Chapter Text
The idea of having a soulmate, whether it being platonic or romantic, caused younger you to be overwhelmed with joy. The idea of having something to spend the rest your life with who you love you unconditionally. When you were a child you would write little notes that you wished to give to them. To let them know how eager you were to meet them. You wanted to know everything about them.When you were younger you would excitedly shout out that you could feel your soulmate to whoever was in earshot. Letting your parents know at any given moment that you were sending messages to your soulmate to let them know you were thinking of them too.
Though the concept of soulmates have been around for centuries no one knew really how it worked or how it came to be. It was a mental connection between two people that much was known. Whenever the other thought of their soulmate the soulmate would feel what could be described as a mental tug in their mind. As quirks came into the existent the probability of having a soulmate simmered down. Just like being quirkless, having a soulmate in current times was considered a rarity. A rarity that you manage to score double for.
Never did it bother you when you were a child. You were always okay with, thinking how you wouldn't exchange the comforting sensation for some superpower. That was until it stopped. You couldn't remember the exact age your were. Perhaps maybe five or six. One day you would feel the constant tugging and then the next it was gone. The days turned into months that transferred to years. You would've thought they died if it wasn't for those fleeting moments that barely lasted a second where you could feel them. If you weren't always on guard about it, you would've thought that maybe you made it up to comfort yourself.
The once okay feeling of being quirkless changed drastically once you hit high school. Being looked down by your peers while also feeling like your soulmate wanted nothing to do with you took a toll on your mental health. Some nights you were left on your bed in tears as your throat became dry and aching from the your own screams. Thinking that maybe, just maybe, your own soulmate would be disgusted if you were quirkless and didn't want to chance it so they left you. Screaming, begging, for them to just think of you just once. A migraine was the only thing you were left with at the end of the night.
As the years progressed after you left high school and entered the work force, you tried not to dwell on your circumstances. You thought of them everyday. Figuring if they weren't going to reach out to you, you will to them. Just for them to know you were on your mind. You still wrote notes every once in a while whenever you had bad mental days. Writing down what you think they might look like. If they had green eyes you imagine them to be as vibrant as meadow grass in the middle of spring. Or perhaps they had they the unusual color of red eyes that shone brighter than any ruby gem. This type of journalism made it feel like you had some sort of connection to them. That's all you wanted anyways.
-
You didn't care much for video games. At one point in your life, while in middle school, you drowned yourself in them. You enjoyed the story-line and the characters that were created, it made you feel less lonely. As if you had friends or that you were a part of something bigger than yourself. That was until the game ended and screen went black. Making you feel empty inside as you sat by yourself in your cluttered filled bedroom. You found yourself with an aching heart as you tossed the console and games into the trash before you entered high school.
Though it was the same with any hobby you tried picking up throughout your short life. Whether it be TV, sports, reading, or anything of the sorts. For a while it gave you a sense of purpose until it ended whenever everything went back to normal. That was until you discovered the art of taking care of plants. It was almost like a fresh of breath air when you took home your first one, a simple osaka house plant, Over time your small cramped apartment was taken over by a variety of different plants. Each one a different type with a different unique name. They were always there for you, they made you feel wanted.
You don't why you stopped infront of the new video game shop. Perhaps it was because it was in such an odd place. Crammed between a terrible ramen shop and a adult video store. You didn't have a console or tv (both too expensive for your liking) so getting a game seemed like a useless idea. But the thought wouldn't leave your mind. Like you needed to go in and purchase something. Maybe you could just have it as decor?
The small jingle of the door bed rang out in the shop as you entered inside. There was an elderly man sitting in the corner behind the counter watching a college game of what seemed to be volleyball, too immersed in the game to pay any notice to you. The store layout was open, allowing you to see that besides who you believe is the owner and yourself there was one other people. They wore black on black. Black jeans with a black hoodie pulled over their eyes. Though the only color you could see of them was their brightly red shoes. The person seemed to be in deep concentration over the two games they were holding in their hands.
Aimlessly your legs moved you forward towards the back wall, making you walk pass the stranger dressed in black. The games that lined the shelves were not any that you knew of. Some seem to be newer while others dated passed this current decade. The cases were worn down as if they belonged to someone else before. Picking up a random game you tried to examine it. The words were from you could tell Chinese, a language you couldn't exactly read. The cover had what appeared to be racing cars and as you turned it over your assumption of it being a racing game were confirmed. Photos detailed a racing track and other cars that seemed to be going around the graphic track.
"That's a glitch game", a raspy voice spoke from behind you causing you to nearly jump out of surprise.
Switching your attention from the game to the man standing behind you, you were surprised that you couldn't really see his face. The only noticeable feature of his was his pale blue hair. His hands were shoved in his hoodie pocket and the hood over his head made it impossible to see any facial features. The man was peering over your shoulders and you could only assume that his eye sight was on the game.
"I don't know what that means", you didn't mean for your voice to come out as timid as it did. You just didn't expect for a stranger to try and strike up a conversation with you today.
A hand removed itself from his pocket as he reached for the game. Hesitantly you handed it over taking notice to just how pale hand was. As if it never seen the light of day, though you couldn't help but admire them. He had long slim fingers you would always see advertised in hand lotion commercials. His finger nails look like he had a habit of biting them and the back of his hand appeared to have a rough texture. Maybe your own soulmates had nice hands like his? You watched as he held the game noticing that he had his pinkie finger raised.
"In short terms it's a unplayable shit game", he moved forward and rested the game back in it's spot, "what console do you have?"
Looking down at your shoes you lightly scuffed them on the wooden floor, "I don't have one."
The feeling of embarrassment of what he might've thought of you filled your chest. You felt like some sort of poser standing in the middle of a crappy video game store looking at games while not actually having a device to play them on. The man before you took a step backwards and then pivoted his movement. Looking up you watched as he made his way towards a bin that held thrifted consoles. Quickly you stumbled your way after him. You stood behind him as he rummaged through the bin until he pulled out a old red and white device that appeared to have seen better days. From your middle school knowledge you immediately knew what brand and type it was. An old Famicon system. The stranger quickly moved onwards from the bin to a stand that seemed to hold games for that exact system. He crouched down as he reached for a small rectangle device with the word Minelvaton written across it, which you assumed was the game.
How quickly he stood up from the position and made his way towards the other man behind the small counter made you do a double take. It almost felt like a workout trying to follow him around the shop. The moment you reached him again he held out his hand, you quickly understood that meant he needed your wallet. Without hesitation, which is probably unwise, you handed him your small coin purse.
"That's 7652¥", the stranger's motion of opening your coin purse halted at the owners voice.
"No."
"No? Look son this is my store and if I say-"
"The Famicom itself runs for an average 5241¥ in a slightly used condition. This shit though is not only very obviously used but as well is missing one of the controllers bringing it down half that. As for the game itself it is missing it's packaging and on top of that the game originally comes with a detailed map displaying the in-game landscape, but I don't see one. So we are only paying the grand total of 3500¥."
Was it possible to be attracted to someone's bargaining skills? You watched wide eyed as the owner reluctantly took the cash from the stranger. Mumbling under his breath about young people not having any respect for their elders and bagged your items. The stranger gently shoved the plastic bag as well as your coin purse into your chest for you to take, with no words being spoken between the two of you he headed out the shop door.
It took a moment for it to click in your head that he was leaving you alone now. There was a moments hesitation before you rushed out the door to try and catch him before he disappeared. Your eyes landed on him making his way past the ramen shop, with an outstretched hand as your neared him you grab a handful of his black hoodie stopping him in his place.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you or get your name"
He rolled his shoulders back making your drop your hand from his article of clothing, "you're welcome. Goodbye"
You don't know what it was about this man that made you continue to try and pester him. Never have you been this straight forward normally you had a habit of ignoring those around you.
"Can I see you again? After I'm done with this game I don't know which one to choose to play next!", he still didn't move to face you as you spoke. His feet planted firmly to the cement ground underneath him as his stance transferred back to a slouching position.
"Maybe. I'm busy. Goodbye."
He left you then. Your legs stopped working as you watched his figure disappear in the distance. You wished you could've seen his face. Though you held onto his words.
Maybe you could see him again. That was enough hope for you. For now.