"Hn..." A groan slipped from his lips, the tweeting of swallows outside the window woke him at twilight, the sun peeking through the wooden blinds landing upon his shut eyelids. They stirred before opening, revealing his dark eyes which flinched at the sight of the bright sunlight. This didn't feel right, none of it did. Not the thin sheets, the comfortable bed, the subtle scent of jasmine on the air. He wasn't at home, that was for sure. Groaning, Jinto noticed that he was naked in a stranger's bed, trying to recall what had happened. His rough fingertips touched at his side, wincing a bit, the bandages were clean but there was still a slight pain present within his side.
When he winced, he came to notice that there was something that felt funny upon his cheek, he reached up, noticing that there was slit of flesh missing and scarring forming on his cheek. It was then that he recalled what happened, it was that insane chick who suddenly attacked him and stabbed him in his side. Miame. That was her name, and he knew her from a life ago, he vividly remembered her shortly before she dug her tantō into his side, but she had disappeared so long ago...
He snapped from his pondering, looking around the room which was definitely not his for it was much too neat and tidy, and lord knew that he did not enjoy the color pink in the slightest. The bed creaked as he sat on the side, scratching at his scruffy head, placing his soles down on the polished wood below and standing slowly, his balance was wobbly and the floorboards moaned as he took a few steps forward. He searched the room for his shirt--
The door to the bedroom slid open, and a young girl slipped inside--
"Ah~!" She gasped out, placing her hand to her lips to hush herself. Jinto turned, his face lit up a bright red as he sheepishly covered himself awkwardly. He blinked, noticing who she was and clearing his throat.
"K...Kaoru-san, right?" He asked, remembering
the girl from the evening before, she was the waitress at the teahouse he was spending his afternoon in before he was suddenly attacked.
"Y-yeah...you're awake! That's good...!" She chuckled.
"How'd I wind up here...?" He rubbed at the back of his neck as Kaoru made her way over to the window on the far side of the room, sliding the large window open and climbing out onto the platform that was just outside the sill. There was a small tub outside the window and a clothesline that weaved back and forth between the building across the road.
"Well, I was walking home from work..." The girl began, plucking Jinto's freshly washed and dried shirt from the clothesline. Jinto poked his head from the window, watching the girl observe the spot that was once stained, rubbing the texture of the shirt before wandering back over to the window--
YesterdayThe crows cawed, perched on the awning of a building, stalking Kaoru as she hummed. One of her arms were behind her back, her hand wrapped around the elbow that was at her side.
"Ah~! Kaoru-chan!" One of the vendors on the street called out to Kaoru as she passed by, catching the girl's attention and causing her to look up from the road in front of her. "How was work today?!" The old vendor asked, leaning over the side of his fruit stand to hear the girl out. She smiled sweetly and released her arm, scratching scratching at her temple, a large bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face.
"It was okay...but I'm really tired...!" She chuckled.
"Hahaha! Yes, yes! But there's nothing like a hard day's work to get you ready for a nice night's rest!!" The man bellowed, "hopefully you have a good one!"
"Un~!" The girl nodded, waving to the vendor, "Bye-bye, Tsuechi-san!"
She wandered down the road, humming a tune, turning the corner and heading down a narrow road. A small group of kids were gathered around something, some were squatting, knelt, while others stood and watched from behind them.
"Poke him with a stick! With a stick!" One of the boys spoke into the crowd, hopping and pointing at whatever they were gathered around. Kaoru curiously poked her eyebrow up, wandering over to the crowd, peeking over one of the boy's shoulder's, standing on her toes to do so. Below, in the pit of children, she found Jinto lying unconscious, his side wet with a blotch of blood.
"Omigosh!" She pushed through the crowd, snatching the stick from the boy who was poking him and trying her best to look intimidating as she wiggled while waving her arms. "Shooooo~! Shoooooo~!" She whined, the boys just stared at the girl, then looked at one another.
"Whatever. This was boring, anyway..." One of the boy's commented, murmuring among the boys started up as they worked their way up the street. Kaoru promptly knelt at his side, prodding at the boy's cheek with her slender finger.
"Ooooiii~" She moaned, lightly slapping Jinto's cheek. "Wake uuuupp~" She whined, but to no avail. She was there for five whole minutes trying to wake him up and checking on his wounds before she stood up, grabbed the boy by the armpits and struggled dragging him all the way home.
"And that's what happened!" She said, her brow furrowed, she tried her best to make a serious face, but no matter what face she made, Jinto couldn't help but find it adorable. They were now sitting at her dining room table, a cup of tea sat in front of Jinto who now had his shirt on.
"Ehehehe...you...you really shouldn't have gone through all of that trouble." Jinto chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ah!" She stood up, outraged, slamming her palms on the table. "But what was I supposed to do, huh? Leave you there?!" She asked, even when she was angry, he couldn't help but find it cute. He waved his hands downward, trying to calm the girl.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." He chuckled, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. "I just meant...you know...thanks a lot." He promptly began bowing repeatedly.
"It was nothing!" She waved to the boy, hoping he'd stop bowing.
"Ah? Was it really?" He asked, blankly staring up at her.
"It's what people say! Of course it was something! My arms still hurt!" She griped, plopping down in her seat, she pointed at the tea cup with a smile. "Drink, drink! It's my special kind!" She stated, placing her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her palms, smiling sweetly. He looked down at the tea, taking it into his hands, lifting it and sipping.
"So do you remember what happened?" The girl asked, leaning in further, blinking curiously.
"I was attacked." The boy sighed due to the steamy tea.
"Oh? By who?" Her tone was noticeably concerned.
"This girl who I used to know..she disappeared a long time ago..." He admitted, scratching at his chin.
"Oooohhh...a ex-girlfriend?" She winced a skeptic eye, leaning further inward, resting one arm across the table and grabbing her hip with the other.
"N-no! Well...kinda'...maybe...but we were just kids when we knew each other!" He frantically responded.
"Jin-chan's a playeeeer~" She said in a sing-song tone, snickering as she sat back in her chair, running her fingertip around the rim of her mug.
"Am not...!" He huffed, glancing off to the side.
"So...then why did she beat you up so bad? Was it because you broke her heart?" She queried with a smile, she stared down at her cup, resisting eye contact.
"I really don't know." He sighed, looking at the rising sun outside the window in the kitchen. "I should get going."
"O-oh! Okay!" She cleared her throat, "watch out for psycho chicks, though!" Kaoru chuckled.
"I will...thanks!" He turned as he stood, offering the girl a small wave.
With a sigh, he finally arrived in his humble abode, shoving the door open and stepping into the messy apartment with a groan.
"It's about time you came home." A voice called from his den, Miame sat on his couch, biting into a egg roll, her eyes did not stray from the tV screen she was watching. Jinto hopped, startled by her presence.
"What're you doing here?! You tried to kill me!!"
"Whut? I did
not try to kill you. If I tried to kill you, you'd be dead, darling." Miame sighed, biting into her egg roll again. "Do you like baseball? It's a droll game, really slow, but I can't avert my eyes ever since this team hit a...'home run.'" She admitted with a smirk.
"How'd you get in here?!" Jinto asked, distraught by her presence.
"I climbed in through your window...I did it once before when I first came over." Snickered Miame, leaning back on his couch, she reached to her side and pulled up a scruffy doll. The bunny that she named Funny Bunny all those years ago, one missing eye and it's side was patched. "You actually kept this all this time...? Yet, you don't remember who I am...?"
"You're Miame, I remember who you are." He stated, slipping his hands in his pocket, making his way to the den's opening and looking over at her.
"So, you remember our agreement, right?" She asked, lifting a can of soda to her lips and taking a sip before placing it back down on the table before her.
"What agreement?"
"You're my boyfriend now." She stated bluntly, "I like my sandwiches with the crust cut off...make one for me, babe?"
つづく
TO BE CONTINUED
