Tokyo Dozen: AR FF: Pg 8 Update 28/June - Page 6

Originally posted by: spln

Hey Em,

Are you an alias of Ling? I think I used to know him - he'd seem like a guy to have alias versions alright =)

Comment in your inbox - because.

cheers,
nj

"Armaan, we have to change trains to go to Akihabara", her voice was practically reeking of happiness. The man she was addressing to wasn't skipping with happiness.

"Sure. Whatever", he sullenly replied.

"What's wrong sunshine? We are going to Aki-ha-bara!!! The land of cheap USB hubs and HDMI cables and LEDs and everything that your little heart desires!" Riddhima's enthusiasm was exactly the one that is displayed by a stalker about to meet his target face to face for the first time. Armaan wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Why is that you cannot go to Puroland to see Hello Kitty stuff along with Mr and Mrs. Sappy?" Armaan wasn't too happy to have Riddhima tagging along with him when he went to electronics shopping community. Anjali and Atul had decided to check out the famous Puroland and had asked Riddhima to join albeit halfheartedly. Anjali was worried that her budding romance would not only be nipped in the bud but also uprooted permanently when exposed to Riddhima's sarcasm and mood swings. Armaan was appalled when Atul and Anjali exchanged gloriously happy looks when Riddhima mocked their choice and refused to go with them.

Well, Akihabara wasn't famous for cheap electronics or over expensive traditional Japanese knick-knacks.

Akihabara was also famous for maid cafes and anime stores; the stores where one required an identity card of age proof to enter.

Having Riddhima around would be tad bit embarrassing, he fathomed. Not that he cared what she thought of him. Well yeah, of course he cared what she thought of him. He wasn't one of those people who claimed not caring for anything in the world about he was or what he did. He was paranoid about what others thought of him.

Anywhooo, at that moment he was still stumped about how to get Riddhima off his tail.

"You are kidding right? Right? Didn't you hear what I just said? I want to go there because it's my definition of heaven on earth. Not the place where there are giggles and pink and illegally young voice singing songs about faith, believe, hard work, sincerity and shit", she groused. Riddhima was woman full of snark.

"We are here." She gushed as the train pulled to a stop. He rolled his eyes. Her excitement wasn't normal.

------

He had lost her after five minutes they entered Akihabara. She was like a kid in a candy shop. He saw her again after twenty minutes of searching in small alleys, dangerously small alleys, where people sold flashy lights, extremely small cameras, and build-it-yourself electronic gadgets including PCs. She was buying, for some strange reason that is, flashing LED lights of various colors and was bargaining for a used amplifier.

"Why do you want to buy an amplifier?" He asked Riddhima. And then he added.

"And why have you kept cash on the counter? What's going on? Is he extorting you with LED super flashy lights that are blinding me now? What?" He was honestly clueless.

"Can't you see? I am bargaining." Her reply puzzled him more.

"Neither of you are talking", he was truly puzzled.

"See, I have kept the money I am willing to give on that small tray. Japanese respect their customers a lot and they collect money in a tray which they hold in both of their hands. For that amount of money, am demanding him to give me five meters of this LED flash bulbs strewn on resin. He is refusing." She spoke as if she has done in millions of times before.

Probably in her dreams, he thought.

The old man and Riddhima carried out bargaining with only two words: "Hai" meaning "yes" and "Nai" meaning "No". After minutes of tug of war, Armaan lost patience.

"Buy the damn thing or lets go. You are wasting time here. There is still so much to see", though his words were thrown in for his own benefit, he knew that he could lure out Riddhima from that shady place by enticing her with stores containing more goody stuff. Riddhima seemed to realize that and finally negotiated on a price that was practically dirt cheap.

-----

"Armaan why are you so skittish? It's very unbecoming", she said sipping/sucking on a jello pack. They had stopped by for refreshments. While Armaan harped about non-fat yoghurt, she had picked up Jello and a box of lotto chocolate filled biscuits together which had exactly 309Kilo Calories. Armaan had looked at her as if she was a pathetic creature whose ignorance reeked of every pore when it came to matters of fitness and diet. She had completely ignored him.

"Why are you eating that weird thing and not eat a proper breakfast? It's…odd", he intelligently dodged the question and restudied the map for the thirty fourth time. Riddhima wasn't an idiot.

"It's Jell-O Armaan. How else will I eat that? Besides, your excitement is getting awfully transparent. You should be more careful in hiding your….obvious desires", she snorted un-lady like.

"What do you mean?" Armaan questioned carefully masking his voice of any tremors. Was that a maid he saw few yards away? He urged his eyes to focus on the blurb called Riddhima and ignore that cute little girl. It was difficult, but he was a man of steel. Or so he convinced himself.

"Come on Armaan. You want to go to a maid cafe and also probably to an adult anime store." Her smirked was plain mocking which he didn't like one bit.

"Look Riddhima, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have heard so much about those places that I thought I should try it once so that I understand people and their culture much better. It's my intellectual curiosity that has brought me here", he said it all in one breath and hoped that she would buy the garbage story he just sold.

"I hope you have brought your passport", she trilled happily and took a turn which led to a maid cafe.

He stood in the middle of the road horrified.

"Wait. Passport?" His voice practically oozed of tears and agony.

"Of course Armaan. Well maid cafes we can go without an ID. But for those adult anime stores? Nah. They need some sort of proof that you are indeed an adult. Surely you knew that?" She asked him raising an eyebrow.

"I look like an adult, isn't that enough?" He asked petulantly.

"You aren't acting like one, sweetie darling", she controlled her chuckles as she pinched his cheeks. He made a noise that resembled a wounded puppy. She didn't dare say that and damage his ego even more.

She was however horrified when Armaan fell on his knees.

"Tell them that you know me and take me inside that store. I will see…I mean research the merchandize and come out real quick" He was full on begging. Going to that anime store which required age proof was totally worth it, in his mind.

"You owe me Armaan." Nothing in this world came for free. Especially favors like these.

"Anything Riddhima. Except for my life. Or my iPhone. Or my kidney. Or my first edition books. Or my two terabyte movie collection. Or my graphic novel collections. Or my…"

"Is there something left or should I simply leave you on this road to grovel and moan? Make up your mind Armaan. You have five seconds. Five…four...three..."

"Alright. Alright. Alright. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Name your price." He sounded resigned.

"Little birdie told me that you own a mint condition light saber that happens to be a limited edition collectable from Star Wars movie franchise. I want it." She knew what to demand for, he had to give her that.

"Over my dead body", he replied flatly. There was no way in hell he was going to part with light saber. It was light saber! The ultimate weapon in this universe. May the force be with him to withhold the power of Riddhima's demand.

"Okay then. Shall we now go and check used Polaroid cameras? It's one of the stores that doesn't require an age check", she slurped on jello and casually dismissed his rejection. He sighed. He could see the store and the racy…errr…nice books and other stuff it carried. He sighed again.

"Fine. It's yours." It was bittersweet, he accepted.

"Now write on this sheet of paper saying so and sign it. I need tangible proof of this transaction." She said tearing out a sheet from small pocket notebook.

"Fine. Shall I use ordinary pen or should just use my blood?" He snarled in pure unhappiness. She shrugged. Her happiness was obvious as he handed over the signed paper.

"Be happy that I didn't ask for your collector's edition Hattori Hanzo samurai blade from Kill Bill movie franchise. Just so you know I know you own that awesome item. And if you do something moronic like not carrying your passport again, even that is going to be mine", she sing-songed and entered the store.

The man welcomed them with a wide smile and a loud greeting. He was dragged away by a girl who was assigned to show him around the shop as against Riddhima who was completely ignored. But her haughty smile hadn't left her face and he didn't know why.

Something was wrong.

He realized it almost twenty minutes later.

"Why is that you didn't ask me for my age proof?" He asked the girl who was showing him some totally obscene magazines. The girl stared at him and Riddhima. A moment's hesitation later, she answered.

"We ask only when in doubt. You look quite a man to me", she giggled at her own words in what was supposed to be cute way but brought immense amount of pain on Armaan's face.

"You are dead Riddhima", he hissed.

"You are an idiot Armaan. You actually fell for my stupid reason? Man, your mind was truly blinded by your desire. Let this be another lesson to you moron. Next time, get your mind of the gutter and use it for simple reasoning", she burst out laughing and walked away out of the store.

He vowed to get his revenge.

But first, he had some…err… risque stuff to shop for.

To Be Continued.

i love ridz in ur ff...

she iz amazing...

n ya armaan is an idiot