As soon as Takuma turned his back, Yuuki buried her face in her hands. Apparently, though, he saw. Of course, she thought, he doesn't miss a thing.
"Yuuki-chan, what's wrong?" The red polka-dotted oven gloves and Hello Kitty hairclips – hers – holding back his hair emphasized the O-shape of his mouth and his wide eyes.
"I don't think I can fit in any more cookies. . ." she groaned. Takuma giggled.
"Don't worry, you'll have digested the last ones before I finish making these!" He winked. "And I've put cinnamon in these ones!"
She let her head fall into her plate, but he cushioned the collision with the oven gloves. "Careful!" She scowled up at him.
"How about you go and walk the last ones off?" he suggested. "That way, you'll have room for the next batch."
She nodded and stood from the table, brushing crumbs from her skirt. Takuma handed her her shoes.
"Thanks," she murmured, hopping on one foot and then the other to get them on. She walked out with a nod, closing the door on a cheery polka-dotted wave. There was a dust track along the side of the road that evened out to a sidewalk after a few yards.
Although the town was only a short walk away, Yuuki took the long way, hoping to avoid people. She took a small side street that ran parallel to the road. The afternoon sun shone at an angle that left the whole street in shade, with the odd patch of sunlight from a window pane. She tried hopping to and from these spots, her mind elsewhere. The soft breeze blowing the occasional autumn leaf into her path was nice. Lingering at the end of the lane, she leaned against the corner, breathing softly.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the main street before her, basking in the usual lazy calm of a Sunday it was almost noon, most of the people living nearby would still be in bed. Yuuki could only see one other person, a young man standing alone at the far end of the road. She didn't think she recognized him, but he could have been one of the college students who stayed nearer the school during the week, back to visit relatives.
She walked alone with her thoughts for a while. Takuma was right, she was already starting to feel less full. . . but she still couldn't face the thought of any more cookies. And he knows I hate cinnamon, she silently fumed. Concentrating on this particular dilemma distracted Yuuki from the more pressing one – the fear she had of walking alone. She didn't know what she's do without Takuma, and Sayori, and of course... Zero.
Zero... That was another problem. In the time she'd known him, and that wasn't very long, he'd always been moody. But, getting that huge tattoo on his neck, and carrying an armed gun to school... That was not 'moody'. That was.. Yuuki smirked. That was what Takuma would call Delinquent Behaviour. She was glad they'd never met.
We can smile. And we can hope that her friend's new tattoo is the worst of Yuuki's problems. But it is not... Just ask the man standing at the other end of the street, waiting... and watching. Always watching.
It took Yuuki a few minutes to snap out of her reverie enough to notice him. Instantly, her worries kicked in and she wished there was someone with her. She was getting a bad feeling about the man... He was beautiful, no doubt – pale, pampered skin and tousled blond hair, and icy blue eyes that pierced into her – but his beautiful features were one of the things that made her doubt him.. No one could be that beautiful and not have an agenda. Odd logic, but there you go – that was how Yuuki's mind worked.
She hastened her stride, her eyes on the ground, planning to turn the next corner and double back towards was not going to happen, she realized, as a shadow fell across her path. She looked up and saw him; drawn up to full height he was almost a foot taller than her. She let out an involuntary whimper.
"Hello," he said, almost kindly. His voice was soft, but with a touch of arrogance. "I am Hanabusa Aido."