Chapter 8.5 - Never Needed Him

Using a heavy coat, with white fur coming out of the collar and a hat covering his ears, the 60-something-year-old man looked at them. He didn't seem bothered or surprised to see two strangers that early in the morning.

"You're not from around here, are ya?"

His voice was more like a mumble, knitting every sentence to the next without a major pause. It was tricky, but they managed to understand him.

"No…" Looking at each other, Adam and Hikari didn't find anything wrong with their appearance. They were wearing winter clothes, walking, and carrying light baggage. Whatever that man noticed, it went way past them.

"I can see it in ya cheeks!" The fur hat hid most of his face, but his smile was perfectly visible.

Dazzled by the man's grin, Adam smiled back, though clueless about what he meant.

Silent, afraid of saying the wrong thing and sounding even more suspicious, they stayed still and let the man take the initiative.