Worried and anxious

I was looking at the window with my phone in my hand, I got the habit of getting up more early now to talk with Himeno-san, but she hasn’t responded to me for about 2 hours, I started to feel anxious, I don’t want to play games and is early so I’ve been feeling a bit sleepy too. I had something to eat but I was looking through my window , until my sister came out to my room.

—Yukki…

—Hana, what happened? You need to reach the cabinet again?

—No!... You have a fight with Himeno-san?

—What? No, why are you asking me that?

—No, for nothing…

Hana leaves my room, closing my door as I continue to see outside.

-That was weird…-

I was remembering if I had said something to upset Himeno-san, but nothing came to my mind, we were talking just fine a week ago.

—Oh, but she says she was about to get busy again, how could I forget… but even if she was busy, she sends something during the day… something is not right…

I wrote another message

“Hey, are you good? Tell me if you need help for anything”

I took a deep breath and started using my computer until it was time to go to work. I saw my phone again but she didn’t even read the message.

-Maybe I would see her at work-

I arrived at work greeting everyone, I changed my clothes and started to attend the tables, the work passed without a sign of Himeno-san, I took out my phone on my break but she only replied with “I’m good, don’t worry”. When I came home, I was seeing my sister a little anxious, looking at me from time to time when we were having dinner. And so, the day ends.

The next morning was the same, this time I was getting anxious too, but I couldn’t let that feeling catch me. I continued my day as normal, and it went like the past day. No sign of Himeno-san and no response to my messages, I try to relax myself thinking about her job, and I wouldn’t let that feeling interfere with my work. But it was difficult not to worry.

It was a difficult week, but Saturday finally arrive, so text to Himeno-san again

“Hey, your job is done isn't it? Let’s go somewhere fun!”

She was texting me back in an instance but it wasn’t why I wanted to read “Sorry, I can’t Ryoma-kun” was what she replied to me.

I had an unknown feeling in my chest, and I could just sigh.
“It’s ok, I understand”

A went downstairs to eat my breakfast but my sister was looking at her plate very seriously.

—What happened, Hana?

—Yukki…

I look at her and I sit down in front of her.

—What is it, sis?

She started to mumble and looking everything while she was playing with her fingers

—Huh?

—I haven’t talked with Himeno-san…

—What are you talking about?

—You remember when I click the wrong button to make a call.

—Yeah?

—The moment she told you to leave us, she explained a ton of things, and she asked for my number to keep talking.

I was making some bethink of what happened, tons of questions went from my mind but I let my sister keep talking.

—We were talking without problems, but she hasn’t responded to me since last week. She always had something to say, that’s why I went to your room on Monday.

—She only responds to me with a couple of messages, she’s busy working on a tight schedule.

—You really think that?

—The first time I met her, she was doing some project and the other week she was too.

—But you always saw her on your job, didn’t you?

—Yeah, what about it?

—Yukki, I don’t think she’s good, aren’t you worried about her?

—Of course I am! But I didn’t want to invade her personal life.

Hana stood up and looked me in the eyes.

—Yukki, sometimes you need to be obtrusive in the life of others, what if Himeno-san is happening for something right now? SHOW SOME INTEREST!

The words of Hana hit me so I can’t even respond or move for a few seconds.

—Sorry, that wasn’t nice to say… I’m just really worried…

—I’m interested in her, but you’re right.

—Yukki?

—I’ve been feeling something wrong this entire week, Himeno-san is not like this, but I couldn’t just be absent at work, but now, I have time… I’m going to see her.

—You know where she lives?

—No, but I know at what stop she leaves the train. I’ll send you a message when I find her, tell mom I’ll be late.

Hana came up to me and I left the house, I ordered a taxi and went directly to the train station. It was so crowded that I didn’t fit well in the train.

—Take a break for the love of…

I left the train catching my breath and I went upstairs.

—She talks to me about what places are around her house so let’s start searching for those on my phone. Let’s see… she says there was an old lady running an okonomiyaki site and it always had people… ugh… there’s a ton.

I sat down on a bench to start viewing every local I could, but none was run by an old lady.

—I can’t find it on the map… maybe I had better luck if I ask the locals… let’s go, Yukki

I was getting hype up by myself and went to ask people about an old lady running and okonomiyaki restaurant, but everyone was telling me that they have never been in one, about 3 hours have passed I eat some yakitori and an order of takoyaki, ones I finished I keep continuing asking until one kid overhear me.

—Are you talking about grandma Mio?

—Eh? Oh, you know her kid?

—I’m not a kid, I’m Midori!

—Oh, sorry, Midori-kun, you know Mio-san?

—Yes, but she doesn’t run a restaurant, she cooks on a desk outside her house.

—Can you tell me where she is?

—Mmmh… I don’t know…

—I’ll buy an okonomiyaki

—Deal!

I follow the kid around the town, I was walking like thirty minutes until we finally arrive at the location, there was an old lady cooking on a desk like the kid say, and she had a couple of people in there, she had a portable stove a spatula, it was like watching a show, she really had a unique technique making everyone excited, we keep looking until it was our turn to order.

—One okonomiyaki, please.

The old lady nodded to me and began to cook.

—Excuse me, by any chance have you seen this woman, it often comes in your store?

I take my phone out with a picture of Himeno-san, my sister sent it to me to make it easy to find her

—Oh, yeah, I know her, why do you want her?

—Do you know if she is ok? I wanted to visit her house but I didn’t ask and she is not responding to my messages.

—I don’t know how she is, but she sends me messages to make some okonomiyaki to be ready once she passes for this little local, but she hasn’t sent me a message this day, I found it quite strange.

—I’m worried about her, do you know where she lives?

—Sometimes I make my nephew go to her place when she can’t, she’s a very busy lady. You don’t seem like some kind of stalker or anything like that, I can see in your face and in your eyes that you are very worried.

The lady finished doing the okonomiyaki.

—Here

—Take it, kid, thank you.

—Sweet! Free okonomiyaki!

The kid left and the old lady gave directions to Himeno-san.

—Thank you.

—Give this to her too, don’t worry, she’s an excellent client, is in the house.

—Oh, thanks.

I took the okonomiyaki and went to her house. It was about twenty minutes from there by car so I took a taxi, and I finally arrived at the building.

I went inside and went upstairs until I saw the number of the apartment of Himeno-san. I stood straight in front of the door, my heart was rising really fast but I calmed down after taking a few breaths out. I knock but I didn’t have any response.

—Himeno-san? It’s me, Ryoma, are you there?

I sit down beside the door of her apartment and see the blue sky.

—Maybe she will return later… May as well kill some time around the town.

I get up but when I did, I saw a dark figure coming towards me, a lady in a black dress, her hair was a little messy, and I could see some serious eye bags.

—Himeno-san?

—Ryoma… kun?...

Himeno-san came closer to me but she collapsed as soon as she touches the door

—Himeno-san? Hey, say something! Dammit…

I started to look at her bag.

—Excuse me…

I found a pair of keys, and tried different ones in the door until it opened.

—Don’t worry, Himeno-san, I will take care of you