I'm sitting in a bar, one that seems to be frequented by naval personnel. With my back against the wall, I nurse a beer while watching the other patrons come and go. After a moment, my eyes find themselves drawn towards a woman in a female sailor's uniform: a white skirt, crisp sailor blouse and a white cap with a blue anchor emblazoned upon it. Her face, though approaching pretty, sports a slightly sour look which makes her seem unattractive at first glance but, if she were to smile, she'd turn heads. Her dark brown hair hangs down past her shoulders and her physique, though still feminine, looks like she'd be a decent brawler should someone cross her. If I had to describe her in a couple of words...strong and thickish would do.
The woman notices me watching her from across the room and turns around slowly, grimacing as our eyes meet—then she frowns even more deeply. I'm not dense enough to miss the implied threat of a beatdown that lurks behind those big hazel-brown eyes. As expected, she walks over towards me.
"What are you looking at?" she asks gruffly; her voice is low but has an edge to it like a blade. She doesn't sound angry or aggressive so much as simply annoyed with me for being there. This girl clearly isn't used to people paying attention to her.
"I was wondering who you were," is my response. "I don't think we've met."
"Ohana Itachizame," she replies curtly. "And if you're going to stare at me, then you better have a good reason—I don't take kindly to stalkers."
"I'm not stalking you; just admiring your beauty from afar," is my reply. Ohana's face turns surprised for a brief moment before turning into a scowl once again.
"What's so special about me?" she asks with obvious annoyance.
"You're pretty and you seem interesting, plus, you aren't afraid to speak your mind," I answer honestly. Ohana's eyebrows rise in surprise and her mouth opens slightly in shock—then she laughs, a short burst of amusement escaping her lips before she shakes her head and sighs heavily.
"Sit with me and I'll buy you a drink?" I offer, attempting a charming smile. Ohana smirks; the corners of her lips curl upwards and her cheeks dimple ever so slightly as well.
"Sure," she says with a nod, taking the seat nearest mine. There's something about this girl that draws me in despite how difficult she is to deal with at times. We spend the next hour or so chatting amiably as we drink our beers. Despite her gruffness, Ohana is actually quite funny; she tells jokes that make everyone laugh except herself. She's not really trying to be mean or anything like that, but she does have a tendency to say things without thinking them through first.
After a time, I notice that Ohana has grown quiet. Her eyes are staring off into space and her hand is absentmindedly rubbing her chin.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," she replies absently, glancing up at me briefly before returning to her beer.
"You sure? Talk to me."
Ohana snorts; shaking her head, she takes another sip of her beer. "Nah, it's nothing."
I decide to press on: "If it's too personal, then it's fine. Just tell me what's bothering you."
"I ship out tomorrow, the vessel I serve on is heading out to sea." Ohana shrugs her shoulders, not meeting my gaze. A few moments pass in silence before Ohana continues: "I guess, I was thinking of asking you...if you wanted to come back to my place tonight."
My heart skips a beat; Ohana has a vulnerable look on her face, the gruff sailor is obviously worried that I'll rebuke her offer. In reality, though, the prospect of spending the night with this girl is incredibly appealing to me. Even though Ohana can be abrasive and rude, I like her.