What to Do, What to Do...?

Lunch would be good today!

Ikue had purchased a couple of curry buns and some yakisoba-pan~ She would cook dinner tonight when she got home, and it was time...but for now, lunch was calling her name and this was a favorite and easy thing to get!

She sat at a stone lunch table in the park, near the pond. She was under the shade so she wasn't too hot either, she'd come early enough so she'd managed to get a perfect lunch spot!

Her classes were done with for the day, only having morning ones so she was free to enjoy the rest of her day as she pleased.

Happily humming to herself, she silently wondered what to do. She could spend some time out here, definitely... She didn't want to just go straight home...

Meiko couldn't go home. She just couldn't. She strolled listlessly through the park. All her plans... all her beautiful schedules... all thrown out the window because Julian couldn't stick to demasking times. "I needed more time for work." He would say. "It was something important." he would tell her. As if she didn't know this was all that Archiagott girl's fault. Oh, she would love to have one good swing at her. She balled her first up. Plan ruiner... The worst.

She came to a bridge over-looking a pond and peered into it, walking over to a ledge and leaning her arms off, sagging down onto the railing. There was at least plenty of money... but... but... it was all tied up in one of Julian's dumb accounts! She barely even had money to eat... Her stomach growled. She'd been so furious that Vera had given her a few days off.

Some days off... Wandering the Japanese town, without cash or food. Yaaaaayyy.

Ikue took a bite from her lunch, her eyes glancing out towards the pond as she chewed; there were swans currently swimming around and it was nice. This was a relaxing place that she could sit and enjoy her time in.

Huh?

Her eyes went over towards the bridge that crossed the pond just in time to see...someone collapse nearly? They were sagging off of the railing, they...they could fall if they weren't careful!

She looked down at her lunch, and her bag from her classes with her books and wallet was still on her across her shoulder...

Giving a small nod to herself, she took her bag of curry buns in one hand while holding her yakisoba-pan in the other and headed towards the bridge. It...It wasn't her business, but she wanted to see if the person was at least alright...

"U-Um...Are you okay?" She questioned once she was close enough, tilting her head slightly in some concern. The woman seemed rather upset...

Meiko sighed, dropping further. If she were taller, she might have already fallen off. Instead she just sort of balanced on the wooden railing, her feet on their tip toes and barely able to reach the ground. She didn't even know what to do with all this tiiime... and with the way some of the personas were going... how much longer would she even be needed... Oh god, what if she got retired? Ahhhhh... That... That would be the worst! All her hard work and then cast aside?!

She winced her eyes tightly shut and shook her head. "No no no no no no NO." She insisted. Unfortunately, as she shook her head, she startled at Ikue's question. Her head snapped around to look at the other person on the bridge and...

Swoooosh, plunk!

Meiko's glasses flew off into the water. "A-ahhh! C-Crap! My glasses! Craaaap!" She reached after them, as if she could catch them. Her feet left the ground and she was suddenly dangling, feet flailing off of the ground, precariously balanced on the rail.

A shocked sound escaped Ikue as she startled the woman, wanting to apologize for doing so but there was no time! The woman's glasses! Aaa-! Oh no, oh no!

Another sound escaped her as she watched the woman try to make a grab for them; quickly setting her curry bun bag down and stuffing her yakisoba-pan inside, she made quick steps to the woman and attempted to keep her from falling.

"C-C...Careful! You'll fall!" She said; "Aaa-! I'm sorry, I didn't mean-!"

She was just at the beginning of her apology as she pulled the woman back from the bridge, setting her feet properly on the ground at least so she wasn't dangling off the bridge.

Oh no...she'd caused the woman to lose her glasses!

Meiko felt gravity shifting. Oh god. She was gonna fall in the lake. She was gonna die! Her stupid boobs were going to kill her! Just as she felt herself hit the tipping point however, she felt tugging pulling her the other way and soon she was on her feet. She stumbled away from the woman in front of her. She squinted her eyes, seeing... mostly blur. "Umm... I... " She said quickly, holding her hand to her chest.

"Wh-What were you doing spooking me like that? Do you know how annoying it is to sneak up on people?" She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "And great, my glasses are at the bottom of the lake now." She turned back to the ledge and draped her arms over it in despair again. "Sorry, ma'am.. it isn't your fault. It's just my shitty luck."

A squeak came up at the woman's words, and Ikue's eyes instinctively looked to the ground as her fingers came up and poked together, giving an overall sheepish and sorry appearance. "I-I really am sorry, y-you looked upset so... I-It wasn't any of my business, I know, I...I just..."

She'd seen the woman looking upset and possibly in danger of falling over the railing so she'd come over!

"I-I can repay you for your glasses! I-It's the least I could do!" It was her fault for spooking her, even if the woman was saying otherwise! She'd spooked her and in turn her glasses had come flying off! "Y-You don't need to apologize, s'was my fault..."

Meiko's foot increased the tempo of its tapping. She was sorry? Well that didn't help her get her glasses, did it? HMPH. She looked from the black and white blob in front of her that looked like it was maybe dancing, to the railing and over. Hrrrrrrmmmm... She looked back up quickly when the girl? Offered to repay her for the glasses.

"Oh? You have a few hundred lying around? That's silly. That's too much to ask of someone." She said reassuringly. She walked over and reached out to pat the blob on its... shoulder? Yes, shoulder.

She wound up patting Ikue on her head. "Here, if you want to help, they should be light enough to float. Just..." She motioned with her hand towards the railing. "Go in after 'em." She said with a little 'go ahead' motion.

...Eh?

Ikue looked to the woman at her words, after having her head patted; she...she definitely didn't have that kind of money to just spend... Her mother sent her money to live off of and help her, but she...was in over her head thinking about repaying...

The...The woman's request though.

Go and...get them?

She looked over towards the water, she could swim, but... Aaa... She couldn't pay for new ones, b-but... She had to! This was the least she could do! It was all her fault so...

"....O-Okay." She gave a small nod, "W-Wait here I'll get them..."

She gathered her things, carefully placing her food bag inside her bag with her books before heading out towards the edge of the pond. Setting her bag on the ground she took a deep breath and moved into the water.

The faster she did this the sooner it would be done!

Locating the glasses, she gave a small sound of discomfort as she swam towards them. Hopefully not too many people saw her...

Grabbing them, she quickly made her way back to land; she was absolutely soaked...

Picking up her bag, but keeping it away from her body, she made her way back to the woman.

"H...Here, got 'em..." They were soaked too though...they'd need a good wiping down. She should probably head home soon too, she needed dry clothes...b-but first she needed to make sure this woman's glasses were okay! N-No matter how much she wanted dry clothes...

Meiko smiled as the woman agreed to go get them. "Ah, thank you!" She said, standing tall(ish) and waiting patiently. She followed the black and white blur down to the lake and then she... Oh... wow, she was actually doing it... Meiko... kind of figured she would have told her no... She frowned. Well... She felt a LITTLE bad... but... she also needed her glasses... Maybe... she could just not tell the person she hadn't expected her to do it... Meiko would have wound up jumping in if she'd said no...

When she finally returned, Meiko took the glasses and began drying them out on her sweater. "Ah. Thank you. I appreciate that very much, even if it was your-" she put the glasses on, now dry and blinked a few seconds. "O-Oh. Ah... It wasn't, I mean... It wasn't... really your fault they fell in..." She said, her tone suddenly changing.

She took a step forwards. "I'm so sorry about all of that... I'm just... having a very troubling day... and I haven't eaten in a long time and I'm... I'm just cranky... and then.. I tend to panic when I lose my glasses... My name is Meiko. Oh I'm sorry, you must be so cold." Truly, she was a wellfont of compassion now.

"I-I startled you s-so..." So... Ikue's eyes went to the ground again as the woman dried her glasses; the woman's tone had changed, but she made no voice to question it. Her eyes did briefly look up as she heard the woman begin apologizing.

Quickly, Ikue shook her head; "N-No, I startled you when you were in a bad mood and i-it wasn't any of my business...aa...I-I'm Ikue Iseri."

It was only right to give her name!

She...She was cold right now, but she could walk home and get a change of clothes.

"M-My apartment isn't far from here, I can just go home and change. It's n-n...not a problem..."

She shook her head, her glasses almost flying off again. She yelped and placed a hand on them to hold them in place. Now that she'd actually SEEN this girl, she was rather certain if she lost them again, she'd rather dive in herself then make her jump in... not that it mattered that she was pretty but well... she was pretty. "It's.. It's not um..." She shook her head. "Nevermind. Instead of trying to insist on who's fault it was, let's agree that you did something very nice for me and that I am very grateful. Is that acceptable?" She asked.

She glanced the shivering girl over. She quickly tugged at the hem of her sweater and pulled it off. She only had her tank top underneath, but at least she wasn't soaking wet. She handed the sweater out for Ikue to take. "H-here... At least until you get home, so you don't catch your death of cold..."

Ikue gave a small nod; that was acceptable... It seemed like if she kept apologizing and insisting it was her fault they'd never get anywhere... It was best to just let it drop.

Meiko's offer caught her off guard, she was...was offering her sweater!? That... Ikue couldn't...

"T-That's your's though, I-I can't..." She was soaked, yes but...but her apartment wasn't that far away! She didn't need to loan her a sweater! She would... She would be alright! How would she even return it!?

Meiko blinked. Wh, what... she was just... offering her a sweater... it's not like she'd offered to give her her first newborn child... "Y-yeah, it's mine... I like it too.." she said with a confused pout. "But it's warm and cozy and will keep you from getting sick?" She said, before blinking.

"O-Oh... I'm not GIVING you the sweater... I'm walking you home. It's the least I could do after you saved my life and pulled my glasses from the pond." That's totally how that happened, right? It was sort of accurate. "I can even carry your bag so you can just focus on getting warmed up, okay?" She offered with a helpful smile.

Before hopping up and pulling the bottom of the sweater over Ikue's head. "Just wear the sweater, it's fiiiine." She insisted.

"N-No, I wouldn't expect you to g-g-give... I didn't know about the...w-walking home part! I-I'm sorry, I was unsure of how I would return it..." It would get wet though... Before she could even voice such a statement Meiko had already pulled the bottom of it over her head.

Ikue did the rest of the work, pulling the sweater all the way down and getting it on properly.

It at least covered her enough and was warm...

"T-Thank you, if you could please... I don't want my books and food to get wet." Her books more so... along with her wallet and phone. If her bag got wet it had the possibility of soaking through. "

She placed her hands on her hips, tipping her head as the girl stammered on. "Well. That's okay. I'm not as good at coordinating as I usually am. I've been in quite the slump, miss Ikue." She said with a happy smile. She was glad Ikue had put it on. Even if it served as an excuse to walk the pretty girl home, it was a genuine concern of hers, keeping her warm after she got those glasses for her.

"Yes, of course, Miss Iseri." She said with a smile, taking the bag. She glanced at the books and sniffed once, smelling the food as she began walking off the bridge. Her stomach made a more intense growl, to which she just gave a weak little frown, trying to walk far enough ahead of Ikue that she wouldn't hear it.

Ikue gave a small nod, not knowing what to really say at Meiko's words but followed as she began leaving the bridge, she needed to lead though...so she knew where they needed to go.

Meiko was walking ahead of her though, and she made quick steps in attempt to catch up. "U-Um, my apartment is just a short walk...so...once we leave the park we need to head left."

Had...her stomach growled though...? Well, earlier Meiko had said something about being hungry.

"I still haven't eaten my lunch yet really, s-so when we get to my place you can have...some of the curry buns in there if you want. I bought a good few..." Along with her yakisoba-pan she'd gotten a few curry buns, though she hadn't even had time to start on them.

Meiko's steps were quick and clippy. She didn't want Ikue to fall behind. She paused, glancing back and let her catch up before resuming her quick steps. It wasn't that she was trying to make Ikue hurry... she just... was very hungry... and it was a little cold... So she was eager to get Ikue to her apartment and... maybe find food afterwards? Speaking of food.. Wait... Wait someone did speak of food. IKUE spoke of food.

She turned and listened with some level of cautiousness. She... she... would share... her food with Meiko? Even after she made her jump in the lake...? "Ah.. But.. That's so... nice... " She pressed her hand to her mouth, afraid she might drool at the thought of the food. She reached out and took hold of the sweater sleeve, being careful not to grab Ikue's arm or hand and began almost running. "C'mon c'mon c'mon, I am SO hungry," she admitted.

Ikue hadn't imagined the offer of food would make Meiko hurry as quickly as she did, feeling the sleeve of the sweater get grabbed as she quickened her pace to near running.

"R-Right, it's not far at all! I-It's the big apartment building u-up ahead once we head left, it's just a couple of minutes from here!"

The building was hard to miss, it was a nice...large apartment building, and there weren't any others around it really. It should only take them a little bit to reach it! Her apartment was on the lowest floor anyways, just up a single floor so it would be an even quicker trip.

Meiko nodded as they rounded the corner, before glancing back and realizing that, through her hunger, she was sort of dragging Ikue, she let go and slowed her pace, her arms wrapped around her stomach. She smiled, sheepishly, lifting a hand to only briefly adjust her glasses before placing it back where it had been.

"S-sorry... I didn't mean to drag you... I just um... I haven't eaten in... like a day? Uhh..." How did she even explain what happened? "W-well... One of my family members sort of... screwed up all of our money and um... I'm..." It was rude, no matter how hungry, to tell someone you were completely broke. "Y-yeah, I'm very hungry." She winced, before giving a very polite bow. "Sorry."

A day!?

Ikue could hardly believe it, M...Meiko definitely needed food if that were the case! She slowed in her steps though as she was released, but still kept up with her. She would let Meiko eat the curry buns while she dried off and changed.

"I-It's okay, you have a-a perfectly good reason too! Y-You're hungry, so when we get to my place you can eat while I go and change."

She wouldn't make Meiko wait when they got there, and they were almost there now. She could see the building!

"T-That's the building." Ikue would get into her own clothes for being at home and relax, maybe make herself a hot, sweet chocolate drink? Maybe... It would be good, but not with yakisoba-pan, the drink would wait!

Meiko grimaced. It... It's not like she was starving... She just... was pretty hungry... That's all. She followed Ikue, this time at more of a self conscious trudge than a hurried jog. She looked up at the building and smiled. "It's very nice." She nodded. She followed Ikue into the building and up to her apartment, waiting outside the door for Ikue to lead her in.

"Well. This is definitely the fastest I've ever met someone before seeing their apartment." She said with a smile. If she hadn't been so hungry, she would have tossed in a flirtatious wink, but fuck it. She was too hungry for flirting. Regardless of the excellency of her new friend's butt.

"T-Thank you." It was a nice building, Ikue had been amazed when she'd moved in, but her mother insisted that if she was going to move away she wasn't going to live in a dump. She was grateful, she was very, very grateful.

Meiko's comment would have gotten a rather strong blush and flustered reaction had Ikue noticed the entails of that statement, but she was focused on getting food and getting changed too!

She entered the building first, letting Meiko follow her as she stepped towards the stairs, it wasn't a long walk up and soon she'd reached the first floor of apartments. Immediately, Ikue headed towards hers and stopped at her door. "M-My keys in my bag let me..."

Stepping a bit close to the other woman, she crouched down a bit to get her key; pulling it from her bag she turned to her door and unlocked it. "P-Please, have a seat the curry bread is in the bag if you want to get it, I don't mind; u-um, c-can you set my yakisoba on the coffee table for me, I'll eat dry off. Hehe..."

Nodding she slipped off her shoes before stepping inside, showing Meiko to the living room area so she could sit down and relax.

Meiko let Ikue lead her in, nodding and rubbing her arms. Jeez, she was getting cold. This was why she wore sweaters... but it was worth it to keep her new.... person she met, warm. When they approached the door and Ikue needed into the bag, she happily let her grab them. It was Ikue's bag after all. She felt another growl in her stomach. It was really distracting from this girl who was in her personal space right now.

Once she was inside, she made a small shivery noise with her teeth and nodded. "Th.. Thank you so much... I could hug you, but you're soaking wet." She said, not pulling any punches about that. She placed the Yakisoba on the coffee table as told, and immediately began devouring one of the pieces of bread, trying her best not to be suggestive, but one can only go so long without food before eating just becomes too enjoyable.

"Hehe... Welcome, and t-thanks again; I'll get changed and come on out. N-No worries about hugging me, I'll turn the heat up if you want?"

Meiko was definitely cold, she had shivered a bit and was rubbing her arms. She could turn the heat on if she wanted, it would help keep her warm. Her sweater was damp now so it wouldn't be good for her to put it back on...

"I-I'll be back!" Giving a small nod to no one in particular Ikue headed further into the apartment, going into the bathroom first for a towel before heading to her room and shutting the door behind her.

Ikue headed to her closet, carefully removing the sweater and setting it on the edge of her bed before she removed her dress and tights and everything else. Quickly, she used the towel to dry herself off further.

Once she was as dry as she could manage, she grabbed a pair of underwear and slipped them on before getting some shorts and one of her own rather over sized sweaters. She tended to sleep in them, though without the shorts and just her underwear...but she had a guest! She couldn't lounge around like that!

The sweater was big enough to nearly cover the shorts, but the ends were still visible. She was wearing pants! Shorts at least...

Now dressed and dry, Ikue's smile returned and she let out a happy breath. Gathering her wet clothes she stuck them in a bin to wash later before getting Meiko's sweater.

"B-Back, here..." As she stepped into the living room, she was folding the sweater for Meiko and offered it back to her.