"You okay?" Haru repeated, still not letting go of her wrist.
"Sorry," Sakura smiled abashedly. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch… well.... I ate the appetizer, but yeah... I wasn't able to finish it."
Worried, he examined where they was before finally letting go of her wrist, "There's a konbini over there. You should at least eat—" (Note: Japanese convenience stores are called 'konbini'.)
"No no no! It's really okay," she gestured her hands. "I... still have food in my apartment!" she beamed at him as she bluffed, feeling as if she's already becoming a burden to him. "It's late, and you still have to go home."
"It's not that late—"
"AHHH!" she snatched the cup from Haru's hand and started walking again. "Where are we now? Are we close to my apartment yet?" She checked her phone but to her surprise, it was already off. "Ugh noooo—"
"I've actually memorized your address," he assured her instantly, following her pace. He stared at the woman's face for a moment to check whether she was about to cry again, but her eyes widened instead.
"Wow! You caught the cup a while ago and you've also memorized my address?"
"You know I just work nearby, so…" he lied as well. Apart from working nearby, he also acquired such skills from his training when he was still very young.
"Right, but your reflexes? I wish I had that," she chuckled.
"It's nothing special, to be honest," Haru ran a hand on his nape as he now led the way.
The cold breeze brushed Sakura's cheeks as she finally caught a glimpse of a familiar building that was only a block away from them. She hugged her bag and held her phone tightly as she quivered, trying her best to hold herself together.
He was still worried sick when they both stopped right at the entrance of her apartment building. "You sure you can manage? Do you want me to buy something-"
"I told you, it's fine," she smiled weakly at him. "And oh... about your shirt and jacket. I'll return them tomorrow… hmm maybe after lunch?"
"Return them once you feel better. You're not obliged to give them back right away and… I really hope you feel better soon."
"I'll try. Thank you so much. You've been the kindest today, Haru. Haru, right?" she asked, her vision was slowly becoming blurry. "Do you live nearby as well?"
"Yagami Haru and yeah, you could say that," Haru smiled, lying once more. Yagami's residence's on the other way around, and it would take him at least 30 to 45 minutes back to his place riding a cab since the last train departs at midnight. "Sakura, right?"
"Aiuchi Sakura. Thanks again, Haru. I'll get going now," she smiled weakly at him for the last time before waving goodbye and turning herself around, feeling sorry for not thanking him properly as she might faint and be a burden to him further. She proceeded inside the building in a hurried manner, while Haru watched her disappear from his sight before leaving the premises.
Haru had a hard time hailing a cab, and the time even felt slower that night. Tiny droplets of water began pouring again as he scurried into the cab, which stopped a few walks away from him. He thought of Sakura on his way home while watching the droplets of water form on the taxi's window; 'I'm In Love' by Tomoko Aran began playing in the background.
As soon he got out of the cab, the heavy rainfall drenched him before even getting into their two-story house. He used the flashlight of his phone when he dashed to the second floor where his room was located, but he almost slipped when he saw a man at the doorway of his room.
"Jesus, Pops," he walked towards him, turning the flashlight off. "Why are you still up and what are you doing in my room?"
Yagami Junichi, an average-statured man with short brown hair and was wearing a plain white tee and brown pajamas, glanced over his shoulder, "Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
"You're standing there without any lights on and you expect me to act normal?" he smirked, passing through the doorway and switching on the light of his room. "Next time, please turn on the lights. I don't want you to trip over something."
"It's alright. I'm used to seeing in pitch-black," he bantered. "Why are you drenched in rain though? Did you go somewhere?" His father noticed the small puddles of water from his son's wet clothes.
"Nah, just came back from work," Haru put his bag on the floor and searched for clothes in his closet.
"At this hour? You're usually back home before midnight.... hmm..."
"I just accompanied someone back to her apartment."
"OHHHH that's new. JUST accompanied? Am I going to be a grandfather soon?" he said excitedly.
"God. I know what you're implying," he shook his head in disbelief. "We just met, pops. Don't get your hopes too high."
"You have had no girlfriend since birth. Of course, I'll be VERY VERY VERY excited. So who's the woman?"
"A customer-"
"If you like her, then she's not just going to be a 'customer'.
"It's complicated-"
Junichi laughed, "My son who has had no girlfriend since birth is now talking about complicated relationships… very interesting."
"Oh please, go back to sleep old man," Haru patted his father's shoulder when he passed through the doorway again and turned on the lights of the hallway.
"It's sad to grow old, Haru," Junichi now spoke in a serious tone, turning to look at him. "If I didn't meet you that day, I would probably be dead already. I just don't want you to grow old without no one by your side, my son. That's why I'm so grateful that you saved my life and chose to stay with me... despite knowing that you might still have family out there-
Haru stood still on the hallway, "Why are you talking as if you're going to leave me?"
"I just hope you'll have someone by your side if I die one day. Or better... go back to your roots-"
"We're not talking about my roots, pops," he uttered and headed to the stairway.
His father smiled a bit as he watched his son go downstairs, "Go take a quick shower and sleep! I'll wake you up if you get nightmares tonight, my son!"