Chapter Text
"We'll need some sort of cover-up story." Reigen declared half at the empty room and half at Shigeo, who was on his tail.
The doors of the parlour were closed, the sign flipped. Despite that, plenty of light still shined through, giving Shigeo the idea that it was at most still around mid-day.
The place must've closed because of him, then. He felt some slight guilt at the idea the other was missing work because of him.
It had only been some hours, then, that he had been gone. Barely more than he would've spent at school. He had no reason to feel homesick just yet.
At least he tried to convince himself of that.
"Cover-up story?" He echoed blankly, unsure of what the other was expecting.
"Well, for why you're here." Reigen jabbed a finger towards him. "I'm sure you can tell me carrying around a secretive child out of nowhere doesn't look good for my reputation."
Shigeo nodded. Right. If someone thought Reigen had kidnapped him, they could call the police, and police meant authorities knowing where he was. Which was an absolute no-no.
"I can say I work here."
"You're like- what, twelve? I don't know if that'll be convincing."
Annoyance picked at him.
"I'm fourteen."
"Yeahhh. That's not much better." Reigen took another spin at that god forsaken pen. It was a wonder how it hadn't shot off his hand yet. "Maybe you're like- a part timer. Maybe I can make that work, but it won't be great..."
"Maybe you can give another employee a day off or something?" An attempt at an idea. "And I can say I'm filling in for them."
Reigen made a grimace that showed there was something he didn't like at all about that plan.
"Yeah. About that."
There was a pause where it seemed like they were both expecting the other to talk. Reigen sighed in defeat, resigning the pen over his ear.
"Nobody else works here."
He blinked in surprise. While that did explain how they could so easily loudly talk in here, it was still a little unexpected.
"Oh. Why not?"
"Well-" Reigen hesitated for just a second. "I don't need anyone else's help."
This made him raise an eyebrow.
"Listen, kid." Reigen waved his hands in exasperation. "When you're as good at your job as I am, you don't need other people."
Shigeo wasn't particularly up to date with how jobs worked, but he knew both his parents worked with other people. Maybe it depended on the job?
"Either way that's not gonna work out. So let's like- move on and such. Back to the part-timer thing, maybe."
"You said you didn't have other employees. Why would you have a part-timer?"
"Are you difficult on purpose?" Reigen huffed out, a hand absentmindedly reaching out to fix a strand of his hair that had gone loose. "Come on, work with me here."
"I'm trying."
If even thinking about having a job was so frustrating, he worried what it would be like actually having one.
"Okay." A rewinding motion. "We're overcomplicating this. Back to basics. A kid your age wants to work, sure. You want some pocket change or something to go out with your friends. It's simple, it happens. So why did I hire you?"
"We're family." He offered with a shrug. "And this is- gonna be a family business. Or something."
The man put his hands together over his mouth, narrowing his eyes in thought. Shigeo wondered for a moment as the silence dragged on if the other had completely spaced out.
"I can make that work." Reigen spoke up to his surprise. "I can say you're my sister's kid. You took after your dad or something."
"I'm homeschooled." He added on, starting to like the plan. "And my parents are just extra busy this week."
"Business trip." The other pointed. "They had to go on a business trip, so I figured while they were gone I'd bring you in and show you the ropes."
"Is there not a chance your sister will show up?" He tilted his head. "I don't think she'd like this plan."
"Not a single one." Reigen shook his head. "We don't talk anymore. But customers don't need to know that."
A pause.
"Nor authorities."
"If authorities come over they can probably recognise me by appearance." He admitted weakly.
"We'll burn that bridge when we get to it." A dismissive shake of his hand.
"...you mean we'll cross that bridge?"
"I absolutely don't." He pointed at Shigeo. "You're an outlaw, kid. Things are gonna get rough if you're caught."
The word outlaw didn't sit right with him. He hadn't done anything illegal. All this just cause he was born a psychic felt unbelievably unfair.
He didn't voice his thoughts out loud. They couldn't waste time with this, there were way more important things to be-
"Hey." Reigen spoke up, breaking him out of his thoughts.
He looked up at the man.
"Have you... eaten anything today? I just realised what time it is."
A second ago he had not even remembered he could be hungry. But the moment it was mentioned it was like it got activated, the feeling forcing itself to the front of his thoughts.
He was now incredibly aware that he had skipped dinner last night. It seemed it had come back with a vengeance.
"Judging from your expression, that's a no." He slipped the pen out from over his ear. "That's a plan, then. Food first, then we figure out the details. Or we do it simultaneously. I'm not picky."
Shigeo nodded without being too sure which part he was nodding along to. He agreed with the general idea of the plan, at least.