Lost and Found
Chapter 2
Your back gives a soft ‘’pop’’ as you stretch yourself, hours and hours of pouring over records and reports does wear on a man, and since most of the office is a muted white and grey, you think a small smoke break might help you avoid feeling existential dread. A quick clock check tells you its 2PM
‘’Towa, you up for a smoke?’’ your devilish Kouhai however shakes her head, you’ve failed to see her on the phone, fixing the mistake an intern did.
You give her a thumbs up and walk across the office, sidestepping and giving muted ‘’hello’s’’ as you finally reach the emergency stairs, nicknamed the smoking room. One of the pr boys is down there already, and he just gives you a small nod you return. Loosen up a bit that tie, a good roll up of the sleeves and you are ready for a nice smoke.
Flame, Puff, smoke. Boom, the killing-yourself-stick is lit, delivering the oh so nasty yet so good nicotine straight into you. You take a long puff, leaning on the rail of the metal stair, as you hear both the street hubbub and the office chaos. It’s the middle of a nice day and you are trapped on the steel and concrete box, looking over numbers.
Lovely weather, still spring, not a single cloud in the horizon. You take a deep breath, the smell of nicotine mixing itself with the fresh air of the day. If only the office was in front of a park, you could even go there for lunch with your team
Ding
The soft sound of your phone startles you, since no one from work should be calling you, and your friends and family should be working at this hour of the day.
Unlocking the screen greets you with a Line notification, the icon being a picture of a certain someone wearing sunglasses
‘’Can we meet in Shimada Street once you finish work?’’
You raise your eyebrow, surprised. It’s been two weeks since Bae started cooking your lunch, and while she’s VERY active on social media, one would think she’d shy away from interacting with an older man.
‘’Sure, what do you need?’’ You send it, then put a dog doing a thumbs up. She had chastised you before, since apparently not sending emojis or stickers makes you look like a robot. ‘’The wraps were amazing btw’’
You wait for a second, seeing those three dots dance
‘’lezzzgoooo oxoxoxox’’ then the spam of four different kind of cat stickers, all of them with hearts. Three dots once more
‘’know smt about whiskey? You raise an eyebrow ‘’nt 4 me btw’’
Eh, probably a gift for her father. ‘’Not really, but I have a Kouhai who might’’
A pair of eyes pops in your chat, followed by ‘’wifey?’’
You take an annoyed drag of your cigarette. What’s with people and your love life?
‘’it’s a guy’’
Dot Dot Dot
Another pair of eyes
‘’Hubby?’’
‘’Not in a million years’’
She sends a laughing cat sticker and you roll your eyes. What’s with cats anyway? Isn’t she a rat?
‘’I’ll meet you at seven’’
‘’ogeeey :3’’’
You hum, and as you take another puff of your cigarette, the door behinds you opens, Towa coming out with the face the office has dubbed ‘’Intern Trenches’’.
‘’I’m here for my smoke break~’’ she slides in and you hand her your lighter. It’s been four years since she started working here and you can count with one hand the number of times she hasn’t asked for your lighter
Towa’s cigarette lights up, and she exhales heavily, handing you your lighter back
‘’Thankssss’ she slurs her words as she melts in the railway ‘’Aaah senpai you are so lucky…I want a cute jk to cook me lunch too’’
‘’You guys were treating me like a weirdo the first two weeks’’ You turn around, leaning in the railing ‘’I think Kanata popped my arm out of my socket too’’
‘’Yeah-Yeah’’ Her deadpan tone is followed by another smoke exhaling ‘’But now I’m jealous… beside it’s okay when Towa-sama has cute girls fawning around her… like my five cute fans…’’
‘’That definitely exist’’ you add ‘’And they are right, Towa-Sama is amazing and the most stylish person I know!’’
‘’Gross’’
‘’I’m trying to butter you up dammit’’ you snap, without a real bite behind it. Her chuckle giving you confirmation she’s listening.
‘’Well now I have to hear you out’’
‘’Okay’’ you finish your smoke and flick the butt of the cigarette into the trashcan ‘’but you gotta keep it a secret’’
‘’Shoot’’
Breath in, breath out.
‘’Where can I buy an accessory like, say, a necklace or a ring for a high schooler?’’
Silence
A bird chirps, Towa’s Cigarette falls to the ground
Damn you should really work on translating your thoughts to words.
‘’Senpai…’’ Towa’s slowly makes her way to the door, her face drained of all color
‘’Wait!’’ But its too late, she’s already making her escape, probably bringing Kanata into this ‘’THAT CAME OUT WRONG, WAIT!
The doors of the train open and you do your best to follow the jampacked crowd pouring from it, like a badly organized closet. The station, while crowded, at least has enough space where you can walk without bumping shoulders with anyone, the faded away blue and whites, mixed with the grays, slowly guiding you from the crowded station and into the busy street.
As you take a seat on a street bench, you can feel your shins aching. Since Kanata couldn’t brutalize you in the middle of the office (and in front of your superiors), she instead settled with kicking you under the desk until she was satisfied, despite clearing up the misunderstanding. Still, both Towa and Roberu came in clutch, helping you narrow some places.
However, its all for naught if you don’t find Bae. You check your clock, 5 minutes early of course, confirming both that you are on time and that you have time for a smoke. Rolling up those sleeves, you also put the boring blue tie in your briefcase, letting your throat rest before you douse it in smoke.
As the cigarette burns, you take a look around the street. There’s the tired businessman like you, some housewives gathering last time ingredients, students hanging around and couples, a good bunch of couples. You wonder if Bae has a boyfriend, since she’s such a peppy and beautiful high schooler, it would be weird for her to be single.
Then again, relationships are a big can of worms, you know that much. You puff your cigarette, watching people pass as you count the minutes
At exactly 7pm, you see a rush of students exiting the station, a lot of them probably going to waste their time, and you see some couples slide around the corner, probably dropping by the love hotels. AS the mass of bodies and hormones across the street waits for the green light, you spot a tiny figure trying to squeeze through the front lines, failing miserably. Then she stops, her tiny legs moving a few places along the backlines, suddenly the girl in front of her gasps, turns around and smacks the unsuspecting shmuck behind her. When the girl turns around, offended, she fails to notice the small short girl next to her, acting like she was always there
Green light, and she crosses the street, flashing you a nice and innocent smile
‘’Did you just pinch someone’s butt?’’
‘’Bruh, no’’ she rolls her eyes at you, explaining like you are five ‘’I’m not a creep’’
Before you can argue, she points at you
‘’And besides! You are supposed to greet someone before accusing them of being a butt-pincher!
‘’Hi Bae’’ you sigh, it seems like you just can’t win against her logic
‘’Hi! And for the record I groped it slightly and in a non-pervy way’’ she then claps her hand ‘’Anyway you told me you knew a place rightttt?’’
Water under the butt huh? You throw your cigarette…. butt into the trash and nod, walking. Bae quickly matches your pace, as you hand her a small piece of paper with the address scribbled on it
‘’So, what do you need a bottle of whisky for?’’ You make the question, waiting patiently as Bae puts the address in the map app of her phone. She hands it to you and you look back at her, confused
‘’I’m bad with directions’’ Fair enough, as you take the phone, she continues ‘’and a friend of Mine, who was my senpai back in first year, finally made her breakthrough as a musician!’’
‘’And she likes…whisky?’’ you question her, turning around the corner as you both walk into a quiet street, filled with small business and significantly less people.
‘’She’s amazing! You should meet her; she drinks all of these weird drinks... One time she made me trrrrr- ‘’ she takes a quick look at you ‘’rrrrealize I should be a responsible high schooler and never drink before I was of legal age’’
‘’Relax, I had my first beer at fifteen’’ you snort as she exhales the breath she was holding ‘’but I’ve yet to try whisky. I know the big brands like Johnny Daniels and Jack Walker, but never got around to taste them’’
Bae sticks her tongue out ‘’It’s way too strong for me… the taste isn’t bad tho, it’s a good toasty one’’
Well now that’s a surprise ‘’isn’t it too bitter for you?’’
She shakes her head ‘’I don’t like super sweet stuff… I like bitter things… like coffee’’
You hum, and before you can inquiry any further, the phone in your hand pings
‘’We are here’’ you say, looking at the small liquor store. Roberu mentioned it being a nice place with fair prices and good service. Both of you step in, the chime at the front door announcing your presence.
The place is spacious enough that you can walk around without bumping with the other four patrons on the shop, the three walls open to public (the fourth one being the one behind the counter) are filled with liquors, spirits and a lot of bottles that you’ve never seen in your life.
‘’Are you looking for something in particular sir? ‘’ You turn around, the balding store clerk smiling at you.
‘’yeah, we… huuh’’ you signal Bae to speak, nodding with your head
‘’We are looking for whiskey. Its for my mom’’ The clerk lifts an eyebrow, but Bae continues talking. ‘’Do you have something that tastes like…really fresh?’’
Fifteen minutes and an ID check later, (alongside a promise that you are not a random guy being paid to buy a minor alcohol) and you exit the shop, a small bag with the box in your hands.
‘’I’ll hold onto it until we are home, and just pay me there’’ Bae seems to be okay with it because she just nods
‘’Ogeyy… as a thanks, I think ill make your lunch extra tasty for tomorrow!’’ you chuckle as you both walk down the street, night is slowly creeping in, and while there’s still light out there, the sun is setting.
Oh right!
‘’Say Bae’’ you turn around ‘’I forgot I had an important thing to do, can I give the bottle to you later on?’’
The small rat blinks confused ‘’uuuh, yeah sure’’
‘’Thanks!’’ you start picking up the pace and waving at her ‘’Sorry! See you later’’
As you powerwalk trough the street, you look for the other piece of paper in your pockets.
Nine thirty pm, you groan as you finally make it to your apartment.
The third-floor apartments, while way cheaper than the fourth and second floor ones, are definitely smaller. AS you open the door, you are welcomed by your spartan kitchen-living room, housing a small table, a counter for your electro domestics and a small stove, the fridge, a sofa and the tv, the corridor leading to your bed looking mighty fine right now.
Ignoring your tired brain, you open your fridge and reach for the water bottle, it’s a nice glass one, with a cork.
Clunk The cork goes off and you greedily drink from it, carefully setting the bag with bae’s drink on the table. You drink a bit more before putting the bottle on the table and loosening your shirt a bit. You liberate the cuffs a bit and then start working on the buttons, sighing as the shirt comes lose.
Ding your doorbell rings. Seriously? At this hour of the night? You walk to the door, and swing it open.
‘’Yeah?’’ You scan at your eye level, confused at the lack of a set of eyes
‘’eep’’ Oh, right, you look down a bit and Bae is standing there, red as a tomato, covering her eyes with her hands, but not really covering them since she can still see though the space in her fingers, her eyes darting from left to right to up and down and back to left
Ah yeah, you were in the middle of taking your shirt off. She’s surprisingly prude huh.
‘’Come on in’’ you open the door and walk back inside, in route to your bedroom ‘’ I’m going to get changed’’
You hear her shuffle her feet, and then your door closes.
A few minutes later, you emerge back from your room, a pair of shorts and your favorite casual shirt, the one with a mushroom in the front sporting the legend ‘’I don’t give a shiitake’’
Bae is sitting in your small sofa, apparently surfing the net, because she stops looking at her phone, looks at you, blinks and then takes a quick picture
‘’That’s the lamest shirt ever’’
‘’Hey!’’ You can feel but feel offended ‘’ I don’t want to hear that from someone wearing an Anime shirt’’
Bae Bleeps at you, you didn’t register it when she first came in, but she’s wearing a black anime shirt with a character on it. You feel like you’ve seen the white haired swordman, but aside from that she’s wearing jean shorts and a pair of slippers. Her hair, that was down when she first entered your house, is now in a lazy bun atop her head.
‘’Anyway, I knew you were home because I heard you climb the stairs when I was taking the trash’’ she then coughs, a slight blush creeping in her face ‘’and I, huh, should have given you more time’’
‘’It’s okay’’ you don’t miss the blush; this girl really is prude huh. You take the chance to plop on the sofa ‘’here to collect the bottle I recon?’’
Surprisingly, she shakes her head
‘’I was actually gonna ask you if you could keep it here… if it isn’t a problem of course’’
‘’Oh? Hiding drinks from mom and dad?’’ you take the free shot and she just narrows her eyes
‘’Something like that. I can tell them about the gift and they are not gonna take it from me, but they are also going to get really paranoid and ask questions’’
Bae stands up and crosses her arms
‘’Whiskey? For your friend?! Are you hanging around with bikers or what?!’’ she speaks in a falsetto, before changing her body language to a meeker one
‘’Bae… your mom is right, besides what are you gonna do with it? Are you getting pressured into drinking?’’ you chuckle at the surprisingly accurate impression of her dad. No disrespect to Mr. Hakos but it’s clear his wife wears the pants at home.
‘’Yeah, no problem. Your parents just care about you’’ she sighs, and grumbles, agreeing with you. ‘’When is your friend’s party?
‘’Its next week, on Friday night’’. You hum, checking your phone. You are gonna be out that night.
‘’I can keep it until Thursday night, is that ok?’’ Bae nods, satisfied with the outcome.
‘’Going out on a Friday night huh? Going to meet some ladies huh?’’ Bae, in a surprising display of skill, wiggles her eyebrows in a really fluid motion.
‘’I wish’’ you are too tired to play along for the teasing ‘’it’s going to be one of those sad nights where I drink with people richer than me and pretend, I care about them’’ you slump on the couch, sighing. ‘’At least my Kouhais will be there’’
‘’Poor anon, he will remain…maiden less’’ she cleans an imaginary tear from her eye as you sigh.
‘’I didn’t get that reference’’
‘’Its okay! I didn’t either, I heard it from a video’’ she then clasps her hands together ‘’By the way, the money from the gift, do you want it on cash or do you want a transfer?’’
Ah!
‘’Speaking of gifts’’ you stand up, relieved to have remembered about it. Bae looks at you, confused, as you look in your suitcase. ‘’Cash is okay if you have it, but otherwise just transfer me
‘’Cash it is!’’ you nod, distracted, as you search in your suitcase…there!. You grab the small paper bag from the suitcase and turn around, just in time as bae finishes counting the money standing up.
‘’Here!’’ she says. You accept the money and hand her the bag ‘’Here’’
She takes it, confused, and looks at you with a puzzled look.
‘’you said your birthday is in a few weeks, right? Well, I don’t know the date so I’m just giving it to you now’’
Bae’s mouth makes a perfect o, and she mutters a thanks as she opens the paper bag carefully.
‘’I didn’t knew what you exactly like to use, so I just got you something more discreet’’ As you talk, she lifts up the small dice charm, made in metal (or at least that’s what the clerk said)
She looks at it with wide eyes, and you suddenly feel a bit conscious
‘’I huh… inside the bag there’s the receipt, if you don’t like it, you can change it’’ she shakes her head and jumps, giving you a hug similar to the one in the station.
‘’ITS GREAT!’’ just as quick as she embraced you, she lets go as she jumps in the spot ‘’oooh I really wanted one of these for my phone! And this brand is so cool! Thankyouthankyou!’’
You smile and scratch the back of your head, her enthusiasm about it is contagious.
‘’I, well, I asked my Kouhai about it, she likes those stylish things you use’’ she barely registers you, jumping in the spot.
‘’Thanks Anon!’’ Another quick hug, and she hurries to the door ‘’Sorry I really want to put it in! see you tomorrow! Thank you!!’’
You wave at her, a smile in your face, as she leaves. You don’t miss how weirdly energized you feel after that exchange.
Twenty minutes later, as you scroll through Hologram, you can feel but smile at a photo posted by Whatabae.
A heavily filtered selfie of her in the mirror, making a peace sign. However, the focus is on the crudely drawn circle around the phone, where the newly attached charm hangs
B.E.S.T EARLY GIFT! LETZZZZ GOOOOOOO
MoomKnight: ´´You girls saw THE post, right?!''
Bae groans, as the group chat finally makes it move.
Kronkster: ''Yah Mumei, I saw THE post'' Kronii plays along and Bae damns her luck at being friends with insomniacs that talk at 2am
WhataBae: ''go to sleep'' The only response is an anime gif saying no and bae locks the phone, annoyed.
ding
ding
ding
She unlocks her phone again, curious
Irystogram: ''THE post is way 2 cutesy for you Bae''
FauX2: ''Bae is always cute tho''
MoomKnight: ''That’s a boy post. Bae got a boyfriend''
WhataBae: ''Thanks Fau'' Bae ignores the last message
FauX2:''You got a boyfriend Bae? Without me?!'' A sad cow is sent and Bae groans. Not fauna too
WhataBae: ''There is NO boyfriend''
Irystogram: ''Is there a boy tho?'' Bae writes a no, before stopping herself. Her fingers play with the charm for a bit
WhataBae: ''Nope’’
Kronkster: ''There is a boy then'' Kronii message annoys her to no end, as she plays with the dice once more. Anon’s face flashes through her mind
MoomKnight: ''She’s not answering''
Kronkster:''Maybe is a girl''
FauX2: Bae we support you, also Im single
‘’Fauna is an old man looool’’
Bae takes a deep breath and sends a single word.
‘’Mayhaps’’
Kronkster: ‘’YOOOOO!?!?’’
Irystogram: ‘’WHAT?!''
MoomKnight: ‘’HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY’’
FauX2: ‘’bae???? baeE????’’*
The stream of messages continues, but she ignores it, closing her eyes with a smile.