No matter how he looked at him, the guy seemed like the type who would pin down some helpless girl.
'No, Luck, don't be so quick to assume. He might be like me… misunderstood because of his looks. Yeah, that's right—never judge a book by its cover.'
He nodded, feeling proud of himself for this little moment of enlightenment.
The middle-aged man spotted him, and their eyes met. The man smiled. A knowing, awkward smile, and suddenly, they looked like comrades who both faced the same discrimination.
'I get you, man. You're just interested in what she's playing, right?' He nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
Sitting down, he switched on his phone, trying to mind his own business.
Few minutes later, he heard the rumble of a bus getting nearer.
With a hiss, the bus doors opened.
Some rushed in to grab the best seats, others paused at the entrance, fumbling with bags or scanning their tickets again.
Elderly boarded cautiously, gripping the handrails for balance, while younger travelers wandered in, earbuds plugged in, barely noticing their surroundings.
When he finally got inside, he was surprised to see that most of the spots were already taken.
To his surprised, the same rude girl glared at him, and the seat next to her was free.
She even tapped it, trying to invite him over.
Not wanting any trouble, he opted for a seat on the opposite side instead.
He knew better than to sit next to someone who could report him to the cops just because he was breathing too heavily.
As the last passenger settled into their seat, the bus door shut close with a firm thud.
The engine fired up, and it slowly backed up, moving away from loading section.
By the time they reached Nagoya, it was already night time.
The bus hummed to a pause at one of the stops. Luck stretched in his seat, trying to ease the tension knotting his back and neck from the long ride.
He glanced out the window, where neon signs and streetlights reflected off the wet pavement, remnants of a light rain earlier.
Passengers began stepping off the bus, but he stayed put. This wasn't his stop yet.
The girl from earlier stood up, getting off here. A wave of relief washed over him; he was glad to see her finally leave.
Just as he started to relax, something in his peripheral vision made him uneasy. The same man from before stood up, trailing closely behind her.
'What should I do?'
The chances of that man doing something bad weren't zero—now that he'd gone from looking to stalking.
"Tsk," He clicked his tongue, annoyed, and squeezed his eyes shut.
In the end, he told himself it wasn't his problem. He wasn't a hero, and he owed nobody anything.
Before he knew it, he arrived at his station. By that point, he pretty much forgotten everything about that girl.
He checked the time, and it was already 10 p.m. Heading to that place this late was risky.
'I should find somewhere to sleep'
Opening his phone, he looked up nearby 24-hour cafés that has private rooms. Those spots were a lot easier on the wallet than regular hotels.
He tapped through a few options, reading reviews and checking prices. Most were clustered around the station, which was perfect.
Inside the cafe, the hum of quiet chatter and soft music greeted him.
The staff gave him a friendly nod as he signed in and was shown to a small private booth, just big enough to stretch out and breathe.
Almost immediately, his addiction kicked in. He logged into his H.E.O account to check.
'Damn, my priorities are all messed up' he muttered, smacking his forehead with his palm.
Then he chuckled. 'Guess I should order some food first. Can't get in the zone on an empty stomach.'
Luck tapped a few keys, pulling up the cafe's internal ordering system.
Clicking through the options, he quickly piled on a full order—burgers, ramen, a mountain of French fries, two hotdogs, and a 1.5-liter bottle of soda to wash it all down.
'Hmm… cheap, fast, and greasy. Just like my life,' he mumbled, smirking at his own joke.
Although he looked fine on the outside, it was really just his defense mechanism at work.
Using humor to push away the heavy thoughts about the letter and his parents, pretending it didn't bother him when it actually did.
The food arrived with a soft knock on the door, breaking his train of thought.
He grabbed the tray, muttered a quick "thanks" without making eye contact, and set the food down beside his keyboard.
'Eat first. Think later,' he told himself, popping a fry into his mouth. He unscrewed the cap on the cola and took a long swig straight from the bottle.
With his stomach full, he jumped back into the game, losing himself in the screen.
Time slipped away—his eyes grew heavy, and before he knew it, he was snoring.