It's Always Sunny in Kashiwa: Part One

“Hey, Murakami.”

“Hello? Who’s there?”

Katsumi’s eyes opened to A woman standing a few feet ahead of Katsumi. She was taller and older than him, dressed warmly in a long coat and a red scarf, her shoulder-length black hair framing her face.

“...Arata?”

She spoke into his ear, “When are you going to wake up, Katsumi?”

A deafening alarm rang out through his head. Katsumi opened his eyes and shot up in bed.

His curtains ruffled in a breeze that came through his bedroom window. He looked to his left, and there was a black-haired girl—leaning forward with an arm stretched out, like she was about to wake him up.

“A-Arata?” Katsumi shivered.

“The morning air is cold, isn’t it?”

He drifted his gaze back to the open window. “...Yeah.”

Some hair fell in front of Mayumi’s eye and she pushed it back behind her ear.

She wore her usual sweater and skirt, but because of the oddly chilly weather, she wore stockings and the long coat she bought in Tokyo.

Wrapped around her neck was a red scarf.

“Murakami, is something wrong? You’re staring.” Mayumi tilted her head.

“…No, sorry, nothing’s wrong. I just… had a weird dream.”

Mayumi stood up straight and walked over to the bedroom door. “Well you should start getting ready, we have to leave soon.”

“…Hold on. What’re you doing in my apartment!?”

“I waited outside for almost ten minutes… then I tried the doorknob and it was unlocked.”

“So you just came in!?”

“Would you have woken up?”

“I had an alarm set...”

“That’s good.” Mayumi stepped out and slowly closed his bedroom door.

I might as well give her a spare key at this point… she acts like she owns the place.

A few minutes later Katsumi left his bedroom and joined Mayumi in the living room.

“Ready to go?” He asked.

Mayumi was sitting on his couch looking through a small stack of papers. “Murakami, is this all your homework from last week?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He walked past her and to the front door.

“I am looking at the dates on these. You’re lying.”

“It’s probably a misprint.”

Katsumi slipped on his shoes and Mayumi joined him—papers in hand.

“You’re going to need to catch up with your classes.”

“I know, I know… It’ll happen eventually. Just not right now.”

“And why is that?”

“Because… I’ve got a lot more important things to do.”

Mayumi shut her eyes and sighed. “Like what?”

He broke eye contact and let his gaze drift. The two set off down the corridor towards the elevator.

“Tonight we are doing all those assignments.”

“I don’t want to,” Katsumi responded curtly.

“It’s the right thing for you to do… You should not give up on yourself this easily.”

“...Why should I listen to you?”

“Because if you don’t, I’ll report you to the police.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“W-what?” Mayumi was caught completely off guard.

“It’ll just be about a few years in a correctional facility then I’ll be out. You’ll be off to your job and I won’t have to worry about you anymore.”

“Wh— you— You’re messing with me. You would not go that far to get out of homework…”

Katsumi kept staring ahead as they were now walking on the sidewalk. He was struggling to contain a small smirk from forming.

“You jerk—” Mayumi gave him a light tap on the arm as the hue of her cheeks became slightly pink. “So you’ll catch up on your homework then, right?”

As Katsumi was again about to continue down his path of teasing Mayumi, he caught a glimpse of her pouting, expectant expression.

How do more people not see it, ncluding me for the longest time. But this girl is seriously cute, isn’t she?

“Yes… I’ll do my assignments…” He mumbled.

“Hm~? Did you say something?”

“I-I’ll catch up on homework tonight.

“Really?”

Katsumi gave a small nod.

“What made you change your mind? I was expecting you to continue your bit for a while longer.”

“It just wouldn’t be the worst thing to get it all done...”

“Oh? What was that?”

Katsumi picked up his pace. “We’re gonna be late for class, come on.”