"Masahiro?" I heard a feminine voice call my name and when I opened my eyes I saw Mrs. Ooshiba standing at the doorway. "Hi Mrs. Ooshiba" I said as I stood up from Kousuke's bed.
"Is everything alright dear? It's strange to see you here this early"
"Yeah, I'm already. Something happened at school and Kou suggested I'd come here"
"Wouldn't you rather be at home?"
"Not at the moment"
"Sweetie, what's going on?" Her voice is like honey, so motherly, I never had that. My mother is always either at work, drunk, or passed out. Before I knew what was going on, I started to tell her everything.
"I don't want to go home because I don't know what'll happen if I do. I had a panic attack at school, I felt like I was dying. Kousuke suggested that I should go home, but when I told him that I didn't want to he suggested I could come here."
"What brought on the attack?"
"People at school, I'm always being call names for being so close to Kousuke. I usually try to not pay mind to it, but it got me today"
"You've known each other for years. I still remember him telling me the story of how you freaked out and called him 'The Bear Killer' and I know for a fact that he cares deeply about you."
I couldn't help but blush, not only because Kou cares about me, but because she brought up the whole Bear Killer thing. I thanked her and she took the laundry basket out of the room. In the kitchen I started preparing an afternoon snack for when everyone returned alongside Mrs. Ooshiba, it wasn't anything special, just ants on a log. She had to run to work, but wished me well on the way out. After cleaning the kitchen once more I start the laundry, I do it twice a week so that it doesn't pile up too much. Once all the work had been done I rested on the couch. The family cat, Sasa laid on my chest and I have given into the fact that I will not be moving anytime soon. Sasa is like a child to me, I remember when Ken and I first found her and how much she was ill. Same goes for Shigeo, I remember how Kousuke was jealous of the poor dog to begin with, which is funny to look back on. The Ooshiba house is more like a home than my actual apartment, I wish I could stay here forever.