Sweet & Petite

Aoba Onimori

Aoba absentmindedly scrolled through her social media feed as she sat in the back of an Uber bound for Napa Valley, occasionally liking a post from one of the many artists she followed. The petite Asian girl would much rather be drawing back in her dorm room, but her professors back at the San Francisco School of Art insisted that this was far too big of an opportunity to turn down, and would have reflected poorly on the school had she refused. She was supposedly the single, lucky student to win this 90-day internship, gaining real industry experience at an art expo held at the Lily Garden Bed & Breakfast, sponsored by HH Grand Galleries. This internship would even cover all her credits for the semester, despite her protests that she was majoring in digital art, and didn’t see how experience at a physical gallery would be that valuable.

She finally arrived at her destination just as the sun was beginning to set. Grabbing her luggage from the trunk, she briefly thanked the driver before heading into the building. Well, the place is nice, at least, but they’d better have good Wi-Fi. Otherwise, making regular posts to my fanbox is going to be a pain in the ass. Looking around an empty lobby, Aoba grumbled inwardly as she pushed up her glasses and scrutinized the empty lobby. She was about to call for assistance when she heard a voice calling out to her from beyond a set of French doors leading out back.

“Is that you, Miss Aoba? Please, feel free to just set your luggage by the front desk! I’ll have someone take it up to your room shortly! In the meantime, if you would be so kind as to join us out here in the pavilion, that would be greatly appreciated!”

Aoba set down her bags and strolled out to the garden, taking a moment to look over the odd assortment of people waiting for her. The first, an elegant woman who looked as if she had walked right out of a doujinshi. Aoba briefly had to bite back envy as she glanced down at her own meager chest, pitiful in comparison to the glorious gazongas in front of her. She fiddled with the drawstrings on her oversized hoodie, feeling underdressed next to the woman’s pristine, white gown. Seriously, what’s with those?! And what’s with the pointed ears—is she in some sort of elf cosplay? Aoba’s eyes quickly swept over the plain man sitting next to the walking wet dream, briefly noting that he too was dressed in nicer clothes than an oversized hoodie and a skirt, before settling on a second woman—a classic tomboy childhood friend character, by Aoba’s estimation. At least I’m not the only one who didn’t get the dress code, Aoba thought while looking at the likewise casually clothed woman, before being brought out of her reverie by the elegant woman’s voice.

“Miss Aoba, yes? Thank you for joining us; we had just been expecting you.”

“Oh—um, that’s right, I’m Aoba Onimori. It’s nice to meet all of you.” Aoba said, politely nodding as she introduced herself.

“No way—Aoba?!” Startled, Aoba turned her head toward the man who just spoke. “That’s a heck of a coincidence! It’s me, Adam! Y’know, from the Discord chat? You are that Aoba Onimori, right?”

“Oh, wow, it is you! I totally recognize your voice! Nice to finally meet in person!” Aoba smiled warmly at the pleasant surprise of meeting one of her closest online friends irl for the first time.

“You know this girl, Adam?” The tomboy asked, glancing toward Adam.

“Yeah, let me introduce you two. Aoba, this is Erica,” Adam explained, gesturing between them. “She was my best friend back in elementary school. Erica, this is Aoba. We met a few years ago on a Fate/Grand Order forum. We got into an argument over which Rin-face was better, Ishtar or Ereshkigal. And despite Aoba’s questionable taste, we quickly became friends.”

“Ishtar’s better, and you know it!” Aoba fervently declared her support for the inferior character.

“Yeah, I definitely understood a few of those words.” Erica nodded, a blank expression on her face before shrugging and offering her new acquaintance a hearty handshake. “Well, regardless of whatever nerd crap you two were just rambling about, it’s nice to meet you, Aoba!” Erica beamed at Aoba. “Any friend of Adam’s is a friend of mine!”

“Nice to meet you, too, Erica,” Aoba replied, far more subdued in her enthusiasm and with a now slightly sore shoulder.

“While this budding friendship is quite beautiful, I’m afraid I’ll have to cut it short, as we have other matters to attend to. I’m Sera, by the way, Miss Aoba; nice to meet you. As manager of the Lily Garden Bed & Breakfast, I hope you enjoy your stay.” Sera gently smiled at Aoba. “Now, as I was saying, other matters. If you would be so kind, please tell our viewers your name, age, occupation, cup size, and most recent sexual encounter.”

“Viewers? Are we on camera? Wait, my wha—bu—huh?!” Aoba spluttered and blushed as she realized the audacity of the questions before replying automatically: “As I’ve said, my name is Aoba Onimori. I’m 20 years old. I’m currently a junior at the San Francisco School of Art, but I also work in my free time as a freelance hentai artist, posting yuri under the name, ‘Oni_of_Aomori.’ I have A-cups, and I’m a virgin, so my only recent sexual encounter was last night. I masturbated after uploading a particularly hot commission. I was really proud of how that one came out.” Stirring from the slightly drunk expression she wore while fondly remembering her moment of self-pleasure, Aoba blushed even deeper as she regained her faculties, her face looking as if it were about to emit steam, if it could. Her knees wobbled, and she fell backwards into a chair that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

“A bit melodramatic, but oh well.” Sera chuckled at the poor girl’s embarrassment. “An occasional touch of melodrama is good for ratings. Now then, while she gathers herself, let’s meet our next—”

“Where the hell is everybody!? I don’t have all night! Do you morons have any idea what customer service is!?” A cacophonous voice shot through the garden, as an irate young woman stomped out of the main building.

“Crap. Why is she here?” Adam sighed exhaustedly, clearly dreading the arrival of the furious woman currently on the warpath.