Chapter Text
"Damn, the rain sure is pouring down today, eh?" one of the bar's usuals, a kind gentleman called Hiroki Matsu, hummed, watching out of the establishment's small windows.
"Sure is!" Hatsume Kei, the bartender and owner of the bar answered rather calmly, as opposed to his usual frenzy of energy.
He was drying some glasses behind the counter, checking the time from time to time, as it got closer to midnight. His bar is rather unique, for one he's the sole employee for most of the time, and for two he isn't much older than 23. The cozy athmosphere was not only different, but also functional. He could write his menu on the walls, and during festivies he would chance the interior slightly to function as a small cafe.
And even though by first glance the bar didn't seem that popular, he had multiple regurals, and business was good all around the year. He even had hired a bouncer after some over-enthusiastic rulebreakers from some no-name high-school had tried to get liquor from him with obviously fake ID's after dark.
So, Kei was pretty successful for a young man. He even had a small apartment updtairs from the bar, with the unbelievable amount of five rooms, one bathroom, a livingroom and kitchen hybrid and two bedrooms along with a project room where Mei-chan, his little sister, stored her stuff from time to time. Life was good, and he was satisfied.
And even when there were some setbacks – like Mei blowing up the workspace or some guys fighting, he always got back on his feet rather quickly.
The day had been normal, he had woken uo at ten, eaten breakfast and worked on new ideas for mocktails before a late lunch at two. Then he had went down to the bar and done inventory and set up for the coming night, writing the menu on the wall again after cleaning the old ones away. He went out to the streets to get some fresh air and bought some groceries before heading back and eating dinner at seven. At eight he had wandered back downstairs and put on his usual 'work clothes' consisting of a basic loose dark gray T-shirt and black, skinny jeans with platform shoes and his usual dark orange apron, that went nicely together with his short pink hair.
When the time came and the clock showed the time to be half past eight, he unlocked the door for customers.
The night had been quiet, but Kei didn't mind it. Hiroki had came in a bit after ten, evidently after a long day at work, apparently his colleague Gregson–fun guy, terrible at karaoke–had managed to throw an entire filing cabinet at a spider earlier the day. Poor guy had arachnophobia. Kei's favorite thing about his work was to talk to people, whether it was them complaining about stuff or just casual smalltalk, it usually made his day.
After some time, the bar was lively again. He could spot at least six of his usuals there, Hiroki, Misuko and Kayama most apparent of them. There were some others he regogniced, and then there was some new faces too. But still, the night was calm, and bar relatively empty.
If Kei had to guess, most of his customers came for the karaoke or for the darts games. Or maybe it was the pool table he had bought a couple weeks back? After that the business had gotten even better. That must be it.
"Say, Hatsume, how's that sister of yours doing?" Kayama-san's cheerful question stopped his train of thought.
"Ah, Mei-chan's doing great! Last time I saw her she was making a prototype for an original jetpack! Isn't it so cool?" Kei put the class down and walked over to that end of the counter, where Kayama was sitting at.
"That sure sounds like it!" Kayama slightly adjusted her red-rimmed glasses, before continuing. "Say, Kei, could you make me a Purpurea mocktail? I have work tomorrow, I have to take my class to a fieldtrip, so I can't drink alcohol. Though I totally would if you were to 'accidently' poured some in–."
Kei chuckled a bit, already grabbing the correct glass and stuff. "Kayama, no alcohol for you, got it. We don't want your students to wonder how their teacher got hungover!"
Kei grabbed mixed the drink for her like a pro, and then slid it over to her. The drink was simple and tasty, Kayama's classic.
The rest lf the night went all so smoothly. He chatted with the people, made orders, joked around and then eventually, when it came close to midnight, started to remind people that the bar was going to close soon. He said bye to the still sober customers after they left, and had to call for a taxi to only one person, who had apparently drank one too many shots in a row.
After everyone had left, however, was when the real job started. He locked the door, and then started to throw all the thrash left around out, empty the tables and clean the glasses left on the tables and the counter. As he was drying and putting away the glasses, someone walked by the bar window. As Kei looked up, he sighed softly. It was the same blond teen that had walked by a few times in the last month or so. Probably an insomniac.
Eventually when the bar was clean enough, Kei did one last round around the area, shutting the karaoke machine and closing the lights, checking the windows were closed and such. At last, he was ready. And it wasn't even two yet, barely half past one! that's good, extremely good for Kei.
However, his head felt like it was killing him, which, fair, he has been up and working for Kami knows how long, and most of the time down here with annoyingly shiny lights–he should really buy better ones–and constant humming and sound, clinking of glasses and he hadn't even been able to open the windows to let the air chance, as it had been raining for most of the day.
And so, he decided to take a walk. Was it kind of stupid? Sure, it's like one AM and it's wet outside. Did he care? No :). He grabbed his keys and closed the door behind him as he stepped out.
The streets were relatively empty today, though Kei assumed it was because of the rain, usually at this time there would be at least dozen people around. But, nonetheless the streets were lighted up by the streetlights and the neon signs of different small establishments.
He walked around for a while, just relaxing and breathing in the humid, for once not hot, air in. Before he knew for better, he had wandered a tad further away than he had expected to. And then the rain started again, just his luck.
He quickly ran for cover, not feeling like getting absolutely drenched right now. The area was a simple residential area, though most buildings around here are blocks with small firms and shops on the bottom floor and such. So, Kei found himself under a cote right next to a building.
Seeing that the rain would go on for a moment, he looked around for something to sit on. He'll be damned for forgetting an umbrella the one time it starts raining. It was pretty bare, under the cover. There was a recycling bin, not for sitting, that's dirty. There was a stone and.. another stone? Well, whatever, Kei didn't need to sit.
Eventually, after some time the rain subsided enough, and Kei left his cover in favor of returning to home. He was speedwalking, he didn't want to get caught in another sudden hard pour.
There weren't much anyone on the streets anymore. Well, others than one or two people assumingly returning from a late shift at work and one or two patrolling heroes. Nonetheless, there shouldn't be any reason for teenagers to walk alone at this time.
So why was there a small boy, maybe still in middle school, sneaking around in rugged clothes?
The teen was wearing a partly ripped pair of shorts and dirty T-shirt. He was hunched forward, like he was trying to shield his backbag from the little rain. His dark hair was still curly, but glued to his neck and shoulders and face. It was clear he had been out for a while.
Kei didn't know what to do. He could call the police or an ambulance, but that seemed a bit overkill, or he could just ignore him, but that definetly was not the correct and morally right thing to do. So, he approached the boy.
"Hey!" He called out. "Are you alright? You look like you're a bit lost, if I'm honest."
The boy was visibly startled, as he turned swiftly to look at Kei. He gestured to himself,, as if asking if he was being talked to.
"Yes, you, who else, these streets are pretty damn empty," Kei answered with his usual cheer.
The boy seemed to muster some courage, before opening his mouth to answer. "Ah, I'm.. I'm alright, thanks for asking I guess? I just got caught off guard by the rain, you see, nothing to worry."
Kei knows he's not the best with social interactions, but he does know when someone is lying to him. Like right now. The boy was clearly not alright, like, 'alright' isn't when you have dirty and ragged clothes, you're wetter than a fish and had scrapes on your knees and hands.
"Yeah no you're not. Has anyone told you you're a bad liar?" The boy quickly looked to the side, clearly trying to avert Kei's gaze. Yup, he definetly had lied.
Kei stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what he is supposed to do in this situation. What would Mei-chan do? "You're coming with me!"
The boy looked even more startled with this new develoment. "Uh- What?" was everything the boy could utter out before he was ushered to follow, as Kei started to walk back to his bar.
"You heard me, come with me, I mean, you look homeless, and it's no use for you to stay outside in the rain!" Kei explained, well, if that could be called explaining, that is.
As Kei metaphorically dragged the boy with him, he could hear the small mutters of 'why me's, 'I'm not homeless' and 'I am pretty sure this is concidered kidnapping'. Not that he really cared. That was the thing about Kei, when he decided something there was only a small chance to stop him. And even then the attempts were rarely successful.
Kei concidered this a successful night. At least for now.