V2 - A Date With Jackson: Part One

“Evening Katsumi.” Jackson greeted him at the front door.

In return Katsumi gave a dead-stare—taking almost twenty seconds to finally respond with, “...Hi.”

“Let’s walk. Think you can do that?”

“...Yeah… I’m coming down, I think.” Katsumi mustered all of his focus on his steps.

“Let’s get you a hangover drink, come on.”

Do those work for being high? “Won’t they not sell them to you? You’re the same age as me.”

“I’m a foreigner, they probably won’t realize how old I am.”

After a bit of walking a realization struck Katsumi. “...Why are you here right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… Why’d you uh, come to my apartment at two in the morning?”

Jackson shoved his hands in his pockets. “I walked my sister to the station this evening, and she mentioned something about going to a ‘Murakami’s apartment’. I honestly didn’t think she meant you. But when she came home and I asked her, she described you exactly.”

“...Why’re you here?”

“I know my sisters ‘lifestyle’. And I was aware yours was sorta like hers. But I didn’t expect it to be to the same extent. I knew you weren’t doing well, but I didn’t expect you to be doing this bad.”

“...So what if I am?”

“Do you not care about Arata?”

He has some fucking nerve saying that… “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Jackson shook his head.

“Arata and I agreed that we wouldn’t talk anymore for her own good. That I’d work on myself without her.”

Jackson shook his head more. “This? This is working on yourself?”

“I’m trying.”

“Clearly trying for you is not doing anything then. Your eyes are bloodshot and you look awful.” Jackson smirked.

Katsumi grit his teeth. “Aren’t you the same as your sister? You’re the one who asked me for a cigarette the first time you talk to me.”

“You know you’re lying to yourself. One cigarette isn’t the same as—”

“...You should be worried about yourself and Akito. Not my problems.”

“You really think some relationship drama is the same as a drug-addiction?”

“It’s not an addiction!”

“I live with an addict, I know what it looks like.”

“You don’t know shit!”

Jackson sighed.

The two stopped outside a convenience store.

“Stay here for a moment, I’ll be right back.” Jackson stepped through the automatic doors.

He came back out a minute later with a hangover drink. Katsumi was sitting on the curb with his head in between his knees.

“Here.” Jackson set the drink next to him.

Katsumi kept his head in between his knees. “You wanted to meet up just so you could give me shit?”

Jackson stared down at him. “If you want to see it that way, then sure. But I know you’re smart enough to realize that’s not why.”

“All this talking and posturing doesn’t change anything. So what’s wrong with seeing it my way?”

The air next to Katsumi changed as Jackson sat down next to him. “You and Arata are quite alike… You’re both troublemakers.”

Katsumi lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Neither of you can help yourself from getting involved. You’ve been on that path much longer than Arata, but she isn’t far behind. You always end up getting too close to the flame, and get burnt.”

Katsumi rubbed his face while Jackson continued.

“I mean, Arata’s already received a burn. From you, no?”

There wasn’t anger boiling up in Katsumi from this comment—no rage at Jackson. He didn’t want to punch him, or argue he was wrong. His mind was quiet as he stared off past him.

Jackson smiled. “Are you free tomorrow morning?”

“Why?”

“Let’s get breakfast, I want to talk more.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to get up then…”

“See that diner a few stores down? I’ll be there at nine AM.”

Katsumi lazily turned his head towards where Jackson was pointing. “I won’t be up in time…”

Jackson sighed and stood up. “Just try.” He extended a hand to Katsumi.

He grabbed Jackson's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Without a word the two began the walk home. To Katsumi it felt like forever, stuck in the silent company of Jackson.

Katsumi was nodding off at his kitchen-island. He fumbled with a small bag and poured out some of the contents.

A small stream of blood ran from his nose. He felt awake for the first time in a while after lifelessly wandering through the last day.

He slammed his hand on the table—then repeatedly slapped it.

After staring at the wall for what felt like an eternity he checked the time on his phone. It was eight-forty five.

Even if I commit to ‘helping Akito’, she wouldn’t like the Jackson I tell her about. She wants me to learn more about him but everything I’ve ‘learned’ about him has been what she hates about me. He just hides it.

Katsumi wiped the blood away.

What am I doing? I shouldn’t be focused on those two.

Bells jingled as the diner's door swung open—prompting a young woman with black hair to pop her head up from behind a counter.

“Hi, welcome to— Oh, Murakami.”

“Kitagawa?”

The young woman who popped up from behind the counter was Kitagawa Mai—Katsumi’s classmate and Saki’s friend.

“You work here?” He continued.

“Yeah, since high school. I think I’ve waited on you in high school as well…”

He slowly nodded his head like he remembered.

“Anyways.” She sighed. “Table for one?”

“Actually I’m here to meet someone, I think they’re here already.”

“Jackson?”

“Y-yes… How’d you know?”

“He told me he was meeting someone from our class when I seated him… I just wasn’t expecting it to be… you…”

Nice way to sneak in an insult… But seriously who is she? I’ve never seen her before.

“Jackson’s in the back right next to the window,” She gestured with her head.

“Thanks…”

From across the diner, the man in question waved.

“Morning Katsumi,” Jackson said as he set down a cup of coffee. “You’re looking lively now.”

“I had an energy drink.” Katsumi sat down opposite of him.

Jackson leaned over the table a little to get a closer look at his face. Katsumi’s eyes were blood-shot and wide-open.

“Must’ve been a strong energy drink.”

“...”

Jackson turned his attention to the girl that greeted Katsumi at the door. She had gone back to staring at the front door with a bored expression.

“Hey, did you know Mueriko worked here?”

Katsumi shook his head. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t know she existed until just now…”

“Really?” There was genuine surprise in Jackon’s tone. “She sits right in front of you…”

“I know now…”

“I think she’s even turned and talked to you before.”

“Well… I probably wasn’t… the most sober… then…”

Mai came over and took Katsumi’s order which was just a simple cup of coffee.

After she left Katsumi leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. “So? What’s this about? You never told me when we were outside the convenience store.”

“I wanted to have breakfast with you.”

“When I said I wanted to get to know you, I didn’t actually want to go on a date with you…”

This prompted a grin from Jackson. “I’m heart broken.”