Episode 6: "Involuntary Cleaning"

One hour later...

Yo, along with the other three, met up with Hyakuichitaro to clean up one of the Shinagawa Princess Hotel lounge's corners.
Given the size of the lounge, they hadn't noticed that Hyakuichitaro and Enoki had their sweets party on the opposite side of the room.

The area was a complete mess, with both leftovers and empty packaging everywhere.
They'd even managed to spill juice; it was truly almost impressive just how much of a mess the two of them had made.

It was a scene straight from hell. Thankfully, the manager had been willing to lend them some cleaning supplies. Gradually, the area began to return to its former beauty.

Yo Kuronaka
"Phew! It looks a lot better now."

Tsuki Iroha
"No kidding! Seeing everything all spotless feels so good."

Tsuki replied with a smile on her face. However...

Tsuki Iroha
"Hey, Kazuki... what've you been up to, anyway? You've been on your phone for a while now. Don't tell me you've just been playing games over there!"

She seemed to be bothered by the fact that Kazuki was slacking on their cleaning task.

Kazuki Aoyama
"Rude. I wasn't slacking off, you know. I'm making preparations for our XG match."

Kazuki had been helping with the cleaning when they first arrived.
However, partway through the task, he received a message and shifted his focus to his phone.

Tsuki had poked him with a duster, but he'd just brushed off the dust left behind without taking his eyes off his phone.

Tsuki Iroha
"I wasn't looking for any excuses. I'm just gonna make sure to let Q know later!"

Displeased with Kazuki's response, Tsuki huffed, her cheeks expanding like puffer fish.
It didn't make much of a difference, though, since Q didn't offer any follow-up attack.

Despite being told by the manager that they only needed to clean the section Hyakuichitaro and Enoki had been using, he hadn't stopped at that corner. Q was quietly cleaning up the entranceway with a broom.
Which meant he hadn't heard any of their conversation and kept to himself as he cleaned.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Hngh! Hnnnnghhh!"

Yo Kuronaka
"...What are you doing?"

Hyakuichitaro let out some strange-sounding groans from the spot next to where Yo had been sweeping up crumbs.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"I found a castella cake with the cleaning supplies, but... hnnngh! I just can't get the damn packaging open!"

He was using his teeth to try and tear open the plastic packaging that held the square-shaped, yellow item. Rather than tear, though, the plastic only stretched.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Haaa... Hey, Yo. You want some? I'll give ya a bite if I can get it open..."

As he realized he'd be unable to open it on his own, he pulled the packaging away from his mouth and began to negotiate with Yo instead.

A sweet castella cake would pair well with his bitter tea...
But just as he was about to agree to Hyakuichitaro's terms, he recalled that it was found among the cleaning supplies.

Yo Kuronaka
"...Isn't that a sponge? There's no chance you don't make yourself sick by eating that."

He stopped to take a closer look, and he could see from the shape and color that it really did look like a castella cake. Closer inspection, however, confirmed his suspicions that it was actually a dish sponge.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Wait, seriously?! Crap... I was just about to eat it, too!"

Yo Kuronaka
"So you also turn into a monster when you're hungry. Guess I can't really complain about just Enoki this way..."

The words slipped easily from Yo's mouth as he recalled the way Enoki had eaten those strange herbs back in 24 City.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Huh? What'd you just say?!"

Hyakuichitaro glared intensely, but his youthful appearance wasn't threatening enough to faze Yo.

Yo Kuronaka
"Nothing. Nothing at all. How about we just focus on getting everything cleaned up?"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Gotcha... Damn. I really got my hopes up about that castella..."

Perhaps because he still wanted to give it a bite, Hyakuichitaro pocketed the sponge instead of returning it to the stock of cleaning supplies.

By the time they finished up with their cleaning and began to gather up the remaining trash, others began to gather at the entrance.
It appeared that Kazuki had asked the other members of Trash Tribe to meet up there.

Enoki was among them, and she didn't hesitate to call out cheerfully to Hyakuichitaro, who was still cleaning.

Enoki Yukigaya
"I'm baaack! Did you get all that cleaning finished up?"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Grrrr! ENOKI! Where the hell've you been?!"

Roku Saigo
"I found her napping in the garden. And snoring, to boot."

Enoki Yukigaya
"I'm feeling soooo good after that nap!"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Huh? So you were just snoozin' while the rest of us had to clean up a mess you helped make?
You're dead to me! Or you will be when I'm through with you!"

The innocent smile tugging at her lips sapped away the last of Hyakuichitaro's patience.
His face flushed a bright red as he raised his hand toward Enoki.

Koishi Kohinata
"Calm down, Hyakuichitaro! I don't think she meant any harm with her actions!"

Amid the large crowd that had gathered, it was Koishi, the most timid of the group, who had stepped in to mediate.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"No one asked you! Just get outta my way!"

Koishi Kohinata
"C-Come on... Remember what your brother said? You have to be kind to girls..."

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Damn it...!"

After that, Hyakuichitaro suddenly went quiet.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"You... have a point. My bad. I was real close to ditchin' my brother's teachings there..."

Koishi Kohinata
"It's fine. I'm just glad you calmed down."

Just as it seemed like everything had been settled, Eiji looked over to Hyakuichitaro with a smug smirk on his lips.

Eiji Todoroki
"Speaking of which, I heard there was some broke imbecile who mistook a dish sponge for a castella cake. Just who was that, again?"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Whaaa?! H-How do you even know about that?!"

Hyakuichitaro went red in the face once more, this time looking much like a boiling kettle about to let out steam.

Jio Takinogawa
"Haha. Well, based on that reaction, it's safe to say it's true."

Miu Jujo
"That was pretty dumb of you, don't you think?"

Everyone began to chuckle at the change of topic.
Yo, on the other hand, was a bit baffled as to how they all knew about it, despite not being there when it happened.

Enoki Yukigaya
"Heehee! Tsuki told us on NINE."

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Huh?! Why would you even do that?!"

Tsuki Iroha
"Haha. It was just too funny! So I just—"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Tsuki, you little punk!!"

Tsuki glossed over her actions by sticking her tongue out at Hyakuichitaro.

Yo had been so focused on the cleaning that he hadn't noticed the way Hyakuichitaro's mistaken sponge situation had blown up in the chat.
As a result, Hyakuichitaro's ire shifted targets—away from Enoki, and over to Tsuki.

They hadn't even managed to finish cleaning, yet the conversation kept getting derailed.
Yo emitted a small sigh.
A moment later, he felt a light poke against his arm. He dropped his gaze and noticed Tsuruko standing there.

Tsuruko Semba
"Is there anything I can help you all out with, Yo?"

Yo Kuronaka
"All we've got left is gathering the trash and throwing it out. Thanks for offering, though.
Hey, Tsuki... Where did you put the rest of the trash bags?"

He called out to Tsuki, who was still preoccupied with Hyakuichitaro.

Tsuki Iroha
"Oh! Just a sec, I'll go grab them!"

Her eyes lit up, thrilled by the chance to escape her current situation. She wasted no time to dart away in the direction of the reception desk.