Snippet #2688075

The everyday hustle and bustle of Westcross mall was not missed today. Thousands of people wandered, shopped and loitered throughout the complex's many stores, attracting customers young and old, rich and poor. Though as the years progressed nobody could delude themselves into thinking the mall was not dying. While many patrons still swore by the several-decades-old building, sales slowly declined every holiday season. A new shopping center was constructed in the wealthier part of town a few years ago which had all of the newest and trendiest places to be, but its prices were still steep enough to push away many customers to the older and more affordable locales.

That affordability and tradition, as a matter of fact, is exactly why Haruka Yukimura chose this place. The much less snobby and judgmental atmosphere of the plaza let the teenager feel at home. While he still insisted on wearing the beanie whilst outdoors, at the very least Yukimura felt that he fit in here, among the normal folk.

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A less than modern maroon sedan, easily a decade old, grumbled and growled into the Westcross parking lot, having to take a few tentative laps around the lot before the driver spotted a place to park. After pulling in with practiced precision, he killed the engine with a turn of the key and stepped out of his vehicle.

Sight of the mall brought years of memories back to Yuudai Ito. Excursions with friends, birthday parties as a child, even thoughts of his first love...

Yuudai Ito remembered why he didn't visit this place anymore, reminded him too much of her. He gave a long sigh. The thought that she still had so much power over his life, even so many years later with no contact, pierced Ito with shame. With shame, came the craving for a cigarette, something to make him feel a little better.

Yuu reached into his coat pocket and produced both a lighter and the previously bought pack of cigarettes. Quickly peeling off the plastic wrapping, he reached into the pack and pulled one out, pinching it between his lips while putting the pack away. A few strikes with the lighter's wheel and it catches, lighting his cigarette while his other hand shields it from the wind. Once a healthy orange ember clung to the end, he put the lighter away and took the first drag.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ito spotted someone approaching him, a brunette boy, shorter than him, sporting a beanie and light jacket. He didn't pay much mind to him, at least not until he came close enough that he clearly wanted Yuu's attention.

"Hey, think I could bum one off you?" Haruka pointed to Yuudai's cigarette.

"Yeah, sure," Yuu retrieved the pack from his coat pocket and took out a second cigarette, handing it to the boy and lighting it once it was in his mouth. Haru took a long first drag, sighing contentedly as the smoke billowed from his lips.

"Haven't had one in a while, sometimes you really miss that buzz," the brunette looked up towards Ito.

"Yeah. Boss called and told me we can't work today, decided to come out here and try to brighten myself up, you know?"

"Shit, really? That sucks man. I just had to call in today, wasn't feeling well enough to work," Haru looked down to the floor, almost ashamed from finishing his sentence. "So, what do you do for work?"

"Construction. Doing a lot of physical labor for now, but I'm just putting bread on the table until I can go to school and find something I'm passionate in. It's just a lot of money to save up, so I'm just taking it one step at a time. What about you?" His lips curled into a smile.

"Me? Oh, nothing nearly as noble. I'm just a server at a cafe, they were pretty much the only place that wanted to hire me."

"That's not a bad thing at all. Hell, as long as you're either working or trying to find work, it doesn't matter what you're doing." Yuu removed the cigarette from his mouth and tapped out his ash into the public ashtray, and Haru soon followed suit.

"I guess. What's your name, by the way?" he turned to look up at his companion again.

"Yuudai Ito. You?"

Haru hesitated a few seconds, but finally gave a response, "Haruka Yukimura."

"Well Haruka, want to hang out since we're both off work out here?"

"Yeah sure, that'd be fine. Let's go inside and get some food though, I'm kinda hungry."

"Me too, let's go," the pair finished their smokes and put them out in the ashtray, then tossing the butts into the nearby trashcan.