Chapter 84: Hitomi Mishima
"Even though you were stingy and only treated me to ramen, it was delicious, so I'll let it slide!"
Camie Utsushimi slurped her noodles with a complete disregard for her image. In no time, the large bowl was empty. She picked it up with flair and drank down the last of the broth.
She set the bowl down with a satisfied sigh and said loudly, "Thanks for the meal, boss!"
A red-haired man with a towel draped over his shoulder replied with a smile, "Glad you enjoyed it!"
"Hey. Is what you said earlier still on the table?" Yoshikage Kira, who had been sitting beside her without eating anything, asked, his eyes half-lidded. "If you were just trying to scam a free meal, I'm leaving right now."
The person in front of Kira was a student from Shiketsu High. She had acted as an intermediary when Inasa Yoarashi had transferred schools, which is how she had met Kira. But for some reason, whenever she talked to him, she was always completely casual, showing no concern for her image as one of Shiketsu's top students.
After running into Camie at the arcade, Kira hadn't wanted to talk to her for long. He had planned to say hello and leave, but she had said in a leisurely tone, "You want this ticket, right? I can give it to you."
Camie had said she was hungry after playing games all night. And so, Kira had patiently taken her to a nearby restaurant to eat.
Camie wiped her greasy lips with a napkin, the oil making her already alluring mouth seem even more captivating.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to welsh on a deal like you. Besides, this ticket was meant for you in the first place," Camie said, holding up a finger with a mysterious expression. "But before I give it to you, I want you to meet someone."
"Meet who?"
"Someone whose life you saved."
After a few twists and turns, Camie led Kira into a small alley. Although the brightly lit main street was right next to them, this place felt like a forgotten land; no one even glanced inside.
"We're here."
Camie stopped in front of a door. The only thing on it was a vertical sign with the word "BAR" written in English. The surrounding walls were covered in colorful graffiti.
Camie pushed the door open. A small bell chimed. A girl in a clown costume turned her head. Her face, covered in white makeup, held a world-weary expression. "Camie, it's you. My shift doesn't end for a few more minutes."
"Hehe, Hitomi. I'm here to see Jodo. Are they still practicing downstairs?" Camie said with a smile, holding the door open. "I brought the person they wanted to see."
"Is that so," Hitomi said, her eyes vacant, as if she didn't care. "They've probably got another half hour before they take a break. It's almost time."
Kira walked in and was a little surprised when he saw the girl named Hitomi. "Isn't she the one who was handing out flyers in front of the arcade?"
Camie sat down at the bar and nodded with a slight sigh. "Hitomi has left her family and is living on her own now. So... she has to face the harsh realities of society."
"She looks like she's only in middle school."
By now, Hitomi had gone into the back room to change. Camie glanced at the door, then leaned in close and whispered to Kira, "Her name is Hitomi Mishima. She works part-time at this bar. Her mother suspected her of compensated dating, so she moved out and is renting an apartment on her own. She has to work part-time to pay her own living expenses."
Just as she was speaking, Hitomi emerged from the back room. She had changed into a bartender's uniform and stepped behind the bar. With a smile that was neither too friendly nor too cold, she asked, "What can I get for you two?"
It was clear Camie had been here many times. "Hitomi, I'll have the usual," she said with a familiar grin.
"You're Yoshikage Kira, the first-year contestant from the U.A. Sports Festival," Hitomi said, nodding. Her gaze shifted to Kira, as if just now noticing the school uniform he was wearing.
But her expression quickly returned to one of calm indifference. "So, what would you like?"
Although the country once had laws against underage drinking, that rule had been abolished long ago. After all, there were some people whose Quirks required them to drink high-concentration alcohol to function.
Kira didn't have any particular fondness for alcohol. "Just make me your specialty," he said casually.
Kira had already pieced some things together from the conversation. He turned his head to Camie and asked coolly, "The person you want me to see is Jodo Chenjie, isn't it? He's the only person I know with that name."
Camie had no intention of hiding it. She nodded. "That's right. Jodo wanted to see you again and give you the concert ticket himself."
Kira remembered now. Jodo had said he wanted to invite him to his show. Could it be—
"Jodo Chenjie is a member of 'soul'? And Makoto Hibikiya too?"
"Correct!" Camie said, flashing a peace sign and a grin.
Although Kira asked her how she knew Jodo, she just blinked and kept her mouth shut, apparently determined to let Jodo explain himself.
The small bar was currently empty except for Kira and Camie. After they stopped talking, the only sound was the crisp clinking of Hitomi Mishima mixing drinks.
The more Kira watched, the more amazed he became. She was just a middle schooler, but her technique was as skilled as that of a master who had been honing his craft for years. The sound of her mixing was clear and rhythmic, flowing like a tinkling melody played on the bartending tools themselves.
Hitomi Mishima stopped her performance and placed two drinks in tall glasses in front of Kira and Camie.
"Camie, this is your Cupid," she said, then paused. "And for you, sir, this is the Sakura."
Sakura? Kira looked at the pink liquid in front of him. He hesitated for a moment, then picked up the glass. It wouldn't be right to refuse someone's kindness.
It's sweet. He didn't taste much of the sharp bite of alcohol. Instead, there was a light, sweet flavor, as if cherry blossoms were blooming in his mouth, filling him with a sense of warmth.
On the other side, a silly grin had spread across Camie's face. Just as the cocktail's name suggested, she looked as if she had been struck by Cupid's arrow, experiencing the sweetness of new love.
Hitomi Mishima stood behind the bar with a professional smile, as if pleased that her two customers were satisfied.
It wasn't a long wait. After only ten minutes or so, the door behind the bar was pushed open from the inside. The first to emerge was Makoto Hibikiya, his brow furrowed. He saw Kira sitting at the bar, a look of surprise on his face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by anxiety.
Behind him was Jodo Chenjie. He had also been looking listless, but the moment he looked up and saw Kira, his face lit up. "Kira-kun!" he said with a smile. "We meet again!"
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