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Reigen was more of an early riser nowadays that he had Serizawa to think of as an employee. Like an actual adult that he had to socialize with. But today, he wasn’t feeling all too well; and today. He knew he was sick, but yeah, no he wasn’t going to admit that. Not to he new guy. The new guy – who’s actual salary depended on how he lived and how he ate. How he went to night school, and how he got an education.
Etc. Etc. Reigen wasn’t going to think about how his stomach was killing him, how he couldn’t ask Serizawa anymore favors. Than he already was doing. But Serizawa was already doing truckloads, and god-forbid, if the man found out… Reigen wasn’t – gasp – Psychic. Rubbing his stomach, Reigen realized that it wasn’t a good idea to open the office today.
Though today, a few clients had come in. This one, the last client was wealthy, and she paid handsomely. It was good, that means he can actually pay his employee.
But – ugh. Damn stomach virus. It was getting to him. But shit what if he got Serizawa sick? Then that would hinder the Esper more than him. Did Espers get sick? He hadn’t ever –
“Um. Master Reigen, I stepped out for a minute and got some takeout ramen. I thought – that might help ease your stomach.”
Reigen thought, Ramen sounded good. He smiled. “Thanks I owe you.”
“N-No you don’t. I um – I got Shio broth. I thought – “
“Relax. It’s okay. Thanks. Did you get anything for yourself?”
“Yeah, I did,” the guy was so incredibly nervous… Also awkward as well. But Reigen appreciated it and slurped his noodles. Some tea also had helped, which Serizawa was improving on making every day. The guy was resourceful, kind, gentle around the kids, and he had an even temperament.
It was safe to say – any woman would probably be lucky to have the gentle giant. But nah, Serizawa needed to focus on himself and school and stuff. “You – feel better?”
“I do, thanks for the food. I’ll make sure to cover it in your pay today.”
“You don’t – “
“Really. It’s fine. You cover your bowl and I’ll cover for the one you got for me,”
“I mean… If you insist. I didn’t mind getting a bowl for you.”
Reigen shrugs and pays him back the 1,300 Yen for the bowl of ramen and the paycheck; which amounted to 16,800 Yen that day. As Serizawa got paid by case. 600 yen for the cases he got paid for, and 800 yen an hour. Serizawa worked twelve tireless hours, most days, and Junior High students couldn’t be paid that much, or even work that much, and be paid that much at least hourly. Maybe 120 yen a case. Then divided that, with snacks and stuff.
Reigen calculated the pay he got out of it – “Are you sure this amount is okay for today?”
They had twelve cases today. Twelve cases! But for Reigen the most taxing part was the customer side and socialization part, tolerance was good but the ghost and Psychic Powers he couldn’t do; without Serizawa there. Some were curses, some were full-on exorcisms. “Considering the guy you dealt with with that house – I mean. I think you deserve a raise if I could afford it! But I can’t, so…” Reigen had sighed.
Serizawa bristled at the praise. “That was probably the most fuckin weird case I’ve ever dealt with -wait no. That one time – “
It was uncanny for Reigen to swear. But Serizawa laughed. They both were laughing. “It… was an odd day wasn’t it?”
“Really tiring too, but I was dealing with the social aspect of it, you were Psychic-part.” he shrugged. “Does – that tire you out at all? Using your Psychic powers too much without a lot of breaks in between?” Probably more breaks that Reigen got when he was at his previous office job, or maybe when Serizawa was at CLAW. But who knows what the man did?
He hadn’t ever managed to ask Mob. But it would be unethical, if he hadn’t asked an actual adult, who could report Reigen to the police. Mob could to but Mob was – Mob. Who had absolute unyielding faith in Reigen. Which that amount of trust was terrifying, really.
But Serizawa was kind of child-minded. Innocent, it was a little too bad, so Reigen had to look out for him. “Not really. The worst that’s ever happened when I’ve used my powers too much, in a really intense situation was I got nauseous and I got a migraine. But that was when – I… Fought Shigeo-kun…”
Oh. Yeah they did fight, didn’t they. “You didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
“I didn’t, I like kids. It just – everything happened so fast and all at once,” Reigen squeezed the older man’s shoulder while they were drinking their tea.
“Y-Yes Master Reigen?”
“Finish your tea Serizawa. It’s okay. This is a judge-free zone here.”
“Alright…” he muttered, sipping his tea Reigen prepared for him, Serizawa had admitted that Reigen’s tea was better.
Reigen admitted his tea was better than Serizawa’s too, but Reigen had tried not to be so boastful anymore. Even if he tried to hide the fact that he was still (not) Psychic. It was only going to crumble down, eventually and Serizawa would leave, and go off and do better things.
Maybe his thirtieth birthday would be better, and not spent in a bar throwing up in an alleyway. “Get some rest, Serizawa.”
“Y-You too. Feel better, Sir.”
“Yeah. We’ll need it for tomorrow.”
He missed the kids, sometimes even Dimple. Reigen wondered what the jerk-faced Ghost was up to nowadays anyway.