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Chapter 1—New Acquaintance
part I
Fluorescent lights buzzing overhead. Cold breeze spills out from the refrigerator, sweeps across her cheeks as she opens the door, she can hear the low humming of the refrigeration units. Her slender fingers roamed over the rows of canned drinks.
Then, her fingers went smoothly take out a can of energy drink, examine it first with her head down. Her face went upward again, looking at the rest of the drinks.
There are so many choice, she started to hesitated… But still, she has to pick one.
For today, she picked the ramune drink, even though she didn't like it—but maybe it can help her to keep awake, because a teenager like her can't drink an energy drink, right?
Well, moving on, her free hand closes the door before she walks past.
Walking down towards the cashier immediately and paid for the ramune. Nothing to buy anymore. And she has nothing much to say, only nods and says thank you after she pays for it to the cashier and walks, leaving the convenience store immediately.
Thankfully she wears a hoodie, or otherwise she might get cold. The wind breezes so harsh today. It creeps onto her bare skin, slightly trembling from the cold. The autumn season feels like ages, and she cannot wait any longer for the winter.
She just sighs. Well, what could she do?
She just has to wait, and at least she can prepare for the exam semester. She continued to walk below the lamp post while the night sky was hovering, staying on the sidewalk.
Her one hand stuck to her hoodie pocket while the other one on the outside grabbed the energy drink. She walks quietly with her head looking down on the pavement while she's lost in her own thoughts.
She couldn't tell if she's still dreaming or not because actually she just woke up not too long ago. Decided to buy an energy drink to clear her mind after she got home so she could work on her homework. Well, later on she changed her mind to buy a ramune instead.
Then, the near alley that smells like rust and damp cardboard pierce right into her nose immediately, she paused for a moment—looking to the dark alleyway that looks haunting.
For a second, the streetlight flickers. Either she chooses to walk through there or chooses the wider path using the public sidewalk. Her fingers tighten around the ramune bottle unconsciously.
Well, she could choose that path because the alleyway had a closer distance to her house than the public one.
"I haven't been down through that alleyway for a long time."
Well, at least that was what she was thinking. But she knows the risk: if she goes there, she will meet those guys again.
A sharp sigh, she's thinking for having a nice walk admiring the night sky than choosing to risk her dear life.
She forced her own legs to continue move forward. Though, she couldn't lie that she was tempted to use that path, but she tries to ignore the lure.
Her breath fogging in the freezing air and with the coffee that she holds for too long almost makes her fingers goes numb. Her eyes wandered off around, it's been a long time since the last time she walk under the night sky.
She knows it's dangerous, especially that she's a girl. But she just shrugs it off anyway.
But after a few minutes passed, this walk feels like endless loop when she suddenly doesn't know where to go again. Especially the longer and the more steps that she takes—the surrounding feels like getting faded into the darkness, at this point it almost being swallowed whole.
Her footsteps stopped there. Before it's too late to be eaten by the dark, she turns around immediately. Whatever what's waiting in front, it's not too late to avoid it.
Her legs moved on their own, carrying her into that alleyway. It feels like her whole body already telling her. It was dark and humid, but at least this path would get her home faster.
She paused at the front before stepping into the alleyway. Taking a deep breath, but the smell of rust was too strong.
Then finally, she took her step, almost too carefully aware. It was silent, too silent. It feels like the air holding its breath.
But because of that she startled of a dog barking so loudly in the distance. Her shoulders drop after she realized. It's just a dog...
As she walked further, she found the dog that has been barking all this time. Barking behind the house gate so wild, she wonders why the dog suddenly barking out of nowhere, and where the owner is... it's really annoying, you know?
But the dog suddenly stops and goes silent when she stares at them. Took a few second for her to just stare at the dog before continue to walk, never leaving the dog's eyes.
After a while she walks deeper into the alleyway, the distant sound of people shouting caught her attention. Her steps slowed. Seems like this path will never be full of quiet.
And as she expected, those guys were here. She hears the people fighting nearby in front, the sound of bone against bone. Then she carefully minding her steps and finds a place to hide—ducks behind a trash bin, staying out of their sight.
Peeking carefully, she tried to figure out what the hell was going on before she decided what she would do next.
"Seriously? Can't I just get home in peace for once?" She thought.
From what she saw, there's a kid around her age curled up and bruised, surrounded by three guys whose fists clearly didn't know the word mercy.
His lip was bleeding, and his eyes barely stayed open. He looks hurt, of course. But she's unsure if she should help the kid or not. Besides, she could walk away from there quickly and pretend not to see anything, not be involved.
But she shakes her head, trying to get her senses back. She can't leave that poor boy alone here. She's not that kind of person.
Then, she dares to get out from her hiding place, and her shoes hit the concrete with a thud, swift into the chaos. The loud thud makes an alarm for those guys and paused their action for a second.
But as they look back, there was no one there. The other just shrugs it off while the other one started to grow suspicious.
"Who's there—"
The guy didn't notice her—until it was too late. He had no time to avoid her kicks. She swung her leg through the air, slamming right into his stomach. He staggered back.
Her foot collided cleanly with the side of the other guy's head, the impact vibrated up her leg, a sharp jolt that made her teeth clench and also sending him reeling into a trash can.
The others turned. "What the—?!"
She didn't wait, no, she wouldn't.
She dropped low and swept her leg across the ground, knocking another off balance. The other one crashed to the ground with a groan, cursing.
"Back off," she said, steadying her stance. Her heart was racing—loud in her ears—but her body moved on instinct. Years of awkward taekwondo lessons from her father suddenly meant something.
Then she turned around quickly to the other side where the poor boy got beaten up. He looked... speechless, but in a good way.
But without a warning, she pull the boy's hand and run away with him. "We have no time—"
A loud ground screeching through the alleyway from her back. They gone mad, surely. "YOU bastard! Come back here!"
One of them lunged at her quickly. She stepped to the side and jabbed her elbow into his gut before landing a quick knee to his chest. He stumbled back, gasping.
But it was still two against one—and she knew it wouldn't be that easy. Her smirk almost slipped on her lips, feeling the excitement burn in her heart deep down, it feels like it's awakened something inside her.
One of the guys suddenly bursts out and tries to attack her. But this time, the boy that got beaten up still struggled to stand up. Weak, trembling, but burning with something desperate, he threw his arms around the attacker's waist from behind, locking him in place.
"Don't… touch her…" he rasped, voice hoarse with pain. The guy flailed, caught off guard, dragging the boy a few inches as he tried to shake him off.
"Let go of me, you freak!"
She was surprised and widened her eyes. Didn't expect him to fight back even though he's in that condition. But she didn't let her guard slip away.
As the boy held the guy's waist really tight, she quickly knocked him off with her kick by the jaw. Sending him to fall to the pavement.
Finally, the bastards gave up and just laying down on the ground after got beaten up by a teenager.
She felt relieved, letting out a sigh as she ran her hand through her soft hair gently before she looked down at the boy, who was barely standing. She gives a hand out to him, waiting for him to take it.
The boy that looks around her age hesitates at first, but eventually he takes her hand slowly and gets up, standing with his weak legs.
She empathized him, so she quickly hooked his arm over her shoulder and wrapped her hand around his waist, steadying his weight as he struggled to stand. He gasps a little, not seeing that coming.
"Stay still," She simply said while trying to walk as she carried his weight.
"You're too kind—"
"It's nothing." She replied warmly.
The boy stuttered to speak as if he wanted to say something else, but then he looked down at her. Looking at her skirt, she's been wearing it all this time, and he was taken aback. But as he examines her for a little longer as they both walk together, he sees her clothes looking familiar to him. Until he realizes she's wearing a uniform from his school.
"W- Wait… that uniform, are you from Hoshikawa Chūgakkō? It's already late at night, why are you still wearing a uniform?"
She stumbled after hearing him, clearing her throat. Well, his guess was right, but she didn't expect it. And maybe she's just going to ignore the last question.
Well, basically she fell asleep after school and woke up at night...
"Oh… uhm, yeah. How'd you know?"
"From your uniform, of course…" He paused for a moment, stopping walking as he continued to stare at her.
"What a coincidence because it turns out we're from the same school."
She turns her head fully at him now, tilting her head a little. Looking a bit confused. She feels like she has never seen him before if it's true that he's in the same school as her.
"Really…?"
"Yeah, why would I lie? By the way, what's your name? And your class...?" He hesitated.
"Inoue Kazuna… class 1-A"
He widened his eyes immediately at the end, gasping so hard.
"Inoue...? So you're—that weird kid? And by the way, we're in the same class—"
She freezes, caught off guard by the words.
"Weird.. kid?" She repeated. For a split second, something flickered in her eyes.
"Is that what all people think about me?" Her breath caught, tilting her head with confusion.
"Yeah, some people talk about you a lot."
She doesn't reply anything right at that moment, she just stares at him.
But then she added, "You seemed familiar… but I don't really know—"
"Seriously now? We're literally classmates." He replied.
They both stopped walking, no talking, just silent. Staring at each other with weird faces, they both didn't know how to react at this point because the realization was too sudden.
But the silence was louder than a scream, the awkwardness haunting them both as they kept staring at each other for a long time.
"But you didn't seem like the rumours…"
"What do you mean by that?" She's offended.
She paused before adding, "Anyway—you haven't told me your name yet."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, I'm Arai Itsuki."
She leaned closer towards him, squinting her eyes up at him with a suspicious look, examining him like a lab sample, before she snapped.
"Ohh, so you're that loser in front of the cla—"
Arai suddenly before she could even finish, he slapped his hand over her mouth, eyes wide with horror, his other hand quickly raised with a shushing gesture.
"D- Don't talk about that, please.."
She was taken aback by his reaction. Almost slipping a giggle under his hand with a smug expression. It's hilarious for her that she just saved a loser kid in her class.
Well then, after that they both continue walking through the dark, gloomy alleyway. But she doesn't feel that way anymore, because there was something about Arai's presence—awkward, honest, human—that made her forget the earlier chaos.
She can't help but feel a warmth inside her as she talks with him while walking down the alleyway. Something unfamiliar but in a good way—it's weird for her.
Until he stopped at some kind of small restaurant hidden inside an alleyway, she had never seen it before, even though she lived nearby.
But well, the important thing is that he's recovered a little, she's glad that he can walk by himself now.
"Hey!" Arai shouts to a boy that looks older than him while raising his hand, while she stays just behind him, not knowing what to do at this point.
The older boy turns around, sitting while grabbing a can of soda while he looks like he's having a conversation with another person in front of him. It feels awkward for her again.
"Heyy—oh… what happened to you?!" The older boy seems surprised with a concerned look as he sees Arai with some injuries. He quickly stands up away from the seat.
"I'm okay, brother… calm down a bit—"
"Okay?! You look like you got kicked by a vending machine!"
The other boy, who was just sitting and watching in silence, then snaps out a wheeze after hearing what the older brother's saying.
"Shougo," the older brother sighed as he turned his head at him. "Not helping."
"I am helping—emotionally. I'm the comic relief."
The boy who was sitting burst out laughing, while everyone just stood looking at him with a weird look.
"Just shut up, you're the reason we nearly got banned from that café last week."
"You're welcome." The person said with a smug face.
On the other side, she's just standing awkwardly, like a statue. Then she remembered that she wanted to go home quickly.
"Oh, yeah.. I gotta go now—"
"Wait...! Don't go first, I haven't say thank you to you properly,"
"Nah, don't think about it… it's fine, I gotta hurry and finish my homework."
"Homework?!" Arai said loudly, speechless after that.
At first she's confused why he reacts like that, but then she finally realizes that they are both in the same class.
"Oh, yeah. Science homework." She said casually.
Then, he bursts out panicking like there's a disaster coming. "I almost forgot about it, you're right—we gotta hurry!"
Then Arai ran wildly even though his feet still felt hurt and ignored his own older brother that was in front of him. The older brother looked confused as he saw the two of them and didn't get the point. Looking back to her for the last time before he's trying to catch up on his little brother.
She turns around, letting out a sigh in relief, thinking she can finally get home in peace.
Well, she's wrong about that.
"Hey little girl," Someone's calling her from behind before the person trying to catch up with her.
"I can walk you home, your house is near around here, right?"
"N-No… I can walk by myself, don't worry—"
The person clicked his tongue as he shook his head. "Nope, nope—"
He walks closer, then his arm crosses her shoulders and wraps around her back. "...a girl cannot walk on their own alone, especially in the middle of the night."
He guides her gently while walking. She doesn't have the courage to speak, even though she's a bit uncomfortable with it, but she keeps quiet until he lets her go anyway.
"By the way, I'm Tanaka Shougo. But you can call me Shougo—"
"Tanaka's just fine…" She replied, cutting off his words.
He was taken aback by her, but he isn't mad about it. Instead, he's chuckled because of it.
"You're Inoue Kazuna, right?"
"Just call me Inoue."
"Hm.. alright," He leans a bit closer, that iriking smile slowly faded into almost like a concerning look.
It feels weird looking at him like that. That expression doesn't suit him at all. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Tanaka freezes, maybe he doesn't realized it. "Uhm, nothing—"
"How did you know my name then?" She added.
"Is this an interrogation room?"
"Don't avoid my question."
Both of them freezes in place. It almost feels like the air hold its breath. "Is it really important?" He asks.
"Of course."
"Well then, did you believe me if I said I know you for a long time?"
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What?"
"Nothing~" Tanaka playfuly crossed his arms on the back of his neck and started to speed up his pace, leaving her behind in shock.
"H- Hey...! Don't you supposed to be walking me?" Kazuna tries to catch up with him, almost breathless.
Tanaka smirks while looking at her, but not in a bad way. But then he decides to stay silent after that while they both continue to walk down the alleyway. He seemed to notice that she starts to get used with him, at least she doesn't feel uncomfortable again.
She's... also glad that he doesn't say anything again, she just needs silence and clear her mind for now. A relief for her.
They walked side by side in uneasy silence, the alley stretching ahead of them along with flickeing lights. Kazuna burried her hands in her pockets, eyes down, glad that Tanaka wasn't bothering her with more of his nonsense.
But the silence didn't last.
Up ahead, as they take a turn—the flickering streetlight reveals a small group of shadows.
Three figures.
They loitered near the end of the alley—laughing, smoking, one of them tossing a broken bottle in his hand.
Kazuna's steps halted.
"It's them…"
She instinctively stepped backwards into the shadows, while Tanaka also followed her behind instantly as they pressed themselves against the cold concrete wall.
"You know them?" He asked quietly, something sharper than curiosity in his voice. And she knows what she meant.
She stays quiet.
Her eyes stayed locked on the group, peeking and watching them from afar silently. Calculating. Measuring distance. And try to find exit routes.
The silence between them only deepened his suspicions more, but he didn't push.
Then—
One of them paused mid-laugh. His head tilted and narrowed his eyes.
From that moment, the guy realized.
"Hey—!"
Unfortunately, her presence was too exposed and one of the guys noticed them, immediately pointing on her.
"That person! Catch that bastard!"
Kazuna clicked her tongue under her breath. She had lowered her guard, now their presence got exposed so... of course they ran as fast as possible.
Footsteps exploded against the pavement like crazy.
Thankfully, Tanaka seems to know a lot more about this alley, he grabbed her arm and lead the way. "Follow me."
She nods, and let him lead the way.
They bolted up ahead. But it was too fast almost make her stumbled on her footstep.
The alley twisted into narrower paths, the trash bins rattling as they brushed past. The footsteps echoed behind them—fast, messy, gaining.
He cut sharply into a side passage so narrow her shoulder scarped brick.
Another turn. Then another. She doesn't know exactly how many turn they take. But just how Tanaka could remember all of this path?
Kazuna nearly out of her breath. Her vision getting a little blurry and almost can't feel her own legs.
"Hang on—" He said. But she noticed that he's also out of breath. She can see it right on his face, but he's pretending that he's fine.
Kazuna couldn't let herself passed out here. She tried to steadied herself and forcing herself to keep her breath into rhythm, balancing herself.
Another turn, until finally...
The shouting behind them grew distant. They finally lost them.
In front of them finally visible the streetlights widened, houses replaced concrete walls.
Then they both fell silence, only their breathing filled the air.
Kazuna could recognize the streets. It's only a block away from her front gate. She stepped forward slowly while she tries to gasp for the air to breathe.
Eventually, she stopped in front of her house. The familiar gate stood still, untouched by the chaos.
She turned around back to him.
For a second, she almost said sommething.
But instead, she lowered her head in a small bow.
"...Thank you." she said, voice low.
Tanaka blinked, caught off guard by her politeness, then chuckled in a low voice.
"Oh?" he grinned. "So you can be nice."
She straightened up with a blank look on her face.
"Don't get used to it."
"Too late." He smirked again, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Pretty sure that he's feeling pride.
"You're already my favorite weird kōhai."
She stared at him with a neutral look on her face, unamused.
"You literally just met me ten minutes ago." She replied.
"And those ten minutes changed my life," he said dramatically, eyes shining like he was auditioning for a soap opera. He even started to brushed his hair back like an idiot.
Kazuna sighed, clearly done with his nonsense. She turned around, shaking her head slightly, and stepped through the gate quickly without looking back at him.
But before she could close it, he called out—
"Hey, Inoue."
She paused, hand still on the gate.
"I know you can fight, but still… don't let your guard down—"
A pause, he lets out a relieved sigh.
Maybe for the first time, he drops his annoying flirt tone.
"Take care, okay?"
She stiffened.
How did he know?
The weird thing is that she just met him earlier.
There was a strange shift in his voice—just a second of genuine seriousness, cutting through the usual teasing.
She glanced back at him, he was still standing under the dim alley light, one hand raised lazily as he stepped back.
"You're weird," she muttered.
"I'll take that as a compliment." He said with a smug face that still annoys her.
But he immediately turns around and raises a hand as he takes his leave. She just stood still looking at him, her hands still holding the bar of the gate, then she sighed… and the gate clicked shut behind her.
Kazuna opens the front door slowly and quietly, after she finally gets in, she quickly closes the door behind her. Trying to be careful to not get caught that she's coming home late. Taking off her shoes first, she ran silently like a silly ninja—tiptoeing upstairs, going off to her room.
Finally, the peace is back as she's finally inside of her own room. She takes a deep breath after she closes the door, leaning back against the door as she sits down on the floor.
Wanting to do nothing for a moment, her mind had been racing of all this chaos. Another sigh escapes her lips.
Well, she hopes she can forget all the things she just encountered that night so she can go back to her peaceful sleep and peaceful life after.
But, there's something made her paused in the moment of silence.
Right. The homework.
She hasn't done her homework yet.
Kazuna stomps her feet lazily on the ground, gets up, and stretches out her hands, getting ready to plop down on her chair and get to the desk.
Working late at night feels like a daily task for her. She ever go to sleep at 3 in the morning only to finished all her work in one go, even though the deadline were still a long way off. But she still does it anyway so she doesn't have to worry again.
But there's one problem.
Her eyes were already so heavy, even if she already drink the ramune, it doesn't effect her at all.
Head on her palm. She just blinked at the textbook for a couple second while her vision blurring.
But she refused. Sleeping is optional.
In other words, she didn't want to wake up as someone ordinary.