Chapter 2: Serendipitous Bonds: A Tale of Chance Encounters

"What's this?" Sumi asks before grabbing a notebook from Shouta.

"To do list?" Sumi asked.

"Look those are just stuff I want to do while spending my time in japan" Shouta replied.

Sumi looked at his to do list, and she blushed. Shouta grabbed his notebook back and said "you don't need to know everything".

"Well just enroll to a school and find your apartment okay?" Said by Sumi.

Sumi fled away from Shouta, Shouta confused by this tried to chase her but he figured that he may have creeped her out due to his notes or his to do list. Shouta walked his way to an apartment, after 30 minutes he found an apartment, the apartment he was looking for. He booked a room and he sat on the ground. Since he didn't have furniture, he just sat on the ground.

"Man, why does everyone have to leave me behind, everyone that I talked to always seems to abandon me, what am I doing wrong?" Said by Shouta.

"It sure is a nice view from here, I envy those people, they're free to do what they want, and here I am enslaved from my freedom." Said by Shouta.

"I really wish I could talk to Sumi again, she looked nice, she is cute too, gosh what am I saying, have I caught feelings for her?" Said by Shouta.

Shouta prepared to find some furniture for his room or just a sleeping bag, to make it feel comfortable at least.

"Let's see *opens fridge* okay a couple drinks, some snacks blah blah blah blah bla blah, I think I can work with this" said by Shouta.

"Okay I'm gonna find some things that is necessary to living" said by Shouta.

Shouta left his home and went to look for something to sleep on since he didn't want to sleep on the floor. He went to look for things like vegetables, fruits, sleeping bag, etc. After going on a shopping spree he went home. While on his trip back home he bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry my bad, I'll help you out, I'm really sorry I wasn't paying attention to where I was looking, I'll help you pick them up, please don't hit me" said by Sumi.

She bent down and helped Shouta pick it up, Shouta still hasn't realized that it was Sumi, but when her hat flew off in the wind, they looked at each other and they can't help but smile.

"Sumi?" Said by Shouta.

"Shouta?" Said by Sumi.

Sumi helps Shouta pick up his things and even walked with him back to his apartment.

"I really appreciate you helping me Sumi, but don't you got to go somewhere?" Said by Shouta.

"Look it's nothing, I really don't mind" Sumi replied.

"Anyways what is all of this?" Sumi asked.

"Oh just some furniture and other stuff to make my apartment comfortable" Said by Shouta.

"Wait you don't have furniture?" Sumi asked.

"Remember I'm a runaway, I had to use an apartment" Shouta replied.

"Oh, don't you have a relative here?" Sumi asked.

"Well I think my grandpa is still here" Shouta replied.

"Well why don't you live with him?" Sumi asked.

"Well that's the thing, I don't really know who he is" Shouta replied.

"I was only given his name 'Ryunosuke Miyuzuki'. I don't really have his contact info since my father passed away and he didn't leave anything about grandpa's location nor phone number" Shouta added.

"Oh I'm sorry for your loss, if I may ask what happened to your father?" Sumi replied

"Oh it was just an illness, I mean at least I think it was, that was what they told me." Said by Shouta.

"Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Shouta, but don't you have a grandma?" Sumi asked.

"Dead" Shouta replied

"Uncle?" Sumi asked.

"Murdered" Shouta replied.

"Aunt?" Sumi asked.

"She commited suicide after going insane from the death of my uncle" Shouta replied.

"Brother?" Sumi asked.

"Don't have one" Shouta replied.

"Sister?" Sumi asked.

"Don't have one either" Shouta replied.

"Cousins?" Sumi asked.

"They were all slaughtered due to mafia relations" Shouta replied.

"Oh my god that's so horrid, how can you say this so casually?" Sumi asked.

"I've been through a lot, it's just normal now, I couldn't cry because no one would hear it, even if someone did they wouldn't care, crying was just showing weakness, if I cried what kind of man would I be" Shouta replied.

*in Sumi's mind*

"What kind of mindset is that? Oh Shouta... you don't have to suffer through all of that, I hope you're okay."

"You okay? Do you need help?" Sumi asked.

"No I'm fine, why'd you ask?" Shouta replied

*in Sumi's mind*

"How can he act so casual after dropping such a terrible news, I feel bad for him, he doesn't deserve all this pain, he looks so nice I would've never thought he suffered through all that."

"You know what forget it Shouta, I'll help you find your grandfather, it's the most I can do." Sumi replied.

Sumi and Shouta began to walk back to his apartment, they talked for a while and laughed too, overall they had a good time. Although Sumi was still worried about Shouta, she is worried that it might affect his mental health, she still looks very worried even when they are laughing.

"Alright here we are!" Said by Shouta.

"I can help you set up your furniture if you want" Sumi offered to help Shouta out.

"No it's fine, you've already done so much, go get some rest" Shouta rejected her offer.

"No I'm fine I can help" Sumi insisted.

"I said you've already done enough, please get some rest" Shouta insisted as well.

"I'm fine~ why are you asking" Sumi said before collapsing, Shouta quickly panicked and rushed towards her, he reacted before her body had slammed to the ground.

"Sumi? Sumi! Wake up please!" Shouta panicked as he did not know what to do.