Sale on crab

Without letting the sun remind me of the morning , I woke up before it. with a clean and empty mind.

Trying to not think unnecessary stuff, I engaged my shelf into my daily routine.

A little exercise in the front yard, taking the newspaper inside, brushing the teeth, taking a bath and finally preparing breakfast and the bento’s.

Lemon woke up and came down after the sun showed the slightest hint at the horizon.

She stretches a little, brushes her teeth, takes a bath and starts helping me. I was done with breakfast by that time.

Dad and Shiheo come down scratching their heads. Brushed their teeth together and took a bath together.

We sat down to have breakfast. I remembered what Shigeo asked me yesterday so I asked dad,

“Dad..”

“Yes?”

“Shigeo said he wanted to have a sleepover with his friends and they are going to take turns at each other's house.”

“Oh! I forgot about that!”

Seriously shigeo, you forgot? Don't take after dad.

“Sure why not?”

“Really???!!!!” The level of brightness his eyes showed I can't explain it.

“Ya, you can.”

“His eyes are a killer weapon.” said lemon

“Thanksssss dad!!!!”

“So is his killer smile.” Lemon added and I couldn't agree more.

The happiness was overflowing from his face.

“So, when is our house turn?” I asked.

“We will decide the order today, i will tell you nii-san after coming back from school. Ah! And today is half day so I will be back on my own.”

“Ahh…dont forget to tell me important things after coming back,I already made your bento.”

“Swooory…”

NOT THE CRYING FACE.

“Okay okay, now remember to tell me about these things beforehand.”

After finishing the dinner, Lemon and I washed the dishes and prepared the bento for all of us.

Dad was reading the newspaper and Shigeo was arranging his bag.

I was reading the newspaper in front of me, sitting across the table.

THE MIZUKI COMPANY STOCKS COLLAPSE AFTER SOME INDECENT VIDEOS OF THE CEO WENT VIRAL - The employees started to give their resignation and it’s possible the company will be closed…..

A MAN WHO LOCKED HIMSELF IN PUBLIC WOMEN BATHROOM AT A PARK WAS FOUND OUT AND ARRESTED-......

A WOMEN WON 2.5 MILLION YEN LOTTERY-.......

TWO MEN WERE ROBBED BY A CROSSDRESSING BOY-......

There were many news headlines there but only one thing caught my eyes,

SALE!!SALE!!SALE!! 70% OFF ON CRAB TOMORROW!!!

I know where I am going tomorrow after school.

<>

Me and lemon left first, Dad was going to drop off Shigeo at school on his way.

After parting ways with Lemon I started slowly heading towards School.

It was still too early to show up there and I mostly preferred it because there is no soul to mind my presence there at this time.

An atmosphere is present there which can be rarely seen when at school with others.The hallways which feel narrow with everyone there turn spacious.The classrooms, filled with chit chat when everyone is there, at this time feel calmer and bigger.

The quietness is what I enjoy when I reach there early.

<>

Entering the school I walked to my class and sat on my seat. Normally I would have strolled around but today I wanted to sit on my seat and relax a little.

The event of yesterday was the reason for this. No matter how hard I tried to not think about it but when my steps started heading towards the school after parting with lemon it was inevitable.

The summer season was on its way but the classrooms were still slightly cold.

Head on the desk. Eyes closed, feeling the calmness in the air, I somehow managed to stop thinking. The random wind breeze from the window made me feel calmer.

I kept sinking in a feeling of nothingness until someone's footsteps brought me back.

It is still not time for students to arrive, there should be no one here other than me.

As the footsteps got closer I lifted up my head and waited for someone to show up.

“No one is here.”

The one who showed up was,

“U-Uragao-san!!”

She looked at me and with a smile said “Oh, someone is here.”

“Wh-Why are you so early here?”

“Can't I?”

She puts her bags at her desk towards the front right seat and heads towards the seat in front of me and sits there.

“T-That is not what i meant. “

“Haha, I know.” While checking the outside view she continued “There was construction going on the street on my way to school. That's why I had to take the long route so I used to come late and had to leave early from home. But now it's finished so I didn't take much time and out of habit I left early from home and that's how I ended up coming so early here.”

Turning towards me she asked,

“So anyway, do you always come this early? Like I know you do but not that you come this early.”

“I enjoy the early time at school so it just became a habit of coming early.”

With a quick look around she agreed “This atmosphere does feel soothing.”

Leaning a little closer she asked “Do you mind me accompanying you from now on?”

“N-No i don't.”

She smiled, “....Looks like there will be something for me in the morning to look forward to.”

A random gust of wind flew in from my wind, revealing the burnt type mark on my face.

I was lost in the words she spoke that I forgot I had that mark on my face. As the wind settled down and the bangs came back to their place, I realized what happened.

She was a little surprised after seeing it. I could tell from her expression. The puzzled look on her face scared me.

What's going to happen next?

Will I be avoided?

Hurt with harsh words?

Made fun Of?

Treated like something disgusting?

“That scar…”

The beats of heart were louder than normal, senses spiked up, mind blanked. I avoided looking at her face.

“How did you get it?”

Huh?

The question surprised me. After a moment of silence I replied,

“I…..I-I don't know. It just appeared out of nowhere when I was in middle school, a-at start it wasn't this big. It started growing over time and now it looks like this.” clenching my hands under the table, I still had my eyes down.

“Really?”

“Y-yes, the doctor couldn't find any cause behind it.”

She didn't reply for a second.

“Do you mind if I take a look?”

“Huh?”

I raised my head in surprise.

Not scared. Not disgusted. Not keeping a distance.Serious eyes were asking me.

“B-But it doesn't look good.”

“It's okay.”

“But-”

“If you don't want to then I will not.”

“.......o- okay.”

Giving up, I raised my hand and sided the bangs.

Her eyes carefully looked over my whole face.

Nervous and scared I, could only close my eyes and unwillingly listen to my own heart beat.

“Does this hurt?”

I opened my eyes and replied “Y-yes, it does….I can't laugh, cry, smile or make any expressions. I ended up not being able to show anything at all on my face.”

“S-sorry, i asked you to show it.”

“It's okay.”

Without making the atmosphere feel any more weird she said,

“Changing the topic, how's the studying going?”

“Eh…okay okay maybe..” I didn't touch the textbooks at all.

“Dont go okay okay with it………..”

The topic changed to studies and we talked a little more.

Honestly I was happy that Ureagao-san wasn't disgusted nor did she start distancing herself from me.

If she did either of it I don't know how I would have gone through all that.

Students started coming, we were still talking.

It ended when Uragao-san went to the washroom and the person sitting in front of me came and sat at his seat.

When Uragao-san san saw him she waved at me as a goodbye and went to her seat.

The school time went by. We got our test schedule.

Uragao-san and I did not have that many opportunities to interact, I started thinking that all the things that happened between us were just a one time thing.

But that thought was told to be a lie when during lunch Uragao-san told me to walk home together and introduced me to her friends.

<>

After school we walked home together but a request by her sister to buy something on the way home ended our time together.

Though I was a little sad, I still walked home with a faint smile.

“Nii-san!”

A voice called out to me.

It was Lemon and Sachi-san, my supermarket rival or you can say I had more of a parent child type relationship with all of them.

“Sachi-san! Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, it's a good thing I met you here.”

“Huh?”

“I bumped into Sachin-san on my way and she told me that she had to ask you something, nii-san.”

“Is that so, Sachi-san?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask you abou-”

Ring ring ring. A call stopped Sachin-san in middle of saying.

“Sorry, it's my husband.”

Picking up the call, Sachin-san talked to her husband for a while. In the meantime I talked with Lemon.

“Okay i will come now.” The call came to an end.”Sorry, my daughter made a mess at home and my husband is having a hard time with her. I have to go and help my husband.”

“No worries sachi-san.” I replied.

Before going back to her house Sachi-san asked me,

“Will you be coming to the sale tomorrow?”

“Yes, I will be.”

“Then, can we talk after shopping?”

“Sure sachi-san.”

“See you tomorrow then, bye.”

<>

In the bed at night I was thinking how the day went by without any problems.

No bullying, Not any disgusting looks at me, Not leaving anything in my shoelocker.

Normal. A normal day it was, with some sugar in it.

The thing I wished for …..maybe, just maybe I can live a normal life.

With those thoughts I went to sleep.