Three Months Later
"Tachibana Makoto."
"Here!"
"Yamazaki Sosuke."
"Present."
"Matsuoka Rin."
"Here."
"Nanase Haruka."
"…"
"Nanase Haruka."
"…"
"AT LEAST SAY YOU'RE HERE!"
"Here."
"We're all set and ready to go!"
"I can't wait for the Tokyo trip!" Makoto exclaimed as he settled himself beside Haruka in the bus; while Rin sat with Sosuke. Haruka could only nod in response as he stared outside the window, waiting for the journey to Tokyo to start.
"Sosuke?" Rin called out as he spotted Sosuke staring outside the window, lost in his own thoughts. It has been 3 months ever since [name] went missing; 3 months ever since Sosuke felt like he was in a mess, thinking where [name] had gone to. Rin gritted his teeth slightly as he slammed his fist into Sosuke's shoulder, causing the whale shark to snap out of his thoughts.
"What?"
"Thinking about [name] again?"
"Welcome!" [name] spoke out as she heard the doorbell to the florist shop ring, signalling that a customer had entered. She smiled as she felt the presence of humans near to her, and she tilted her head to one side.
"What can I do for you today?" [name] asked as her hands wandered towards the side to feel the table top, to find assurance in her surroundings. She then heard a breath being hitched, and she couldn't help but smile sadly at the reaction.
"I may be blind, but I can still help you." [name] spoke with assurance.
"I-I'm sorry, it's just a little surprising to encounter someone like you. Your eyes are a beautiful colour, if you don't mind me saying." A male voice spoke out, and [name] could only smile sadly in response.
"I get that a lot, sir. What flowers are you looking for?"
"I'm planning on giving it to my girlfriend, it's our 5th anniversary today."
"I see. Hm… How about…" [name]'s words trailed off as she turned her body and sniffed the air slightly. She then smiled as she walked towards the vase of flowers that she was looking for, and gently grabbed hold of them. She then headed back towards the counter and placed them carefully onto the counter, and smiled at the man.
"Roses seems to always be extremely basic, but it is what it means sir. I hope your girlfriend and you will have an everlasting relationship." [name] spoke with kindness as she skilfully wrapped the bouquet of roses in wrappers and tied it with a ribbon.
"I-I'm amazed…" the man mumbled out as he grabbed hold of the bouquet of roses that [name] had got together. It was perfectly wrapped, with a single baby blue ribbon tied around the stalk. The man then looked at [name] with curiosity, and he could only smile sadly.
"If only you could see how perfect your bouquet wrapping is, young lady."
"Thank you sir."
"Not bad, we get our own apartments." Rin commented as he, Sosuke, Makoto and Haruka stood Infront of the hostel where they will be staying for the next 6 months as part of their college trip. Haruka then looked around and noticed the rest of their classmates were heading towards their respective apartments, and Haruka then picked up his luggage and headed towards his apartment.
"Gather on the ground floor in 30 minutes!" the teacher yelled out.
"Well, better start moving." Rin commented as he shoved Sosuke forward, and Makoto could only chuckle as Sosuke turned to glare at Rin.
"Not bad…" Sosuke thought to himself as he looked around the apartment that he was designated to. It was small, but comfortable for him. He then settled down on the bed and started to unpack his stuffs. He soon stopped as he came across a photograph of both [name] and him. Picking it up with care, his fingers ran across the photograph.
"Where are you?"
Alright, for the next 6 months you'll be working at these designated shops. You'll learn how to deal with customers, and learn proper customer service as well; as well as earning your own living expenses." The teacher explained as he handed out the papers that had the students' names, and their designated shops that they're going to work at.
"Haru! What did you get?" Makoto asked as he tried to take a look at Haruka's paper.
"The udon shop…" Haruka replied in his monotonous manner.
"Really? I got the ramen shop! What about you Rin? Sosuke?" Makoto asked.
"I got the bakery," Rin mumbled out.
"I got the flower shop," Sosuke spoke with a slight annoyance in his voice. Flowers, and him; apparently doesn't really go well with him. Buying flowerswas alright, but packing them and all? He will most likely kill the flowers then.
"What a hectic day…" [name] thought to herself as she walked down the streets, heading back towards the hostel that she was staying at. It has been 3 months ever since she completely lost her eyesight, and 3 months ever since she got used to walking around the area. She knew when to turn, and when not to then. Soon she reached the hostel, and stopped in her tracks;
"Feels like there are even more people living here." [name] thought to herself as she climbed up the stairs towards her apartment. She then walked a few more steps down the corridor and stopped right in front of her door, fumbling her bag for the house keys. She then heard the doorknob beside hers being turned, but chose not to take a look. She then opened the door to her apartment, and stepped in, just as when her neighbour's door opened.
Sosuke stepped out just as soon as [name] entered the house, and he turned to only catch a glimpse of her hair. He then walked towards the stairs as [name]'s door closed and descended down the stairs to take a look around the area.
"I'm hungry…" [name] thought to herself as she slowly walked into the kitchen of the apartment.
"Maybe I should head out to get food instead…" [name] thought to herself as she felt the inside of the refrigerator, to find that she didn't have anything to cook that day. With a sad smile on her face, [name] walked back into the living room to grab hold of her jacket, and headed out after wearing it.
"Woah, her eyes are beautiful!" she heard someone called out the moment she stepped out of her house. She then turned slightly and nodded as she gripped tightly onto the railings of the corridor and headed towards the staircase, pulling her hood over her head.
"L-Look at the way she's walking!"
"I think she's blind…"
"But her eyes are still beautiful, it was an extremely rare colour!"
[name] then shook her head and continued walking her usual way; when suddenly she bumped into something, or rather someone. [name] was confused, because she has never bumped into anyone when she walked near the road, people tend to steer clear of it. She then felt around, and realised it was a human that she had bumped into.
"I'm sorry…" [name] apologized sincerely, and walked towards the side slightly, continuing her way down the pathway, not realising that the person she had bumped into; was someone she had to stay away from ever since that day.
"Ah, you're Tachibana Makoto? The lad who is going to help us out for the next 6 months?"
"Ah… Yeah." Makoto replied with a soft smile. He then looked around the ramen shop and realized that it was extremely hectic. It must be kind of popular and the food definitely had to be delicious then; since it was convenient as well, just a street away from all the apartments.
"Have a seat! Today's meal will be on the house." The boss spoke with a wide smile, and Makoto, Rin, Sosuke and Haruka took a seat.
[name] soon entered the shop and headed straight for the counter to order her takeaway, and the staff at the counter could only smile the moment he saw [name].
"Hello, the usual?" the staff asked, and [name] nodded with a smile on her face. She then handed him the money and waited for her food to be prepared. Not realising that a certain pair of red eyes was looking at her. Rin then whispered to the trio who were busy looking at the menu;
"That girl in the hooded jacket gives off the same vibe as [name]." Rin muttered, and Sosuke, Haruka and Makoto turned to look at [name] who was standing by the counter, waiting for her food.
"You think it's her?" Makoto asked as he turned back to look at Rin.
"I don't know."
"Here you go, have a safe trip back!" the counter spoke with cheerfulness, and [name] smiled at him. She then grabbed hold of the food and turned to the right to make a full body turn and walked out of the shop; causing Rin and the others to be unable to take a look at her face.
"If only she wasn't wearing the hood up." Rin muttered out.
"It looks like you boys have taken a liking towards the hooded girl." The boss of the ramen shop spoke, and they turned to look at him. He then smiled sadly as he looked at the door which [name] had left and then mumbled out;
"She has a heart of gold."
Next Morning
"Urgh… I feel sick… Maybe I shouldn't have eaten ramen last night…" [name] mumbled to herself as she trudged towards the bathroom to wash up. Her head was spinning, and she definitely knew that she was having a fever. She sighed as she washed her face and brushed her teeth, and then heading out to the living room. She felt the shelves and found the post-it-note and a pen, and she started to write on the paper. She then headed towards the front door and opened it slightly, sticking the post-it-note onto the door, and shutting it once more, heading back to bed.
"Hello! You must be Yamazaki Sosuke, the gentleman who is going to help out at the store for the next 6 months!" the landlady spoke with a cheerful smile as she looked at Sosuke with a satisfied look on her face.
"Y-Yes…" Sosuke mumbled out.
"Today will be a more of a lazy day young lad, don't worry! Usually there will be one more helper to help out, but she's sick in bed today." The landlady explained as she brought Sosuke around the shop to get familiar with the different flowers.
"She?"
"She's a fine lady, sadly she can't see anymore."
"The police are out looking for this man named Nemoto Hayata. A man who is in his early 30s, with blonde hair and orange eyes is being wanted for sexual harassment. He has already sexually assaulted 6 teenage girls, and is on the run currently. If anybody has spotted sightings of him, please inform the police."
"Oh dear… Let's hope he doesn't appear in this area." The landlady spoke as she switched off the television. She then looked at Sosuke who was still staring at the television, and she waved a hand infront of him.
"Sosuke?"
"It's him…" Sosuke thought to himself as he clenched his fists together tightly. He recognised that guy who had sexually assaulted [name] back then; and the fact that he was still on the run made Sosuke worried even more.
"Sosuke!"
"A-Ah, I'm sorry. Yes?" Sosuke snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the landlady.
"Could you do me a favour? I'm extremely worried about the helper who is sick in bed. Could you be a dear and bring this bouquet of flowers to her apartment to check on her? I've got all these orders to process."
"S-Sure…" Sosuke mumbled out as he grabbed hold of the bouquet of blue roses. He then stopped and stared at it for a little while; [name] loves blue roses.
"Thank you. She lives in the apartment, numbered 506."
"Oh, that's just beside mine. I'll get going then."
"You spotted sightings of Nemoto Hayata? Where?!"
"In Tokyo. I've been seeing him hanging around the hostel that's being owned by an old lady."
"Alright, we'll send some men down to check it out. Thank you for your help."
A knock was heard on the door of [name]'s apartment. She slowly got out of bed, thinking it was the landlady who was just dropping by to check up on her. The moment [name] reached the door and opened it, she was greeted with a shove, and the sound of her front door slamming shut.
"It's been a long time." And [name]'s eyes immediately widened as she recognised that voice. That voice belonged to the man who had been chasing after her, sexually harassing her after that dreadful day where he was charmed by [name]'s eyes. [name] immediately got onto her feet and ran deeper into the house, bumping into the chairs, and hurting herself in the process.
"You better keep quiet lady."
"H-How…" [name] mumbled out as she felt herself leaning against the wall.
"I've followed you ever since you moved out."
"S-Stay away…"
Sosuke sighed as he walked up the stairs towards the apartment where [name] was staying. A part of him was saying that the girl who lived in that apartment should be [name], but another part of him is telling him not to have such high hopes. He was just about to knock on the door when he heard a glass shattering in the house.
"I saw him entering this apartment!" he heard a voice cried out, and he turned to look a man panting as he reached the top of the stairs at the level which Sosuke stood at. He then spotted a few policemen running up the stairs as well, and they made their way towards where Sosuke stood.
"Sir, do you know the person who is living here?" the policeman asked Sosuke.
"No, but she's a helper at the flower shop."
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" a cried was heard from inside the apartment, and Sosuke's body immediately tensed up the moment he heard that voice.
"Be quiet! Your little boyfriend isn't going to save you this time round!"
"L-Let go of me!"
And a sound of glass being shattered was heard once more. The policemen then immediately got into action, breaking down the front door and quickly entering it with their guns held out.
"Freeze! Put your hands up, and get away from the lady!" one of them shouted while Sosuke quickly entered and was immediately greeted by a scene he never ever wanted to see. [name] was being held captive by the wanted man; a knife against her throat.
"Take one step closer, and I'll kill her!"
"LET GO OF HER!" Sosuke immediately yelled, and [name]'s eyes widened in surprise.
"S-Sosuke…" she mumbled out as she tried to shift her head, but was held tightly by the wanted man.
"Don't move!" the man yelled and tightened his hold on [name]. And a gunshot was heard. [name] immediately felt the weight on her lifted, and she backed away and hit against the kitchen counter. She panicked and held onto the kitchen counter as she took small steps, trying her best to find her way.
"S-Sosuke, where are you?!" [name] yelled out, tears running down her face.
How frightened she was.
"[name]!" Sosuke yelled out and ran towards [name], gathering her in his arms; hugging her tightly.
"S-Sosuke!"
"Hush… It's over now. I finally found you." He whispered out as he pecked [name] on her forehead.