It was the same morning as my everyday life has been. The same cold air yet refreshing that I breathe in in the morning. The rising sun that slowly presents itself as the world rotates in its orbital. Chirping birds that are on their way to search food for their starving family. Just a simple and harmonious morning.
As always, on Saturday morning, I would wake up a bit earlier than any other days in a week to take a stroll around my residential area. It's not like I do this routine for any particular reason. After spending one month living with my brother and his family around the district, I realized that I rarely appreciated the nature around me as much as I do before becoming a university student. As a student of the Health Department at Kansei University, I've been busying myself with study. I am not a loner, don't misunderstand the word 'study'. It's just I don't have the term of PIC (Partner In Crime) since moving here. Living in a completely new place with new peoples, I haven't found any person that can pair with myself. Sure, I have classmates and all but that's it. Nothing exciting ever happened in my life so far. My old friends in my hometown? Been ages since we contact each other.
Shaking off my thoughts, I slip on my sport shoe which I rarely used in the past years and tie it tightly. Standing straight, I tap my toes on the wooden floor while making sure my feet are feeling comfortable enough. I glance at the sports watch that wraps firmly on my wrist.
"5:00 a.m. I may be back around 5:30...Yosh,maybe I should go jog around the park then go straight home", I mumble my instant made-up schedule in my head. Opening the front door and about to close it back, my brother's voice stopped me.
"Going out for a jog again?Well, just don't forget your way back home", he recalled while blowing his hot coffee. As usual, he wakes up early to prepare for his store. I roll my eyes at his reminder.
"I will not. Anyway, I don't bring my phone with me so...don't bother to call me, bye", I said then shut the door to begin my morning journey. Katsuta sighs with a smile.
"That girl...never changed since high school. Health is top priority huhh...", he let out a chuckle.
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"Huff...huff...", every breath I exhale matches with the rhythm of my steps. Blood in my body is pumping from my heart throughout the blood vessels. I could practically hear my heart beating constantly in my ear. The cold morning air caresses my hot,sweating face. The silent morning at the park only fills with the sound of shoes stepping on the pavement, creating a steady beat. Everything is simply perfect. Just like the way I wanted it to be.
Is that what you really want?
My eyebrows twitch at the thought.
You have something you really want
My pace became faster.
You have no spark
My eyes shut. Lowering my head, I sprint through the way without any awareness of my surrounding. I run and run as if I can escape my own mind.
"...Hey..!", a faint voice called out but I'm too occupied in my own arguments and it's not like I am someone familiar in this area. "..Hey! Watch out!", the same voice now becomes clear in my head and I know for sure that this person is definitely calling out to me. My eyes snapped open immediately and I was greeted with a pair of eyes...dog's eyes?!!
"Arf!"
"Wha-!", the flying mid-air dog flatly landed on my face. "-Oomph!", the fluffy cream-coloured fur of the dog stomach covered my face perfectly. Losing my balance, I fall on my butt. The dog bounced onto my stomach.
"Ouchie!", I yelp in pain. I tried to stand up to relieve the pain but something stopped me from doing so, a pair of cream-furred paws pushed its weight on my upper chest. This dog is literally pinning me down so I had to prop myself on my elbow in order not to end up lying down on the dirty ground. The dog is wagging its curled tail with its black marble eyes glinting excitedly at me. Its tongue sticking out in an adorable manner.
"Arf!", the shiba dog barks in my face. I blink in response. I could tell it is waiting for any gesture from me.
"..ah...Sorry, she usually would behave around new--oh?", the owner (maybe) came up to us and stopped in his tracks when he watched me slowly place my hand on top of the dog's fluffy head. The dog leans in more to my touch and closes its eyes in pleasure. I gasp in surprise and ruffle its head more, adding my other hand to cup its cheek. Soon, we both are rubbing our face together in comfort, completely ignoring another presence.
"Haha!It's rare for Nira to get so attached to a person she just met", the person acknowledged himself by crouching beside me, facing Nira. We both turn to face the person whom I didn't get to meet properly. He had a pair of brown eyes along with a side cut of his brown hair. I wouldn't call him attractive but my classmates definitely would say so.
"She? I see you're a female huh? Good girl, Nira!", I continue to rub her face. Nira just purr happily at my touch. We seem to share the same feeling. The feeling of meeting an old friend.
"Umm...", the man said. Then, I realize...
"Ah!What am I doing with your pet?...A-ahhh...I need to get up first", I began to fluster and quickly stand up, placing Nira gently on the ground. "I'm sorry for bumping into your cute dog", I bow 90 degrees and apologize politely.
"-Ouch!", I yelp as pain struck from my butt. He let out a chuckle.
"Pfft,hahaha! How are you going to go home with that pain? And it's Nira that bumped on you, it's not your fault to begin with", he smiled at Nira then looked back at me. "I'm Kiyose Haiji. Now, come to my place", he said in confidence.
.
.
.
"EH?"
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"What the...I thought it was his-", I mumble with narrow eyes, feeling stupid to misunderstand his words. I stare at the wooden box-like building. There are many windows and a sliding door as the entrance door. We just arrived at his so-called place.
"Hm? Thought what?", Haiji turned his head with his high tone. His usual brown eyes fill with question. I am amazed he could hear my mumbling. My head shakes in denial followed by an awkward laugh.
"I live in a dormitory house with my club members. Well...it's more like a share-house with rooms, kitchen and toilet though", he explained as if he knew what I just thought.
"I see...it's kind of nice!", I smile but my eyes still glued to the house. We stand still in front of the wooden house and I take my chance to study it.
I glance around the Japanese-style dorm and spot a wood plate that reads, "Chikusei-so...hm? Kansei University Track and Field Club Training Camp...?", I state out loud even though I really want to question why it was written in a very small font.
"Right, that's our club! I'm surprised you could see such a small writing though...Well, let's meet the landlord. I think he would have some medicine to relieve your pain", he said bluntly.
I bit my lips in embarrassment. To think that a person I just met would help me and with this pain on my butt...sigh...what a disgrace...
"You don't have to say it so blunt or I will feel bad...", my shoulders drop in depression.
"Is that so? Well, sorry. Oh, you can leave Nira there", he pointed to a small dog penthouse with a red roof. I take off the leash from her collar and give it to Haiji.
"Wait here okay?", I smile and pat her head gently as a cue to part ways. Nira bark as a reply.
"Then, follow me", Haiji led me to a Japanese-style house just beside the dormitory. So this is where the landlord lives. Doesn't he have any child?
"Excuse me, coach! Are you in there?", he asks. I glance back and forth between Haiji and the door. Coach?Somehow, I'm getting nervous... Suddenly, the door slid open revealing an old man. By that, I mean very old. Wait, now that you mention it...I think I have met Nira before...
"Oh?Haiji-kun, do you need something? I see you brought a new friend", the old man nodded at me which I replied back.
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"Here, the pain should subside when you rub it on the spot you injured. The room over there is free", Tanizaki-san passed me an old looking brown-colored bottle of oil. I take and examine it closely. It doesn't seem to have any brand. I cock my eyebrow.
"...Okay, I'll try to use it first. Thank you", I bow slightly and take my leave to the said room. Closing the door, my finger quickly twists the bottle open and sniff at the content. "Guehhh...", my face scrunched in disgust. I smelled this thing before! My mind immediately displayed the horrible memories I had five years ago...