What do I do now?
Hajime stared at the girl and the girl stared back at him, not daring to move. She was scared to the bones, and her body froze after she let out an awful scream. As for Hajime, he wasn't sure why the girl let out a scream like that when he was just trying to be amicable. There was no need for her to shout since misunderstandings would arise if someone were to hear it. Then again, she shouted anyways and so Hajime didn't know what to do.
"It's dangerous in these parts of town. You shouldn't be staying in the dark like that. Why didn't you go inside the convenience store?" Hajime worriedly asked. In the end, he couldn't even approach the girl, so he stayed his distance as he talked to her.
"I'm waiting for someone." The girl responded, realizing that Hajime didn't mean any harm. He was just concerned for her, that's all. And now that she thought about it, she realized that she misinterpreted his actions.
"So it is, but don't stay in the dark like that. For a moment back there I thought you were a ghost or something. Phew~" Hajime called out. "Why don't you want to go inside the convenience store though?"
"My sister might miss me, she's supposed to pick me up here. And what if she's going to another convenience store? I need to wait here just in case she calls me through the phone booth again." Fuuka explained, telling Hajime the whole story before she even introduced herself. Had she done so, Hajime would've been able to help her. He knows where Akamine-sensei lives after all.
"So, it's been so long since you came here and you got lost. And also your phone died. That sucks." Hajime muttered. "By any chance, do you know the address of the plan... or not, we can just wait here... sigh~"
Hajime was beginning to wonder what is up with today and why he was meeting with so many people. His social battery had run out and quite frankly, he didn't want to wait for the girl's sister to pick her up. He felt a tad bit exhausted, but even then he chose to stay. He dreaded the thought of leaving her and finding her in the news tomorrow.
Although Fuuka was a bit hesitant at first, she agreed to Hajime staying a few feet from her. Hajime didn't mean any harm, if he did, then it would've been obvious by now. The only thing he did though was strike up a conversation and he stayed outside her personal space. As the minutes passed and the two of them continued their conversation revolving around general topics, they still haven't thought about introducing themselves to each other, not until Akamine-sensei finally arrived at the scene.
...
Akamine-sensei was gravely worried about her younger sister that she immediately rushed out of her apartment with the vacuum still plugged. Still wearing her tracksuit, she rushed towards the convenience store where she and Hajime bought her supplies of cupped noodles and beer. From a distance, she could see the phone booth by the corner of the street, but there was no one there. Instead, there was a guy, hunched over by the corner of the convenience store, seemingly talking to someone on the other side of the convenience store. She immediately walked towards the guy, fingers crossed, hoping that he at least had any idea if there was a girl lurking around nearby a few minutes ago. It didn't even occur to her that the guy may be dangerous. Right now, the only thought that occurred in her mind was the well-being of her younger sister.
"Um, excuse m— Hajime? What are you doing here?" Akamine-sensei asked, surprised that she met Hajime for the second time tonight.
"Big sis!" A voice suddenly called out to her as Fuuka instantly appeared in front of her, giving her a tight squeeze.
"She's your younger sister? That's all good then." Hajime dusted himself off before heading his way. He can finally get his well-deserved rest.
"..." Akamine-sensei paused for a few seconds since she didn't know what to say. To her, it seemed like it would greatly bother Hajime if she were to ask why he was accompanying her sister and it would give him disfavor if she were to ask. He was the one who kept her younger sister safe after all, and he didn't ask for anything in return.
"Wait, um... " Fuuka turned her head, calling out to Hajime which caused him to balk. "Thank you,"
Hajime grinned then raised his hands. "No worries, do be careful next time... and try not to get lost." He advised.
When Hajime was already a hundred or so meters away, Akamine-sensei's atmosphere change as she glared at her younger sister. While she was happy that Fuuka went out of her way to visit her, she still didn't like the fact that she got lost. There was nothing she could do about it though so she just sighed. What matters most was that Fuuka was safe, she didn't have to get angry since nothing really happened.
"So his name is Hajime... Big sis, you know him, right?" Fuuka let go of the hug as the two of them walked back to Akamine-sensei's apartment.
"Yes, why?"
"Introduce him to me!" She cheerily returned as a joke.
"You little— "
.....
A sour expression flashed across Hajime's face as he saw a familiar face waiting by the front door. And no, it wasn't Megumi. If it were then the sour expression was uncalled for, at the very least. 'Why is he here?' There was an urge deep within to turn around and avoid the person but he was a beat too late. The man already noticed him.
"Ah, Hajime!" Kikuchi Koji called out, waving his hand as he ran towards Hajime. "I was waiting for you."
'Of course you are,' Hajime said to himself forcing a plastered smile on his face as he silently nodded before handing over a greeting. "Sir, good evening. We can go inside, it's getting cold out here."
"I guess I'll oblige," Kikuchi Koji slightly bowed towards Hajime as he opened the door for him. "Pardon the intrusion."