The Security Guard by Vocation Is a Real Treasure, The Bonus Is Essential

The coworker shook him and demanded an explanation, but Hikaru himself didn't understand what had happened a moment earlier. Of course, he recognized her immediately; after all, he thought about her every day, wondering how she was doing. Still, he didn't dare to even think about using the knowledge of where the girl was staying and just trying to accidentally meet her there again. He tightened his fingers around the magnet he was holding. The rustle of the foil it was wrapped in snapped him out of his stupor, unlike his colleague's failed attempts, who got bored and left.

Oh yes, Hikaru realized that he had mentioned something about maybe I should run after her or something, but he felt that would be odd at the moment. Instead, the man headed for a small restaurant run by his friend Matsuo Akiyama.

When he found out that Hikaru didn't eat very healthily, he forced him to drop by at least once a week and eat a full meal. He made sure of it meticulously, calling if his friend didn't show up at the appointed time or didn't let him know he was going to be late.

They met in high school, and their friendship history isn't particularly special. The same class; they chatted occasionally here and there, and one day, they caught the right vibe, so they've stuck together ever since. Matsuo didn't expect to see his friend in a strange lethargy when he came that day.

Hikaru sat down in the corner without a word and stared at the gift he had received. His friend had let his father, the rightful owner of the place, know that he would be busy for a while.

“What’s wrong with him?” the older man asked with concern in his voice.

“I'll try to find out. Call me if you need help,” Matsuo replied, draping a towel over his shoulder.

He didn't even have to try to sneak up on him. Hikaru didn't care about anyone's presence, so he easily snatched the magnet from his hand. There were two goats facing each other against the background of colorful buildings. The marketing employee tried to take his gift back, but his friend had no problem preventing him from doing so.

Matsuo sat down opposite him and demanded an explanation of the situation. He knew that he would only get evasive answers to his questions, and he didn't have the time or desire to play guessing games. He also had a feeling that this was a really serious matter, so he wanted to take any action right away.

“I got it from her,” Hikaru replied in a tired voice.

Matsuo felt a pang in his heart, hearing such a lifeless statement, which did not fit the situation they found themselves in at all. He expected his friend, who was not very popular among girls, to jump for joy. And yet he sat there looking as if she had just broken up with him after years of relationship, not given him some small gift. He hadn't heard Hikaru talk about any girl in a long time, apart from the probably foreign one he had helped last week.

“The one you were talking about last week?” he made sure and only got a nod as the answer. “And that's it?”

“She didn't even say a word to me. She shoved it in my hand and ran away. What was I supposed to do? Give it back.” Hikaru held out his hand for the magnet.

“Here you go, keep it like your most precious treasure. Let it remind you what an idiot you are.” Matsuo stood up, despite his best intentions, but he didn't have the strength to help his friend, at least not at that moment.

“And what should I do?”

“Run after her and try to catch her. You said that she was most likely staying at the hotel you took her to. There's a good chance that she's still there. Why didn't you go there and find out something? You were so keen to at least talk to her last time.” The cook shook his head in disappointment. “I would tell you to go get her and not come back without her, but since you haven't thought of it yourself by now…”

Hikaru felt offended and left without a word. He was aware that he should do it, that he should do something, and yet… He had to admit that his friend was right; he was an idiot. The truth simply hurt. Hard enough, because it seemed like the problem could relate to love. It was not without reason that he could not forget about her, although there was no special interaction between them.

He remembered her disheveled hair, the color of which he couldn't determine — something between blonde and brown. The loose locks were skipping shyly, as if dancing to the rhythm of the wheels of the suitcase. Her fingers were clenched in the lapels of her unbuttoned, thin jacket, which he suspected did not help her shield herself from the cold air. She was slight of build, but she didn't seem weak, just fragile. But nothing stuck in his mind more than the empty look in her gray eyes with green specks. On the one hand, it scared him, and on the other, it stabbed somewhere in his heart along with the feeling that his task was to bring life and joy back there.

After leaving the restaurant, he didn't go in any particular direction. The cold air helped him sober up, but he didn't realize that he had unknowingly found himself in front of the hotel. And yet, he laughed to himself, something made me act like that. He decided that maybe he shouldn't think about her so much, then nothing would have drawn him to this place. He clenched his hand around the magnet. Even if it was just a form of thanks for the help, he had given her, still he wanted to try to pull out the budding feelings before they took root that couldn't be easily gotten rid of.

He looked around the lobby, wondering how to approach the receptionist to tell him the girl's name, or to ring the phone and ask her to go downstairs. He didn't even have to try, because she stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the restaurant. Hikaru thought it was now or never. She had surprised him twice already. It was time for revenge. He could feel the security guard's watchful gaze on him, deciding to get closer for possible intervention. They reached out at the same time. The hotel employee grabbed Hikaru, and he grabbed the girl, who turned around in fear but didn't pull away, instead analyzing the situation quickly in her head.

“Miss, do you know him?” asked the older security guard, who took his duties very seriously.

“Yes.” She nodded. “This is my friend Hikaru. We haven't seen each other for a few years. I'm glad he recognized me.”

“It's hard to miss you. You didn't say you were going to Japan.” The young man quickly took up the subject. “Let's go for dinner…” He hesitated under the suspicious gaze of the old-timer.

“Hortensja.” She laughed. “You still can't pronounce it, do you?”