Chapter Text
i know the idea isn't new
to fall in love with someone on first view
but i don't care
i think i'll fall in love with you
it's a slow shift.
it's only been just ten minutes but it feels like two hours have passed by since emi started her shift at a convenience store.
it doesn't help that it's a hot afternoon as well.
she sighs as she stares at the old air conditioner right beside her on the wall, willing it to work a bit better with her eyes.
if only she had that kind of power.
yet another customer comes up to the counter with their purchase.
two cans of soda and some gum.
she quickly rings him up and sends him away with the monotone lines she has repeated a thousand times already.
"thank you. come again"
she doesn't even bother to smile now.
when the last customer is gone, she slams her behind on a seat and pulls out a hand fan.
in total, she gets about five minutes of peace and quiet before the bell above the door rings again, signaling a customer just walked in.
"welcome to-" she starts to say but he just walks past her, like he hadn't heard her.
"asshole" she mutters under her breath.
she doesn't sit anymore. it's against store policy to sit while people are in the store and she'd rather avoid getting an earful when her boss watches the cctv tapes back.
she does, however, busy herself by picking at her ruined gel nail polish. she's not surprised, with all the heavy lifting she does around the store, of course, her nail polish would be ruined.
she's done with her index finger when the guy finally comes to the register.
they lock eyes in a second and emi registers two things.
one, if the earphones plugged into his ears are anything to go by, he truly hadn't heard her greeting back then. now she feels sorry for cursing at him.
two, he is absolutely breathtaking. with a face that looks like it was sculpted personally by the likes of donatello and deep blue eyes as captivating as the night sea, it's a wonder how she finds her voice at all.
"...would this be all?" she shyly mutters as she looks down at his items, feeling timid under his scrutiny.
he doesn't answer her and instead just looks on at her.
his eyes are a bit wide, like he had just seen a ghost. she almost looks behind her just to be sure.
then she arches an eyebrow and still he doesn't talk.
and so they are stuck in a stare-down of sorts, with a tension so thick it can be cut with a pair of scissors.
she's just about to speak again when a third party beats her to it.
"oi fushiguro! i changed my mind!" a girl says as she marches into the store with another boy with pink hair in tow.
this girl though, emi knows. and she seems to recognize her too because she greets her fondly.
"oh? emi-chan! you work here?"
"just for the meantime" she answers the girl, nobara kugisaki.
they've met before, in a shared elective class. it only lasted a semester but it was enough for them to establish a friendship.
while they make small talk, they don't notice the pink-haired boy slinking away to the aisles.
he returns shortly with a bunch of drinks in his hands. he carefully places them on the counter and then with a big smile on his face, he asks,
"so what's the total now?"
he seems to be more polite than his friend who had come in earlier, who emi notes still hasn't said a word, and so she gives him a small smile in return.
"one second"
she quickly scans the items, including the ones 'fushiguro' had picked out before, and tells him the price.
"you got that, right?" he directs his question at fushiguro, who only scowls at him before pulling out his card.
soon, they're done and heading out of the store, with nobara enthusiastically waving her goodbye.
she, of course, returns it.
• • •
"how much for you to chug down the whole can?" nobara asks yuji as the two are back to goofing off as soon as they get back to their shared apartment with megumi.
"what do you take me for?" yuji feigns being offended. "your allowance for two months and it'll be gone in three seconds"
"hey that's too much!" she protests and they start bickering about the wager.
megumi couldn't care less though. not when his thoughts are consumed by the girl from the store. normally, he isn't even one to care about looks but there's just something about her.
she was really pretty.
he's so lost in thought that he doesn't even notice that both yuji and nobara have been trying to get his attention for minutes now.
until he's hit in the face by a throw pillow.
"where's your mind?" nobara asks, an eyebrow arched in inquiry.
"yeah" yuji seconds. "you've been quiet since we got back from the store"
"mind your business" he grumbles and heads to his room, slamming the door a tad louder than he intended.
"what's with him?" the orange-haired girl questions and yuji just shrugs.
"he must be in one of those moods again"
• • •
emi stretches dramatically once her shift is over. she can't wait to take a long shower once she gets back home. her smile grows bigger just thinking about what awaits her.
her phone buzzes while she's on the bus home and she checks it to find a few texts from nobara.
nobara-chan
we should totally hang out soon
it's been too long!!!
should i set something up this weekend?
she almost points out that it's just been a few weeks as the semester is still just fresh but she decides against it. she knows from experience that it's best not to disagree with her on matters that are trivial like this one.
so she types out a quick and meaningful reply.
sure!
i would love that~
i think i'm free this weekend too
nobara replies with a cute and funny gif and she giggles at the antic of the older girl.
she can't help but look forward to the weekend.
