CH-2 (THE NOT-SO-PERFECT DATE)

“Pspspspspspsps……….”

“Pspspspspspsps……….”

“Pspspspspspsps……….”

I could hear a bunch of people gossiping around us, as I tried to make sense of this situation. I mean, can you blame them? Especially after witnessing someone as beautiful as the president sharing a drink with me.

“Go ahead, Kouhai-kun. Have a sip!” said she, moving the other end of the straw towards me.

To put things into perspective, she had ordered a "couple’s special lovey-dovey juice", which BTW, had a Y-shaped straw, with a heart embedded in it. When the waitress brought it, she had gulped half of the drink at once, before realizing that it was meant to be shared among 2 people.

“No thanks, I’m good! Anyways, why are we here again?” I asked, visibly flustered.

“I mean, they were offering a discount for couples, and I really wanted to try it out. So, yeah, thanks for being my stand in.”, the president declared, while gulping down the rest.

“Right! Right! That’s actually pretty clever!

Wait, Hold on! I’m getting distracted yet again!

 What I’m trying to ask is, what’s the meaning of this?”

“Meaning of what, Kouhai-kun?”

“This meeting, I mean. Why did you even organize this in the first place? What advice did you even want from me to begin with?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m getting plenty of advice here.”, said she, while noting something down on her diary.

“I mean, why not meet outside once in a while, outside the school building? Just the two of us? Or do you despise me that much, Kouhai-kun?”

“Firstly, stop calling me Kouhai-kun when we are outside school. Secondly, who’d want to accompany an iron clawed president like you?”

Perhaps I was pretty harsh, for her mood changed in an instant I uttered those words.

“Sniff! Sniff! Wahhhhh……………….

And here I thought you were different!

Sniff….. Sniff………”

She started crying profusely.

“Men these days are utter trash.”

“Seriously! That girl deserves better.”

I could hear some pretty nasty opinions about me from across the room. It did not look good for me. If anything, the situation was getting out of control every second. I could already feel a bunch of angry gazes over me,

“Calm down, Prez. I’m sorry! I apologize for my behavior! I take back what I’ve said”

“Call me Emi. Sniff……Sniff……..”

“Excuse me?”

“I said, call me Emi from now on. Sniff….. Sniff…..”

Looks like there is now way out of this situation other than to comply.

“Fine! Emi-san! I accept. Now please, stop crying, for God’s sake.”

“Just Emi.”

“Emi-senpai!”

“Tsk! Fine!

Now order an extra-large parfait from the menu.”, said she, with a sinister smile on her face.

Seriously, this woman! 

It does not look good for my wallet though. And here I thought I could save some money for this month.

“Yay! An extra-large parfait!” Emi-senpai exclaimed joyfully, while the waitress brought the order. The waitress did give me a glare though, signifying that I should be careful to not make senpai cry again, or else things might look bad for me.

“So? Why call me here, at this hour? Out of all the places?”, I asked Emi-senpai, while she was busy devouring her parfait.

*NOM* *NOM* *NOM*

“Consider it as a date.”, she replied, with a mouthful of food.

“Excuse me?”

“Like I said, it’s a date.”

“I don’t exactly remember agreeing on going to one.”

“Should I pull up our Nwitter chat history?”

“Sigh.......! No thanks! I don’t want to bring up that cringefest over here.”, I declined, as politely as I possibly could.

“Relax! Think of it as just a meeting amongst fellow authors.”

“Ex-author!”, I emphasized.

“Yeah yeah, we’ll see.”

“What do you mean, you’ll see?” I asked her, visibly confused.

“Why are you so insistent on being an “Ex-author”? Don’t you enjoy writing? Or have you grown lazy?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Who knows?”

“Either way, I’m not going to write ever again. I’ve already retired.”

“No one is asking you to.”

“Then why are you so persistent on making me return back to my former self?”

“I’m not. It’s you, who is.”

“What do you mean?”

Emi-senpai set aside her parfait glass for now, ordering a set of hamburgers.

“You are the one who is longing to return back.” said she, without batting an eye.

“Bullshit! Don’t act as if you know me.”

“You sure?”

“The last time I held a pen to write something, was a year ago. And I failed miserably. Ever since then, it feels like a nightmare, even thinking about trying to write. Currently, I’m nothing but a dead weight to the literary community, unable to envision what I should even write.”

“I never thought you could lie as naturally as you breathe, Kouhai-kun.”

What the hell is she even on about. I snapped, listening to her. Enough is enough. I got to teach her a lesson.

“Excuse me? What do you even know about a slump, woman? Don’t you understand that I’ve tried several times to overcome it? But I failed so, miserably, everytime, to the point that I’ve stopped for good. You think my suffering is a joke?”

“Calm down, Kouhai-kun! Look around you. You’ve caused quite a commotion.”

Shit! She’s right! All the people across the dining hall are staring at us.

I decided to sit down, and eat my share of the French fries, while she ordered an omurice for herself.

Now where have I seen this pattern before?

“Anyways, the bottom line is, I can’t write.”

“Okay..... okay......! I accept.”

“Really? It’s this easy? And here I thought you’re going to be persistent just like others.”

“I mean, if it makes you shut your mouth, then why not? I want to enjoy the rest of the date to the fullest, at least.”

I decided to focus on my fries again, only to notice that what remained was a single half that I was holding onto.

“Sorry sorry, my bad! I got bored waiting for my omurice, that I finished your portion as well. Here, as an apology, let me pour you some juice.”

She then took a glass, and poured it to me. For someone as degenerate as her, it’s surprising to see her treat me with some etiquette.

“What’s that? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”, I ask, while pointing at the diary she was writing on.

“Ah! It’s nothing important, just working on my next novel.”

“Excuse me? You are writing it here?”

“I mean, I have a deadline to meet, and my editor has been pushing me around non-stop to make sure I submit it on time.”

“Didn’t you just publish one recently?”

“Yep, but they’re asking for more, so, I need to deliver it to them.”

“So much for being a top-tier author, I guess?”

“Yup, you guessed it! Especially after the recent success of “Forever was never ours”, I’ve been receiving fan mails nonstop. I need to respond to those as well.”

“Yeah yeah, I could care less.”, I replied sarcastically, sipping on the last drop of my juice.

“Anyways, now that this is over, let’s go the arcade next.”, Emi-senpai said, while munching on to the last bite of omurice.

“Wait what? There’s more? I thought we were just going to have lunch here.”

“What kind of date ends with just a fucking lunch?”

“IDK, I’ve never been to one.”, I replied, feeling irritated at her question.

“Seriously?”

“Are you mocking me?”, I might lose my temper at this rate.

“I mean, contrary to your behavior, your looks are enough to get one or two dates at least. Or am I hallucinating? You seriously never had a girlfriend or what?”

“Sigh! Look, I don’t have time for this. What do you even take me for?”, I felt deeply insulted, as I uttered those words.

“Okay....., okay.......! Chill! I’m just kidding. Jeez, can’t even handle a joke or two at this age. Seriously, men these days.”

The next few hours weren’t exactly what I’d call ideal. If anything, I’ve never felt this exhausted in my life, than having to follow the iron claw president around. For someone who’s so strict and disciplined in school, she sure get’s a change in personality outside, being lively and carefree. Who knew that a date could feel this refreshing and exhausting at the same time. Her winning streak in the arcade was impeccable. No matter what the game machine was, Zombie shooter, Rhythm, Retro, Racing, or claw, she wiped them in an instant. I felt like I was the one dragging her down, as I played alongside her. There’s a good chance that she’s a regular here, even though after school activities in game centers are strictly prohibited at our school.

“Come on Kouhai-kun, try to keep up!”

“I’m trying my best over here. You’re the one who is playing like a monster.”, I replied, while shooting down some more zombies from my side.

Honestly, I don’t really like to admit it, but I was having fun here. And Emi-senpai was likely having as well.

I could see a wide range of expression on her face the entire time I was playing alongside her.

Expressions, which normally you couldn’t imagine from someone like her at school. 

She was shining bright, almost too bright for me.

Right now, we are sitting on a sofa inside a karaoke bar. She’s the one singing her heart out, while I’m here, staring at the photos that we took in the purikura (photo booth).

“Go ahead, Kouhai-kun! Choose a song!”, she asked me, while pointing her microphone towards me.

“I’m not really good at singing.”

“Come on, don’t be shy! Try it out once, Kouhai-kun.”

“No thanks. I really appreciate the offer, but I just can’t, Emi-senpai.” 

I didn’t wish to be her laughing stock yet again.

“You are no fun, Kouhai-kun.”

“You are the one who literally dragged me into this!”, I retorted.

“Well, since you are not willing to comply, and I’ve already exhausted the music library, let’s do something different.

This is not something that I had planned ahead, but I’ll let you listen to one of my original songs that I’ve been working hard on. In fact, you are the first person who will listen me singing it.”

“Are you sure? I don’t really think I’m the appropriate person to-“

“Shhhhh…….! Be quiet!”, said she, while pressing her index finger against my lips.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and then murmured something to herself.

Then, with newfound determination in her eyes, she said,

“This is going to be my last song. It’s an original one, so I don’t think you’ve ever heard it before, and I don’t even expect you to get it fully, but it’s something that I’ve been working on and I’d wish for you to listen.

The title is…..:

The song we didn’t finish.”

___________________________________________________________________________

It was late at night, as we kept walking towards the metro station. The last few hours were horrendous, and especially taxing for me. Maybe it was the adrenaline that kept me going, because my exhaustion was at it’s peak, and my social battery had already drained out. Emi-senpai was walking in front of me, cheerfully, carrying the prizes that she had won in the arcade.

“I guess this is where we part ways”, said she, upon reaching the station.

“I guess so. I do, in fact live in the opposite direction.”

An uncomfortable, awkward silence followed us. Honestly, I can’t even blame myself, as my threshold for social interaction has already been breached. But there is something that I must say to her.

Reiji: “Ummm…."                                                                         

Emi: “Ummm…..”

“Go ahead, Kouhai-kun, you first.”

“No no, Emi-senpai, you go first. Ask what you have to.”

Emi-senpai looked me in the eyes intently, before speaking,

“Won’t you ever reconsider your decision? About coming back into the world of literature?”

Sigh.......! This again! How many times so I have to reject her proposal, before she finally gives up on convincing me?

“I won’t.

Never.

Not in a million years.”

“Why?”

“Simply because I CAN’T!

Or, more specifically,

I don’t have the right to anymore.

I don’t want to hurt her again.”

“Sigh.......! You leave me with no other choice then. 

And here I thought I could keep it a secret from you.

Take this.”

With that, she handed me a black file.

“Read it! Entirely!”

Saying that the contents of the files were surprising would be an understatement. My hands were shaking as I went through them.

“Akeno is……, retiring?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“She had been planning it for quite a while now. The news is still a secret, but “Forever was never ours”  is supposed her last project, before she exits the world of showbiz for good.

“Just why Akeno? Why now?”, my voice broke, as I uttered those words.

The more I looked through the content, the more astonished I felt.

“Wait what? She had rejected all the offers from the prominent studios? She even rejected “The flower that refused to bloom?” What was she thinking? That was her favorite novel series back in middle school.

What about the Hollywood projects?”

“Rejected all of them.”

“Just what are you even thinking Akeno?”, I couldn’t understand the thoughts behind her actions, as I stared into the contents of her file, dumbfounded.

“Akeno this! Akeno that! Have you ever asked her  what she wanted to do?”, asked Emi-senpai.

“What do you mean, senpai?”

“Why do you think she chose to work on my novel? After all this time?”

“Wasn’t it because she had passion for acting? Or wasn’t she interested in becoming the top star in the show biz industry?”, I replied.

“You fool! The world of showbiz meant nothing to her, if it didn’t have your presence in it.

You’re still a dense idiot, Kouhai-kun, selfish to the core.”

If Emi-senpai is saying what I think she is, then,

“That means, it was I, who indirectly influenced her to quit?”, I asked her.

Never in a million years could I have predicted what she decided to say next.

“Akeno and I signed a deal.

Akeno would perform in my novel. She’ll give her best, no matter what.

In exchange, all she demanded was to get you back into her world, no matter the cost.

It was a secret that only the two of us shared, and now, Kouhai-kun, you’re the 3rd person who knows about it.”

I couldn’t find any words fitting enough to express the inner turmoil that I was experiencing.

“Every day, she pushes herself, regardless of her will, just to fulfill my selfish requests.

Now it’s time for you to decide, Kouhai-kun. It’s you, who needs to make a choice.”

I stared at the documents, dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe what had just transpired.

“It’s just not possible! 

I-I refuse to believe you! You are lying! 

This is definitely another one of your pranks, isn’t it?”

“You refuse to believe it, yet, the proof lies in front of your very eyes.”, she replied.

“Why now, Akeno? Why now?”

I hugged the files, as I crouched on the ground. Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, to my shock.

Finally, after a few seconds I regained my composure, and looked at Emi-senpai directly, eye to eye.

“Even if it’s her wish,” I said, breathing heavily, “It’s something, that I cannot accept.”

“Why?”

“To throw away such a glorious acting career, that so many people envy of, especially, for someone as talented as her, is unacceptable.”

“Is that all?”

“What else do you want me to say then?”

“Sigh......! What do you propose, then?”

“I need more time.”

“You are still the same as the first day that we met, Kouhai-kun. Indecisive to the core. You’re always running away from your problems.”

“I have no response to that”, I replied, while looking down dejected at the ground.

“Yet you still wish to save her?”

“More than anything.”

I don’t exactly remember what happened next, but I was in a trance when I returned back home. My mind went blank, and exhaustion took over my body, as I lay down on my bed. The only thing that I could feel was a burning sensation in my heart. I kept staring at the ceiling, while trying to fall asleep. Several memories flashed right through my mind as I fell back into slumber.

__________________________________________________________________________ 

If there is any goddess of lateness, then I must’ve received her divine blessings at some point in time. Who knew that I’d make the same mistake twice, forgetting to charge my phone? Welp, tough luck, I guess?

I hurried down the corridor of my school, as I attempted to reach my classroom. Surprisingly, today, for some reason, the corridor was brimming with people. And, worse of all, the crowd was concentrated in front of our classroom gate.

As I tried making my way out of this claustrophobic mess, I witnessed someone familiar, someone I never thought I’d expect to run into here.

It was Tachibana Akeno.