Totally Normal Life, Pt. 3

I sat down on the edge of a low brick wall, letting out a quiet breath as I leaned forward and rested my arms on my knees. The sun peeked through the trees, casting warm specks of light across the path. I shut my eyes for a moment and embraced the air around me.

For some reason, it felt more peaceful now. Same place, same trees, same birds chirping in the distance — but something about it felt lighter.

"Ta-da~!"

I flinched at the sudden voice. Opening my eyes, I saw Megumi standing in front of me with a smug smile, holding up two cold water bottles as if she had just won a prize at the fair.

"And the hero returns," she said with a proud smile. "I know, I know. I'm an absolute goddess, gracing you with a gift from the heavens. No need to say it twice."

"Uh... T-thanks."

"That's it? Just a plain old 'thank you'?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"Oh, I don't know. I ran the extra mile today just to get it for you because you were so~ out of breath."

"Extra mile? I literally watched you walk into that store right over there."

"Anyway~ I basically rescued you from the brink of death, yet all I get in return is a bland, low-energy, and monotonous thanks."

"I mean... That's all I can really say, no? What more do you want from me?"

Megumi drank half her bottle in one go. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her hoodie, then bent over and leaned toward me.

"Curry bread. I want more."

"W-what the... Just what goes on in that head of yours?"

She blinked. Tilted her head. Smiled.

Absolutely nothing. Not a single thought.

At least, that's what it looked like. Behind those bright, carefree eyes was the calm serenity of someone who clearly didn't have a single real concern in the world, but I knew better.

"Hey," she said, poking my cheek with her finger. "Don't go spacing out on me again. If you collapse, I'm not carrying you home."

"You'd probably drag me by the ankles."

"I would. And I'd complain the whole time, so take it easy before you get a heatstroke."

"A heatstroke...? In this weather?"

"Still possible."

I uncapped my water bottle and took a sip as Megumi plopped down beside me. She stared off into the distance, not saying anything, and for some reason... I found myself taken aback.

Why, though? She was just sitting there. Drinking water every so often. Tugging on the collar of her hoodie to let some air in.

Totally normal stuff.

So why am I getting worked up like this? Why am I thinking about unnecessary things? It's weird. And the worst part? I know I'm the one to blame.

Suddenly, she turned to me. I flinched, fully expecting a teasing jab — but instead, she just smiled. That was it. No smirk. No snide remark. Just a quiet, simple smile. And somehow, that made it worse.

"Watcha thinking about?" she asked.

"...Nothing."

"Really? Cuz it sure looks like something. Oh~ How about we make it a game? I'll guess, and you'll tell me if I'm right. Let's see... Is it about that one girl who rejected you?"

I nearly fell off the wall.

"W-what are you saying?!"

"Was I right?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Aww~ And here I was thinking I hit the nail on the coffin first try. Then what is it? You know I'm not gonna stop asking until you spill, right?"

Actually, I do know that. Because this isn't the first time.

Just a few days ago, I'd mentioned something offhand while on the phone with Koga, and Megumi spent the entire day pestering me about it. She even brought it up at dinner like it was some hot gossip.

It wasn't even something important. Even if it was, she wouldn't have understood it anyway.

I guess this is my life now. It's just a matter of dealing with it as it inevitably gets way more chaotic.

"I was just thinking about how you looked pretty just then. That's all."

Silence.

No jokes. No snorts. No dramatic gasps.

I waited a few seconds, but curiosity was starting to get the better of me. I glanced her way. And now I regret doing that.

She was curled up slightly, legs crossed, with an elbow resting on her knee. And her smile—

No, not a smile. A smirk. An infuriatingly confident, smug, and very dangerous smirk.

"Well, well," she snickered. "Look at you, trying to act all cool after dropping something like that so casually."

"I... I wasn't trying to do anything..."

"Mhm~ Sure. I just looked pretty. No big deal, right? Totally shouldn't take that as a sign or anything."

"Well, don't. I'm sure anyone in my position would think so. I mean, you've got millions of fans, don't you? They all probably thought the same thing when you posted those photos we took."

"This is different." 

"How?"

"Pfft~ You're really gonna make me say it?"

Megumi perked up, tilted her body toward me, and poked my nose.

"Because, for once, I actually care about someone else's opinion of me. And I'm only willing to accept one answer from him."

My entire body stiffened as my face went red. Without thinking, I stood up, downed the rest of my water, and pretended to get serious.

"H-hurry up," I stammered. "Or I'm leaving you behind."

Megumi giggled softly and stood up with a long stretch.

"Fine. I'll let this one go for now, but I'll still give you some points. That was a cute attempt at flirting."

"...Whatever."

We ended up jogging a few more laps — well, I jogged. Megumi spent most of that time skipping beside me, humming a tune like she wasn't the one who said we should take it easy.

By the time we finished, the sun had started dipping behind the buildings, casting long golden shadows across the pavement. Our pace slowed as we approached the dorm, our water bottles empty and our legs dragging just a little.

I opened the door for Megumi to walk in first.

"You know, speaking of those photos..." she said. "I actually got a call from my manager earlier today."

"Really? About what?"

"I guess he noticed all the positive reviews that my post has been getting. Apparently, it even went viral. Had no idea. Told you it would work out, didn't I?"

"You can thank your cameraman for that."

"Pfft~ I already did, didn't I?" 

"Guess so. Then what happened?"

"After that post blew up, my manager's been getting a ton of calls and emails from companies wanting to use me as their model."

"Hah. Look how the tables have turned."

"For real. I told him I wouldn't do it, though."

I paused.

"...Huh? H-how come?"

"Because he didn't appreciate me till he saw how the public reacted. If that's not the very definition of being fake, then I don't know what is. Besides, I'm taking a break. Screw him. Anyway, come in. I wanna show you something."

I followed her inside, where she was standing proudly in front of the kitchen counter. There sat a tray of raw chicken marinating in some kind of reddish-orange sauce that definitely wasn't store-bought.

"Oh wow. You painted a chicken," I said flatly.

She shot me a glare and bumped my shoulder aggressively.

"I marinated it, thank you very much. As the solid cook you claim to be, shouldn't you be able to recognize that much?"

"Relax, I was just kidding."

"Mhm. Sure. Isn't it pretty?"

"Let me guess — one of those cooking videos popped up on your feed again?"

"Yep! This one is said to taste 'explosively good', so... ya know. Boom. Chicken."

"That doesn't even make sense," I mumbled with a smile, already heading toward the hallway. "I'm gonna shower. Don't poison yourself while I'm gone."

"No promises~"

I shut the bathroom door behind me and leaned against it for a moment before peeling off my shirt. As I stood under the stream of lukewarm water, I tilted my head back and let it soak through my hair.

And then, there she was again. In my head.

The way she smiled at me when she handed me the water bottle. The way she laughed when she teased me. The way she grinned like a kid showing off their art project just minutes ago.

I ran a hand down my face and sighed beneath the faucet.

"I'm gonna lose my mind..."

Knock knock.

I jumped a little.

"Occupied."

"I know that, idiot," Megumi's voice sang from the other side. "Just wanted to let you know that the chicken's on the stove. Hurry up so you can try it."

"What the... Don't rush me in my own house."

"I'm only rushing you because I care. I know you ate breakfast today, but did you even eat lunch?"

I slowly turned off the water, thinking to myself... I actually didn't eat lunch today, but I wasn't gonna admit that. Otherwise, she'd win.

"Give me a second."

"Sure. I'll set up your plate for you. Meet you outside, sweaty boy."

Her footsteps padded away down the hall along with her hums. Meanwhile, I just stood there, water dripping off my face.

"...On second thought, I think my mind is already lost."

And yet, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Just a little.