Chapter 8:
Ink Dreams
Have you ever been both sleep deprived while jacked up on caffeine? Maybe it’s best if I elaborate on the sensation for you. See, you start out with your heart beating like crazy. I’m talking an absolute jackhammer in the chest. Next, your eyes start to become bloodshot messes. You begin to see shadowy figures in the corners of the room. My advice? Name them and then leave them be. Finally, and most awfully in my book, you lose the ability to shut up. Oh, Yuta, that can’t be that bad right? Hehe, well, sure, maybe for you. For me on the other hand-
“The bone isn’t broken enough. It looks like a fracture here when it should look entirely decimated. This is supposed to be total despair you know? Like the difference between a football player getting a bone out of alignment vs having it ripped out by a carnage addicted child upped on sugar.” I point out to Sami as she draws in her sketch.
“You’re right. Maybe if I just separate the two halves of the leg even more and add a bit more meat sticking out…” She begins the work of improving the gore factor while her leg hits the pile of Redbull cans.
So many Red Bulls. At least fifteen cans of varying colors. The sight is visually beautiful. I think at least eight of them are mine. How funny, eheehhe. I look back to the screen. Currently we’re on the 13th page. The time is 5 AM. We have until 8 AM to get this done or we’ll be absolutely boned in the way of getting things printed. I continue to think in my head how awful an idea this was but that’s the one thing I manage to keep in my head. I grit my teeth.
“We got this Sami. Lets show them the power of gorey, hardcore emotion!” I yell.
“That’s right! We got this!! GOOOOOO!!!” Her hand moves a bit faster as we chant on and on like maniacs. I can hear Kei groaning while covering his face with a pillow.
“Whyyyyy won’t you stopppp?!?!” Kei complains as we blatantly ignore him. I’m sure I’ll feel awful about this later. Whatever, focus on one thing at a time. We move on to the next page and keep inking.
“His face doesn’t look like it’s in enough despair.” I say.
“You’re right. Let’s twist it up harsh.” Her demented comments are so hot.
Eventually Kei gives up on trying to sleep and walks over to us, peeking over our shoulders to see what we’re drawing.
“Oh my god.” He covers his mouth before racing to the bathroom. I hear the sound of vomiting and do the best to put my guilt and surprise out of my mind. We’re almost done. We’re so, so close. I feel me and Sami’s cheeks squish against each other. Thankfully, after the twisted, pained expressions of facing your crushing death, the rest of the pages are more focused on simpler poses and the online board where they’re communicating. We finish those in tense silence.
Once the final panel is inked, we stare at the laptop in disbelief.
“W-we did it…haha…we did it! WE DID IT!” Sami screams, hopping up and down in place. Join along with her, our dancing turning into a celebration dance. We did it, we absolutely did it!
“Congratulations, you disgusting monsters.” Kei congratulates (?) us before stretching his arms. “So who’s showering first?” He asks, hand on his waist.
“You two should go first.” Sami says, her energy draining rapidly.
“Huh??? Do you know what you’re saying?!” I ask with worry.
“Just shower you cowards, hehehe.” Sami laughs before falling into me, sending me falling to the floor as well.
I smack my head, and then there’s black.
…
I open my eyes to the apartment floor. The sight of the Red Bull cans fills me with horrible memories, or something like memories. Honestly I’m not sure if those hours are just a fever dream. I start to get up, feeling Sami’s head slip off my back. I hear her grunt in pain as I turn to look at the oven’s clock. It reads 10:47 AM. 10:47. School starts at 9…
“A…ah…” No words leave my mouth.
“Awake? Ah thank goodness. I was worried you two would be out all day.” I look ahead of me and see Kei coming out of the bathroom. He speaks with genuine worry.
“D-did you try waking us up?!” I ask in fear.
“Yes, you both weren’t moving.” He says before sighing. Well, I can’t blame him then. It really is my own fault I missed school. Going in now would just be pointless, I’ve already been counted absent, and my teacher is too much of a rule stickler to change me to present even if I go in. As such, I groan in defeat, laying my head back down. I feel someone crawling to their feet next to me.
“Mmmm, looks like we’re missing school today. That’s fine, gives us time to get our stuff printed. First though, who wants breakfast?” Sami asks, rubbing her temples. Both me and Kei raise our hands.
“Then get showered, dear Yuta! I’m gonna show you my favorite diner. Refusal is impossible!”
“Bite me.” I sigh.
…
We arrive just outside a nice looking building, painted a beautiful light blue. The imprint of where a sign once was stands out just above the door, making me confused. Am I about to be murdered?
Sami heads in first and I follow quickly after, finding a beautiful interior. The light blue painted walls give a sense of gentle calm, and the checkered black and white tile floor gives a nostalgic flavor to the atmosphere. Kei leads us both to a booth seat towards the back, where I’m forced into sitting against the window with Sami while Kei snuggles up to the wall. A waiter comes by to get us some drinks (me and Sami stick with cokes while Kei orders a coffee rather nervously) and give us some menus. Looking over the options, my heart is immediately taken by the fish and rice bowl. How very refreshing and plain it looks, especially with its little egg.
I set my menu in the middle of the table and look over at Sami who has her computer out, writing up an email. Noticing my interested stare, she explains.
“The guy binding our stuff prefers we order ahead of time and we pay when we pick up. We’re trusted customers.” She explains before hitting send. “Alright. Later today, our one-shot will be available physically. Feeling hyped?” Sami asks. I nod. I mean, obviously I am. There’s no way in the heavens I wouldn’t be excited for this. After the waiter comes back to take our orders and our menus, I feel something bubble up inside me that isn’t just hunger.
“Hey, Sami?”
“Hmm?” She looks me in the eyes. I feel stunlocked. For the first time, I don’t see the prettiest girl at school. I see a girl with bloodshot eyes, cute pink lips stained with Red Bull, and hands tired from countless hours of drawing for a piece that, no matter how much she’s excited about, I can guarantee I am far more excited for.
I don’t see the prettiest girl at school. I see the kindest person alive.
“I love you.” I state it plainly.
The whole world goes quiet. Kei seems unaffected by the confession. Sami, however…
“W-wha-wha-what are you on about?! Are you messing with me?!” She asks with little tears forming in her eyes.
“No. I really love you.” I say it again.
“W-why?” She whispers. “I-I’m just troublesome. I get you beat up at school, keep you awake all night for an almost impossible deadline you never got a choice in. I’m just…” She hitches. Her words refuse to keep coming out. She wipes her eyes.
“You’re nothing like that. You’ve…done more for me than you could ever understand.” I hesitate to lay it all bare. Ugh, this is what happens when you act in the moment! I chastise myself quietly, but keep going. “You saved me from loneliness. Without you, I’d still be lying on an air mattress, writing to ease the pain of having nobody. You…you showed me the life I want. And If I don’t reach for it, then I’ll have failed myself, and you. Let’s create the greatest work this world has ever seen…hand in hand, okay?” I whisper the last bit. She seems overwhelmed, her eyes streaming gently.
“Yuta…” She whispers my name before taking my hand. “Kei, tell them we’ll be right back.” Sami informs her brother before dragging me behind her. Crap, crap, I did something wrong. Did I upset her? I must have, surely.
We exit the diner and walk to the side of the place, where we stop. Holding my hand tight, Sami seems to be collecting herself.
“I’m sorry. This wasn’t the time or place. I should have waited, but I just acted on impulse. I’m really sorry Sami.” I offer the sincerest apology I can think of, but get no response. Not for a few moments.
“Yeah…your timing sucks…but I’m not mad.” She says. Turning to face me, I see every inch of her face, so close to mine. “Yuta…when I was a middle school student, my brother was bullied relentlessly. I couldn’t bear watching it. Every chance I could, I would be there to keep him safe.” Her lips look like they’re quivering. “One day…I went too far. I accidentally broke someone’s arm. They wouldn’t let us keep going to that school after that. Even though they were beating my brother senseless, we got punished. Funny, isn’t it?” I watch as she pushes her face into my shirt. Her tears wet my skin through the fabric.
“I felt so alone. Our parents felt nothing but spite towards us for us getting kicked. They’d prefer being at work than have to face their so called disappointments.” She squeezes her hands into fists.
“It was around that time that I read Love Is Lost. It’s one of your more popular novels. You know that, I’m sure.” I almost wanna laugh at the coincidence of having read that one just yesterday, but I keep that irony to myself. “The whole world left him alone, leaving only reminders of the people who were once there. Then the angels came. They just wanted to devour him whole. They almost did. You remember how he got out of it? Do you Yuta?”
“How’d he get out of it?” I ask gently.
“...he reached out his hand.” She spat out through her tears. “For so long after, I’ve wanted to reach out mine. Somebody, anybody, please help me!” She whimpered. I wrapped my arms tight around her as we both slowly end up on our knees.
“Then I’ll take your hand. It’s my responsibility as your writer after all.” I say.
“You…I love you too Yuta.” She says it back. “Thank you for showing me how to find my happiness.” She adds.
The passerby stare at us like we’re idiots. I feel nothing like one.
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