flâneur.

03

One lazy summer afternoon, as Hikari Taiyou would describe her day. She woke up from the noise of chirping birds that filled the air outside her window. Instead of having a phone, she immediately checks her stopwatch, indicating that it was one in the afternoon. She began her usual routine by fixing herself and preparing her last stock of instant noodles to eat.

Hikari had just moved in the neighborhood at a house that was owned under her name. No one knew that she had the ability to control time and space, in a way that she can pause everything as if her life was a movie while she walks around freely as time stopped. She also has the power to rewind time, but that could only reduce her life span in exchange for that. It was indeed powerful, but she knew that those powers had no use for this world.

It has been two days since she met the tall blonde but it was also the last time she stepped outside her house in order to avoid seeing him. She wanted to be a social butterfly around the neighborhood but her first encounter did not go so well. Calling him four-eyes and throwing the ball at him wasn't a part of her ideal start, as well as stopping time back then in order to get away from him.

"How embarrassing," Hikari told herself as she placed the seasoning on the hot boiling water with al dente noodles. "I should've just minded my own business." She then mixed it using her chopsticks.

Hikari took the pot and poured its contents to the bowl on the table. "Okay, maybe I was being pushy but the fact that he insulted me first was very lame of him!" She turned the television on and proceeded to eat her meal. "Thank you for the food."

Ah, wait.. I even threw the ball at him. He must've thought that I did that so that we'll be able to meet again once he returns it. Ugh, if I see him again, that bastard might think I'm desperate!

Hikari already felt defeated. She knew that her stock of food was low and she needed to step outside to buy more. If they meet again, she'll be done for but if she doesn't go out soon, she might starve. Remembering what happened, the sun was setting when they met which means he goes home around that time every day.

So in Hikari's conclusion, as long as she goes home before sunset, she won't be seeing him again.

As soon as she finished her food, she tied up her hair into a ponytail and wore a white tee with denim shorts to pair. She turned off all the appliances, takes her wallet and keys, then puts on her sneakers by the door.

Alright. Let's go!

Hikari finally walked out, getting some fresh air. The sun shines brightly, trees swaying along with the wind, birds chirping as they flew and happy dogs walking with their owners. On the way to the store, she greeted the people walking on the same street and a tall, dirty-blonde person carrying some luggage caught her eye.

He looks cute, she thought. But his face reminded her of the tall blonde which annoyed her throughout the rest of the walk.

She finally arrived and walked into the Sakanoshita Store, bowed to greet the person at the counter with a smile. "Good afternoon, Ukai-san!" Hikari already knew him from the day she first came to the neighborhood. The store was the first place she went aside from her house, buying lots of packed instant noodles and potato chips that time.

The store owner threw out his used cigarette. "It's you again. You shouldn't be relying on instant noodles as your daily meal, girl." He took out a pack of onigiri from the counter, a Japanese food made from white rice formed into a triangular shape and wrapped in nori. He hands it out to her, "At least try to eat properly."

Hikari stared at the food he handed out and said, "Thank you but I don't think I brought enough money with me.."

The store owner chuckled. "Who says you're paying? It's on the house."

"Wha—Thank you so much!" Hikari picked up the food he offered and stared at it. "I don't really know how to cook which is why I've been buying noodles..."

He sighed. "Alright, listen." He then grabbed a cookbook from his belongings and placed it on the counter. "My grandpa gave this to me back when I had to live in a dorm during my college days. It's kind of worn out but it's been really helpful."

"Huh—You didn't have to really.." Hikari didn't want to take it because he was very kind but she also didn't want to seem rude at the same time.

"Just take it." He smiled and asked, "You're the one who took the house near XX street right?"

"Ah, yes! I'll try to pass by the supermarket soon. Maybe I'll make some curry." As her eyes continued to sparkle, she picked up the book and flipped through the pages. "It's been a while since someone has been so kind to me... Thank you so much, sir!"

"That's good. Before you leave, try to get some refreshments behind the aisle there." He points at the refrigerator, located at the corner of the store.

"Okay!" She showed a big smile and headed to where the owner pointed at.

For a small store, there was a lot of drinks found inside the fridge. From flavored milk to soft drinks and beer. Hikari was an undecisive person that even if she was given the simplest things to choose from, it would take a long time for her to pick one.

She then heard a group of guys walking through the store. They seemed to be in a good mood, judging their use of words with the storekeeper but they were also quite loud which bothered her.

Ugh, men.

Hikari finally rushed to pick out a strawberry flavored-milk in the end, wanting to leave the store as soon as possible but what she didn't expect was that the group of guys that just entered the place were friends of the tall blonde. She looked at her right, seeing the guy she wanted to avoid the whole day.

In an unknowingly panicked state, she quickly used her ability and stopped time.

"Shit." Hikari breathed heavily as she tried to calm herself.

Everything paused, even the tall blonde as expected. She didn't know what to do next. It would be stupid for her to just leave because if she did, she'll be gone in a blink of an eye to Four-Eyes, causing him and Ukai-san to be suspicious of her powers. She almost forgot that he still has her volleyball with him, but she was unsure if he kept it in his training bag.

In the end, Hikari had no choice but to face him.