Despite grinning widely for the picture with the kid, that, in return, flashed an even wider smile of his own, showing off the magazine, Naruhiko was pale on the photo, and his smile fell of like a badly-fitted carnival mask the exact moment she dragged him off. At least Kinuye got sent off - that was the one good thing about it. However, it could in no way ever outweigh the<span style="font-style: italic">bad</span>things. His eyes only grew white, revealing the sclerae around his irises, when she started talking.<span style="color: #FFBFBF">“I don’t care. Don’t even waste my time with your insincere excuses. Your options are either we are going to keep shopping together without you running off or I’m going shopping and buying your clothes for you.”</span>For a moment, a pang of relief and hope kicked in, just...<br/><span style="color: #FFBFBF">“But if so, you’re wearing exactly what I buy you, even if it’s a three piece suit.”</span><br/>...To be replaced with more desperation. Awful. He was condemned to shopping with her and wearing those horrible clothes for a whole of three days. He was hungry, bored, and in the company of two nightmares. They were almost as bad as the titans... Well, at least they weren't trying to eat him - point taken - but the terror they inflicted on him was all the same.<br/>He let out a whimper, hanging his head down, to let his long bangs fall into his face, casting deep shadows onto it.<span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Okay, I'm shopping with you, but I'm not wearing a three-piece suit... You're just like my father."</span>he sighed, crossing his arms on his chest. She was just like him - 'do it how I want!'.<br/><br/>She made him walk through more shops than what he went through for the past half a year. He was beginning to feel like a woman by the end of the day; and the fact that Kinuye knew the<span style="font-style: italic">exact</span>type of salad that he liked was somewhere on the verge between a lucky coincidence, and creepily extensive knowledge of his self.<br/>By the end of the day, he was carrying dozens of bags, full of shirts - at least he had convinced her not to force him into shirts of colors other than monochrome - ties, slacks, a few jackets, and even a new pair of shoes, which he hated, but Hinata seemed to like much more than his worn sneakers. And they weren't as uncomfortable as he originally thought, but they were nowhere near something he'd pick himself. It was almost darkening already when they got out of the shops, fortunately leaving Kinuye behind. Tachibana-san was happy with getting things her way, and him finally looking 'sophisticated', 'official', and 'appropriate', that much he could see. Especially since she got to carry no bags, they all went to him.<br/>And he was hungry again.<br/><br/>Standing on the edge of the pavement, he gazed upwards, then pulled his phone out of his pocked, haphazardly pushing all of the bags, paper and plastic next to each other, onto his left forearm. Yep. Definitely late. Time to go home... He dialed the infamous daredevil friend of his, the number of whom was saved as 'Oni Taxi'.<br/><span style="color: #80BFFF">"Ay, Childhood-prodigy-mangaka-san there?"</span>Tanaka chuckled into the phone. The sound of a car horn could be heard from the distance behind his voice.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Yeah, and not only there, but also in the desperate need of a lift for two and a big trunk. I got forced to shop."</span>he exclaimed, bending to the right to balance the weight of the bags.<br/><span style="color: #80BFFF">"And isn't remembering to tell the location if in need of a lift, too."</span>Shihei remarked.<br/>Naruhiko shot a quick glance over his shoulder, proceeding to blurt the address into the phone just a moment after, to be assured by Tanaka that he'll make it in ten minutes, no less.<br/><br/>Finally, he was able to slip a few bags over to his right hand, too.<span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Ten minutes. I got us a taxi, and I don't even have to pay for it... He just gets free manga from me, that works for him instead of travel fare."</span>he smiled at Tachibana with as much enthusiasm as was left in him, but his attempt to joke was rejected... Guess she didn't really consider manga worth as much as petrol and human effort.<br/><br/>Just stepping into the side a bit after the 'ten minutes' passed, to gaze in both directions, checking whether Shihei was coming already, when the sound of tires should have warned him of a car, making its way towards him.<br/>It didn't. Right before Naruhiko managed to turn around, like a deer in the headlights blankly staring at the taxi, braking as heavily as it could, the front of the car barged straight into his side, knocking him over onto the ground, and scattering the clothes bags. Tanaka quickly switched to reverse, backing a few feet up, and hurrying out of the car.<br/><br/>Naruhiko didn't really know what hit him. Only that at one moment, he was standing on the side of the pavement, and then he was staring into the headlights of a car blankly, half-laying, half-sitting on the road. He wasn't in pain, he wasn't in agony, he wasn't saying a word - just staring as Shihei threw the car door open and rushed to him.<br/><span style="color: #80BFFF">"Izumi, you're such an idiot! For God's sake, are you insane, standing on the road? You f**king scared me! Are you alright, even?"</span>he burst out at him, offering him a firm hand, a frown furrowing his brow.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Y-yeah... I'm fine... Didn't see you..."</span>Naruhiko muttered, taking the hand offered to him, and letting Shihei pull him up, still obviously shaken even as he collected the bags.<br/><span style="color: #80BFFF">"Don't do this to me. You don't wanna be run over."</span>Tanaka growled.<br/>Maybe he was right... The idea of a traffic accident caused Naruhiko's insides to tighten and he paled, his skin gaining an even more deathly shade than before.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Tachibana-san... You can go sit inside... I'll just deal with the bags."</span>Though he didn't sound very convincing, the fact that he was standing and moving like usual should be enough of a proof that he was still alive, breathing, and capable of everyday activities.<br/><br/>And he'd be damned if she was angry at him because of this too... Or caused a scene. Oh my, just don't cause a scene,<span style="font-style: italic">just don't cause a scene!</span>She couldn't ask of him to go see a doctor or something, that was simply illogical, but... Yeah, but... What if? That fear, too, eating away on him in the back of his mind, suddenly awoke in his conscience.<br/>Could this day get any worse, really?<br/><br/>Finally, he threw himself onto the seats, right next to his assistant, and let out a sigh of relief.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Please, drive slower."</span>he begged of Shihei at the very moment he felt the buckle of the seatbelt click in.<span style="color: #BFFFFF">"I don't think I can handle any more speedy experiences today."</span><br/><span style="color: #80BFFF">"Fine then."</span>Tanaka was still frowning at him, the grim expression of the young blue-haired man visible in the mirror.<span style="color: #80BFFF">"I apologize for driving into him, Miss."</span>he added after a while, shooting a glance over his shoulder at Hinata and stomping the gas pedal down much more<span style="font-style: italic">gently</span>than what was usual for him.<br/>And Naruhiko was thanking all gods and spirits that he was still alive.