Summary: An innocent discussion of what a himbo is between reader, Iroha, and three out of touch men. The cons have being the teacher of group.
Words: 1870
You always knew that when Ichiban got out of prison and you had the chance to run into him again, that the excitement in your life would see a massive uptick.
Low and behold, you got wrapped up in uncovering the secrets of a potentially abusive nursing home. Adachi, a drinking friend and the reason Ichiban was even in Ijincho in the first place.
You were thankful. Surprised but thankful to see your old friend again.
Now here you were sitting in the Survive bar with Ichiban and Nanba (Ichiban in the middle), reminiscing with the ex-Yakuza and telling Nanba stories about you and Ichiban back in Kamurocho.
“Couldn’t manage?” Ichiban laughed. “You used to follow me around like a puppy.”
“Only because you kept getting into trouble!” You playfully pushed him. “The women at the soaplands were always worried about you. Someone had to be the responsible one.”
“What are you, 6 years younger than me?” He turned to Nanba. “Imagine a teenager getting a stern talking to from a 10-year-old.”
“That’s…quite a gap.” The doctor leaned forward. “How did you two even become friends?”
You took a swig of your whiskey ginger before answering. “Oh! My mom caught him pickpocketing in the street and gave him some food cause she thought he was homeless.”
Ichiban looked embarrassed about the memory. “Almost made a whole scene. I think everyone was getting a kick out of watching her trying to get me off the streets. It wasn’t until one of the women who worked at the soapland came by and cleared up the misunderstanding.”
You smirked. “That’s not the end of it~.”
Your childhood friend rolled his eyes. “Fine!” He huffed. “She started yelling at me in front of everybody. She said, when you get in trouble with the cops, who do you think has to take the fall? You have to get your act together, cause one day someone won’t be there to take your punishment.”
“Well?” Nanba started. “Did you listen?”
“Not a chance. I was a dumb kid back then. Thought she was just some old lady trying to give advice without knowing what it’s like. Then that day I met Arakawa happened and it made me realize how right she was.”
You and Nanba stayed quiet as Ichiban had his moment.
“So I tried looking for her and I found her walking [Y/N] to school.”
“And that was how we met. In between trying to get in good with Arakawa, he would walk me to school. He’s been stuck with me since.” You spoke that last sentence with pride as Ichiban smiled in your direction.
The ringing of the entrance caught everyone’s attention as Adachi came in with a bag. No doubt full of the stuff everyone had asked for.
As the older man came over to take a seat next to you, he asked you a very simple question. “Hey, [Y/N], you’re hip with the kids nowadays, right?”
You chuckled, taking the gummy candy he was handing you, “If you’re asking me if I know what they’re talking about, then yes. Why?”
“What’s a himbo?” He asked with a confused tone.
You were caught off guard. Your eyes widened and your eyebrows raised. You let out a nervous laugh. “What? Where did you hear that?”
“I was helping these really cute girls with their bags. I was laying on the charm and everything,”
Ichiban and Nanba exchanged looks with each other, both having the same thought.
“And one of them said I had himbo energy and they laughed when I asked them about it and drove off.”
You looked down at your drink, your expression said it all to the amused Iroha has she cleaned out one of the glasses.
“Um well…” Mark this down as conversations you never thought you’d have with someone old enough to be your dad. “It basically means someone who is muscular and a gentleman towards the ladies…”
Adachi perked up. “Oh? Really?” He let out a hearty chuckle. “I was worried it meant something bad—”
“And also kinda dumb.” You finished.
That took the smile right off his face. “Dumb?”
“Yeah. You guys know the word bimbo, right? Well, it made kind of a resurgence a few years back. A lot of women started reclaiming the word and they turned it into something positive. Then the word himbo came along and it was basically the male version.” You explained. “It’s a compliment.”
“How the hell is being called dumb a compliment?” Nanba asked in disbelief.
“It’s not so much about being dumb. It’s more that…you come off as someone who doesn’t put any stock in being intelligent.”
That did not sound any better.
“That doesn’t make me feel better.” Adachi replied.
“If it helps, Ichiban is a himbo too.”
Your friend choked on his drink. “What?! What makes you think that?”
You shot Ichiban a look, while Nanba shrugged. “The whole concept confuses me, but I can see it with Ichiban. I can’t see it with Adachi as much.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the former cop. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m a ladies man and I still work out now and then.” He defended.
“Well, being a ladies man is different from being a gentleman.” Nanba reminded the cop.
“Clearly, I check off that box, don’t you think?” His attention was on you as he said it.
“I mean, from what I’ve seen from you, you’re not that bad. Think a lot with the wrong head at times, but I can see the gentleman's appeal with you.”
This time, Ichiban squeezed back into the conversation. “Are we really just gonna skip past you calling me dumb?”
You jokingly rolled your eyes. “You’re not dumb, you’re just…a little air headed.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.” He had a thoughtful look on his face. “Wait…then that would mean you’re a bimbo, right?”
This question shocked you. “What?! No, I’m not.”
Nanba tilted his head a bit. “Yeah, I can see that too.”
“I don’t think I qualify at all.”
“Well, what are the traits of a bimbo?”
Iroha decided to step in with her perky self. “Well, almost like a himbo. They’re really pretty, really nice, but they’re a little slow.”
“See?” You gestured your hand towards the barmaid. “I don’t check off that last bit.”
Nanba lifted his drink up to his lips, paused, “I wouldn’t be so sure.” And took his sip.
Now you were genuinely lost. “What do you mean?”
Adachi chuckled. “You did try to push a pull door the other day.”
You rolled your eyes. “Everyone makes that type of mistake.”
“Twice in one day?”
“….”
Iroha piped in. “You forgot how to spell orange.”
You looked embarrassed. “It was a joke.”
“Then you actually forgot so…”
“…That was an accident.”
“How about the time you almost ate a plastic fruit?” Ichiban added.
“You almost ate one too, Ichi!” You shot back. “So don’t give me that.” You huffed.
Then it was Nanba’s turn. “There’s also the time you ACTUALLY got stuck in a revolving door. At your age.” He chuckled.
“That could’ve happened to anyone. Revolving doors ain’t no joke.”
“It’s only natural that you and Ichiban became friends.” Iroha giggled. “When it comes to female friends, himbos either have a mean girlfriend or a bimbo. But the mean isn’t really mean mean but she knows how to stick up for herself and makes sure nobody takes advantage of her friend..”
“Really?“ Ichiban asked in his usual innocent tone.
Iroha nodded. “It’s just the cutest.”
The conversation surprisingly went on for a bit longer. Finally, went it started getting later, you all agreed that it was time to turn in for tomorrow. Adachi said he’d stay behind and Iroha promised to keep him from getting too drunk.
Ichiban wanted to walk you to your apartment home so that left Nanba to head back to Hamako’s by himself. For you, your walk stopped by the bridge leading into Geomijul territory.
“You know, we could always make some room for you at Hamako’s, I don’t know how I feel about you living here.”
You giggled. “Relax, I’m not on the Geomijul’s radar like that. Besides, they’re more welcoming to other foreigners.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but considering your most recent beef with them, I’m pretty sure they would try to skin you if you tried to cross.”
“Hell, they tried.” He tapped a finger against his cheek.
Even though it was faint by now, you can still make out the scar. Without even thinking about it, you raised your hand, lightly grazing the cut with your thumb.
Ichiban felt himself freeze, a sound getting caught in his throat. Your brain then snapped back to reality, causing you to snatch your hand away.
“Shit, sorry!” You laughed nervously. “That was weird. I don’t know why I did that.”
Ichiban joined in on the awkwardness, rubbing the back of his neck. The two of you then stood there in silence for a moment before he spoke up again.
“So…you think I’m hot?”
“What?! Where did that come from?”
“It just hit me. You’re the one who said that I was a himbo too. Which means you think I’m hot.”
“I—. Even Ray Charles could see you’re hot. That doesn’t mean anything. I’m sure you hear that a lot anyway. How about you calling me a bimbo, huh?” You had a sly smile on your face as you leaned in towards him with your hands on your hips.
“I was just…I was just saying that if I was a himbo then you’re a bimbo.”
“Buuut in order for you to call me that, you’d have to think I’m hot. Ichi, I’m flattered~”
“Shut up!” He whined. “Hey…”
“Yeah?”
“Back then…before I went to prison…during New Year’s Eve you wanted to tell me something. I ran off to finish working and never got back to you.”
“Oh…I was just tryna tell you how I was moving and if you wanted to spend New Year’s with me and my mom, that’s all.”
“That’s it?” He seemed disappointed.
“Well, yeah. I mean…there probably was something else but that was so many years ago, y’know? It’s all confetti.”
There was another awkward silence. This time, you broke it.
“Well…I should go. Thanks for walking me. I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”
“Yeah, see ya.”
Ichiban watched you walk along the bridge. Several suspicious looking dudes nodded in your direction and you acknowledged their presence and continued on.
Once he was sure you were ok, he walked to Hamako’s place. It was bugging just a little bit that he knew you weren’t being completely truthful. But there was nothing much he could do about it now.
He did feel bad about what happened. He thought about telling you and your mother beforehand, but he couldn’t bare to go through with it, not really wanting to look at your faces of sadness and disappointment. It would’ve definitely made the years better if you could’ve visited but the limit was family and his only legal family had passed.
But there was no reason to dote on that. You two were reunited now and it felt amazing.
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