“I’m already running late. Waah!” I keep checking my watch as I take more giant steps after getting out of my apartment.

I’m Aiko Miyoshita, a a twenty-four-year-old woman who has been a corporate slave for nearly a year. Other than my age, I don’t think my current situation will change anytime soon.

Truth be told, this monotonous existence is wearing me down, but I must keep going or I’ll end up on the streets.

Come on, traffic lights! Please make way for me to cross. Grr!

Again, I found myself nervously checking the time.

“Excuse me…”

Although I heard a voice behind me, I didn’t turn around since I didn’t think they were talking to me at all.

“Errmm...” A young woman my age suddenly cocked her head in front of me, causing me to flinch for a moment.

Wooaah~!

Wait… She’s so pretty.

Could she possibly be some sort of celebrity? She stands quite tall. Umm… Is she over 170cm? Besides her expressive eyes, she also has a gleaming golden lock. And her lips are so alluring that even looking at them can be hypnotic.

What a feast for the eyes!

Her looks must be enticing to men.

“Y-Yes? What is it?”

“Ahh… I’m a little lost. Could you please tell me where this location is?” She showed me her phone, which had GoGurl maps on it.

She’s already looking at a map but can’t seem to find it?! Does she have a terrible sense of direction?

Hmm… I guess there’s no way you can have all the desirable attributes, after all, huh?

“Let’s see… Umm… This is only a couple of blocks away. Just follow your nose up until you reach the statue, then turn right. You will find it.” I gave her a friendly smile.

“Thank you! You really are a lifesaver. Please let me repay yo—”

In an instant, the pedestrian traffic lights turn green. “Ahh! I’m sorry, but I have to go. Take care!” I dash across the street to beat my impending tardiness.

❀❀❀❀

“Good work! Until tomorrow.” I bowed to my colleagues as I headed out.

I untied the ponytail on my amethyst hair as I made my way to the pedestrian once again. Hmm… Now I have to figure out what I’m going to eat for dinner. It’s already 6 p.m., and I’m exhausted.

Ugh!

What a life! Everything about this existence is boring. I’m doing the same thing over and over. It’s a never-ending cycle. Hmph!

“Hello~”

I could hear a voice behind me again, and as usual, I ignored it since I didn’t know if they were talking to me or not.

“Umm… You know what, you’re such a snobbish type.” My heart skipped a beat when that pretty face from this morning appeared in front of me a second time.

Huh?! What is she doing here at this time?

Oh no! Wait! “Hold on, Miss… Did you get lost again? You didn’t find the place?!”

The pretty girl chuckled. “I’m not lost, and I already found it.” She smiled enigmatically at me.

“Oh, that’s great to know. So, what exactly are you doing here?”

“Ah… I was hoping to see if I could run into you again in this area,” she said with a smile.

“Uhh? Do you need anything from me?”

“Ohh… Maybe yes?”

“Huh?!”

“I need someone to come with me to have a coffee in Moanbucks.  Can I count on you for help?” She flashed a charming grin.

“Umm... Why?”

Giggles then escaped her lips. “Maybe just a way to say thanks?”

“Ahh… There’s no need for that, really.” I’m hesitant to go out for coffee with someone I’ve just met. And to top it all off, she’s dressed up while I’m still in office attire. It’ll be easy to mistake me for her assistant at this rate.

“Aww~… Why is that? I’ve been meaning to grab coffee with you.” A sudden pout came over her face.

Ohh… I think she’s adorable.

Ahh! Wait…

What am I doing here admiring some random girl?! I have to get back to my apartment and start making dinner. “I’m truly sorry. I’m pressed for time. I r-really don’t have time to spare right now. I still have dinner to prepare.”

“Eh?! A-Are you perhaps married?” She looked shocked.

Married?!

And wait, why does she seem so shocked?! Just what kind of reaction does that elicit?

Am I that ugly that it’s a shock if I have a husband?! Moreover, I do believe that my face is about par. I’m not trying to brag, but at least a few guys have told me I have a pretty face. Hmph!

“Umm. I’m not sure what triggered your reaction, but it’s sort of offensive. I believe I am good enough to get a husband.” I frowned.

“Eh?! N-No! I’m terribly sorry! Ahaha!” She frantically crossed her arms as if to reject my understanding of her reaction. “I apologize for coming across in that manner. I just wanted to know if you’re married already... Umm… Wait... Are you?”

“No, I’m not.” What difference does it make to her if I am? “Anyway, I really need to get going.” I did a slight bow to her.

“Wait! Then, can I invite you for dinner?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking if I can invite you to dinner.”

“I heard that. I mean, why do you keep asking me?” Is there no one she can invite besides a random stranger she just met on the sidewalk?!

“It’s because you don’t want to have a coffee with me, and your reason is that you’re having dinner. So then, how about we have dinner together?”

“Huh? Why?”

She sighed with a frown. “Are you that afraid of me? Do I look like I’m not trustworthy?”

“Well... You and I are basically strangers. I don’t even know what your name is.”

“All you have to do is ask, Aiko-san!”

“Uwaah!” How could she know what my name was?! And she called me by my first name?! “How did you even learn my name? T-That’s rather creepy!” I’m starting to get nervous around her.

Even though she’s pretty, she seems to know some stuff about me and keeps trying to get me to go somewhere else with her.

Ohh no!

Wait...

What if more people were hiding around here, waiting to grab me the moment I agreed to her?

Heaven, please help me!

Is this the end of my mundane existence?!

“I saw it on your ID this morning!” She ended up giving me a mean look. “You think I’m a creep or a stalker, aren’t you? It’s written all over your face.” Her left eyebrow shot up as she looked at me.

“We-Well, are you sure you’re not?!”

She breaks out in a mocking chuckle. “I might be a stalker, but I’m definitely not a creep!”

“Huh?! S-Stalker?!”

“Ahh—! Nooo… I mean... Oh my gosh! Take a hint already!”

“Hey, Miss! Please understand that stalking is wrong! If you carry on like that, you are at risk of being arrested! And a pretty girl stalking a man is rather—”

“Wa-wa-wa-wait! Who said I was stalking a man?!”

“Haahh?! You just casually labeled yourself a stalker!”

“Please don’t call me that! It certainly sounds creepy to hear it from someone else! Plus, I’ve only stalked one person in my life, and it wasn’t in a creepy way!”

“Stalking in a non-creepy way? Is it even possible to do that?! And it’s still stalking! What if that person is actually bad?”

“Are you?”

“I’m what?”

“Bad.”

“What?! I’m not! Why are you even asking?!”

“Then it turns out the person I’ve been stalking until now isn’t so horrible.” Her lips are curled in a looped smile as she stares me down.

Huh?

Wait… Does she mean?

“What.” Her mouth twisted in that wry smile as she stared at me.

“You… You’re stalking me?!” My arms instinctively wrapped around me.

She cocked her head and tapped her chin with her fingers. “Yeah, I guess so.” She said with a straight face.

“Huh?!” I quickly backed away from her.

She then gave me an intense look as if I had wronged her by moving away.

Sighing heavily, she raised both of her hands in the air. “I don’t mean any harm to you, Aiko-san.”

“Then w-why are you even stalking me? What are you planning to do?” I’m shaking right now!

Now that I think about it, there’s a good chance she wasn’t actually lost this morning. She must have come up to me on purpose, right?

“Planning? Uhmmm??” She paused like she was thinking of something funny.

“So you do have a plan?!”

Oh, my goodness! How can this be happening to me?!

What did I ever do to wind up with my life in the hands of a stalker? I know that most of my days are dull, but I didn’t sign up for this kind of thriller!

Oh nooo… This isn’t how I want to go out!

My eyes started to fill with tears when I heard the stalker’s voice again.

“It never occurred to me that you were so thick-skulled, Aiko-san.” She said with an amused smile.

“Eh?!”

“You’re pretty stupid, but I’m still interested in you.”

“Where are you going with this?! I’m just a regular employee. You will gain nothing from me! I beg you, whatever you have planned, please spare me!”

“You are also highly paranoid.” She then let forth a hearty chuckle. “Oh, gosh! In the end, a ditzy woman has won my heart.”

“Huh?! W-won your heart?”

“I like you, Aiko-san. And I mean ‘that ‘way.” Her eyes lit up as she smiled at me.

“What?! How’s that even possible?”

“I've been watching you cross this pedestrian lane every morning. I’m not sure what it is about you that interests me. And before I knew it, I had already made it a habit to watch you. So... That’s how I ended up as your stalker.” She laughed in jest.

“Huh?!”

My mind has gone haywire! This is just too much information for me to take in at once.

First, I got a stalker, and it’s a girl! A pretty girl!

Second, since she’s interested in me that way, she must be gay!

Third….

“. . . .”

Wait… Oh! There are only two things to think about here?

“So, erm… Aiko-san, would you want to go out with me?”

“Huh?! B-But I don’t think I’m gay.”

“You don’t think?” She chuckled. “So, you’re not sure if you’re straight either, right?” She smiled as she walked closer to me.

“Uhh… M-Maybe?” I’m getting more nervous now that she’s getting closer to me!

“Then there’s one way to find it out.” She smiled.

“Huh?! H-How?”

“Do you mind if I kiss you, Aiko-san?”

“W-What?! K-Kiss?!”

She brought her face closer to mine.

Is she actually going to kiss me? And why does she smell so good even at this hour of the day?!

I’m becoming increasingly tense.

“Hmm? If you don’t move away from me, then I’ll take it you’re okay with me kissing you.” I could see her eyes were smiling as if they were mesmerizing me.

Haah... I’m not even sure I can move my feet.

A cheeky grin curved her lips. “So, I guess it’s okay since you’re not even moving an inch away from me?”

“W-Well… I … I think I’m curious to know if I’m really straight, so...”

Waaah! What are you doing, Aiko?! How can you possibly make any sense of this??!

Could it be that I’m actually curious?

Or is it possible that I’ve already descended to such depths that I’m considering something like this?!

Aaahh!

There’s something wrong with me! I’m going crazy! Get your act together, Aiko!

I was still chastising myself when she crossed the distance between our faces and pressed her lips against mine for a split second.

Even though it’s only for a second, I feel it might be enough to make my legs go weak.

Oh, my goodness! She really kissed me on the lips! Moreover, in p-plain sight!

“So, you think it’s gross to kiss a girl?” She asked with a serious look.

“Eh? Ummm...” Do I? “N-No, I don’t think so,” I said in a low voice.

“Really?!” She beamed with happiness. “Then, how about it, are you interested in going out with me now?” She asked with zeal.

“Uhmm… O-only if you tell me your name and your age.” I replied embarrassingly.

She sweetly smiled. “I’m Kana Yasuda, Aiko-san, and I’m twenty-two. I’m thrilled to meet you finally.”

“Ahh… It’s nice to meet you, Yasuda-chan.” I smiled back. So, she’s younger than me, huh?

“Eh?! Call me Kana, Aiko-san. Don’t worry about being too formal because I will be your girlfriend.” She grinned.

“What?! Don’t simply go out there and assume you’re going to be m-my g-girlfriend!”

“Huh? Why? Are you going to reject me?” She pouted.

“Ah! I-I’m not saying it like that.”

“Then I will definitely become your girlfriend!” She squeezed her fist before seizing my hand. “So, let’s go?”

I just nodded and let her take the lead. “Anyway, where are we eating dinner?”

“You pick, Aiko-san. Anywhere is alright with me as long as I’m with you.” She pressed her cheeks against mine out of nowhere.

I can’t help but smile. Although Kana is still a complete stranger to me, I get the impression that the time gap between us has shrunk significantly.

Hmm... I suppose this marks the end of my humdrum life and the start of something much more exciting.

And it’s safe to say that Kana has just given me a life beyond a pedestrian existence.

***End***