Episode Three

Why did he have to call? I tried to hide my annoyed face behind my phone as she chatted happily against the receiver while she drank her carbonated drink. I had my own juice but it was half empty. We were talking about getting some rare cards in our latest mobage game of choice and then he called?

Who was he? One of Chloe’s friends who frequently tries to flirt with her although Chloe doesn’t seem to realize it. He’s another one of those pretty boys who tries to use his wiles to get women but, from what I can tell at least, Chloe never invited him to our apartment even one time. Then again, she’s a pretty private person so I shrugged it when I realized this fact.

His name was Kouji Shimizu and even from his name, it’s sparkling good luck. I never met him face to face but I have seen pictures of him whenever Chloe hangs out with him and her other friends. However, even with this digital photo, one could easily see how he liked Chloe. Her other lady friends seemed nice enough and it’s not surprising Chloe wouldn’t even invite them over either.

But this was who called in the middle of our dinner. I wanted this to be our time together since I rarely get to see her throughout the day unless she was sick. And even then, she’d push herself more and more to avoid me from going in her room.

“Oh no!” Chloe said suddenly as she laughed at a comment. She said it rather loudly and though she tries her best to respect the bar culture, sometimes it slips up like this. She realized this right away and covered her mouth. I looked up from my phone and tried to glare at anyone who glared at her but now that I did it, it looked a bit more pathetic. I didn’t care anymore…

This game was becoming more important. I glared down at my phone and tried to focus on that more. There was a raid going on and I had to make it. At least, if Chloe couldn’t make it, I could at least show her the gear that was dropped. Our food was then finally set down and I could hear Chloe try to apologize to the pretty-boy and wanted clearly to eat.

I ignored it. I tried to finish my raid. I don’t know why this is bothering me as much as it did tonight. Usually, it didn’t bother me as much. But… he should know not to be so rude as to interrupt a dinner between friends, between roommates. It was a bond that he should understand better himself since he supposedly lived with roommates too.

I could feel the wave of my emotions in and out of me as I thought about putting my phone down to eat. No. I want to eat when Chloe eats. It’s rude to eat before her and she worked harder than I did. What was it I did today? Mock a grocer girl while shopping? Drag in a strange and unusual package for me that had a creepy message attached to it? No way. She probably had to deal with a lot of weirdos, being a receptionist and being foreign.

No. I had to wait even when my stomach cried out for food. I could at least drink my juice though. And after I taste the sweet, sweet juice down my parched throat, I heard some familiar beeps. Worried, I looked at my phone and saw that it was at 5% battery life.

My heart immediately jumped and nearly beat out of my chest as I tried to get to a save point. I was nearing the end of this dungeon, maybe 85% left, and at the end of the dungeon, would be an important cut scene to the story and some loot that was promised. I tried my best to hurry and tap through the dialogues. Even though usually I stop and read, I didn’t have any time.

I could feel myself sweat and tap my phone really loudly to a point where I’m sure that some of the other guests heard me. Sorry, sorry, but this is important! The graphics flashed, my characters won, and the next scenes popped up. As it transitioned, it said it saved… but I couldn’t trust it. No, no, no, no, I couldn’t trust it! I tried to tap faster to make it save faster but it didn’t. Come on! I know my battery is getting lower and lower!

But as I make it to the final stretch of the dungeon, my phone just died in my hands. It just turned black. Without warning, it was gone. It was all gone. All my work was… for naught. I… I had to start all over again. I stared at it as it slowly sunk in that not only was my phone extremely hot from the overuse and heated battery, but I completely failed to do the last dungeon. The event wasn’t due to end until tomorrow night, that much is true, but on top of everything else today, it crushed me. It absolutely crushed me. I have to do this all over again…

“Oh, did you get to the end of the dungeon?” Chloe asked me finally when she saw me turn towards me. She smiled and seemed to chow down her food eagerly. I didn’t want to ruin her happiness so I lied.

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Let’s just eat our dinner.”

From then on, anytime Chloe tried to make conversation with me, I’d avoid her gaze. I’d only give her a minimal answer. I’d give her the minimal questions so she could at least smile and not worry about me. I didn’t want her to focus on me. Was it because my phone died on me that I felt this way? Was it just me trying to compare myself to her again? Or was it the fact that Shimizu tried so hard to distract her away from me, though unintentionally?

All these thoughts, and especially Daki’s mysterious arrival, plagued my mind and I just wanted to eat. There are so many things that are crashing around me and about to crash on me. But I can’t do anything about it. Chloe is flourishing and I’m rotting away. She’s the bright star and I guess I’m her shadow… but I’m okay with that. I want to be her darkness so she can continue to shine brightly.

I’m just a roommate and I don’t deserve to be anything more than to her. Even though I don’t like Shimizu, he could probably take better care of her than I ever would.

.x.

Immediately when we got home, I went straight to my room to charge my phone up. I felt so heavy. The meal I had wasn’t but it’s my emotions that weighed me down. I expected to have another searing headache as I did earlier but when I saw the dakimakura in my small room light, it just looked like a normal body pillow. Nothing out of the ordinary. Did I imagine the headaches earlier? Was that nap actually needed? Did I have those headaches as a way to sleep? I’ve heard of others doing so when they’re sleepy or hungry, but from what I could remember, I never had such a problem. I get angry when I’m hungry, sure, but headaches? How very strange…

I immediately put my phone on the charger and I grunted as I got on my computer chair. I must’ve left it on during lunch and while I tried to search for random body pillows being sent but nothing came up. Then it looked like I got distracted with looking up playthroughs of old games I would never play myself.

I sighed. I closed out the tabs and start the process to shut my computer down. I didn’t feel like looking through my usual sites again. I’m just another hit on a website. Another number in the algorithm of ads to be sold to. Another string of letters on social media where people would just scroll past by and not care while they talk about inane things.

No, it wouldn’t matter if one more person wasn’t there.

I turned off my light. It started to hurt my head. Nowhere near as bad as before, but more of the usual headaches I would get after staring at the screen for too long. I don’t know what it is that made me feel this way and why. I missed a dungeon, so what? I can still try again tomorrow - but… that was the last straw on the camel’s back. I didn’t want to deal with anything anymore.

Right, Daki? You understand me, don’t you? You’re just a body pillow but you were trying to protect me earlier, weren’t you?

I sensed myself get up. I was sure I thought I saw something on the plain, white daki but I wasn’t sure what it was. No. It’s my tired mind. I’m thinking about my precious waifu whom I let down. She would understand and be kind enough to understand but I couldn’t help but be disappointed in myself. I would be useless in her world. Although, Risa-chan would be the type to comfort me and to help me feel better. She would do anything to help me feel better. She would sing songs and bake cookies to ‘bring my sugar up’. In fact, I could hear Risa-chan’s precious voice giggle and reach out to me.

No, today had been a strangely long day for me. It was unusual for me to stay out as long as I did. I usually don’t engage in making fun of anyone much less someone like me, probably, but…

“Please be stronger.”

Risa-chan, you’re right. I should be stronger.

“You got this! I believe in you!”

I didn’t realize I was against my wall and hugging Daki. When I finally did, I gasped at myself and felt drunk. Is this what it’s like to be drunk? But I had juice! And Chloe is not the type to spike my drink and if the restaurant did it… well… I will contact a lawyer about this…

But there’s no way I’m drunk - my thoughts are still coherent, right? I could think like myself and notice the fact I was hugging the Daki like a person. But I didn’t let go of Daki. It was comforting. The pillow was cool as I imagined it would be and I found myself not letting go.

“There, there… just let it charge and we can save the town next time.”

It wasn’t physical. It wasn’t spiritual. But I just knew something rubbed my messy hair in a comforting way. More comforting than Chloe did somehow. It was almost as though I was hugging someone who gave me comfort and love that no one else would give me.

I couldn’t feel the same body heat I would a regular person but something about this Daki just comforted me. It was always here for me. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t trust it with my lonely and broken heart this way, I thought as I released tears out of my heart. I don’t quite get it and maybe this is a moment of desperation. The darkness lent itself a comfort that no human’s light could ever do so. And maybe, for right now it’s okay.

“Come on, let’s go to bed.”

“Okay,” I slurred out my words. I didn’t recognize myself as I lifted the body pillow and placed it on my bed with me. It’s really early - only 2212 at night - but I could feel exhausted from the day. Maybe it’s not as much as Chloe did but… no, it was hard for me. I was out in the sun for too long. The body pillow remained in my arms and almost felt that it was cuddling me to sleep.

“Oh, I should change into my pajamas…”

“No. Let’s stay like this. You worked so hard to protect me. Please let me be selfish and protect me at night.”

“Risa-chan….”

Oh, it felt as though she was real. It felt as though she was breathing under my grasp. It didn’t matter to Risa if I was a man or a woman. To Risa-chan, I am me and she accepted me. It didn’t matter to Risa-chan that I’m a failure in getting a proper job - she knew that I worked hard enough at home and made sure things were taken care of when Chloe was unable to. She comforted me tonight as she did in my dreams but it felt so real. So real that I could almost feel her perfect skin underneath my own. She didn’t have arms but she didn’t need to move when I’m here.

Her voice was clear as a bell and I could hear her sing me to sleep. If anything happened out of my room tonight, I would never know because Risa-chan was right here by my side.

I’m sorry I named you Daki, Risa-chan. I was a fool to not realize you had been here all along.

To Be Continued...