Ashita ni todoke
It starts with the chase.
I'd seen him somewhere before, not here. With the overpriced coffee and snooty attitude, this was not that sort of coffee shop I would frequent. His face was so familiar to me I could picture it perfectly with my eyes closed but I don't know why. Where have I seen him? He noticed me staring and I was going to look away but he'd already started making his way towards me and now I'm stuck, frozen. It's only when I noticed his clothes, oversized and utilitarian, that I saw the 4 others, in exactly the same dress, weaving through the throng directly towards me. Something has obviously gone very wrong. On automitc legs I started for the back door, ignoring the groan from the cashier employees only. The door hadn't even closed before I broke into a run through the damp alleyway and into the maze of buildings. I hadn't decided on a destination or even a direction, the only thing I could think of was away. Apparently no one informed my pursuers of my recent 10k, admittedly I quit running pretty soon after the race but my legs still remembered what to do.
As I cut around buildings, I turned whenever I thought they had lost their line of sight while I listened for the receding sounds of boots smacking wet pavement behind me. Finally I pulled a sharp right after another high rise and heard nothing but my heart pounding in my ears and my own labored breath. I turned towards the sidewalk for the first time into the herd of pedestrians.
As the adrenaline began to leave my system I grew hungry and tired with each step, and in the back of my head fear started blooming. I pulled out my phone thank you Steve Jobs, and found the nearest cafe. I thought in a seated environment 5 thugs would stick out a bit more tha a coffee shop, but to be perfectly honest I was starving and exhausted. I was even considering needing my fatwa on dairy and ordering some macaroni and cheese.
A few blocks from my destination I realized I probably should be checking the alleys I passed, just in time to notice him. I have no idea how I distinguished him from his companions with his back towards me but everything about him screamed familiar, apart from the fact he was shaking so severely he seemed to be in his own personalized earthquake. Before I could stop myself, I had turned from my optimal path and walked straight for him.
I'd seen him somewhere before, not here. With the overpriced coffee and snooty attitude, this was not that sort of coffee shop I would frequent. His face was so familiar to me I could picture it perfectly with my eyes closed but I don't know why. Where have I seen him? He noticed me staring and I was going to look away but he'd already started making his way towards me and now I'm stuck, frozen. It's only when I noticed his clothes, oversized and utilitarian, that I saw the 4 others, in exactly the same dress, weaving through the throng directly towards me. Something has obviously gone very wrong. On automitc legs I started for the back door, ignoring the groan from the cashier employees only. The door hadn't even closed before I broke into a run through the damp alleyway and into the maze of buildings. I hadn't decided on a destination or even a direction, the only thing I could think of was away. Apparently no one informed my pursuers of my recent 10k, admittedly I quit running pretty soon after the race but my legs still remembered what to do.
As I cut around buildings, I turned whenever I thought they had lost their line of sight while I listened for the receding sounds of boots smacking wet pavement behind me. Finally I pulled a sharp right after another high rise and heard nothing but my heart pounding in my ears and my own labored breath. I turned towards the sidewalk for the first time into the herd of pedestrians.
As the adrenaline began to leave my system I grew hungry and tired with each step, and in the back of my head fear started blooming. I pulled out my phone thank you Steve Jobs, and found the nearest cafe. I thought in a seated environment 5 thugs would stick out a bit more tha a coffee shop, but to be perfectly honest I was starving and exhausted. I was even considering needing my fatwa on dairy and ordering some macaroni and cheese.
A few blocks from my destination I realized I probably should be checking the alleys I passed, just in time to notice him. I have no idea how I distinguished him from his companions with his back towards me but everything about him screamed familiar, apart from the fact he was shaking so severely he seemed to be in his own personalized earthquake. Before I could stop myself, I had turned from my optimal path and walked straight for him.