First Job/Wishing for the Stars 2

If there's a stranger twist of fate I've experienced, perhaps this'd still be at the top ten.

Hyuuga's assignment looked simple on paper. Theoretically speaking, I'm confident I’d pull it off because one, he stressed out they’re both into each other, which begs the question of why but then there’s point two. It's none of my business. It’s a simple drag and drop and bam! job done.

If only it's anyone else.

“Hi,” I put on my speed dating smile and took a seat opposite my target—a girl named Fuyumi.

She sure was surprised seeing me yet immediately went back to gazing at the counter where the bartender who took over Hyuuga did his magic. “Mister Tsukishima? Lucky coincidence…”

“I know, right? Must be fate pulling tricks, hahah,” I made my move before the atmosphere stagnated. “Not gonna dance?”

“I'm good,” Yeah, we’re both not fans of this place.

“Just so we're clear, I'm not trying to push my luck. Learned you liked someone already.”

“Wha!? No! Of course not!”

So she says yet her cheeks were clearly beet red even with the low lighting. “Psh, it's useless, I can tell.”

“R-Really...?”

“You've known me since… yesterday. Remember my worst trait? Disgustingly honest?”

“Yeah… that wonderful attitude…”

Alright, let's do this. “So anyway, I'm here on an errand and I want you to meet someone. You can scream if you think you're in danger. Oh, you can also call someone on your phone and inform them that if you don't answer, they can beat the living shit out of Tsukishima Akito. I don’t care how but please say yes.”

She chuckled, her shoulders slightly trembling from my weird honesty. Well, it’s the best policy for a reason. “After all that insurance, how can I refuse? Lead on.”

“Wow. No disrespect, but I think I'm happier on this ‘yes’ than if I asked you out.”

Anyway, she took my cold, sweaty and, shaking hand to lead her to the table where the pretty boy sat. When Fuyumi caught glimpse on what I was up to, she immediately tried pulling her hand. Obviously, I didn't let go.

“Mister Tsukishima, let go or I'll scream.”

“Look, I've come this far and I'm never giving up.”

“No, please… stop.”

I stopped. Hyuuga still wouldn't see us so I turned to her. “Wrong guy?”

She shook her head like a little girl.

“You don't wanna be with him?”

“…”

That indecisiveness made me snap. I think I just saw myself and got pissed off. “Listen here, you. Practice what you preach, will ya? If you aren't being serious about this then stop going around in circles and just go home already!”

“Don't tell me what to do!” She yanked her hand free. It surely must've hurt since I've been gripping her hand a bit strongly. “You don't know how punishing it is for someone with no self-confidence to speak up! I'm hideous! My attitude isn't any better either! And then I'm getting ahead of myself dreaming for the stars when I'm just a nobody…”

Fuyumi slumped to the floor. However, I couldn't dare help her when she's glaring daggers at me despite being on the verge of tears. A defense mechanism. A cornered mouse. Fuyumi must've been convincing herself I'm a ruthless predator—a cat merely toying with its prey before utterly discarding it once it stopped being fun.

“Tsukishima… I'll say it again, in case you don't understand. Even if hell froze over, I'd never see myself going out with him!”

Thanks to the loud music and the noise, we've only gained little attention. Kudos to the staff for their quick response as I saw Hyuuga rush over while the others discreetly dispersed the onlookers.

“Nobody… hic… nobody wants me… hic…” Fuyumi squeezed in between sobs.

Hyuuga mouthed the words that he'd take over from here and later left me a message saying I shouldn't leave yet. Well, I'll be damned. Guess I'll take a nap on some corner then.

***

I remember my time in highschool. Due to the need to belong, I got into a clique of troublemakers. We'd vandalize and trash the schoolgrounds during the day and trespass and trash some more at night. In one word, it was chaos.

The reason why I'm never bothered with cigarette smoke was precisely because of that. It changed me. I could burn boxes upon boxes in order to belong. Everybody did it so why shouldn't I? Being different was a sin.

Bullying was rampant on that school even the faculty dismissed it as a hurdle the youth had to take care of themselves. In a way, they're right. The real world was a concrete jungle; with trees and vines replaced with cement and lies. One rule prevailed on both worlds: survival of the fittest. But in that dense canopy of lies, was a ray of light.

Hyuuga taught me how survive. That's the long and short of it. He taught me how I could pretend to smoke and drink to the point it became second nature to me. I've stopped the tobacco since that's easy to avoid. The alcohol however, developed me a reflex to hurl it when drinking a certain threshold. But it's fine. After all, I'd most probably be dead had we not met that day.

***

“Good morning, princess,” Hyuuga had a wide grin showing his hot guy white teeth. If there's something I hate about this guy it'd be the fact he's too good-looking.

“The hell… did I really doze off?” I rubbed my eyes.

“Yep, good thing you're at our club though. You got to experience our lap pillow.”

A waitress was beside me handing me a slip of paper. “Thank you for your patronage!”

KA-CHING!

“Isn't that theft?” I checked my wallet and found a sorry amount of cash. Maybe it's time to switch to digital to make it easier to check my poorness.

“Well, if you'd prefer to be in a body bag somewhere,” he joked. “Anyway, someone wants to speak with you.”

I looked up and saw Fuyumi. Her eyes were still red but she's a lot better now.

She bowed profusely. “I'm so sorry!”

“Whoa! Raise your head, please! It's too much for someone who just woke up,” I looked at Hyuuga. “Oi, did you?”

That arm around her shoulder was proof enough.

“Sigh, why am I still here then?”

“Wai-wait! Dude, she wanna apologize! Don't you dare ruin this for her, got it?”

For all his yapping, the bartender bolted off and went back to work leaving me and Fuyumi behind.

“…”

“…”

“Um…”

“Um…”

“Ladies first.”

“Mister Tsukishima, I'm really sorry for earlier…”

“It all worked out in the end. That's enough for me. Oh, and Akito is fine. You're now my idiot friend's girlfriend, after all.”

She giggled. “Oh, trust me, it's a really long story. That reminds me, are really from Musubi Antiques?”

“Musu—oh, yeah. The more competent ones were busy so you're both left with a dumbass for service.”

“No, no! Don't sell yourself short! Your honesty really made a difference. I mean, it would've been worse for anyone else, especially that lady…” She heaved a sigh of relief. “Again, thank you…”

She talked about how she's been mulling over the how’s of asking him out. The physical department was a big problem along with the additional self-esteem issues that came along with it. Being a try-hard cool guy myself, it's safe to say we truly were similar in a lot of ways.

“You're in good hands,” I assured her. “His exes didn't even have anything bad to say about him except that he's too good at handling people.”

I just want her to hold her head high, was his rationale for doing something so roundabout. She's better off that way. Make this happen and you'll see.

“Mm,” She slowly shook her head no. “Those people never saw through the façade. That's—those masks weren't the reason I fell for him…”

For some reason, that day flashed through my mind. That expression… I've never seen that again. Was that also the real her? I…

“Again, thank you for giving that much needed push. If you ever find yourself in need of help, I'll be more than happy to return the favor.”

I dismissed the offer. “Just be happy, you two. And take me out as a third wheel on one of your dates sometime.”

“Got it!”

“I'm kidding…”

“Mysterious, isn't it,” She gazed at the bartender twirling bottles and making art out of simple drinks. “How the strings of fate were tied together…”

“..!”

Perhaps, among the mistakes I did that night, the worst offender might be the time I looked at Fuyumi that one moment. She's plain and boring and timid, that's a fact, but this time, just this time, I felt really bad for Hyuuga.

He's right, but—

He should've been the one to see the most beautiful woman at the club.