Forgotten Encounter

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

A young girl was walking through the streets with her head down. It was around 5 p.m. and the girl was going to buy a book from a store. Pink strands of hair fell out of her hoodie as she briskly walked through the streets.

The 15 year old year was a certain Ichinose Honami.  

It was highly unusual for her to be outside the secure recesses of her house where she had been cooped up for the past few weeks but today, she was on a mission to buy a new mathematics textbook.

Though she wasn't attending school, she still had to take her final exams and pass them if she wanted to get into a good high school. That too preferably one far away from home, considering that incident.

She tucked the loose hair strands back inside her hoodie and looked around searching for signs of bookstore that she heard was in this area. 

It was her first time in this neighbourhood. She had been avoiding any shops and public places near her home and school for a long time now and today, she was going to a bookstore in a further area, still walkable but inconvenient for anyone from her area to go to. Perfect for her.

She crossed the street after looking at both directions and reached the bookstore she had been searching for, 'Standard Books'.

She entered the store, looking at her immediate surroundings to see if there was anyone she knew. There were none. Infact, the whole store was empty except for her and the who she guessed was owner of the store. 

5 minutes later, she finished her purchase. As she was leaving, the entrance door and a boy with magenta hair that reached his ears stepped in. 

"Yo Dad! Throw me a duct tape!"

He's the son of the shop owner huh? They both look scary.

 She continued walking tugging the strings of her hoodie out of habit as she was going to the exit. 

"No, Wait! Lookout!"

Huh?

She felt an tug an her sleeve as she stumbled forward into the boy infront of her. No he pulled her. 

The boy caught the the roll of tape with his other hand before supporting her to stand properly. He looked at her face for a brief second, as she peered up at him before he glared at his father.

The man came running up to her apologizing profusely and said that he was glad she wasn't hurt. He even gave her a free pen to apologize even after she said that there was no need to. After the whole ordeal, she realised that the boy she wanted to thank was long gone.

Note to self, never again judge a person based on their looks.

There was a chilly breeze as Ichinose walked home. Once she had her head down with her hoodie hiding her face as she walked back home. 

On her way home as she crossed an alley, she head some muffled sounds coming from it. She immediately stopped and was horrified by what she saw. 

There was bloodied boy about her age sitting on the dirty floor of the alleyway leaned against a dumpster. There was no one else there.

Her instincts took over and she run into the alley next to the convenience store and knelt next to the boy checking for any serious injuries. She breathed a sigh of relief as she found none, though the scar below his black bangs looked a little worrisome.