The Thief In Action

Kazuya took the advice seriously and no one knew when he left for the date at the park. He proposed meeting there, because a lot of people could spend the early afternoon in a place like that and this fact made him a bit worried. A more secluded location would suit him better, but could make Natsumi feel unsafe.

After staying up all night and choosing for hours the right outfit, because of excitement and fear getting mixed, he was waiting impatiently on the bench next to the fountain. His imagination was working at full capacity, wondering how lovely she would look and how nicely they would spend the time together.

Meanwhile the girl was looking around and having second thoughts: I shouldn't dress up, I was supposed to look bad, so he could feel disgusted. Why the hell am I wearing the dress and high-heeled boots? What made me put on the make up? Am I crazy?. It was not part of the plan, but somehow she couldn’t make the step outside home without the feeling that she looks good enough. And that commotion of going back and forth, every time in another outfit, made Kiki extremely curious. However Natsumi was a bad liar, good at hiding stuff, but not when it had to be spoken face to face. She managed to tell a story about meeting a friend from high school and that she just wanted to make a good impression, like she is doing really fine, and no one needs to care about her.

Oh, there he is, went through Natsumi’s mind as she recognised him right away. There were both feelings mixed in her heart. An urge to actually find out who he really is, if the so-called date was supposed to happen anyway, and she couldn’t make the decision to say that she didn’t want to send that message to him. So she decided to come just to clear the misunderstanding, nothing more and nothing less, and for sure no more dating talk. Yet at the same time she would love to run away, as there was no resolve in her just to break his heart. She was blushing, remembering how he was looking at her at the cafe, and there was even more red on her cheeks when his eyes lifted up when she came up to him. The worst part is that it somehow melted her heart in a second.

“I wish I could show you my face, but there are a lot of people around and I don’t want to be recognised, so there will be no unnecessary obstacles during our date.” Kazuya sounded happy as he truly was, while it was causing Natsumi pain as she tried to get hold of herself and remember why she came there.

“No need. Your face is all over my place, so I perfectly know how you look.” Even though she wanted to say it with disgust, the idol was still undaunted and handed her a bag with a big smile.

“Like I promised I have this for your little sister.”

Natsumi didn’t expect him to remember that, she suspected that was a mere promise so she would like him more. She peeked inside and gasped, there were a lot of things any fan would dream of among them many expensive ones. The bench let her rest when she went weak at the knees and hid her face in hands. How can I be cruel to him now? Why is he so different from our first meeting before the concert? That person would be much easier to reject.

“Thank you, but this is too much. I cannot take it,” she whispered, barely holding the tears back.

“It's really nothing,” Kazuya got scared, that he did something wrong and tried to fix the situation, because he felt like he could handle her disfavor but not her sadness yet.

“It's not, I will have to lie to Kiki again. She knows I couldn't afford all of that, especially right now.” Her fists clenched tighter on the bag. She knew that her will was close to being broken, so it was the time to stop, before anything started happening. “I came here to…”

“I know that lying is no fun, but maybe you could tell her that you won this in some lottery or contest. There are a lot of them.” The idol right away tried to find a solution for her problem and actually wanted to interrupt her, as he was a bit afraid of what she was ready to tell.

She finally looked at him, and there was a lot of gratitude in her eyes and faint smile for that simple idea. Natsumi almost gave up, she was losing this game, while Kazuya couldn't take eyes off her.

“You are so beautiful,” he declared with admiration, making them both blush. Now having his face covered felt like a blessing, but at the same time he would like to show her how he is feeling.

“Why are you a completely different person from the one I met before the concert?”

Natsumi asked just to hold the most important issue over, and she wasn't ready to end this conversation yet. This question psyched Kazuya a bit, after a moment a heavy sight was let out of his chest.

“I was full of anger and frustration, tired too and you just showed up and took my cigarette away, there was no way I could handle it peacefully,” he explained, reflecting about this strange meeting when he didn't expect it would lead to another two. “There is a lot going on in my life and in myself, that your action was a strong trigger. But admit it you weren't the kindest version of yourself either.”

“Yeah, but I am not a really kind person, that is why I want to ask you, what is the reason behind your change, but I can't.” Natsumi needed a second break to remember about the decision she made coming there. “I just need you to understand that I don't feel like dating, not you, but anyone, not now, but never. I came here to tell you that and please don't try to square the opposite with me.” She bowed. “Thank you for the gift, my sister will be very happy.”

Kazuya knew he cannot let her go and that there was something else behind her stubbornness about not dating at all. The idol desperately catched the girl’s hand, but got surprised when she didn't fight to set herself free. His phone started ringing, he cursed under his nose. He couldn't ignore it.

“You really don't want to or you can’t?”

“What's the difference?”

“Why do you keep saying no?”

Natsumi couldn't look him in the eyes, how could she tell him that the only reason behind that is his fame and her life situation. With different circumstances she would definitely give them a chance, but really… Memories started to flow through her mind, she closed her eyes wanting to stop it, even though remembering all of this would make her stronger, but going through all this pain again…

Meanwhile Kazuya looked on the phone and got mad, he had to go immediately, so as not to get into serious trouble. His mind went on his own, he turned Natsumi around and took off the face mask.

“If you want to reject me so badly, at least do it straight to my face.”

He was ready to let go if she would do it firmly and without any hesitation, but she couldn't. Silence was enough for the answer for him, so he decided to give her a reason for a next meeting. A kiss, short and soft, just to take a few steps back right away with a smile. He expected a fierce reaction, but seeing her in quite a shock made him feel safe, so he said:

“I have to go, but I did steal the kiss from you right now. If you want to kill me for this, I guess you need to meet me again. This time for a more proper date.”

He ran away, not because he wanted to but had to, and was still scared of what Natsumi was going to do. Did he regret it? No. And she was lasting in disbelief, her finger touched lips, where the idol put his own before a moment. After the realization hit, she let out a loud scream of bitterness and sent him a message: It was my first kiss, you idiot.

“Well then, I guess I am really dead,” said Kazuya to himself smiling, but only until he reached the company’s door.