Chapter Seven

“Change. It. Back.” The anger that boils inside me seeps out like a miasma, if looks could kill spirits, this one would drop dead. Luckily enough for The Author, I have no such abilities. He seems to have broken out into a sweat anyway.

“Now now Isao-kun, I needed to change your work situation! HOW do you expect me to set up romantic scenarios if you’re just in your apartment all the time? I can only cause your landlord and maintenance department to be overwhelmed with paperwork and a lock to jam so many times before it starts to get boring.” He pouts, like a child being scolded. “Getting you out of that sad apartment- and yes it is sad Isao-kun at least admit that for me- Is the only way I can move the plot along in any way that feels natural.”

…

“Listen here you microwaved plate of leftover garbage. I haven’t had to be in an actual office in over a year. I own one- count it- ONE pair of office pants and a button-down. I work in SWEATPANTS-”

“I already know your life is sad, Isao-kun, that's why I want to make it more interesting!”

“I am going to flush this keychain down a public toilet.”

“That’s very unsanitary Isao-kun, and you know it wouldn’t work.”

“Is this, what? Some kind of way to keep tabs on me?” I hold the keychain up and it glows faintly pink. “How does this thing work anyway, why does it keep teleporting around?”

“Think of it as a bookmark! It helps me keep track of the story. And no- you can’t microwave it Isao-kun that would just destroy your microwave-”

“Can you HEAR MY THOUGHTS?”

“My writing perspective requires some insight into how you think so-”

“GET. OUT. OF. MY. HEAD.”

“Isao-kun please be reasonable-”

“You think I’M being unreasonable?”

“Just calm down for a moment! It really isn’t so invasive as that. I can’t read all of your thoughts, just little peeks at the really loud ones!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just certain thoughts! The ones that stick out. I can’t hear everything you think that would be terribly mundane.”

“Like what?”

“Hm?”

“What else have you heard?”

…

“Wow, has it gotten this late already?” He writes something in his notebook and the sun that was filtering through the window suddenly goes dark, now casting us in moonlight. “Big day tomorrow! You should probably shop for some more work clothes, and Makoto-kun will be waiting for you at the station! Goodnight Isao-kun.” He is pushing me out the door, the chime of the door jingles behind me as the door slams shut and the ‘OPEN’ sign quickly switches to ‘CLOSED’.

I stand there still in my house shoes. Holding a pink glowing keychain. Staring at a closed sign to a bookstore that wasn’t here yesterday and examining every moment of my life that has led me to this bizarre set of circumstances. I take out my phone and call my brother.

Ring…

Ring…

Click-

“Nii-san? What are you doing calling this late?” I blink. It wasn’t late a minute ago. 

“Did it get dark suddenly to you just now?”

…

“Nii-san are you doing okay? Are you eating properly? It’s Friday, maybe you could take the shinkansen in the morning and come stay with me and Sachiko for the weekend?”

…And there is my brother's worry. You’d think he was the older brother and not the other way around. I can’t resent him for it, especially not when I think I need it more than ever.

“I’m fine Kenji, just… Had a weird day.” 

“...Do you want to talk about it?”

I think about the question. No matter how I phrase it, I will sound like a crazy person. Maybe I am crazy. I should probably make an appointment to see my doctor to make sure I didn’t just drink a bad beer or something and now I’m experiencing psychosis. More importantly-

“I’ve dated girls before. You’ve met them.”

I feel like I can see my brother's confused features, the knotted brow, the slightly agape mouth as he tries to figure out what I am calling him about at- I check the time, 11pm.

“...Sure Nii-san uh… I think you dated that one girl.. What was her name.. Akari?”

“Aoi..” I correct. “There was also Mizuki in college”

“Yeah.. Sure.. I think I remember her. Why are you asking about this Nii-san?”

“No reason. Just confirming.”

“...Alright. I remember Aoi, you didn’t seem that upset when you broke up though. Are you trying to date again?”

“No. NO. I’m not interested in that kind of thing.”

“Sure… Anyway if you were trying to meet someone, Sachiko has a cute friend you might-”

CLICK.

I run a hand through my hair and trudge back to my apartment.