Camp Criminal (SFW)

Chapter 17

(September 15)
Thankfully, Kentaro does sit with us again. It's awkward that he has to sit next to Hisashi, even if there is space between them. There isn't really space on my side though. I doubt Matsu or Gin would want to change seats. Kentaro is just quiet and won't look at Hisashi. Hisashi doesn't say anything to him either.

Since Kentaro said he wanted to get closer to me, and I hope he can also get closer to everyone else, I wonder if he'd tell us about his background. And maybe his crime as well? But I'm not sure if I should bring it up... Once again, if the question turns back to me, I feel like I can't say anything...

"Something wrong, Akiara?" Kentaro asks, stirring me from my thoughts.

"Oh, not really..." My smile is strained. How'd he know?? I have no idea how to ask him about his background.

He sits forward. "We're closer now, aren't we? Just tell me what's wrong."

"Ah... Well..." He's persistent... But I was too, last night. I just have to say it... "I was just curious about you... Like how'd you end up here? What's your family like...? You mentioned one of your friends... What are you friends like?"

Kentaro sits back. "I see. I guess I don't mind talking about it... I should anyway, shouldn't I...? Everyone has pretty much talked about their crimes..." He glances at Hisashi. Then he looks away again. "My crime isn't the best though..."

"It's alright! We're here to change ourselves! Get it off your chest and you can be on your way to change too!" I exclaim.

"Right... Well... I'm here for... assault... I accidentally let my anger get the better of me. I really didn't mean to hurt the woman, but she kept talking about things I didn't understand... I was stressed out at the moment too... I shoved her and she hit her head on the wall behind her. I froze and the police were called. Then I was arrested and taken away. It's a blur after that... I feel so bad for the woman... I wish I had better control over myself..."

It has certainly seemed like Kentaro has trouble controlling his anger... But he's never hurt any of us... I remember that one time he got overly angry and he left with a sorry expression on his face. His anger must have got the better of him at that moment.

"Is the woman alright...?" I ask.

"Yeah, she's alright... Thankfully..."

"That's good then... but where did this happen?"

"In a grocery store... I was with my friends... They're sorta delinquents and they had just stolen some money from a random kid. They dragged me along to buy something with it. I was irritated with them, but was going to go along with it... Then the woman ringing us up was talking about a card related to the store I think...? She was saying I should get it, but I didn't understand why or what it was about. She kept talking and talking and my frustrations just built... So to make her shut up, I pushed her... But I immediately regretted it and knew I shouldn't have... My friends said that the store was calling the police and that we should run, but I stayed. I know I have to atone for my crimes..."

That's rough... He has a problem with his anger, but he knows it's a problem. He knows whatever he does when he's angry isn't good. Even if he did harm someone, he didn't mean to. That is, the victim probably doesn't care if he didn't mean to or not... He still hurt her... But it was good of him to stay put and let the police come.

"Sorry to hear that..." I say. "Is there a way to better control your anger? Now that I think about it, doesn't meditation help? We've all been doing that from the beginning."

"Yeah, I think it has helped. I feel like I could be getting angry less. Or at least I can stop myself before I get too angry."

"Yuuma really has everything planned out, huh? He knew that meditation could help and had us all start it immediately."