The convenience store was a comforting quiet when Isao stepped through the glass doors, the overhead bell chiming softly to announce his arrival. The store he had grown so used to seemed to never change. The usual hum of refrigerators and the faint crackle of a radio playing in the background were the only sounds filling the space.
He was grateful this particular store stocked more than just instant meals and provided enough groceries to throw together a quick stir-fry. Snatching up a small basket, he moved methodically through the narrow aisles, scanning the shelves for the best ingredients left among the slim pickings. A bundle of green onions, a packet of pre-cut vegetables, along with a small tray of thinly sliced beef. With deliberate care, he placed each grocery item into his basket and then proceeded to the wall containing refrigerated drinks.
His eyes scanned over the multitude of cans and bottles, searching for something interesting. That was when he saw it, a familiar blue tucked among the rows of sodas.
He paused. It's Blue Raspberry Lemonade, he noted.
His fingers hovered over the can for a moment before he plucked it from the shelf. He hadn't known this store carried it. Then again, he had never looked for it before.
Would he have ever noticed it if she hadn't given him one?
The thought made something stir inside him. A small, amused huff left his lips as he grabbed a carton of apple juice as well, figuring it wouldn't hurt to have another option just in case.
Turning the corner toward the checkout counter, he saw a girl.
She stood in front of the register, her purchases already set on the counter. A cup of ultra-spicy yakisoba, an onigiri, and a pack of strawberry Pocky. An interesting combination. If that was her dinner, it wasn't exactly the most balanced meal. Just the idea of eating something that spicy made his stomach churn a little. He was suddenly grateful his ma always left him money for proper groceries and that he learned to cook.
Isao retrieved the bills from his pocket, absently glancing at the girl as he waited his turn. That was when he noticed something. A small, lemon-shaped patch was sewn onto her black tights, right at her ankle.
His breath hitched for just a second. It was relatively in the same spot the tear was.
That's… unique. He thought.
The observation lingered in his mind, but before he could process it further, the girl finished paying and swiftly gathered her things, scooping them up into her arms before disappearing through the sliding doors and into the night.
Isao didn't move right away. His grip tightened around the can in his hand as he stared at the empty space where she had just been.
All he was thinking was if it could be her. His heart gave an unsteady beat before he quickly shook the thought away. No. It was probably just a coincidence, he thought.
…Right?
Still, as he stepped up to the counter and placed his items down, he couldn't help but wonder.
~
Isao settled at the table, picking up his chopsticks and murmuring a quiet thanks before digging in. The stir-fry was simple but satisfying, the beef tender, and the vegetables crisp. The warmth of the stir-fry spread through him, the tender beef practically melting on his tongue.
As he ate, his mind wandered back to the girl at the convenience store. Something about her felt strangely familiar, though he couldn't quite place why. Maybe it was her posture, the way she casually placed her things on the counter, or the way she left just as quickly as she arrived. But more than anything, it was the lemon patch sewn onto her tights that stuck with him.
His chopsticks hovered over his plate as the connection finally clicked into place.
The bench. The Yakisoba Pan. The Yakisoba Ramen.
The convenience store girl was the girl who always sat alone during lunch, the one he had unknowingly shared space with for weeks without ever noticing. The scent of savory umami often drifted his way, but he had never paid much attention to the source until his friend pointed her out.
No wonder he felt he recognized her.
She must love yakisoba. Isao exhaled a small, breathy chuckle.