Days after that, they're back to their usual routine.
Renji took a breath, the smell of sun is stronger than before, even the temperature of the air is warmer on his nose. Signs for the winter is over as March begin its spring.
Both Shira and Reika go with him this morning, and they stopped at the same meeting spot, but now, Shira is walking out from the lobby first by herself. Already buttoning her coat as she makes her way toward where Renji stood.
"Renji, I'll be leaving first. Keep watch on Reika-sama, yes?"
"You're heading back on your own?"
"As always."
"Got it, Shira-san."
"She should be out by an hour or so."
She gives a small nod and moves past him. Another car pulls up nearby, and Jin steps out to open the door for her without a word. Renji offers a hesitant greeting anyway.
"H-hello, Jin-san. Hahah…"
Jin's response is nothing more than a flat, uninterested glance.
"…Yeah. Haha…ha…ha…" Renji's brows twitched as he closed his mouth.
The door shuts with a dull thud, cutting the moment clean in half. The car slips into the afternoon traffic, swallowed whole by the endless stream of vehicles.
Renji watches them go, scratching lightly at his neck.
Did you really hate me that much, man…? I never kicked your dog or something, Jin wick-san…
He lets the thought drift off, feeling the shifting air outside, he leans against his car for a moment, glancing at the glassed-door entrance.
An hour, huh… if the schedule's still on track…
The city around him—Shinagawa, in the heart of Tokyo in that restless hour. His gaze wanders idly, until it catches on a small stationery shop with its cute lettering and colored window, tucked between larger storefronts.
"Stationery… right… might as well."
He pulls out his worn-out notebook. A faint, stubborn stain still there from that port-trash-bin incident back in December.
"Need to buy some refill too anyway…"
With that, he locks the car and heads over, carefully crossing the street.
The bell above the door gives a gentle chime as he steps inside. Cozy space as one expected from a well-kept shop. Shelves with different kind of books, pens arranged and lined up by its color, and other office trinkets.
His eyes drift almost automatically to one of the corners.
The notebook is over there… so—
"—Excuse me, do you have refill ink for this pen?"
Turning toward the counter, he places his pen down—a silver stainless steel piece, slightly longer than most. It's clearly seen its share of use, but still didn't lose the shine.
"Oh, let me see it." The clerk takes it with mild curiosity, twisting it open to look at the ink tube's number, before checking her system. "Yes, we do have it."
"Neat. I'll take one pack."
"I'll grab it from storage. Just a moment, sir."
He nods at the clerk, while she disappears into the back, Renji wanders back to the shelves, looking for new-plain notebook the same size he usually uses, until the faint sound of boxes shifting echoes in that small space stopped.
By the time he returns to the counter, she's already there, holding out the refill.
"This one, right?"
"Yeah, that's perfect. I'll take it—with this notebook too."
"Of course."
She rings it up, putting his purchase inside a paper bag. Then the clerk hums lightly, filling the silence with idle curiosity.
"Not many people ask for this refill type anymore."
"Yeah, I get that a lot… just feels nice to use, and never switch ever since."
"Are you a writer, sir?"
He hesitates for a beat, then gives a crooked, almost self-doubting smile.
"…Hmmm… kind of…"
"I thought so! Your pen brand's pretty popular among writers."
"Eh. I'm just a wannabe though, haha."
She chuckles softly at that, and doesn't press further as she bows politely. After Renji made his purchase, he gives a small nod, and steps back out into the street.
--------
Just as he looked at the direction where he parked the car, Reika is already stepping out of the building across the way.
"Ooof, that's good timing…"
Renji quickens his pace, unlocking the car and opening the door for her with a small bow that now become his second-nature routine.
"Good evening, Reika-sama—" The words falter when he raises his head to look at her properly.
Geh…That face again… another bad day…?
Reika slides into the seat without a word. Not even acknowledging glance at him.
As Renji closes the door, he circles back to the driver's side, settling in as he mumbled quietly.
"You've got a lot on your plate, eh…"
Starting the engine, then driving steadily into the traffic. After a while, the rhythm settles, and he asked casually.
"So, straight back to home or is there someplace you want to stop by…?"
"…Okay."
Renji flicks back slightly at her weird response.
…Is that a question you answer with an 'okay'…?
She sits normally, but something about it feels wrong. She's more like a statue that sitting in the backseat. Her face carved with that same faint displeasure, but her stare doesn't match it. They're distant, unfocused, staring at something nonexistent in front of her.
He clears his throat, then test the water as his usual first approach.
"Sheesh, this again, another bad day, huh…?"
"…Okay."
"…Huh… okay?" Renji frowned slightly.
"…Yes…" And she just nods quietly.
"… Uhhh… I don't get what you mean by 'okay'…"
"…Oh." A long pause, she spoke without raising her head. "…What was that…?"
"…Are we going straight home?"
A beat passes before she seems to catch up with the conversation.
"…Oh… yes. Back to home."
"Okie-dokie."
When the silence returns, Reika shakes her head slightly, as if trying to shake something out of her head.
"…What did you say, Renji?"
"What…? I didn't say anything…"
"You're saying something."
"I WAS saying something. And you already answered. We're heading back, right?"
"…Yes."
Reika still seems unconvinced in that another stretch of quiet. Then—
"…You're… not saying anything else…?"
"…I'm not—" He let out a tired sigh. "—Again? Is this your way to kill boredom like last time?"
"…R-Renji, speak slowly…"
Yeah… This is one of her new antics just like the other day, isn't it... fine…
"Yeeessss maaaa'aaammm…"
He drags the words out on purpose, trying to play along with her settings. With that, she nods faintly, sinking a little deeper into her seat, then mutters absentmindedly.
"…You're quiet today…"
"Last time we did this you told me to pipe down… elegantly…"
"Oh…"
"And I'm driving anyway… traffic at this hour is no joke."
"…Okay."
The answer lands flat again. And something stuck uncomfortably with him.
"Did something happen…?"
"…No."
"You sure?"
"…Okay."
"…Hey, come on… it doesn't work that way…"
"…Okay."
"…Reika-sama."
He turns his head just a little this time. She looks at him, painfully slow, as if trying to force herself to look his way.
"…What?"
"I asked if something happened."
"…Hmm… Something happened…? Oh... Nothing… happened…"
"Reika-sama, you feeling sick or something?"
"…Do we have tea at home?"
Renji can only furrow his brows at her soft voice.
"…What?"
"Tea…"
"…Y-yeah? If it's just tea, I'm sure it's there in your mansion… maybe...?"
"…Okay."
"…Why ask about tea suddenly…?"
"Just… making sure…"
"That had nothing to do with what I asked, by the way…"
"…Okay."
A small breath escapes him, caught somewhere between confusion and amusement.
"Heh… this is getting funny for real… Where'd you even pick this weird play up, Reika-sama…?"
"…Okay."
"…You're doing that on purpose now."
"…Doing… what…?"
"Saying 'okay' to everything."
"…Okay…"
"Tch, yeah. That…"
"…Oh… I see…"
Silence folds back in as Renji shakes his head in exasperation.
"Alright, alright, fine I get it… you're just bored…"
"…Okay."
He almost laughed but it didn't quite land. Something about this felt off in a way that wasn't funny anymore. They stopped at a red light. Then—
"…Renji… What day… is it…?"
"Tuesday."
"…Okay."
"Why…?"
"Just… making sure…"
"…You serious right now?"
He met her gaze. For a moment, it almost feels normal—at least more than before.
"…Look, are you even sleeping properly? You've been like this lately."
"…Okay."
"That's not—Are. You. Tired?"
"…Oh… A little…"
"Then just say that."
"…Okay."
"…Why do you keep saying that?"
She tilts her head while still trying to maintain the eye contact.
"…Saying what…?"
"…'Okay'…"
"Okay?"
"…Yeah. That." Renji lets out a slow breath, then gave up trying to make sense of it.
The light turns green. The car moves with another silence.
Reika leans her head slightly against the window, opens and closes her mouth, until voice came out faint.
"…Renji."
"Yeah?"
"…Do we have tea at home?"
His grip on the wheel tightens, just for two second.
"…You already asked that."
"…I… did…?"
"Yeah."
"…Okay."
Renji didn't respond anymore. His fingers tapped once against the wheel, then stilled.
His eyes focusing on the road, yet his mind still struggling to wrap up this moment.
This is… normal…? right…?
And that question can only leave his head as he begins another hellish morning drill the next day.
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