Of course I didn't tell anyone what had happened. How could I? As if anyone would believe me?
But I did write it down. Just in case. I wrote out every word I could remember of what strange man had said and what I saw of his appearance, and then I hid the piece of paper in my folder of important documents. It was a file of things like my birth certificate and my rent agreement. Hopefully, if something did happen to me, then the police or someone might find it and…
But if he was an assassin, would they even be able to find him?
I didn't know.
It still bugged me that he had let me live. Not that I wasn't grateful, but I was now aware of his existence. I couldn't help but feel that this put me in a compromising position.
For the entirety of the following day, I kept looking over my shoulder; constantly wondering if he was watching me for signs of betrayal. For all I knew, he could have his sniper trained on me as I walked to school, as I studied in class and as I ate my lunch.
I think Keiko and Michiru noticed something was up. They began questioning me as we walked home.
"Say, Mai, are you okay?" Keiko asked, obviously genuinely concerned.
"Of course I am!" I replied cheerfully.
"Then why have you been so weird today?" Michiru asked.
"I am not weird!" I protested.
"Did you meet a boy?!" Keiko guessed wildly. Well technically yes, I did…
"She did!" Michiru joined in with Keiko's mirth.
I decided not to correct my two friends, but let them fantasise about my – currently non-existent – love life as we walked.
"Come on!" Keiko said, grabbing my arm. "Let's go and get a coffee!" She pointed towards a café and I nodded before grabbing Michiru's arm and dragging her after us.
The three of us giggled our way to the shop, the topic now moving onto Michiru's boyfriend; Shuuya.
"And then we walked around the park and it was oh so romantic!" Michiru was exclaiming joyfully as we entered the little coffee shop. It was reasonably busy, as many students had just finished school, but I spotted a free table.
"I'll save us this table; you guys get your drinks!" I said quickly. My two friends nodded and joined the queue. I took a seat by the window.
My mind, once again, was drawn back to that man. That man and his piercing blue eyes. I'll admit I had been afraid to sleep last night, in case he came back.
I had spent a large part of my evening looking for how he had gotten into my flat in the first place. I had no spare key and the lock did not look damaged, so there was no chance he had picked the lock. The windows were all still locked too. So how had he managed it?
I was completely lost in thought when my two friends reappeared.
"Mai?" Keiko poked me in the side and I squealed automatically.
"Eh? What?"
"You can go and get your drink now!"
"Oh, right!" I stood up hastily.
"She's away with the fairies that girl." I heard Michiru say as I left my bag with my friends, and joined the queue myself. It was moving quite quickly and I looked up to the list of drinks.
I was just trying to decide what I wanted, when someone behind me touched my arm.
"Excuse me, I think you dropped this." A low voice said. I turned to see a tall young man with black hair holding my purse. My purse that had previous been in my zipped blazer pocket. How on earth had I dropped it?
"Thank you." I said, taking it back and frowning. I looked up into the man's eyes and gasped.
They were a cold, yet brilliant blue.
"That's quite alright." The man said. "You should be careful with your things."
His mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren't.
"Have we met before?" I asked, knowing full well what his untruthful answer would be.
"No, I don't think so." He said; that fake charming smile still plastered on his face.
"Let me buy you a drink." I offered. "In thanks for what you have done for me."
We had just reached the front of the queue. I gave my order and looked expectantly at the man beside me and he gave his own. I could feel him watching me as I paid.
We moved further along the counter as we waited for our drinks to be made.
"Will you join me and my friends?" I asked. The man pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the time.
"I think I could spare a few minutes."
The barista handed us our drinks and I led the man to the table where Michiru and Keiko were sat.
"Who's this?" Keiko asked me, raising an eyebrow pointedly.
"I dropped my purse and this kind gentleman helped me." I explained while smiling, before turning to the man. "I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name?" I prompted.
"Shibuya Kazuya." He replied. We both sat down.
"Wow look at you Mai, getting the attention of two attractive men in the space of 24 hours!" Michiru teased.
"Okay, the first man never existed!" I protested. "You two just assumed he did!"
"You never said he didn't!" Keiko replied indignantly.
I only rolled my eyes, but Michiru had already begun interrogating our guest.
"So what year are you in?" She asked kindly. I watched him carefully, interested in his answer. He wasn't wearing a school uniform, but a black suit and a black shirt. His face didn't look much older than those of people our own age. And I guess Michiru had been right, he was very attractive; if only his smile reached his eyes…
"I'm seventeen years old." He replied. An odd response…
"So you're our senpai!" Keiko said. "Well thank you Shibuya-senpai for helping Mai."
Shibuya smiled and nodded, but before he could say anything else his phone rang.
"Please, excuse me." He stood up with his drink and moved a little way from us.
"Mai, you have to get his number!" Keiko gushed. "He's gorgeous!"
"I can't just ask a guy for his number!" I protested. Even if I ignored the fact that I strongly suspected this guy was an assassin, asking a guy for his number would be thoroughly embarrassing.
Shibuya returned before my friends could badger me further.
"I'm afraid I have to leave now, might I have a word with you Taniyama-san?"
"Okay." I stood up and followed him to the door.
"Nice friends you have there." His tone was friendly, but his words could've been seen as a threat.
"Yes, they are." I said firmly.
"So about this boy you met in the last 24 hours?" He prompted. Was he checking up on me?
"Those two are boy crazy. Honestly, I just didn't sleep well, and they took my vacant expression for daydreaming about a boy." I replied truthfully.
"Why didn't you sleep well?" He asked; his face was still smiling kindly.
"Just worried about things." I replied. It was so weird, having a conversation with a man where both of us were pretending yesterday hadn't happened.
"Ah, I see. There is no need to worry, I promise you." He said, his smile fading slightly and a more serious expression replacing it. "You should get back to your friends."
"I should." I agreed, but I continued to stare up at the man in front of me.
"I would ask for your number, but I think we both know that I already know it." He said and smirked as my mouth fell open. It was the first time he had admitted that we had met previously. "I know I'm handsome, but you don't need to stare."
"I'm not!" I scowled.
"See you around, Taniyama-san." He turned on his heel and walked away. I watched him go. What a narcissistic arrogant git! Talking as if he knew everything!
I knew Shibuya Kazuya wasn't his real name and that it would just be an alias. If I had any say in the matter, his real name would be Naru, short for narcissist. I sniggered to myself before returning to my friends.
"So did you ask for his number?!" Keiko asked immediately.
"No, but I gave him mine." I replied. Well it was sort of true.
"Ooh! Mai! If he becomes your boyfriend, we can go on double dates!" Michiru said ecstatically. "I would recommend taking him to that park on a first date." She nodded knowingly.
"I am not taking Naru-chan on a date." I replied stonily.
"Naru-chan?"
"He's such a narcissist!" I said. "I don't want a boyfriend like that!"
Half an hour or so later, I found myself back in my own flat. Once again, I checked all the locks on the doors and windows, but nothing seemed to have been opened. Sighing, I found my important document folder and made to pull out the piece of paper I had added yesterday so I could add new details about this man.
But it wasn't there.