Best Man Sougo

04 - The Store

"I-I haven't thanked you for earlier." She replied meekly.

He looked at her standing under the streetlight. He didn't clearly see her face earlier in the dark, but now that her features were in full view, he realized that she was also the same lady he had almost bumped into when he sprinted through the emergency stairs earlier in the day.

She seemed to be a few years younger than him. Not by much, though. He also noted how her long vermillion locks fell in a disarray over her face and the innocent pair of deep blue eyes peeking out of those strands. She also didn't seem to harbour any bad intentions, but he wasn't looking for company to take care of, either, especially with his line of work as a ronin.

"No need. Just go back." He pointed in the direction of the hospital.

"I-I don't want to." She admitted.

"Do you have family you can live with?"

Her eyes shifted to the ground. "I don't have any relatives left."

"Friends?" He continued.

"Do friends I've made in the hospital count?"

Sougo looked at her with a complicated expression.

"I won't force you to go back." He understood that a psychiatric hospital wasn't really the most comfortable place to live in. "But, do you know what you're gonna do from now on?"

She shook her petite head vigorously.

"You're free now. Live life how you want. Get a job, travel. Anything goes. Best of luck with whatever it is. Let's part ways, okay?"

Sougo turned his back on her and continued to walk. He missed seeing the brief smile that passed through Kagura's lips. It was as if she finally heard the words that she wanted to hear the most.

Just when he thought that he was finally free of her, he heard her footsteps start behind him again.

"What are you doing?" He asked, visibly irked.

"I'm living life how I want." She mimicked him.

Upon hearing her response, Sougo felt his knees give out. He used both hands to support himself against a nearby wall. He felt the urge to knock his head against it. He should've chosen his words more carefully.

Sougo sighed and looked at her from the side. She stood there, clearly worried about him. He could read her face like a book. She was too innocent, ah.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to follow strange men?" He asked.

"Yes. But, Mami also told me it was okay to follow handsome men."

Sougo blinked twice at that statement. What was her mother teaching her?

Sensing how stubborn she was, he gave in. He did need a date for the wedding. Although, this isn't quite what he imagined.

"Just don't regret it afterwards." He warned her.

He turned his back on her, lowered himself to a squat and extended his arms in expectation.

"What are you doing?" She eyed his back curiously.

"Get on. I can't have you walking around in your bare feet."

Kagura clumsily climbed on his back.

"Thanks, mister." This was the first time she had a piggyback ride so the view from above his head made her feel giddy as if she was the queen of this district.

Meanwhile, Sougo couldn't deny the presence of her chest hitting his back. He could tell that she was quite well-endowed. He felt a bit guilty of taking advantage of her innocence as if he had just kidnapped her to be his date even though her actions were voluntary.