𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 - 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

01

chapter one

"What the flip."
On your morning walk, you'd come across a body. A human body. Was this human alive? You did not know.

"Uh...hello? Are you okay?" You shook the body and flinched back when the body moved. Thank God this person was alive.

They groaned and seemed to be coming to their senses. When they saw you, they squinted and frowned in confusion.

"What are you doing in my house?" They asked.

This confused you as you were not in a house but instead on a random sidewalk. Outside.

"You live on this sidewalk?"

The person looked around and you got a better look at them. They were a he, clearly hungover,  handsome, had sloppy pink hair and in general looked like a mess, but you could tell he could clean up well when he wanted to.

"I do not," he finally answered. "Shit, how did I get here?"
"Maybe you should quit drinking?"
"That's no fun."
"Neither is getting trafficked."
"Are you going to traffic me?"
"I might."
"Well, sell me for a fair price."
You laughed and decided to try and help this random man up.

He was unsteady at first but he gained his balance and you stepped back to let him stretch. Should you leave now or what?

"So uh...are you gonna be okay getting back home?"
He sighed, "Wanna get breakfast with me? I'm starving."
"Uh...well, I'm not doing anything."
"So that's a yes?"
"Sure?"
"Good enough!"
What a strange person. But weren't you strange as well for agreeing?

"Alright let's go," he said. "I know a really good place around here. I'll lead the way."
"Do you know where you are?"
"Yup! Well...sort of? Don't worry about it, I'll find the way. Let's go."

He walked fast. You jogged a little to catch up with him. For someone who woke up hungover on the sidewalk, he seemed fully stable right now.

"So what's your name?" He asked as you walked.
"Y/n. You?"
He stopped suddenly and turned to you.
"Takahiro Hanamaki," he said and offered you his hand. You took it.

"It's nice to meet you," you said.
"It's nice to meet you as well, Y/n."
Without another word, he dropped your hand and continued walking swiftly. Strange. He was definitely strange.

30 minutes later after Hanamaki made a few wrong turns you ended up at a small cafe that served the best fucking eggs you'd ever had the pleasure to eat.

"Oh my God," you said. "This is incredible. How did I not know this place existed?"
You'd lived here for half your life and you'd never even heard the name.

"Well, I used to work here so..." he trailed off.
"Why'd you stop?" You wanted to know more about him, mainly what lead him to wake up on a sidewalk but you thought you'd slowly lead up to that.

"Got fired," he said. "I mean you leave the store unlocked once."
"And then we got robbed!" There was a booming voice and this voice belonged to a large man who wore an apron with the cafe's name printed on it.

"Aye! Sakai!" Hanamaki stood up and went to hug this "Sakai" but got pushed back down into his seat.

"It's Mr. Hisao to you!" He got all up in Hanamaki's face now, telling him he was the worst employee he'd ever had.

You felt bad for Hanamaki but then again, hearing all this wasn't too surprising. Still, you didn't enjoy seeing him being yelled at.

"Uh, sir!"
Mr. Hisao finally stopped shouting when you spoke. Both he and Hanamaki looked to you expectantly. Crap, what did you say now?
"The food is incredible!" You smiled.

"Well of course it is!" He slammed his right hand down on the table and you flinched. Was he gonna kill you too? Stuff yours and Hanamaki's bodies in a freezer where you wouldn't be found for days? Too morbid. Stop thinking.

"Hey, hey! Be nice to the girl, it's me you have a problem with right? She's just complimenting your food!"

You were thankful for Hanamaki standing up for you. Confrontation and confidence weren't in your set list of skills.

Mr. Hisao seemed to have calmed down a little. He took a breath and stood tall.
"I apologise. It's just this idiot." He said and slapped Hanamaki on the back of his head. "Grinds my gears like no other."

You laughed awkwardly while Hanamaki clutched his imaginary pearls.

"I'm a delight," he said.
Mr. Hisao belly laughed. His whole body shook. Was it really that funny? You laughed with him anyway.

And then all of a sudden he stopped and talked very sternly.
"You eat and then get out. And you." He pointed to you and you froze. "Don't get involved with this idiot, okay? He'll drag you down with him."

After Mr. Hisao walked away, Hanamaki leaned across the table and whispered to you.
"Don't listen to him, alright? I'm trustworthy."

For some reason you couldn't possibly explain, you full-heartedly believed him.

"I trust you."
"Good." He smiled. "I trust you too."
"Is this weird considering we just met?"
"It definitely feels that way but...I don't know...there's something about you that I like. I don't wanna be separated from you just let."

"Well." You cleared your throat and laughed sheepishly. "Thank you."
"And you're pretty too."
"What?"
"What?"
"Sorry?"
"Nothing! Are you done? Let's go!"

Before you could respond, Hanamaki put your plate and cutlery on top of his own and pulled you from your seat. He opened the door for you and you quickly slipped out, flushed.

What. Was. Happening?

"So, where to next?" He asked.

Oh, this was still happening.

And for some reason, you were completely okay with it. You didn't know what was happening to you, you weren't the spontaneous type and yet here you were with someone you'd just met ready to go with him wherever.

"Anywhere," you said.
"Anywhere it is!"

End of chapter 1