A Night in The City - Pt. 1

The two brothers stopped their celebration, and turned their heads to the doorway. Once they realised who it was, they scrambled in a panic. Huko jumped over to the table and swiped all the items back into the boxes. He then laid himself over the boxes like a blanket. Kenta jumped to the doorway to stop Akane from getting closer.

"Akane," Kenta said as he extended both his arms to block the doorway, "you're back."

Akane saw Huko and the glint of moonlight on something in the dark room.

"Watcha got there?” She tilted her head to get a better look inside.

Kenta only replied with a smile. She moved to the side, trying to get a better look into the room. Kenta followed. She moved to the right this time and Kenta quickly ensued. They did this dance over and over again.

"Hey now I'm curious," Akane said playfully with a bit of frustration.

"There's nothing in here!" Huko pleaded as he hugged the boxes tightly, covering them from Akane’s sight.

"Huko, is that you?" Akane asked.

Kenta retreated for a bit, still facing Akane. His hands behind grasping the air, trying to find the door handle.

"Huko, what are you hiding in there," Akane said like a prey toying with her meal, "come out."

"Kenta, do something!" Huko pleaded as items were falling from the box and into the open.

Kenta's hand finally felt the handle. He pulled it shut, locking himself and Akane alone outside.

"Dirty magazines!" Kenta blurted out, "my brother is a dirty pervert and I just discovered his stash of dirty magazines."

They both stared. Then, Akane let out a vicious laugh. Kenta breathed a sigh of relief and forced a little laughter. He needed to steer this woman away from the room. He scanned his surroundings for a solution. In the distance, in the sea of darkness below them, he sees a convenience store. It’s white lights glowing in the dark practically screaming at him to go there.

"Oh, would you look at the time?" Kenta looked at his watch, which had no batteries in it. "I should go to the convenience store before it closes. Want to come with me?"

"What a coincidence, Kenta Kobayashi. I was on my way there myself"

Kenta's smile wobbled a bit, but then corrected itself.

The two headed for the elevator, and soon disappeared as it went down. Hearing no sound from outside, Huko opened the door a little bit. He examined the hallway thoroughly. It was quiet and most importantly empty. Huko's knees went weak. The tightness in his chest loosened. Another crisis averted. We really need to get a lock, he thought to himself. Can't have people barging in on us all the time. He went outside and peered over the railing to see his brother and Akane walking on a street beneath away from the apartment.

"Kobayashi?" A voice behind him nearly shocked him to death. "Huko Kobayashi?"

It was Rin Tamura. She was wearing a purple knitted sweater. She also had leaves, a scroll, and a black petalled flower with its stem on a plastic bag on one hand, and the keys to her door in the other.

"Is everything alright?" She said, moving away from her door and into his. Huko instinctively retreated like a cockroach into the shadowy dark of the room. Rin Tamura reached and grabbed his arm before he could fully make it into safety and close the doors. She took a look at the room before her. Even in the darkness, she could see that it was a mess. Peeled wallpapers, kitchen sinks filled with a mysterious green liquid, a mattress with holes and stuffing coming out, and the ever present smell of radishes and coal.

"We just moved in," Huko said after noticing the horrified expression in her, "haven't cleaned much yet."

Rin Tamura stepped into the room. Her hands reached for the light switch, and found that it wasn't working. She curled her hands into a fist.

"Wait here, Huko Kobayashi, do not close the doors." Rin Tamura marched her way out of the room. Huko wanted to lock her out, but he didn’t dare go against her. A minute later she returns with her little tome. She opened a page, cleared her throat, and her eyes started to glow and her hair floated into the air. The tips of her fingers started making little lightning bolts and her palms glowed an electric blue. The little lightning soon growed bigger, and once it was big enough, Rin Tamura slammed both of her hands into the wall. The lights flickered on. The room, and all its mess, was now illuminated by a bright white crystal light for the first time. Her glowing eyes, from a bright blue, slowly shifted into a warm orange. The room started to shake, and then the furniture started to arrange themselves. The table was now perfectly in the center. The mattress was now tucked neatly into the corner. The sink, with all its dirty water, emptied. Clean water with soap then fill it, followed by the dishes and utensils. Her job done, she deactivated her spell, and her eyes returned normal.

"Don't lie to me, Huko Kobayashi, did you eat dinner yet?" She closed her tome and shot a piercing glance at Huko.

Huko’s throat closed up on him. He couldn’t say a word.

Rin Tamura leaves the room again. The second time around, she brought over a handful of colorful lunch boxes to the table. On a big lunch box was rice, and on the smaller ones were side dishes of fried fish, potatoes, rolled eggs, squid, pickles, and a salad. She opened a thermos and poured miso soup out into a cup.

"Eat," she commanded.

"But-"

She shot another piercing look at Huko. He gave in, and grabbed a chopstick from the sink.