There was just something about the rush of a successful hit gone right that had Yuuji Itadori walking lighter, almost dancing along the late-night sidewalk. Everything was perfect. A clean job with no witnesses, under a clear starry night, those heavenly orbs winking back at him a job well done. 2010 was starting off on a high! He enjoyed taking a pleasant walk after a job to let his adrenaline rush come back down. The late evening air was filled with a city’s soothing silence. An occasional rustle of a hedge, or wind through the trees that lined the suburban street he passed through. A distant car or possibly bar goers arriving home at 2 am. Yuuji stopped walking and simply… looked up, smiling as he took in that breathtaking starry sky.
Most if not all the houses on the block were filled with sleeping people, the only lights on an occasional security light tripped by a neighborhood feline stalking its prey. But there was one solitary light coming from an upstairs window. The home of a writer working into the late-night hours on his latest book. He too found the depths of nightly darkness to be his muse, of mystery, of murderous lovers, of intrigues… speaking of intrigues. Who was was strange man walking past his home at such a late hour?
This is exactly why he kept his desk facing the window, to watch, to peer through like a skylight into a rarely observed world. Most nights were quiet, maybe a cat fight in the distance, or a late-night party going on somewhere nearby. Perhaps a teenager with a loud muffler driving through, ugh those were so annoying! A group of drunks walking home from a bar a few blocks away, and occasionally stranger, creepy hooded singles who looked like they were up to no good. But this guy— this pink-haired or maybe orange, he couldn’t quite tell because of the amber streetlights. Who was this smiling man just staring at the sky?
The homeowner rose slightly from his seat to watch the man. The writer in him was peaked of curiosity. It was the most interesting thing he’d seen around here in quite some time. A serene scene, the sky was truly a beautiful one, and the weather perfect for a late-night stroll. What was the man up to? How long had he’d been standing there before he’d noticed? The guy was young, early 20’s with a toned build sporting a two-toned haircut where the bottom was shaved and tapered and a messier style on top. He couldn’t tell if the bottom portion was black or dark brown, but it definitely didn’t match any of his neighbor’s. So, this guy probably wasn’t from this block. A passerby? Where’d he come from? Where was he going?
Was he just clearing his head after a fight with the missus? Could he be a happy drunk just enamored with the stars? Or taking the long way home after a stressful night of work? The man’s clothing had nothing special about it. Just jeans and boots, and a long-sleeved shirt, not quite baggy or form fitting but somewhere in between. It was difficult to figure out the exact color, maybe blue, no green, lighter like a forest green. Maybe if the guy moved close to the streetlight, he’d get a few better details. Well, whoever the stranger was looked innocent enough on the surface, but the jaded writer within him couldn’t help and wonder.
Down below on the sidewalk, Yuuji took one last deep inhale of the sweet, crisp air, closing his eyes as he relished in its sedative spell. His car was just one more block away, and it was off to his home to finish cleaning up. Should he call Nobara now? Nah, he’ll call in the morning to follow up. When he opened his eyes again, there was a prickle on the back of his neck. Yuuji looked around and finally noticed a dark-haired man staring at him from a window. ‘Wow that guys hair is a mess! But he’s kinda cute.’ He chuckled to himself for not catching it sooner. Not like it was a big deal anyway.
Yuuji smiled brightly and waved at the man in a friendly gesture, then continued his nightly stroll. It was always nice to see a fellow night owl… perhaps one day they’ll cross paths again.
