Naoyuki had slept through the night without issue. now a days its one of the few times he felt truely at peace, but as the morning light shines through the shutters and ran across the floor into his eyes, they opened slowly stuck by crust and sand. wiping his eyes clean he took a look around and his ears took in the resounding silence around him. the cogs in his braim starting to crank back to life as he remembers as much as he could from the day before.
the events starting to fill his mind again. meeting his mother and remembering that promise he made years ago, a groan escaped his lips as he used the wall behind him pulling himself to his feet. he looked at the clean room around him and started to think.
how the hell am i going to take care of another kid, i couldnt even raise one without them hating me, and how is tomoya gonna take having a sister he never met.
his thoughts were promptly interrupted by a large growl erupting from his stomach, he couldnt recall his last meal, so traipsing to the fridge again he opened it to find nothing edible in there either.
he was silently wondering how he managed to even survive this long with no food like this his blue hues looked around pondering what to do, then he remembered, there was a bread place that nomally sold inexpensive bread. looking into his wallet he figured he had enough for something. so he slipped his shoes on and set out down the way. it took him a solid 10 minutes of wandering before he say a little sign popping out of a residential house: Furukawa Bakery come try our delicous buns (but not my wifes) he walked up to the sign and stared inside for a moment.
he hadnt really tried to be social in a long while. it was anxiety inducing in a way feeling like a wildman returning to society after a long stranded period. after a moments more hesitation he walked in pushing open the door as he heard a bell ding above his head.
"WELCOME!!" Naoyuki jumped as two two people cheered peering their heads around the corner of a door on the other of the room. a man and woman both with reddish brown hair and brown eyes.
"thank you for coming is there anything i can help you with?" the woman bowed in respect as she plopped back up with a happy smile. her hands clasped together as she seemed to bounce a bit. her husband by contrast has his hands on his sides his face was confident with a smirk crossing his lips. the goofy couple couldnt help but make Naoyuki laugh a warm smile crossing his dried lips.
"well if you wouldnt mind id love to have some bread buns. i can pay for it!" he said instinctively he had a few tabs ran up around, it was a habit to clarify.
"ooooo then i have a treat for you." the Wife beamed excitedly as she shimmied over to grab a tray of buns and turned to him. "how would you like to try our squid buns, i made them myself dont they look tasty?" she smiled excitedly. her husband stood behind feverishly gesturing no trying to tip naoyuki off. naoyuki examined the buns with a horrified expressions the buns were slimy tentacles poking out of various parts of the buns he questioned if these were even safe for consumption.
"um ill have to pass id rather just have a regular bun" naoyuki said causing the husband to sigh in relief. and the wifes lip to quiver as she seemed offended befire shrugging it off and flipping back to her cheery self "of course ill be one minute, oh before i go my name if furukawa sanae and this is my husband akio" Sanae said before turning around fixing some of the racks.
when he turned his head he jumped back as he saw akio examining his face increadibly close his hand on his chin "can i help you" naoyuki spoke.
"mmm you look familiar is all" akio said as he tossed his hands over the back of his head and looked naoyuki over a bit more. "normally i just make people eat her buns but you look like youd keel over if you ate them" akio said tossing his head back with a laugh. before quickly looking over his shoulder to see if his wife heard sighing seeing she wasnt paying attention.
"thanks i appreciate that" Naoyuki said sarcastically in response to the jab at his appearance.
"hey dont mention it, i havent seen you around here you new or somethin" akio tilted his head as he moved behind the register.
"eh? oh no you could just say i dont get out much" Naoyuku replied as he stood on the other side.
"little old to be a NEET you know, you probably look increadibly creepy to others too" Akio just kept sending jabs at him which as gaining less than stellar faces from the man across from him "anyway you play baseball."
"thats a random question to ask" naoyuki replied as he stared at akio for a moment. "i did a bit in highschool, why do you ask?"
"well one of the people i normally play ball with today called out wanna play" akio folding his arms as he looked at her "im sure theyd appreciate it and i think youve got a sense of charity in you" he looked naoyuki in the eyes as he said this seeming like he wanted to look straight into his soul.
"err well.." naoyuki paused for a minute honestly what else was he doing today. "sure if its just baseball". sanae came up with the bun bag at that moment giving naoyuki a polite smile perhaps thankinf him for accepting.
"alrighty then lets go" akio walked around from the counter again without ringing naoyuki up.
"your not gonna make me pay?" Nao said as he turned to follow akio.
"nah just follow me" akio retorted as the two left the store and walked down a long road it had been awhile since Naoyuki himself had been out this long he took the environment in as they walked. soon they came to an excavated area surrounded by trees machinery surrounding an open area that kids were currently running around playing baseball in.
"children?" Naoyuki turned to akio a bit suprised and akio seemed nonchalantly folding his arms and slumped back.
"oh yeah, this is my playground i do a whole lotta baseball or nothin when im here. dont be suprised man. after all i did let you have the buns for free for comin here" akio grinned as a kid threw him a ball and he caught it.
so that was your angle huh naoyuki sighed as he looked out at the playground he wasnt confortable with kids but what choice did he have right now.
naoyuki went out and played first base the whole time his discomfort washed away as time went on he had to admit he enjoyed it all. a part of him wondered if this is what being a parent is like, akio however was a natural giving high fives and pep talkes to all the kids it was admiral and naoyuki figured he may have been a father himself. by the end of the game the sun was beginning to hang heavy in the sky right before it normally creeped every so slowly down below the horizon as the two men made their way back to the bakery.
"i appreciate you comin out" akio talked while they walked. "the kids had fun" akio spun around and was walking backwards his arms folded signaturely.
naoyuki was winded from all the exercise his aged body wasnt used to the athletic pursuits anymore "it was worth it i think, are you a parent? you were in your element out there"
"yes i have a daughter, highschool age, shes a total sweetheart but her health is poor." akio said as he looked the man behind him over. "how about you, got any kids?".
the question made naoyuki pause for a second. he didnt feel like he really had the right to be called their father. "i have 2, im not very close to either of them very extrenuating circumstances" he said not really wanting to go into detail.
"that aint good, take it from me man try and spend as much time as you can with your kids, youll never really know how much longer youll have with them." akio looked seriously into naoyukis eyes and it made Nao shudder at what he may have meant by that but it was sound advice none the less.
"ill try but thats harder than you may think." he said in an unintentionally cold voice which peaked akios interest but he wasnt gonna pry.
"give it some thought man its all im saying." as they turned the corner they walked down the street back to the bakery. akio stepped up to the door and turned around and waked him by. to which naoyuki waked back and made his way back to his own house. on the trip back he took the time to go over the events from today in his head. it was like everyone was trying to push him into taking up the mantle of father again. and now not even he really knew what he wanted to do. when he got home for once, he wanted to sleep in his own room. his body sore from the extraneous activity.
laying in his bed he looked up at the cieling he just recalled that it was his daughters birthday today and she was nowhere to be seen. maybe his mother had finalled heeded his words. he could only hope, this was the last place she needed to be. his eyes heavily fell shut as he drifted off into a slow and oeaceful sleep
