Standard Disclaimer
Chance Meetings
#5: Benches
Normally, Tokyo's streets would be brimming with people. Whether it was a stressed business man rushing to work, briefcase swinging wildly at his side, or a nervous busboy, riding a bicycle haphazardly through the streets, keen on delivering the sloppy fast food.
During the day, the sun would hit the tall buildings at an angle where everything seemed to glitter. No one would notice. During the night, Tokyo seemed most alive, lights everywhere, colors splattered across the street, buildings, everywhere. Still no one would notice.
They had places to go, things to do. Who cared about the lights, the sounds? Who cared that if you went into the right district, the right friendly neighborhood, everyone would welcome you with open arms? Who cared that if you went in the rich district, the wrong district, everyone was cold, careless money makers?
Who cared about Tokyo?
There were a few people who wandered out late at night, enjoying the lights, the sounds, the people. Not during midnight, when all the business men and women came home, stressed from a day's and night's work. Not even a couple hours afterwards when the troublemaking teens came out. It was that peaceful moment between the crack of dawn and the brink of night when the world took a minute to just…take a breath.
All the excitement, the tiredness, the killing, the loving, the happiness, the sadness, the feeling…it stopped for a moment to rest.
This is when she would come out.
She would walk along the busy streets that weren't so busy before. She would enjoy what little was left of the lights and the sounds and the people.
It wasn't a lot, but it was enough. Enough to get her by, to keep her alive.
However…
This was not the day to walk around Tokyo.
This was just not the day.
"Christmas Eve…" she whispered to herself. Who else was there? She smiled bitterly.
She did not wish for her family to come and comfort her, to actually embrace the holiday spirit. The maids in her father's mansion tried to hide the coldness with a large, impractical Christmas tree, and somehow, they managed to make it worse.
She couldn't breath in that house.
So she went out for a walk.
Yes, she was walking around at 3:54 AM with nothing but a thin cardigan and hoodie on. Yes, she was in jeans. And yes, it was snowing.
Where's your knight when you need one?
But hell, she felt better than the last few days, jammed with business meetings and lectures on her future. Jammed with all the feelings of hurt, disappointment, and wishful thinking.
Hinata took a deep, sharp breath of fresh air, the air cold enough to clear her lungs but not pierce it.
She walked to the large town square, normally too packed for her to venture into. A large Christmas tree was displayed in the middle, small bushes surrounding it.
She liked this one better.
It had what seemed like a million light bulbs, and a thousand ornaments.
It glowed, even now, at 3:56 AM.
But most importantly, it was imperfect.
Why?
Because apparently, the Christmas tree stand was a little lopsided so the whole thing managed to tilt to the left…
It looked funny, it was funny, and Hinata was surprised they hadn't changed the stand yet.
Maybe to embrace the Christmas spirit?
Hinata sighed, and resigned to a small, bus stop bench. She wasn't waiting for a bus, she knew better than that, but she was tired, and it was a bench.
She began thinking of all the things she had done this year.
She was bitterly disappointed.
Disappointed father, check.
Disappointed myself, check.
Fell in love, check.
Confessed to love…check.
Was completely crushed when said love did not love back…check.
Fell out of love…
Hinata blinked.
She'd leave that open.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Hinata looked up to see and elderly old man, dressed in rags, with shoes not even fit for a dog. He looked like a hobo, a bum…but…
He had an aura. And aura of wisdom…of "I-know-much-more-than-you-think-I-do".
She slid over the bench, and the old man sat beside her.
Hinata quietly observed him.
White hair, white eyebrows, a bit of scuff which was white and gray…
Santa?
Hinata blinked.
He was really skinny though…hobo skinny…not "a bowl full of jelly" type of stomach.
She needed to get out more…and needed to stop wishing for Christmas miracles.
Still…something was strange about how even though he was a hobo he smelled like…
Peppermint and chocolate.
Maybe he robbed a candy store.
Hinata blinked again.
"Little miss, if you keep staring I'm going to keep blushing."
Hinata blushed and the man smiled.
He turned and observed her for a while and she found it hard not to return his gaze. It was…warm. Like the ones her grandpa gave her…before he died.
"You know…it's not good to be sad on Christmas. I heard it gives you twice the wrinkles." He suddenly took a thermos out of the blue and began sipping.
"It's not Christmas…it's Christmas Eve…" Hinata said quietly. She watched as snow began to fall again.
"Oh…but it is. 5:00 AM. It's been Christmas for five hours now. And you've been looking sad for five hours."
She thought it was strange that he knew she was sad for five hours, but did not question his sources. His presence calmed her, much more that her father's ever did.
"Maybe I have something worth making me look sad," she replied bitterly.
He frowned lightly.
"Nothing is ever worth making anyone look sad. However…there are always things that are worth making you look happy," he smiled, sipping his hot cocoa.
Hinata blinked. "Like what?"
He grinned. Maybe he knew that she was going to ask that. Maybe he knew more than she could ever imagine. All she knew was that the next part changed her life more than ever.
"That."
He pointed behind her, to the rising sun.
Hinata blinked, quickly, rapidly.
It was silent for a moment, and all she could feel was his warm hands on her shoulders.
"I-I…I never stayed this late before…" Hinata whispered, fingers lightly touching her lips. A chuckle drifted from behind her.
"You were missing out on this…and on someone…"
"What?"
Hinata swiftly turned around, finding nothing but a thermos and a note.
The man's warmth was still on her shoulders, a weight was left there as if he was still there.
She slowly read the note out loud.
He comes home every morning at five. He sits at this exact bench to think. Give him this thermos to keep him warm for me would you?
"Excuse me?" Hinata turned around and met eyes with a business man with very, very dark eyes…
"Have you seen an old man, looks like a hobo, kinda freakishly nice?"
Meeting #5: Ended.
A/N: Merry Christmas. Part two will come on…someday before Christmas?