in between ?.? jo togame???

xiv. ah, found you!

"Taki, do you have any idea how nerdy you just talked?" Inquired the boy with red long hair that was tied up messily. He proceeded to glance at the chessboard his friend was holding.

"Taki, we're in a gang now," a Member with blonde hair intervened. "you can't be in a gang and be a nerd."

The blue-haired boy scoffed. "Hell yeah, I can, watch me. I can be a straight 'A' gang member!"

His three friends sighed in sync. Meanwhile, the tall boy with brown-haired eyes sparkled.

"I still watch Barbie with my little sister, I see nothing wrong."

The members groaned in frustration.

I knew them. They were the five idiots a few days back. The five members were sitting among the crates inside the tunnel, invested in their little argument. My eyes lit as hope waved over me.

"Hello!" I greeted, my footsteps echoing as their attention snapped over to me. "Remember me?"

The boys widened their eyes in recognition.

"Wait, you're Togame-san girl!"

"Daigo, stop! We haven't confirmed that, remember?"

"What brings you here? And I hope you're not here to humiliate us again."

"I swear she's a witch or something."

"She creeped me out a bit last time."

I sneered. "So what If I was a witch?"

To my surprise, they quickly stumbled to their feet, widening the gap between us before they huddled together in one place and postered into a fight position.

"What did she just said?"

"I told you there something uncanny 'bout her!"

"You guys are so cute." I remarked with a sweet smile.

"Gah-she's baiting us!"

I sighed. "Just call Togame, will you?"

"Why? He blocked you?"

"Swear something off about her!"

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "It's a wonder how you all live this long with such peanut brains."

"What!?"

I took a breath. "I don't think Togame would be very happy if he knew how you make me wait here all day."

The boys stared back nervously.

I pointed at the blue-haired boy. "Hey, Doraemon..."

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third pov

'So, are you indirectly thinking I'm ugly?"

He doesn't understand why those sentences kept popping up in his mind.

Or neither why he should care.

But there he was fumbling. He doesn't understand why he was fumbling over a girl's question.

Walking through the dead pubs' district, Togame peeled off the bandage on his wrist. Holding the piece of clothing with his free hand, he gently wrung his wrist around. Except for the fainting soreness, there wasn't much to complain. So, he wrapped it back.

He sighed. Other than the question, there was another thing that bothered him.

How much that girl had been invading his mind in such a short time.

She wasn't the first thing that came to his mind in the morning. But there she was, the moment he walked out of his home, when he drank his drink, when he sat down to ate, when he was with others, when he saw books or mangas, when he walked past a dog or when he went through his phone and evermore, she came to him even when he lay in his bed at night.

He was certain he had no special feelings for her. Maybe, it's because she was everywhere. And every time they met, nothing went casual.

He wasn't searching for her, but somehow he always found her.

He prayed he didn't magically find her again today. It was unlikely anyway since it's the Shishitoren's turf but then again this is [Name] we're talking about. Expect the least unexpected.

Why do I care anyway? Come on now...I don't care. He thought.

The fainting sound of what seemed to be a group of males shouting reached his attention. It must be just around the block, near the tunnel. Out of curiosity, he followed the noise and with every step the sound grew clearer. It peaked his interest once he saw it come from a bunch of his gang members, maybe fifteen to twenty of them. They stood in a circle, cheering for someone in the middle who was hidden from his line of view.

"Die! Die! Die!" A familiar female's voice erupted, engulfing the crowd's cheering.

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

[Name].

He bolted toward the crowd but halted instantly.

"Eh?"

From the gaps between the Shishitoren's men's bodies, he could made out [Name] sitting on the dirty ground with the blue-haired boy, Taki. They were playing a heated game of chess.

"Die!" [Name] barked as she moved his piece, knocking down Taki's. She then laughed. Taki looked as frustrated as ever.

He had never seen someone so aggressive over a game of chess.

As the game went on [Name] knocked down almost every piece of her opponent while they threw insults back and forth. Togame silently leaned his back against a wall, arm crossed as he watched her, trying to get her attention.

'So, are you indirectly thinking I'm ugly?'

A faint smile tugged at his face. Pretty. She's pretty.

The game ended with her winning. The brown-haired boy, Shiro, yanked up her hand in the air as a form of declaring a winner while the opponent looked dead inside.

Half of the Shishitoren's boys cheered while laughing at Taki. Another half booed, calling him a loser for losing to a girl.

He grinded his teeth. "WHAT!? IF I LOSE TO A GIRL PEOPLE CALL ME A LOSER AND WHEN I WIN THEY TELL ME TO GO EASY ON A GIRL!"

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I was in the middle of enjoying my winning when the peripheral vision of mine caught Togame staring at me.

Ah, Found you!

Relief washed over me. I had been on the edge ever since other Shishitoren's men came crowding us.

Togame didn't seem like he would break the staring contest soon. I scowled, glaring at him.

He raised his brows and tipped his head up in a form of questioning me. Not because of why I was there but rather why was I staring back.

"Another round please!" Doraemon (Taki) pleaded.

I grinned and nodded. Togame could wait.

Right?

His eyes never left me. As Doraemon rearranged the pieces I shot a dirty look at Togame.

No expression on his face.

Vexxed, I leaned my body back, trying to hide myself using others. That damn boy tilted his body sideway, in sync with me. He was still watching me, this time, a mischievous smile played on his face. He followed as I leaned back further. I sneered before bending forward, closer to the chess yet still he followed as he tilted to his left. I then pulled myself quickly to a proper sitting position. He set himself to stand straight as well.

"Okay, fine, fine," I muttered to myself, grabbing the plastic bag as I made my way to him.

His gang members dropped quiet as they watched us.

Meanwhile, leaning downward, his smile grew. "Miss me, [Last name]?"

"Only in nightmares, Jo."