𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨

- Chapter 31 -

Today is a resting day for Helia. She took the opportunity to wander around town, embracing the small taste of freedom from her duties.

This time, she ventures out on her own, Anna being occupied with her own tasks for the day. The bustling streets and various shops become her backdrop as she explores the town with a sense of curiosity and relaxation.

She strolls through town and passes by the jewelry store, her eyes linger on the beautiful blue bracelet she had admired before.

Calculations run through her mind as she considers how long it would take to save up enough money to buy it. Ten years would probably enough but it felt like a lifetime away.

She sighs and continues to walk through the streets. After a few minutes her stomach begins to grumble. Deciding it's time for a snack, she stops by a food stall and purchase something to eat.

She ends up with a large waffle in hand and she continues her stroll, enjoying the sweet treat.

[...]

After walking for several minutes, the peaceful atmosphere is interrupted by a commotion on the other side of the street.

The sudden disturbance catches her attention, and her curiosity is piqued. She pauses for a moment to assess the situation and see what's causing the commotion.

From her point of view, she can see a small crowd of people gathered nearby, their attention focused on something on the other side of the street. She decides to stay where she is, trying to get a better view of the situation without drawing too much attention to herself.

As she surveys the few people gathered, her eyes suddenly fall on Toji, his familiar figure standing out in the midst of the commotion. She wonders what he's doing in the center of all this.

She sees him bend down towards an elderly lady who is laid out on the floor.

Questions race through Helia's mind, and she can't help but wonder if they were just having some kind of argument.

What was she thinking? The Toji she knew might be rude and distant at times, but she couldn't imagine him resorting to such extremes towards an old lady.

A sense of relief washes over her as she sees Toji extend a helping hand to the elderly lady, pulling her up and grabbing her bag at the same time.

It appears that Toji is not involved in any confrontation with the woman, but instead, he seems to be assisting her.

Helia notices the elderly woman patting Toji's shoulder and engaging in conversation with him. Regrettably, due to the distance and the people around, she can't quite make out their conversation. However, the interaction between Toji and the woman seems friendly.

A soft smile involuntarily forms on Helia's face as she witnesses Toji delicately assisting the elderly woman in walking beside him, their conversation continuing as they stroll together.

The sight of Toji displaying such kindness and patience seems almost surreal, and yet there he is, engaged in a friendly exchange with the old lady.

The old lady smiles warmly at him and her smile is met with a rare sight - a genuine smile on Toji's face. The expression, so unfamiliar and different from his usual detached demeanor, catches Helia off guard.

It's not his usual smirk or snarky grin, but a true, radiant smile that lights up his face. The transformation is so striking that it leaves Helia utterly surprised.

Suddenly, she snaps out of her reverie and realizes that she has been standing there on the street, fixated on Toji and the old lady like some kind of creep, for a good five minutes.