Boredom

It’s exactly 5 PM. I was sipping from my cup… though there wasn’t any water left. Maybe I didn’t notice because I was thinking of Nagi and blushing like an idiot.

My mom shot me a weird look. “Why are you drinking from an empty glass?” she asked, concern all over her face.

I smiled awkwardly. “Ah… I just finished… drinking water! No, I mean… drinking!”

“What’s up with you?” she leaned over my side.

“Ahh, it’s nothing… just… aaaaa… nothing.”

She squinted at me, “Is it because of your birthday? Why are you acting so… weird?” She paused, then muttered, “Meaningless, I believe.”

Hmm, I didn’t see anything wrong with myself. I was fine. “It’s probably you,” I said, half-joking.

“No, I understand you more than you do,” she said, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Remember, I’m older than you, and I can read what you’re thinking, my lovely son. I can sense someone you have a crush on is coming. Right?”

I blushed hard and shook my hand aggressively. “NO, NO, NO! Where do you get these weird thoughts?”

She tilted her head. “Weird? I don’t see anything weird about having a crush. But… who is it?”

“You don’t have to know anything,” I mumbled.

“Right,” she said. “Do whatever you want. But I bet you’ll come back tomorrow asking for money.”

“BLEH! How are you so sure?”

“I’m not just sure. I’m super sure. Yes, like this.”

I groaned. “Ok, now can you please leave my room?”

“Nope,” she said, stubborn as ever.

“Why won’t you?”

“Because this isn’t your room! You don’t pay rent, you just eat, sleep, repeat, and barely go outside. I’m not moving until you apologize.”

“Ahhh, what a pain. Was she always like this?” I muttered, flopping back onto the bed. “Ok, ok, ok. I’m sorry!”

“Now please leave,” she said, with that quirky smile — the one people give when they “win” something they were supposed to lose. But… she would never lose, would she? No way.

Finally, alone, I could think about my lovely Nagi. Living as a child was such a pain in the ass. I couldn’t do anything — bored out of my mind. But… part of me was secretly happy. I had a chance to see her again, maybe even fix the things I couldn’t before.

It was now 6:30 PM. When would they come? And… 

how exactly would I meet them?