Welcome to NY

"You're planning to hire a guide? Sounds like you've got quite a travel budget."

The plane was already airborne, and Shiraishi Wataru was having a pleasant enough conversation with Jennifer beside him.

"That's about right. When I visit somewhere unfamiliar, I think it's better to hire someone who knows the area. That way, I'll know which places are worth visiting and which ones to avoid. Information online can be true or false, after all. Some of it might just be advertising."

Shiraishi Wataru offered a casual explanation.

He wasn't particularly short on time, but he didn't want to waste it researching all that, either. If he had someone familiar with the area, he might be able to get answers to all sorts of questions just by asking.

Jennifer pressed her lips together and stole a discreet glance at Shiraishi Wataru. Her heart, which had been dead for so long, began to stir a little.

"Ahem, could I introduce myself again?" Jennifer asked hopefully.

"Sure. What would you like to tell me?" Shiraishi Wataru had already guessed.

"I was born in Queens, and I started taking odd jobs as soon as I was in middle school, so I know most of New York pretty well. Trust me, as a girl, I know what kinds of dangers lurk in which places. In the first half of this year, I managed to get an exchange student spot in Japan, but that short time away hasn't changed how well I know New York. If you don't mind, you could consider hiring me as your guide!"

"Oh, that sounds good. But aren't you worried about guiding a strange man, being such a beautiful woman?" Shiraishi Wataru nodded.

Jennifer smiled. "It might sound a little overconfident, but I know how to protect myself."

"How much per day?"

Jennifer hesitated, then held up one finger.

The going rate should have been two or three hundred dollars a day, but she had other conditions: "I need you to book me a separate room at the hotel where you're staying, and cover my meals."

A request like that meant either her home was somewhere remote and unsafe to return to at night, or any hotel looked better to her than staying at home.

"All right. Do we need to sign a contract?"

"No, but I'll need a deposit."

Shiraishi Wataru took out his wallet without a care. It was thick, and Jennifer caught sight of a stack of colorful bills.

He handed Jennifer five twenty-dollar bills. "Then I'll leave the next few days in your capable hands, beautiful tour guide."

"Thank you! I'll do my best to fulfill my duties." Jennifer placed a little extra emphasis on the word "duties."

The flight from Tokyo to New York took about ten hours. After chatting with Jennifer for a while, he closed his eyes to rest, directing his other parasites either to observe experiments or look for symbiotes.

Jennifer gazed at the clouds outside the window, her thoughts drifting somewhere far away.

She really didn't want to return to that so-called home.

But she had fought hard for her exchange student spot, and after finally spending half a year abroad, she still hadn't found anyone she felt was right for her. She could overlook looks to some extent, but the keen eye she'd developed growing up let her see that many people approached her just for a fling. And those who were sincere couldn't give her what she wanted.

She had considered going straight to another city, but after thinking it over, she still wanted to get her high school diploma.

As for college, please. Even with student loans, she'd need a guarantor. Someone had hinted that they could be her guarantor, but only if—

She didn't want to waste her few bargaining chips on something like that, and she didn't want to saddle herself with a crushing debt.

When she met Shiraishi Wataru, she'd only struck up a conversation to test the waters, like someone clinging to a lifeline. What if he was the one?

Somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, Jennifer drifted off without realizing it. By the time someone woke her, the plane had already landed.

"Most people don't sleep that long on a plane," Shiraishi Wataru said, handing her a bottle of water and taking down her small suitcase for her.

"Thanks." Jennifer unscrewed the cap and pretended to take a sip.

The two of them chatted casually as they walked out of the airport together.

"Oh, sorry, Owen. I forgot to ask which borough you wanted to stay in. Hotels in Manhattan might be expensive, though there are some more affordable ones. It's just that it's more convenient there..." Jennifer suddenly remembered and said awkwardly.

Shiraishi Wataru smiled and shook his head. "I've already booked a hotel, so don't worry about it."

Jennifer looked a little embarrassed, feeling she hadn't done her job properly. "Which hotel did you book? Can you tell me?"

"You'll see when we get there." Shiraishi Wataru hailed a taxi and gestured for Jennifer to get in.

The driver cheerfully helped them load their luggage. Shiraishi Wataru told him their destination. Through the window, Jennifer saw a flicker of surprise in the driver's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He simply seemed to become even more enthusiastic. Jennifer knew that kind of enthusiasm all too well: it was enthusiasm for money.

Could it be...

Once the driver pulled away, Jennifer pushed down her suspicions and casually let him know she was a local returning home, to keep him from overcharging them.

Watching the scenery outside, she felt a little weighed down. This place hadn't left her with many happy memories.

From the moment she'd landed, the air had felt thick and polluted.

"You don't seem very happy to be back in New York," Shiraishi Wataru said.

"I'm just... feeling a little nostalgic." Jennifer pulled herself together and pointed in one direction, changing the subject. "Look, the Statue of Liberty is over there. When do you want to go see it?"

"There's a saying back home: 'Save the strawberry on the cake for last.' I want to have something to look forward to, so let's make it my last stop in New York." Shiraishi Wataru looked in the direction Jennifer had pointed. Though the view was blocked by layers of tall buildings, his eyes were still filled with anticipation.

After all, he might only be able to see it in pictures from now on.

Jennifer took it as the kind of admiration a foreigner might have for the Land of the Free. She forced a smile and continued telling him about nearby attractions.

Less than an hour later, the taxi stopped at a hotel by Central Park in Manhattan and helped them unload their luggage.

Jennifer stared at the hotel with her mouth slightly open, then pointed at its entrance and turned to look at Shiraishi Wataru, who had casually tipped the driver twenty dollars.

She'd had a few suspicions during the ride, but she hadn't expected him to have booked the Ritz-Carlton.

Good heavens, one night here probably cost half a month's wages for an ordinary person.

A doorman and a concierge came over. One took their luggage while the other guided them through check-in.

Jennifer followed along in a daze, her head buzzing. At a hotel like this, she couldn't offer any useful advice. She'd be lucky just to avoid embarrassing herself.

"...Sir, based on your request, we recommend the Prestige Park View Suite. You'll be able to enjoy a panoramic view of Central Park at any time, and you'll also have access to the hotel's club lounge."

"How much?"

"If you check in now, it'll be just $4,200. If you'd like breakfast, that's an additional $60. And of course, there are also $621 in taxes and fees."

Jennifer's mouth twitched. Great—not half a month's wages. It'd take more than a month's wages to cover it.

And with a room costing several thousand dollars, breakfast wasn't even included? Jennifer's lips moved. She almost tried to haggle, but in the end, she held back.

Maybe this was just the simple, unpretentious life of the rich.

Thanks to "Author Keep It Up" for the tip.

Thanks to "Fasu Is With You" for the tip.