There were so many reasons behind my desperate cries for an independent life and a new school and this man was a major cause.
Whenever Father would demand the reasons behind my request for an apartment of my own, I'd never mention to him that aside from not wanting to be home, your daughter has been stalked by an old man ever since the start of her second year in high school.
I've had a stalker before, but he was a harmless, high-schooler and just wanted my attention. He left after I respectfully told him that I had no intentions of dating or accepting his feelings.
This one is different, though.
This man is not even a student, if I could guess, I'd say he's in his late 30's and, unfortunately he wouldn't listen when I asked him to stop.
That jerk stalked me for an entire year to the point that I had to come up with different ways to mislead him when I'm going home time and time again, but he still manages to see through it.
Just like a professional stalker or something.
I sighed.
Somehow, I was able to regain my calm and was crouching down in my spot.
Even if my head had been convincing me over and over again that I look completely different from what I used to be, I still can't risk walking by someone who I know is a stalker without anyone around.
Especially since I live alone.
True that I have Otani now and he's a reliable person but I don't want to trouble him. He has a life of his own.
The best solution is to wait until he leaves, now.
When though?
It's been about 11 minutes and he doesn't look like he's planning to leave.
Wouldn't be surprised if that's the house of some innocent girl he's stalking.
If only my phone didn't die, I would've recorded him and showed the footage to the police.
Not everyone can take his crap.
I was just a tolerant person.
Or a person who didn't have their father in the country and didn't want to get in the way of his business abroad.
Whatever, no use dwelling over the past. I need to find a way out of this.
There is another route to my apartment but that one is probably really scary and dark by now.
Sigh. I have no other choice but to wait and preferably in an appropriate spot where I don't look to be the stalker in this situation.
Deciding on that, I made my way to the nearby convenience store without getting noticed by stalker-san.
I strolled around and flipped through magazines to pass time then finally ended up with a pack of gum, because I'm simply poor right now.
Chewing on the elastic thing while sitting on the bench outside the store and staring into space was all I could do for the time being.
"... hey," a low, meek voice greeted that came from my right.
Knowing exactly who it was, I turned to face the person and replied with a somewhat cheerful tone, "Kozume-san! Hey there!"
"What happened to your glasses?" His question came out muffled since there was bread in his mouth while his hands were too occupied with his phone.
"I tried playing volleyball."
"Told you, your tosses were good," he replied referring to the tosses I give him to set when the team's practicing spikes.
"Yeah, well... that's cause I used to play basketball. Tosses like that are nothing. All I have to do is angle them a bit higher than what I'm used to. So I wanted to learn the sport in general."
Hay Stack only replied with a hum and kept typing away in his phone.
I sweat-dropped.
Totally can see how much he cares.
Pudding gets so passionate when it comes to games but volleyball is a very different topic.
Oh well, I feel relaxed and safe with him next to me. He may seem small according to the team, but to me, a 160 cm tall dwarf, Pudding is taller and just perfect.
As I relished in that fact, I noticed the glances coming from his side.
"I... I know you're still not used to it all, but... I can tell you're doing a good job," he almost mumbled the last part all the while staring at his phone as if what he said was just a logical thing to say.
Overjoyed with the compliment of a very quiet guy, I smiled and stopped myself from bursting.
I know his kind, if I make a big deal out of it, he'll regret what he said and never say anything like it again.
Wouldn't want to lose an honest complimenter.
"Thank you. I'll do my best." I whispered loud enough for him to hear and to prevent things from becoming awkward, a question popped to my head ever since I saw him, "right! Do you live in this neighbourhood?"
Pudding nodded, putting his phone aside and using both of his hands to hold his bread and munch on it, "not just me."
"Oi, Kenma! You had to leave the paying for me- huh?"
Yup, he realised my existence.
"Kuroo-san!" I smiled looking up at him, assuming that he too, lived in the neighbourhood.
"... and you are?"
With a closed eyes smile and an irk mark, I replied sarcastically, "You're always cracking jokes, Kuroo-san." As if he hadn't seen me without glasses before.
"You might wanna cover that sarcasm a bit," he smirked sitting beside me since our introverted setter preferred the edge of the bench.
That's the thing about sarcasm. It has to be as clear as day.
Its function is to test the intelligence of the person I'm talking to, after all.
(๑Ò?Ó๑)
Discusses a heated topic about the importance of sarcasm with Rooster but Pudding butts in and makes them move their butts
( ' ε ' )
'I have a bad feeling about this,' I thought while walking with Rooster and Pudding to my apartment.
There had to be a reason why that Rooster insisted on walking me home.
Not that I'm ungrateful, but why would he care that much? Maybe he really is a thoughtful and kind guy?
I really can't find any alternate motive he could have so it got to be it.
"Babe!"
Oh, no.
"Babe?" Rooster repeated after the three of us stopped in front of an apartment building.
"Yeah... Well, about that..." I trailed off but Otani gave me no chance to explain since he was right in front of us after being in his previous position which was right in front of his apartment door.
Sanic, dat you?
"I missed you so much~!" He whined hugging me and rubbing his cheek against mine. "Why did you have to come so late?!"
I can't believe that a grown ass man is pouting and doing this to me.
"And who are these two?!" The blond idiot suddenly questioned pointing at Hay Stack and Rooster.
After peeling myself off of him, I tried to introduce them to each other but a slightly hoarse feminine voice shouted, "Babe, what's taking you so long?! I'm almost done with dinner!"
Four pairs of eyes, yes including the never interested Pudding, snapped to the source of that voice. There stood a gorgeous woman with short, blazing red hair and bossy fresh, green eyes. She held a kitchen knife in her hand while the other rested on her hip.
"Babe, you HAVE to come down here quickly!" Otani called out to the woman as I placed a palm on my face feeling the curious stares of Rooster and Pudding.
Tsubaki, Otani's girlfriend, came down and stood next to her babe with a proud look on her face.
I can't even.
No reactions shall be coming out of me anymore.
"Our love-child made friends!" Tsubaki commented clutching her boyfriend like a married woman looking proudly at her child.
How many times do I have to escape being in the 'love-child' zone?
I'm leaving this situation in their very capable hands. Let's see how many misunderstandings they can make in just 5 minutes.
Otani rose one of his eyebrows in suspicion as he looked at Rooster and Pudding, "I don't know, babe. Why would these friends only be guys? And what're they doing here?"
Okay, this is rude.
If Pudding who was nice to me a few minutes ago wasn't with me, I would've really left the situation in their incredibly chaotic hands. Just to test out Kuroo, that is. I have to get a grasp on his personality.
But for now, since sweet Pudding is here, got to introduce them to each other before Otani can be any ruder, "Well, Otani, I just met them on my way home and they were nice enough to walk me home, so stop being rude and suspicious."
"How am I rude?!"
"Well, you're suspecting them of ulterior motives when they clearly wouldn't do anything to someone like me. They're not like that to begin with... They're nice, peaceful giants!"
"Gee, thanks." Kuroo whispered while his blond friend stared blankly.
"You're welcome," I replied turning to him with a thump's up.
The red head gasped, "what do you mean by 'someone like me'!? Give me a break you're still a beautiful girl no matter how messed up your uniform is or how wild your hair can get!"
"Yeah! A girl is still a girl, babe! You gotta be careful," Otani lectured backing up his girl.
Wow, they're definitely on a different page.
Heck, they're on a different book!
"Umm... Otani and Tsubaki, when I said they wouldn't do anything to someone like me, I meant bullying. You know? That thing still happens to anyone regardless of their looks and gender?"
The two 'oh'ed sweat-dropping at their fast and impure judgment.
Glad they understand now.
Honestly, even when I was living with Orihime and dad, I wouldn't get in this kind of situation.
Just how in the world is this happening now. Life is just coming up at me and going like, "yo, expect the unexpected," with shades on.
'And why the heck are those two so quiet?' I thought irked referring to the two giants behind me.
I'd expect nothing less from Pudding, but you'd think the captain might have a thing or two to comment about.
How disappointing.
His reactions were kind of fun to see.
They're always unpredictable and just seem his kind of thing. Like no one else can do it better than him.
Oh, I get it! Maybe they're in a hurry! Got to introduce them quick and set them free.
"Anyways, you guys jumped to conclusions and didn't even give me the chance to introduce these two. 2nd year Kozume Kenma, my classmate Kuroo Tetsuro and the university mentally unique couple are my neighbours Tsubaki Hana and Otani Naoki." I introduced briefly gesturing to each person respectfully as each bowed at the mention of their name.
"We apologise if you misunderstood, Otani-san and Tsubaki-san," Rooster said smiling like a professional businessman at the two after bowing to them with so much respect.
Wow, I thought with that arrogant feel to him, I'd never live to see him like that.
"We've just become close friends with Katsuhira-san and agreed on meeting up later at her place to study for an upcoming test!"
What? He's not lying but we didn't agree on doing any studying together.
So he's a cunning character?
It all adds up now, this is definitely the reason why he insisted on walking me home and he's certainly making my suspicions about him all the closer to truth.
Don't know if he's just inexperienced and can't hide it or he's purposefully showing it off, or, even worse, he's just trying to confuse me.
I have yet to know.