𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄? (𝗵. 𝗮𝗸𝗶) ✓

3

It wasn't too long before they reached their destination, a small roadside diner with a few benches and tables outside. Denji had to use almost all of his self-control to keep himself from skipping to the counter. He declared his order to the man behind the counter without hesitation, and turned his head round to face Hanasaki, seeking approval.

"Sound good?" he asked cheerily, seeming not to realise how Hanasaki took no notice of him at all, and just let her pay for his udon wordlessly.

"You're not gonna get anything?"

"No," Hanasaki said coolly, sliding the change into her wallet. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh... well..." Denji mumbled, his tone quickly switching from joy to confusion, and brought a hand up to hold the side of his head. "If you say... s–"

Suddenly, his eyes rolled up into the back of his skull, and his body went limp, collapsing sidewards, right onto Hanasaki.. She was momentarily taken aback by the force of his lifeless body hitting her shoulder, but pulled him upright by his shoulders anyways, wrinkling her nose in discomfort at the contact.

Guess I'll have to carry him, then. Ugh. I'd rather have actually had to fight the Zombie Devil.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•

Denji didn't know how long he'd been unconscious for, but as soon as his eyelids fluttered open, he yelled the first thing that jumped into his fuzzy mind.

"Udon!"

He sat upright at once, stiff as a board, to find that he wasn't on the ground, but had been laid on a wooden bench. Beside him sat Hanasaki, who was leaning on the table the bench was by with one elbow, propping her head up with her hand.

"Oh, so you're awake now?" she mused, seemingly bored out of her mind. "Eat your food, it'll go cold."

"Uh... thank you?" Denji stammered, turning himself around so he was facing his bowl of udon, which was somehow still lukewarm. One trembling hand reached out to pick up the pair of chopsticks next to it, but he drew it back slightly, as if it would bite him.

"Something wrong?" Hanasaki enquired, her eyes flicking over to him lazily. "Can you eat by yourself?"

"I.. ca– cannot," he blurted out. There was a noticeable pause between the two attempts he made at the word 'cannot', and that stupid smile of his had made a reappearance.

Denji seemed way too happy for someone who had just woken up from passing out because of blood loss, but Hanasaki couldn't be bothered to become any more sceptical of him. The sun had barely risen, and she'd already had enough for one day. She began to feed him in stony silence.

"By the way, what's your name?" Denji asked between mouthfuls. Hanasaki gave a quiet sigh, as if answering the question was the most tedious labour she'd ever been told to complete.

"Hanasaki Zakuro. That's Hanasaki-san to you, seeing as I'm your superior."

"Sure! And, Hanasaki-san... is there a type of guy you like?"

Hanasaki stared at the carefree, blank expression on Denji's face, and restrained herself from sighing again.

"Well, I couldn't say exactly... but someone kind, responsible... sincere. I'd like someone like that."

Definitely not Denji, she thought to herself.