'Alright, I'm safe, now to take a detour from this path and I'll end up at the back gate without running into her'
Is what I thought...
"You can't run away from your promises Natsuro kun''
What the hell! How did she know! Is she a psychic?!
"And no I'm not a psychic''
Waaaahh she's definitely a psychic! I'm doomed!
"I wasn't running, I was checking the atmosphere at this side of building, pollution everywhere, ah such nasty beings we are'' I started to dramatically pick the wrappers on the ground while she gave me the poker face as usual.
"Do I have to? Do I really really have to? I don't want to'' I ended up speaking the truth nonetheless.
"Mhm, it is important, it has to be you'' she replied with a certain glow in her dull eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean..'' I mumbled while she checked her phone.
"Alright he's here to pick me up..come'' she said taking my wrist and dragging me off with her.
"Wahhh just leave me here I don't wanna I don't wanna'' I pretty much threw a tantrum.
"Don't make me carry you there princess style'' she threatened and I considered my well being in remaining silent and following with a bent head because I knew she would literally do stupid things like that without considering who is watching.
Ah! What an abusive relationship!
Are we in a relationship though? She did say so...so it's 'pretend only' right? ..we don't have to pretend this and that no?
Just thinking about half of the things made me flustered right before we even reached the gate where a huge expensive foreign car awaited us and with it a well dressed young man.
"Aoi chan...'' the young man had a nostalgic smile on his face as he saw her, which turned to a deathly glare as he saw me next to her.
"Is that him?'' The young man asked her.
"Yes, this is the boyfriend I was telling you about'' she said clinging to my arm so naturally that even I wondered if we were in a relationship.
No wonder she's famous in drama club... damn.
Though on the other side this humongous new guy approached me with a certain deadly frown. Damn he's super tall too and looks rich as well, why does this woman have to reject him...wahh..
Maybe he's small somewhere else? Was the only logical conclusion my little brain could think of.
As he approached, I kind of started to move back feeling a bit threatened by his glare but then it softened and something totally unexpected happened.
He got on his knee and took my hand kissing it.
"You are indeed as CH-Arming...as Aoi chan explained you to be'' he said with warm gentle eyes that remind me of something, I don't know what though.
What a gentleman!
He got up and brushed his knee ''Why don't we have lunch together? I haven't eaten and it would be a good opportunity to get to know you'' He said with a flowery aura that I almost got lured in by his words.
He's like a siren probably? No its something else, I just can't put my finger on it..
"Eh um today I can't I ...'' I argued, it was nevertheless dangerous staying here.
"I insist'' he said, full of that gentleman aura, damn you handsome guys! Where the fuck do those flowers grow from, in the background everytime he speaks!
"Uh..ok..maybe'' I replied rather half sure of myself.
He opened the door for me at the front seat but that woman pulled me away by arm.
"He'll sit with me in the back'' she spoke rather possesively and he gave a light smile again with all those popping flowers at the back. Though somehow whenever he would turn back towards us, I'm pretty sure I felt something hostile...is this just me or for real?
"Have a seat, dear'' he pulled open a chair for me when we reached the hotel.
Wait, are you her fiancee or mine..dude? Kinda creepy.
"So how long have you been together?'' He asked once we settled down.
"Since junior high school'' she replied abruptly sticking a straw in her mouth quite confidently.
Whaaa!! Lies! Atleast tell an acceptable lie you punk!
"That long?!'' Even he coughed out hard with the feeling of betrayal smoothered all over his face.
"When is his birthday then?'' He asked rather smartly.
"On 29 July'' She replied making weird sucking noises with the straws.
"His favorite color''
"Grey''
"His age''
"19''
"His favorite food''
"Pizza and fries''
"His friends''
"He has none''
"What color of briefs is he wearing''
"Blue''
Both of us, him and me, were dumbfounded.
I had been bottling all the creepy part up... but this...! This is....!
"HOW DO YOU KNOW THE COLOR OF MY BRIEFS?!"
I ended up yelling being super freaked out and in rage.
I mean I can accept that she looked up all that stalkerish information about me in order to convince this guy but going as far as knowing the color of my briefs! My briefs!
She got up since all of people were now looking at me.
"Kei..I'll see you some other time, right now I need to do something'' She said with a straight face and put down her empty cup and took my arm.
"Hey! I'm not going, you creepy stalker'' I pulled at my arm though she gave me that look again that made me gulp hard.
I considered it was better that I followed along otherwise she might embarass me in public or something.
We left the young man alone and dumbfounded in the hotel; well... kind of traumatized too.
"Where are you taking me, just so you know, I'm not afraid of you! '' I said.
"I don't want you to be afraid of me either'' She replied.
"Let go, my arm hurts'' I said rather feebly.
She looked back and slid her hand down my arm to my hand, interwining fingers with mine.
"No need to do this, he isn't watching us anymore'' I said.
"You are stupid..you piss me off'' she almost clenched at my hand.
''I'll walk you home later so... walk with me..''
I remained silent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"And then... and then she ditched me in a hotel when people were staring and they were all thinking I was weird''
He sniffed as he spoke blowing his nose against the tissues after every few.
"Keitarou kun, did you come all the way here just to tell me this'' Akio said with a twiching brow.
"Come drink with me! I need to drown my sadness..my Juliet..my beatrice, my ophelia...taken from me by a guy who wears blue briefs and got a pimple on his forehead that he's hiding with his bangs'' He laid his head on the counter in a pool of his own tears.
"Keitarou kun, I think you should go home and take rest''
"No no no I'm drinking, come with me''
"I don't know you really so...''
"How can you say that! You hugged me this morning''
"That was something I did for a crying person, I think anyone would do that''
"Eh, I won't''
"Is that so''
The awkward conversation turned into awkward staring.
"I'm not going until you agree to come with me, listen to me here, I'm so lonely and I don't wanna go to her home cause her family might be there and I don't know anyone in this country, my family and friends are all abroad and wahh I have no one to go to... I'm staying with her family'' Keitarou said hitting his head against the desk.
"Alright alright, no need to tell it over and over'' Akio sighed.
"So you're coming?''
"Yeah, fine, I'll close the shop early..but I'm not getting drunk also I'm sending you home if you misbehave, you have to be good boy and mind your manners'' Akio went into his lecturing mode.
"Alright daddy, fine!'' Keitarou rolled his eyes sarcastically.
"Don't play smart now'' Akio packed his stuff and turned the sign board ''Gosh, I feel like I have another kid now'' Akio sighed.
"You have a kid?'' Keitarou asked.
"Yeah, he's a little younger than you..quite a passionate young boy'' Akio said putting on his coat and walked out with Keitarou.
"What about your wife''
"I'm single''
"Did you get betrayed like me too?''
"More or less'' Akio replied with a half smile.
"Wah, then you understand my pain, come I'll get you a drink too!''
"Hey! I told you I wasn't going to drink! Gosh child, why don't you listen?''
"I am listening daddy, now come'' Keitarou playfully pulled Akio by the wrist hopping down the lane.
"Sheesh''
~
"Is dad not home? He doesn't close this early...''
I peeped through the window while taking out the spare key from my pocket.
"Do you want me to stay till he comes back?''
She asked me. Like no way woman, you made me walk silently while holding hands with you for an hour!
Thats embarassing enough for today!
"It's okay, I'm used to being alone'' I replied.
She had a dissatisfied look on her face as I said that.
"I'll be fine, I promise, just go, don't you have anyone at home waiting to scold you for being late?'' I spoke with quite the sass.
"I don't..nobody is waiting for me''
Her response almost set me down, I could tell through her eyes, what she meant by that.
"Still...you're supposed to be home, the sun has set and there would soon be inappropriate people on roads, you should go home while there's still people around'' I replied folding my arms, kind of imitating my dad.
"Alright...'' she had a tone of sadness to her voice as she said that.
I went inside nonetheless, I can't help her...I can't....she eventually left as I watched from the window of my room upstairs.
~
She barged into her room almost as if she was breaking in.
Though full of rage, she threw her bag across the room and took off her shoes throwing them against the wall while flopping down on bed. She crept her hand under her pillow and pulled out a small frame with a picture of many children and a teacher standing behind them.
A young child with clumsy black hair, blue eyes and a chubby figure, standing next to a taller child with soft black hair, grey eyes and round framed glasses along with all the other classmates.
Though she only focussed on those two children around the corner of the photograph.
"How could you forget me when I recognized you right away...''