Getting Pulled Over and Bundled into the Trunk

Everything is fine

"Yes, but anything specific?" His father kept digging, smile a little less patient. "We could do something fun, such as...." He trailed off, having to think. "A puzzle?"

Gakushuu held back a scoff. "...A puzzle?"

"Yes." His father nodded, smiling. "I can go pick one up tomorrow morning."

"Okay, then." Gakushuu tried to force himself to feel some enthusiasm, even though his smile hurt. "It sounds great....dad."

His father's expression lit up. "I'm glad."

Gakushuu nodded, forcing his smile to stay before he let it drop once his father stopped looking.

***

His room was nearly exactly how he left it, with no dust in sight. It was slightly eerie... like he'd never left and everything from his old life was neatly being put back in place.

Gakushuu skin crawled, trying not to look at his trophies, or at the stack of books and test sheets. Busy schedules stuck to the wall with over a dozen sticky note reminders on the pin-board. Everything just felt like a reminder of how much less he was doing. Like he should be working harder and doing more.

Gakushuu hesitantly sat down on his desk, trying to do some homework which should have been a breeze but... it was like his mind couldn't focus and his hand had forgotten how to write.

Everything was blank like his mind was stuck in a lucid numb place where all he could do was stare at the notebook in front of him.

When his phone suddenly buzzed on the desk it made him jump and quickly look at the screen; somehow and hour had passed and all he'd been doing was staring at a notebook.

He quickly looked at the text message.

Itona: Everything okay?

Gakushuu grimaced, remembering their earlier conversation.

Asano: Yes, everything is fine.

Itona: Ok

He glanced briefly at the empty notebook and then quickly closed it.

I'm probably just tired...

The phone buzzed again.

Itona: They posted a new episode of DroneWars, you should check it out on tv.

Gakushuu relaxed a little, typing back.

Asano: Okay.

He looked at his homework again but then just felt uneasy, leaving it unfinished as he stood up.

***

"Oh." His father looked surprised when he saw him downstairs watching tv on the sofa. "Did you finish studying already?"

"Yes," Gakushuu lied, keeping his gaze on the tv as the presenter showed the mechanics building a new droid.

"I see..." There was a pause as his father approached. "What are you watching?"

He shifted on the sofa. "DroneWars."

"Oh, that sounds interesting." His father raised an eyebrow at the tv when the presenter screamed and started chugging down an energy drink. "And I didn't know you liked those types of shows."

Gakushuu felt a swell of embarrassment, tempted to turn the show-off. "Yeah, well, Itona likes them."

His father hummed, smiling still as he sat down next to him, making Gakushuu shift away slightly. "Well, then, let's watch it together."