SOLO • Shinichiro

Dumpling

With his elbows resting on the dark blue bars of the railing, Shinichiro's head lifts to look in each direction again, scolding himself for arriving so early out of a fear of being late. He was absolutely certain he hadn't misunderstood. As eager as he was to meet with you again, there was no way he'd gone to the wrong place, but the constant foot traffic down the Shibuya skywalk with no sight of you has left him wondering if he's been stood up.

Tossing the half-finished cigarette aside and lifting his phone— the time reads as twenty after— and the progression of the coming minutes evaporates the last shred of confidence he's got left. While he'd expected this much, there was still that ever looming feeling of self-blame, his doubt in himself only rising as his eyes scan the skywalk once more.

Shit.

If there was one thing Shinichiro was best at, it was his emotions, managing to collect himself and accept defeat with a smile before turning and heading back down. This is okay, he assures himself, sliding his hands into his pockets as he hops down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. As the blazing sun overhead pours heat onto the pavement below, Shinichiro keeps up a constant pace, watching his feet with each step. The shops only a few blocks away, and while he'd taken the day off in order to meet with the girl of his dreams, he was content with returning to work and focusing on what needed to be done. It didn't have to be the end of the world— even if it felt like it on the inside.

"Please, wait-" there's a touch on his back before a slight tug on his t-shirt, drawing his attention back to the gentle voice and struggled breaths, "I'm— really sorry— if you don't want to— go out with me— it's okay."

Dropping her hands to her knees and gasping for air, the girl at his side bows repeatedly while forcing words through tired lungs, "I didn't— see the time— so I'm late but I ran as fast— as I could."

"You ran here..?" His lips stay parted in disbelief, watching as you slowly regain your composure. With each new apology, the skin on his face and neck turns to fire, blood rushing to his cheeks at the thought, "you ran... after me?"

"I'm sorry, Shinichiro," pulling the mask from your face to allow in the fresh air, you fan yourself from the heat as you sigh, "I totally understand if you want to leave."

"Hey-" laying his hand on the top of your baseball cap, Shinichiro chuckles to himself as he leans down, meeting your eye and smiling, "just call me next time. Where we goin' to?"

"Well, I haven't really been able to go out since I've been back in Tokyo," you start, smiling to yourself after the unexpected contact from your first crush, your feet fall in place next to his as you begin to walk, "would it be alright if we just looked around?"

"Of course, it's alright," his head turns towards you with a calm and friendly smile, seeming to reflect the light from the sky back at you— he's like my own sunshine. Even walking next to him feels warm and new, the company of a boy with hearts in his eyes and a sway in his step is more than you could've imagined for your first date. He's different somehow. You aren't sure if it's his lack of knowledge of your true identity or if he's just a genuine person but— he seems too good to be true, up to the moment his feet stop just outside of an arcade with a bashful smile, "wanna play somethin' here?"

"Really!?" You turn with a gasp, the explosive burst of excitement that formed in your chest as his question fizzles with your next statement, "but I didn't bring any cash with me... Can we stop by an ATM first?"

"Huh? no need. I'm not broke, ya know" With his fingers around the handle, your own personal sunshine beams you a smile, stepping aside and holding the door open for you to walk through. As the coin machine devours the large bill, you bite your tongue to keep from apologizing. While the embarrassment of taking a boy out and making him pay for you felt like an ocean's force of pressure on your skull, you wouldn't risk the conversation of money again, already feeling an intense amount of guilt for implying he couldn't pay for something as small as arcade games— or am I overthinking this...