My failure yesterday, strangely enough, didn't faze me.
Okay, fine—I cried in the bathroom for about thirty minutes. But I don't care. Today's a new day, and I'm going to execute Plan Number 3. Sure, two of my plans have already gone up in flames, but this one—this one's absolutely brilliant.
After the last two miserable failures, I took some time to rethink my approach. This time, I'll handle the delivery myself to make sure everything goes smoothly.
For the extra load plan to work, and for me to be stuck in line with the pink-haired goddess, I need to receive the load at school without arousing suspicion.
To do that without raising suspicion, I need a disguise. And not just any disguise—a good one. Something that makes me look like a teacher or even the principal.
I've already blown my monthly allowance buying the extra shipment, tourist outfits, white phosphorus, and other things I'd rather not discuss. So, I'll have to make a quick stop at my dad's closet.
My dad's a businessman and a lawyer, so he has plenty of suits and ties I can borrow. All I need to do is "borrow" a few and pretend to be a professor.
The decision is quick. I grab a burgundy dress shirt, pair it with a black suit, and top it off with a black tie and a silver watch.
I also needed to change my hair—it's too recognizable. I tied it back like my math teacher does. And since I needed to look older, I found a fake goatee I had lying around. Now I'm ready.
I've never worn a suit before, so I was worried I'd look ridiculous. But I'm banking on the idea that I'll blend in enough. This plan has to work. I'll skip first period, pick up the "goods," ditch the disguise, and make it back in time for second period. Simple, right?
Okay, maybe not. The moment I stepped out of the house, everyone started staring at me. Did I do something weird? It felt like I'd walked out naked or something. I even saw an old lady on her phone—probably calling the cops. Maybe the sunglasses were overkill.
On the way to school, I noticed my watch was set to the wrong time. A proper teacher would have a working watch, so I decided to ask someone for the time.
I spotted a guy sitting at a bus stop and walked up to him.
"Hey, buddy."
"Uh, good morn—" The man froze mid-sentence, staring at me like he'd seen a ghost.
"Yeah, so my watch is off…" I tilted my head down slightly, letting the sunglasses slide down just enough for me to peer over the top. "The last guy who wore this watch didn't have much time left. You know what I mean? Anyway, what time is it?"
"Uh… Uh…" The guy looked like he was about to pass out.
A taxi pulled up at the corner of the street.
"HEY! HEY! WAIT UP—I NEED A RIDE!" The man threw himself in front of the cab, practically begging to get in.
"Hey, why are you…"
The taxi sped off.
"…running?"
That was weird. And I still don't know the time. Why the hell did he freak out like that? Was my disguise really that bad? Maybe I need something more "adult" to sell the look. A bottle of whiskey probably isn't the best idea, but a pack of cigarettes might work.
I passed by a little convenience store on the way to school.
Since my disguise wasn't convincing, I couldn't just stroll in and ask for a pack of smokes. The clerk would know I was a kid. I had to act natural, like this was something I did all the time. I needed to project confidence and authority, or this plan would crash and burn.
I slammed my elbows on the counter, standing with my back to the clerk. Then I turned my head slightly, letting the sunglasses slip again so I could glare at him over the top.
"Yo, kid."
The clerk started sweating bullets, forcing a shaky smile.
"Y-Yes, sir?"
I brought a hand to my mouth, miming smoking.
"Give me the good stuff, kid."
The clerk froze, staring at me like he'd just met the Grim Reaper. Without a word, he robotically walked into the back room and disappeared.
Damn. Was my disguise really that awful? I couldn't even fool a convenience store rookie. Whatever. At least I can see the clock behind the counter now.
With my hands shoved in my pockets, I left the store and kicked a pebble down the road, staring at the sky.
Honestly, maybe trying to pass as an adult was a dumb idea. I should just head back, ditch the disguise, and deal with the delivery as a student. I doubt the school would care if I'm the one picking it up.
As I turned the corner, I spotted a truck unloading goods at a nearby store. Unfortunately, the street was completely blocked—my shortcut gone.
I should offer to help them. It'd clear the way faster. But I needed to be assertive. Otherwise, they'd just wave me off out of politeness. I had to show initiative and interest.
I walked up to the truck. As I approached, the two men unloading it turned to look at me, their faces already suspicious.
"Hey, gentlemen."
I stepped one foot into the truck's loading area, leaning on my knee with one arm. Slowly, I took off my sunglasses.
"At this rate, you'll block the road until tomorrow. Need a hand?"
A shiver ran down both men's spines. They dropped the heavy bag they were carrying and stumbled back.
"N-No way we'd want to slow you down, sir! We'll be out of your way in no time—have a great day!" One of the men scrambled into the truck's cabin.
"Uh… alright…"
And then it hit me. All these weird reactions—it all makes sense now. It's my eyes. The sunglasses draw attention to them. People must be so shocked by the way they look that they're freaking out. That's the only explanation.
This glare of mine is going to haunt me forever. I can't blame them, though. I'd probably react the same way if I saw these eyes for the first time.
Carrying the bag in an overly suspicious way, as if it contained a body, I finally arrived at the shop.
"Hey, old man. Got the 'special delivery' you wanted. Where do I, uh, get rid of this?"
The shopkeeper immediately ducked behind the counter, trembling.
"I—I don't want anything to do with that kind of stuff! Please, take it somewhere else—there's a river nearby! Hardly anyone goes there. It's perfect for… disposal."
"But didn't you order this for your customers? What's the point of dumping it in a river?"
"I don't have customers like that! Please, just go—I have a family to think about!"
"Uh… okay."
I walk outside, to take a breath out of this craziness.
"Geez, what's with that old man?"
My eyes weren't even fully visible. I kept the sunglasses on as much as possible! But I guess for someone his age, seeing something like my eyes after a lifetime of normalcy would be a shock.
Well, if the old man says I'll do it, I have a bit of extra time anyway, after that, straight to school.
END OF CHAPTER 8