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This is embarrassing, utterly embarrassing. Why does this keep happening to her, anyway?
It's not her fault, it's whoever decided that vending machines should be so tall, and whoever decided that the buttons to her favourite drinks had to be at the very top.
It doesn't make it any less humiliating, but still.
Maybe if she jumps for it... If anyone sees her, it'll be the end of her, but maybe. She's close yet so far away—
A hand comes from behind her, presses the button she's reaching for, and the can hitting the glass startles her away from her previous position that doesn't look like she was trying to reach for the cookie jar thank you very much.
She turns around.
"What the hell—"
"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
She stares at the stranger for a little too long. They look like they're growing their hair out, it's kind of at an awkward stage right now, but their eyes are striking and their eyelashes are ridiculously long.
Chiyu snatches the forgotten can.
"...Thanks." she says quickly, because she's certain they just felt like helping and not like making fun of her height, they haven't even done that.
She considers walking away already, she's just been looking down at her feet this whole time.
"I like your headphones."
"...I can't tell you where I got them, they're custom-made."
"Oh, I wasn't going to ask... They're custom-made, though? That's really cool! They fit you so well, although I guess that's kind of the point."
They get much more comfortable talking so quickly, Chiyu reels a little from it. She notices them picking at their nails, stopping, and then starting all over again.
"I make my own clothes, or I try to, I'm still learning. It's not anything grand right now but, well, I like it."
They get this little melancholic smile on their face, or something along those lines, readjusting their sleeves and making eye contact with her.
"My name's Mizuki, by the way. Ah, I probably shouldn't talk your ear off any more, huh? I'll be going now."
Chiyu struggles to make any noise at all, silently staring as they wave at her casually, and walk away.
It's not like she has any reason to stop them, so she lets them go.
She grumbles to herself.
"I didn't even tell you my name, weirdo."
Well, it's fine. If she wants to see them again for some reason, she'll manage and find them all over again.