Host bar // kazuscara [EDITING]

12

"Kazuha, are you almost there?" Mina asked through the phone as Kazuha stepped off of the metro, heading towards the mall that the two of them agreed on reconvening.

"Yeah, just give me a second."

Kazuha sighed, rubbed his nose bridge, then looked around for a short girl with a bob cut. He waved his arm left and right, catching Mina's attention, who was pacing back and forth, phone up to her ear.

"Kazuha!" Mina called out excitedly as she jogged towards Kazuha, eyes lighting up like how his once did.

"Hello, Mina." Kazuha whispered with a faint smile.

Mina lead the both of them to the side, where the swarm of people couldn't accidentally separate them. Compared to travelling across two different departments to even catch a glimpse of her, he'd rather those strangers push the two of them apart.

He looked away from Mina, afraid to gaze into her glistening eyes.

"Gosh, you look disheveled." she remarked, grabbing the corner of Kazuha's sweatshirt, "Are you okay?"

"Haha, is it that obvious?"

"Well, how is it not?" Mina pointed her finger towards his face, "You look like you haven't slept in days!"

Kazuha touched his under-eye, almost to hide his face. He brushed his hand gently against his face, the rough texture of his growing stubble scratching his palms.

He even made an effort today to look presentable. It was his first time washing his face in a couple of days, and so was it the first time he deliberately critiqued his fashion in front of a mirror. So her harmless remark felt like a knife through his heart.

"I didn't even notice. I don't really use the lights anymore, maybe that's why."

Mina shook her head, almost disappointedly. But the way she clutched onto her furry yellow purse gave the impression of care.

"How much can a man change you?"

Kazuha knew Mina was thinking of the same thing as him, and it was clear what the question meant. She stopped herself, covering her mouth with her fingers, repenting about her accidental blurb. The two of them shared a knowing gaze, a wordless agreement.

This was just supposed to be a rendez-vous at a small cafe to talk about some important things, Kazuha doesn't know when it turned into a date. He clearly agreed to the meeting just for that matter, but doesn't know why he's not stopping Mina. She's just randomly pointing towards stores and Kazuha's just mindlessly following her with no clear goal.

"How does this look, Kazuha?"

Mina asked as she stepped out of the dressing room with a plaid skirt and sweater, spinning around so Kazuha could see her from all angles. She pulled her sweater outwards, head looking down to admire the print.

If other people paid attention to them, they'd think they're a couple.

"You look fine."

Mina pouted, "Just fine? Wow Kazuha, clearly you don't know how to compliment girls."

This is what couples say.

Kazuha awkwardly laughed, "I'm not sure how this thing works, I've never dated someone before."

Mina's expression hardened, her bubbly fidgets came to a stop. Kazuha flinched at the reaction, sucking in the inside of his lips to stop himself from saying anything else he'd regret.

He watched as Mina slime her way back to the change rooms, her arms already out of the sweater.

After years of admiring the girl that he's roaming the mall with, Kazuha thought he'd feel different, maybe even a spark of how he felt before, yet there was nothing. No heart-eyes, no stomach flips like before. He wondered why he came out with Mina in the first place if he knew he didn't feel the same way.