When Everything Started To Be Doubled (Part 1)

I don’t know.
I don’t know anything.
I know myself, but not like this!
I see her, sleeping beside me.
Her short hair is smooth, her face is cute, not gonna lie.
“Hey, sleep.” Say her with her soft voice.
“I know.”

The girl who said just now, is me. What do you mean, you ask?  Well, let me tell you from the beginning.

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It was when the class ended. I packing my book into the bag.

“Hey, do you have time after school?” Said a girl in front of me.

“I have time. What? Continuing yesterday game?” I ask cynically.

“Of course. What else? Besides, you are home alone for your entire high school life. To be honest, I envy you.”

“Thanks for your envy then.”

This girl name is Rina. Aoyama Rina. She life beside my apartment.

“How about you Kai, you can come?” Ask Rina to a boy beside me.

“Heck yeah. Of course I will.” Say Kai happily.

His name is Kagawa Kai. Both Rina and Kai are my childhood friend. The only difference between us, is Kai life in other apartment building. Well, in front of Rina and my apartment building, of course.

Mockingly I said, “Alright, sounds like I need to refill my own ration stocks.”

“Don’t forget about the potato chips!” Say Rina reminding me.

“You should buy it yourself if you can.”

“Why I need to buy it when you also want to buy it?”

This girl……..

“Alright, alright I give up. I buy extra.”

“Looks like Souta is defeated again.” Said Kai to me.

“You were the same.” Me saying back to him.

“OK, I need to back first. See you all at my apartment.”

“OK” “OK, bye.” Said both of them.

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On the way to home, I walked into supermarket that I usually go, to buy some snack for me, Kai and for Rina of course. I don’t want Rina go berserk because I don’t have any snack 2 months ago.

Man, that was 2 months already!? Damn, time flies.

I picked the usual, the good ‘ol, potato chips, a bottle of tea, and some ice cream.

As soon I walked into the cashier, “Hey, like usual Souta-kun?” Said the cashier

“Yeah, like usual.” Answer me quickly.

“Yeah, don’t mess around with Rina if that’s involved the snack. Your neighbor is talking about it too, you know?”

“Well, you know what they said. Thank God it was 2 months ago.”

“Wait 2 months!? Wow, I don’t realize it.”

“Try to remember that we’re still a high schooler. Not in the mid-twenties.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Oh, I almost forgot to introduce her. Her name is Shiroyama Nina, my classmate. She’s working here. Her parent was the owner of this supermarket.

“By the way, where’s Kazu? I didn’t see him.” I ask.

“Kazuki? He’s in the back. You know, re-stocking”

“Someone calling me?” Shout a man from the back office.

“Oh, that is you, Souta. Preparing for gaming nights?” Tell him with confident.

“Yeah, you can say that.”

“Well good luck with your gaming session, because I, got to work this night.”

“Don’t overwork your body again, or you can get sick.” I said that to him

“I won’t.” Say Kazu while he’s going again to the back.

“He always pushes his limit.”

“Yeah, thank God my parents and me are on his side. Otherwise, he will be in the hospital again.” Said Nina reluctantly.

“Oh, this my shopping items.” I put my groceries to the cashier table.

“Alright, the total is 1.280 Yen.”

“Wait, you didn’t even scan it yet.” I asked.

“Oh please, I know your groceries, man. One big potato chips 230 Yen, one bottle of tea 250 Yen and 5 ice popsicle 80 each, 400 Yen. So, the total is 880 Yen.”

“Hey, you said it’s 1.280 Yen. You messing with me.”

“I know you are good at math. So, why you didn’t correct me?”

“You’re the one who have the machine.”

“Hm, fair enough.”

Nina is bagging all of my shopping items.

“Here you are, your groceries. Thank you for your patronage.”

“Likewise, Nina. Likewise.”

That kind conversation with Nina and Kazu is always like that, every time I come here to shopping. Well, we’re a classmate friend after all.

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ime passed, there still no sign of Rina nor Kai came. I already play my own game at my PC for, I don’t know, 1 and the half hours ago. I mean, I finished half chapter of my quest. Or maybe I’m the one who expecting them too early, because to be fair, I play game to kill the time. But I was aware of my surroundings, I mean.

*Ding dong.*

Ah, there they are.

“Yes!” I scream out loud to the door.

I opened the door, and there she is, Rina, standing in front of my door with her shorts and her blue blouse.

“Hey, handsome. Want some treats?” Say her with flirtish tone.

I blushed a little, but I'm trying to hid it.

“Are you trying to hit me? Really!?”

“Sorry, sorry. I can’t hold it. Anyway, is Kazu already here?”

“No, not yet. I thought he was with you.”

“Nah, maybe he’s still in his bed. He wakes up soon.”

I let Rina inside my sofa, and immediately she’s jump on the sofa.

“Ah! Now that’s a treat.” Say Rina while she’s rummaging one or two of the treats I put in the table.

“Should I prepare the console?”

“Yeah, please.”

“OK then.”

I preparing the console, turn it on, and put it in the main menu.

“This time you pick the game, as promised.”

“Yeh.” Said Rina while her mouth is full with potato chips.

We’re playing a racing cart game, while waiting Kazu to come.

Lap after lap. Track after track. Minutes by minutes, and Kazu still not come.

My phone is ringing on the table. I picked it, and I see Kazu message, “Hey, sorry I’m not coming today. My part-time boss calling me for work. You two can play. And Souta, when do you confess to Rina?”

I replied “OK. But none of your business.”

He texted again, said, “OK, man. I just suggest, since you and her are the only two who’s in the room. LOL.”

I closed my phone and put it again in the table.

“From who?” Rina asked.

“Kazu, he said he can’t come.”

“Ah, part-time?”

“Yes, part-time.”

Oh boy, now he’s mentioned it. How I can confess to Rina?
Did I need to be super romantic, or I need to be as usual?
Aaaaaahhhh!!!

As I think about that, Rina is still playing the game, she even pointing my control is begin to slop.

“Hey, watch where you going!”

“So…. sorry.”

Now it’s up to me. Time to confess to her.

“Yeay, I win. Now what should I do with-“

“Rina!”

Rina almost startled because I almost screamed at her.

“God, Sou-chan. You’ve almost made me shocked. Yes, what?”

“I……I want to confess to you. I….. I love you. Can you be my girlfriend?”

I said it! Oh, I really said it!!!
Now, the important thing, is her answer.
Please, please say yes!

I saw her face become red. I know she’s blushing so hard.

“I…… Man, don’t make a joke out of nowhere.”

“It’s not a joke! I…..I really love you. Not as a childhood friend, but as a woman.”

Rina’s face is become redder after I said it.

“Y…. you.”

Oh, alright. I’m ready. Now what’s your answer, Rina?

“I-If you really love me, you should love yourself first!”

Huh? What???

“I mean look at your place. Your cabinet is still dusty. Your room is still a mess. Then how about me after I say yes to you?”

I was not expecting that, coming from her mouth. I mean, I admit, yes, there is a dust from my stuff in my apartment. But come on. I’m alone. I can’t clean an apartment at detailed cleanness.

“Of course I will help you, but you gotta help yourself first, you know.” She continues.

*Ding*

Out of nowhere, I hear a bell. But that is not my doorbell sound. From Rina expression, I know she is hearing that bell sound too.

“Hey, Rina. Did you he-“

I was cut mid-sentence, because there was a bright light shining in the room.

It was so bright, that light makes me can’t see anything but white.

And for some reason, I feel sleepier than before.

What is it? Am I,….. No. I need to still conscious.

The more I keep fighting, the more relaxing sensation come to me. That’s when I realize, I was weak from it.