V2 - Nara, Shouko, & Katsumi's Apartment: Part Two

“Can I get the six-piece, a small fry, and a sprite please?”

“Your total comes to seven hundred thirty-eight yen, thank you.”

Katsumi attempted to present something that vaguely resembled a smile to the cashier and took his food.

I might as well do the intended purpose of coming here…

He made his way to the staircase and found a seat near the glass railing at the edge of the second floor.

The view was a little interesting, an angle he didn’t normally see of a busy intersection.

Was this view worth the seven hundred yen? Probably not… Katsumi tried to think of a positive thing about this other than it being a little interesting. I had unlimited choices of the best local ‘hole-in-the-wall’ places and I chose a stupid two-story McDonalds…

What are Nara and Shouko even doing with that Takeshi guy? Was that his name…? No, it was Tahashi. That doesn’t matter…. What matters is what they’re doing.

His mind flashed to images he wished it didn’t. Images he wanted to scrub away with the most powerful solvent he could get his hands on.

He shivered a little.

I pray they’re just talking, or messing with him. But they were applying all that makeup… I might have to clean that couch as soon as possible.

What would I even use to clean it? Bleach? What? Wouldn’t that just bleach my couch? I mean it would be clean I think but that’s not what I want… Oh! I could just ask Arata— He cut his own thoughts off.

But they persisted.

She would probably instantly have a detailed plan on how to clean it. Arata always seemed like she knew what she was doing. I don’t know if it’s a bad thing, but I sorta liked not having to think all the time… That she would give me the directions…

With this thought though, something came back to him. How he acted.

Why do I appreciate it now that it’s gone… Am I stupid? I whined about how much she held me down, whenever she told me what to do I’d be resentful… Why am I reflecting on this over chicken nuggets?

He smiled.

A minute or so passed before he finally got back on his original thought process.

Maybe I could still ask her to help me… Or just give me advice… What did she do when we first cleaned my apartment?

He tried thinking back to what she told him then, or any of the techniques she used. But he couldn’t recall the exact specifics. This might have also been because he was focused on the wrong things during those times.

She smelled nice then… Her hair looked soft, she looked so determined when she was helping me… But I feel like she lost that look the longer she was around me…

It was almost like his brain was on auto-pilot at this point.

Her legs looked so nice in those jean-shorts too… And she was pretty strong…

No.

What am I thinking? Why am I feeling this way about her now? I don’t want to feel this way so why am I? I didn’t accept these feelings when I was able to, now my brain is taunting me like this.

He put his head in his hands.

I had my chance to feel this way with her and I decided not to. That was my choice.

Speaking of choices—I wonder how Akito is doing with getting closer to Jackson. A weird twisted part of me is hoping that things are working out for them. But then again, knowing those two’s personalities, I don’t see them functioning in any relationship.

Has Akito changed at all since high school…?

The answer came to him almost instantly.

No, she hasn’t. That’s probably why I don’t have much faith in the idea of her changing and being able to match with Jackson.

Katsumi began tapping his foot on the floor and let out a deep exhale.

Then why do I have this itch… Damnit, even after that conversation about not agreeing to…

It’s not just to try and make up for a mistake—one ‘good deed’ canceling out a bad one. It’s not because I feel bad for what I did to Arata… right? Will going along with Akito’s request really have the same result?

‘Like I said, you’ve already burned Arata. And I’m here to tell you I don’t want you to do it to Kiki.’

‘...Because that’s who I am…’

‘No! That’s who you’ve become!’

“IArata was right...”

At this point in his meal he had eaten only a fry. He suddenly realized this, that he’d been sitting staring out onto the street for almost fifteen minutes.

His whisper People from around the veranda had given him a few glances. However, most of the other customers were too engrossed in their conversations to notice his odd behavior

He picked up his tray and with some regret threw away his dinner.

Katsumi stood outside the McDonalds, waiting at the crosswalk in a sea of people.

Arata was right… She experienced it first hand. I might’ve changed outwardly, but inside, I haven’t at all.

He crossed the street with the crowd of people this time.

I shouldn’t go back to my apartment tonight… That’s so stupid, where am I supposed to sleep tonight? I could just find a nice park bench or something…

Of course I’m joking though.

He looked up at the street-sign at the corner of the street he was on—it was vaguely familiar.

He’d been here before.

Katsumi knocked on a door. He stood on a balcony somewhat similar to his apartment’s. After a second of silence he heard muffled footsteps coming from the other side.

The door swung open and he was met with a man in a wrinkled button-down shirt and slacks.

“Katsumi?”