Arc 0: Chapter 2 - When The Tiger Yearns For Hunger

protagonist /prəˈtaɡ(ə)nɪst/

the leading character of a drama or other literary work; one who moves the story forward.

Erina Nightingale was bad-tempered.

“I’m deeply sorry, ma’am, but we’re really out of it.”

Due to the curfew extension that was announced a couple of days prior and the mass panic that filled the citizens’ mind, the people swarmed the streets like ants earlier that week to “supply” themselves with the “necessary” provisions for them to be able to survive the curfew, and that included of course, everything that had to do with eating. From just simple groceries to literal months worth of stocks of just snacks (per person), they devoured everything.

Naturally, most markets in the town found themselves suffering a sudden shortage. Although each store was compensated nicely in place of everything that was gone, who knew how long this curfew would go before it would turn into a lockdown?

It was all exaggeratedly ridiculous to say the least.

And as one might expect, even the smallest and quietest convenience store in the town was no exception. Nothing escaped the mad hunger of fear.

With that in mind, the manager still expected a lot of complaints from customers directed at the store as they barely had any ample stock before they were entirely emptied. Nevertheless, the employees were well-mannered and well-trained to handle customers.

But even then, nothing was enough to prepare them for the storm that was approaching that day. It alone could render the entire population’s debacle as simple child’s play.

Because when Erina Nightingale desired something sweet, she was going to get something sweet no matter what.

Her arms crossed, pristine position, and with a menacing glare, she towered over the employee who stood behind the counter.

The employee looked just about as tired from everything as everyone else was in this town... until she showed up and gave him the scare of his life. Yet, there was a certain charm to her face that he could not discern. Something about an athletic woman just brought bizarre ecstasy to his mind.

The moment he thought about it, he noticed her eyes narrow even further, piercing her glare right through him and making him flinch backwards in fear.

“What do you mean you’re out of stock, dipshit?!”

A cold-hearted voice escaped her mouth.

He felt cold sweat dripping down from his forehead upon hearing her voice again, “I-It means that… there’s no more, ma’am.”

“I see…,” she sighed.

Erina placed both her hands on the counter and leaned on it.

Her frustration was building up to the maximum that she felt ready to wreck everything here in this place. There had to be something external to vent out her anger. It was a bad habit… more likely a great issue about her mentality, but she couldn’t do anything about it — at least, never took the effort to.

A long day was still ahead of her.

Her employer, who she still hasn’t signed a contract with, was kind enough to let her grab something for herself after they had left from her school. And just so it happened, he was in his car parked right outside of the store, waiting for her to be done with her business.

So, even with her issue, she had to avert any problem that irked her. She didn’t want to pose any more of a bad impression.

But…

「Why can't I just have what I want?」

Despite being twenty-one years old, there was still that lingering touch of an angsty teenager swelling up within her. Some could say it had been only a few years since she had turned eighteen, so she was still fresh off teenagehood. But she thought otherwise, she wanted to maintain her image as an adult now.

There was only one thing that she just could not ignore.

“Just give me my Taku Puffs, and you’ll never see me again. I don’t see where the problem is,” she held her fist tightly from doing anything irrational.

“Ma’am, I’d give you your Taku puffs if I had any.” The employee enunciated every word carefully. He tried holding in his fear, because he couldn’t tolerate the disrespect she had given him, “And I’ll have to ask you to leave now.”

Ignoring his last statement, she closed her eyes and put on a threatening smile, “Then why am I seeing Taku boxes inside that room over there?”

She pointed at the door beside the employee, which was slightly open and showed a bunch of blue boxes hidden within the darkness. That was the only thing keeping her from leaving and holding onto her argument. It could be that those were empty, but that still did not deter her away from getting an answer.

The employee recoiled, “Uh… T-Those are for next week. We can’t sell them now because then, we’d have no stock.”

He wasn’t lying. Of course, she could try the method where she would shake him off from everything he had like a thug till he gave her what she wanted, but Erina was feeling generous today — mainly due to her increased fatigue.

「Dammit…」

“Please understand, ma’am. I have no say in this. I could, however, offer you a coupon you could use for later?” He tried to compensate her with anything that wouldn’t result in her possibly crashing the store.

“Shove it up your ass before I turn your goddamn head into a windmill…” She raised her head and spoke with the same low tone, yet the hostility in it was greater than ever, “You’re pissing me off, you know that um…,” she glanced at his nametag, “Lloyd… You’re annoying, Lloyd! I don’t like you. Now, tell me you have something— anything in this store before I shove you into a microwave?”

The employee lowered his head and pointed forward to the end of the store. There was a smoothie machine placed right in the center, but it was barely touched during the wave of people swarming the store. It might have to do with the fact that the smoothies themselves were not that great. No sane person would ever drink a smoothie made out of peanut butter, and even the slightly less worse drink, strawberry, which tasted spoiled.

“...” Erina lowered her head and let out a deep groan.

She was desperate… she needed something sweet quickly. Every store she stopped by before this one was the same, however, there was the smoothie machine now. It was going to throw her into a three-day coma, but she had no choice.

She walked backwards and kept her glare locked at the employee, “I’m coming back for you. If those puffs aren’t here next week, they’re not going to be the only thing that’s bloated, Lloyd.” She pointed at her head for a second before turning back.

*bump*

Just as she turned, her body crashed with someone else’s, causing them both to jolt backwards at each of their opposing sides.

It barely affected Erina, but that didn’t stop her from being annoyed by it. “Watch where you’re going!” She shouted.

In front of her was a young girl with pink hair, she was shorter than her by quite a bit — it wasn't exactly an excuse for her to not notice her at first. She was rubbing the back of her head in pain. It was then that she noticed the bandage wrapped around her head. However, instead of feeling bad for her, she was just about as ready to start an argument with her as any senile old man would.

However—

“Sorry, I should have been more careful.” The girl smiled and then left.

Even though it really wasn’t her fault, she apologized, as simple as that. She did not take a second to look at her to either be intimidated by her appearance or scoff and give her the cold shoulder before leaving. It was most likely a matter of her being in a hurry to be bothered by it.

Yet still, it touched Erina a bit, causing a wry expression on her face.

「Someone decent for once.」

Making her way to the back of the store, she approached the machine and for a moment, she hesitated, berating herself for having to settle for a horrible drink. The stench was already clear enough that she wouldn’t even dare push the button. But, as she proceeded to grab a cup and fill it, she needed to answer the cries of her poor stomach.

Done with the soon-to-be regretful ordeal, she quickly trotted back to the counter. The young girl from earlier was nowhere in sight, which was of no concern to her. Only the young cashier was there, like he always was — somehow, in the back of her mind, she wished for him to disintegrate into nothing just so she can grab that “secret” stash in the backroom. She chuckled.

“S-So…,” the employee stuttered, “Is that all… m-miss?”

「You wish!」

That thought had almost gotten her to sneer at the employee. Yet, she tried her best to remain composed and content with the situation. After all, with her boss outside, there was no time to play around and make a fuss.

Before they could proceed with the checkout—

“HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE EM!!!”

A man had rushed into the store…

“Give me all the stock you got and no one gets hurt!”

…a man with a gun.

「Wonderful…!」