Tastes Like Home | Various!Blue Lock

Eighteen

Meguru Bachira's life was certainly in danger.

It all started when Meguru and (Y/n) had disembarked on an aimless journey throughout Tokyo. Neither of them had a plan.

Which, in hindsight, was probably the problem.

For (Y/n), who had grown up in the quiet embrace of mountains and small towns, Tokyo might as well have been another planet. Every glowing sign, every crowded crosswalk, every vending machine on the sidewalk fascinated her to no end.

"Bachira, look! That store has three floors!"
"Why is there a cat café next to a ramen place?"
"Bachira, why was there music playing in the bathroom—?"

She kept stopping every few steps, eyes sparkling, tugging lightly at his sleeve as if afraid the city might disappear if she blinked too long.

Meguru just laughed, hands tucked behind his head. "Whoa, you're like a kid in an amusement park," he said. "It's kinda cute, (N/n)!"

She flushed. "It's not cute. It's just... big."

And loud... And alive... And overwhelming.

(Y/n) fit into it all far too well, which was a whole nother problem in itself.

She looked different here. Not out of place—if anything, she stood out. The city lights caught in her hair. The cold air pinked her cheeks. Her shy smiles softened sharp neon backdrops.

People noticed. Meguru noticed them noticing.

The first guy approached them near a crepe stand.

"Uh, excuse me," he said, offering a charming smile. "You're really pretty. Can I get your—"

Before (Y/n) could even process what was happening, Meguru stepped in front of her.

"Ah—NOPE."

Both of them froze.

"...Huh?" the guy blinked.

Meguru flailed slightly. "I mean—uh—sorry! She's, um—taken! Yeah! Super taken! By me! Because I'm her—"

He pointed to himself.

"Boyfriend."

(Y/n)'s brain short-circuited, Meguru glanced at her in panic as if to say, 'Sorry, I don't know what I'm doing either!'

"W-What?!"

The guy looked between them. "...Oh. Sorry, man."

He backed off quickly.

The moment he was gone, (Y/n) stared at Meguru in horror. "Bachira!!"

"I panicked!" he said immediately. "It just came out! Like—boom! Boyfriend!"

"You can't just—!"

Before she could finish, another glance from across the street made Meguru tense again.

"...Okay, I have an idea," he said, suddenly grabbing her hand. "We're dating now."

"WHAT?"

"Temporarily!" he added quickly. "For safety!"

"For safety?!"

"Yeah! Look, if people think you're with me, they'll stop bugging you. Easy!"

She hesitated. "...That makes no sense."

"It makes perfect sense," he nodded seriously. "I don't want to have to explain to Isagi why you've gotten hit on seven times within ten minutes, okay?"

"... And you think he'd be okay with you being my pretend boyfriend?" (Y/n) gawked.

"Shh. Just trust me."