"And that's all from me today, see y'all!"
Daiki leaned toward the camera, giving a small wave and closing the stream with a visible smile still clinging to his face.
He shut the browser, turned off the camera, and finally pushed himself out of his gaming chair.
"Mannnn…" he groaned in a half-squeal, stretching his arms overhead until his back popped. "Four hours… feels like I fused with this chair."
He glanced at the screen still humming with idle light.
I never even wanted to try that game, but wow… completely wrong about it. Been holding it off for months for no reason.
Wish I started a while ago. The live viewers I got was more than usual, too.
His thoughts were cut short by the unmistakable growl of his stomach, loud enough that he muttered back to it.
"Alright, alright. Food first. Eggs tonight, I guess."
A glance at the clock made him blink.
8:04.
"Eight already? No way…"
He shuffled to his door, hand on the knob, then looked back. The computer's quiet hum still filled the room. Should he power it down?
"Eh. Just a quick meal anyway," he muttered, stepping out into the hallway.
---
"Nothing…?! Seriously!?"
Daiki's voice rang out in the kitchen as he tore through his pantry, finding only empty packets and dust. His fridge wasn't much better—just half a bottle of juice and yogurt past its expiration date.
He took them out, drank the juice, and threw away the yogurt after taste testing it.
He sighed, rubbing his temple.
Figures. Guess it's an outside dinner tonight… and groceries, too, I guess.
Shoes on, phone in hand, Daiki stepped out of his apartment. He pulled up Bookle Maps with a flick of his thumb.
…Wait. There's a store that close? And I've been commuting all the way to Bucky's this whole time? He groaned, pocketing the phone.
Heading toward the elevator, he stopped mid-step.
Oh, crap—the PC's still on.
He turned back, quickening his pace—only to collide with someone at the corner.
"Uh, sorry," Daiki said reflexively, voice clipped and colder than he intended.
The girl he'd collided with blinked, startled, then shook her head. "No, it's my fault. I should've been paying attention."
Daiki took a proper look at the girl.
She was a little shorter than him, hair a soft brown that caught the dim hallway light, eyes a clear blue that lingered just a moment too long on his face.
But his attention drifted downward. Her bag had spilled open from the bump — a notebook, a couple of loose worksheets, and even a pencil case scattered across the hallway floor. A plastic keychain clattered near his shoe, spinning to a stop.
Oh, one of those cliché moments, huh? Guy kneels down, helps girl pick up her stuff, eyes meet, sparks fly. Next thing you know, she's smitten.
Yeah. Right. Not happening.
Still… leaving her to scramble on her own would be rude.
With a quiet sigh, Daiki bent down, scooping up the papers and pencil case. One thing in particular caught his eye — a familiar school badge among the clutter. The same badge he wore every day.
He handed it back to her, stacking the rest on top. "Here."
"Thanks." She smiled faintly, tucking them quickly back into her bag.
Daiki looked at her for a brief moment, and noticed her light-brown hair, until his cold eyes met her sharp blue eyes that seemed to study him a second too long.
Daiki dusted his palms, then offered a curt nod. "Really sorry about that."
"It's alright," she said softly. Then, after a pause: "You kind of look fami—"
"—Uh, I'll get going," Daiki cut in hastily, straightening up and sliding past her before she could finish.
His words came out sharper than he intended, and he knew it. Nice going, Daiki. Couldn't even let her finish half a sentence.
The girl blinked, caught off guard, then sighed, "Oh… okay."
Daiki didn't look back. He slipped into his apartment, turned off the computer, then immediately left again—this time taking the stairs.
As he descended, her almost-finished words lingered in his head.
"You kind of look famili—"
He let out a quiet breath through his nose. Hopefully she only meant he had one of those faces people think they've seen before… or maybe she'd just spotted him around school. Hopefully nothing more than that.
Second case might be bad, actually. He thought.
He stepped outside..
The night air greeted him as he stepped outside, the Bookle Maps arrow pointing him toward the nearby store. He adjusted his hood and walked faster than usual, eager to lose both the echo of her words and the feeling of anxiety.
Still, his stomach seemed to be vibrating more than his phone.