Youth Unsupervised

Chapter 25- Old Wounds

Summer bled into autumn. The second term seemed to pass us by in a flash. Hiromasa really buckled down and started studying for college entrance exams more. Any free time he did have was usually spent with Miyasoto. Saki also spent a good deal of her time with Miyasoto, which left me feeling sort of lonely. It's not that I didn't see her at all, but it wasn't as much as it had been, and I guess I can get kind of clingy. I was happy her friendship with Miyasoto was going so well, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love the days she chose to hang out with me instead.

Winter break started, and a gnawing anxiety I had been only vaguely aware of started making its way into the forefront of my mind. There was only one term left before graduation. Had I accomplished anything? Saki certainly seemed happier with her new friend. Her mood seemed elevated overall, but was that really progress? She still came to sleep at my house, which meant that her mother was still causing problems. It's not that I thought my actions would have an effect on her home life, but I wanted to help more.

Not including our encounter when we were thirteen, I had known Saki for almost two years. I had very little information to show for that time. What happened in Saki's life when she was younger to push her towards suicide? Why did her father leave? What destroyed her mother? The ends all had to meet somewhere.

Was I saving her?

Was the monster losing or winning?

It was the night of Christmas Eve. Hiromasa and Miyasoto were obviously going out alone together. He had managed to book a table at a pretty fancy restaurant and even got all dressed up. I have to admit, he cleans up pretty nice. Although they had been going out on dates alone for a while now, they hadn't done anything quite this formal, so he still seemed pretty nervous. I tried to calm him down the best I could, but ultimately we just had to hope those armpit stains wouldn't soak through his jacket.

I was sitting on my bed watching TV, just like I always was, when Saki walked in with a bag in her hand.

"Hey," she said, sitting down next to me in her usual spot.

"Hi." I smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she replied.

I picked up the small wrapped box that was sitting next to me and handed it to her. I'd been waiting all day to give it to her.

She sighed and took it. "Really? We're doing this again?"

I nodded. "It is customary to give a different gift every year."

"Smartass." She carefully unwrapped the box. "What makes you think I'll accept it?"

I grinned. "Well, I did get you to keep the one last year."

She glared at me for a moment before opening the flap on the top of the box and removing some tissue paper. She pulled out a mug that looked like a strawberry with a green handle and started laughing.

"This is adorable." She turned the mug around, examining it. "You're really good at gift giving. Thanks."

At least it was going better than last year. Maybe I could start testing my luck with birthdays.

I nodded. "Think of it as an early house warming gift."

"Do you mind if I keep it here for now?" she asked, finally looking away from the mug. "I don't want anything to happen to it."

I smiled. "Of course."

The fish. The mug. Just how bad did her mother get?

"I figured you might try something like this." She reached into the bag she'd brought in and handed me an unwrapped black, rectangular box.