These Streets | Kino x Reader

3

A week goes by and you haven't managed to hunt that asshole down and make him apologise for his words.

"So, you just left him on the street corner just like that? Wow that's harsh." Your friend snickers through the phone.

"Well I had to! You know how hard I worked for this apartment and how lovely the people here are to me. It just felt like such a personal attack. He must have come from some stuck up rich family." You spit back down the phone. Although deep down something doesn't feel right with that sentence.

"Hey, I wouldn't worry about it, you're never going to see him again anyway. It's not like you're going to bump into him on the street or anything." Your friend teases.

"Oh God Lucy don't jinx it. I bet I will now that you've said that." You sigh, half hoping that you're right. 

"Anyway," you continue, "I need to pop to the store to grab some things, you around for a coffee and chat?" you ask.

"Ugh I wish I could," Lucy whines, "I volunteered to help out with some litter picking, you know me." she says, you can imagine her flicking her hair over her shoulder as she says it. So cliché but you can't help but giggle.

Lucy is somewhat of an environmentalist, always bringing her travel mug to cafes and refusing single use plastic cutlery with whatever you bought to eat after a night out. You admired her and probably should follow in her footsteps a little more. But remembering to take a travel mug and your own set of cutlery with you wherever you go means actually remembering to take them. A skill you have not yet conquered.

"So that's a no to coffee?" You ask, pouting a little even though she can't see it.

"Sorry, it's a no for today, maybe tomorrow?" She replies, apologetically.

"Yeah that could work, remember to work on your own environment once in a while yeah?" You tease, knowing her bedroom is probably a state right now.

Lucy was a messy creative, as most creatives are, but you knew that she'd been working hard on her latest project. She often came to classes with a smudge of paint behind her ear from tucking her hair, a cute quirk that never failed to make you smile.

"Thanks Mum, I'll try my best." She groaned, "I've got to go, catch up with you tomorrow!" she calls down the phone, hanging up in the process.

You smile and sigh, checking the time. You decide to head off, grabbing your coat and bag and slipping on some shoes.

It's a pleasant day, not sunny enough to give you sunburn but not humid enough to rain. You walk down a fairly high-end area, on your way to your favourite café. You figure there could be no harm in a posh coffee before you go and pick up the things you need from one of the grocery stores owned by one of the people in your area. The older lady always gives you a small discount, knowing you're a student, and you're always grateful.

Just as you turn the corner to enter the café you stop dead.

You meet eyes.

It's as if a line of fire is hanging in the air between the two of you. You see his lips curl up in a smirk.

You consider pretending you don't know him, the easier option but a small part of you wants to start an argument with him. Payback for his remarks in your neighbourhood. You mentally remind yourself to thump Lucy tomorrow for jinxing you.

"Well well well, what do we have here? I did not think I'd see you again. Especially not in this neighbourhood." He says, eyes laughing.

You can't tell if he genuinely thinks he's funny or if he's just really bad at insulting people.

Sadly for him, this is your specialty.

"Well it's not a surprise to see you alone lurking in an alley, don't you have anything better to do?" You smile, words dropping with venom.

He looks visibly taken aback and you wonder if you've gone too far, until you see his face change and soften.

"It's cute that you still remember how we met. What is it now, our week anniversary? We should do something to celebrate." He says, mockingly.

You stand there, stunned. How can he joke about something like that? You barely know the man.

However, never one to pass up on an opportunity for free food you quickly construct a plan in your head.

Changing your hardened expression, you soften your posture, relaxing your shoulders and tilting your head to one side.

"Oh you're just so sweet darling, I am rather thirsty and I love that café over there." You slowly walk towards him, he starts to look a little flustered, confused by your sudden change in aura. You smile.

"Could you be a dear and get me a latte? I would be in your debt." You say, just a step away from him now, holding your hands hard behind your back to stop yourself from cringing.

"You should use your words more wisely, darling." He says, smiling wickedly down at you, closing that one-step gap between you.

"Because if you're in my debt then I can ask a favour of you. And I choose to ask that if I buy you coffee, you have to sit with me while you drink it." He finishes. A cool sweat comes over you.

You were planning on ditching him as soon as he went inside the café, you didn't mind not having a coffee if it meant avoiding this arrogant man-child.

He offers his arm out to you.

"Shall we?"