Sora's POV
We fled behind the apartment building and dashed. Running as fast as we could through the alleyways and then stopped for a breather.
"You... are an idiot," I said with my hands on my knees. Trying to catch my breath.
"I froze for like half a second, how was I supposed to know that he would come out of his room!" Nowane said defensively.
"That's all the time they need to be able to get your description. You need to be ready for anything," I said as I stood back up and side stepped her while putting my hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry to much, it was one mistake. You just have to lay low for a bit"
I began walking and she quickly turned and walked next to me as we warily made our way home.
Once we got there it was morning and Nowane collapsed on the couch and I on the floors carpet. We were exhausted from the constant all nighters and lack of supplies but we knew that one of us would have to go do a supply run, and due to Nowane being seen I knew it was gonna have to be me.
We laid there for a few minutes before Nowane and I got up to change out of our suits and into casual clothes.
I grabbed my backpack and emptied it out to fit the stuff I was going to buy.
We still had a lot of money, but that was only from Nowane helping people with all her hacking business that I didn't even know how to explain, we also had money from volunteering at local businesses or offering to do hard labor for people's homes on weekends. Not to mention the occasional gigs I would get to do at bars and or restaurants that wanted slow guitar music.
Most of the money we stored away in a small safe under Nowane's bed that we agreed to only use if we needed to and to just use a small percentage of the money we ever earned on supplies and support gear.
I grabbed 2000 yen and went to a minimart.
I had my red-brown hair down and the side bangs fell half over my left eye. The scar on my right cheek was visible but I didn't really mind, I had loads of them and that one was the scar that I didn't mind keeping a secret unless I was out on the job.
I wore a dark red hoodie and black ripped jeans, scratches and bruises on my knees visible through the holes and I wore black combat books with the laces undone. I still wore black leather gloves though. They hid the small scars on my fingers that I didn't really enjoy looking at.
I shoved my hands in my hoodies pockets and walked into the mini mart.
The store was small and had a tiny pharmacy section in the corner with isles of food and small home decor around the front.
I walked into the pharmacy department and into the isle, picking up two different kinds of bandages and painkillers.
I also found some new black bandages for my outfit.
Shoving them into the basket, I walked to the food isle. Where I picked up different kinds of instant food and small snacks. Then I grabbed bottles of water.
I went up and bought my items only to have some money left over.
I was pleasantly surprised by this and went back to find something else to buy. After walking around for a bit more I found a cool hoodie and then walked into the music isle.
I picked up a new guitar pick from the small shelf and tested it on one of the display guitars.
Sitting down on a small stool with my bags at my feet, I took off my gloves and began to play. I sang a song that was close to me and drifted off in the music world. I didn't realize it until after the song that there were a few people watching and the small audience I had attracted gave a tiny encore to my playing.
Ive never been one for attention and usually tried to ignore it whenever I get too much that I can't handle.
Usually I'm alright with preferences but only when I'm prepared for the attention.
My cheeks flushed and turned red as I put the guitar back on it's display rack and grabbed the pick and hoodie. Then I rushed up the front counter and bought the rest of my things and shoved them into my backpack.
I didn't know someone was following me as I ran out the store.
Shota's POV
I went out shopping after the meeting to get some simple things before going home and was about to leave the store before I heard music.
It was soft and beautiful, but it was also sad. I probably would have thought it was in my head if it weren't for the tiny crowd that started to form around the music isle.
I walked over and peeked from the crowed. There was a young girl that couldn't have been older than 18 with her back facing me, she wore a baggy red hoodie and black jeans and boots. She had short auburn brown hair that fell above her shoulders. Her bags were closed at her feet so I knew that she wasn't looking for money. I didn't even think she knew people were watching her as she began to sing softly.
The song sounded like a lullaby that you would sing to a small child. She sang it softly but clearly. It was a song I'd heard before but I couldn't remember where. I felt nostalgic but sullen. The song struck a cord in my heart.
For some weird reason I felt like I'd met this girl before. The way she sat and moved seemed familiar for some reason.
When the song ended the crowd in front of me gave a small applause and she stood up in embarrassment. The young girl put the guitar back while putting her hood up and ran through the people, me still in the back, to get to the register where she bought the pick she used as well as a hoodie. Then she stuffed her bags into a backpack and ran out the door, her face blushing.
But that wasn't what also fought my attention after the song. I noticed how quick she was on her feet.
She looked suspicious for some odd reason in my head but I learned with this job that you should always trust your gut.
I followed her inconspicuously from behind for a few blocks when she flinched.
I immediately bled in with the crowd as she turned around to look behind her, I didn't have time to study her face before she turned back around and kept walking.
She walked a bit faster after that and I tried to keep up while on foot, but it was difficult to see the girl through the crowd of people on the sidewalk.
Damn it, this is why heros stay on rooftops, I thought angrily. I didn't know why I felt the urge to catch her, but I felt like I should.
After a while I lost sight of her and turned back home accepting my defeat.
Sora's POV
Damn that tired old man. He's still chasing me even off duty?! I hardly noticed him until I felt like someone was watching me.
Good thing I ducked into an alleyway and hid by a dumpster and watched him pass as he looked for me in the crowed, I thought to myself.
I sighed and went further into the alleyway, taking a shortcut home.
When I got back I saw Nowane on her bed with her computer out as she ate a bag of chips.
She looked up at me and smiled, "Hey, what'd you get at the store?"
"Snacks, painkillers, bandages, water, a guitar pick, and a new hoodie."
"Better be a big hoodie," Nowane said as she narrowed her eyes.
"Don't worry, I gotcha covered," I said as I pulled out a large black hoodie. Nowane and I usually had to share a lot of stuff for obvious reasons so we often bought large cloths that would take a while to grow out of.
I tossed it over to her and she caught it in her hands and looked at the front. It had the words 'music is cool' with a trouble clef behind it.
Nowane raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I raised my hands defensively and said, "what? If you don't like it then you can buy a hoodie the next time you go on a supply run."
She shrugged and put the hoodie down next to her. I went over to the cabinet and put all of the new stuff inside on the medium shelf. Then I walked over across the room to her bed and sat on her other side and looked at the computer screen.
"what are you doing?" I asked confused.
Nowane smiled slyly and said, "buying tickets to the UA sports festival"
I got excited and scared at the same time. I knew that we had a fake ID cards that we could use for identification but the fact we would be in a very crowded place made me nauseous.
We could just wear masks and hoods, it should be fine, I thought.
Nowane finished the purchase and told me that the festival would be coming up soon and that we should go in person because then we could get to see in real person the raw strength of the next generation of heroes.
After agreeing with her I decided to climb to the roof and watch the sunset before we would go out to work.
I climbed out the window onto the fire escape and climbed my way up to the roof and sat down, looking upon the horizon. There was a soft breeze that moved through my hair.
The sky was a mix of pink orange and purple, with the sun a blazing light setting under the building tops. Soon the sky began turning purple and dark blue, dotted with brilliant stars with the moon hanging above us in a crescent shape.
Before I knew it, the sky was black and the stars had disappeared due to people who had turned on their lights. The moon was still there though, forever a companion to the night.
Nowane came up and told me it was almost time to leave and I climbed back into the apartment to change, my mind peaceful and clear thanks to the sky.
What up guys! Sorry, I meant to post this yesterday but decided to hold off because my friends birthday is today!
This friend was the one who encouraged me to write this so I made the chapter long for her and worked really hard on it!
If I ever make any mistakes feel free to tell me in the comments.
Have a good day and thx for reading!
Bye!
~Care
(1867 words)