"That will be 2700 yen," the clerk replied with a monotonous tone.
He pulled out his wallet, handed the crisp bills, and then took the ticket.
Next, he stepped aside, glancing at the small screen displaying bus schedules. His ride was set to depart in an hour.
He moved toward the waiting area, where a handful of other travelers sat, some engrossed in their phones, while others flipped through travel brochures.
He settled into a plastic chair, letting his bag rest on his lap.
His mind wandered back to his plans for Nagoya, but before long, a familiar sound caught his attention.
It was the energetic jingle of HEO advertisements from a large LED TV mounted on the wall.
Visuals were captivating, featuring intense battles and strategic maneuvers.
"Ah, I lost again!" A voice echoed, drawing his attention.
He turned to see a girl in a gray school uniform, staring at her laptop with an annoyed expression.
'Is she a high schooler? No, she looks more like a middle schooler,' he thought, seeing her petite body and the black twin-tails that bounced as she leaned back in her chair.
However, he couldn't really judge, as girls in Japan often looked younger; it was in their genes.
For all he knew, she could already be 20 years old and was just cosplaying.
CLICK!
CLICK!
He watched as she tapped with her mouse, her concentration intense .
'Looks like she's really into it,' he thought, noticing how her brows knitted together in focus.
Unknowingly, he found himself staring at her, time slipping away as he watched her expressions change from focus to frustration with each failed attempt.
She was so into the game that he couldn't help but chuckle a little at her reactions.
But his amusement quickly faded when one of the station security guards approaching him.
"Sir, we have a report about a middle-aged man staring at an underage girl, " The guard said, arms crossed and gaze piercing.
"A middle-aged man?" Luck raised his eyebrows, glancing around the station in search of the rumored pervert.
"Seriously? What kind of weirdo would do something like that?"
"I'm talking about you, sir," the guard clarified,
Luck's eyes widened. "Wait! No, I didn't mean it like that!"
"Then what were you doing?" the guard pressed.
"I was just watching her play!" Luck stammered, heat rising to his cheeks. "I swear, I wasn't doing anything wrong!"
"Watching her play? You expect me to believe that's all you were doing?"
"Look, It's a popular game! I'm a player too," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
The guard remained skeptical. "So, what's your plan? Just sit there and stare at her?"
"No! I wasn't trying to be creepy!" Luck insisted. "I was waiting for my bus and got curious. Others are watching her too!"
The guard scanned the area and noted a few others watching her.
"True, but you're the only one getting reported. You need to respect personal space, especially with someone that young."
"Yeah, I get that," Luck replied, feeling embarrassed.
"Just keep it cool. You wouldn't want someone doing that if it was your daughter, right?" The guard's tone softened slightly.
"Daughter? I'm only twenty years old," Luck sighed.
"Twenty?" The guard raised an eyebrow.
"In any case, just be careful," he said before turning and walking away.
As the guard disappeared into the crowd, Luck let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"Hey, Onii-san, I heard you were watching me and got reported," the twin tail girl giggled as she approached and sat down beside him.
"What the hell? Please don't come near me or I'll really get arrested!" he instinctively stood up, clutching his bag tightly against his chest.
"Arrested? Seriously?" She laughed lightly.
"I was just… you know, passing the time." he tried to explain.
"Passing the time by watching little girls?" she teased, playfully touching her lips.
"Hey, hey, mind your words! It's not good to say stuff like that in public!" Luck shot back, panic rising in his chest.
He glanced around, and as he suspected, a few people nearby were casting him judgmental glares.
"So, it's safe to say that in private? Oh, Onii-san is naughty!" she giggled, pretending to cover her non-existent chest.
'Is she trying to get me arrested? '