Kitsuna had work after school, and Takeda offered to drive her there due to the rain. She agreed, if only to avoid a lecture from Daich later. On the way there, Takeda noticed the jacket she wore.
"Oh, you met the volleyball team?," he commented. Kitsuna looked confused for a moment, then remembered that she had one of their jackets.
"Right. I forgot to return it. Um, yeah. Daichi still plays, I guess," she drifted off in thought, so Takeda let her be. They were at their stop, anyway. It was only a five minute drive from the school to the store, at most. She thanked him again, and rushed into the store.
"You're late again."
"Sorry, Keishin!," she went straight to the back, changing out of her uniform. She kept the jacket on, feeling a chill despite the impending summer heat. Keishin Ukai, the one in charge of said store, noticed but didn't say anything. He recognized that jacket, though the name on the back was different. From his days at Karasuno, on the volleyball team.
"You've got practice today, right? I got it from here," she tapped his head lightly with a rolled up magazine, earning a puff of smoke in her direction from the cigarette he put out.
"Right, headin' out. Make sure you lock up if I'm not back. I'll take care of the trash in the morning," he waved back and left the store in her hands, tossing the key over.
Kitsuna set about her work, tidying up some shelves and handling the register. There was a strange heat on her face, so she scooped up her hair and tied it loosely back in a messy bun. Clubs ended close to six, so there was always a rush of students then. She recognized a few of them, and noted some extra whispers and glances today. Maybe because of her scar, or because of the jacket with someone else's name stamped on the back in white lettering. Either way, it got on her nerves fast.
"Have a nice night!," she waved out the last of the dinner rush customers, and sank onto the counter with a hefty sigh.
That was always exhausting, the stares and the murmurs. It was something she was used to, but something she hated every time. At least dying her hair kept anyone at school from recognizing her, aside from the two she wanted to notice. She pulled her headphones on, keeping the volume low, and did a quick pass through the store to confirm it was empty. Then she swiped a pack of smokes from the shelf, stuffing it into her pocket and adding the exact amount of the price tag to the register. Then she did a painfully familiar dance between the side and back doors, deciding where to have her smoke break. The side was more hidden from view, but there were deeply rooted reasons why she didn't want to be out there. Reasons that Ukai knew well, and it made him awkwardly sympathetic when it came to certain chores around the store. She settled on the back door, and shed the jacket before stepping out and lightning up. She planned to return the jacket as soon as tomorrow, and didn't want to stink it up with smoke.
She took a long drag, letting the smoke out slowly. It lingered close for a while, the air getting more humid as fall crept in. The sky was a pale blue, with hints of orange, as the sun started to sink over the mountain. She lost herself in the music in her ears for a moment, but only a moment, before there was a shouting from inside. She ignored it, hoping they'd go away. But they didn't, instead heading around the back straight to her hiding spot. A small boy poked his head around the corner, and flinched at her glare. Another boy, with a buzzcut, returned the glare with a snide comment.
"Hey, we're here for some grub," he shouted before the two retreated back inside the store.
"Tch, fuckers," Kitsuna growled. She dropped the cigarette, stomping it out with her foot, and headed back inside. She retrieved the jacket from where she had tossed it onto a shelf, and tossed it over the chair behind the counter.
"What do you need?," she said with an exasperated sigh at the two boys. They also wore jackets, but one looked way too small to be a highschooler. His brother's jacket maybe? Or a parent?
"Well that's just rude," the smaller one piped up. Kitsuna took a breath, composing herself.
"We're out of most pre-made stuff. Got some pork buns left, if you want those," she said flatly. Her tone was a little softer, but the buzzcut guy wasn't accepting that lackluster service either.
"Hey, what gives?," he leaned over the counter, making an ugly face. Kitsuna returned is glare with one of her own, too tired for this.
"You pickin' a fight, baldy?," she snarled at him. That clearly struck a nerve, and he nearly jumped over the counter.
"Tanaka! Quit it!," the smaller one pulled him down by his shirt. He scolded his friend, but his eyes were fixed on Kitsuna's face with a strange determination.
"Come at me again and I'll throw you out of the store. Pork buns. Three left. Or go check the shelves," Kitsuna spoke bluntly. The smaller boy paid for the food, and watched as she packed it up. He pulled his friend, Tanaka, out of the store while stealing glances. There was some shouting outside, and a yelp. Then they were gone, and Kitsuna decided it was close enough to shut down for the night. She took care of the till, locking the cash up in a small safe, and made a note of the things she needed to do the next morning. Then she gathered her things, and locked the store up. There was a pounding in her ears, and not from her music. It drummed loudly as she walked the short distance home, cursing the sweat beading on her forehead. She unlocked her door and stepped into the small home, flicking a light on for the living room. Her strength left her all at once, and she collapsed onto the couch where she would spend the next two days.
"Shit."
That was the last thing she said before she came down with a nasty cold, that took her out for three days.
