Chapter 7:
Paradise on Earth
“Alright say ‘ahhhhh’” Hayami says, while holding the spoonful of matcha ice cream with red bean paste and cashews in front of me.
“Ahhhhhh” I say while opening my mouth wide to allow the massive spoon in all the way.
Whether it be because Hayami tried to give me too much ice cream or that my mouth was too small, a little bit ended up on the left side of my lip after I finished swallowing. Seeing this, Hayami exclaims “—oops!” While taking her finger, wiping the ice cream off of it, and sticking her finger in her mouth to lick it off. All done in a very regal and divine way, like a princess.
After popping her finger out of her mouth, Hayami teases in her standard fashion “Not really my kind of flavor, but I’d say this matcha is the best I’ve ever had.”
Hayami has never done anything like that before, but I never put it past her to try whenever we ate with the rest of the group. I’m sure Hayami did it for pacifistic reasons more so than shyness since she’s not that type of girl. I’m hoping tomorrow she can keep it together as well.
In terms of tomorrow, Nori sent out a message to the group chat before I biked her home last night asking if anyone wanted to take a train to go to an indoor water park. In an attempt to get more people to come, and because I promised I would help, I messaged immediately that I was interested. It turns out everyone had free time too since everyone is now coming. Nori and I will go on separate trains tomorrow morning as people start showing up. We’re looking to see if there’s either a speed limit to “the wall” or if we’ll get transported back to our town or something. And if we somehow magically make it to the water park without getting flattened in the middle of the train, then we will start experimenting to see how things are different outside “the wall.”
I also text Kaiyo that she should join me on the train ride home tomorrow after I got to Hayami’s place so I can give her the bike back. When asked why I couldn’t have given it back tonight, I told her that Nori and I went on a bike ride until right before I had to go meet Hayami at her house. Honestly, Nori and I are looking for a time to tell everyone, but we don’t think tonight is the time, we will just look crazy until we can prove it.
But first, I have to make it through tonight and act like everything is normal with Hayami.
Despite the abrupt invite today, Hayami told me that she had thought about inviting me for some time, she just didn’t know when she would have everything. And by everything, she meant everything to apparently make these elaborate ice cream parfaits we’re currently eating.
And I don’t think she was wrong to wait. In two giant, immaculately crafted glass cups you see at restaurants—it seems like she spent all day since she got home making her parfait: chocolate with yellow sponge cake, bananas, strawberries, and chocolate sauce. And mine: A matcha green tea parfait with matcha sponge cake, cashews, matcha flavored sauce, and red bean dip. I won’t lie, it’s very good. Honestly, probably one of the best parfaits I’ve ever had, not that I’m a parfait expert or anything.
But if Hayami keeps making these then I may become an elitist.
Still eating our parfaits, we’re currently sitting next to each other on the long side of a knee-high table facing Hayami’s backyard and beautiful flower garden from the dining room.
“Is this the kind of stuff you were eating naked? Because if so, then I can understand why you couldn’t wait for your clothes to dry,” I asked as a joke.
“No, I was eating chocolate. But I probably would’ve made and eaten one naked if I thought I had the time,” Hayami answers with a smile.
“Sheesh, your future husband will be a very lucky man. Some would consider a woman, naked in the kitchen and cooking for their husband to be one of the platonic ideals of a wife.”
“I’m surprised to hear you say that. I feel like most people at school see me as someone who was destined to be a student council president all my life, like I can’t be anything else.”
“Well, I sort of see you nowadays as Ms. Mitsuru Hayami more so than President Hayami you know?”
Hayami beams and giggles at what I said.
Was it that corny sounding?
“I appreciate the thought,” she says as she finishes laughing. “By the way, what do you think of the Hayami Residence?”
“It’s really impressive,” I say looking around her living room. “The first floor alone is probably worth more money than an average person’s yearly salary.”
Hayami lives in a huge, Japanese-style estate squashed in the middle of a bunch of standard suburban homes like I live in. I think her dad is some hotshot J-drama producer or something? Anyway, the Hayami estate is traditional in that there are tatami mats all over the place who Mitsuru Hayami herself cares little about in terms of having the proper etiquette for. I get this impression because both of her parents, while not terrible, are very strict and pay little attention to what Hayami says outside of her success. And it’s not because they’re mean like Kaiyo’s mom, they just expect a lot. Ironic, considering that her mom is a failed actor turned manager, but who am I to say?
The most interesting room in the house by far is Hayami’s bedroom. Because while there’s all this traditional decorum all over the place, Hayami’s bedroom has her massive glowing PC sitting right on top of her desk as the first thing you notice when you walk into the room. I don’t think it’s intentional, but with her room being quite modest in terms of MMO posters or other nerdy things (not because she couldn’t afford to change that, honestly the opposite), and exceptionally tidy, the rainbow light emanating from the tall white tower sticks out evermore.
I’m a bit jealous honestly, at least of the decked-out PC.
“At least you don’t seem to be acting differently despite saying that. I’ve had some issues with certain people in the past,” Hayami says solemnly but with a smile.
“Oh, uh, sorry in advance.”
“Oh no! You haven’t done anything yet; I just need to stop thinking about stuff like that.”
“It’s fine, you’re just stating facts.”
“But I made you feel guilty for no reason, that’s my fault… Hey, how about we watch a movie instead of talking about this depressing stuff yeah?”
“Sure, I guess.”
“Alright, go ahead and pick something from one of the streaming services we have. I’m going to use the bathroom, are you done with that?” Hayami asks as she points at my now empty cup since we both had finished eating during that conversation.
“Yeah, thanks.” I quietly respond as I pick up the remote to turn on the massive TV hanging on the wall to my right.
“Also turn the table to face the TV please!” She yells as she walks to the kitchen.
“Sure!”
I go ahead and open the first streaming service I click to since I want to find something as fast as possible. Because while I do want to spend time with Hayami, I also want to get home before 12 am and if I’m exploring every service all picky trying to find the perfect film then I’ll be here until I have to leave for the train tomorrow. Eventually, I settle on the first Re:Zerum OVA film because it’s not too long and from my understanding, she’s only seen the first season. So I leave it paused, turn the table 45 degrees to the right so the long side is facing the TV, and stretch out on the floor waiting for Hayami. I know girls like to take a long time in the bathroom, so I know I have a few minutes to rest on my back and think about today. The tatami mats in her living room also seemed comfy for some reason so I figured I would give it a shot, turns out I’m right.
“The wall” eh? Part of me still doesn’t believe it, even after seeing it for myself today, even after touching it. I guess you could say everyone is trapped inside a kind of scenario, but as far as I’m aware everything is real. The hands resting under my head are real, those same hands shielding my head from the tatami mats are also real. The matcha ice cream I had earlier tasted like matcha ice cream. And as far as I’m aware, Mitsuru Hayami isn’t an alien or something. What I’m getting at here is, what for? Why create an invisible wall around my town, and why can’t we pass through it? These abilities are beyond human, but everything else seems normal, it’s almost mystical in nature. The fact that Nori could figure this out is a miracle. I’ve gained a lot of respect for her after toda—.
“Hey.”
I open my eyes in mid-thought to be greeted by a Hayami standing on top of me, having to bend over to look at me because her chest would be in the way otherwise.
“Hayami?” I say confused with my eyes adjusting to the light. “Did you change?”
I raise myself onto my elbows to see Hayami more clearly. She is wearing what appears to be pink silk pajamas, like the kind that button up. With the way it hugs her body, Hayami had to undo the top button or else it would have crushed her chest, at least that’s what I would assume. She also has her hair down, allowing her blonde curls to reach her elbows.
“Yes, it is late after all, a girl can’t be in her school uniform forever, y’know?” Hayami says. While she’s giggling at her own words, Hayami crouches down and eventually sits on top of my waist with her knees to our sides.
Woah…
This is…different.
“Uh, Hayami?”
“Yes Lil’ Jun?”
“What are you doing?” I probe nervously.
“Sitting down to watch Re:Zerum—obviously,” Hayami softly answers.
“I mean, you’re not at a great angle to do that,” I say. My voice shaking because I have no idea what to do in this situation.
Is it getting absurdly hot in here?
I pushed myself up to where I was almost sitting, resulting in me being much closer to Hayami’s face than I expected.
“I’m not?” Hayami rhetorically asks me like she’s the most oblivious and innocent girl in the world. “I think that’s okay.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I’m at the perfect angle to do this.”
Hayami then leans over and kisses me on the lips.
It’s strange, this kind of sensation is so foreign to me, but yet feels so familiar, like I’ve done it hundreds of times. Or maybe I was made to do something like this, maybe all humans are. It feels good nevertheless.
I can’t believe it.
Mitsuru Hayami.
Mitsuru Hayami, the president of the student council, is kissing me in her house when no one else is around.
The moment Hayami’s honey tasted lips pulled away from my mouth, I was immediately hit with a new sensation. Replacing the feelings of pride and pleasure with… bad?
Like maybe I wasn’t ready?
I don’t know.
I wouldn’t really know how to explain this to Hayami.
“How was it?” Hayami asks me after wiping her lips.
“Uh…” wow this is a harder question than I thought. “It was really good.”
“I thought so,” Hayami says to me very self-satisfied. “You’re lucky to have a woman with experience.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’ve had my share of kisses in my day,” Hayami jokes as she undoes the second button on her pajamas. “Don’t worry, none of those meant anything to me. I’m telling the truth when I say, that was the first kiss I actually liked.”
“Hehe you’re kidding right? I’m sure there are plenty of boys that were better kissers than me.” I remark back trying to sound normal.
“No…not really. Everyone’s lips I touched before had experience, this was the first time I’ve gotten to kiss someone—without any.” Hayami replies, after which she licks her lips.
Wouldn’t that taste kind of gross with the honey lipstick?
Regardless it was super unsettling.
What comes out of my mouth in response is “Uh, I’m sorry but I don’t think I entirely understand what you’re saying.” Further affirming my confusion at the vague stuff Hayami is spouting.
“Oh Lil’ Jun,” Hayami utters as she pushes me back, forcing me to pull myself forward. “You’re so innocent. I like that about you.”
I don’t like the way she is looking at me, almost like she’s a panther who’s toying with her prey.
Hayami continues, “I’ve found that people will go a long way for a girl’s innocence. You would almost think it’s a solid gold supercomputer that’s how much people will pay for it. But my innocence is a phantom, like Hanako—Not like the one from the manga though of course, I’ve never done anything that bad. But your innocence, Lil’ Jun, is intense. Your lack of understanding is the realest thing about you,” Hayami pushes me down on the Tatami mat, her face like an eager predator. “And I find that invigorating.”
Hayami holds me down with her arms and goes on how “I also find your embarrassment so cute. When we have our ‘incidents’ you seem to feel genuinely remorseful, it’s just so interesting. People would kill to be in the position you are and have been in, and yet you don’t ever do anything after, you stop. How about we skip the formalities and fix that? We’re about to watch Re:Zerum right? How about I become your Oswald, and you become my maid?”
Her smile isn’t of the same Hayami, it’s so elated for all the wrong reasons.
“Uh…” I mumble. “I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of thing.”
“Don’t worry, we can make it work, I can teach you,” Hayami responds, more aggressively seductive than I’ve ever heard from her previously. “I’m a good teacher Lil’ Jun, because otherwise…”
She leans over to my right ear and whispers “How else do you think I built the outdoor basketball courts?”
What!?
Hayami leans back again, arms still holding mine down “Lil’ Jun, I want to eat you, destroy you. Like a shonen battle manga except only I get to fight. I want to eradicate your innocence like it’s the demon lord, though my simple magic attack hits at 9999 damage, thank goodness. We talked about being vulnerable before, well I want to see that, Lil’ Jun. I want to see your everything and then scratch away at it until you’re bone. I want to consume your essence piece by piece until all that’s left behind is your memory. Our friends will run to me crying, pleading, asking me if I can tell them in any way as to where you went. And because I love you so much I will answer them with…”
As she’s on top of me, Hayami smiles even wider, almost like a monster, or honestly, more like a demon. With her face shadowed ever so slightly, her golden hair wrapping over both of us like a curtain, preventing me from seeing the rest of her living room and shielding her evil—with only the tops of our heads showing, she quietly says to me on her tatami mat floor,
“No.”
She unbuttons my shorts as she leans in to kiss me again.
“AHHHHHH!”
As I yell, I thrust my hips moving both Hayami and I to the left except I’m on top of her. I push off of Hayami using my arms and desperately run into the hallway she just came from. I then dash in my socks towards her front door, not caring about tatami etiquette. By the time I get my shoes on and have the door open I hear her call out to me “Lil’ Jun, wait!” As she stumbles into the hallway holding her pajama top closed.
“Stay away from me!” I yell back with all the breath I had.
I sprint out of Hayami’s front door like I’m in a horror film, jump on Kaiyo’s light blue bike, and pedal as fast as my out of shape legs could through her gate and into the street.
About halfway to my house I screech to a stop and look behind me, I don’t see Hayami. Makes sense, she doesn’t have a bike herself, she’s driven to school. Recognizing this in the middle of this side road with the generic houses surrounding me gives me the time to feel my chest and realize that my heart is about to explode if I don’t slow down. So I continue pedaling but at a much more normal pace towards my home, feeling the cool summer night breeze blow through my hair.
I look up to see the stars above, at least the ones you can find while living near a big city. they’ve never looked so beautiful, shining bright in their cosmic isolation, safe and free in the vacuum of space.
I want to cry.
But for some reason I can’t, I just can’t do it.
I still feel terrible, so much so you could probably see it on my face.
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