It Starts With You: Part Five

Shit, I spent all this time messing around with Hirano and Makoto, I didn’t look at all. Now that I think about it though, what does she like to eat? I’ll just get a small list of some places and hope she likes one of them… Hold on a moment… I don’t have a cellphone. How’ve I gone so long without remembering I broke it a few weeks ago… I mean not many people messaged me so it was almost useless. That’s kinda sad… More importantly, how am I gonna find a place to eat? Read a map? That doesn’t show me reviews or anything. I guess I might have to ask Arata to use her’s…

Katsumi grabbed Mayumi’s cellphone from the charging-cord and walked up to the bathroom door.

“Arata, about finding a place to eat. I’d need to use your phone… what’s the password?”

“Huh? Why mine? Is yours dead?” Her voice came through muffled.

“I broke it a few weeks ago.”

“Oh~ I forgot, sorry.”

“I didn’t even realize it myself. I’ll probably get a new one soon.” That’s a lie, I can’t afford anything after this trip.

“I see… The password is my birthday.”

“Your birthday… And what's that?”

“...I guess we never told each other our birthdays. Mine is Halloween.”

“Interesting…” Katsumi typed in the numbers for that date and her cell phone unlocked. Arata’s homescreen was a selfie of her and a man smiling together. However, in the photo she looked much younger, and Katsumi didn’t recognize the man at all. The picture was taken in a massive sea of people. In the distance was a stage with flashing lights and what looked like a band performing.

Is that one of those bands she was listening to? I never expected her to go to concerts. But who’s that man? Her dad maybe?

“Murakami, what’s yours?” Mayumi asked, muffled through the door.

“Huh? Why’d you wanna know?”

“Because we were telling each other our birthdays. I tell you mine, you tell me yours.” Arata’s tone became a mixture of curiosity and curtness.

“...August third.”

“Summer birthdays are nice.”

“I suppose.”

“…You should find a place, I’ll be out soon.”

After continuing on minding their own business for while, Mayumi asked a question from inside the bathroom. “Murakami, is my watch on the nightstand?”

“Yeah, here—” Katsumi got up to retrieve the watch but paused when he saw Mayumi step out of the bathroom. “Arata, I know I’m not one to comment on fashion at all really, but what are you wearing?”

“Does it look bad?” She said while fiddling with her cuffs.

Mayumi had on tan slacks that went up to her waist, accentuated by dark-brown belt. Her top was a white turtle-neck covered by a short beige blazer, matching the color of her slacks. The blazer had two marbled brown buttons running down the middle—none of which were buttoned.

“No… it’s just… interesting.”

“Interesting… in a bad way?” Mayumi raised an eyebrow.

“No-no, it looks good. It’s just… not what I was expecting?”

“What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know. It just wasn’t that. B-but don’t worry, I think you look… good in it.”

Mayumi looked up from her cuff. “Thank you,” She said in a soft tone.

I don’t think I’m saying that to be nice, it really does look good on her. It fits her body nicely… Katsumi zoned out for a moment. I shouldn’t be thinking about her in that way… We’re not close like that, it's wrong.

Looking at her outfit it makes me feel like I have to dress up a bit more than what I have on… That was a terrible thing for me to say, I’m not going to linger on it. I think that’d make the atmosphere awkward.

“I brought some nicer clothes for this kind of occasion actually, I’ll go back and change before we go.”

A few minutes later, after entering the bathroom with a small stack of folded clothes, Katsumi came back out. He was wearing dark grey straight-fit dress pants paired with a sweater featuring angled red and white stripes.

“I don’t have a blazer though… sorry.”

“I apologize if this sounds rude, Murakami—”

This is probably gonna be the most hurtful thing I’ve ever heard.

“—but I was not aware you had nicer clothes like that, because, well… you never wear anything that looks good.”

Ouch— “I’ll have you know that I used to be very fashionable.”

“Why did you stop?”

This sudden rebuttal to Katsumi’s statement of being fashionable caused him to zone out.

“Murakami?” She tilted her head.

“...I guess I stopped putting in the effort.”

With their conversation ending, they soon found themselves at the hotel entrance, watching the rain drench the city. It wasn’t a storm that would frighten you, or one that would distract your thoughts, but a rain that softly complemented the town.

It dripped off the leaves and plants, off the roof-tops and through the gutters, down the streets and into the drainage.

Katsumi looked to his right—Mayumi opened the umbrella she was holding.

My mind is always on the future… what I need to do and what’s to come. I want to try looking at what's around me instead. I’ll admit that a lot of what I’ve been doing isn’t the best for me, but I don’t think it’s completely wrong either.

Mayumi stepped out from the entrance with Katsumi by her side. The rain pattered against the black umbrella.

Maybe I do need to change.

“Where are we going?” Mayumi asked.

Maybe she’s been right.

“It’s up the street a little ways.”

But, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

“Lead the way, Murakami.”

So for now, I just want to enjoy this last weekend I have with Arata.