Code: Execute

Code: Prologue

The boy turned to face the woman before bowing deeply and yelling out, "I-I'M SORRY I DIDN'T INTEND TO ACTUALLY STEAL FROM YOU! I AM JUST VERY--- wait, you came here to give me a meal? How did you--"

She already knew what the boy was going to ask so she plucked one of her earbuds out and extended it to the boy before saying, "—How did I know you wanted a meal? Here, listen to this."

The boy slowly took the small device and inspected it slightly before holding it up to his ear. He waited for something to happen before she clapped her hands. He heard the clap of hands in front of him, and an echo through the device. His face grew bright red before he bowed once more and profusely apologized for his episode she had overheard.

"Relax, you know you don't need to apologize for silly things? Trust me, I know how hard living on the street is, kid."

"Uh, Yes! I'll stop apologizing! Sor-- umm..."

She smiled softly at the younger boy before taking a seat on the grass behind the pair and patting the grass next to her to signal the boy to sit as well. She faced the large canal that ran through the Port town before asking, "How long have you been in the system?"

The boy seemed a little perplexed by her knowing question but sat next to her nevertheless before he said, "Since I was very young. I was unwanted by my parents..."

She nodded before sighing and saying, "We all were either unwanted or regretfully left behind."

The boy simply nodded in agreement before he turned to her with wide eyes and wearily said, "We-- you said we. Were you--"

[Y/n] simply nodded her head and said, "Yes, I was an orphan until I was fifteen. Then I was kicked out of my orphanage after I was in an accident of sorts, racked up hospital debt, and hurt some pretty bad people. But as you can see-"

She used one of her hands to indicate to the boy to look at her outfit.  She looked like a blue collar worker, perhaps as secretary at a large corporation in Yokohama.   She was wearing a pair of black tailored slack, a pair of royal blue block heels, a matching rooyal blue button up blouse that made her look more mature than she truly was, and her hair was styled in a professional low bun. Overall, her appearance screamed upper-class.

"But as you can see, I'm no longer in debt and I'm making quite a living."

The boy's eye widened even more before he leaned towards the woman and said, "I-I'm fifteen right now, so does that mean I'm reaching the end of my misfortune like you did!?!"

The woman giggled softly to the boy before saying, "Whoa, don't jump the gun.   Age doesn't mean anything, it's just a number.  So, your fortune may come when you are eighteen, or even twenty-five. The point is, don't let your misfortune right now tie you down because your life cn change for the better tomorrow."

The boy sighed softly before bringing his arms up to hug his legs and saying, "My fortune would be if I had at least one meal a day... is that so much to ask for?"

"Of course it's not too much, have you eaten yet today?"

The boy shook his head 'no' as he continues to keep his head in his knees.

She smiled softly at the boy once more before reaching into her shoulder bag and pulling out a small wallet. As she was digging through it she softly asked, "So, can I have your name? 'Kid' is getting kind of old, you know?"

The boy nodded as much as he could with his face still tucked into his knees before he mumbled, "Nakajima-- A-Atsushi... Hey, when I die will you remember--"

He was cut off by the feeling of something poking into his ribs, causing him to shriek at the strong tickle it had produced.

"You're not going to die, you're going to get dinner."

He looked down to his side where he still felt something uncomfortably poking him. There was a small roll of paper bills in her hand as she smiled softly to the boy and said, "Things will get better, trust me. You just need to use your strengths to help you cover your weaknesses, okay? If you ever need anything, come here and talk about death again and I'll probably show up, Atsushi.  Or, call the number I left in the paper roll and I'll treat you to another meal sometime."

The boy pushed her hand with the money away before profusely refusing to take the bills from her.  "I-I already caused you enough trouble! If someone else comes along and offers I'll accept, but you already made me feel like I could survive! That's t-too much of you to give me money too!"  She rolled her eyes before sticking the money in her bag once more before whispering to herself, "Code: Data Transfer."

The money that was hidden by her bag had slowly disappeared and would next be found inside the pocket of his own shirt. "I guess if you reeaalllyy don't want this money, then who am I to force it upon you."

She smiled down at the boy as she stood to her feet and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to go.  If you ever need anything, come here and mope some more and I'll be here as soon as I can, okay?"

The boy gave her a sad smile and said, "T-thank you-- umm... What is your name?"

"(L/n) (F/n). I'll see you around, Atsushi-kun." As she walked away from the boy, she waved to him and he waved back shyly before stuttering out, "H-hai, see you around, (Y/n)-san."

She smiled at the young boy's shyness. She had grown a soft spot for the expelled orphan during their small talk. But she now wondered why had she been so adamant about helping him versus the other's she'd heard in despair over her bugs?

She usually just checked on the person and either called the authorities if they were actually dying, or she just felt their grief in her chest as she stood and watched them self-loathe.

But this was different.

She'd felt the urge to adopt him on the spot and change his self-loathing, just like what had happened to her.  When she'd felt like she was actually alone and that her death wouldn't mean anything, a certain man came along and changed that.

Had fate brought her here today? Would she help the boy like she was helped when she was younger?

(End Chapter)