Chapitre 20: Yet, They Still Found Their Way To Each Other

Ever since then, Hisaki would often catch a glimpse of Heisuke.

On Saturday morning, she saw him walking inside the apartment yard. From how haggard he looked, she concluded that he might have worked the midnight shift.

Hisaki didn't see him again until the late afternoon. She had just returned from the Ikeda family home to meet Mayuka. Heisuke appeared with a trash bag in his hand.

Both of them just casually greeted each other. Right after Heisuke walked past her, a bright smile bloomed on Hisaki's face.

Unlike the matured Heisuke who got muscles in all the right places, this younger Heisuke was skinny. This made Hisaki worry about him as she knew how strenuous his job was. But, she couldn't nag at and care for him as she did in their previous life.

In fact, Hisaki was still contemplating how to get closer to her old man without startling him.

On Sunday morning, Hisaki had just walked down the staircase when she caught a look at him ascending the stairs in the opposite direction. She quickly moved her eyes away, afraid that Heisuke realized she was staring intently at him.

"Calm down, Hisaki. Take it easy, take it easy."

Hisaki often told herself that. Even though she shared more than twenty years together with her old man before, it wouldn't be easy for her to catch his heart at this time. Her identity to him was just as a new neighbor.

After leaving the apartment, Hisaki headed to the business district. She wanted to buy some more yarn from the craft shop.

The ones that she bought before for the purpose of crocheting a cardigan had been reduced to half. She spent yesterday afternoon making something else.

"Welcome!"

The shopkeeper greeted Hisaki once she entered the shop.

"Good morning, ma'am," Hisaki politely nodded at the middle-aged woman, "I'm here to buy yarn balls again."

"Ah, didn't you just come here a few days ago?" The shopkeeper was surprised, "Are you working on a big project?"

"No, it's just a simple bag," Hisaki laughed at herself, "I wanted to use the yarn to make a cardigan but, some of them were spent to make the bag."

The sling bag and backpack that Hisaki brought were quite old. Since she had the skills and time, she decided to make a tote bag for her daily use. It was also more sturdy and could fill many items.

"Some new colors arrived yesterday. Take a look at them," The shopkeeper gestured to Hisaki the place where she displayed the yarn balls.

"Sounds good. I wonder what colors are they," replied Hisaki who quickly walked to the display box.

Like the shopkeeper had said, there were a few new shades of yarn balls. Hisaki took her sweet time picking as she rearranged the design of her cardigan inside her mind.

A memory of the past came knocking. Whenever she and her old man entered a craft shop, they would often stop for a long time to look at the items and exchanged their opinions.

"Thank you for your patronage. Please come again!"

"Have a good day, ma'am!"

Hisaki made a quick stop at a convenience store before heading back to her place. She bought a few popsicles for herself. They could be stored inside the refrigerator.

"...ah."

She bumped into him again.

Hisaki saw Heisuke walking down the street leading to the apartment. He wore a dark-colored T-shirt and a pair of black long pants.

Instead of just casually acknowledging her with a nod, the man stopped a few feet away from her.

"Miss Chisaka, let's meet at the gate around 7:30 tomorrow morning."

"Ah?" Hisaki's mind went blank for a while.

"I'll go to work with you," Heisuke reminded her, "Have you forgotten about it?"

Since his mother had made a promise, he should fulfill it. Moreover, this young lady was a newcomer in this town. It was all the more reason to help her.

He had already experienced being in such a foreign place before during the first time he and his mother stepped foot in this town.

"Oh! I remember!" Hisaki anxiously nodded, "But, is it really alright with you? Won't it trouble you, Mr. Saeki?"

"It's fine with me. Please don't worry," replied Heisuke calmly. As something struck his mind, he asked her, "Unless it makes you uncomfortable?"

"Ah, no, no, it's fine! I don't feel uncomfortable! It's okay to go together."

It was already too late when Hisaki felt she was acting too eager. She lowered her head in embarrassment.

Heisuke blinked. He suddenly didn't know what to say to his new neighbor. His eyes drifted to one of the plastic bags in Hisaki's hands before they flickered in recognition.

"Did you go to Mrs. Toyoda's craft shop?" asked Heisuke in interest.

Hisaki glanced at the white plastic bag with the shop's name printed on it. As the only craft shop nearby, Heisuke might have been there a few times already.

She smiled sheepishly, "En, I went to buy some yarn balls to crochet."

"Oh, do you crochet often?"

Hisaki sensed suppressed eagerness in Heisuke's voice. She chuckled softly.

"Whenever I have time," responded Hisaki, secretly thinking her old man was cute, "Do you crochet too, Mr. Saeki? I think I saw a crocheted flower garland inside a box in your apartment. Or, is that your mother's piece?"

Hisaki only noticed it when she stood up to leave. The garland was visible due to the opened box lid. She already had a hunch at that time but chose not to say anything.

Heisuke was stunned. He didn't think his new neighbor would see it.

After one minute of silence, he reluctantly nodded. One of his hands lightly scratched the back of his neck, "En, it's mine... not a suitable hobby for a man, right?"

Heisuke wanted to deny the garland was his creation but, he felt bad. There was something telling him not to make a white lie to her. So, he could only admit to it.

The sight of Heisuke looking a bit shy almost prompted Hisaki to laugh. If she could, she really wanted to pinch his cheeks.

"It's admirable ah," answered Hisaki, her eyes shining in delight, "A hobby doesn't have to do with gender. Just do whatever you enjoy."

Once again Heisuke was at a loss for words. He was momentarily dazed the moment he saw her smiling with such a pair of bright eyes.

Like stars were twinkling in them.

Heisuke coughed awkwardly. He quickly retracted his eyes as he felt he had been staring intently at his new neighbor for so long.

"...then, I'll go now," Heisuke took a step back, "See you tomorrow, Miss Chisaka."

"Alright, thanks again, Mr. Saeki."

Heisuke quickly resumed his steps. He missed seeing a look of regret in Hisaki's eyes as she watched him walking away.

"Hurm... How could I be more proactive but not annoy him at the same time?" Hisaki murmured to herself after Heisuke disappeared at the intersection.

In her previous life, their acquaintance began through Mrs. Saeki.

Five years after Heisuke was imprisoned, she fell seriously ill. With no one could take care of her, Shuuya benevolently paid for the nursing home fee. He didn't mind doing so just to let his best friend's mother have the proper care.

Because Hisaki often spent time with the sickly old lady right after she began working there, she always crossed paths with Heisuke after he was freed from prison.

To be honest, both of them were not actively looking for a life companion. With what happened to her and the torment he had to endure, getting married was the last thing in their minds.

Yet, they still found their way to each other.

"I might have to wait for years if I did nothing," Hisaki heaved a sigh, "Hurm, what should I do?"

By seeing how Heisuke acted, it didn't seem like he was attached to any young lady. But, Hisaki still didn't know the depth of his heart.

While Hisaki continued looking in the same direction, she didn't realize someone had actually witnessed her interaction with Heisuke from a secluded place. That peeping tom slowly approached her.

"When would you stop looking that way? He has gone, ah," said the eavesdropper in a playful tone, "Your ice cream has melted."

Shocked, Hisaki abruptly turned around.

"...Mr. Kawata?"

Shuuya stood not far from her with a wide grin plastered across his face. He half-covered his mouth. Hisaki could hear faint laughter coming from him.

...this didn't look good.

Hisaki had a bad hunch.

Shuuya crossed his arms together, "I came here to check on my new tenant. I didn't expect to see you have a pleasant conversation with my dear friend."

Hisaki's cheeks reddened. She moved her eyes away from Shuuya's teasing gaze, "...we just have a talk, that's all."

Shuuya didn't buy Hisaki's words at all. He softly hummed as he recalled how they acted earlier.

Heisuke was as taciturn as always but, Shuuya saw the faint excitement on his face when the two of them started talking more. If he heard them correctly, the words 'crochet' and 'go to work together' were spoken between them.

As for Miss Chisaka, the way she smiled and gazed at Heisuke was something he often saw from his own fiancee whenever she looked at him. Simply put, it was a look a person threw at his beloved.

Shuuya thought he was just mistaken but, when he quietly observed Hisaki who continued standing there looking in the direction Heisuke had vanished, he was suddenly eager to check.

What if the new girl in town caught a fancy to his best friend?

Shouldn't he help his pitiful friend find love?