ポルカん CORP. (PORKAN CORP.)

One

Just another day after work, except other than the sounds of Shun's own shoes against the pavement under the complete darkness of night. No one around as he holds the plastic bag of takeout in his hand and darts his head around to check on his surroundings. No one, except a tall, mysterious shadow-y figure whose silhouette is only dimly lit by the sparse street lamps on the sidewalk. The man sighs and pulls out his phone and checks the time,

21:06

He hastens his pace when he looks at the time, and the wallpaper of his giggling son serves as both a heartwarmer, smile supplier and most importantly a gentle nudge that he needs to get back home to his son as soon as possible. "Oh yea, I gotta call him." He dreadfully remembers as he dials Shinji's number with clammy hands. The man finds himself walking aimlessly in a straight line while he clutches his phone, the trepidation for what's to come when he gets home making his stomach swirl inside. Maybe he could spend a couple minutes taking a breather back at the restaurant he picked up the food from, right? Anything, anything except for spending a minute with that horrible woman waiting for him back at home. He could already feel his head getting dizzy and his body trembling right in the same time of him trying to walk home... But Shinji needs him more than anything, and he knew that he'd absolutely regret it if that horrible, horrible bitch hurt him in some way while Shun just pranced around knowing he could have protected him if only he'd gotten home sooner. He gave up his right to be selfish when he had a son, anyway. And he promised his boy that he'd be home as soon as he could!

He takes a deep, deep breath, holds it for a little bit, and then lets at least the steam some of the tension inside his body bubbling his blood leave him. He clears his throat to sound as cal as lossible, and then hits the answer button.

Pi!
Pi!
Pi!

"Papa?" A soft, high pitched voice answers groggily from the other.

"Did you just wake up, Shinji-kun?" shun asks.

"Yes papa...where are you?" Shinji softly coos, wiping his eyes as holds his blanket over him.

"I'm gonna be home in a couple minutes, okay? I got us something to eat!" Shun sings, a wide smile on his face as his excitement takes over control of his legs and he starts to move faster despite being utterly exhausted from the long, hard day at work.

"What are you getting, papa?" Shinji shivers as the air from the AC hits his arms and his face, his blanket no match for the strong blast of cold air from the vent.

"It's a surprise, and are you cold?"

"Mhm..."

"I'll turn it off when i get home, okay? Just keep yourself snuggled for now."

"Oki...can you wake me up when you get home?"

"Sure! just get some sleep until then, okay?"

"Oki..."

"I love you, shinji."

"Me too, papa," Beyond his eyelids slowly weighing down his will to keep going and stay up, shinji's lips crack a smile at those words. "bye bye!"

The warmth of the serotonin hit he'd gotten from that call almost made him forget about the stranger, whom he turned around and saw again... it's nothing right? Just a stranger trying to get home just like him. It's nothing, right? Nobody's trying to follow him, not at all. He ignores his gut twisting like a pretzel, screaming at him about the potential danger of the situation. It's nothing! He's just being paranoid, goddamnit! But just in case it's something to worry about, he starts to walk even faster, slowly approaching a running pace at this point as he hears the foot steps getting faster behind him.