June 3rd, 2005 - 7:33 p.m.
She put the last snack she was planning to buy in her basket before making her way to the register. Thankfully, the line was short, so her turn came quickly.
''That will be 1.298,76 yen, please,'' the cashier said and Y/n paid before grabbing the plastic bag and bidding goodbye.
It was loud when she left the grocery store - cars and people buzzing about, creating noise as they went, tiring her even further. Thankfully it was Friday and her cram school had just ended, so now she could spend her evening relaxing and reading manga.
What a pleasant thought.
She started walking down the street, sighing at all the way she had to walk before she arrived home. It was a good twenty-minute distance, which caused her to silently groan.
Chifuyu felt the wind pass through his gelled hair as he rode his bike on the way home, a content smile on his face at the thought of relaxing with some manga before he had to go out with Baji and Mitsuya.
His eyes fell on a lone girl walking down the street, his eyebrows furrowing. That back, the one he's come to familiarize himself with the past few days of her always turning her back on him and Baji.
Slowing the motorbike, Chifuyu stopped next to the sidewalk and looked behind him as she walked closer and closer, her eyes squinting as if she was starting to recognize him. ''What're you doing here, Y/n?''
Is she going to ignore me or talk to me?
Do I ignore him or talk to him?
''Oh . . . hi, Matsuno, I'm just . . . heading home from cram school . . .'' Y/n spoke as she came to a stop next to him, her eyes falling on the motorbike he was still straddling. ''If I may ask . . . Why . . . are you riding a motorbike?''
''Why shouldn't I be?'' asked Chifuyu in confusion. Was there a problem?
''You're a middle schooler,'' Y/n pointed out the obvious. ''You don't even have a license, do you?''
''Don't need one.''
''You do to ride legally,'' Y/n reminded him, causing him to roll his eyes. ''Anyway . . . why are you here?''
''I was just on my way home and saw you,'' Chifuyu explained. ''You wanna hitch a ride?''
Y/n eyed the motorbike - it didn't look rusty or broken, but she was still scared to get on a motorbike ridden by someone her age. ''I don't know.''
''C'mon, I'll give you my helmet and I won't crash, I promise,'' Chifuyu said as he stood up and opened the trunk under the seat, taking out the lone helmet inside and handing it out to her. ''I won't ride as fast if that makes you more at ease."
She weighted her options. On one hand, she still had another fifteen minute walk to her house. On another, she could get there quicker, but possibly die on the way.
''Yeah, I'll just walk, thanks.'' She turned around and tried to walk away, but Chifuyu grabbed her wrist and put the helmet on her head, strapping it so it wouldn't fall off. ''Let me put that in the trunk so you don't drop it,'' he said as he took her bag of goods and put it inside before lowering the seat back down.
Y/n watched as he straddled the seat again, waiting for her to get on as well. ''Matsuno, if I die today, I will haunt you.''
''You won't die, Y/n,'' Chifuyu said. She'd just realized - when had she gived him permission to use her given name? She calls him by his surname, but he's always been calling her by her first name.
It wasn't that big of a deal right now, as she was about to sit on a driving bomb.
Swinging her leg over the seat, she sat behind Chifuyu and looked behind herself to see if there was something to hold onto, yet there was nothing. ''Hold onto me, okay?''
Wrapping her arms around his waist, Y/n noticed something. ''Wait, don't you have a helmet?''
''Don't use one,'' Chifuyu said as he pulled up the stand, balancing the bike with his own feet. ''It'll ruin my hair.''
She rolled her eyes. His hair. Of course.
''You ready?'' Chifuyu asked over the sound of the engine and Y/n nodded, wrapping her arms even tighter around him. And then he took off, with Y/n screaming once the motorbike started moving. ''Stop screaming, you didn't fall off!"
At his words, her screams died, though she still kept her eyes shut as he rode. Chifuyu, on the other hand, chuckled as he felt her arms tighten around his waist even more.
You're not in a shojo manga, Chifuyu, this means nothing to her, he kept reminding himself.
It took a few moments, but she finally got used to the feeling of riding the motorbike. Slowly, she let her eyes open and she looked around, seeing that they weren't moving as quick as she initially thought they were. It was kind of . . . nice.
''Can you go quicker?'' Y/n asked over the wind and Chifuyu chuckled.
''Sure!'' He said before he twisted his hand a bit and the bike moved quicker, causing Y/n to slightly tighten her arms around him again before relaxing.
''This is kind of nice!'' Y/n yelled so Chifuyu will hear her.
''I know, right?'' he answered, his eyes never leaving the road - he did promise not to crash, after all. ''And you were scared!''
''Shut up!'' she said, almost hitting his side before remembering he was the driver and reconsidering. Her eyes scanned the passing lampposts and people, everything blurring from the speed.
The ride to their street was shorter than Y/n thought it would be. She didn't want to admit it, but it was quite disappointing that it had come to an end.
Getting down from the bike, she unclasped the helmet as Chifuyu put the stand back on. ''Here you go,'' Y/n said as she handed it back, whilst Chifuyu handed her back her bag. ''Thanks for giving me a ride.''
''Yeah, no problem,'' Chifuyu nodded as he started walking out of the garage, Y/n following behind so he can close it. She looked up at where her window is before looking back at the door that was currently closing. So it's Chifuyu and Baji that always go out so late at night . . .
''Hey, Y/n, can I ask you something?'' Chifuyu spoke suddenly, causing Y/n to look up and hum. ''Why have you been ignoring Baji and me?''
She didn't expect him to ask that of all things. Now, she felt bad. It was unintentional that she had been ignoring them - she didn't even know they were trying to reach out to her. At the same time, she did say she would avoid them, so maybe she really did ignore them, just subconsciously.
''I'll be honest with you,'' Y/n said as she clutched the plastic bag tighter. ''It wasn't intentional, but I did tell myself I won't involve myself with delinquents.''
Chifuyu's face fell at her words and the finger that was pressed the button to close the garage door stopped pressing, causing the door to halt as well. ''I see. I mean, I understand your point - you're living in your own world and I'm living in mine. I get it.''
He knew it was impossible from the start. Or rather, he should have known.
''But,'' Y/n spoke and he lifted his head up to look at her. ''You don't seem . . . too bad. For delinquents, I mean.''
Chifuyu wanted to let the hope fill him, but it was too early. She wasn't finished talking.
''So, if you'd like . . . we can be friends.''
Friends. Yeah, okay. That was a start, right?
''Alright,'' Chifuyu agreed and he pressed the garage button again, letting the door fully close before pocketing it. ''Are you sure hanging out with delinquents won't damage your reputation, though?'' He joked.
Y/n chuckled. ''If it does, I'll just ditch you,'' she said and Chifuyu rolled his eyes, knowing she was joking. Hoping she was joking. ''Anyway, I've got to go.''
Chifuyu nodded, realizing he'd been keeping her here for too long. ''Yeah, sure. Enjoy your snacks!''
She smiled. ''Thanks. See you!''
''Yeah, see ya!'' Chifuyu said as he watched her cross the street before remembering to tell her something he'd forgotten. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yelled. ''Oh, and Y/n?''
She stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at him. ''What?'' she yelled back.
''Call me Chifuyu!''
Y/n was silent for a moment before giving him a wave. ''Okay! Bye, Chifuyu!"
Friends, huh?