fox on the run | miya osamu

the miyas, a grey cat, and some custard

FRIDAY AFTER SCHOOL. Everyone in class has their own plans, some head straight to the karaoke with their friends, some to their homes, but it's a different story for Kita, who needed to go to the hospital after his practice. While it's nothing new for him to accompany his grandmother for a check-up, seeing someone from his class here is something new. Especially since it's Tsutsui Suiren exiting from a doctor's office.

"Tsutsui-chan?" he mumbles, narrowing his eyes for a bit. It doesn't take long for him to recognize her surely.

"Is she your friend, Shinsuke?" his grandmother asks as they walk.

"Yes. We're in the same class," he answers with a subtle nod.

"You can say hi if you want, I'll wait outside Naoko-sensei's office as usual," she advises. He talked about one particular female companion long before, but as far as she could remember, he only mentioned her once. Meeting the said girl piques her interest.

"Oh, Kita-kun?" Suiren initiates the conversation before him. His grey hair and black ends made it too easy to recognize him.

"So you must be the Tsutsui-chan," his grandmother greets, "Hello."

"Ah, hello. Yes, I am Tsutsui. Tsutsui Suiren," she greets back, lowering her head respectfully. She doesn't even realize that his grandmother meant he talked about her.

"I'm Shinsuke's grandmother, nice to meet you, Tsutsui-chan."

"What are you doing here, Tsutsui-chan?" he asks before glancing at her from head to toe. Seeing that she looked completely fine, he grows more curious.

"Well, it's just a check-up," she answers with a confident tone.

"I see," he mumbles, believing every word.

"I'll just head to the waiting area, alright? Don't worry about me, Shinsuke," his grandmother says with a reassuring smile.

"Oh, I was just about to leave, Ma'am."

"It was nice meeting you, young lady," his grandmother tells her, then she turns around to do as she said. Suiren simply responds with a bow.

As the elder left, Suiren remembers an important she almost left out-- Osamu's completely clueless about her whereabouts, much less about the reason she's even in the hospital. "Kita-kun, please don't tell Osamu," she pleads.

"Oh?"

"Please. Let's make this our secret, is that alright?" she asks.

"I think it's still best to be honest with him," he advices, causing her lips to curve down to a frown. He's slightly amused with how quickly her poker face turned different.

"But don't worry, you can trust me," he adds, much to her relief.

"Thank you, Kita-kun."

"You're really dating, right?" he confirms.

"What?"

"It's nothing. I'll go now, my grandmother needs me," he says.

"Okay. See you on Monday, Kita-kun."

Suiren walks away from him and they go on separate ways. Shinsuke to the waiting area, Suiren to the exit. Shortly after she steps out of the busy hospital, she feels her phone buzzing continuously, a notice for a call. The vibration doesn't stop until her fingertip taps on the answer button. It's Osamu.

"Hey, Chuunchun," he greets her, sounding a little more enthusiastic than usual. His voice was always calming and it doesn't sound much too different in the call.