was run down, barely standing, yet light still shone from the inside.
Actually, can you even call this a "stall"? It resembles more of a ran down house with a faint sign saying "DINER" at the front.
Nonetheless, we were currently inside.
There were chairs and tables, and an old lady was bringing us glasses of water.
At the moment I was full, just having ate at the kid's stall. But Yuta insisted that in this final stop resided an actual professional informant.
Does he seriously still think I'm getting fooled by that?
Plus, I already decided to just give up finding info for now and just hang out with him.
Still, I agreed.
And as usual, I'm growing to regret this decision more by the moment.
The old lady stood up slowly, grabbed two glasses and filled them to the brim with water. She then laid the glasses on the table.
The water smelled... unpleasant, I didn't even know water could actually have a scent.
The smell wasn't that bad, but there was no way I'd drink that thing.
Yuta never even chose to grip on the glass.
"Forget cleanliness. Did this water come from the sewer?"
"Yes, it did. Now, shut your mouth, will you?"
The old lady stretched her back, leaned closer with a rasping voice.
"This place is not a joke, kid. It lays far, far away from all your shiny skyscrapers and noisy streets, boy. A place buried deep beneath the ruins where God and men once roamed. Somewhere the sun doesn't remember, and the mind doesn't care to whisper anymore."
"..."
"Is she actually crazy?" I whispered to Yuta.
"No... I genuinely think it's past that."
But before we could even say a word, she continued.
"It's where those bastards crawl, plotting in silence. In the shadows of ancient stone, deep under earth that hasn't felt a human footstep in a hundred years."
She paused, taking a breath.
And even that, she could barely do.
Yet she didn't stop talking.
"And you kids? You wouldn't last a day down there. You don't know hunger anymore, boy. You've no clue about poverty, about survival, about-"
With a soft plop, her dentures suddenly slipped from her mouth and landed on the glass of water on the table, spilling some out towards us.
We quickly moved back but halted at what she did right after.
The old woman plucks them out and pops them right back in. Yuta gagged and looked away.
"... About where the real monsters crawl.
There's a miserable, desolate place somewhere outside this city. Go through a dirt road and steal the map there."
There was only one question running through my mind.
What the hell is she on about?!