"Um…. Umi who was that guy you walked with after school?"
Sota froze suddenly.
First thing in the morning Sota almost gets a heart attack.
"Oh, that guy? Oh, he's just a random guy I met on my way home."
"B-but you were smiling and laughing, you seem to be enjoying your time with him."
A murmur spread across the class.
If looks could kill, the mysterious boy aka Sota would be as good as dead.
"I was, but that's all it was to it. We have no relationship whatsoever."
With that cleared, many boys sighed in relief, knowing all hope was not lost.
Sota was hurt by the fact that he was called 'a stranger.' He thought that maybe they had crossed the stranger part and at least become something that she could call an apprentice.
'I just got the wrong idea.'
It was soon the end of the day and Sota went to his locker.
Noticing a note stuck between, he took it out.
'A love letter perhaps?'
"Huh? Me? Get a love letter? No shot."
And Sota was right, it was a letter from Umi, asking him to meet her at the park.
Sota sighed. "A guy could dream."
====================================
"You're l-… Why are you dressed like that?"
"D-dressed like what?"
Sota was wearing a blue coat and a black t-shirt. His hair was finely combed. He wore dark blue jeans and blue shoes.
One would take one look at his appearance and say that he spent more than an hour.
"N-nevermind."
'I am starting to regret dressing like this.'
Sota had thought that this was the formal attire when going out with a girl. Even though there weren't any romantic feelings romantically, this still counted as the definition of a date.
"If you could remember before, I promised you answers. For this, I will need to ask you some questions to power a conclusion. Is that alright?"
Sota obliged and the questions began.
"How far back can you remember about your childhood? An average human can barely remember up to their 7-year-old self."
Sota thought hard. A situation never arose, where he would question his young days. This might be the reason that Sota was surprised that he couldn't remember anything until the age of 15.
"I-I can't remember. I have a slight memory of my 15-year-old self but nothing more."
"Is that all?"
Sota thought harder and harder. He felt that there was something out there…something locked so deep in his mind that he couldn't reach it.
"...….. will you stay with me forever? Regardless of my problems?"
"Of course dear! I would never leave you."
Sota clutched his head as he felt excruciating pain through his head.
"Sota are you alright? Do you remember something else?"
Umi's voice brought him back, the pain leaving him and the memory fading away.
"N-nothing!"
Umi touched his cheek and Sota blushed at the sudden contact.
'Her hands feel comforting.'
"You're crying."
Sota touched his face. Unintentional tears were shed. Whoever the girl was, it was something that Sota had treasured.
"I got dust in my eye." It was a classical and most pathetic excuse, but Sota didn't want to talk about it.
Receiving the message, Umi let go of the issue.
"S-so, what about your parents?"
"Well, they are in a different part of town. However, they text me occasionally."
"Sota, you know that there is nothing as 'a different part of town.'"
"What do you-… oh"
Umi nodded her head and sat on the swing.
"How far did your parents say the trip was?"
"As I could remember, they said something about using 2 trains to reach there."
Umi started gaining pace as she swung up and down. Judging from his expression, Sota could say that he was enjoying herself, and didn't intend to stop her.
She stopped as she realized that Sota was there and jumped out, flustered.
"A-anyways, there is only 1 train here. Which means that they are lying. They aren't even your parents to start with. Probably people up there or something else."
"S-so I've been talking with a stranger?"
"Yep! That's enough for now. I need to show you something else."
'Umi seems to take this news easy. 'Oh by the way, you have been talking with a total stranger who is acting like your parents, no biggie' was her attitude.'
The arcade was noisy as usual. People competitively try to beat the scores or to win as much money as possible.
"S-so did we come here to play something or…."
Umi approached the Pac-Mac machine, where another player was playing.
"Hey you!", she shouted at the player.
At the sudden distraction, the game flashed, "Game Over."
'Oh boy, he's going to be pissed.'
"What the hell is wrong with you, huh? Distracting me while I'm in the middle of a game."
'Oh wait, that's the guy who she kicked in the crouch.'
Umi held her head high with pride and confidence. If Sota wasn't mistaken, he saw the boy flinch in fear, but regain his composure quickly.
"How dare you talk to me like that? Do you want to remember what happened the last time we met? I could kick harder and kill your children."
The boy backed against the machine. He was now squirming under Umi's harsh gaze. Sota knew that he would do so too.
'Lesson learned: Never piss off Shoko Umi.'
"W-w-what last t-time? I-I swear t-this is the first t-time we met."
"Huh?"
"I-I s-swear. P-please."
Sota touched her shoulder. This was going way too far.
"Umi, you can stop that. He doesn't know anything. Besides, you made him pee his pants.", whispered Sota.
Umi's eyes widened as she spotted the damp spot on his trousers. She took a step back, letting the boy free.
"T-thanks. I needed that."
"Your W-…"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY NOW!"
A sudden gasp spread across the crowd as people turned towards the scene.
Curiosity got the best of them and they rushed towards the scene, only to be stopped by other people who had the same idea.
Sota was 6 feet tall, so he could see what was happening. A man, in his 30s, was threatening the cashier, who looked terrified at his threats.
"Are you seeing this….Umi?"
Umi was jumping up and down, the crowd blocking her view.
"I..can't..see"
Sota sighed and bent down.
On getting the gesture, Umi blushed at this.
After a moment of hesitation, she spoke up, "D-don't turn back."
"O-of course. I wouldn't dare."
Giving him a hidden smile, she got on his back.
'She's surprisingly light
Sota got on his feet, her arms were around his neck. He blushed at the contact. The sudden contact and her sweet fragrance were making him lose his sanity.
'No! Focus on what's important Sota'
"P-please understand sir. We have a strict company policy against refunds. It's mentioned at the entrance."
"Shut up! The games are rigged here and I demand a refund for this. O-or else."
He reached for his pocket and took out a knife. People around gasped in surprise and horror.
"I'll ask you again. Give me a refund or I'll slit your throat."
Seeing the horror written on the victim's face, Sota's body acted unknowingly.
He slowly put down Umi and reached for a pot, that was meant for decoration.
Carefully aiming it, he threw it at the man's leg.
"HEY YOU! I JUST CALLED THE POLICE AND THEY ARE ON THE WAY!", shouted Sota.
The man's eyes showed a mixture of fear and anger. He had lost his footing from Sota's throw but managed to get up quickly with his knife.
"I'll kill you, kid!"
With that, he lunged towards the crowd with his knife.
People screamed and ran away in fear.
Sota quickly held Umi's hand and dragged him out.
"I'll cut your hands off when I catch you!"
With many murderous threats, the man chased Sota out of the arcade.
"You had to piss him off, didn't you?"
"Well, I learned it from you."
That seemed to shut her down, as they ran towards an empty alley.
"I think we lost him."
"There you are!"
The man had corned them at such an empty place that nobody would hear their cries for help.
His eyes switched to Umi. He licked his lips and stared at her chest, his eyes emitting lust.
Umi hid behind Sota, her eyes showing fear and disgust.
"Sota, I don't like him."
This was the first time he had seen her vulnerable and afraid. He'll be damned to let go of the person who made her feel like this.
The man charged towards Sota, who dodged.
"Let's run back to somewhere safe."
"...…"
"Umi?"
Umi had frozen on the spot. Her eyes were midway at a blink and slowly closing. Her hands were positioned on the place where Sota stood before.
Time had slowed down.
"What kind of sorcery is this?"
Deciding to take advantage of the situation, Sota took the knife from the man's hand and kicked him on his back.
The man ran onto the wall, his screams resuming.
"B-but y-you were right here.", said Umi, confused.
"I HAVE THE ABILITY TO SLOW DOWN TIME. I'm a superhero!", shouted Sota happily.
He was feeling at the top of the world as he declared it. He held the knife towards the man, deciding to threaten him back.
'How the turns have tabled.'
"Now-…"
Liquid splats onto Sota's face and arms.
"B-blood"
In front of him was the man, who had widened his eyes and looked at him in disbelief.
A dreaded feeling arose in Sota's stomach.
"I-I just killed someone."