Tired Conversation

“Nara?”

“Hm?”

The two found themselves where they always did—Katsumi’s living room. Nara sat in front of the television playing a video game while Katsumi laid on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Can you be serious with me for a second.”

She noticed the look on Katsumi’s face—it was one she rarely saw. The look was telling her to not be her usual self right now

“Yeah… sure.”

“Am I a danger?”

“What? What’s that supposta’ mean?”

“...Akito called me that yesterday.”

“Hey hey hey, Katsumi. Listen.” Nara scooted over on the couch closer to Katsumi, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Never listen to anything that girl says. Her perspective on the world is backwards, she doesn’t understand nothin’.”

Katsumi looked up at Nara.

“She’s selfish. Her main priority is lookin’ perfect in front of her classmates, not about how they feel.”

“...”

“Katsumi?”

With a drawn out sigh he said, “I know you don’t like her, but I’ve hurt Arata…”

“What? Did ya’ beat her up or somethin’?”

“No, nothing like that. Just by involving myself with her, I’ve hurt Arata emotionally.”

“Well…” Nara took a moment to think about her words before speaking. “I think that’s on her.”

Katsumi narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, she ain’t used to people like us. But that ain’t a bad thing, that’s just her. She isn’t used to seein’ people be people. I’m guessin’ she’s used to seein’ people always act the way society tells ‘em to.” Nara peered out the opened window.

“But who are ‘people like us’? What if she’s right? What if we’re the problem? There’s a reason a lot of the things we do are made illegal.”

“I don’t think it’s that deep Katsumi. It’s just a bit of fun. We don’t harm anyone.”

“But we have.”

“...”

“I’ve hurt Arata”

“Katsumi, you’re over thinkin’ it. Let’s just put this topic aside. Come on, let's drink, it’ll help.”

                                                                        ☒ ☒ ☒

It’s Friday already… four days since I’ve seen Arata… I didn’t even say a word to her on Monday even though she made sure I came to my classes. But after that… she hasn’t come.

“Katsumi?”

“Hm?” Katsumi picked his head up off his hand, breaking his focus away from the rain. “Oh, Jackson… What’d you want?”

“I wanna chat for a bit.” Jackson said, inviting himself to take a seat.

Katsumi had been sitting idly in the campus-café as he usually did—waiting for the minutes to pass.

“Can’t you see I’m busy spending my off time between classes with my friends?” Katsumi sat up a bit straighter.

There was nobody else within a few meters of the two.

This got a chuckle out of Jackson. After he took a short second to settle down he did a quick stretch and smiled at Katsumi. “I’ll just say it bluntly, since I’m assuming you don’t want to play my guessing game.”

Katsumi rolled his eyes because he knew exactly what Jackson wanted to talk about.

“Saki told me about what happened last weekend with Arata. However, I don’t really trust her perspective. I wanted to hear it from you.”

“What she told you was probably close to the truth. I’d believe what you heard.”

“Is that so?” Jackson smiled. “On Tuesday, where were you?”

“...”

“You know, Arata stood at the front of the classroom by herself, waiting for you.”

“...”

“I think a part of her was hoping for some cliche thing to happen, like you bursting through the door at the last second and doing the presentation with her.”

Katsumi gazed out at the rain battering the windows.

“I don’t think many people in the class know her really, so for this to be their first impression of her must be awful… Hasegawa-sensei stepped in and was her partner for the presentation. Everyone in class loves him so it went well I thought. At least it looked like they all seemed to enjoy it.”

Jackson turned towards Katsumi. “But the whole time she seemed sort of out of sync, like she was looking off to somewhere else.”

I know…

“I don’t know Arata at all. So I didn’t know if that’s how she usually acts, but it didn’t seem normal.”

“It’s not,” Katsumi said.

“So, what’re you gonna do?”

I can’t just let someone who… helped me… feel like that. I honestly don’t know how to feel about Arata right now. But what I do know is that I can’t let it stand like this. “I think— I think I have to make it right. I can’t let her go on like this.”

“I’m glad… It was nice talking with you Katsumi. Kiki is probably going to start worrying about me disappearing, so I’m gonna head back.” Jackson gave Katsumi a pat on the shoulder and a nod.

It only took the tall foreign a few strides to reach the café’s exit, where he quickly disappeared through the doorway.

                                                                      ☒ ☒ ☒

“Your apartment is a lot nicer now Katsumi… You can actually walk around it, ya’ know?” Nara ran her finger over the clean countertop and inspected it—not a single spec of dirt or dust.

“It was cleaned over two weeks ago, I think it’s a bit late to be impressed by it.”

“Well I’ve never really noticed. It’s been disgustin’ for so long I was just used to it. That was actually a pretty good decision, gettin’ Arata to help ya’ clean.”

“I guess.”

“Oh, ‘forgot to mention.”

“Huh?” Katsumi responded while still focused on the game he was playing.

“I bumped into ‘er on my way here this afternoon. I thought she’d be in class.”

Katsumi set down his controller.

Nara came into the living room and flopped herself onto the couch. “Yeah, I never really thought she’d be the type to ever skip any classes, so initially I thought she was sick. But after askin’ her that she said no. So I was like, then why are ya’ skippin’ school? She looked at me all sad like and said somethin’ like, ‘tell Katsumi ta’ keep comin’ to class. I just need a bit more time’. I shortened it but that’s the gist of it.”

Katsumi looked down at the controller in his lap and smiled.

I don’t know why, but I’m glad. The fact that I can’t stop smiling kind of creeps me out, but somehow I feel like a huge load was lifted off of my shoulders. I can’t wrap my head around why I feel so strongly about something so insignificant but I guess I’ll take it… What changed in her…? It must’ve been Jackson, wasn’t it. He probably repeated our conversation to Saki and she talked to Arata…

“Katsumi?”

“O-oh— yeah—”

“What does all that mean?”

Katsumi lingered in silence for a moment. “I think she was talking about the wrong person.”

Nara looked off out the window. “Yeah… Ya’ might be right.”

“I’ll ask her about it the next time I see her, but it was probably just a mix up.”

“Yeah… Thanks.”