Namimori.

Your common, small, sleepy town just edges away from the bustling cities. Amazing natural landscapes, fresh air, low criminal activities; the perfect place for retirees to settle down from their former duties. Or perhaps a destination for a relaxing vacation.

Not far from the shopping district lies a homely apartment where our protagonist will be staying.

Alice was not a morning person. Enough said.

To elaborate, the sunlight burns her eyes just from split contact; the cold air only makes her snuggle her warm, cosy blanket even deeper; only to sleep away until around eleven or so.

Unfortunately, she can't do that anymore.

No. Because of a certain someone's idea of bonding, she's been forced to wake up on ungodly hours. Like literally dragged out of her sanctuary just to have some social interaction.

Sin! She tells them. Sin!

Swearing up and down, she throws every insult that comes in mind to the person on waking up duty. Recently, she used that little opportunity for her own means.

Don't get her wrong. It's stressful living with her group. While yes, it actually does help her in many ways other than dealing the living cost which she was ever so grateful to not, it still wasn't worth her insanity. So why not take advantage of it while she can?

Alice was pretty sure the only reason they didn't retaliate was because either they found it amusing, their feelings already died from childhood or they just thought she was barely sober and wack in the head.

Their leader was one. Why not her? It was an insult to her pride but Alice needs the outlet.

Which let to her current situation with herself up, notably at a world record time with no one to aim her morning drowsiness at.

Alice mumbles a chain of curses as she forced her sloth of a body move to the kitchen. It was a miracle (and with the help of her rich unwanted experience of walking toward hazards), she didn't stub her toe on something while she made her morning breakfast. Only after taking a sip of her nice, cool sweet sugary strawberry with chocolate whip smoothie then she was actually alive and functional to the world.

That's when she noticed something was missing. Weird. What time is it? She flickered to the clock.

Seven a quarter to eight. World record indeed. Alice pat herself on the back for actually waking up at such time.

"Let's have some chocolate pancakes as a reward." She grins at her own genius idea. They did say chocolate in the morning can help in your diet. It's two birds with one stone! Or maybe three?

Any minute now...

It was an unsaid fact, nothing eventful happens in Namimori. Just the usual shenanigans of the residents; going through their daily lives. The only highlight of the town is its reputation for attracting foreigners from different countries. Not uncommon to see a few blonds, exotic features walking around the area.

Just a normal occurrence in Namimori.

...Click!

[Alice? What happen? I thought we're communicating via letters because you're angry with me.]

"Yeah, it's me." Alice switches the call to her earpiece as she flips through the document file. "Don't worry, I'm still pissed. Just calling to update something."

[Okay. What's the update?]

"You know the will I revised last month?"

[Yeah... What about it?]

"Can your change the sow's percentage of the bequest to 1% for me."

[... Am I hearing that right? A-Are you sick, Alice? Dying?! Don't you dare die on me, Alice! *rummage* Quick! Call the teach's private doctors. Alice is-]

"No." She rolled her eyes at the responder's dramatic reaction. "Don't go killing people for your own amusement. I can assure you, I'm still living. Overreacting much?"

[...Sure. I'm suppose to belive you're actually giving her 1% of the cut out of your own generous, pure heart. Alice. Either you're sick, dying, threatened -wait, nah you still wouldn't. So, what? Did she actually managed to bribe you or something?]

Alice slams her hand on the desk, growling. "I'll be dead before that happens and you know that." She scoff, "I get it. I'm a low-class person, sure, but I still have dignity than ever think to accepting any of her offerings."

[Okay, okay. Sheesh, I don't usually go asking for an explanation no matter how questionable the action was but surely, at least, this here is detail worthy. Just a hint? Pretty please with a big juicy sweet sweet cherry on top.]

At that, Alice sobered and sigh, running a hand through her hair. "It's probably nothing. I'm a bit paranoid with how things been going and-

"Hiiiieeeee!" A familiar shriek cut her voice off, followed by a slam of a door. "I'm late!"

Her lips tugged upwards.

[... Alice? Did-]

"So here's what I'm thinking." Alice chime in greater mood, abandoning the documents on the desk and flopped onto the sofa. "Why don't we, the both of us, rewind our conversation from the start?"

[Seriously, Alice did some-]

"Thanks, you're the best. Really, being honest here." She skims through the channels until she found the right one. Finally, she could actually see the morning anime live. "This conversation never happened. Forget everything I previously said and keep that sow's percentage zero."

[Yeah, yeah. Anyway-]

"Again, you're the best, cap! But yeah, I'm still pissed. One more week before the temper cools, right? Let's continue this chat at the next letter, kay? See ya."

[Wait! Alice!] Click!...

"And I was worrying something will happen today." She laughs, and starts singing along as the opening theme song begin.

Namimori.

Just your average, sleepy, old town. Where foreigners and locals alike come as a relaxing destination. Nothing the ordinary to disturb your day. Away from the usual pollution and common sense. Where the day only starts with chaos in the morning.

Just the usual routine of the residents of Namimori. Or at least for the residents of Shiero hōyō.

So, drabble fic?

[Original post (28/1/18)]

[Revised (24/2/19)]