"Y-Your girl!?"
The girls automatically step back at my words at the same time their expressions rapidly change from confusion to discomfort.
"W-Wait a minute, who are you? I've never seen you around here."
"You're not a student at this school, are you? What are you doing here?"
I ignore their questions and instead widen my smile while staring at them one by one.
"You know, I really don't like it when people mess with my girl. Puts me in a very bad mood."
My voice is calm and friendly, though despite that, the girls tense up. Maybe it has something to do with my expression.
"W-We didn't know she had a boyfriend... nobody told us anything..."
"J-jst talking to her, that's all..."
"Y-Yeah, we weren't doing anything bad or anything like that."
"Mm. Really? Because from where I was standing it looked a bit different."
I tilt my head to one side while keeping the smile in place.
The girls exchange nervous glances with each other, and I can see drops of sweat forming on their foreheads despite it not being that hot here in the building's shade.
"W-Well, we were leaving anyway so..."
"U-um... Yeah, we have things to do!"
"L-Let's go already!"
One by one, the girls start retreating hurriedly. Some run as they leave, looking back from time to time. Are they afraid I'll chase them?
'Hm?'
The girl with the lollipop doesn't move from her spot.
She stays in the same place while looking at me with curiosity as the lollipop keeps spinning in her mouth. She doesn't seem nervous or scared, I'd even say she's interested.
Wait...
Earlier she seemed like she was looking for something.
Was she looking for me?
Is it possible she has the senses to feel frequencies?
Our gazes meet and stay that way for a few seconds.
I can sense her frequency emanating from her. And now that we're closer, this time it's much clearer.
Finally, she takes the lollipop out of her mouth with a small "pop" and starts speaking.
"Hi."
"Ah, hi."
She stares at me for a longer moment this time. Then a small smile appears at the corner of her lips.
"What's your name?"
"Arata. And you?"
"Mm. Arata..."
She repeats my name.
"I'm Kana. Kana Kimishima."
Ah... so that explains her frequency and that she can sense me? Even so, it's a bit strange, and I don't think that fully explains what I'm sensing in her.
"Kana, huh. That's a pretty name."
"...Thanks."
She puts the lollipop back in her mouth and gives me one last long look before turning around.
"See you, Arata."
And with that, she walks away calmly.
I keep watching her back as she disappears behind the building. There's definitely something weird about that girl.
I'll have to investigate more about her when I have time.
"Um..."
A timid voice cuts my train of thought.
Ah, right. I almost forgot about the other girl.
I turn toward her and see her still standing beside me, looking at me with big, bright eyes behind her glasses. Her cheeks are slightly flushed and it seems she doesn't know what to do with her hands because she moves them nervously in front of her chest.
"Th-Thank you for... for helping me... you didn't have to but you did and... and..."
"Don't mention it. It was no big deal."
"Um... about the... about being your girl..."
"Ah, that. It was a lie, I just said it so those girls would leave and stop bothering you."
"O-Oh... I see..."
She seems relieved and disappointed at the same time, which is a pretty strange combination of emotions if you think about it. What did she expect, that I'd really be her boyfriend when we don't even know each other?
"What's your name?"
"M-My name is Meiko... Meiko Shiraki... it's a pleasure to meet you..."
She makes a small bow while saying that.
"Mm. Meiko. I'm Arata."
"A-Arata-san... um... can I... can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Why... why did you help me? You don't know me or anything, and yet you came and... and defended me..."
"Hm? Why? Let's see... I saw what was happening and decided to do something about it. I didn't think much about it."
"..."
Meiko freezes for a second or two, while her agitated emotional frequencies seem to get excited. Did my words have a deeper meaning for her? Seems that's the reason.
"Th-That's... that's very kind of you... nobody... nobody had helped me before, you know? They always bother me and everyone else looks the other way or pretends nothing's happening..."
Her voice trembles saying that last part, and I can see there's a lot of pain behind those words. This girl has been through a lot.
"Well, now someone helped you. So you don't have to worry about that anymore."
"Y-Yes..."
She looks up and meets my eyes.
"A-Arata-san..."
"What?"
"Um... c-can I... can I see you again sometime? I want to thank you properly for what you did today, and... and I'd also like to... get to know you better if possible..."
Her face gets redder and redder as she speaks.
Mm. This girl is getting attached to me very quickly just because I helped her once. Is it because no one's ever treated her with kindness before? What a complicated situation.
"Sure, do what you want. I don't care."
It doesn't particularly bother me if she wants to see me again.
"R-Really?! You don't mind?"
"No, why would I mind?"
"Th-Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Her expression lights up at the same time the gray aura surrounding her is tinged with yellow.
At that moment, the school bell rings indicating classes have ended. Ah, it's time already.
"Well, I have to go. I came to pick up someone."
"Eh? You're leaving already?"
"Yeah. See you, Meiko."
"Y-Yes! See you, Arata-san!"
I give her a small wave while smiling and walk away toward the school's main entrance.
While walking, I think to myself.
Kana Kimishima... She's a secondary character from Parasyte.
As for Meiko Shiraki, I've seen that name too in an anime from my past life called Prison School.
I superimpose in my mind this Meiko with that Meiko, and shake my head. I can't reconcile this shy and fearful Meiko with the Meiko who has such a sadistic personality.
Maybe they just have the same name?
Though there's a possibility that Meiko's personality was like this during her childhood. After all, I've seen very little of that anime, and in the manga, which I haven't even read, they might've delved deeper into Meiko's past.
Interesting.
When I reach the entrance, I see a familiar figure coming out of the school building.
Dark blue hair at shoulder length, serious expression, accompanied by a neat school uniform.
She's Touka.
"Oh, who are you?"
"Heh, you'll treat me like that even though I came to see you?"
She walks toward me with her hands gripping her backpack straps while looking at me with a slightly annoyed expression.
"How long have you been waiting out here?"
"An hour or so. I got here too early."
"Hm. You should've let me know before coming, that way you wouldn't have had to wait so long like an idiot."
"I wanted to surprise you."
Touka looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing. Can't I just want to see you?"
"..."
She doesn't say anything, but I can see a slight blush on her cheeks before she looks away.
"W-Well, whatever. Let's go already, I'm hungry and want to drink your blood."
"Yeah, yeah."
I follow her as we start walking away from the school.
I glance at her sideways.
Her lower aura, which is her affection toward me, is dark red, like blood. The sensation it emits feels heavy and sticky.
It means obsession and dependence.
"Umu."
"What the hell does that sound mean?"
"Huh? Nothing, it's just satisfaction."
×××
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