KeishinxOC

Pick your battles

Once Daichi called everyone to clean up the court and get ready to head home, Aya stood up and grabbed her bag, throwing it over her shoulder. She wasn't going to lie; being here and watching the team did feel nostalgic though it still made her hurt inside knowing she could no longer be on the court to do what she loved, jumping high and spiking the ball. Daichi walked over to the girls as Sugawara helped the others take off the net and gather the volleyballs to put away in the storeroom.

"So, any thoughts?" He asked her with a grin and a hand on his hip.

Aya blushed yet again and ran a hand through her hair. "Well...I read up on the first years and they do sound like they have a lot of potential. I'm glad Kiyoko invited me tonight. I just...don't know. It still hurts knowing I can no longer play." She commented as Daichi nodded.

"I understand. Just take your time and mull it over tonight though I do still hope you say yes. Like I said earlier, you may no longer be able to play but it doesn't mean you have to stop yourself from loving the game." He stated as Aya laughed lightly.

"Uh, yeah... true. I know I always will love this sport... Anyway, I should uh.... get going." She said, gripping her bag. "I'll see you all tomorrow. okay?"

Daichi waved at her as he watched Aya take off out of the gym. "Wait...does she have a ride home?" He asked as Kiyoko shrugged.

Aya walked down the halls to the girl's locker room, glad to see that it was still open. She headed over to her locker before changing into some black pants, a black T-shirt and a hooded jean jacket before throwing on her beanie. She put on some fingerless gloves before calling it good, making sure her locker was locked up tight not before grabbing her sleeping bag out and tying it to her bag. Once she was ready, she headed out of the school, making sure the coast was clear before taking off out of the school grounds and down the suburban roads lit up only by streetlamps on this cloudy and dark night. Okay, time to go to the mart, she thought to herself as she walked down a few blocks praying that the store was still open and as it appeared just down the hill with the lights still on, she made a sigh of relief.

Now all she had to worry about was the shop keep not suspecting her I.D. to be fake. She took it out of her bag along with the little money she had before zipping it back up and putting it back on her back. She walked up to the store and slid the door open causing the bell to chime as she stepped inside. Her eyes wandered around at the shelves before glancing over at the shop keeper who had planted himself behind his front desk reading a sport magazine, a volleyball one from the looks of the front cover and smoking a cigarette. He seemed young, maybe middle to late 20's with obviously dyed short blonde hair with dark under roots slicked back with a head band. As she took in his orange pullover jacket he was wearing and the two piercings on his left ear, she had a thought that he was kind of handsome in a subtle punk kind of way though she shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind as she walked up to the counter catching his attention.

His eyes studied her own as if trying to get a read on her which made her a little annoyed though she ignored it as she watched him set down his magazine on the counter and clear his throat, "Can I help you?" He asked as Aya looked at him with a steady and bored look. "Yeah, I need a pack of cigarettes." She said before telling him the brand, reading his named tag that read Ukai. Ukai paused for a moment, raising his eyebrow, "I.D.?" He stated as Aya handed it to him. He glanced at it and moved it around before looking back at her. The name read Aya Noboru and stated that she was 20. From the looks of it, it didn't seem fake though he couldn't tell. Now he was in a situation on whether or not he should judge this I.D., deny her the pack and kick her ass out or not. She did look young though it really was hard to tell, what was it his mother always told him? Pick your battles? With a sigh, he got up and grabbed the pack behind him in the glass case before dropping it on the counter and taking her cash and giving her the change. "Thanks." Aya said before grabbing the pack and taking out her lighter from the pocket of her pants. Without another word, she headed outside, taking out a cigarette in the process. As she stepped outside and began to light it, she saw a couple of figures walking her way. When she looked up, her heart stopped as the cigarette in her mouth threatened to fall to the floor. Shit. She recognized one of them to be Ishii Noboru's son, Jo, and a couple of his damn thugs. As soon as their eyes connected, Jo giving her an evil smirk. She turned and darted back into the store, looking for somewhere to hide, somewhere to get away. Where? Where do I go?!

Ukai had just sat back down and picked up the sport magazine he was reading after Aya had left before he heard her dart back in. He looked up to find her looking around a bit in a panic before she looked his way, though not at him he noticed. Glancing back out the door once, she ran towards him, ignoring him as she darted into the room right behind and shut the door. "H-Hey!" He exclaimed before looking behind him to be faced with 3 men in suits and tattoos. Who the hell are they? He wondered as they sauntered over to him, the one he supposed was their leader, slamming his hands on his desk. "I take it that my dear little sister ran into the room behind you. Would you be so kind to open the damn door? I have orders from our father to bring her home. Hm?" He spoke. Ukai wasn't sure how to take this situation. She was this guy's sister? The way she was looking around in a panic and barreled through to the room behind him made him believe that she was terrified of the man that was standing before him. Who was he? "Sure...let me just find my keys...." He said, having a feeling that the girl locked it.

Behind the door, Aya was leaning against it as her eyes darted around the dark room, her heart was in a panic as she tried to think of a way, any way to escape. Her eyes landed on a window behind a desk with blinds. She ran over quickly and looked for a way to open it. Finding the latch, she opened it quickly only for there to be a screen. For fucks sake she cursed in her mind as she fought against the screen, finally giving up and kicking it off with her foot as it made a bit of a loud noise. She climbed through the window and landed on the concrete ground before taking off in a sprint down the alleyway. She needed to find a place to hide before they caught wind that she had escaped. As she ran down the alley, turning down a corner, her eyes darted around, not finding anything to hide her. She tried any door she came across, hoping for it to be unlocked but to no avail. Cursing, she continued to run into the night.

Ukai had just opened the door to his back room as Jo and his thugs pushed him off to the side, causing Ukai to grunt in annoyance. Their eyes immediately went over to the window that was wide open. "Boss! She escaped!" Jo cursed and gripped his fists, "Obviously!" He pointed the grunt beside him and started to bark out orders. "Get after her! GO!" He yelled as all of them brushed passed Ukai on their way out. They moved quickly and dashed out the front door of the shop and headed down the alley way in search of her. After they had left, Ukai ran a hand down his face. The hell, man? This is not how he wanted his night to go. Not wanting to deal with any more thugs like them, he decided to close up shop early.

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