Saki's Determination: Part Four

“Hm?” Jackson spun around.

“We should… we should… talk again sometime… Ya’know. Like just the two of us… Would that be alright?”

Jackson almost immediately burst out in laughter, causing Katsumi to frown.

“What, are you asking me on a date?” He kept laughing.

“No… I just thought I should get to know you better… I mean like…” Katsumi’s face turned a distinct red.

“It’s alright, it’s alright… Just the way you asked wasn’t right at all. It was like you were confessing.”

“...So, could we?”

“Yeah, of course. It’d be nice.”

Katsumi didn’t bother to respond. He was ready to be done and mentally marked that as the end of their interaction. The light flipped to green and he turned to cross.

From behind Jackson called out, “Hey! I’ll give you a call soon, okay?!”

Does he even have my number?

☒ ☒ ☒

“Nara, what’d you say if I told you I got a date with a man?’

The phone she was scrolling on slipped out of her hand and landed on her face.

“You know, like if I were to go out with a man?” Katsumi reaffirmed.

She jolted up from the couch. “Is that why you’ve never made a move on me!?”

“I think so…”

“What!?”
Katsumi smiled. “Nah I’m just fuckin’ with you.”

Nara took in a few deep breaths and laid back down. “The scariest part is I kinda believed ya’.”

“You really think I’m like that?”

“I mean with the way you carry yer’self and walk, yeah.”

“There’s something wrong with the way I walk!?”

Nara grinned.

☒ ☒ ☒

“Katsumi, you think you wanna have everyone over tonight?” Nara came back to the living room from the kitchen. “It is Friday, don’t think anyone’s busy.”

Isn’t that the last thing I should be doing?

Katsumi was sat in front of his T.V playing a game as a robot in a black-dress.

Isn’t that the opposite of what I promised Arata?

Katsumi set down his controller.

A hand made harsh, sudden contact with the back of his head. “Hey! Are ya’ like having sex with 2B in yer’ head or somethin’?”

“Huh— Oh, sorry… I just zoned out.”

“...I was askin’ if you wanted people over tonight?”

“Hey, Katsumi, It’s been a minute.” Katsumi’s friend Nobuo greeted him as he entered.

“Yeah, it definitely feels like it’s been a bit.”

“Your eye all better?”

“Almost as if it didn’t happen.”

“Glad to hear.” Nobuo patted him on the back.

Maaya followed in behind him holding an expensive looking bottle of Sake. “Hello~!”

“Evening Maaya”

The next two in were Shouko and Kenshi. Behind them was an American girl, one with long blonde hair.

Katsumi recognized her.

He turned to Maaya and whispered, “Is that the girl in the photo you showed us?”

“Yeah, that’s Jackie.”

“Hey, Nobuo!” Nara called out. “Where’s Makoto?”

“Apparently he’s been seeing someone for a little bit now. He’s busy tonight.”

Katsumi did a double take at this. There’s no way… Is he actually starting something with Hirano?

Nobuo and Shouko remained in the kitchen while the rest of the group made their way into the living room.

“Jackie, I don’t think you’ve met Katsumi yet.” Maaya introduced him.

“No, I haven’t. It’s nice to meet you.” She gave a large smile with her straight, white-teeth.

“Hi.” Katsumi gave a small smile joined by a bow back, “I think I go to university with your younger brother, Jackson.”

“Really!? You know Jackson!?”

“Yeah—”

“I’m so glad… It’s relieving to hear he has friends now.”

What’d she mean by that? Did he not back in America? Or is she just worried? “I won’t be worried, everyone loves him.”

She seemed even more taken aback by this. “That’s incredible…”

I’ve gotta ask… “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but did he not have friends back in America?”

Jackie laughed a little. “Yeah, not really. He spent all of his time in his room doing something on his computer.”

What?

“It sounds like he’s done a complete one-eighty, that’s great to hear!”

A few scenes of Jackson flashed in Katsumi’s head. Most of them were of him looking so natural interacting with people he’s never met before. Introducing himself as if it’s something he’s always done.

It’s not possible he just switched up like that… I don’t believe it.

After a bit the two in the kitchen rejoined everyone in the living room. The evening went on like all the others Katsumi was familiar with. It was a feeling that a part of him missed.

But no matter how familiar and comforting it felt, he was still breaking that promise to Arata. Wasn’t he?

Katsumi’s phone dinged. A text from an unknown number.

His living room was empty, everyone had left about thirty minutes ago—even Nara. It was the depth of the night and Katsumi jolted awake from the notification.

Using all his strength to lift a finger, he tried to tap on his screen. The phone was swirling and fading from right to left. After a bit of trying he finally managed to unlock it.

He stared at the home-screen for minutes, waiting for his phone to do something. He blinked, realizing that’s not how it works.

It took a couple more seconds but Katsumi managed to open the LINE app.

Unknown Sender: It’s Jackson, come outside for a sec. I’m here.

Jackson… Jackson… Was he here? His sister? It’s his sister forgetting something?

Katsumi stumbled to his feet.

I guess I’ll see what they want.

He wobbled his way to the front door using the wall as a guide. He slipped on his shoes and poked his head out of the door. No one was there.

Stepping outside, the cool night-air rushed into his nose. Katsumi took a deep breath in, one that seemed to put some conscious life back into him.

He blinked.

Lights from the city made the horizon glow. The air was clean and refreshing.

What was I doing?

Katsumi walked up the railing and peered out to the street below.

There was a foreign man standing directly below.

Jackson?

Jackson held his cellphone to his ear and looked up at Katsumi. He waved, signaling for him to come down.

Katsumi nodded and began the trek down.

Shit… Why’d I do this… I wish I could walk, there’s no reason I should be getting faded like this so often…

He wavered but caught himself on a wall.