It's 5pm. The sun has already set and as usual, I am sat on a stool in front of my rented premise. The shopping plaza is already filled with people crawling window to window salivating at the goods behind the big glass windows. This is not just a normal shopping plaza you see, it's the mecca of ero toys, magazine and other adult stuff. I, however, do not sell those merchandise, but make money off the shoppers here.
"What do you sell here miss?" A tall, fat old man in worn black suit and untied tie on his neck asks me. He has a rather larger mole on his nose, and he breathes loudly through his mouth. "I don't see anything here."
"You're right sir, I just live here. It's not a shop" I say pointing to the empty room with a mattress on the floor. "But i do provided services, just not goods"
The old man looks around, fidgeting with his dry hands. His eyes dart from side to side as a weird smile starts forming on his face.
"Say missy, what kind of services do you provide?" He tugs his shirt at the neck as if it was too tight. Probably was.
"Yeah, I actually provide delivery services for cheap." I rummage through a small box on the ground and retrieve a printed paper. "Here, you can read all about it here."
The man snatches the paper out of my hand, his big smile revealing several large, crooked teeth crowding his mouth. He scans it and then frowns.
"What is this?" He is angry now. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"No sir, what were you expecting?"
He crumples the paper up and throws it onto the wet floor. That cost me ten shillings.
"You know i'm actually only 17, sir. Also, do you see that guard over there? He's my brother's friend." I must do all I can to ensure I get a profit. No matter what it takes.
"What?" He says, his eye darting around as he swings his head all around and scans the plaza. "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
"Oh, just wanted you to know." I hand him another paper. "These are the services I provide."
He sighs and extracts a small notebook from his blazer pocket together with a golden fountain pen. He then places his right foot on a wedge, bends over and write with the notebook on his knee. This takes a wind out of him.
"Here, i want you to deliver this for me to the address on it." He cuts out the page, folds it nicely and write an adress on it. "It's uh, 200 shillings for delivery, right?"
I take the paper and look at the adress. It's a small convinience store in Fukuoka! The man smiles mischievously.
"I noticed you claim to refund 100 times more for late deliveries and that you accept all deliveries no matter what." He places the notebook back into his blazer and whips out his folding phone. "What's your till number? It is 200 shillings for letter deliveries right? You never specified regions after all," he says laughing.
"One week for this delivery is quite long don't you think?" I say showing him the printed paper. "For only 50,000 shillings, i can deliver this in an hour! You also get one free reply."
The man rubs his multiple chins in thought.
"I find it hard to believe this, kid." He thinks again for a second or two. "50,000 shillings you say, multiply that by 100 and it's 5 million shillings!"
"If 50,000 is too much for you, you can choose 30,000 for within 24 hours delivery." I say smirking at him. He looks like he can afford this. I know patrons of these shops pack a moolah and are willing to waste it on adult magazines and figurines. He also looks susceptible to gambling.
"No no no, i will give you 50,000 shillings alright, but how do you guarantee refund?"
"I have an agreement with that internet café. You can use one of their private cubicles for an hour for free while you wait for my return. We will also sign a contract of course." I motion him to the internet café adjacent to my home/delivery office.
The man hesitates at first but then chuckles heartily.
"Oh what the hell, let's do this!" He says. I then lead him into the café.
Luke, a lanky and effeminate attendant boy, welcomes us into the café. He offers us a seat in the lounging area.
"Luke, please tell Bruno that Ari wants to make use of our deal," I tell Luke. He seems confused by the strange request. "He'll understand, don't worry."
Luke disappears behind a curtain and returns with a muscular, dark man in tow. He seems bothered by my sight but i smile big for him.
"What is it now, you brat?" Bruno says as he leans on the counter and light a cigarette. The old man reacts uncomfortably. "I'm sorry," Bruno says after noticing this and puts out his cigarette.
"Give this gentleman an hour of private booth and one snack and water provided," i say retrieving yet another paper from my jacket pocket. "He gave me a delivery job."
"How much is she ripping you off?" Bruno asks the old man who starts to look hesitant.
"Hey! Do not come between me and my client you hear?" I say to Bruno, and to the old man, "please sir, do not listen to him. He only gets 1,000 out of this!"
I unfold the paper i had just retrieved and beckon the old man to sign it. After he does so, i also sign and point at the till number written in bold letters beneath the contract. The man unfolds his phone and hesitantly enters the number into it.
Ding! A transaction confirmation message appears on my smartphone. Satisfied, I gave Bruno a 1,000 note and left. Bruno sighs and tells Luke to show the old man to his private cubicle. I leave the café grinning ear to ear.
Now I have to travel to Japan and back within the hour.