The roof was empty as far as she could tell. Stepping out, she took a second to look around, before glancing at the platform where the water tank was installed. She couldn't see anything from her vantage point.
There was no way Saiki-kun would be over there, was there?
Her intuition told her as much...
The metal ladder running up to the platform was cold to touch. She willed herself up one rung after another regardless. Her head poking up the final rung, she found no Saiki-kun.
Suspicion confirmed, she made to return downwards, when she paused.
A faint breeze brushed against her skin as she pulled herself up onto the platform. She might have found it ticklish if it didn't make her feel so cold. She made a mental note that it would probably be bad to stay there too long.
The sky was cloudless. Over the far horizon, hovered the sun, dyeing the sky a deep orange. Further up, the sky weaved into a deep night blue, revealing the brightest denizens of the night sky.
Rigel. Betelgeuse. Taurus' Aldebaran. Gemini's Castor and Pollux. Auriga's Capella. Bellatrix and Saiph. That one right along the horizon, Canopus, was it? And perched at the zenith of the sky, the celestial beacon, Sirius.
The air was crisp and elicited a shivering sort of sensation as it filled her lungs.
It was rare enough for Kokomi to come to the roof, and rarer still for her to climb all the way up here. But it was just that sort of a mood.
In time, she felt another shiver coming up, and finally opted to skedaddle.
A waste of perfectly good scenery.
She couldn't help a little sigh.
Where ever did you go, Saiki-kun?
Recovering her school bag from where she'd left it earlier (when she was making her way over to the scene of the fight) she took a second to make sure everything was as she'd left it.
Almost an hour since the exams had finished, and at this point, most students had already left, with the remainder tending to club activities, if not clean up duties.
Satisfied no one had been snooping around her belongings while she was away, she checked her phone. Nothing back from Rifuta, so she could only assume the girl hadn't had any success locating Saiki either. Internally sighing, she made to write her a message.
It was probably fine to call the search off at this point. She had inconvenienced her little kouhai long enough. Maybe she even ought to even treat the girl to some sweets for her troubles-
Her finger hovering over the keyboard, she noticed Rifuta's icon change from inactive to online. An undulating, gradiating '...' chat bubble popped up to indicate the girl was typing something in-
"It's a bit hard to explain..."
Kokomi raised a brow.
"But could you please come here quickly?"
Kokomi wasn't sure what she was expecting.
Yokota Jaga. Murata Shuuji. And good ol' Takahashi. Perhaps better acquainted to the casual reader as Saiko Metori's lackeys.
The boys hovered around the base of the stairs, Rifuta sat along one of the bottom treads. All four looked up as she descended, the boys giving her a customary "Offu!".
Rifuta had a face reflecting her earlier sentiment of "It's a bit hard to explain..."
"I ran into them while searching around." She sent the three a dubious look. "They said they were looking for you."
Prompted by Kokomi's look, the trio exchanged glances, ultimately settling on Takahashi as the one who would have the privilege of her direct audience. "U-Um, T-Teruhashi-san." Looking a little abashed, as boys always did around Teruhashi Kokomi, the boy pulled out a phone, dialing someone up from his contacts list by the look of it.
His expression let her know as it connected, and he held the device out to her. "P-Please."
A little confused, Kokomi nonetheless accepted it.
"...Hello?"
"Kokomi."
Kokomi furrowed her brows a little.
"Saiko-kun?"
"I hear you made them run around quite a bit, looking for you."
A faint heightening of the color of their cheeks and the slight sheen on their foreheads corroborated it for her. Kokomi glanced over to the trio, trying to gleam some idea of where this conversation could be going.
"Well, I guess it doesn't matter either way." There was a brief pause. "There should be a car waiting by the school. There's something I want to show you. Think you could spare me thirty minutes?"
His tone, she wouldn't quite describe it as demanding, but it had an unusual seriousness to it.
Thinking back, Saiko hadn't been there when she'd done her evening circuit of the third-year classrooms, had he? He'd had to have left right as the exams had finished.
The trio of boys across from her - their expressions were expectant, but not particularly telling. She thought Saiko's proposition over for a moment. A part of her was curious, but she had an idea as to where it might go.
And it had been a long enough day already.
Internally shaking her head, "I-" she started, when she felt a light tug on her arm.
It was Rifuta.
"I think you should go."
Rifuta wore an uncharacteristically earnest expression as she met Kokomi's gaze. It caught the bluenette a little off guard.
"You should at least hear him out." Rifuta said.
Kokomi had a hesitant look, but as Rifuta continued to give her an insistent look...
"...Alright."
The car was parked right outside, just as he'd said it would be. Peering in as Takahashi opened the door for her, she saw a luxurious interior, unoccupied save the driver looking over his shoulder.
He extended her a customary "Offu!".
Takahashi and the boys bid her their goodbyes, as did Rifuta. And in a moment, they were on their way.
To where, she could only guess.
Normally, she would be inconspicuously gawking at the interior, trying to place a price tag to the vehicle's make, but she couldn't care less at the moment.
The deepening reds of the setting sun glared in her peripherals through tinted glass. It was already past five the last time she checked a clock.
In the end, she never did get a chance to ask Saiki out for Eve, did she?
Why he had been in such a hurry to leave. Where he'd been headed with Aiura-san. Why he had decided to come back. In the end, she supposed she never would really get to find out.
She thought back to her impulsive decision to jump into the fight.
Had that really been the best call after all? Instead of chasing after Saiki?
...Aizawa had calmed down after crying for a bit. After talking it over with Matsuzaki-sensei and Aoki-sensei, the two had walked her and Ichijou over to the staff room. From the direction the talk had gone, Kokomi had at least the confidence neither girl would get expelled. At worst, they might find themselves suspended for a week or two.
Kokomi had noted that some of Aizawa's usual friends had opted to accompany the girl. There hadn't been much talking, but the girls had been concerned for her. Kokomi had a feeling that the Carminette would do just fine when she returned to school. In the worst case, Kokomi would smooth things over a little. Hardly an issue.
Now, standard Teruhashi protocol would dictate that she reliably made physical note of such To-Do's. Lest she happened to forget any important details later on.
Thinking it over for a moment, she brushed it off. She really wasn't in the mood for it right now.
Shifting a little in her seat, she peered outside, idly reading the plate numbers off the passing cars. Rows upon rows of stores lined the road. They were drawing deeper into the northern shopping district by the moment...
Aizawa Ayaka.
For a second...
Kokomi shook her head.
What was done was done.
She'd missed her chance to talk to Saiki. And now Saiko had roped her into something.
This really was figuring out to be one extraordinarily long day.
The elevator door opened with a soft Ding.
She made out a 'Staff Only' sign affixed to its door as it closed behind them.
Stepping out into a dimly illuminated hallway, it took a second for her to place what it was about the place that had caught her attention. It all looked new. The tiles. The light fixtures overhead. She could make out the faint scent of paint and enamel in the air.
Driver-san led her through a series of doors, before the two stepped out into an only slightly better illuminated area opening up to a large concourse. Leading to the rest of the mall she would presume.
There was the distinct sense that the place was only lit up to partial capacity. The indoor heating felt a lot more subdued than one would typically expect of a mall in winter. Kokomi also noted the distinct lack of foot traffic.
Shutters lined where there would be store-fronts. Stores that didn't have shutters had vacant, paint-less interiors, lit only by the light coming in from the hallway, with large cardboard boxes lying around, next to packaging foam, empty shelves, and the occasional naked mannequin lined up in some corner of the room.
Electronic banners advertising space for advertisements scrolled in place from their positions mounted on walls.
The concourse eventually merged into a much larger hallway, opening into what looked like the central atrium of the mall.
Along one end of the large interior, she spotted step stools put away next to some rolls of white sheet. Off in the distance, in her peripheral vision, she made note that the escalators were idle.
A faint amount of evening light poured in from the glass ceilings overhead, though it was largely dwarfed by the indoor lighting. From the ceiling hung tall elaborate transparent chandeliers, shaped almost like wind-chimes, glittering in brilliant fractals of light.
The other end of the atrium led to another long concourse populated by half-outfitted store fronts. Walking some hundred or so strides, the two finally came up to what looked like a small, quaint cafe, nested in a particularly prominent corner of the mall's interior. Compared to the other store fronts they'd passed, this one seemed more or less fully outfitted.
The door let out a small chime as the two walked in.
The interior was bathed in the soft warm glow of a somewhat dim, orange overhead lighting, lending the room the cozy ambiance of a fireside retreat. Sitting in a corner were a group of men, laid out over their table some half-eaten desserts and other scraps.
Saiko was among the men, and looked up as the two walked in. Standing behind him was a primly dressed single elderly gentleman, carrying what looked like a tablet for taking notes. Across from Saiko sat two other men.
One had the bearing of a typical Japanese salary-man - glasses, clothes, demeanor and all. The other man, in comparison, made a far more imposing figure. He looked well into his fifties, his graying beard clipped short to his skin, and his frame large and muscular.
As he looked up, Kokomi made a mental note of what looked like a scar running under his chin. She made another mental note when he only raised a brow at her arrival, foregoing the Offu! she got from the rest of her audience.
"Kokomi." Saiko beamed, putting away his mug as he got up. "You came."
"...Am I interrupting something?" she asked, injecting a hint of meekness.
"Not at all. We were just about done, weren't we, gentlemen?"
The men shrugged. The older man was the first to rise, reaching for his suit jacket casually draped over his seat's backrest. He eyed Kokomi as he put it on.
"And this is?"
Kokomi internally frowned. This really wasn't the sort of reaction she usually got from old men. If she didn't know any better, he was sizing her up.
"..Teruhashi. Teruhashi Kokomi." She made a polite bow. "Pleased to meet you, sir."
The man just raised an amused eyebrow as he glanced over at Saiko. Only for the boy to shoo him off. Shrugging, the man took his leave, the man in glasses following suit, offering Kokomi a prefatory nod as he did.
Watching the two leave, Saiko wore a small frown, but turned his attention back over to Kokomi.
"You're just on time." Opting to change tables, he drew her a chair.
When Kokomi returned a hesitant look, "Sebasu," he called, looking over his shoulder at the elderly gentleman who Kokomi would assume was one of his butlers. "How about some sweets for the lady?"
Looking back at Kokomi, "what would you like?" he prompted, gesturing over to the display case along the counter. "Parfait? Cheese-cake? Tiramisu? It'll all be on the house. If you'd prefer something we don't have, I can also have it delivered."
When Kokomi said nothing, "no need to be so on guard..." he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Never mind the sweets then," he said, walking up to her.
"Walk with me for a little." He waved off driver-san and butler-san when they made to follow.
Not knowing what else to do, Kokomi followed after him.
"Sorry for calling you out of nowhere," he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. "I figured you would have plans for the break."
Kokomi gave a small, ambiguous nod.
Not quite the response he was hoping for, it seemed like. Picking up his gait, he walked a few paces in front of her. "Sorry about Kenzo-san," he said, looking over his shoulder. "The big scary looking one," he clarified. "They're one of our affiliates." He idly glanced overhead. "Originally, they were the ones overseeing the development of the mall. We ended up buying partial rights to the project in the end, though."
Kokomi wasn't sure where he was going with this, but nodded to show she was following.
The relative silence around them amplified the tip-taps of their footsteps. Coming up to the main atrium, she noticed they were heading for the escalators. Saiko gave her the occasional glance over his shoulder, but otherwise seemed content to hold the silence.
As they came up to the escalators, Kokomi was half-expecting it to start moving as Saiko stepped onto it, but it did not. Saiko made his way up the treads without batting an eye. It was a bit of an odd feeling for her, having escalator treads stationary under her feet, but she followed after him nonetheless.
The second floor was conspicuously barren, metal shutters drawn over most store fronts, and those that did not have shutters were vacant of both people and furnishings. Illumination was sparse.
"We're still outfitting the place," Saiko clarified after noticing her reaction. "Ideally, we would be opening around Christmas but..." He made a shrugging motion. "Ran into a couple of snags."
"I see."
Kokomi internally cringed at her response. She wasn't one for dismissive answers, but she was drawing a blank given the atmosphere.
Coming up to the next up-escalator, they made their way over to the third floor. Saiko led her around the rail wrapping around the atrium, heading over to what looked like a sort of lounge area. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined one side of the lounge, unveiling a panoramic view overlooking the outdoor plaza.
As she drew closer, she saw construction crews milling about the plaza below. The sky had darkened considerably, and provisional lights set up around the perimeter were responsible for most of the illumination. Cables snaked about crates and partially-installed Christmas decorations. Construction barriers, seemingly purposed into advertisement banners, directed foot traffic around translucent blue protective sheets covering swathes of the flooring.
*Fzz-Fz*
Kokomi looked up to see the previously inactive light fixtures flicker to life overhead, flooding the room with color. The walls, previously obscure in the distance, lit up in a pale pastel white, offering a striking contrast to the polish of the hardwood floor beneath.
Sprinkled along the lounge area she could make out sofas and tulip-chairs off in the distance. On the opposite side of the room was what looked like a food station, surrounded by decorative lighting in the shape of lanterns. Further away, in the direction they'd come from, the lounge transitioned into the rest of the mall.
"What do you think? Of the place?"
"It... has a very posh feel to it."
Saiko returned a small smile.
He walked over to a bean-bag laid out near a line of empty shelves, plopping onto it. He gestured at a bean-bag across from him. When Kokomi still appeared hesitant to take a seat, he sighed.
"Ne, Kokomi." He seemed to make up his mind over something. "Do you recognize this place?"
Kokomi thought it over for a moment. The route the driver had taken, and the surrounding stores.
"Is this where the Wakabayashi Shotengai used to be?" If she remembered correctly, there used to be a shopping district right where the mall currently stood. She'd been here a few times in the past, but there had been some redevelopment going on in the area recently, so she hadn't been around as often.
"The previous shopping district, yeah?" Saiko said. "You don't recall anything more specific?"
Kokomi internally furrowed her brows. Something more specific? What exactly was he getting at-
"Here. Where the Wakabayashi Shotengai 4th Avenue used to run." He had a certain look in his eyes. "That's where I first laid my eyes on you, Kokomi."
Where he... first laid eyes on her?
Kokomi's face belied her surprise.
"You wouldn't remember though, would you? I don't blame you. I was inside my car at that time, after all, and I barely got to see you for a second before we'd already drove past the shopping district."
So he says.
Kokomi thought back to what Saiko had said when he'd first transferred to their class all those years ago. He'd said that he had happened to catch sight of her on the streets and had subsequently looked into her. She'd never known the exact place or occasion where he'd run into her.
Before she could fully process what he was telling her though, he was already onto the next thing.
"I'll be.. moving abroad next year," he said, snapping her attention back onto him.
His eyes traced along her face for a second, before he found himself looking up to the ceiling.
"My old man. He didn't really care much when it came to high-school - it's really all the same anyway - but its a different sentiment when it comes to higher education."
Saiko's voice was uncharacteristically level.
"Kokomi, where do you imagine the world will unfold in the next thirty years?" It was a rhetorical question. "It certainly won't be back home here in Japan, I'll tell you that." He'd brought his eyes back to bear on her, the look behind them sharp. "The national economy's been stagnating for what - three decades at this point? Declining birth-rates and a rapidly aging domestic population will just exacerbate the situation tenfold years into the future."
Kokomi knew as much from her civics classes. But why was he bringing this up?
"South Asia. Latin America. Africa." He punctuated each with a raised finger, holding up a three. "That's where the largest economic strides in the world will be made in the next thirty or fourty years." He paused for a moment. "Twenty years ago, SoftBank's Masayoshi Son invested twenty million dollars into the budding Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba. At present, their shares in the company value at around a hundred billion dollars. To this day, it is regarded as one of the most successful venture capital investments in history."
Saiko spoke with a mix of high regard, and a competitive fire.
"The continual growth of the Saiko Conglomerate's wealth is contingent on our ability to read emerging markets of the next financial epoch."
He spoke with uncharacteristic intensity.
"For all Japan boasts of its love for technology and innovation, the country has a terrible appetite for startups and entrepreneurs. Especially compared to a country like the US. The Japanese value stability and longevity. Incremental improvements in technology, over disruptive innovation." His words were delivered with mixed emotions. "The Japanese venture capital ecosystem's very conservative compared to that in the US, not to mention the cultural emphasis on prestige associated with established corporations."
So he says.
"Biotech. Medicine. Robotics. Artificial Intelligence. Material science. Aerospace. Even the automotive sector to an extent nowadays. We're getting beat in nearly every other thing. In terms of funding for research, Japan simply can't compete at the same level as the US as things are. And the thing about an aging population is that old people don't like to gamble with their pension money. The general appetite for risky investments will only continue to shrivel and die as time goes on. The US is, in all likelihood, going to be far more strategically relevant to whatever innovation is going to drive the global economic tides in the coming decades." His tone was emphatic.
Unsteepling his hands, he leaned back into his chair. "The Saiko family heir cannot afford to not be standing at the world stage, where the rest of the century will unfold." His gaze was unwavering.
...What he said made sense to Kokomi. Even Saiki's brother, Saiki Kusuke, was apparently a student at the University of Cambridge, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Of course the Saiko family would be invested in getting its heir into a similar internationally prestigious university, if only for the networking opportunities it offered.
"There's a few more reasons, but that's what it basically comes down to. I'll be leaving for the US right after graduation." His face bore a look of determination.
But it was fraying at the seams.
"Japan's too small a stage for you, Kokomi," he said. "Come with me."
...That...
That was heavy.
It took the girl a second to rein in her expression, and another second still to replace it with a neutral expression.
When she said nothing, Saiko slowly got up, idly pacing around the room.
"You know..." His gaze wandered to the construction work going on at the plaza below them. "I never knew how much planning went into running a mall..." You could hear him struggling to find the right words in his voice. "My old man. He's never been very hands-on with any of his projects, not even in his early years. Hiring people smarter than you do all the thinking and planning for you. Leading with Capital. That's the Saiko Anarishisu way."
He paused for a moment, eyes lingering on the horizon.
"I think I had previously settled into a similar mindset."
He turned back to her. Except now, his self-doubt was replaced by a half-amused, half-exasperated expression.
"...You wouldn't believe the number of meetings people have had to sit through just to finalize the restroom ergonomics for this building. Planning around a Christmas opening's been a complete logistic nightmare. Then you have all these old geezers on the board of directors that wouldn't know a QR code from a barcode."
The boy ran a finger through his hair, sighing deeply, his eyes belying his built-up fatigue.
A small silence stretched between the two, when the boy muttered something under his breath and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out his phone. He searched around for a moment, trying to find what he was looking for.
"Takahashi got a part-time job recently," he said, holding up a photo of said boy in work-uniform, looking very annoyed at having his picture unceremoniously taken. Kokomi cocked her head.
Putting away his phone, his eyes idly traced the ceiling lights. "There's Shuuji. The guy's real good with computer-related stuff, you know? I told him I could get him an internship into a good company if he wanted one, but he declined. Said he wanted to give it a shot on his own before he considered relying on me."
There was a hint of exasperation in his voice, but also something else..
"Then there's Yokota. I never figured him to be the studious type but even he's pretty serious about getting into his first choice university, that guy."
He shook his head.
"Even though they're all idiots. Even though they're just..." He just couldn't seem to find the words.
He exhaled through his nose.
"Do you remember, Kokomi? The time I first asked you out?" His eyes trailed back to her. "It feels like it was ages ago."
Did she remember?
She did. Of course she did. The guy had waltzed into the girl's washroom without batting an eyelid. At some point into their conversation, some guys had come over and renovated it into the boy's washroom. It was the stupidest thing.
"I never stopped thinking about it." Pacing around, he slowly drew closer. "I know it sounds arrogant of me, but there's no point in sugar coating it. I would have given you the world, Kokomi. Any luxury you could dream of. The finest couture. A personal fleet of private jets. Lavish estates in any corner of the globe you pleased. Jewels that museums would vie for. Invitations to celebrity-exclusive galas. Pieces of the moon, if you insisted."
It sounded so outlandish, but she could believe every word.
"I also know that I'm decently attractive." He spoke unabashedly. "I put in effort to take care of my looks and physique. I have money. I have influence. I have looks. And I have no need to pretend otherwise."
"Then," he wore a soft grimace. "Why?" There was a deeply emphatic frustration in his voice. His breathing had grown a little ragged. "What did someone like Saiki Kusuo have that I did not? How could anyone possibly think me lesser?!"
He wore a complicated expression.
"But I think.. I think I kind of get it now. I do." His eyes trailed along the ceiling lights.
"Shuuji. Yokota. Takahashi. As much as I've always looked down on them, as much as I like to poke fun of their bank balances... They're pretty reliable guys. And they're all sincerely trying," there was a deep regard in his voice. "They're all trying their best to figure out where they want to go, what they want to do with their lives..."
His eyes trailed back to Kokomi.
"Don't get me wrong, now. I take pride in my family's fortune. It's mine to inherit, and I wouldn't throw it away for the world. Nor for anything. Not for anyone. I'm not worthless enough a merchant to not take what is freely offered to me."
He paused for a brief second. "But, at the same time..." he continued, "I don't want to just remain a pampered brat either."
"I know its not the same," his voice was uncharacteristically soft. "But. All this." he said, making a sweeping gesture. "I did my best, you know? Wetting my feet over here. Supervising the development of this mall. I had a tonne of help, admittedly. People far more experienced than me holding my hand through the whole process. Through the logistics of everything. Managing inventory. Managing leasing. Hiring people to hire more people. Doing this. Doing that. Round the clock."
His sincerity showed in the light callousness of his hands.
"I realize it's barely a start. And I know you might still be me just as that same old spoiled rich kid that asked you out all those years ago. But I'm trying my best. I.. I wanted to be a person you could admire."
So he says.
"I know I've said it before..." He reached out his hand. "But I like you, Teruhashi Kokomi. Go out with me."
Somehow things had managed to get even heavier. Far, far heavier than she would have ever anticipated.
His lines had been corny at places, but his eyes were dead serious.
First he asks her to come with him abroad. And now this.
Kokomi could kind of understand why Rifuta had told her to hear him out now. It wasn't the sort of conversation she could have just brushed off.
Saiko Metori. He was quite right in that he was an incredible catch.
Rich beyond belief. Heir to a multi-trillion yen conglomerate. Like he said, decently attractive. Once upon a time, she would have considered him an absolute jackpot.
But now..
She couldn't help her thoughts going back to him.
His exasperatingly inscrutable expression. His cat-like charm. The little quirks of his personality that drew her in, and endeared him to her so much.
She thought over her words carefully.
"There was probably a time... when I would have cried for joy at the idea that someone like Saiko-kun would confess to me." Her words were slow and measured.
"And I can tell that Saiko-kun has been working very hard behind the scenes these past few months." She'd had an inkling that he'd been keeping himself busy, but hadn't quite figured out on what. "You said you were being arrogant." A playful smile crept on her lips. "And previously, I might have even shared that sentiment. But." There was a contemplative pause. "Maybe, in a way, its even better, that instead of throwing away your pride, you want to become someone you can be proud of, Saiko-kun... And I know that you'd be able to make any girl in my place really, really happy."
"Then-!"
"But I..." She shook her head "I'm sorry." She gave an apologetic bow. "I can't accept your feelings."
Silence rang like a gunshot.
In time, the boy eventually found his voice.
"..Why?" His expression was uncomprehending. "I-I don't get it."
Kokomi's lips formed a thin line.
"I did my best, you know? Throwing myself at the wall. Trying my best to change. To become someone that you could like! What is it that you're still unsatisfied about?!"
"Its- It's not that-"
Then it seemed to click.
"Saiki." It rolled off his tongue like a curse.
The girl didn't quite flinch, but it showed on her face.
"It's him again, isn't it?" Saiko grimaced. "Why?"
When he got no answer, "Why?!" his voice thundered, although his vehemence wasn't quite directed at Kokomi. More so at the world in general.
"What is it that's so great about him?"
His voice was beginning to rise. "What does he have that I don't?"
When Kokomi said nothing, his grimace continued to deepen. He seemed to be trying to collect himself, but his emotions only transitioned from red hot to icy cold.
"...I know I'm not one to speak, but at the end of the day, its really just a stupid crush, isn't it?" There was a certain venomous bite to his voice.
"Momentary butterflies and all that? Like, what exactly do you even like about him? Isn't it just because he ignores you that you feel the need to impress him? Just the thrill of chase. Isn't that all-"
The boy caught himself when he saw the girl's expression.
For all her finesse as an actress, even she couldn't help the emotion erupting on her face at that moment.
"...W-Why- Why would you say that?"
Before Saiko had a chance to reply, the girl bolted, her usual composure out the window. Something in his words had burned straight through her.
Her eyes stung. The ground blurred beneath her. She knew she was being careless, running indoors with her eyes working against her.
One mis-step, and she could end up with a nasty bruise on her legs. But her head wasn't thinking right at the moment.
Coming to the edge of the lounge, she made in the direction of the escalators, when-
With her body still in motion, her head half-turned to the stimulus from her peripheral vision, her eyes widened. It was the old man from before. The one who had sat across from Saiko at the cafe. Idly standing next to the lounge entrance. He looked hardly embarrassed at the prospect of being caught eavesdropping. If anything, he just continued to watch her attentively as she jerked her head away, and continued to run.
As he watched her go, he lazily pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning, before rolling his shoulders.
Saiko Metori. One of the most eligible bachelors in the Japanese Archipelago. And one of the richest brats on the planet. Had an unrequited crush.
The man had to snort.
What a thing.
