Chapter 1.2: Vending Machine

"Yeah, that guy. Whoever he is, I really don't care." she answered with a sound of growl again making his shoulders shake in surprise.

"I just want some brief information. You know what I mean? Just something that will make me look like I did my research because this...ugh, I really don't know how to put this," she rolls her eyes, sighing in defeat. "Those useless pieces of trash seniors of mine gave me this job at the last minute, which is not my line of work to do. Can you believe that?"

He looks at her like she's someone who has gone completely crazy, but she doesn't care. Louise continued muttering, letting her frustrations out. The stranger looks like he doesn't know why he's there, but he keeps listening.

"So, you're one of those guys? The one who draws the frames and makes the characters move? Sugoi(that's great)." he responded.

"Sugoi, right?" she proudly agreed.

"Yeah, I'm one of those sleep-deprived humans that draws every goddamn frame."

The amazement in his face vanishes.

"You know what? Forget it. Weather I'll get through this interview or not, I don't care anymore. I'm really done. My team leader likes my male character drawings, so he gave me those parts of that Korishima guy, like those skaters do on the ice where they lift a foot into their heads, whatever they call that—"

"You mean, the other variation of a pancake spin?"

She put her hands on her hips.

How dare he cut me off in the middle of my sentence?

"Yeah, that one. Whatever that means. Anyways, they gave me that part, and I am supposed to be working on it today, but the works of evil never leave me alone!" she suddenly stands up aggressively, which made him step back into the vending machine in his reflexes.

"Damn, I just miss doing my job." She sighs, slumping again on the chair.

"L-looks like a bad day at work, huh?" he looks like he doesn't know if he's going to sympathize or run for his life instead. She turns her head toward him.

"How about you? A bad day at work too?"

"Just a normal day," he chortles, shaking his head. His smile vanishes as he punches some buttons on the vending machine.

For a second, Louise felt bad for blabbering too much to the stranger. Looking at him, she thinks that he's a little down, that maybe he's overworked too, just like her, or maybe someone yelled at him for bringing the wrong drink.

She doesn't know how exactly it works for him, but maybe he's also going through something just like her. A childhood trauma like hers, perhaps? or he just got traumatized by her now; she doesn't know. She stands from her seat and shoves him away from the button.

"Come on, lemme buy you a drink," she dials the screen and clicks enter. The drink got stuck again, of course, but copying his kick with her Mexican power made it fall easily into the order box. "Here you go," she hands him the drink.

"This is alcohol," he points out again, with a disapproving look. She rolls her eyes at him.

"Oh, come on, just drink it. Look, no one's around; it was just the two of us. There is no rule in this godforsaken part of the place. Just drink it. We're all going to die anyway,"

He has a battle of thoughts for a moment, then he suddenly makes a bitter laugh and pulls open the can's tab.

"Fine."

"Good mijo, now let's raise our fine liquors to the sky and repeat after me."

He looks at her, not trusting her at all.

"Just do it," she commands. He does what she says, not sure what he's getting into.

"I pray to God and to the Dark Lords!" she exclaims, making him almost jump where he stands. "We need to pray to both sides; we need stronger forces to keep us sane in this world," she explains to him.

She continues rumbling what she called a prayer with her dark, exaggerated words that made him burst out laughing in the middle of her sentence.

"How dare you..." she muttered flatly, sounding like a madam, pissed at her employee.

"Y-you're making it difficult to concentrate!"

"Ay! No excuses! From the start!" she repeats the prayer again, but this time, he just can't help but laugh even louder.

"There's no helping it. You're incurable. Well, anyway, don't worry, I'm still worse than you, so that's fine.

"They both drink their beers. He drinks it aggressively, which surprises Louise a little.

He must really have it tough, huh? Poor guy.

"Kuso!(fuck/shit!)" he curses, throwing the empty can of beer into the trash bin. Louise imitates him, cursing in Spanish as she also throws her empty can angrily.

And then they are screaming at the top of their lungs in their own languages, cursing whoever or whatever made their life a living hell.

"Whoa..." he sighs, calmer now. "That was better."

"I'm glad you let it out. Good Lord, don't be a ticking bomb. There's a lot of ways to unwind; have a cerveza(beer) or two.

"He nods, probably not agreeing about the alcohol.

"Thank you." He mumbled.

He's smiling now, a real, genuine smile. Now that Louise has looked closely, she realizes he has those beautiful Japanese features. Her standard Shoujo manga protagonist. Raven-black, shiny hair, a pale complexion, striking, sharp eyes, and a slim body.

She gasped in Spanish, realizing something.

MY GOD HE'S HOT!

"What's your name?" he asked.

"L-Louisia...Maria...Loui...Just call me Louise. "She curses herself for stuttering and mentioning her ugly first name, which everyone in Mexico uses to call her.

"Thank you, Louise." They bow and bid each other goodbye before they part ways in the hallway. For a moment, she thinks that maybe this is not really a bad day after all.

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