Chapter 204 - Oblivion (1/2)
It didn't take Shinichi long to get warm food and drinks. Danika's building didn't have any amazing views or unique architecture, but it was conveniently located on a surprisingly quiet side street within easy walking distance of a city park and a market street. It was a very practical location, which made him smile as he unlocked her door.
Her key was another piece of adaptive technology. It was a remote, which didn't feel as safe to him, but it didn't just unlock the door, it made it swing open. Using it felt like another reminder that she had her life arranged to live comfortably alone.
She was still in her bathroom when he shuffled awkwardly over on his knees to set the food and drinks on her counter. The tiny apartment was quiet. Maybe too quiet. He crawled over to the bathroom door and called out, ”Danika? Are you ok?”
Her voice was muffled by the door but she responded promptly and clearly, ”I'm fine! Didn't you scold me for taking too short of a bath last time?”
”Yeah,” he admitted laughingly. ”Sorry, I was just worried that you might have fallen asleep.”
She was silent for a minute, but then she admitted, ”I might have.”
It was one of those uncomfortable little truths, he was glad she was willing to admit it, but it made him feel guilty about leaving her alone. He'd been a little angry with her until she'd opened the door. He'd been a little afraid that there was too much truth in Naoki's jab the night before, 'You've barely started dating, what makes you think she'd turn to you first even if she is struggling?'
He'd also been a little angry about Toshi warning him, 'She's kind of slow, don't make things complicated.' He knew what Toshi meant, that Danika tended to take things literally and was slow to admit her feelings. But she was really very bright, a little weird, and fun to tease. And it really worried him that she'd left a momento for Shrubbery with no message, and her pebble empty beside it where anyone could have taken it, and hadn't logged in again.
When she'd opened the door with dark circles under her eyes, in wrinkled clothes he realized she'd simply been telling the truth with the single message she'd sent. She'd been working on something the whole time. When he hugged her and felt the oily texture of her soft brown hair against his face and smelled the too familiar sour smell of someone who hadn't bathed in a couple of days, he'd been torn between relief and worry.
They said you shouldn't date someone who was too much like you, and she seemed just like him when he was struggling to write a song that he cared about too much. She looked so guilty when she admitted that she hadn't even read his messages, without realizing that she was talking to someone who'd sometimes childishly refused to communicate with anyone for days when he felt like he needed to block everything out. They were obviously wrong, and he could only be glad that she was so similar in some ways, so that he only had to see her expressions to understand, so that everything didn't have to be put into words that were so easy to get wrong.
A soft buzz made him look at the phone laying on the little table. It's screen was flashing and the familiar low battery warning light was lit. She probably hadn't touched it since she'd messaged him. He didn't have to move far to reach it but when he looked at the screen he hesitated. ”Danika? Your phone says your father is calling and that you've missed three calls from him?”
”What?!” she called back. ”Answer it!” she demanded quickly.
”Uh? Are you sure?” he questioned.
There were splashes and thumps and she gasped, ”Quick! Please?!”
He swiped the screen and said uncomfortably, ”Um, hello? Danika will be a minute.”
There was a long moment of silence and then an angry man replied, ”How dare you?”
Shinichi winced and then stared open mouthed as Danika slammed open the door and dragged herself through with her hand held out demandingly. She was still soaking wet and barely had a towel sort of covering some of her. Her expression was desperate. He fumbled the phone into her hand.
”Papa?” Danika asked anxiously, ”Are you ok?”