Stranger | Taka

Chapter 18: Borderline

Taka's Point of View

I guess I really am an idiot. An idiot for waiting this long-a whole year-for a girl I haven't seen or haven't been in much contact with for a while. And an idiot who has been told the same words, "There are other fish in the sea".

When it comes to these things I would know. But what am I supposed to do when I stopped 'fishing' after I found her?

Then again, the last time it was like this was way back in middle school. Besides that, I haven't been anything close to serious about this thing called love. I am already twenty-nine years old- What am I talking about? At this age, I can still do whatever the hell I want if I wanted to.

"I don't know," I say to myself in my first language as I run my fingers and the palm of my hand through my naturally messy hair while sitting on a high chair in front of a counter at a bar.

"What was that?" one of my good friends sitting next to me asks in Japanese after taking a sip of his beer.

"Hm..? Oh, nothing," I reply with a somewhat smile.

"You're drinking more than usual tonight. You okay?"

"Yeah."

Your Point of View

Turning around to face the person who I hear call out my name, it's as if someone snaps their fingers together to do a magic trick, FCFS/N, which is who this man says he is, stands before me. And in just another snap he is about to sit before me.

"I apologize for meeting you like this all of a sudden. I have a meeting to attend with my father, so I can't meet you this afternoon," FCFS/N shoots me with his fascinating, luring eyes before speaking first when we take a seat at a table in a fancy restaurant that he brought me to.

"I understand," I casually reply and then look down at the glasses of water already being served to us.

After my glass is set down I grip it with my hands and take a sip.

What the actual fuck.

Okay, I have to admit this guy has the looks. He is also a gentleman, expressing such formality towards me. Just...What a surprise.

Once I set my glass of water down that is already almost half empty, FCFS/N's gentle smile turns into a small chuckle, which makes my eyes flicker back up to his.

"This must be uncomfortable for you, huh? Pressured maybe?" he says with a small smile on his face still as if it were permanent on his lips.

"W-What makes you say that..?" I fail to say my words confidently.

"I've been through that before. Too many times that it became numb for me.."

FCFS/N lowers his voice when he starts to say his second sentence. However, I hear every word that comes out of his mouth. It's also almost unnoticed, but his glowing facial expression suddenly turns into a dark one, speaking with a frown on his face instead of a smile. That flashing smile of his comes back though, when he speaks once more.

"Just relax, alright?"

"Don't worry about it. That's not necessary..I won't be seeing you again after this anyways."

"Go ahead and order anything....Wait, what?"

"I said I won't be-"

"Yeah, I heard what you said..I was just..taken aback. I never heard any girl say that to me before and on the first meeting too. Usually, I'm the one to..."

This time FCFS/N picks up his glass of water and takes a sip of it. After he's done, he puts it down and looks up at me again..It's probably just me, but something about him seems different now compared to how he was before. He is the one that seems more relaxed now, being more straightforward and showing something more than just a simple, small smile.

"You must already have a boyfriend then?"

"Not exactly..but you can say that."

"No? And you're going to leave someone like me after this? I also heard about what's happening to your father's company."

"Not too long ago it seemed like you were going to leave anyway, so it shouldn't matter right?"

Since I become a smartass by answering his question with another question, FCFS/N genuinely laughs out loud.

"I have never met anyone like you before. Sorry. I take back what I said about not seeing you after this first meeting."

"...W-What are you talking about?"

While his smiling, still luring eyes stare into my soul, he takes out the newest smartphone. After flashing this time a genuine smile at me, FCFS/N glances down at his phone's screen and pokes at it a couple of times. Suddenly, I get a call from an unsaved number.

"Yeah, I got your number from your father but since you don't have mine that's my number. Look forward to my texts and calls."

"Wait-"

Before I can speak another word, FCFS/N gets up from his seat and leave.