Chapter 4:

Episode 4: Under the spotlight, a compromising position

Under the spotlight: My chaotic streamer neighbor

I quickly stepped out of my apartment and headed directly for Rika's. Finally, nothing was standing in my way.

Clenching my fist tight, I arrived and began promptly slamming my hand against the door. I could hear their singing and dancing coming from the other side, so I increased my tempo, ensuring that even if an earthquake occurred, they would still be able to hear me.

Their singing was the first thing to stop, followed by the music as the volume was significantly reduced. Perfect, I had their attention.

"Rana, is that you?"

I recognized the voice as belonging to Rika. Rana must be the red-headed lady whom Kenji just assaulted.

"It's not her," I replied, hoping that my frustrated tone was loud enough to carry through the door. I wanted her to hear the anger in my voice.

"I'm sorry, but who is it? I'm not expecting anyone."

"Yeah, dude, and we're in the middle of something. So buck off!"

I recognized the second speaker as Mai, the girl whose bunny posterior nearly threw me off my seat earlier.

"I'm not leaving until I get what I want," I said.

"Oh my god, he is a stalker. Girls, quickly, call the police. Rana! Are you out there?! Use your taser on him immediately! Rana! Rana!"

"Mai, get a grip, girl. Stop freaking out. Let me handle this. Who are you, and where are you from?"

"I'm your next-door neighbor," I replied, still speaking from behind the door.

"Okay, and what is it you want? My friend was right. We're kind of in the middle of something."

"I promise this won't take long. I just want you, Rika."

".!"

The place fell silent for a beat. I didn't know what was happening inside as nobody was talking, and, from the sound of it, moving either. I decided I had better make use of this opportunity.

"Look. Since you moved in next door, my whole world has been turned upside down. I can't think straight, I can't focus on my studies, and it's all because of you."

".!"

"I know you're a good person at heart. But I have to tell you, you're indirectly causing me so much pain and suffering without even knowing it yourself. You're the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, and you're the last thing I hear at night. You're driving me crazy, Rika."

".!"

"If you let me in, or even come out here, I can explain, I know you will get where I'm coming from. Please, I need you to understand my feelings. Just give me a chance to talk to you. Face to face."

After I had finished narrating the situation, I waited for her response. It had taken every ounce of strength in my veins to not just come out and scream how she had made my life a living hell. But diplomacy was the right way to go. I just hoped my words were enough to clarify my position. However, I had this looming dread in the pit of my stomach that my intentions may have been misunderstood. Otherwise, why was nobody saying anything?

Were they alright in there? Did something happen?

"YOU!"

Uh-oh.

I turned and was horrified to find the two security guards from earlier who had been chasing Kenji, now standing behind me. The red-headed woman, Rana, and the other bodyguard. There was no sign of my classmate. I really hoped that he had managed to escape, or at the very least not been beaten too badly. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Rana had killed him and thrown him in a ditch somewhere, for what he had done to her in particular.

R.I.P. Kenji, I promise your death wouldn't be in vain.

"Why are you always trying to bother my Rika, huh?!" Rana exploded, pulling out her taser.

"No... wait... I'm only trying to talk to her..."

The red-headed woman and her associate immediately came rushing towards me, not giving me the chance to explain myself. That was it. If they grabbed hold of me, the guy who they saw as the mastermind behind the plan that got both of them humiliated, then I imagined I was going to be in equally or even more trouble than Kenji. I could not let them catch me.

I tried to think of a way out of the situation. But there was nowhere to run. However, at that very moment, I heard Rika's door being unlocked from the inside, presenting me with one last desperate gambit.

Finally, she wanted to talk. But it was going to be after she saved me from her bloodthirsty agents.

The next sequence of events happened so fast, it felt as if I was in slow motion.

I turned, prepared to run into her apartment before her goons could get a hold of me. Perhaps she would explain everything to them, and maybe I wouldn't get tased again.

The knob turned, and the door swung open, promising me sanctuary from my pursuers inside. I didn't wait to think, I just jumped in.

I made a break to enter her apartment just as I felt hands grab my shirt from behind. My buttons went flying everywhere. My clothes were torn off my back. Rika herself was the one who had opened the door, and I went crashing into her as I fell into her living room.

".!"

Her place smelled like lemons and bubble gum. Sweet. Really sweet.

".!"

Rika was directly underneath me, eyes wide in shock. Somehow, I had managed to avoid dropping all of my weight on her at the very last second, but it didn't mean we had avoided ending up in a compromising position.

I was on top of her; she was underneath me. My bare chest was pressing against hers, causing a flood of emotions to rush to both our cheeks. Most likely embarrassment, definitely embarrassment. My proximity to this cute girl was making the synapses in my brain fire like crazy. Stupid biological functions.

This was bad, very bad.

I noticed the room was brightly lit, giving me a clear view of everyone’s facial expressions. They were all flabbergasted. Speechless. Confused and unmoving. But most of all, they looked horrified.

Even her security detail looked afraid to step into the apartment. And I soon realized why, as well as the reason why the place was so bright.

Ring lights.

Spotlights.

Cameras.

They were everywhere.

Oh no.

Suddenly, that earlier looming dread I felt deep within the pits of my stomach came back. Rika and her friends were busy streaming their karaoke thank-you dance thing when I barged in. They hadn't stopped streaming.

My gaze snapped over to a corner with a computer screen, displaying a flood of real-time comments and reactions from viewers. If the counter by the side was any accurate, there were a quarter of... My breath suddenly caught in my throat. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There were a quarter of a million people watching.

- - "Holy shit, Rika Riot has a boyfriend?" - -

- - "Oh my gosh! He's hot! Who is he?"- -

- -"Who's the naked dude lying on top of Rika?" - -

- - "Does she have a secret boyfriend or something?" - -

- - "Dude, why do they look like they are about to bone?" - -

- - "Seriously though, who is this guy?" - -

- - "My sister says she might recognize him from her school." - -

- - "Anyone know his socials?" - -

- - "Wait, I think I know who that is!" - -

- - "Damn, check out the butt on that bunny." - -

- - "I love you Mai! Please shake a little more for us." - -

- - "Bro goes to the same gym I do. He lives on Sakura Street. I can't believe Rika Riot is in my neighborhood" - -