Miscommunication starts from head

“Do you know what the most poisonous thing in the world is?” Sakura started.

“No…?” Miki replied.

“A human bite. They say it may be more dangerous than an animal bite. If it breaks the skin, there’s a high risk of infection to the tendons and joints. Not even strong antibiotics is as helpful since the human mouth contains all types of bacteria and viruses—”

Someone, get me out of here!

Sakura suddenly asked, “what’s your name?”

I want to go home. “Miki.”

“Miki? That’s a girl’s name though,” she said.

“It’s a neutral name! And it’s Miki, like beautiful and noble!”

“Ehh, really? Well, it fits you.”

Miki frowned, “really? People usually say it doesn’t.”

“I mean you’re really pretty, so it fits you,” Sakura said. For some reason, that sentence made Miki blush.

“You’re,” he started. “Super weird, you know.”

Sakura thought to herself, “I’m pretty normal.”

That’s a bloody lie. Says who! Miki thought. “Is that so?” he muttered. Soon enough the police came, they made sure both kids were alright, safe and sound, and dragged the two men into the car and away. It took Miki a moment to realize the situation he was just in. I completely forgot about the attackers. Glancing at Sakura, she’s so weird the situation pales in comparison to her.

Miki shook his head, “Anyway, see ya,” Miki saluted, and turned to walk back home. Sakura caught his shirt.

“Oi, aren’t you forgetting something?”

Miki frowned, “What?”

“A thank you.”

Miki pursed his lips. He glanced back to Sakura, muttering something under his breathe.

“What are you muttering about? You know, my parents told me, if someone doesn’t know how to thank you for helping them. They’re a bad person,” Sakura said, smiling. “Are you, a bad person?”

Miki felt goosebump climb up and down his neck. “I’m a nice person,” Miki said, yet, his resolve shivered beneath Sakura’s insistent gaze. “I-I’m a nice person…?”

Unable to take it anymore Miki bowed his head, “thank you for saving me!” damn, I feel humiliated. This is so not cool. Not classy at all! At the thought of his unrefined attitude not typical of a classy man, Miki changed his stance and knelt on one leg as if in proposal.

“I thank you, oh, eccentric one, for saving this young man in distress. What would you like as a reward, tell this oh, classy young man,” Miki grinned to himself, proud.

Sakura face held no expression, “eh, you’ve said your thanks, that’s all I need.”

Miki’s eye twitched. “I got down on one knee for you!”

“I didn’t ask you to!”

“How will you pay for my humiliation?”

“Why should I pay for that?”

“Of course, I cannot have anyone know I got down on one knee—” there was a camera flashing sound. Miki looked up. Sakura had taken a picture of him kneeling. “No, no!” Miki stood up, reaching for Sakura’s phone only to get faceplanted by her palm to keep him at arms length

“This is what happens when you threaten people,” Sakura said.

“I never threatened you!”

“No one needs to know that. Not after this picture,” Sakura snickered devilishly waving the picture in Miki’s face. “Lemme be your bodyguard,” she announced.

“My what?”

“Bodyguard. I have a rate of 1000 yen per day, militant knowledge, 12 fighting styles and can handle 20 types of guns.”

This chick is super scary. “I don’t get what you’re going on about—” Sakura showed him the picture of him kneeling, shocked he reached for the phone only to be faceplanted yet again. “Alright! Fine!”

The night breeze tossled their hair, and Miki wondered just what was happening right now. What if it's a set-up? “What are you going to do about the dog?” Sakura asked. She squatted next to the box.

“Huh?” Miki noticed the cardboard box, right, the dog. “I was going to take him home,” he said.

“It’s a girl.” Sakura said lifting up the dog. 

“You surprised, praise m—girl?” Miki looked to the dog, squatting beside Sakura. “You’re a girl? No wonder you’re so cute and quiet,”

“What does being cute and quiet have to do with a girl?”

“…I was—never mind,” Miki said. “It’s something you wouldn’t know about,” he muttered.

“What would you call her?”

Miki thought about it, wracking his brain. “Joseph,”

“Jo-Joseph? That’s lame,”

“What’s lame about Joseph! It’s a name of strength and glory, only the strongest of people have the name Joseph.”

“That’s not a cute name at all,” Sakura pouted.

“What do you know about cute?” Sakura rose her sniping gun to his face. “Forget I said anything.”

Sakura took the dog in her arms. “Joseph, you’re gonna grow up to be up to be a very beautiful dog,” she said.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving my blessings.”

“What blessings—”

“If that human ever does anything stupid, just tell me. And I’ll get rid of him.” Sakura snickered wickedly.

“Oi, oi. Why’s the vibe suddenly dark and menacing? Aren't you trying to be my bodyguard, what bodyguard kills their cilent?”

Sakura thought about it, "that's true. Then, I'll beat you till you're close to death."

"That's just as worse!"

Sakura's phone rang, she looked at it and gasped. "It's late, I gotta go." Satisfied, Sakura stood up. “Nice seeing you again—”

Again, when did we ever meet?

“See you in school Miki-chan!”

“Why’s everyone adding -chan to such a manly man’s name!”

“Bye!”

After Sakura left, the silence came, and Miki felt nervous. “She’s pretty loud, isn’t she?” he told Joseph. Joseph barked, gleefully wagging her tail. “Come on let’s get you home. Hopefully no one is at home.”

BACK at the Okura household. “I’m home!” Sakura greeted. 

“Welcome back home! Sakura you’re home?” her mother called from the kitchen.

Sakura entered the kitchen after taking off her shoes. “Mom? I thought you had a late night shift?"

"Turns out it was a mistake, I knew it, but was still shocked. Anyway, they fixed the error and I'll wouldn't have a late night shift this week after all."

"Really?" she asked.

“Yup, yup."

"When did you come home?"

"I came back an hour ago. I’m relieved to find house isn’t in total ruin than it usually is,” she giggled. In the background two of Sakura’s older brothers, Shigeru and Ryo were arguing about whether or not junction ghosts truly exist.

It got too loud and they started having a fist fight. Shigeru was thrown across the living room, his body sliding across the floor, coming the ladies’ feet. “Ah, Sakura, you’re back,” he asked. Ryo shouted that the ghosts are indeed real, and that Shigeru should go— “Ryo, you superstitious dumbass as if junction ghosts are real, I'll be your prized CD cassette!”

Mom sighed. “Shigeru, Ryo, can you both come set the table for dinner—”

“Shut it!” They screamed at each other. Mom unhooked her apron and took out a kitchen knife, startled at herself, she switched to a beating stick, or a rolling pin as people call it. Sakura went to her room to clean her weapon and switch to the desert eagle she’d promised to take to school tomorrow.

Her room was a militant galore of weapons and war movies. On her desk she kept war strategy papers for safe keeping. Sakura sat down by her desk, absentmindedly cleaning her gun. Miki, she thought. He sounds super fun. Sakura smiled to herself, happy she’d made a new friend and someone she could protect as if she were a bodyguard.