"Library, then I need to buy a few groceries... should I go visit my mom? No, mom and dad might still be busy. I'll just drop by tonight."
"To the library it is, young miss." The driver said, slightly nodding towards the rearview mirror where Megumi's face was reflected. His eyes had a green color to them, emphasized by his white hair and white mustache. He wore a suit, but on most days he just wore his long sleeves to work. Today of all days was important, however, since he'd be meeting his employer by the end of the day. He was worried that he might get another scolding and that made him slightly anxious. Even after working in the Kikuchi household for five years, he still couldn't get used to meeting Mr. Kikuchi.
His name is Franz Schwarz, some even call him the butler of the Kikuchi household.
Franz parked the limousine with finesse, even though he was just parking by the public parking area downtown. He was always confident with his driving skills, and that's probably what landed him a stable job at the Kikuchi household. With one click, the rear doors opened, and out came Megumi. With a nod, Franz saw her off, and he stayed in the car for now. He still clearly remembered when Megumi was much younger, and she would always complain every time he accompanies her. Because of that, it was decided that Franz wouldn't do so anymore, and instead wait in the car. He didn't have to worry since he's got the young miss's number. And it's not like Megumi couldn't carry herself outside. No one would even think about kidnapping her.
"Let's see here," Franz muttered, bringing the car seat down so he could enjoy the air conditioning while he relaxed.
...
Hat and sunglasses, that's what Megumi wore to match her casual outfit for the day. Although she only told Franz that she'll be going to the library to get some reference books, she also planned on going to the mall and grabbing a coffee. It's only once a week when she gets to have time for herself and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest. It was her usual reset, her breath of fresh air, and no one can interrupt her, not even her acquaintances.
"That would be four hundred and forty yen,"
"Thank you," Megumi said, grabbing the frappe and the receipt from the counter.
Just as she headed out, she noticed a child, holding an ice cream, locking gazes with her. It was weird that the child watched her every move even though he was being dragged around by his mom. Megumi decided to ignore the child after awkwardly waving at him. It's as if the child was waiting for her to do something weird, or at least, that's what she initially felt.
"Over here!"
A lady raising her enthusiastic call attracted her attention, prompting her to turn around in the general direction of the voice. He was surprised to see a woman in a nurse uniform, waving toward someone on the other side of the street. The woman didn't bother with the lascivious gazes that some men gave her. But then again, it's not like her nurse outfit was provocative, in fact, she was just wearing a regular nurse outfit from the hospital. Megumi was dumbfounded at the men who were looking at her even though she wasn't showing off her curves.
"Ah, Kirisu-san," Hajime amicably greeted with a smile as he crossed the street. He was too focused on Kirisu that he didn't notice the all-too-familiar girl who hid behind an electric pole.
And yes, Megumi instinctively cowered behind an electric pole, just in case Hajime's gaze began scanning the area.
'Hajime?!' Megumi's eyes bulged as she saw her nemesis crossing the street. He was smiling like an idiot as he approached the girl in the nurse's uniform. At first, Megumi thought she was hearing things but she knew she didn't. Something inside her raged, and she clenched her fists. 'Did he... did he just call her by her first name? They were on a first-name basis? Then again, it's not like I care about his relationships or anything. He can go meet up with all the nurse girls she wants, for all I care.' She 'hmph'ed.
Meanwhile, the little kid that had been curiously watching the girl with the huge hat and sunglasses turned towards his mom, just when his mom handed him ice cream on a cone. "Look, mom, a stalker." The child didn't wash his words and went straight for the attack, all the while directly pointing at Megumi.
"Don't do that. Remember? I told you that it's disrespectful to point your finger at someone." The mom lightly reprimanded before pulling the child away.
'Stalker?!' Megumi glared at the child who falsely accused her, sending chills up and down the child's spine before he turned around and held onto his mom's hand even tighter, not daring to let go.
Because someone called her a stalker, Megumi pulled her phone out of anger and started taking pictures of Hajime and the woman in the nurse uniform. 'Just you wait, Hajime, I'm going to send this to our homeroom teacher. Haha~ you're done for!'
She was about to type a lengthy message to Akamine-sensei, explaining the details of Hajime's promiscuity when her hand suddenly stopped short. The image was already there, a close-up of Hajime and the woman in a coffee shop, but somehow, her finger stopped right on top of the send button. Something pricked her heart, and she couldn't explain what it was, not until she remembered the time when Hajime told her something.
'— if I were that kind of person, I'd have done something to you by now.'
That thought, adding to the weight of the fact that she was rescued by Hajime, made her postpone sending the message to their teacher. It wasn't right that she'd accuse him of something that she hasn't seen him do. And also, there's a good chance that everything was just a misunderstanding. In hindsight, Megumi knew that Hajime was dirt-poor, not to mention that he was trying to make a living for school. 'Surely... surely he doesn't have the time to do that, right?' Those thoughts drove her to approach Hajime, cautiously, entering the same coffee shop and sitting close by. She leaned in and tried to focus on her hearing, hoping that she'd catch a few words. However, it was the coffee shop's busiest time of day, and the noise made it harder to eavesdrop.
"Here... she... late... hospital..." Megumi was listening for a few minutes but those were the only words she heard. Just as she finished her coffee, the waiter came by to give her her order. She instinctively ducked, thinking that the waiter might give her location away to Hajime. To her relief, Hajime didn't as much as a glance her way— which was also weird, in a way, but it just proved that Hajime was really into the conversation.
He even handed her his hoodie?! Megumi was flabbergasted by the gesture. She never once saw Hajime as the flirtatious type, but now it was as clear as day.
'Sigh~~~ ' Megumi attempted to regain her composure, only for her heart rate to spike up once again as Hajime handed the woman an envelope. By the thickness of it, Megumi assumed that the amount of money inside isn't a measly amount.
'Gasp!' She inwardly exclaimed. The woman in the nurse uniform smiled, then patted Hajime on the head. It slipped past her mind that she should've taken a photo of the exchange, she was too shocked to even think about anything.
"I'll be going now." The woman said, waving at Hajime. This time, Megumi heard what she said clearly. Her ears must've already adjusted to the noise around her.
As for the woman, she pocketed the money as if it was her most prized possession. Hajime stood up as well, exiting the vicinity and heading in the opposite direction.