Mayumi & Decisions: Part Four

Wednesday… I got Arata to agree to let me have another chance but I still have no clue of what to do exactly. I don’t know what would work for her.

Katsumi glanced to his left. Mayumi sat in the desk next to him, listening to the lecture. She pushed some of her black hair behind her ear and twirled a pencil around her fingers.

Well, I don’t think that’s completely true either. I do know her a little. The problem is that I don’t know much about those things.

Our trip to Tokyo… She said something about a change? What was it… A change in scenery?

I think she said something like that. But how do I do that? She meant doing something different than you usually do. A trip? We already went on one... It was a failure though.

It’d be ironic if I made all this effort just for my idea to be uninteresting and monotonous. She’d probably really hate me for that.

Who’s someone I could ask about this? Hirano…? Rather not honestly, I’ve been bothering her quite a bit I feel like. I feel bad admitting this, but all of the adults I know don’t act like functioning members of society.

After another moment of thinking over names one popped in his head.

Makoto? Actually he’s pretty normal. He works an office job, graduated from university early. He’d have a good idea… I hope….

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“Katsumi, I feel like I'm not the best person to ask for relationship advice. I mean I might have the most experience, but they aren’t good experiences.”

“I wouldn’t really say it’s relationship advice like that. It’s more… general… people advice? I guess.” Katsumi said.

Makoto and Katsumi had met up at a local diner fairly early the next day. Both of them decided on coffee and no food.

“I don’t think I’d be much use for that either, but I’ll try.” Makoto sipped from his cup.

“You remember that girl with the black bob-cut from like two weeks back?”

Makoto gave him a blank stare.

“The girl’s apartment we went in? The one I punched a hole in the wall of?”

“Oh yeah~ her. That wasn’t your best moment I’d say.” Makoto laughed. “Were you two dating before that? Trying to get back together?”

“No, nothing like that. We were… involved in a way? It’s weird to explain. We weren’t exactly friends but still involved in each other's lives.”

Makoto thought for a short time. “I kinda get you. I’ve been in situations like that when I was younger. So what’s this all about?”

“It began that night when we went into her apartment. I really messed up with her and I want to make things better. I got an idea of what to do but no clue how to go about it.”

“What’s the idea?”

“I remember some stuff she said about finding new scenery or breaking up the daily monotony. I didn’t really understand what she meant but I think it’s about doing stuff you usually don’t.”

Makoto smiled. “I think that really shows our age difference.”

“Does a few years really make that much difference?”

“I think it does. Our what, six years? Age difference is massive at this point in life. I’ve had so many experiences that you just aren’t able to have yet.”

Katsumi rested his head on his hand. “So what’s your point?”

“My point is I think I know how to help you with your problem. And you’ve almost hit it right on the head. I don’t have a clue what kind of person she is but it sounds like she loves new experiences. Finding or doing something away from home, like you mentioned, going on a trip.”

“So is that what you think we should do?”

“Yeah. It’d be a good way to build a new connection with her. However, unless you’re just doing a day trip, the only hotels that someone your age would be able to check into are really shitty. So you’d need someone older to reserve it.”

“Aren’t I an adult now?”

“Well yes, but hotel managers wouldn’t trust a guy and a girl your age booking a room.”

“Is this the part where you suggest you come along?”

Makoto chuckled. “I wish, Katsumi, but I’m completely swamped at work. I couldn’t take even a day off if I had to.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, sorry bud… You could ask someone like Shouko or Kenshi, but I don’t think you really want people like them to go along on this trip.”

Katsumi didn’t want to directly acknowledge this fact about his friends but he knew Makoto was right.

“Is there any other adult that you’re close to that’s also… publicly presentable?” Makoto continued. “I know your parents wouldn’t come all the way here just for something frivolous like this.”

“There is one I think…”