The weather is crisp, nice for a brisk stroll. Matsumoto's looking for a new notebook, and while she can always purchase one for cheap at the school's sanctioned store, it's always more fun to do some real shopping. Though she isn't prone to vice, no, of course not, one could say that this shopping addiction of hers might open up opportunities to indulge in other things.
Still. It's nothing but a harmless addiction, one that hurts none and benefits all. Besides, she's wearing her best shoes today, and a quick glance in the adjacent shop window confirms that she's looking absolutely gorgeous today; hair shiny and lips red.
She hopes to see Irie. She knows his schedule, his classes aren't in the evening and there's no tennis practice today; not that he'd even show up. She's sure she'll spot him.
Her heels click as she walks on tiled floors, rejecting advances from a man who looks eerily similar to Sudo-senpai. He follows her, the Sudo-lookalike, and she huffs in frustration.
"I'm afraid I can't go on a date with you," she responds, coldly. Her back is turned to the man, and all she can do is stand a little bit straighter, subconsciously throwing him a warning signal. "I'll be on my way then," she says, to no one in particular, but it is always nice to excuse yourself.
The man's still walking after her, and he's pulling out his cellphone, not giving up. Presumably, she would've started searching for an escape route by now, but she doesn't have to work any harder; the opportunity presents itself.
The girl, sitting by her lonesome, right across from her. Matsumoto walks over to her, smiling as she pulls out a chair for herself.
"Aihara," Matsumoto greets, her voice a little quieter than her normal volume. She sits down on the white chair. "Good to see you." She's busy putting her purse on the floor, underneath her feet when the man walks up, right behind her, and Matsumoto is ashamed to not have heard him coming.
She lets out a gasp when he reaches out and touches her arm, and Matsumoto freezes, her mind gone entirely blank. This has never happened to me before, she thinks, feeling the air leave her lungs. It's never gotten this bad!
A chair scrapes on the ground. "She's got a boyfriend!"
The man blinks. "Who's talking to you?" He asks, squinting his eyes at Kotoko. "Leave us alone, this isn't any of your business."
He's still got his hand on Matsumoto, and she swears his grips tightens. "You never told me you had yourself a boyfriend," he says, peering down at Matsumoto.
Matsumoto stills. "Why would I tell you that? Leave me alone," she says, emphasizing on the last word. She yanks her arm away from the stranger, and Kotoko comes to her side, gently putting her hand on Matsumoto's shoulder. The difference between her grip and the Sudo-lookalike's grip astounds Matsumoto.
"I called him," Kotoko says, staring dead center at the man. "I called her boyfriend."
Matsumoto knows she's lying —she hasn't even pulled her phone out — but she still can't look away from Kotoko, shocked by her bravery, shocked by her direct, unwavering stare. "Let's meet him at the entrance," Kotoko says, breaking eye contact with the man to look up at Matsumoto.
"Why're you calling her boyfriend? Sounds like bullshit," the man says, incredulous. He laughs a little. Matsumoto can't do anything but stare at the ground as the man's voice gets louder and louder. She can't do anything but watch, frozen in place as his shoes get closer and closer.
"I'm his sister," Kotoko says, glaring at the man. "That's why I'm calling him. Now leave us alone, or I'll call the police next." She turns her attention again to Matsumoto, pushing her forward with the slightest bit of pressure. "Let's go," she says again, though her voice is much softer. Matsumoto obliges, picking up her purse hurriedly.
They walk, briskly, quickly, with Kotoko leading them to the exit, instead of the entrance.
"Just to be safe," she says, nervously glancing at Matsumoto, who says nothing.
Matsumoto lets herself be guided, clutching her purse to her stomach tightly. She's finding it difficult to speak, still stunned from earlier. Her arm feels unclean. Her legs wobble a little bit in her heels. She's afraid she'll never see any man with a mustache in the same light again.
Glancing at Kotoko, Matsumoto finally speaks. "Does this happen often?" She asks, still looking at the ground. "To you, I mean."
Kotoko slows down her pace, a little bit, and then she stops completely. "Yes," she says, "quite often, actually."
Matsumoto frowns. "I see," is all she says, trailing after Kotoko, who's already started walking. She doesn't miss the way Kotoko's glancing around the shop, like Matsumoto is.
Eventually, they make it to a park, and Matsumoto expends all her energy into not tripping; damp grass and heels don't work together at all. Still, Kotoko's mood is contagious, and Matsumoto finds herself smiling as they walk through the area, smiling at the tiny kids playing chase and admiring the swimming white ducks.
"This is a very nice park," Matsumoto comments, sitting down on a nearby bench. She can't walk any longer in her nicest shoes, so she motions Kotoko to take a seat down next to her as well. "Why did you bring me here?"
Kotoko smiles at the ground, for a beat too long, and Matsumoto almost feels like rolling her eyes. "Irie?" She asks, before Kotoko can even open her mouth.
Matsumoto enjoys the way Kotoko's eyes widen, and she's surprised by the way Kotoko's cheeks color at even the mention of Irie's name. When she nods, Matsumoto stares off at the large lake in front of them. "I knew it," she says, to no one in particular.
She doesn't really feel like asking what happened or how was he like, when he took you here? A small part of her wants to, but Matsumoto keeps her mouth closed. She watches Kotoko instead, wondering how she's content with this silence. She'd suspected Aihara hated her.
"Why did you help me?" She asks, unable to stop herself.
Kotoko is quiet. "It's what anyone would have done," she replies, not looking up. "It's nothing special."
"Do you wish," Matsumoto starts — and she already knows she'll regret saying this — "do you wish that someone would've saved you like you saved me?"
Kotoko is quiet; even her feet stop kicking at the dirt underneath their feet. She looks at Matsumoto, her wide eyes shimmering in the dimming sunlight. "I already have someone who saves me," she replies, looking up at the sky. Reluctantly, Matsumoto looks up with her, glancing at up at nothing and everything at all.
Kotoko's voice grows steadier as she speaks. "Irie-kun inspires me," she says, her face softening. "I wish to help people like he does," she says and though Matsumoto feels her mouth curl with the urge to respond with something snarky, something rude, she is able to suppress it, simply for Aihara's sake.
"Thank you," Matsumoto says, quietly. "I didn't think you'd help me." She turns to Kotoko, squinting at her a little bit. "Were you waiting for him?"
Kotoko laughs, awkwardly. Matsumoto huffs. Of course she was.
They sit quietly for a couple more minutes, and then Matsumoto clears her throat. "I'll be heading off now," she says, nodding to Kotoko. She smiles a little bit as she walks away, leaving Kotoko to sit by her lonesome again.