Returning to No Applause, Only More of the Same

Kreig watched carefully as Erica sunk into a tight-lipped silence. Had he said something wrong? Somehow, she seemed unhappy.

But just as he began readying himself to apologize, she turned to him instead, her eyes shining with a strange lustre. “You’re right,” she said. “You’re exactly right. I could barely even read myself and how I was feeling, and still, I thought I could at least tell what they were thinking. You’re exactly right.”

Kreig stared at her dumbly. He was right? He said the right words? He swallowed dryly. “Then, you’ll return to teaching?”

Her expression of enlightenment collapsed on itself. “No, that’s… Well, I probably could, but… Or I can’t… I mean, dicks or not, the problem was just that I didn’t like teaching, right?” Kreig shifted where he sat, trying not to think about what such a statement might mean for their current relationship as teacher and student. “Besides, I don’t see how it’s important that I’d go back to teaching.”

Kreig tried to rack his brains for an answer that might be more substantial than I enjoy teaching and you’re a good teacher so I think you’d like teaching again. So, in the end, he tried to circumnavigate her entire argument by answering only the smallest of the three questions she asked. “If I talked to the principal I’m assured my recommendation would secure a position.”

She knitted her brows. “What, just like that?” Kreig nodded resolutely, trying to hide his uncertainty. It’s not like he could force the principal to do anything. Well, he could, but if he did that his siblings would be upset. Regardless, since she had already been working there for some time, and knowing her obvious skill at teaching, Kreig couldn’t imagine a scenario where she wasn’t given a job. “Still… It’s not like I don’t have any other job than this one, right? Not to even speak of college. It’s not like I can just quit.”

“If you… If you were to work as a teacher instead of your other job, would it make too much of a difference?”

“Right now I’m working as a cashier,” Erica said thoughtfully. “If I worked as a teacher, I’d be working more and longer hours, giving me less time for college…”

Listening to her speak, Kreig tried to piece together what her daily life looked like, how long each part took, how much money it gave… Of course, even knowing that, he was ignorant on many critical aspects such as how much she needed in expenses. However, it seemed that at the moment, her largest worry wasn’t money, but time. Kreig may not have had many solutions, but for this issue in particular, he could offer at least one. “If we were to reduce our hours together, you would have more time to work on college, no?”

Her mouth dropped open. “E-, eh? Seriously? Hrm, well, if we only went at it for two hours or so... “ She seemed to be making a few calculations in her head, the kind that Kreig couldn’t even begin to fathom. “...It would be possible. I guess? I mean-, you won’t fall behind, will you? You’re already doing great, so if I fail and the Japanese yakuza begins hunting me down, I’m blaming you!”

The Japanese what-now? Before Kreig could so much as try to understand who those were or how she came to that conclusion, he spoke reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I’ll take a few more hours to study every night.”

She hummed thoughtfully while squinting at him. “Well, okay!”

Though Erica seemed a bit more open to the prospect now, it was still clear that she held some reservations, probably towards becoming a teacher again. Kreig himself didn’t see any real reason to fear being a teacher. Most kids were quiet and did as he asked them. Simple stuff.

Hm. Ah, in the buzz of convincing Erica, he’d forgotten that he actually had a question for her. She biked everywhere she went and she seemed happy to do so, hence, she must know about bikes.

He turned to her meaningfully. She caught his eyes in hers, her cheeks lighting up in a thin blush. “Wh-, what is it?” Kreig ran his eyes down her body to her legs, which were exposed beneath a floral, summer-time skirt. Her legs were well-developed with defined thighs and calves. She may have a small stature and thin body, but where it counted, she certainly knew her stuff. “E-, everything okay?”

Kreig nodded to himself. “Would you happen to know where I can purchase a bike?” In turn, Erica visibly deflated, though her face only grew redder. “The distance to Painstone has been a bit of an issue to me.”

“Ah-, aha! Okay, yes! So that’s what it was… Well, fear not! I actually know a really good store just on the other side of town. I can take you there sometime! If-, if it’s no issue to you, I mean. But, a man and a woman being seen in public…” Somehow, against all odds, her face grew yet another shade redder. “W-, well, if you’d rather I recommend you an online shop or something, I can do that instead. No lizard-people, guaranteed.”

There were lizard-girls on Earth? No, considering her use of “people” instead of “females” or “girls,” it seemed they were both males and females, unlike the lizard-girls of the other world. Curious. Either way, the lack of lizard-people in the shop was probably a good thing.

“Very well then,” Kreig said. “Sadly, I am unable to operate the internet. I hope you will allow me to impose on your knowledge and presence.”

Surprise painted her face and Kreig tried to hide his shame. “Huh? So we’re going to Poirot? Hey, neat! I’ll make you buy the fastest bike I know of!”

“Ah, I don’t need anything fast, as long as it gets me where I need to go.” If he wanted speed, he could just run.

Erica mumbled something conspiratorial about how Kreig must be a time-travelling caveman or something.

Kreig decided not to think too hard about what she thought since it was mostly incomprehensible. In the end, they decided that they would meet up at Space Circle a little before lunchtime next Saturday. Kreig thought it sounded good, but during every step of their little planning, Erica lit up a little more. By the end, her cheeks were almost as red as Messiah’s Fruits.

Kreig thought she looked pretty cute like that, but the second he thought it, he felt himself grow just a little red himself.