It Starts With You: Part Four

The sun was low in the horizon, turning the sky into a gradient of reds and oranges. A wind blowing in from the east seemed to be carrying distant, heavy storm clouds with it. A sight none of the four wanted to see.

“Solest Hotel… This place looks good, nice choice Katsumi,” Kaede said.

The group was now in Takachiho, standing outside of their destined hotel. While it wasn’t one like you’d see in a heavily trafficked tourist area, or a big city—it was modern and sleek nonetheless.

“Thank you,” Katsumi replied.

“Looking at the forecast it says the rain should only be from tonight into tomorrow morning. Nothing to worry about really,” Kaede said as she put away her cellphone.

“Yeah, we did book for tonight through monday so we have all of Sunday to do what we want,” Makoto added on.

Mayumi stared ahead at the front entrance of the hotel. “What do you mean, ‘through Monday’?

“I don’t mean to be rude Arata, but it’s exactly what I said.”

Mayumi didn’t offer any answer back to Makoto. She grabbed onto the handle of her suitcase and walked through the front doors.

“Ah— Mayumi, hold on.” Kaede picked up her suitcase and followed after her.

“From her reaction I’m guessing you didn’t tell Arata that she’d be missing a day of classes?” Makoto smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

“No…” Katsumi’s gaze was fixated on the doors Mayumi just disappeared through.

“It’ll be alright.” Makoto picked up his luggage and went inside.

A raindrop landed squarely on Katsumi’s nose—then another. The rain soon deafened the world around him. He stared up at the electronic Solest Hotel sign.

Now wet, with an audible sigh, Katsumi entered the hotel.

A nicely furnished room with large windows spanning the entire length of it was the sight that met Katsumi when he entered. Along with a girl sporting a black bob-cut unpacking her things.

“We are together it looks like,” Mayumi said.

“Yeah…”

Katsumi wanted to continue and ask why that was, but he found his mind too preoccupied with the trip going wrong. He stood in the doorway silently and watched rain patter the window.

Mayumi, almost like a telepath, seemed to get this and added on. “Hirano said she wanted to talk in private with Matsushita.”

Katsumi sighed. “Those two…”

“I don’t understand what their problem is either.”

Mayumi plugged a cable into the wall and connected it to her cellphone—setting it on the nightstand.

“I’m going to go take a shower. Murakami, if you could, would you please find us a place to get dinner?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Mayumi entered the bathroom with a small stack of clothes in her arms—locking the door.

She acts passive around everyone else, going with the flow. I guess I could describe it as simply existing. But when she’s talking it’s so much more forward, telling me exactly what she wants… Is it because she feels more comfortable around me?

Katsumi began unpacking his suitcase.

I mean on one hand that’d make sense… We’ve spent a decent amount of time together in the last month. On the other hand though, I’ve put her into so many shitty situations that if I were her I would want to stay as far away as possible from me. It could just be that she has no respect for me, so she just says what she wants because of that.

The sound of the water rushing from the shower blended with the rainstorm.

It’s calming. Hearing the shower run. It lets you know someone is nearby. It’s funny to think about, in a few years this sound might be nostalgic to me. Maybe I’ll hear this same sound and be reminded of the month I spent with Arata.

A loud thud came from the wall, made by the people in the room next to them. These people being Makoto and Kaede. Katsumi assumed the worst, either they were doing something he’d really rather they not do or they got into a bad fight.

We really should’ve separated those two…

Katsumi got up and walked down the hall. He sighed to himself as he turned the door handle.

When he opened the door Makoto was on one side of the room with a spilled suitcase lying next to him. Kaede was on the opposite side of the room—her face colored red.

“Katsumi! This crazy lady threw her suitcase at me!”

“Yeah I did! You shouldn’t say things like that to a woman!” Kaede crossed her arms.

“Hold on you two, what’s going on… What did Makoto say?” Katsumi sounded tired of their antics already.

Kaede turned her head and lifted her chin. “He asked if I wanted to shower with him.”

“No! You misheard me! I said ‘Do you want to shower?’ then you cut me off by throwing your suitcase at me. I was going to add on ‘or can I go first?’ You overreacted!” Makoto cried.

“Katsumi, he's lying. Matsushita was trying to make a move on me with that comment,” Kaede argued back.

The argument Kaede offered caused Katsumi to raise an eyebrow and glance back and forth between the two.

The adult woman who wasn’t acting like it continued. “I can’t believe I agreed to go on this trip with that pervert… Katsumi, I request you switch rooms with me. I’ll be safe with Mayumi.”

This is my chance to set them straight. “This trip is my chance to make an apology to Arata, so I’ll be forcing you two to sort out your differences. I can’t believe I have to say that. Just get along for a few days, for my sake.”

“Katsumi! Please—”

Before hearing out the rest of Kaede’s pleading, Katsumi shut the door and walked back over to his suite.

Oh my god. I really won’t have a single moment to relax, will I? Is this what it’s going to be like with kids?

The water from the shower turned off, reminding Katsumi he was tasked with finding somewhere to eat.