Fun time

Once again, the wind blew at my face, and I was again on top of the grey asphalt. Though this time, my companion was different, and I could feel her slender fingers embracing my belly. With only the sound of rustling wind along us, Kiri decided to offer our ears a little more soul.

“You know, it’s weird being behind you for the first time.”

“Is that so, it’s nice not being the leader once in a while, right?”

“Nah, I’m still the one giving directions. Turn left here.”

We drove for another minute until she told me to stop. Before us was a medium department store, with a huge sign “Eaon” depicted on top.

“Just park that thing here and come inside.”

“You know malls exist in the city too, right?”

“It’s what you do inside that matters, now come on.”

I once again let her indulge me. Since it was a weekday, there were only a few couples walking around, and it felt like the place was ours. Not minding her manners, Kiri began to hasten her feet, and I followed suit. Once we had reached an arcade, she halted.

“An arcade?”

“Yes.”

Still questioning her, I hesitatingly went to the cashier and ordered my arcade card. Inside were twenty-two coins, equivalent to 11 times we can use a machine.

“You know you’re showing me all this, yet I’m the one paying.”

“It’s okay you’ll get it back.”

I figured Kiri was the one to like racing games or shooting monsters but, never would I have thought she would bring me to the crane section.

“How… girly.”

“Suits me, don’t cha think.”

I gave out an exaggerated cough.

“E-hem. Well after you.”

“Okay, just kidding, I’m not here for the teddy bears. You see that anime girl figure over there?”

She was pointing at one of many glass boxes featured outside of a large machine. Apparently, it’s a cabinet in that you play numerous minigames, gathering points from your performance and using them to trade for one of many prizes in those glass boxes. Inside the particular one I was scrutinizing at was Muki with her azure pony tail and a bizarre sleeveless outfit. I’m usually not an expert in this peculiar field of knowing 2d girl’s name, but she appears in a bunch of meme videos, hence my knowledge of the figure’s identity.

Also, this also raised another question. And so did my eyebrow.

“M-hm. I guess that’s what happened to you in those years.”

“No no, don’t lump me together with those weebs. I’ve got my eye on it because of the money. One of them can go up to two hundred bucks, perhaps even more.

“Uh huh, but then you’ll probably spend more money getting it.”

“Not if I’m good at it.”

She then proceeded to show me her skills. Throwing knives at immaculate speed, feeding birds that have weird flying trajectories, and putting up hand signs at the speed of a middle schooler to explode balloons. It was wonderful really, seeing all my money turned into scores on a screen. Though it was not worthless, since in her last playthrough, she had accumulated enough points to get her so-wanted prize.

“Told ya I wasn’t just loitering around. These are from mobile games you know, I only need to practice, and of course, have natural skill.”

“So you’re saying you have more free time than other people and you spent all of them practicing mobile games.”

“C’mon don’t put it like that. At least it says something about me, a little bit of intrigue in my character. You should be like that too Stan, be different. It makes life more interesting.”

“Whatever you say.”

The credit in our arcade card had fully diminished, deeming it unnecessary to stay here any longer. Abruptly, she held my hand and pulled me to a new attraction as if she had planned it all out.

“A boutique. You’re not going to steal clothes and sell them this time will you?”

“Don’t think of me like that. I know I’m the tomboy type but I don’t mind dressing up once or twice.”

I didn’t recall any memories of her being anything close to feminine despite having such a cute doll-like face. Well, perhaps that’s her own charm, being so energetic. I guess I’m up for a surprise, I wonder what would Kiri look like now that she was able to attract me.

As I stood before the cover, I couldn’t exactly tell whether I was excited or not.

“All right. I’m done.”

As she gallantly spoke, I could slowly see her face unveiled, showing a proud smile. It was a white sleeveless summer dress, with its skirt flowing elegantly between her legs. The hue of her attire as though emphasizes her bleached skin, it was a battle as to which was paler. She was, without a doubt beautiful. Yet, it felt off.

“You’re cute and all but, I don’t think it suits you.”

“What?! How terrible of you to say that to a girl.”

“Since when were you-“

Suddenly I felt like things will turn out for the worse if I had finished, and so I diverted my approach.

“This time I’ll pick the outfit for you.”

She raised her eyebrow, giving an intrigued grin, and accepted the clothes I offered. The cover was again closed and only a minute after, opened again.

This time, in her outer layer, an oversized grey T-shirt that left out her small shoulders and the shirt inside. Inner, she was wearing a black tank top with a shade identical to the cap she had put sideways on her head. Down on her legs were jeans that were deliberately damaged and left several slashes. Despite being very niche, it was the icing on the cake for me. That and her Nice sneakers.

“Is it too late for me to confess to you now.”

“You kiddin’? This outfit is so lame.”

“What do you mean it suits you perfectly.”

“If you want me to be the punk so much then you really like being the sissy huh?”

“Nah I’m not getting into that shit.”

“It’ll suit you though. C’mon at least try.”

“F-off.”

I did not comply with her and so we left without bothering to buy anything. You could say it was rude but, it’s not our fault for being cheap.

Once again, she held my hand and we ran through the mall looking for various places to have fun. One place after the other, even if it’s as simple as a bookstore or a technical shop, It was always exciting. The energy that Kiri gave me, the one that was all so familiar, I could feel it once more. It was like she was dragging my sluggish lifeless body to heavenly places, like an engine to a ponderous rocket that flies into the great universe.

Now that I think about it, the mysterious girl Kae used to resemble her a lot. However, Kiri felt much closer to me, she was much more real, much more intimate. I know that came off as a bit weird, and I’m not trying to compare anyone here, but to me, Kiri was much more important.

Having exhausted ourselves from all the lallygag, me and Kiri settled ourselves in a café.

“I’ll have a Vietnamese White coffee.”

“You’re still drinking that huh? Is it your signature drink or something?”

For some reason, I started to ponder.

“Signature… hmm, does that make me a little more interesting?”

“Uh, not really? What’s with that question?”

“I don’t know, it’s just that I’ve been thinking to myself lately that I’m uninteresting. No hobbies, no life goals, and no prevalent relationships. So I guess little things like this make me feel more unique I guess.”

Kiri showed a shaky smile, with her eyes expressing some confusion.

“Well I don’t think a favorite drink counts but, that line of thinking is normal.”

“That makes me average even in my problems then.”

“Don’t think like that. Why do you think I made friends with you in the first place? Heck, I’m even hanging out with you right now, aren’t I? I think you’re very interesting and unique, Stan.

“I don’t know, I think you’re confusing those words with weird.”, unconvinced, I answered with a nihilistic tone.

“No. It’s not just me, I’ve seen you with people before, they like being around you, well sometimes. E-hem, what I mean is maybe you think that you are uninteresting but you’re not even seeing yourself here. You have a strange sense of humor, your way of speaking is just straight-up crude and insensitive, and you’re a bit of an asshole sometimes…”

“Aren’t you just getting this chance to verbally abuse me?”

“Shut up, Stan, let me finish. E-hem. Do you see what I’m getting at? Albeit negative, all of this makes you unique and fun, and don’t convince yourself otherwise. You’re not boring Stan, and I like that about you. Do you know how afraid I was thinking that you’ve changed, that you’ve grown out of being so different? And here you are, the same as the old times, maybe a little more gloomy and-“, she quoted her fingers. “-mature, but I’m glad you’re still my old friend.”

“Yeah, I was just being pessimistic. Thank you, and uh, I like you too. I mean your uniqueness as well.”, I spoke as I bowed my head to the ground. Figuring my face was ember, I decided to hide it.

“Adda boy, now go order us our drink.”

“Yes mam’, wait what are you ordering.”

“What I’ve always had.”

“Which is?”, to my knowledge, I didn’t know if she had a distinguished drink like me.

She raised her eyebrow. Trying to help my face, I took a guess.

“Orange juice?”

“Nice guess. I don’t know if your memory is that bad or you don’t care at all about me.”

“It’s just a drink, C’mon.”

“Sure, an orange smoothie. With avocado and cream.”

“Heh, close enough.”

We ordered and enjoyed sipping our treasured beverages. Though overpriced, it was certainly delightful and refreshing. As we sat there, time as though consumed itself, and I relished our serene atmosphere that contrast entirely with the commotion before this. Until Kiri had to break it.

“You know, it’s only reaching noon, yet today was really fun.”

“Yeah. It reminded me of the old days, you dragging me around, having stupid fun without a care in the world.”

“It really was like that. Until stuff happened. Well, let’s just not talk about it.”

Agreeing with her without a need to speak, I nodded my head. I really didn’t need to delve into what exactly happened in the past, all that matters now is Kiri in the present.

“And it looks like you trust me now, having conversations about your mental problems and all.”

“Uh-huh. What are you getting at here.”

I leaned forward, awaiting her words.

“And I thought that I should trust you too.”

“So, there’s something you were hiding?”

“Yeah, I haven’t told Uncle about this as well, he might start to worry too much you know.”

“He usually wouldn’t mind, I mean he literally let you stay with him for a year. So, shall I take it that this is so serious that you would not disclose it with even Uncle?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s that worrying, it’s just that…”

“Just that…?”

“It’s regarding my home…”

Shit

As presumptions took over my mind, I could only hope that the most plausible one wouldn’t be the case. Please don’t say you’re living with a guy. Please don’t say you’re living with a guy. Please don’t say you’re living with a guy. Please don’t say you’re living with a guy-

“You see, It’s not actually my apartment. I’m living with a guy.”

Once again, shit.