Chapter Text
"Keiko-san, can you come to my office?"
The blue-haired saleswoman groaned. It has always been like this since she just got her second occupation exactly 4 months ago. When she was 22 years old, Keiko used to work at a local cafe as a waitress. She had to admit: passing orders as a Neko-maid for almost five years is fun (and kinda kinky). Unfortunately, the cafe ultimately had to shut down due to financial issues regarding the funds. Disappointed at her job being taken away, Keiko tried to look for any jobs, but none either interested or wanted her due to her desired role occupied. So with few options left, Keiko picked the safest and the most boring job: the accountant.
Strangely, once she came to an interview, the boss promoted her to an office assistant, citing concerns about lacking one in the industry (apparently one left for no apparent reason). It baffles her mind why her superior just did that, and it's not any better. Once you visit the boss' office, he just gives you tons of paperwork to detail and finish setting up the budget. In her case, Keiko has to finish administrative tasks, answer phone calls, write emails, and sort out files and documents. It took her until night to finish and at this point, she's this close to breaking down. So much for choosing her career carefully. Stretching her arms up, she got off her chair and took a beeline through the boss' office. Inside, she awaits her superior' response.
"Tanaka Keiko, you did an outstanding job today. Every client seem to be pleased by your efforts." the boss finally replied nonchalantly.
"So... I did everything you told me to do. Can I at least get a day off?"
"Hmm..." The boss pondered. After thinking for ten seconds, he answered, "There are still lots of paperwork I have to you. Can you do them by tonight?" Keiko nodded weakly despite wanting to protest. She's literally about to keel over and this asshole had decided to force her with more work.
"Thank you. And remember, you're the best of the best. The employee of the month. So don't screw this up. Got it?"
"Mhmm..."
After a long night finishing her paperwork and mailing it to her boss, Keiko was severely exhausted and just wanted to cool down from working non-stop. Head full of migraine and hands worn down from writing down documents, she leaves her apartment and visits the private bar where no one but V.I.Ps. strays.
"Hi, Keiko-san. Works getting to you?" The bartender said as he wiped the remaining contents from one of his glass cups.
"Yes. A mug full of saki, please."
"Coming right up."
When the bartender finished brewing the saki and passed down the liquor, Keiko gulped it all down with a few chugs down her throat. Then she ordered another and drank all the way. Yet despite attempting to soothe her migraine, it persists to her irritation.
"Damn it..." Keiko groaned as her head winced slightly in pain. She just doesn't care anymore. All this time, she's so fucking sick of being forced to work every fucking day. With tons of documents to complete. Maybe she should go find another job. One that doesn't treat her like a robot. Keiko pulls out her phone and scrolls to the latest photo of her. Posing in a sexual position with her neko-maid outfit, breasts out, while wearing a cat collar. Keiko slightly smiled. If only had she had a job like the first one...
As the saleswoman ordered another mug in a slurred voice, the door opened with a ring and a slim red-and-white-haired woman walked in. The bartender greeted her, "Hi, Uta. How's the preparation going?"
"Doing great!" Uta joyfully exclaimed. "Finished the budget, got the schedule ready, and all staff are ready to go! We still have more stuff to do, though," The girl then looked at the poor woman in dizziness. "So... who's that?"
"Tanaka Keiko. She's a saleswoman who came here often."
The girl gazed at Keiko, then sat down next to her. "A shot of lemon sour, please!" she requested. As usual, the bartender poured a small cup of lemon sour and handed it over to her. With a sip, Uta drank all ounces of her serving down. Then she looks at Keiko.
"Tanaka Keiko-san, right? How's your day?"
"Fiiiinnnee~"
"Uh, not to worry you, but how much drink did you have?"
"2 cans full of saki, if I remember. She's ordering a third right now." The bartender said.
"AH! Keiko-san, please don't overdose yourself on alcohol! That's bad for you!" Uta panicked as she tried begging the bartender to not give her another can.
"Pleeeaaassseeee... want... more... saaaki~" The woman mewled as tears dripped through her pale face. Uta stopped for a moment to glance at Keiko. She kinda felt bad for the poor businesswoman; she must have gone through so much hardship. Maybe her peers weren't treating her well? Her boss? Maybe failing to get another job after being fired? Many possibilities popped up in her mind. Whatever it was, Keiko-san wasn't having it too well.
"Ah, there she goes again. Bawling her eyes out whenever she is drunk. Uta, if I propose, can you take her back home?" the bartender asked.
"Sure. What's her address?" Uta replied with a worrisome face.
"Hmm... what is it... ah shit, I forgot what her address is. Next time, I should write her the exact address-"
"Um, can I... take her to my home?" Uta asked.
"What. That is ridiculous." The bartender protested. "You can't tell me you're going to kidnap her right back home! Isn't that a criminal off- HEY WAIT!"
"Sorry! I gotta go! It's almost midnight! Here's the check, if it helps!" Uta slipped 5000 yens on the desk and, carrying Keiko on her back with her phone in her hand, ran out of the bar and walked away.
"*sighs* Can you at least let me finish my sentence...?" the bartender grumbled as he poured the saki he was about to serve away.
...
Uta hummed a soothing tune as she tried to heave Keiko on her back while escorting her to the house. She didn't know her exact home address, so the best she could do was to escort the saleswoman to her home. As she walked home, Uta took a peek at Keiko's phone and noticed her erotic cosplay photo. Had to admit, a woman dressing up as a catgirl maid was surprising but adorable nonetheless. And kinda hot at the same time. A slight blush washed over Uta's face as she heaved Keiko back home. Just halfway through her destination, she can finally take a breather...
"HUH?! Don't tell me you're gonna apologize now after mugging me, you little shit!" a voice shrieked across the two girls. Looking in front of her, Uta recognized the high school girl threatening to beat up a punk at any second.
"NAIMA! Please let go of the boy! I'm sure we can resolve the issue without resorting to violence!"
"Fine, if he gives MINE back, that is!" Naima growled as she raised her fist as if to strike the boy like a bullet. The punk, almost half-beaten and fearing another black eye, dropped her purse and fled the scene with tears in his eyes. After retrieving it, Naima then glanced at Uta and Keiko with a scowl. "So... who's this chick you're heaving around?"
"This is Tanaka Keiko. I'm... trying to get her back to my house since she doesn't give me her address." Uta panted as she struggled to lift Keiko with all her strength.
"Kiiitttyy~" Keiko moaned, still drunk from 2 mugs of saki.
"Wait a minute... you're carrying a woman? A middle-aged businesswoman? Back home? Since when did you know her?"
"About thirty minutes ago, at the bar." Naima groaned in response to her colleague's questionable decision. How would her entire troupe react now that Uta is bringing a literal salary-woman home? Would they immediately shun her? Accept her? Who knows? She was thinking the former considering they're 3/4th way done with the festival. All they need are more staff and finishing touches!
Wait... more staff...
"Alright. Do what you girls want to do. Just tell her to go to the festival tomorrow morning and maybe we can arrange a meeting with the troupe about the woman." Naima finally shrugged.
"REALLY?! I kinda guess we need more workers if I recall..." Uta thought. "Oh, and by the way, can you help me get Keiko back to my home? I'm... too tired... my arms hurt..."
Naima sighed, "Alright, you two lovebirds, I'll carry Keiko to your house if it means getting prepared for the festival faster."
"Ah thank you!" Uta cheered happily before protesting in embarrassment, "And PLEASE don't call us lovebirds. I only got introduced to her just an hour ago and already you're thinking we might be a couple!"
"Whatever. So you want me to help you escort her back home or not?"
Snooore... snooore...
...
Mmmhhh...
Keiko's eyes finally opened after being knocked out for so long. Her head still hurts even after drowning herself with two cups of saki. Maybe she should get more at the bar... except when Keiko's vision finally cleared up, she noticed that she was not at the bar anymore. She observed around the room she was currently sleeping. White walls, red-and-white furniture, an elaborate gaming set-up on the computer, and tons of albums hanging on the wall. Each album has a signature labeled "Ado" on the cover. Maybe a singer? As Keiko admired the room around her, she realized that she was NOT in her own house! She was in the home of a complete stranger! As she went straight to the door, it opened, revealing Uta with a bag of onigiri in her grocery bag.
"GAH!" both girls yelled as they bumped into each other. Keiko then quickly scrambled backward in panic until her head hit one of the drawers. As she attempted to soothe the source of pain, the woman turned to Uta and screamed, "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHY AM I HERE?!"
"Umm... you and the bartender kinda didn't tell me what your address was, so I really don't have a choice here..." Uta admitted as she struggled to calm the agitated saleswoman down. "So... care for some onigiri?"
Keiko eyed her suspiciously. What if that girl is trying to soothe her so she can coax her into submission? What if she's trying to lower her guard so she can murder her right here and now? Or even in the worst possible way: what if she wants to...? No, she's not delving into that. But the more she kept her eyes on Uta, the more her stomach growled. She hasn't had a meal ever since she started finishing her paperwork. Just maybe one onigiri wouldn't hurt...
...
"So, sorry about bringing you here..." Uta apologized as Keiko wolfed down three onigiris in quick succession.
"Rigmmht... I'fll forgiave you a little bit for that." Keiko said through her stuffy mouth. After gulping down the last onigiri, she spoke up, "So exactly why did you bring me here?"
"First, we went here because I don't know your real address," Uta explained, "and second, one of my colleague told me that you could be a potential member of the Ado troupe."
"Wait, Ado troupe? You mean the most famous band in Japan best known for their best hit song 'Usseewa'?! That's crazy! An ordinary woman like me would NEVER work with a group THAT famous!"
"I mean... what can I say... you did dress up as a Neko-maid with a collar while *ahem* flashing your breasts forward, thought you looked kinda cute in that." Uta teased, to Keiko's extreme shock and embarrassment at the same time. Then a little bit of silence.
...
"Y-YOU DID NOT JUST TAKE A PEEK AT THAT PHOTO WHILE I WAS DRUNK AS HELL!" the woman shrieked. Uta nodded weakly as the enraged saleswoman violently shook her back and forth, hands gripping like an eagle. "WHY? WHY? WHY? I WAS SAVING IT FOR MYSELF ONLY! NOT THE PUBLIC EYES! WHY DID YOU FUCKING PEEK? WHY??!! WHY???!!! AAAAAA-"
...
After taking some breathers to calm herself down, Keiko then conceded, "OK... I confess: I do wear a neko-maid outfit for kinks, but that's only for when I'm taking selfies for MYSELF! Not like I'm going to post them on social media or something like that!"
"Uhhh... OK." Uta nodded before moving on, "So we're moving to the troupe today, so do you want me to help pick your job or something?"
"Sure... so like, do they have a waitress job?"
"No, all of the roles have been filled, but you could be a crew member of the troupe! Would that sound fine?"
"Um, sure, if it helps you..." Keiko said.
"Alright, get packing! We got about 2 hours left until the meeting! So chop chop!" Uta cheered as she got up and went to leave.
"WAIT! What about my job at the office?!"
"Oh! About that... we'll resolve that issue when the meeting is done..."
Keiko sighed as she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She took a hard look at the mirror as she removed gunk from her teeth. Surely, the meeting will go as planned, right? Maybe she won't get the job she wanted, but at least it's a little bit... more interesting than the office assistant.