Looking Closer

I’d awoken from my deep slumber early the next morning. The dawn of the sun crept on my face like a calm, warm blanket. I could feel my system refreshed, ready for the day. I used my newfound energy to make my way to the bathrooms. With a yawn I greeted missus Takahashi as she prepared breakfast below:

“Morning, Missus Takahashi.” I greeted.

“David! How are you feeling? Is your headache gone now?” She asked.

“It seems so, please give my thanks to Mister Takahashi for the medication.”

I bowed my head as I made my way towards the showers. I heard a noise coming from within the bathroom; a foul, off-tune voice rang from within the men’s side of the showers.

“Someone’s up early…” I remarked.

“Oh, that’s the new boy who moved in with us today.” Missus Takahashi replied.

“Oh, so I have a roommate now?” I replied, walking inside.

There was only one bed left for the men’s rooms. I’d known that sooner or later, I had to recant my lavish solo living room if another male moved in. As I undressed, the voice in the bathroom grew eerily volatile. The voice sang a song in a broken English:

“Tu-tu-tu, tu luv youuuuu!” He sang.

I hoped that my new roommate only sang outside of our room. I undressed myself, and covered my bits with a towel as I walked inside the showers. The mist made it difficult to see his face, but I greeted him, nonetheless.

“Hi, I’m David, your roommate.” I said, sitting beside him as I began placing shampoo in my hair.

“Nice to meet you.” He replied.

For an unknown reason, a shiver ran down my spine.

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

I felt a slimy, muscular hand rest on my shoulder.

“We’ve met already, pal.” He stated.

I cringed.

‘Please god, not him.’

Suddenly, I feel muscular arms restrain my neck, Hiroshi’s ape-like strength had begun to constrict my neck.

“Wh-What are you doing here…you ape?” I said with strain in my voice as he chocked me.

“I told you already, my dad owns the company that owns this boarding house, pal.”

“But…what are you doing here?”

“I’ve moved in! I told you pal I would be back!”

“Leave me alone!” I yelled.

I was lucky enough to slither my way out of Hiroshi’s grasp, and in an instant made a dash for the outside. Running out of the bathroom, Hiroshi chased me while he laughed like a maniac.

“You’re my friend now, David! There’s nowhere to run!” He yelled in glee.

We made it to the communal kitchen, the ape tried his best to catch me, but I was not going to let it come to fruition.

“Just one hug, pal!” Hiroshi yelled.

“Hell no! Leave me alone!” I replied.

“Oh my…” A voice trailed off.

I turned to see Missus Takahashi covering her mouth as she saw me and Hiroshi. Beside her, was Misako. I somehow was growing used to seeing Misako with an angry brow on her face, she was still dressed in her brown night-clothes, and I noticed her red face and ears bloom as she observed us. I turned my head downwards, to see myself still wrapped in nothing but a bathing towel. Hiroshi somehow had less clothing on him. Hiroshi immediately turned to greet Missus Takahashi.

“Hey old-lady!” He said with a smile.

“It’s nice to see that you never changed, Hiro-kun.” She replied.

“Oh, you’re the girl from class. What’re you ding here?” Hiroshi asked Misako.

Hiroshi stepped closer to Misako and Missus Takahashi, but a large black frying pan flew against Hiroshi’s face like a flash of lightning.

“Do not come closer, you perv!” Misako yelled.

Minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom freshly bathed. Hiroshi followed behind with a white-banged strip across the bridge of his nose, I was glad he took the brunt of Misako’s anger.

“You boys bring some liveliness into this house!” Mister Takahashi howled at the front door of the house.

“Blame Hiroshi.” I replied with embarrassment plastered over my face.

“You are both idiots.” Misako inserted.

“Sorry…”

I noticed that Mister Takahashi was the individual pushing Misako’s wheelchair, I assumed he was the one who took Misako to and from school every day.

“On the way to school?” I asked Misako.

“Obviously.” She retorted with a stinging tone.

Disregarding her hatred for me, I decided to might as well offer my assistance:

“Do you need some help, Misako?” I asked her.

She huffed, refusing to answer my question.

“W-What? Did I say something wrong?” I asked.

“Using my first name, you perv? I don’t even know you.” She retorted.

“Sorry, Miss Ishihara. I’m David Taylor.” I apologized, holding out my hand to greet her.

She refused to even shake my hand.

“Misako, it’s polite to greet the man back.” Mister Takahashi stated to Misako.

I could see her scoff, reluctantly conceding to the old man. She finally shook my hand.

“Misako Ishihara.” She greeted me.

“I help her to school every day,” Mister Takahashi inserted, “Care to walk with us to class today?”

“Uncle Taka…” Misako pleaded him to rescind his offer.

“It’s the polite thing to do, Misako.” Mister Takahashi concluded.

“I would love to,” I replied, “but I refuse to walk beside Hiroshi.” I replied.

“Want another battle, kid?” Hiroshi said, flexing his muscles.

We were about an hour early before our first class, I decided to try and converse more with Misako. I wanted to know more about the pocket watch, specifically. I hadn’t found the right opportunity to ask her, I believed she was still angry at my delinquency. The walk up the road was somewhat silent; there wasn’t a peep from Hiroshi either, a grace in my books.

“Sorry about yesterday.” Misako said as we continued walking.

I was surprised, she did not intentionally do anything harmful to me.

“Sorry? About what?” I asked.

“The pocket watch, Uncle Taka said you honestly thought it was yours.” She added.

“It’s my mistake. I never knew someone had the exact same watch as mine.”

“So, it’s true, you have the same one?” She asked.

That day, I thankfully had decided to take my pocket watch with me. I reached in my pocket, showing it to Misako. Hiroshi looked curiously as Misako inspected it.

“See? I told you he has the same watch.” Mister Takahashi said.

“Wow… they really are the exact same.” She said, taking her pocket watch out and inspecting their identicalness.

“I know right? I thought this was one of a kind.” I stated.

“Me too.” Misako agreed.

“Hey, can I buy those from you guys?” Hiroshi asked, “I think they’d be awesome gifts for the ladies.”

“Shut up, Hiroshi.” Misako and I said in unison.

We arrived at the front gates of the university campus; Mister Takahashi greeted us before making his way back. Hiroshi sped off into the depths of a campus.

“What a cute girl!” Hiroshi stated, running off to her location.

“Such a dog.” I commented.

“Agreed.” Misako added.

I looked at Misako’s wheelchair, it was old, rust had begun forming on the wheel-rims. I noticed it was not a motorised vehicle and thought how difficult it must be for her to push herself to her different classes.

“Miss Ishihara,” I began, “Will you be okay getting to class by yourself?” I asked her.

“I’ve been doing this for over six-years. I’ll be fine.” She replied to me.

‘Seven years? So, it means she wasn’t always in a wheelchair?’ I asked myself internally.

“Can I offer you, for just today, to take you to classes?” I offered her.

“Why do you care so much?” She enquired.

“Just think of it as an apology for yesterday, and today.” I replied.

She took a moment to respond, considering her choices. She tilted her head away from me as she spoke:

“Sure. Just for today.”

I could hear a ‘SLAP’ in the distance, then a girl cry:

“I will NOT marry you!” The girl said.