Saya sighed, her fierce gaze softening just a bit as she looked away, crossing her arms defensively. It was a begrudging acceptance, and honestly, Tysone was more than okay with it. "Fine. But don't think I'll just roll over and hand her everything. I'm not some pushover, Tysone."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Saya. You're a sweet cupcake, aren't you?" He chuckled. A tired sound that had Saya not react as aggressively as she would've otherwise. Then he turned to Mai. "And Mai… I know you mean well. Just… try to understand Saya's point of view. This place—it's important to her, to us. Not just for the money but because it's something we built together."
Mai's gaze softened as she nodded, the usual glint of cool detachment replaced with something more genuine. "I get it. I didn't mean to overstep. I just thought… well, I thought maybe this could be something that could help a lot of people and wanted to be part of it. And I promise, Saya, I'm not here to steal anyone's thunder." She extended a hand to Saya. "Truce?"
Saya stared at the hand for a moment, clearly wrestling with her pride, before letting out a long, dramatic sigh. And it was definitely not because Tysone was giving her a long look. "Fine, truce." She took Mai's hand with a firm, brief shake, as if she were half-worried Mai would try to hug her or something equally appalling.
The tension dissipated, and for a moment, the three of them stood there in a rare, peaceful silence, each of them glancing around the messy Rage Room. Tysone slumped black down on his seat. "That's enough drama for one day. Here I'm praying that tomorrow will be soap opera-free. That being said, Mai. If you truly want to help, why don't you work here?"
"W-Work here?"
Mai had a puzzled look on her face.
"Yes, as a general clerk. Don't get me wrong, you won't be doing everything yourself. We'll be here most of the time. And you only have to come after school. Just a couple of hours, to help us out during rush hours."
Tysone gave Mai an intense gaze, causing a faint, almost unnoticeable blush on her fair skin. "Are you really trying to rope me into becoming a cashier?" She scoffed.
He nodded eagerly, as if it was no big deal. "Think of the experience! And we'll even pay you above minimum wage. What do you say?" Tysone's eyes were bright with hope, as if he really believed this was a good idea and not just a desperate measure to have someone else help him out in the shop. He'd rather be doing other things, and having a full staff roster would give him the freedom to work on them.
Mai hesitated. On one hand, it would probably be a massive headache, working with these two, not to mention the idea of actually doing any sort of customer service didn't sound appealing at all. But at the same time, there was a strange appeal in trying something so mundane—so real.
Maybe doing such a normal job was what she needed?
Finally, she sighed, running a hand through her long, silky locks before nodding back at Tysone's hopeful face. "Fine. I know what you're getting at here, anyway. Using my fame to boost your sales."
Tysone laughed. "Hey, we'll take whatever advantages we can get in this industry. And it helps that you're good company as well."
Saya grumbled under her breath. "Yeah, sure. Let's just hope the press don't hound us. Then it would be a total waste."
Tysone rolled his eyes playfully at Saya's typical grumbling before returning his attention to Mai with a genuine but tired smile. "I'm sure you'd do well in a more important position, but that's something we'll have to discuss at a later date. For now, you'd be of immense help working as a cashier. The moment we expand and open up more stores, we can move onto something more challenging and fitting for you. I hope you understand. It's not like I'm trying to be disrespectful, or to diminish your skills in any way."
Mai sighed, taking no offense at all. "I get it, Tysone. No worries." It wasn't as if she was going to take the wheel of command from them or anything, it was just that she wasn't used to being in such a position. If anything, she felt a bit out of her element.
Saya chimed in. "Yeah, it's a learning curve for you, miss superstar, so buckle up." Her voice was teasing but lacked any real bite, as if she too had accepted the situation and was moving on. She was still a teenager, but at least she was capable of acting mature.
With that, the three of them started to clean up, a strange sort of camaraderie setting in as they tidied up the mess left behind by their customers. Tysone and Saya bickered here and there, but their words held a playful edge.
Mai observed them with a soft, almost wistful gaze, occasionally chiming in with her own sarcastic quip, finding her own footing in their unusual dynamic.
And, she had to admit, she was actually looking forward to their new venture. Maybe she'd finally find a place to belong, or maybe not. It was definitely going to be different, at the very least.
…
After finishing the clean-up and tidying up a little, Tysone smiled broadly when he flipped off the light switch, turning his Rage Room into pitch darkness.
He and his co-workers exited the place, which earned them a sigh of relief, and a shrug of his shoulders. "See? It wasn't so hard now, was it?"
Saya rolled her eyes. "Speak for yourself, you big lug." He arched one eyebrow at her words. Leave it to Saya to be so delicate.
The trio stood in the dim light of the street lamps. The evening air was cool and crisp, the kind that signaled the start of a chilly night.
Tysone stretched, his muscles sore from a long day of manual labor, a satisfying ache that spoke of hard work. A different kind of hard work. It was pleasant—being this tired knowing that he was securing a stable and wealthy future for himself and for anyone that stood by his side.
In fact, the thought filled him with energy. So much so that he doubted he'd sleep that much that night.
Saya yawned, her petite form looking even smaller in the shadowy light.
Mai stood a bit apart, a faint smile on her lips as she gazed at the building behind them, a sense of accomplishment in her eyes. She had helped out today, even if only in a small way. And she felt proud of herself for once.
"Mai-san, since you've been 'hired'." Saya started air-quoting. "And we're a legitimate business, at least according to this doofus right here." She briefly glanced at an innocent-looking Tysone. "We'll need to draft a contract fitting for your station, not to mention provide you with a proper uniform. As much as I hate all of this boring stuff, it's important." Saya's eyes glowed with an inner fire, and her posture straightened, becoming more imposing than her petite frame would suggest.
Tysone nodded his agreement. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and we can't risk any legal or managerial issues. Especially with someone of Mai's status. One wrong move, and we're all up to our eyeballs in legal fees." He sighed. "I'll see what I can do about the uniform. I'll have to make it look cool but also professional. I can't wait to see you wear it." His lips quirked into a mischievous smirk, causing Mai's face to heat up and her eyes to narrow.
The word 'pervert' was on the tip of her tongue, but she held back.
"I trust you won't make it too scandalous?" She said instead, arching an eyebrow skeptically. "We are a legitimate business after all, as Saya pointed out."
Tysone laughed, a rich sound that echoed down the quiet street, drawing even Saya's eyes to him. "Don't worry, I won't have you wear anything that'll embarrass you too much. We're operating a Rage Room, not a cabaret. And I wouldn't dare disrespect you in that way, bunny girl."
"Good." Mai responded with a sigh, her expression softening. "That better be the case, or I might have to sue you, you perverted old geezer." There was a hint of playfulness in her voice, though her words were sharp. "And stop calling me bunny girl!"
"Ouch. Harsh." Tysone chuckled, unfazed by her threat. He turned to Saya, who had been observing the exchange with a mix of annoyance and curiosity, and gave a playful wink, which only deepened her scowl. "Don't think too much about that, Saya. Miss Bunny Girl here is being moody. Let's leave her be."
Unfortunately, Saya did think too much about it.
Mai was unexpectedly close to that big doofus, and as much as Saya tried acting logical and reasonable, she found herself unable to hold back the surge of animosity she developed for the older girl.
"Damn you, Tysone. You stupid, block-headed yankee! Grrr!" Saya huffed and stormed ahead. "I'm going back home."
"Oh, there she goes, being moody as well." Tysone shook his head, while Mai couldn't help but give her friend a long, deep look.
Author Note: More chapters on P@treon.com/LordCampione. [ *Special offer going on right now 50% 0ff till December 28* ]
Creation is hard, cheer me up! with POWERSTONES!
Please don't forget to leave a review and comment it would really boost my mood for this novel.
Don't forget to gimme some stones if you enjoy the story and please leave your theories about it to since this is a complete AU story things won't be like in the Comics.
What does success taste like?
Cigarettes, alcohol, and a warm, welcoming pair of breasts? Or is it something else entirely? Like, the scent of freshly printed cash that was still hot, and the feeling of it sliding against your fingers?
Who the fuck knows?
Still, Tysone felt like laughing.
"Why are you cackling like some meth head?" Saya said, warily. She stood next to him on the rooftop of a very tall building. "You seriously had to come up here to watch the city below and act all smug? Seriously, what the hell?"
Tysone looked at her and laughed. "It's called being a tycoon. And besides, I'm not being smug. Just happy." He sighed. "You know, Saya. There's a lot of stuff I want to do and achieve before I die."
She scoffed and crossed her arms under her chest. Her pink hair flowed with the wind. "What, do you want to own the world or something?"
Tysone shook his head, still smiling.
"I want to own a little piece of it." His black eyes glistened as he watched the sun slowly rise from the horizon. The sky turned blue, pink, and red. It was beautiful.
Yes, he wanted a piece of it. A big piece.
The little bit that he could see of Tokonosu from his viewpoint, all the tall buildings, the cars, and the people… they made his heart pound with excitement. His dream had always been to become successful, ever since he was a little boy.
A poor little boy.
He was still on that path. He wasn't sure where it would take him, but he was happy that he was getting somewhere, that his effort was paying off, even if only a little bit.
He knew that if he failed, then the next try would be the charm. And so on and so forth. Until he became something great. Someone who could stand proud and look at the world from the highest peak and declare themselves king.
"The system is rigged. But so what if it is. It's all about how much effort I can put into this and how much I'll get back." He turned and looked down at Saya, who stood there with a cute tilt of her head. "And if I succeed, it will be the sweetest thing in the world. So yeah, I might cackle a little when it happens, because I'll feel like I'm the best."
Saya rolled her eyes.
"You're such an idiot." She muttered, an amused smile on her face.
"Come on, admit it, you like this idiot." Tysone teased.
Saya snorted, rolling her eyes again. "As if."
Tysone chuckled, leaning over the railing to get a closer look at the streets below. Cars honked and people hurried about, their voices and footsteps creating a constant hum that rose up to meet him. The wind tousled his hair, carrying with it the scent of the city—car exhaust, food from street vendors, and a hint of something unnamable.
"This is what it feels like to be alive." He murmured, more to himself than to Saya.
Saya glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah? And what does that mean?"
Tysone turned to face her, a crooked grin spreading across his face. "It means I've got something to lose. And I'll be damned if I let anyone or anything take that away from me."
"..."
Saya stood in silence for a moment.
Then...
"So, what do we do next, Mr. Tycoon?"
Tysone chuckled. "We continue building on this, of course."
She arched an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. "Really? That's your big plan? Just keep going like we're on some sort of treadmill?"
"No, no, no, Saya." He waved his hand, as if disgusted by the words that came out of her mouth. "It's not just about moving forward. It's about evolving, growing, adapting, expanding."
She glanced at him, a glint in her orange eyes. "I see… you want to open up in more locations?"
Tysone thought for a moment. "Yes, maybe it's a bit too early, but we should consider opening up in other locations. Franchising our business model, if you will. We can't stagnate, Saya. Think of it this way. Right now, we're the only game in town for what we offer. But what happens when someone else comes along with a better, more innovative idea?" He gestured out towards the bustling city below. "There's always going to be someone looking to one-up you, to take what you've got and make it their own. We can't afford to rest on our laurels."
Saya frowned. "But that takes capital, and lots of it. Capital we don't have right now. It's risky, especially when we've only just got started here."
He nodded, acknowledging her concern. "True, true. But that's why we're here, aren't we? To take calculated risks, to think outside the box. If we don't, we'll just become another one of those run-of-the-mill, forgettable businesses."
She sighed. "You're right, but we have to be smart about this. We need a plan."
Tysone grinned, patting Saya's shoulder. "And that's exactly why I've got you here with me, little missus. To help me think of just that."
Saya glanced away. She hated that nickname. But still, Tysone was not going to relent. He was not going to give up on it. It was a habit of his.
She let it go and sighed instead. "I'll do some research. I'll see if we can expand, but don't be surprised if I tell you that it's impossible."
He nodded. "Sounds good. I trust your judgment, Saya." He winked, and she scoffed.
She looked up at the sky, watching a flock of birds fly overhead, their dark forms stark against the sunset. A gentle breeze ruffled her pink hair and she took a deep breath. "Say…"
"Hmm?"
"About Mai… is her presence truly necessary?"
If it were anyone else other than Tysone, she would've kicked up a huge fuss about it, but with him, she just couldn't do it. There was a weird power dynamic between them—one where it felt like they were equals, but she always felt like she was being played by him. Maybe a bit led on, perhaps? She was not entirely sure, though.
Oddly enough, she was not repulsed by it.
He raised a curious eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
She shrugged. "Just wondering if her fame really adds anything to the table."
Tysone hummed. "You know it does." He elaborated. "You don't have to like her, Saya. But she's my friend as well, so I expect you two to work together without problems. She isn't here to play around; she's not the type. She doesn't need fame or money. I guess she's doing it for a humanitarian cause."
Not that Saya would know anything about it. But it wasn't like he could say it to her face.
Saya nodded, understanding the point. "Okay. But if she does anything fishy..."
"She won't."
"... then we won't have any issues. I'll work with her, even if I don't particularly enjoy it. As long as she pulls her weight, we'll get along fine enough."
Tysone chuckled and patted her shoulder once more. "That's the spirit!"
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
He chuckled. "Come on, let's head back. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and I want to get started right away."
Saya sighed and followed him.
…
Tysone could hardly keep track of the days. As Mai promised, she helped them promote the Rage Room on social media. Saya had also gotten into contact with potential investors and was busy raking in enough funds to expand their business.
As for the Rage Room itself, it was doing amazingly well. A steady stream of customers kept coming in every day, and Tysone couldn't be happier with the profit they were making. Each day, the Rage Room got a little bit more famous, especially with Saya and Mai's involvement—after all they were quite well-known.
One was a celebrity, the other the sole daughter of an influential politician. Tysone, who was caught in the middle of it all, was also under quite a bit of scrutiny.
They had even been featured in several online articles and magazines. Some praised their business model as a new and exciting way to relieve stress and frustration. Others criticized it as a form of glorified vandalism, a glorification of destruction.
But regardless of the opinion, they couldn't deny that their business was a success.
The Rage Room had struck a chord with the average salaryman and high schooler.
People came from far and wide to experience the catharsis that the Rage Room offered. The success was so great, in fact, that they had to hire more staff to manage the growing demand. Saya had been busy, and Mai was a part-timer.
Now that he thought about it, Tysone himself was also supposed to start university soon. And, honestly, he didn't even know if he'd be able to frequent it at all.
Author Note: More chapters on P@treon.com/LordCampione. [ *Special offer going on right now 50% 0ff till December 28* ]
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