One Sad Night - Part 1

In the restaurant, Shinji and Nami were already waiting for us at the table near the window.

“What are you doing? We were waiting for you guys so long?” ask Shinji.

“Didn’t you and Nami that left us first without hearing our opinion? That’s why you arrive here earlier than us.”

“Yes! Homura-kun and I even don’t have a say about that suggestion!” said Yamauchi-san, trying to support me.

“Is that mean you don’t like be with Homura-san?” ask Nami to Yamauchi-san.

“W-what do you m-mean? I don’t say t-that I d-don’t like to be w-with Homura-san!” replied Yamauchi-san while stuttering a bit when she talks.

“For now, let’s have a seat first. Shinji already order for both of you. So, we just only need to wait for the order delivered,” explained Nami.

“Thank you for dinner tonight, Shinji-san!”

“This is nothing for me , Marina-san!” said Shinji.

“Although the reason he orders for two of you first is because he is afraid that you will order something that is over his budget. So, to avoid that happening, he will order cheaper for you,” explained Nami while smiling to Shinji.

“Can you keep quiet, Nami? I don’t even have enough money for this weekend. Now, I need to think how to spend money for our date on this Sunday.”

“Why you need to think about that when I can pay for our Sunday date?” Nami said to Shinji.

“No! I mean as a man I should be the one to spend money for our date,” said Shinji trying to become manly.

“What is wrong with I the one to spend the money? If only you that always the one who pays, what that make me as your girlfriend? At least let me pay half for our date. Do you think I don’t have money? Come on, I am a successful woman!” Nami said confidently.

“Yes! I agree with Nami! You should not look down on us!” support Yamauchi-san.

“Kouta, don’t you think you should support me here? We are best friend, right?” ask Shinji.

“I don’t have any issue with that.”

I don’t want to drag this issue any longer. The most important one, the food that we ordered earlier was already delivered to our table. It looks so delicious!

“Let’s eat now!” said Nami.

“Wait, I don’t finish-“

“Let’s eat first, Shinji. You can think about that later,” I said to Shinji.

“Okay.”

“How about we go watch a movie at the cinema later? I already bought four tickets for us earlier!” said Nami suddenly.

“What kind of movie, Nami?” ask Yamauchi-san.

“It’s about a couple trying to move on from their own past and focus more on their present self. At least that is what I got from reading their synopsis. I also heard that this movie is so popular among young people because of the interesting storyline and plot twist at the end that make many people in tears after watching the movie,” explained Nami.

“It already sounds interesting to me!” Yamauchi-san said excitedly.

“I also think that movie will be fun to watch,” I voice my opinion.

“Hmmm, I think you are weird, Kouta. If I am not mistaken, you are always the one who will not join whenever I ask you to watch the movie with me and other company staff before,” Shinji express his confusion toward my changes.

“People always change. I also need to change,” I said to Shinji, hoping he just accepts my answer.

“What is the reason for your change, Kouta? Is that because of a new person in your life? Hahaha!” Shinji is trying to annoy me with his interpretation.

“Can you guys wait for me? I need to go toilet first,” said Nami.

“Okay! We will waiting for you here!” Yamauchi-san said to Nami.

While waiting for Nami, the scene in the car suddenly popped up in my mind. What is the reason for her unexplained behavior? I don’t want to think about this but if there is any chance that she will like me? No! But if that is true, what should I do right now? She has said before that she just wants to focus on her life right now and doesn’t have any thought about finding her love. So, what is it want she want from me?

“Kouta, do you see the man sit at the front table of us? He looks so fit! Is he a famous model? Or athlete? Look his face also look so handsome!” ask Shinji excitedly.

“Do you finally come out of closet right now? I will trying support you as your best friend.”

“No, idiot! I mean, if you look at him too, maybe you will understand what I mean,” said Shinji.

When I look a man who is sitting at the front table of us, what Shinji said is true. I will even think he is an actor. Again, where did I saw his face before? I feel like I have some kind of déjà vu.

“What is it both you are talking about since earlier?” ask Yamauchi-san.

“Marina-san, believe me that you will be amazed when you turn behind!” Shinji want Yamauchi-san to see that man too.

When Yamauchi-san turn her behind, coincidentally, that man also looking at Yamauchi-san too.

“Yuichi?”

“Marina?”

“Wait! Marina-san, did you know him?” ask Shinji.

Taking her handbag, Yamauchi-san hurriedly left the table and go out from the restaurant. That bulky man too is trying to chase Yamauchi-san and go out from the restaurant. What just happened? Should I do something?

“Kouta! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You should chase Marina-san, right now!” Shinji instructs me.

Without any thought, I trying to find where Yamauchi-san is. Then, when I was walking near the back of restaurant, I could hear the voices from there.

“Can you let go of my hand?”

This is Yamauchi-san’s voice.

“Please hear me out, Marina!”

And this is that man’s voice, I guess. Should I stop hiding behind this wall and go to Yamauchi-san’s side? As I still confused with the situation, Yamauchi-san start to talk again.

“I will hear you out. What is it you want to say?” ask Yamauchi-san.

“Thank you. Its been long time we don’t see each other, right?” said that man.

“What do you really want to say, Yuichi? I thought we were over,” said Yamauchi-san.

“I had been to your house earlier. Maybe you have changed your house password, that’s what I thought at first. But you still using that combination of number,” said that man calmly.

“That is crime, you know! How can you enter my house without my consent?” Yamauchi-san so angry with that man’s behavior.

“It still not over. I’m surprise to see that you still keep that picture. When we have a date at theme park,” said that man.

“Stop it! What is it that you want to say?” Yamauchi-san’s voice started to crack as she seemed start to crying.

I trying to peek from behind the wall and when I see Yamauchi-san’s face, she is already in tears. I think this is my time to step in but what that man says after that make me stop doing so.

“Do you still love me? That picture and house password. You know right? That password combination is from a date when we start dating each other and coincidentally falls on the same day when you start studying at university. And if I am true, you still keep my black cat’s photo, right?”

“W-what are you talking about?” Yamauchi-san seem flustering with that man’s question.

That cat is not Yamauchi-san’s? I thought Kuro was Yamauchi-san’s cat.

“As I thought.”

“If you just want to say that to me, you are wasting my time, Yuichi!”

“I am getting married next week. I want to tell you that. I have already put the invitation letter on your dining table at home.”

After hearing that man said, I can see Yamauchi-san’s expression changes. Now, she seems to look angrier than before, and this is the first time I see her like that.

“WHAT?! Are you kidding me? We just broken up three months ago and now you already getting married to someone else?”

“I learn that I need to get to marry her quickly, so that I can’t repeat same mistakes again.”

“What about me then?! Was I just your experiment? You learn that you need to get married quickly? How lame that joke can be? After dating me for almost four years and then marrying a new person after only three months? How easy your life to forget about me quickly?” Yamauchi-san in disbelief with that man’s answer.

“Marina, I know that you are having a difficult time because of me. You don’t need to forgive me.”

“Do you want to know something? If only this world allows it, you will be the first I want to erase.”

Is this Yamauchi-san that I know? She seems different from her usual self.

“I don’t have anything to say about that.”

“You have shattered my heart many times, but this time is the biggest scar on my heart that you have made. You are inhuman,” Yamauchi-san's voice wavered as tears welled up in her eyes.

“I know about that. I think I will go now. Send my regards to others. Although I know they don’t want to see me again.”

“Just leave,” Yamauchi-san choked out the words, her voice breaking.

Then, that man left Yamauchi-san standing alone there. Suddenly she collapsed to her knees, her sobs echoing through the empty space. Meanwhile, I am here sitting behind the wall, helplessly doing nothing. Tears fall slowly from my eyes. Really, what’s wrong with me recently?