Chapter 127 - Hugos Friend (1/2)

Abby noticed something funny over the next month. That acquaintance of Hugo's who hadn't spoken a single word at the book shop the first time kept popping up everywhere.

Nearly every day she saw him at or around one of her jobs but he never spoke a word to her. One day she couldn't take it anymore. He appeared to be taking his lunch break the same time he was and she called him over.

”Hey! You! Hugo's friend!”

The man was startled for a moment and after looking around to be certain she wasn't addressing anyone else, pointed to himself cautiously. She nodded and waved so he ended up walking over to the stone bench she was sitting on.

”Yes?” he asked calmly.

”You're everywhere lately, you know that? We may as well be properly introduced. I'm Abby,” she said as she stuck out her hand to shake.

She hadn't been using her last name since coming here since it seemed like people in Shibatsu didn't have them. At least not in this part of the country. People were referred to by their first names and the name of their village.

The man stared at her hand for a moment before cautiously taking it. ”I am Blaise. Is this the standard greeting in your country?”

”Yeah…sorry, do they not do that here? I'm still getting used to the customs in Shibatsu.”

Abby was more than a little embarrassed and was beginning to regret calling him over. This guy was weirdly formal. And she hadn't seen him smile once. Along with his closely cropped silver hair and extremely tall frame he looked like the overly serious type.

People like that weren't fun at all. If you didn't know how to lighten up, there really wasn't a point to life! Katie had always gotten through her hardsh.i.p.s by laughing and Abby admired her deeply for that.

”I am not offended,” Blaise assured her. ”I find other cultures fascinating.”

Abby blinked at him in surprise. That was the most emotion he had shown on his face in the entire time she had seen him around town. He was telling the truth; he must really want to travel.

”Me too,” she admitted.

Moving to Georgia from Arizona had been a major culture shock but once she got used to it Abby enjoyed the differences. It was nice branching out and trying new things. Although coming here was putting her desire for newness to the test.

Shibatsu was nothing like any place she had ever seen. The food was bland and underseasoned, the landscapes were insanely green, and the buildings were shaped like circles instead of the squares she was largely used to.