The Right Direction: Part Three

The elevator doors slid open and the duo stepped into the hallway to Mayumi’s apartment. However, something stopped them in their tracks once they exited. A man was near the end of the hallway, looking beat up and tired. His face was obscured by a large cowboy-hat.

Mayumi furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

A black object laid on the ground next to the man—he clenched his stomach and coughed.

Mayumi’s bag fell to the floor.

“Yumi, What’s going on? W-who’s that?” Concern began to spread across Yui’s face.

The voice from an unseen person flooded the corridor. “Yer’ all spent sherif… This town ain’t big enough for the both’ us.”

A girl wearing an American cowboy-hat stepped out of the doorway. She had a wide stance and her hand hovered over her hip—a stance straight out of a western.

“T-that… that’s where you’re wrong, Big-Red… I still got fight left in me…”

“You don’t—“

In a flash, the man on the ground reached for the black object and pointed it at the girl. He pulled a trigger, making a clicking sound.

“W-well I’ll be damned…”

The girl fell over backwards into the doorway.

The man looked over at the two girls. “Arata— Oh, and Nakagawa.”

“Murakami!?”

“W-what?” Yui was visibly confused

“What are you doing! Oh my god! This— this is— No! No-no-no! Don’t tell me you two are messing around with those guns! They’re fake right!?”

“A-Arata, calm down. It’s alright, really. Look, they aren’t loaded, you’re freaking out for nothing. See?” Katsumi's words came out quickly as he laughed nervously.

The girl in the cowboy-hat stood up and joined Katsumi—it was Nara.

Both of the two were dressed as cowboys and had heavily dilated pupils accompanied by bloodshot whites.

Katsumi pulled the magazine out and showed it was empty. After putting it back in, he held it mere centimeters from Nara’s head and rapidly pulled the trigger. “See? See? It’s empty.”

“Stop! Stop! What’s wrong with you!?” Mayumi was shaken by his actions.

“Y-Yumi? I— what is this? Are they cosplaying or something? Yumi, who is that standing by Murakami?” Yui’s voice was small.

Nara had been off in her own world staring blankly out at the cityscape while Katsumi was giving his demonstration. However, Yui’s remark regained her attention. “We all went to high school together, Nakagawa. Surely you remember me.”

“I don’t remember you…” Yui’s voice trailed off.

“It’s alright, I never showed up much anyways.”

“Are you the girl Kiki has been mentioning?”

Nara smiled and ignored Yui’s question. “I get why you would be worried, but there really ain’t a reason to be scared. These guns ain’t loaded, they’re practically props.”

She began approaching Mayumi. “And Arata, please, ya’ gotta understand. I was just comin’ here to pick ‘em up from Katsumi. We simply happened ta’ get carried away—just havin’ a little fun.”

“D-don’t get near me.”

“What? Do I scare ya’?”

“Nara, that’s enough.” Katsumi tried to interject.

Nara stopped moving and extended her arm straight out, pointing the gun directly at Mayumi.

She squeezed and the trigger was pulled. The gun clicked—

“Bang.”

Mayumi had been turning red and was clenching her fists. She stared down the barrel of the gun. Tears had began forming in the corners of her eyes. This experience was something she didn’t understand, but still tried to stand her own.

Another long second passed until Mayumi swiveled towards Yui—her face had turned beet red.

“Well I suppose that'd be most people's reaction.… Tell ya’ what—” Nara pulled out her smartphone and began tapping away. “I’ll call my brother and tell him to come pick me and everythin’ up. It all works out, right? Problem solved, nothing for ya’ to worry ‘bout.” She clasped her hands together and attempted a sincere smile.

“Nothing for me to worry about? What’s that supposed to mean…” Mayumi whispered.

“Eh? What was that? Can’t hear ya’.”

“Look at him… You really think there’s nothing to worry about? Why’re you doing this?”

“Why’m I doin’ what? Bein’ with my friend? Why’re you gettin’ so invested in other’s' personal lives? Come on Yumi, let’s grow up and stop pretendin’ to play the hero.” Nara picked up the cardboard box and put the guns back in it.

“Stop ‘playing the hero’? Don’t give me that… Both of your eyes are bloodshot. You're getting him involved with criminals. I-I-I’m actually trying to help him. Are you really blind to what you are doing to him? Is this normal to you?”

“Yumi?” Yui tugged at the sleeve of a wavering Mayumi. “This isn’t like you.”

Nara laughed. “Oh my god you’re delusional.” She looked down at her smartphone then tipped her cowboy-hat. “My ride’s here soon, later y’all. Have a good weekend!”

Nara strode past a disheveled Mayumi—glaring at her from the corner of her eye as she passed.

The remaining three stood in the hallway as a heavy silence settled in.

After a while longer, Yui faced Katsumi and gave him a wry smile. “I guess you have changed a bit since high school.” Yui attempted a small laugh after her sentence to make it seem like a friendly poke, but she failed.

“I’ll just… I’ll just head home… Murakami, we uhm, we brought the assignments you’ve missed, make sure you do them.”

Yui quickly bowed before swiftly making her way to the elevator, leaving Katsumi and Mayumi as the last two in the hallway.

“I really did not know what to expect when I agreed to help you, Murakami… But this? I never would have imagined you doing something like this. I don’t understand you two.”

“Arata, I’m sorry… I have no idea why Nara is acting like that, she’s normally fine with other people. I’ll talk to her about it.” Katsumi was talking exceptionally quick.

“That’s the problem.”

“Huh?”

“It’s Takagi that’s causing you to struggle. I remember you back in high school. Everytime exam scores were put up it was you in the top ten.”

“...”

“You were always surrounded by people. You looked friendly and approachable.”

Katsumi still didn’t respond.

“Your silence speaks volume, Murakami. I think you realize—”

“She’s not the problem…” He snapped. “Like I said, I’ll talk to her, and I apologize for her. But I don’t think she’s the problem. I’m guessing she’s just trying to look out for me in her own way.”

“You said you wanted a change, you told me you could. So trust what I’m saying. You won't know what will happen until you’ve given me this chance…”

“You— you don’t understand me or Nara.”

“Murakami. I want you to realize this on your own, I didn’t want to have to say this. But don’t forget our agreement. If you do not listen to me I’ll go to the police.”

Katsumi tensed up at this.

Mayumi shut her eyes and took a deep breath in, waiting to get a response from the nervous Katsumi.

When she opened her eyes, Katsumi met her eyes and silently nodded. While he looked reluctant still he understood the position of power Mayumi was in compared to him.

After receiving this acknowledgement and acceptance of her terms, Mayumi turned and stormed into her apartment. Even though Katsumi’s social skills had fallen off a cliff in recent months, he could easily read the emotions of the black haired girl—understanding he messed up.