Polite Way of Saying Hello

After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and went for a walk. Their first proper walk together.

It's not unusual for others to walk together but due to their foreign looks, they received more glances than people should typically have.

"Hey Daniel, what are you going to do now?" Kiana asked. She can't believe how someone can just disregard his situation like that.

Kiana has a very sharp intuition that has been honed in her travels. She can at least tell that the current Daniel is not acting.

Maybe the situation hasn't registered with him yet? Even if you're pretending to be calm, at least have some plan!

"Stay here for a while I guess." Daniel replied while licking the lollipop on his mouth.

He bought it while walking. 

"So continue your work? And could you give me one of those?" Kiana layed her palms.

Daniel looked at her for a moment before offering the one in his mouth.

"You…!"

"Relax, I'm just joking." Immediately putting it back on his mouth, he grabs another one from his pocket before giving it to her.

Seeing that she took it and started unwrapping it, he answered, "Yes."

'And find a way to survive too.' Daniel added in his heart.

"Why don't you try going to school?" Kiana asked as she put the lollipop in her mouth.

"High School? No way! I have enough of that shit." Daniel immediately refused. He worked hard to skip grades just so that he could leave high school. 

No way he'll be coming back.

"And I don't have time for that." He added with a shake of his head. Studying is the last thing he should worry about now.

He didn't even know if he'll last long to survive another semester. Literally.

"Is high school really that bad? My classmates seem nice. There's also the beautiful Mei-senpai too." Kiana said with a dreamy look.

'Lovely, your crush is your inspiration for going to school.' He snorted inwardly. 

"Different from others. You may enjoy it but I don't." Daniel replied.

That's basically for most things. People work because of specific goals and not just passion.

As a person from the 21st century, he believes that following your passion is unreliable. 

Anyone could achieve their dreams but not everyone. 

Same goes with passion, it is something that a person follows due to emotional changes. For someone who moves alone, he's not that privileged.

"That's true…" Kiana scratched her head. She feels that she hit a sore spot.

"What about you? I'm surprised that someone like you moved from Europe to study in Nagazora." Daniel knows the true reason but she doesn't know that he knows.

"I'm… actually not here to study." Kiana stopped on his tracks.

Daniel saw this and did the same.

"What?" 

"I'm looking for someone." Kiana continued with an angry look.

"Hmph, I haven't seen him for a very long time." Her angry look was replaced by a sad one before going back to her previous angry expression.

"... So your boyfriend? Neat." Whether it was serious or not, Daniel didn't care and proceeded to throw a joke.

Well, he knows. He just wants to divert her attention elsewhere. 

"Is there anything serious that could come from your mouth?" Kiana's annoyance rose again.

"Good luck on finding the person you want to find." Not answering her question, Daniel bit his lollipop and continued walking.

'Huh?' Kiana is surprised. Did something happen? 

"W-Wait! Where are you going?" Kiana immediately catched up to him.

"Going to do my work." 

—

"And that's done." Daniel counted as he finished mopping the floor of the police station.

After their walk, both of them went to their separate places. He didn't know if Kiana had free time but he sure didn't.

At least not when his salary is at stake.

*Ding*

"Kazuya-san!" Daniel looked at the door and greeted the officer.

"Still working hard as usual eh? Continue doing that and I'll have no work to give you." Kazuya shook his head amazed.

"This is nothing. I have nothing better to do so this is good for me." Daniel said.

"Speaking of which, what will you do now? You can't stay in the station forever." Kazuya asked him.

"... I'm not sure yet. Maybe rent an apartment and continue working?" Daniel held his chin in thought.

"Working? Aren't you 18? Why don't you go to school?" Kazuya is confused. He never saw anyone so obsessed with work.

"I think I'm good." Remembering his highschool and college days, Daniel shuddered. He's close to graduating if he isn't sent here on this world.

As much as he wants to finish his studies, he's well aware that it's useless here and will soon lose its meaning due to the future of this city.

If he's gonna continue school, at least not in a place where Honkai might appear anytime.

Which is pretty much everywhere.

"Suit yourself kid." Kazuya didn't press further, "Now that I'm here, will you do something? It's your free time now." He continued while gesturing at the clock.

"Yes, I'm actually planning on buying clothes." Daniel nodded. He's been wearing the same clothes for an entire week and has to rely on a washing machine and dryer to wear it the next day.

Bless the person who created that technology.

"It's time, kid. Those clothes of yours have seen better days." Kazuya chuckled.

Daniel could only scratch his head hearing that.

"I'm gonna go now Kazuya-san. I'll come back later." Looking at his watch, Daniel put down the mop and headed to the door.

"Good luck kid."

—

"This should be enough." Daniel looked at the paper bags on his arms.

He didn't buy much clothes. As long as it can last a week, then it's enough.

'I also need to save for my food.' He thought.

As he was walking, he noticed three people following him. This has been going around for a few days.

He didn't bother at first since he thought it was just a coincidence. 

After all, he just got into the city, why would people follow him?

"Hey foreigner, stop right there." He heard one of the guys shout.

'I thought they would still follow me. Guess they have enough of that.' Daniel thought as he continued walking. He's just gonna pretend that he didn't hear them.

"Hehehe," Daniel stopped walking as he saw all three guys surrounding him.

"Nice clothes you got there. Mind if I take a look? I wouldn't want a foreigner to have a bad impression of our city's taste." One of the guys said. From the looks of it, he's the leader.

"This kid probably can't understand us. Let's just get this over with." Another guy snorted as he held his baseball bat.

"Sir, could I ask what's wrong?" Seeing that these guys won't let him go. Daniel asked with a smile.

"Would you look at that, he knows how to speak Japanese." The leader laughed. 

"Are you fucking with us? Since you understand us then why didn't you turn around?" The baseball bat guy glared at him. Since this kid already knows what they are saying, it's better to just finish this quickly.

"I apologize good sir, I didn't notice that I'm the one you are calling for." Daniel did a quick bow. He's not really interested right now.

He felt one of the guys hold his head and said, "Don't worry kid. Just give us all your belongings and we'll let you go." After saying that, he showed him a knife.

Daniel's eyes widened seeing that. Robbers, he thought.

Raising his head, Daniel tried to reason with the robbers, "Sir, I'm afraid this is not to your liking. Judging by your physique, we wouldn't have the same size."

"Cut the crap kid! You're getting annoying. Just hand us the damn thing and we'll just beat you up at most." The last member who called him earlier couldn't take it anymore and yelled at him.

"Be quiet! But my companion is right, just give it to us and you'll leave here alive. Also add the girl you're with ear—!" Before the leader could finish his words. He found two of Daniel's fingers in his mouth

"..h.t.?"

"Sir, that's very impolite of you." After speaking, Daniel immediately grabbed the leader's face and slammed him into the ground.

*Bang*

"You!" After seeing this, the brash one immediately rushed at him with his fist raised. 

Daniel saw this but still had his smile before kicking the brash guy's crotch. 

"AHHHHHH!" The brash guy fell into the ground while holding his crotch area.

"You motherfucker!" The baseball bat guy swung the bat on Daniel's outstretched leg with the intention of breaking it.

*Bang* 

Contrary to the robber's expectations. Instead of a broken bone, his baseball bat broke instead.

"W-What?" He looked at the broken handle of his weapon.

"Sir, how could you do that? Didn't you know that you almost broke my leg?" Despite saying that, Daniel showed no signs of pain but instead, his smile stretched further.

"S-Stay away!" The robber tried swinging the broken handle in hopes of preventing Daniel from getting closer.

Daniel didn't speak further and delivered a Brazilian Kick into the side of his head knocking him out.

"HAH!" Dodging to the side, he turned around to see the leader who was slammed by him earlier holding a knife. 

"You fucker!" The leader didn't hesitate further and stabbed the knife to him.

Instead of dodging, he dropped one of his paper bags and blocked the knife using his hand, piercing it.

*Shing*

"Y-You.." The leader looked at the knife penetrating Daniel's palm in horror.

"That actually hurt," Daniel then proceeds to do a back kick aimed at the leader's solar plexus, sending him flying.

"Ugh." Rolling on the ground, the leader wobbly looked up to see Daniel casually removing the knife from his palm before grabbing a belt from one of the paper bags.

"What are you..?" He felt something wrapping around his neck before looking to see Daniel still have the same smile on his face.

"Sir, I was planning on trying this belt at home but since you're here. Can you help me?" The leader didn't get the chance to answer before his face was slammed into the ground brutally.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Repeatedly stepping on the leader's head. Daniel stopped once he saw blood soiling the ground.

Gently removing the belt. He put it back on his paper bag before leaving the three people laying on the street.