Chapter 5: The Great Burger… and the Wounded Billy
Love measures time like this:
one hour equals one month,
one day equals one year;
every tiny farewell becomes an age-long stretch.
For Anby, the time spent in the Hollow earlier already felt like something that happened long ago. The shapes of the Ethereals, their details—everything was starting to blur.
Only the warmth in her palm grew clearer and clearer.
Without thinking, she tightened her grip, pressing her hand closer, closer still—until the sweat that had seeped out at some point smeared between their palms.
That sticky sensation was like a kitten's paw, lightly scratching at her heart.
The sun fired scorching rays into New Eridu's steel forest, yet still, tenderly, it left patches of shade for the pedestrians on Sixth Street—like it was looking after little birds.
A breeze blew in from afar, lifting Chiya's cowlick so it streamed like a flag. Seeing him struggle to protect it, Anby unconsciously slowed her pace, wanting to stretch the already-short walk into something longer.
For one brief moment, she wished the road beneath her feet could extend endlessly into the distance.
And yet—what made her both a little regretful and a little proud was this:
even if she'd dragged Chiya away from the coming war of words between Anby and the Proxy—
she still couldn't have Chiya all to herself.
"Why, isn't this our little shopkeeper?" a voice chimed. "Out at this hour? That aroma diffuser you gave me last time was a huge hit—customers said that listening to music while smelling it made all their fatigue melt away."
"Did you like it, Miss Elfy?"
"I… hehe, of course I did. I wanted to invite you over, but judging by the situation, how about next time you come sit in my shop?"
"Oh—this is a new record I just cut. I hope you'll like it."
"Thank you, Miss Elfy."
"Mmhmm." (Satisfied.)
Then she laughed, eyes curving.
"Chiyaboo? Haha, you're blushing. Sorry, sorry—my bad. I forgot you don't like that nickname."
"Oh right! Golden Finger has an event today. If a duo clears it together, there's a prize. Want to come play with the young lady beside you?"
"Not today," Chiya said. "Anby's hungry. I need to make sure she eats first."
"Correct," Anby added solemnly. "Chiya needs to fill me up."
"F-fill…?!! Wuwuwu—" (She dabbed at imaginary tears.) "Chiya-chan has grown up…"
"Here—take this permanent event voucher. Don't tell anyone, okay? Or big sister will have to… 'punish' you~~"
"!" (Cowlick jolts.)
A moment later—
"Oh! Little Chiya! Those medicinal patches you gave me last time worked great—hahaha! Thanks!"
"It's been a while since you brought Xugeya over for maintenance, huh? If you don't come soon, next time I'll charge you!"
"I know! Uncle Enzo! Next time I'll bring you fresh patches."
"Chiya…"
…
For Chiya, the people of Sixth Street all took good care of their youngest shopkeeper.
Partly because a pretty little boy was hard not to dote on—
and partly because even though Chiya rarely saw customers, he always answered the street's requests without hesitation.
Friendship ran on reciprocity, so no one was stingy with kindness.
When they reached 141 Convenience Store, the three Bangboo—Purchase, Consult, and Change—hopped excitedly.
"Mmne-mmne! (Doctor Chiya, are you buying energy bars again? We just got a new flavor—Chocolate Dumpling!)"
"There's a new one already?! Then, maybe I'll—"
"Chiya…"
At some point, Anby had let go of his hand. She moved close, reached up beside his ear, and gave it a light pinch.
His pale "wing" of an ear instantly flushed red.
"I told you," she said calmly. "Healthy food. No more energy bars."
"Ugh… but Anby," Chiya protested, "burgers aren't exactly healthy either."
"What?!" Anby snapped. "Chiya—what did you just say?!"
"I said burgers aren't exactly hea—mmph!!!"
Anby clapped a hand over his mouth.
Then she looked skyward with absolute seriousness.
"Forgive him, O Burger God. Chiya-chan is only a lost lamb—an innocent princess lured astray by the evil Energy-Bar Deity."
Shock.
Anby was truly shocked.
She was certain this was even more unbelievable than the time she saw Billy hugging that Monica "Oh! Sweetheart!" poster and—using a voice he thought was deep and romantic but was actually cringe, chunni, and so self-absorbed it made employees from the neighboring office run to the bathroom to vomit—declare:
"At this moment, I am your one and only Starlight Knight."
Chiya actually said burgers weren't healthy…
And she—she hadn't known?!
Still covering his mouth, Anby waved the three Bangboo to pick her preferred flavors and heat them up.
Then, after finishing that awkward movie-prayer at lightning speed, she leaned to Chiya's ear and whispered:
"Chiya. Today, I must teach you how great burgers are."
"First: they have a rich nutritional combination. Second: portable design. Third: endless creative combinations that all work."
"For example—beef burgers. Depending on the variant: cheeseburger, smoked beef burger, mega beef burger… then chicken burgers…"
Watching Chiya's bewildered eyes, Anby decided to educate him with the ultimate method: point-and-order.
"Please give me one of every burger you have."
"Mmne-mmne! (Big customer! We're gonna be rich!!!) Mmne! (Purchase, Consult—go heat the burgers!!!)"
Meanwhile, Nicole—who had just happily agreed with Belle and Wise to "settle accounts after retrieving the commission item"—pulled out her phone to share the good news with Anby.
But before she could type, a barrage of payment notifications hit her screen.
"Why are there more bills?! Let me see…"
"B-burger… the entire burger family?!"
"ANBY! Why did you buy THIS MANY BURGERS?!"
"Cunning Hares are going bankrupt!!!"
Hearing Nicole's sudden shriek, Belle and Wise—who were being "stiffed" on repayment—both wore smiles filled with pure sympathy.
So sincere. So tender. So compassionate.
It was so heartwarming Nicole's face flushed red.
"Y-you—stop laughing!!"
"Billy! Why are YOU laughing?!"
"This month your salary is cut in half again!"
"Noooo! Boss Nicole—if you cut it again I can't even afford buy-one-get-one gun oil for my girls!"
"Talk back again and I'll dock all of it!"
And so, from the robot's eyes, that unknown liquid poured once more—
drop by drop,
then stream by stream,
until it became two full waterfalls.
And so everyone was laughing—
and only Billy's world was wounded!!!
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 36)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 36) Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 36)
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