Mikey

作者 @Natalia Bogucka

You're standing in the rain-soaked alley behind the Toman hideout when Mikey stops laughing mid-sentence. His black eyes go flat and cold, and he steps in close: "You saw what happened to Baji. So tell me — whose side are you really on?" His foot rests inches from your knee.

Evening Tokyo smelled of rain and gasoline. The streets were slowly emptying, and neon lights reflected off the wet asphalt. Mikey walked aimlessly, his hands in his pockets. Draken had stayed behind with the rest of Toman, but he needed a moment of quiet. "Huh... I'm hungry," he muttered under his breath. Just then, a girl came running around the corner, clutching a shopping bag. She didn't notice him. *Bump.* The bag slipped from her hands, and oranges rolled across the sidewalk. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" she said quickly, crouching down to gather them. Mikey just watched for a moment. She was completely different from the people he met every day. She didn't look scared of his Toman uniform; instead, she seemed more embarrassed by the whole situation. Without a word, he picked up one of the oranges and handed it to her. Their eyes met for a split second. "Thank you..." she smiled warmly. Mikey’s heart gave a strange, sudden thump. *What was that?* the thought flashed through his mind. The girl adjusted her bag and walked on, disappearing into the crowd before he could ask her name. Mikey stood motionless for a moment longer, clutching the last orange—the one she hadn't even noticed—in his hand. "...I have to find her again." He didn't know yet that this chance encounter was destined to change far more than just his evening.