Faced with the younger boy's burning, earnest gaze, Jingu Yō found himself caught in a strange limbo—taking it would feel wrong, but refusing it somehow felt even worse.
Accepting something from a total stranger wasn't exactly good form. But looking at that expectant face… rejecting it felt almost cruel.
"…Uh,"
Jingu hesitated, his expression twisting slightly.
"This was meant for someone else, wasn't it? Are you sure it's okay to just give it to a stranger like me?"
"No problem at all!"
The boy shook his hand with exaggerated insistence.
"She really doesn't care. Actually, if she found out I managed to convert someone thanks to this, she'd probably be thrilled!"
Aki Tomoya clenched his fist in sudden zeal, his passion almost enough to make Jingu Yō break out in a cold sweat.
Also—he used "she" when referring to the person he was originally supposed to deliver these to.
Giving a girl's stuff away so casually—is that really okay? Kid, you'll never get a girlfriend like this…
But since the boy didn't seem to mind at all, and Jingu honestly feared the kid might burst into tears if he refused, he had no choice but to accept the bag he was handed.
"…Alright. Then, thank you. But how much did all of this cost? I'll pay you back in full."
"No need to talk about money…!"
Aki Tomoya waved his hand again as if the mere mention of money was some kind of sin.
But right after, his smile froze mid-expression, his whole demeanor crumbling into a visibly pained look.
To be fair, he had worked himself to the bone day in, day out. Every yen he scraped together went straight into games, discs, figures, and light novels. His family wasn't some ultra-rich household either—just regular. Giving away this much stuff all at once, yeah… it did sting.
Still—if a small sacrifice like this could bring a new soul into the glorious fold of 2D salvation, then it was worth it.
Compared to the beauty of the 2D world… compared to those adorable girls… worrying about money was just plain petty.
Jingu Yō smiled knowingly.
This kid really was something else.
His simple track suit and unpolished air were enough to tell you he didn't come from wealth.
He wasn't like those silver-spoon otaku who could afford to hoard limited editions without blinking.
No—this was a true "eating dirt" otaku. The real deal.
Jingu Yō, too, was short on cash—though in a very different sense. He needed start-up capital in the millions, even billions, to fuel his ambitions. Compared to that, BD discs and game sets were practically pocket change.
"…It's almost lunchtime. How about I treat you to a meal? And, um…"
Jingu paused—he'd been talking to the guy this whole time, and still didn't even know his name.
"Aki Tomoya!"
Despite being a total otaku, Aki still had some social awareness.
And besides, this was Japan—a country that obsessed over formalities and social ranking.
Having talked this long without exchanging names was a bit rude.
"Nice to meet you, Aki-kun. I'm Jingu Yō."
Yō smiled as he introduced himself.
He didn't go for a handshake—figured that'd be a little too real-world for someone like Aki. Probably not his thing.
"Ah, I'm a third-year middle schooler. What about you, Jingu-senpai?"
Though Yō carried himself with a mature air, his face still had a youthful look. It was obvious at a glance that he was a student too.
"I'm…"
Jingu hesitated. Technically, he was a first-year in high school.
But since he was currently on a leave of absence, it was hard to say which label was most accurate.
Eventually, he opted for the simplest answer.
"…a high school first-year, Aki-kun."
Aki nodded without suspicion.
Honestly, even if Yō had claimed to be a college student, Aki would've bought it. The guy's aura was just that composed.
Besides his youthful looks, Jingu Yō had a distinctly mature presence.
"Then I'll call you Jingu-senpai!"
Aki spoke with polite honorifics.
Japanese was a real pain, honestly—with different ways of speaking depending on age, rank, and familiarity. The deeper you studied the language, the harder it got.
"No problem, Aki-kun. So, like I said before…"
"Ah—no, no! You really don't have to go out of your way for me, Jingu-senpai! I was just about to head home."
"You live far away, don't you, Aki-kun?"
Jingu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"At this time of day, even if you head straight home, you'd probably still stop to eat on the way. In that case, wouldn't it be better to join me? I've got a few things I'd like to ask you."
Judging from his attire, Aki clearly wasn't some rich kid from central Tokyo.
And the way he arrived late despite his eagerness to buy limited merch suggested he didn't live nearby either.
Jingu Yō pieced it together with basic logic: if he didn't eat out, he'd probably end up skipping lunch entirely.
"…Well then… I'd be honored, Jingu-senpai."
"Not at all. Not at all. Then—I'll choose the place. Sound good?"
"Absolutely!"
Aki Tomoya nodded vigorously.
Jingu Yō honestly didn't have a bad impression of the kid.
Sure, he was a little far-gone down the otaku path.
But that intensity—that passion and honesty—was something Yō respected.
People with that kind of energy might not always succeed, but when they poured their heart into something, they gave it everything.
That sincerity tended to attract others.
Jingu glanced at the BD and game discs in the bag Aki had handed him.
He noticed the price tags.
He silently resolved to slip the money back to the boy when he had the chance.
Just as he reached for his phone to look up restaurants in Akihabara, his eyes fell on a flyer in his hand.
A maid café?
He'd never been to one before.
Maybe it was time to see what all the fuss was about.
And besides… if the guy was a hardcore otaku, he'd probably love a place like that, right?
Jingu casually glanced over at Aki Tomoya.
More than that…
what flashed through his mind was the slim legs of the maid girl who handed him the flyer earlier.
Having made up his mind, Jingu Yō smiled.
"Alright, Aki-kun. Let's go. There's a place I've been meaning to check out."