Chapter 5

Chapter 5

T he next morning, I arrive at the Great Menagerie Book Club with a liter of coffee and a sense of purpose running through my veins. I’m so high on caffeine thanks to Ean’s wife’s café lattes, I’m practically vibrating. Ahhhh. This place is my home as much as my apartment or the home I grew up in. And I’ll be damned if I let PairTech’s cold calculations render it obsolete without putting up one hell of a fight.

The familiar scents of aged books and herbal tea greet me as I stride through the front doors, bolstering my resolve. Let’s get going!

“Winta! There you are. I was wondering if you’d slept in.”

Gia emerges from the back offices, two steaming mugs in hand and a warm smile on her face. My dearest friend and most steadfast ally here at the club. She’s already hard at work, bright and early.

“You know me better than that. I was just… mentally preparing myself for today. And drinking too much coffee.”

Gia’s sunny expression sobers at that. Setting her drink aside, she moves to grip my arm.

“Are you sure this is worth it? It’s going to be a lot of work.”

I meet her gaze, allowing the full weight of my conviction to shine through.

“It’s worth it. I’m sure. PairTech wants to steamroll our heritage with their algorithms and empirical calculations?” My voice hardens. “Not a chance. I won’t let them cheapen something as sacred as pairing without a fight.”

Gia holds my stare for a long beat, seeming to weigh my words against the determination blazing in my eyes. Then, her face splits into a blinding grin.

“That’s my girl. Leave it to you to take the biggest, baddest technological disruption this city has ever seen and say ‘No, thanks, we’re doing things the old-fashioned way.’” She gives me the second mug in her hands. “You know I’m with you on this one, right?”

Relief washes over me as I take the proffered mug. “I was hoping you’d say that. I can’t take on PairTech’s whole machine alone.” I sip the coffee and wonder if I’ve had too much caffeine now. I’m flying high, and my heart is racing. Maybe I’m just excited.

“Are you kidding?” Gia pulls away, giving me a playful shove. “And miss out on all the fun of watching you rile up this entire neighborhood? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Her grin takes on a mischievous edge as she cracks her knuckles. “So! We should get started. I’ll break out the poster-board and markers if you gather the troops…”

The rest of the skeleton crew trickles in, and they gather around us. Yuriko, Raj, Haru… even old Mr. Suzuki, who technically retired years ago but still comes by most days out of stubborn habit. They eye us with trepidation, sensing the intensity between Gia and me. I take a fortifying sip of my coffee and meet each of their questioning looks head-on.

“All right, we’ve got some work to do. I’m sure you’ve all heard the news about PairTech by now.” I pause, letting that ominous name hang in the air. “Well, I don’t need to tell you what an enormous threat to our entire operation they pose.”

Raj snorts. “That’s an understatement. Their computer algorithms could make our whole mentorship model obsolete in a matter of months.”

“Which is precisely why we can’t just sit back and let it happen,” I declare, raising my voice to cut through the rising murmurs of dismay. “Maho has given me one month — thirty days — to prove the Book Club is still vital and relevant. If I can’t boost membership and get more people through those doors, she’s going to consider selling to PairTech.”

Dead silence greets my words as the weight of that possibility sinks in. Even Haru, who’d been so dismissive of our methods before, looks appropriately horrified now.

Good. I have their attention.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m not ready to let some soulless computer program dismantle and cheapen everything this club has stood for for generations. That’s why I’m proposing an all-out grassroots marketing blitz to remind this neighborhood, the whole town, why the Book Club’s intimate, mentorship-focused approach is so invaluable. We’ll start by blanketing the area with flyers and social media posts, highlighting everything we do here.”

Gia jumps in. “Oh! We can feature testimonials from all the overjoyed paired members about their experiences finding their pairs here. Almost everyone fills out the exit survey. We have a ton of them on file.”

“Great idea.” I point to her and she grins. “Next week, we’ll host an open house event right here. No fees, free for everyone. We’ll let people come witness the sparks of connection firsthand as we observe the animals and prospective humans together.”

I sweep my gaze over each of their faces, trying to strengthen them with my conviction and urgency.

“Look, I’m not going to lie to you. This will be an uphill battle every single day for the next month. PairTech has money, resources, and the shiny luster of new technology on their side. We’ve just got a little club and the stubborn belief that our methods will prevail over efficiency.”

A wry chuckle ripples through the group, seeming to ease a bit of the tension. I allow myself a small smile as well.

“But I’ll be damned if I don’t fight for the work we do here with every last ounce of energy I have. Who’s with me?”

I hold my breath for a heartbeat of silence, then —

“You know I’m your ride-or-die, girl,” Gia says, looping an arm around my shoulders as the others nod.

Yuriko is the next to pipe up. “If anyone can rally this town, it’s you, Winta. Let’s show those PairTech people what good old-fashioned determination looks like.”

I let out my held breath. Thank the gods. They’re going to help.

Everyone breaks off to tackle their assigned tasks. Gia and Yuriko head to the back office to dig through the archives for compelling testimonials. Raj and Haru grab the poster supplies to mock up flyer designs. Even grumpy old Mr. Suzuki shuffles off muttering about rounding up some volunteers for the open house event.

I’m just about to join Gia and Yuriko when a flash of bright orange catches my eye near the front entrance. Itsuko, the mischievous fox, bold as brass, trots right through the club’s lobby like she owns the place.

“Hey, you little troublemaker,” I call out in an equal mix of exasperation and amusement. “What are you doing here again?”

She pauses, fixing me with one of those inscrutable stares. For just a moment, I could almost swear there’s a glint in her black eyes. She tilts her head to the side, turns her tail towards me, and flicks it back and forth. Is she… waving?

Then, just as suddenly, she’s off again, stepping through the front door and swishing her tail at me once more.

I roll my eyes at the antics. “Yeah, that’s right, you just come and go as you please around here…”

But Itsuko doesn’t exit out onto the street right away. Instead, she pauses and looks over her sleek shoulder at me, almost… expectantly?

Like she wants me to follow her.

“Uh… you’re not about to lead me on another crazy chase, are you?” I ask warily.

Itsuko blinks once, almost as if in confirmation. She trots off again, this time at a more leisurely pace.

With a sigh and a glance back at the others hard at work, I make a split-second decision and hurry to catch up with Itsuko. If nothing else, maybe I can get her to stay out of trouble this time.

She leads me right out the front doors and down the street, dodging the foot traffic with her usual sleek grace. I have to pick up the pace to keep her in my sights as she rounds the corner into the alleyway behind Daichi’s noodle restaurant.

Of course, she brings me here.

My belly rolls over, nervous energy causing it to rumble. My stomach is always the first thing to alert me to any change in my surroundings, ever since I was a little kid. My siblings call it my Inner Psychic. Yeah, I know that’s weird. But I’ve learned to trust it over the years.

What are you trying to tell me now, belly?

Sure enough, Itsuko is sitting pretty in front of the back door to Tori no Kazé, looking for all the world like the noodle house’s furry little sentry.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” I mutter, equal parts amused and exasperated. “Did you lead me on another wild chase so I’d come visit your buddy again?”

As if on cue, the very man himself emerges from the door, eyes crinkling when he spots me. Crinkly eyes. I had no idea that was even a thing.

It’s kinda cute.

“Well, hello again,” he says, wiping his hands on a towel. “I was wondering if I’d be seeing my favorite fox’s new human friend again soon.”

Itsuko lets out a smug little trill, basking in her successful mischief. My lips twitch into a reluctant smile as I meet Daichi’s gaze.

He rolls his eyes at Itsuko as he drapes the towel on his shoulder. “You have to stop tearing people away from their jobs. Some of us have to work for a living.” His tone is playful as he reaches down and scratches her behind the ears.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at this point, huh?” My voice comes out lighter, more relaxed than I’d intended. “Itsuko seems to have made a habit of bending me to her will.”

Daichi’s rich chuckle sends an unexpected tingle skittering down my spine. “Well, in that case, you may as well come in and let me make it up to you with some soba and hot tea. It’s the least I can do for all the trouble my little partner-in-crime has caused you so far…”

I’m about to refuse and beg off. I’m supposed to be at work helping my coworkers prepare for our big campaign to fight off PairTech.

But my eyes meet Itsuko’s, and she’s staring right through me. My belly rumbles, loud enough for them both to hear it.

Daichi laughs. “See? You definitely need something to eat.”

Stupid Psychic Stomach. Stop giving me away!

But then I remember the articles I saw about this restaurant, about Daichi, how popular he is and how everyone loves this place. Maybe I can convince him to help me?

All signs point to yes.

“Okay,” I say, bowing slightly. “I can spare a little time.”

“Great!” His smile widens as he and Itsuko step to the side. “Come on inside.”