She felt warmth envelope her back and her arms. Her eyes fluttered as she fought to open them.
"Hey! Hey!" She could hear a male voice calling out to her. It sounded pleasant, warm and caring, but she couldn't see him, all she could see was darkness.
"Mmm…." Her eyes continued to flutter, light and a faded, blurry figure flittering into her view as she fought for her consciousness.
"Hey, wake up!" He shook her, trying to help her come to, her cat clip fell off in the process.
She felt him shaking her, and somehow it helped her eyes open. It was a tall male in a baseball cap, his long brown hair attempting to break free from underneath it. He wore a pair of pants with a black oversized hoodie.
She stared up at him, then quickly jumped out of his arms. "I'm sorry!" She glanced around to make sure no one saw.
"Are you okay? Do you need help getting home? Do you want me to call someone for you?" he held his arms in the air around her, making sure he could catch her again if she fell.
"Oh no, I'm alright thank you though! I just got a little overwhelmed…" she started getting light headed again and leaned against the wall for support.
"Hey…let's call someone for you okay?" A look of concern waved over his face as he bent down a little to get a look at her face. His eyes were filled with care and emanated an almost overwhelming feeling. She felt herself blush.
"Your face is getting red!" he pressed his hand against her face, "Are you running a fever? Maybe it's too hot out?" he started to fan her face, "What is your name?"
She gulped down air, trying to help more oxygen back to her brain. "I'm fine, really."
He glanced around the corner and looked around before checking his watch, "I have some time, let's get some hydration in you."
She WAS still light-headed. She hadn't eaten all day either, she'd been too excited over the text from Happy Wave Entertainment to take even a nibble of anything. However, just like she didn't want to risk it with Naoto, she didn't want to risk it with this stranger either. How would it look if she was caught with not one, but TWO different men? Besides, she was feeling some sort of attraction to this stranger, and that felt like a betrayal to Naoto.
"It's okay." Her stomach let out a loud growl. A red hue spread across her face as she placed her hand over it, attempting to silence the beastly noise that was trying to escape it.
He chuckled, "Come on, Miss No Name. Let's get you some lunch. Or at least let me escort you safely to wherever it is you're going."
She looked around, making sure no one was looking. People were passing by without taking any notice, at least that's how it seemed. "I-….I can't be seen with a guy…"
He smiled, "Ahhh…" She'd just come around the corner from SUN MEDIA, the very place he was headed, so it wasn't hard for him to put two and two together with that information.
"Would it make you more comfortable if you wore this?" He tugged at his black hoodie and pulled out a pair of sunglasses from the pockets.
She tilted her head and checked it out. It WOULD go well with her skirt, but maybe it wasn't a good idea. Her gut wasn't giving her any warning signs…
'GRRRRRRR'
…..except for a warning about hunger. She nodded and took his sunglasses, shoving them onto her face quickly as she waited for him to take his hoodie off.
★ ★ ★
Shade from a large cherry blossom tree kept them hidden in the shadows at they sat on a wooden bench in a nearby park. Minami chewed gratefully and happily on a sandwich while her temporary male companion sipped on a soda.
She reached up to fix her hair every-so-often, the hood of his hoodie crumbling her side pony, causing discomfort. The male watched her in awe as she sat there, swinging her feet, and taking delicate nibbles of her food. He smiled, something about her was tugging at his heart strings.
"So Miss No Name, will you give me something proper to call you, or is that going to be your identity from here on out?"
Minami bit her lip and thought. Should she tell him? Would it be a problem? Her name was going to be just MINA anyways, so what were the odds it would affect her? Besides, she'd probably never see him again after this moment anyways.
"That depends, will you tell me yours?" She looked over at him and took a bite of her sandwich. Her big brown eyes peeking through the sunglasses made his heart skip a beat.
"I will, but only if you're agreeing that you'll tell me yours."
She swallowed her sandwich bite, "I'm agreeing! You go first." She smiled as she took a sip of her own drink – a water.
"I'm Yuu." He smiled back at her, happy to finally introduce himself.
"Yuu? Yuu." She repeated his name, to make sure she remembered it, changing her tone as she said it to aid in her memory retention.
"Mhmm, Yuu. What is your name?" He felt antsy, he couldn't wait to hear it.
"Hmm~ What if I don't tell you?" His heart dropped.
"How can you go back on your word?"
"Oh, but I've already gotten your name, so I think maybe I shouldn't give mine."
"Miss…you're wearing my hoodie, my glasses and in your stomach is a sandwich and water I purchased for you. Haven't I earned at least a first name from you?" There was a slight hint of desperation in his voice, but not one that would be noticed if you weren't paying attention.
"Hmm~ But, I think I said I was fine to go home and you persuaded me here. How can I tell if you did that under genuine intentions or not?" She tapped her chin in thought.
"If you don't want to say, that's fine, but then I think it's fair for you to return my hoodie and my sunglasses." He was being a good sport about it and gave her a wide smile. What she had said was true after all, she did say she was fine and he did persuade her. It was genuine but not for the reasons one might think. He felt drawn to her, and absolutely could not let her go off on her own in that condition.
Minami laughed, "And what about the sandwich and the drink?"
Yuu laughed as well and leaned in so they were face to face, "You can keep those, I'm a generous man. But oh…" he rubbed his bare arms from the length of his elbows up to where his short sleeves hit, "..I'm so cold. What will I do without my hoodie now that this young woman has stolen it from me?"
Minami leaned back a little, nervous at his closeness. "Okay sir, I will give you back your things." She took his sunglasses off and handed them to him. He felt disappointed, he would've rather she kept them. She pulled the hoodie off, folded it and handed it to him.
Yuu looked around, checked his watch and sighed, "Why don't you keep it Miss No Name? That will give me an excuse to see you again," He hopped up from the bench and started walking away, "I'll see you soon, and please have my hoodie washed when you return it to me."
Minami stood and hugged the hoodie to her chest, "Minami!"
He stopped and turned around, "Hmm?"
She shyly buried her face into the hoodie, leaving enough space around her mouth to yell out after him, "My name is Minami!"
A huge grin spread from ear to ear and his heart started pumping, "Well then Miss Minami No Name, I will see you again soon to pick up my hoodie!"
He left departed and made his way to SUN MEDIA. His heart was pumping faster and faster. Was it because he had just met his first love or because of the interview he was about to partake in? Then, it dawned on him….his first love. Had she been that?
His eyes widened, he hadn't gotten her number or anything. He glanced at his watch, it was too late for him to return to the park and ask her for it.
He entered the reception area of SUN MEDIA. Surely, she had come out of this building, perhaps if he managed to get a job here, he would be able to meet her again. He'd just have to nail this interview and pray that both of his dreams would come true.
He pulled the cat clip out of his pocket and clutched it tightly, "Hopefully you'll be my lucky charm."