Words: 610
Characters: Arisa, Kureno
Time: Anytime after Ch. 54
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort
Disclaimer: Tayaka Natsuki owns everything.
Uo knew it was going to be a hard day when she spilled every grain of rice in the aisle in a single clumsy trip, and the one man she had ever cared for happened to be walking by. He stopped, pausing to look at her sprawled on the ground with rice pouring over her head. He smiled.
"Need a hand?" Kureno asked.
Uo felt her face grow hot. "Umm... yes, yes, I guess I could use some... help..." She trailed off as he leaned down, scooping up a handful of rice off her head and into a sack. "Thank you."
He looked down at her, a small smile twitching at the corners of his sad face. "You're welcome."
"Umm…." She had to build up her courage. It had been weeks since the chance meeting with the strange man, and she had almost given up hope, yet here he was, shopping in the store she worked. She had to ask. "I get off my shift in a few minutes. Would you… take a walk with me?"
He paused. "I was just shopping for the Main House. I was supposed to hurry back." Seeing the crestfallen look on her face, he picked up another handful of rice and tossed it in. "But I suppose a short walk never hurt."
Uo smiled.
oOo
"You're like a walking bird magnet," she said in wonder.
"You're not much better," Kureno commented, seeing the birds swarming on her shoulders to pick rice out of her hair.
Uo laughed. "Yeah, but this doesn't usually happen…."
Kureno looked away. "Doesn't usually happen for me either," he said sadly.
As Uo was about to ask what he meant, she found herself flying forward and her face hit the cement with a painful thud. "Ow!" She turned around to see one of the hated masked faces, her arms outstretched after pushing her.
"Weak little bitch," the girl muttered.
"Hey." Both Uo and the Yankee turned in surprise. "Do you often go around, pushing beautiful young ladies off park benches?"
"What do you care?" the Yankee snarled. "Found yourself a boyfriend, did you Arisa? He looks twice your age. Are you just doing business again?"
"Don't talk to her that way," Kureno said, his cool voice hard. He stood up and towered over the girl, who was tall for her height. "I don't like teaching girls a lesson, but sometimes gang members need a rude awakening."
"Don't you dare lay a hand on me," the Yankee said, pulling out a long metal pipe.
"Go." Kureno ordered.
"Fine," the girl snapped. She looked at Uo, who had stood up and was standing behind Kureno. She spat on her. "I'll see you later, Arisa… when you don't have your guard dog around."
"What was that about?" Kureno asked, sounding concerned. He turned to her to see tears streaking down her face. "Arisa? You're bleeding."
She just shook her head. "I thought they would leave me alone," she whispered. She sniffed, wiping tears off her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect for that to happe-"
"Oh, hush," Kureno said. He wiped a drop of blood of a cut on her forehead with his thumb. "I don't need to know what happened with you and that girl. What she did was out of line regardless. Come on, I'll take you to Hatori."
"Who?" Uo sniffled.
"A friend of mine," Kureno said. And Uo decided she couldn't care less who it was or where they were going, because he wrapped an arm around her and let her lean her head against him, a rock that she could cling to after the storm of her past.
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