A NEET's Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Eastern Wind

Test of Will

"Step out!" the guard shouted. Joon attempted to conceal the tiny flame in her hand. She covered it with her right hand and proceeded forward. She gritted her teeth in agony as the heat burnt her thumb.

"Again? I thought we had put this behind us!" Joon exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration. As she inched closer, it became evident that the test of Big Brother had already commenced.

"Raise your hands and come forward immediately!" a guard shouted, brandishing his gun.

"Alright, alright..." Joon said, keeping her hands clasped tightly. The head guard scanned her body once more before stepping in. He patted her down, despite her lack of pockets. He even went so far as to pat down her boots.

"Well, it seems like you're all set. However..." The guard looked at Joon. "I just need you to open your hands as a final check."

Thinking about her next move, Joon paused for a moment. All eyes were fixed on her. She took a moment to survey her surroundings before turning her gaze back to the guard.

"Well? Don't keep us waiting. Come on. Show me your hands!" Joon finally relented and opened her hands to let him inspect them, revealing a delicate pink cherry petal.

"A cherry blossom? Accepting gifts from inmates is strictly prohibited... but since it's harmless, I'll overlook this minor infraction." The head guard sighed before returning the petal to Joon. Fortunately, she hadn't noticed the faint burning scent emanating from the bud.

"Thanks, I'll be on my way now," Joon sighed with relief as she finally stepped out of the dreary grey walls of the facility and hailed a taxi.

*****

Joon's apartment, a stone's throw from Yokohama Station, stood in the Ningenchou district. Her parents had purchased it a decade ago. Ever since their tragic demise at the hands of a drunk yakuza on the streets of Shinjuku, she had resided alone in that very apartment. As she entered, a sigh escaped her lips. The digital clock on her bedside table chimed, reminding her that it had been an hour since her release from prison.

"Now, we just need to ensure that the flame doesn't extinguish." Joon surveyed her surroundings before reaching for a piece of bread from her kitchen table and placing it on the soft bread, positioning it in the center of her desk. Subsequently, she removed her outer jacket.

"Now, the windows... Oh, I should probably close them in case a breeze comes in..." Joon said as she approached the nearby window, which had been left slightly ajar. As she reached out to grab it, a distinct rattling sound from the door drew her attention away from the window. A clicking sound followed, and then the door swung open.

"So, this is where she lives. It's quite small. But where on earth is my suitcase?" As Joon watched, Suwako Moriya cautiously entered the apartment. She was holding onto the water pipe right in front of her window.

"That's the girl from the airport! What terrible timing, I'm certain she's frantically searching for her passport." Joon thought to herself. She had intended to return the passport to her eventually, but she was most concerned about Suwako's discovery of the lighter and the accidental extinguishing of the flame.

"She's peering into my desk... She might accidentally knock over the lighter..." With a hushed tone, Gold Experience discreetly reached into the room and touched the light switch. This action triggered a blue aura to ascend and envelop the overhead light bulb. The bulb underwent a remarkable transformation, morphing into a serpent with a mesmerizing blue energy emanating from its scales.

"I transformed the wires into a snake... Hopefully, I can snatch this and escape without her noticing." As Suwako rummaged through the lower compartments of Joon's desk, discarding paper and other debris, the snake seized the lighter and lifted it out of the bread.