𝓘𝓻𝓲𝓼 | ʜɪɢʜ & ʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴛ

Chapter 2: Encounter with a blonde

She almost walked past the convenience store if the second song didn't end already. The girl went inside the store and immediately look for the snacks she wants and Kiko's.

She hummed quietly as the third song is currently playing on her headphones. She swayed a bit but was unnoticeable to the other people inside the store.

She was completely taken by the music. When she finally walked to the counter, she paused the music and let the headphones fall down on her shoulders. The girl smiled politely at the cashier as she handed her the money to pay for what she bought.

"That's not mine," Nozomi said when the cashier almost put a can of soda inside her plastic bag.

"Oh, sorry! It must be from the guy who just left," the cashier said. Nozomi glanced outside and saw a guy with blonde hair who just left the store.

"It's already paid, right? I can just give it to him," she said without thinking. Nozomi regretted her impulsiveness in helping people.

"Yes! Thank you," the cashier said as they handed her the plastic bag with the snacks that she bought.

Nozomi quickly left the store to look for the guy who just left a few seconds ago. She spotted him a few feet away and the girl ran towards him.

"Excuse me!" she shouted but the guy didn't stop walking. "Hey!"

The guy stopped and he turned around. At the same time, Nozomi tripped making her kneel on the ground. The girl winced as she felt the fall had scratched her right knee.

Why at this time she's wearing shorts and not pants?

"Are you okay?" the guy asked as he kneeled in front of her. Without thinking, Nozomi took his hand as the guy helped her to stand up.

"I'm okay. Thank you," she answered and looked up to see his face. The girl was stunned as she glanced at his facial features.

The boy, probably the same age as her, has blonde hair and round eyes. He looks like a prince that came out of a fairytale story. Plus, his voice is so gentle that any girl can actually fall for him.

But not Nozomi. She doesn't believe in that sh*t. Love at first sight? No way.

"Uh, I was actually going to give you this. You forgot at the store," Nozomi said as she took out the can of soda inside her bag.

"Your knee is bleeding."

"What?"

"Your knee," the blonde guy said as he looked into her eyes. "It has a scratch."

Nozomi looked down and saw the blood trickling down her legs. The girl felt lightheaded as she saw the red sticky liquid on her legs.

"Oh shit. It's—fine. Don't worry," Nozomi assured him but the strange boy gestured for her to sit down on one of the benches near them. The girl nodded as she was actually feeling dizzy at the sight of the blood.

The guy took out a white handkerchief inside his pocket and gently placed it on Nozomi's right knee. The girl hitched a breath as she can feel it sting.

"You don't have to do that, I could just go and buy Band-Aids at the store, you know," Nozomi told him. This is probably the first time the girl was talking a lot to someone that she doesn't know.

"Ah, stay here," he said and gestured for her to hold the handkerchief in place. The boy put the plastic bag with the items that he bought beside the girl and sprinted off towards the store.

Nozomi watched the blonde guy enter the convenience store with a frown on her face. She was reminded of her brother, the teenage boy who has the same hair color as her brother.

Not even a minute later when the blonde guy exited the store and ran toward her. Nozomi frowned as she looked at the Band-Aids on his hand.

"You really don't have to do this," she said and removed the handkerchief on her knee. The blonde kneeled in front of her as he peel off the Band-Aids and stick it on her bruised knee.

"I kinda feel guilty about it. You go on your way to just give me a can of soda that I forgot," he said as he placed two Band-Aids on her knee.

"That's just—it's not even your fault," Nozomi quietly said. The guy looked up and lightly smiled making Nozomi's heart beat faster. "A-Anyway, thank you."

The two stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds until the guy's phone started ringing.

"Oh, I gotta go." Nozomi nodded as the blonde stood up and took the plastic bag that he placed beside the girl. "Be careful next time. And..."

The guy scratched the back of his head and smiled at Nozomi. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yes, thank you," Nozomi lightly bowed as the guy left. The girl stood up and winced at the slight pain but she ignored it as she took the bag of snacks and walked in the opposite direction.

The girl suddenly halted as she looked at the white handkerchief in her hand. "I forgot to give it back."

Nozomi sighed but the girl then realized that it has her bloodstain on the small cloth so it wouldn't be best to give it back just like that.

"I didn't even catch his name," the girl sighed as she glanced at her back to see the direction the blonde guy took.

"Maybe I'll see him around," she shrugged as she continued to walk home.