Chapter Two: Jade Encounter
A blond man knelt down idly to restock shelves containing different accessories for all sorts of different instruments. His place of work? A small music shop owned by his friend's parents, and speaking of said friend, she seemed to be in a whole world of her own, not even paying attention to the customer trying to talk to her.
"Um… Excuse me? Ma'am?" The customer called, attempting to gain the purplette's attention. The girl would suddenly snap out of her thoughts and be brought back to the real world where there was a customer patiently waiting for her.
"Huh? Oh! I'm so sorry, will that be all for you today?" She quickly rang up the customer and sent them on their way while her coworker watched the entire interaction. She didn't seem entirely present today, and that definitely wasn't normal for her of all people.
"Hey, Jirou, are you doing alright? You seem distracted." He questioned, making his way over to the checkout counter and crossing his arms over it as the purplette sat in a chair behind it, leaning back and propping her feet up onto it.
"...I guess you could say that. Remember how I started getting on a new train down here after moving out?" She questioned, crossing her arms as she decided if anything it might have been best to let out her thoughts so that she could focus better on her work. The store was getting quiet anyways.
"Yeah, you wanted to 'be out on your own' as you put it. What about it? Was there some pervert or something? Are you okay?" He inquired, standing up straight as a concerned expression found its way upon his face.
Jirou shook her head, causing the blond to visibly relax, "No, nothing severe like that… Probably." She commented, sighing as a light blush dusted her cheeks. "But there was this guy on the train this morning… I only really got a few glances at him, but I can't get him out of my head."
"A boy? Really? As long as I've known you, you were against the idea of guys entirely, there must be something about him. What's got you so interested in him?" He asked, tilting his head curiously as the purplette shifted in a mixture of discomfort and embarrassment.
"Well…"
Jirou found herself leaning up against a brick wall, waiting for her train to arrive and take her off to the other side of the city. Her place of work resided there, and luckily she woke up earlier than expected so getting there on time was practically guaranteed.
Not that it was important, but being on time to your parents' music store wasn't exactly on the list of her top priorities, it was more just lucky for her because now she wouldn't be getting chewed out by her dad.
Letting out a sigh, the purplette put her headphones in in order to drown out the noise around her as it was growing to be more and more irritating for her. Idle conversations and announcements from the intercom were hell for someone with Hyperacusis.
That's right, Jirou was born with Hyperacusis, or better known as trouble dealing with certain everyday sounds. Being in crowded areas like this could prove to be tricky, but music always seemed to be something that helped her deal with it along with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Taking a glance around at her surroundings, Kyouka noticed one person in particular, not cause they necessarily stood out, but it was a green haired individual. He appeared to be close to her in age, and on top of that his sense of style was appealing. She wondered what kind of life a guy like that lived.
He gave off a kind and generous aura, someone that would always lend a helping hand where it was needed. His clothes looked pretty clean, something you could wear for anything, and it was definitely comfortable. He was definitely a casual person.
But what did he do for work? What did his voice sound like? Maybe she'd regret putting her headphones in, there could have been a chance that she could hear him.
As the train pulled into the station, the brakes screeching just until it came to a full stop and began to let off other passengers, Kyouka slipped a bit closer getting a closer look at his facial features, noting the small amount of freckles that laid upon his cheeks. He looked almost boyish, a younger looking face that could hold intensity when he was serious.
She blushed a tad, noting her own thoughts beginning to swim with certain words, namely "Handsome" or "Cute" to describe the greenette. His hair was unruly, and yet for some reason it suited him. She normally wouldn't have given this much attention to someone, but there was just something about him that drew her in.
Soon enough they would enter the train on their own, Kyouka finding herself right by him once again as if the universe was just pushing her towards him, yet she couldn't bring herself to look at him now. Standing so close to him made her heart race, it was almost as if she was dealing with a highschool crush and she hadn't even spoken to the man. Why was she so nervous?
Was she afraid that if she passed a glance, he'd notice? Would he be weirded out if he did notice? What if he was sketchy? Would she have to initiate a conversation? Does she want to talk to him?
Her mind flooded with countless thoughts, consuming the time she had to make a decision and eventually came the time for him to depart the train. His stop had arrived and she watched as he got up almost in a hurry and rushed off to exit the station. He was gone before she could make up her mind and she scolded herself for letting the opportunity pass. Now all she could tell herself was:
Next time. Next time for sure.
"So I told myself that I would try to talk to him next time. I don't even know how I'd go about it! I've never even been this interested in a person before, and a stranger no less!" She exclaimed, slapping a hand to her forehead and groaning in annoyance. This situation was just too… Not her, and she didn't know how to deal with it. "But you don't even know, he was just… Dude, I can't even put it any other way, he was hot. I didn't even think I had a type until I saw him."
"So you saw a guy who was so attractive you ended up daydreaming about him, and ended up wanting to get to know him despite the fact that he could be some crazy stranger with issues?" The blond suggested, giving the purplette an unamused expression as she averted his judgemental gaze by turning her head away from him.
"...Well when you put it like that." She mumbled, feeling a lot more uncomfortable about the situation thanks to her friend's judgement. "At least this stranger hasn't treated me like garbage for the last 4 years, Kaminari."
"Not my fault you're living to regret befriending me. I did warn you." The boy countered, smirking smugly as the purplette furrowed her brows and stuck her tongue out in retaliation, to which he would return in kind.
"Jerk. I just don't know what to do about this guy. I'm not even sure I'll see him again, and I was trying to plan to talk to him!?" She exclaimed, slapping a hand to her forehead once more as she realized that her lack of knowledge didn't only add to his mysterious appeal, but also left Jirou with no general idea of his life or schedule. "God, I'm such an idiot…"
"Hey, you said it, not me." Kaminari teased, earning a punch straight to his bicep. "Ow… Hey, you don't have to take your anger out on me! It's not my fault, you just have to hope for the best and see if he's there tomorrow."
Kyouka sighed, "Yeah, you're right… But do you think he'll really even be there? It's a 50/50 chance…"
Kaminari shrugged, not really giving the question much thought. "Well, you just have to wait and see. I'm sure if he's on your new train he must have been using it prior to you even using it. It's likely you're bound to see him again. Just don't chicken out."
"Pfft, as if I'd chicken out."
But the next day came, and yet Jirou couldn't muster up the courage to approach the green haired man. Day after day would past and each time she'd get too nervous and chicken out of conversing with him. She didn't even really understand why, but each time she went to approach him she felt like her heart would stop and she'd freeze up. It was just like the first day all over again, she fantasized about him endlessly, and when it came to approaching him she just couldn't and she'd miss her opportunity.
The man, however, apparently never even noticed her struggle all throughout the times she made it a point to sit by him. He was so close, and yet so far. He was almost touchable, and all she needed to do was reach out, but she couldn't. Or maybe it was more that she wouldn't even know what to say if she did reach out.
He was a tall mysterious man, surely there had to have been some red flags about him, but on top of it all he was just so… Attractive? Alluring? Some word that meant he just had this energy to him that drew her in. Perhaps it was the way he dressed, everything that he wore just fit him better than the last.
Perhaps it was the way he carried himself, he was quiet, it was easy for him to blend in, but he was so much of an individual that he stood out even during the most crowded of days on the train. He was average in most areas, at least visibly, and yet he also wasn't. He definitely had been through enough that he knew what he wanted, and how he wanted others to think of him.
Perhaps it was his face, as mentioned prior he looked almost innocent and pure, like a young boy yet to be exposed to the cruelty of the world, and yet he was a grown man, someone who knew all of the wrong in the world and yet continued to stay optimistic. His expressions were gentle, sometimes smiling softly at his phone as he scrolled through social media, or letting out hums while listening to music.
Maybe it was just all of those things combined, but those were the same very reasons that it was difficult to approach him. He seemed so… Unapproachable. It was like the universe was telling her that it wasn't the right time or something. How cruel, right?
"So, how goes attempt number I-lost-track?" Kaminari questioned as Kyouka made her way into her building of employment, obviously with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Once again, it doesn't go in my favor. I don't get how I could mess this up this many times! I just freeze up when he's around, I'm usually never this nervous. Is this what a crush feels like?" Jirou questioned, turning to her friend almost in disbelief of what was happening to her, only being cemented by the blond nodding in confirmation.
"As far as I know, yeah, that's how crushes are sometimes. Seems to me like you're crushing hard on this dude." He stated, flipping through his phone idly as he leaned back in the stool that sat behind the cash register. "You're just doomed at this point, unless you manage some way to get over yourself."
"What does that even mean, 'get over myself'?" Jirou questioned, raising a brow curiously as she removed her jacket and went into the back room to clock in, being followed by her coworker so that they could continue their conversation.
"Well, you should just kinda force yourself to talk to him, right? Or try bumping into him by 'accident' or something." The blond suggested, shrugging as he leaned against the wall of the back room and crossed his arms.
"Bump into him… You're a moron, but that might have just been your greatest idea yet!" The purplette semi-complimented, earning a frown from the blond as he let out a sigh. "All I have to do is create a situation where we can strike up a conversation! It was so simple yet I didn't even consider it."
"You're welcome, tiny."
"I will gut you."
"Already out the door." Kaminari informed, his voice growing quieter as he made his way out of the back room and back to the cash register where there were a few customers waiting for him to ring them up.
All she had left to do now was conjure up a plan to get to talk to him, it needed to be smooth, something where no one could figure that it was staged. Maybe she could try tripping in front of him, or bumping his shoulder due to the sway of the train?
She'd have to come up with something,, luckily she had most of her shift to try and come up with a plan and prepare herself for it when she got home. It was often pretty quiet in a music store, surprisingly enough.
"Oh, you're done. Hey, remember to be on time tomorrow, we're getting a few shipments according to your old man." Kaminari informed, turning his head to the purplette as she eventually made her way out of the backroom and out to the front of the store where she'd wait for any customers to cruise into the store.
"Oh please, I haven't been late once since I moved." The purplette shrugged off, kicking the blond out of her seat with a snicker as the blond groaned in pain and annoyance.
"Yeah, but even when you were living close by you somehow managed to be late. I'm just saying, your dad would be pretty pissed if you started that streak again." The boy commented, lifting himself off the ground with a hint of annoyance in his tone. The two had been good friends for quite some time, but there would always be some grievances with all friendships. Kaminaris just happened to be how quickly the girl would turn to violence. "And would you stop kicking me!?"
"I'll stop kicking when you stop assuming I'm gonna be late all the time." She teased, providing the blond with another, lighter kick to his calves. "Seriously, give me a little more credit."
"Whatever, just don't be late. We're expecting a shipment of guitars and I expect you to be there on time to help us." He stated, almost like it was a command. Jirou got the idea, there was no reason for her to be late, especially considering she isn't going to be talking to that guy anytime soon. She will be on time tomorrow.
"I swear, I won't be even a minute late."
'Shit! I'm gonna be so late!' The purplette shouted internally as she rushed around her apartment, rushing to get dressed, brush her teeth, and get herself breakfast before having to leave on time to get to the station before her train departs. 'I really shouldn't have tried to stay up last night, I almost missed my alarm…'
Jirou was able to get dressed and brush her teeth relatively quickly, only taking about 8 minutes in total before heading off to the kitchen to make herself at least some toast before she'd take off for the station.
She put on a black sleeveless graphic tee that displayed a red soundwave, and gray jean shorts with some red chucks. Of course she made sure she had on silver earrings with onyx gemstones that she inherited from her grandmother before she passed, and some black string bracelets.
As she waited for the toast to finish in the toaster, the purplette glanced to the case that contained her bass and silently made the decision to bring it along with her to the shop, if she were going to suffer through another long day at the store, she might as well have some form of entertainment that wasn't braindead social media, or messing with her coworker.
Snagging her toast right as it was ejected from the toaster, the girl made quick work of buttering it before grabbing her case and speeding out the door, making sure to lock it on her way out. She was already on a roll, and surely she had enough time to get to her train and clock in before she was technically marked as late, right?
Checking her phone Jirou was quickly proven wrong, realizing that she had no time to walk and sightsee like she normally would have, instead now she had to plug her headphones into her ears and sprint for the station if she hoped to make it on time.
'Fuck' She exclaimed internally, dashing down the corridor of herr apartment complex, not even bothering to give the elevator any consideration, and instead she decided to slide down the railing of the staircase that descended to the main floor, which obviously lead out to the main street that could take her to the station.
As soon as she was out the door the girl turned a full ninety degrees towards the road that would lead her to the station and took off, using what agility she had acquired over the years running from police during highschool parties, or just what she had from going to the gym on a regular basis she was making good time.
Her music stayed blasting in her ears, almost as if it were the soundtrack to her current predicament and she smiled at the reminder that music just had the ability to create the mood or fit one regardless of time or place. It was the perfect song that fit the perfect rush; she better get going!
Soon the train station came into view, the stairs being full of people in her way, but she wasn't going to let that stop her! Jirou pushed her way through the crowd, stumbling slightly as some people just weren't out of the way in time, but she remained on her feet. Somewhere while climbing up the stairs she could hear the breaking of a train, presumably the one she would take to work; She needed to hurry!
Becoming more aggressive with the crowd, the purplette made her way through the populus, using her bass in order to ward off anyone who thought it was a bright idea to stand in her way. She wasn't heartless, of course she'd offer apologies as she came and went, but no one could have been holding a sliver of her full attention. She was preoccupied worrying about if she'd make it or not.
Finally reaching the summit, Jirou glanced around, spotting her train a few yards in front of her with the doors closing before her very eyes, she couldn't help but call out to someone, anyone. "Wait! Someone, please hold the door! Please!"
Just as the door almost closed before her, a hand reached out, forcing the doors to open fully and allowing the purplette to stumble inside of the train, grateful to the stranger who held the door for her.
"Phew, thank god I made it…" The girl mumbled through labored breaths before turning to the stranger who had been her savior, and locked eyes with him as he looked her once over. Both their eyes seemingly widened in surprise, Kyouka herself feeling a blush rise to her cheeks as she finally stared the man that had her mind captive in the eyes.
"U-Uh… H-Hey." He greeted awkwardly, bringing a shaky hand up to wave at her as her heart began to beat out of her chest, and yet his face reddened out of embarrassment as well. He was nervous, his voice was soft, almost exactly as she imagined all those countless times. This was the moment, and it happened in such an unfavorable situation.
She smiled shakily with a blush to match his own, deciding that it was now or never. He greeted her, and although this wasn't exactly how she had planned it, it was strangely perfect.
"H-Hey."
