Sign of the Times [Weak Hero x OC]

Chapter 11: Sleepover?

"We're going the same way so we'll head off first! Thanks for rushing over Mei, Gerard." Eugene said quickly bowing before walking off with Gray towards his cram school.

"Of course, we're friends aren't we!" She grinned and waved back.

Gerard and Mei watched the pair get farther and turn a corner before looking at each other.

"What now?" Gerard asked.

Mei thought for a moment, "Wanna come over to my place?"

Gerard's face flushed bright red and coughed, "uh-gh uh yeah sure."

"Great, where's the nearest bus stop?" she asked.

"Eh, just a short block away, follow me." Gerard began walking and Mei stayed by his side, "So you're really not from around here?"

Mei shook her head, "No, my family lives in Seoul ."

"Do you live here alone?" Gerard asked looking down at the girl who kept her eyes on her surroundings. He saw her roll her eyes.

"Oh yes let me tell a man whether or not I, a young girl, live alone." She laughed.

Gerard chuckled before mumbling, "Well i'm gonna find out soon enough anyway."

Mei slapped his arm, "Hey I heard that! Psh jerk," she side eyed him before laughing, "but to answer your question yes, but not technically."

Gerard cocked his head and raised an unseen eyebrow but the spirit was there. At this point they had just stopped at the bus station waiting.

Mei huffed before continuing, "By all legal means I live with my sister, but my apartment is more like a crash pad between trips for her. And her trips usually last 3 months or so."

"Damn. I thought you said you're not from around her though? Did you recently move?" He asked as y'all watched the bus pull up and Mei stepped on paying the bus driver, Gerard went to pay for his ticket but the bus driver waved his hand and pointed at Mei to let him know it was taken care of.

They took a seat, "You didn't have to pay for my ticket ya know. Believe it or not I am financially stable." He grinned and Mei chuckled.

"Yeah sure buddy, and yes we did just move, this summer we moved, or well more specifically I moved. She was here for a total of 3 days before heading out for some island off the coast of America." Mei said making some gestures with her hand's indicating it didn't matter much to her.

Gerard let her words hang in silence for a minute or two, he didn't know exactly what to say, he didn't want to make light of her situation if it was something that burdened her, but he also didn't want her to think he was pitying her. He decided on a good neutral, "I wonder what that's like..."

Mei shrugged, "In all honesty, it's pretty nice, I've got complete control of myself while still having a safety net to fall back on. But that doesn't mean it doesn't sometimes hurt."

Gerard's interest peaked, was he really about to receive limited edition Mei lore right now? "How so?"

Mei had her eyes focused on a random spot out the window before shrugging and breaking eye contact with whatever it is she was looking at, "Eh ya know."

It was pretty clear she was done with that conversation now so he didn't prod any further and instead asked, "how much longer will it be?"

As if on cue the bus rolled to a stop, "Impeccable timing, this is our stop." She stood up and lead him off the bus and towards her building.

Gerard's long neck cranes to look at the top of the building, "damnnnn" was all he said before following Mei into the lobby.

"Gooooood evening Carlos, is Milo doing any better?" Mei struck up a conversation with the guy at the front desk.