Random Meeting

An had expected Ritsu to run after her, but when she looked back, he was talking to that man and frowning. An walked backwards, watching their interactions. Ritsu's face morphed from a frown to a deep blush after his superior said something. She didn't know what had caused the blush, and she didn't want to stick around and find out. She had been planning on Ritsu escorting her home, as his mother had assured her he would, but it was easy enough to call a taxi. She wasn't completely ignorant to the ways of the world.

"Yes, I'm at the Teito hotel," An said into her phone. The dispatcher assured her a taxi would come to pick her up in about twenty minutes, and she closed her cell phone and slumped down onto the ground.

That was when she noticed she wasn't alone. There were plenty of people going in and out because of the various events, but there was a single man standing there, not far from her. He was tall and wore a suit, and he puffed away on a cigarette, his eyes narrowed like he was looking at something he didn't approve of. His brow was wrinkled, and An briefly considered telling him that the wrinkles would be permanent if he kept on like that.

Suddenly, though, the man turned and looked at her. An didn't have the sense to turn away, and so he said, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry!" An said, standing up and dusting off her dress. "I was just wondering what has you looking so troubled."

The man stared at her for three seconds before reaching over to an outdoor ash tray and stubbing out his cigarette. "Are you here with Marukawa Shoten?"

An shook her head. "No but… a friend of mine works there. Are you his coworker? His name is Onodera."

A dark expression crossed the man's face, and he reached into the pack of cigarettes in his pocket and took another one out. "We're in different departments."

"Oh." An stared down at her hands, which she'd clasped together in front of her. Suddenly, though, she got an idea. "What is he like at work?"

The man narrowed his eyes. "More diligent than I gave him credit for, apparently," he said. "I work in sales so I don't see him much." And that seemed to be the end of that. This man clearly didn't want to have a conversation with her. An still had several minutes to wait for her taxi, though, and the looming silence made her feel even worse.

"We were supposed to be engaged. Our parents set it up." It started out of her mouth before she could stop it. She wasn't sure why she was telling this complete stranger before they had even introduced themselves. "But Ricchan doesn't want to marry me. He told me that… he loves someone else."

When she looked up at the man, his eyes had softened, but only slightly. He continued to take drags from his cigarette as he leaned against the wall of the hotel. "That must hurt."

An bowed her head. "Yes." And then she looked at him again. "My name is Kohinata An. What's yours?"

"…Yokozawa Takafumi." He crushed his cigarette again and headed towards the door. When he turned back, though, he saw An standing there alone, staring down the street. "Do you have a ride?"

"Yes, I called a taxi."

"I can wait with you if you want. The party's over, anyway."