Chapter 556: Ishikawa


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    A hooded person with a ck mask dressed in ck stood around the corner of an alley, right beside the vending machine under the streemp.


    Seeing the hooded individual, Ishikawa couldn''t help but feel slightly uneasy.


    There weren''t many people around and she couldn''t help but feel skeptical about him. So, as she noticed the hooded individual from afar, she changed her path to maintain a distance from the individual.


    While keeping a wary eye on the individual, she walked. Her previous excited face disyed a noticeable change as she looked rather tensed.


    ''Why is he staring at me?''


    She couldn''t help but feel her legs weaken as she noticed the individual''s stare. From the moment, she had gotten close to the hooded individual, he kept staring at her.


    So, it further alleviated her fear.


    Her heart thumped the more she got close to the man. She even felt a desperate urge to run away. So, she hastened her steps.


    But she couldn''t be too obvious about her fear.


    Who knows what the man would do to her if he discovered she was scared?


    So, she tried to put up a brave facade.


    However, as she got close to the man, he started heading her way. This further panicked her and she started turning pale. She tightly squinched the bag in her hand and prepared to swing the bag if he took any action.


    Then the man called out to her, "Sumire."


    ''Who is this man? Is he a stalker? How does he know my name?''


    Different thoughts ran amuck as her heart rate spiked when she heard him calling out her name. Perspiration trickled down her forehead and her palms became sweaty.


    She hastened her speed further, ignoring the man''s call.


    "Wait, Sumire," the man hastened his pace as he tried to catch up to her.


    Ishikawa, however, became even more scared. Out of fear, she started running away, "Who are you? Why are you calling my name?"


    The man chased her down immediately and caught up to her. Then he grabbed her by hand. Just as he grabbed her, Ishikawa felt a chill run down her spine.


    In a state of panic, she swung her bag while at the same time, she jerked her hand to try to free herself from the man''s hold. "Leave me," she yelled.


    "Woah, calm down."


    The hooded individual ducked his head as he avoided the blow. Then he immediately let go of her hand and pulled down his mask, "Sumire, it''s me."


    Ishikawa was ready to escape, but when she saw the person''s face, her furrowed brows rxed, and a look of relief washed over her.


    "Oh- It''s you, Hiro." She said.


    Hiro, however, appeared panicked. Drenched in sweat, he looked at her fixedly while maintaining a safe distance from her.


    "Now, can you put your bag down?" he said.


    Even now, she still had her bag raised as if preparing to strike again. Although her expression had softened, she still looked fierce.


    "Oh- Sorry about it," she lowered her bag.


    "But why are you dressed so suspiciously? You nearly scared the shit out of me." Ishikawa said.


    "I should be the one to say that," Hiro mumbled albeit in a low whisper.


    "Did you say something?" Ishikawa felt that she heard something but couldn''t tell what it


    was.


    "Ahh, nothing. I just said that I can''t walk freely now."


    "That makes sense," she murmured with a thoughtful look. "People will recognize you if you don''t hide your appearance."


    "I''m sorry. But still, can''t you at least make a call or tell me beforehand that you''d be here with that appearance?" she nagged.


    Well, he couldn''t refute. After all, he did look suspicious in that all-ck attire. From head to toe, he looked like he was dressed in ck- a pair of ck boots, ck pants, ck shirtyered with a ck leather jacket.


    On top of it, he wore a ck cap and a ck mask to cover his face.


    In every possible way, he looked like a suspicious person.


    ''Maybe wearing all-ck was a bad idea.'' He thought after hearing her.


    "I''m sorry. I should have been more careful," Hiro apologized after pondering briefly.


    Now that she felt at ease, she couldn''t help but take notice of Hiro. Although he looked suspicious in the beginning, he also looked stunningly good-looking.


    The leather jacket fit him perfectly, highlighting his broad shoulders and lean body. Also, the


    cap sat perfectly on his head entuating his facial features.


    Especially, the top unbuttoned part of the shirt that revealed his fair yet slightly tanned skin was a feast to the eyes.


    If one looked closer, they could even see part of his corbone.


    ''He''s got quite a noticeable Adam''s apple and his corbone is quite defined. I wonder if he''s got abs.''


    Ishikawa who had been staring fixedly at Hiro couldn''t help but blush as she thought about how eye-appealing Hiro looked at the moment.


    Her face reddened as she thought while looking slightly embarrassed, ''What are you thinking about Sumire? From when did I start thinking such pervertedly?''


    ''Come to your senses, Sumire.''


    Hiro was talking with her but she who had been lost in her thoughts couldn''t even hear her.


    "Sumire? Are you okay?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As she came to her senses, she was met with the sight of Hiro looking at her with eyes full of


    concern.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," she responded in a hurry, her tone slightly embarrassed.


    Clueless as Hiro was, he said, "You sure? You look all red. Are you having a fever? If you''re not


    okay then we can go some other time."


    "No, I''m okay. Let''s go, it''s getting a littlete." She said rmingly while attempting to


    divert his attention away from her reddened face.


    Although she was embarrassed beyond measure, she didn''t want Hiro to find out that she had


    been having perverted thoughts about him.


    Upon hearing her, Hiro looked at the sky and said, "Yeah, let''s go."


    "But where are we going?"


    As they began to walk, Ishikawa couldn''t help but ask.