ため野矢の: Because of Noya

粘り強い Tenacious

Today was Friday, approximately 5:00 in the afternoon.
I was getting dressed into a loose, gray top with somewhat stretchy black bicycle shorts to accompany it: typical gear for volleyball.
I fixated my worn-out, white sneakers I got as a present for my 14th birthday while heading out the door to Karasuno High so late in the afternoon for just one person.
I didn't walk a long distance before I reached the huge train station that ran through most of the tiny island many citizens inhabited.
But, it turned out that I was running a bit short on time and missed the previous stop: because I was too lazy to arrive here 20 minutes earlier.
No biggie. The next train should be coming shortly, anyways. Also, I didn't want to wait up for the short, fiery teen who was acknowledged for being late to class every other day of the week.

I nonchalantly tapped the the tip of my sneaker gently against the concrete ground repeatedly, occasionally gazing at the scenario around me.
It was particularly busy today, obviously because it was a Friday and many people my age or older were going out for karaoke or to the arcade with a group.

Of all days, the bright Nishinoya-san had to pick the most troublesome one.

I sighed frustratedly as I passively aggressively pushed my glasses up to the bridge of my nose. Taking more looks around me to ease some of my boredom, something... No, someone caught my attention.
Well, the back of someone.

She.... No, he was wearing a vibrant red jacket amidst the monochrome outfits seen at the station. It was peculiar, but it sure didn't stand out as much as his dyed.... Pudding-like hair did.
A tourist perhaps? No, an American? He seems to fit the description.

As I further examined the mysterious foreigner, I noticed he looked troubled by the way his shoulder muscles tensed up beneath his jacket, and how he was holding something so very close that his arms practically crushed the sides of his thin waist. The pudding-haired boy stood very stiffly amidst the crowd of roaming people, to summarize it.

Was he lost? Did he need help, by any chance? Aaaah, was he looking for a bathroom, perhaps?

I figured I should walk over and ask him. I was stuck in the same situation when I visited Tokyo once, and the person who helped me was very polite and insightful towards things I was confused about (especially bullet train maps. Those were an abomination.). It wouldn't hurt, right? He seemed just as nervous as I did when I was walking over to question him.

"Um.... Excuse me?"

I said from behind the boy's tall backside. Despite his current stature, he wasn't fazed at all by the sudden comment and attentively turned his brightly colored head around instead.

I wasn't as nervous from looking a stranger directly in the eyes as I was now. His orbs... No, more like huge cat eyes pierced my black ones like an invisible sword. He didn't show any emotion through them, making it difficult for me to tell what he was feeling or thinking at the moment, and his expressionless face only proved it more.
Boy, did that look intimidate me.
Did I pick the wrong person to help out?
Oooooooooh, now look what you've thrown yourself into, Kameko......

"Do.... You know when the Shinjuku train is supposed to stop?"

He asked with a dead (but fluent Japanese) tone, which could easily rival mine. Did I meet a gender bent version of my personality accidentally today? Well, at least now I know he's from the country.

I glanced at the object he was holding in his pale hands quickly, noticing the familiar brightness of the screen of an IPhone. They were popular, but highly expensive in Tokyo especially. Trying to get one for myself was a total leap for my budget.

"The reception is bad. I can't get a signal."

The cat-eyed boy said, turning to the device he was gripping tightly within his slightly red palms.