"Soto! Wait up!"
"You're too slow!" I called out as I ran towards school as fast as I could, leaving my friend behind in the dust. It was a perfect fall day. Mom made French toast for breakfast, I slept rather well, and I was beating Kaito in a race… As always. I
"You're an asshole!"
"Ok!" I yelled, though I soon regretted that as a leaf flew into my throat and started to choke me, much to Kaito's amusement.
"Ha! Serves you right!" he laughed and slapped my back, which helped dislodge the leaf from my throat.
"And I'm the asshole here?"
"Hell, yeah, you ever notice how all the chicks seem to faun all over you?"
"Um… Girls like me?"
"You dense shit, you seriously haven't noticed them flirting?" Katio asked with an exasperated expression.
"Um… No…" I replied. I was beginning to feel really stupid considering I had no clue what Kaito was talking about. He grinned at me in amusement and folded his arms behind his head as he began to stroll into the gates of Akademi High. "Hey, don't walk off all smug like!" I shouted and leapt forward to catch up to him. "You seriously think chicks are into me? I thought I just had a lot of friends."
"Yeah, Man, I'm pretty sure Kyoko and Mistuki have been fighting over you when you're not around."
"No joke?"
"No joke."
I couldn't help but smile a little as I walked with Kaito into the school. We both took off our shoes and stuffed them into our lockers. Kaito seemed content to simply lean against the lockers, wiggling his eyebrows at me. That weirdo was always doing stuff like that. I lightly punched him in the shoulder, "Cut it out, Man."
Kaito let out a hardy laugh, "Yeah, sure. I heard the sports club is playing volley ball later. You gonna tag along?"
"Why would I want to watch volley ball? I don't like sports."
"For the hot chicks with their asses hanging out."
"I mean… As appealing as that is, that's what shady train station magazine racks are for."
"Oh come on, we won't be the only ones watching."
"I have science club activities later, you go on without me," I finally said. I mean, sure, ogling hot girls sounded appealing enough, but I didn't want to get caught doing that. It seems kinda creepy. Plus I didn't like bailing on my club.
Kaito sighed, rolled his eyes, and slumped over, "Fiiiiiinne. Leave me all alone. You're not fun."
"I know."
It'd been years since I thought about Kaito. I wondered if he even remembered me… Surely he had to? We spent most of our childhood together. We were practically inseparable until… Ryoba… I winced a little at the thought as I tried to pull myself out of bed. It was hard to do so some days, but I had to try harder for Ayano's sake. Still, my mind wandered and raced a million miles a minute, jumping around between the day ahead of me, Kaito, Ryoba, Ayano, and that stupid strawberry gum jingle from the 80s. I growled a little in irritation and slammed my face back into my pillow, trying to get a hold of my thoughts. It didn't work.
"Dad, Grandma wants to know what you'd like for breakfast," Ayano called from outside my room. Breakfast. Break. Breaking. Breaking furniture. Smash, shatter, Fuck! What's concentrations anyways? What did she just ask? Break… Break? Oh, breakfast! Shit, what do you eat for breakfast? Um… Fuck it, eggs.
"Anything with eggs sounds good." I responded, forcing myself to lift my face out of my pillow so she could hear.
"Got it! I'll tell her."
"Thanks, Sweetie." I mumbled and let my head fall back into my pillow. I kept my face there until I was forced to lift it for air again. Ever since I was able to get away from Ryoba, I've barely been able to think straight. My mind is constantly running around like a three year old with cotton candy. It's either hyperactive or thoughts are nonexistent. I feel crazy sometimes. I got up out of bed and tried my best to focus on getting ready, though I mostly just went on auto pilot by that point. I got myself ready then stumbled down the stairs, trying my best to avoid the family portraits on the wall. I didn't want to look at them. I didn't want to think about them, I didn't want them around me. Still, I didn't ask to take them down. It wouldn't be fair to Mom and Dad. I sat down at the table after grabbing my breakfast and quickly ate it. Ayano talked with Mom about something that I didn't have the brain power to process at that moment. Once we finished eating, we walked out to the garage only to be approached by a cat. The thing meowed at me, and I unconsciously screamed… It wasn't my proudest moment.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Ayano asked worriedly, snapping her attention to me.
"Soto! Package for you!" Mom called out.
"Coming!" I ran downstairs to see what it was that I got. I looked at the wet cardboard box that had been sitting out in the rain. Eagerly, I opened up the box, only to find three decapitated cats inside. I screamed and ended up knocking over the box, letting them fall onto the kitchen floor accidentally. When Mom ran over and saw, she screamed too.
"Dad, what's going on?"
"I FELT NOTHING! I FELT NOTHING! DAD, I FELT NOTHING!"
"Dad?"
"Oh, Darling, I know you're a cat person, so I got these cute little kitty ears just for you! Now say meow!"
"Dad!" Ayano yelled, causing me to snap out of it. I sat down on the ground, staring at the little cat run away from our garage. Ayano sat down next to me and hugged my arm worriedly. I tried to organize my thoughts, tried to forget all the cats. Fuck, what's with the Aishi's and cats? I was suddenly really thankful that Ayano has only ever asked for a bunny. Maybe I'll get her one. Maybe that'll help get cats out of my mind. I'll get Ayano a bunny. Yes, I'll get her one on my way home from work. She'll love it. "Dad, are you ok?"
"I'm ok, the cat just spooked me for a moment."
"… Was it because of the cat I…"
"No, no, not at all, Baby Girl, it just surprised me. Now let's get you to school."
"Are you ok to drive?"
"Of course I'm ok to drive, why wouldn't I be?" I asked as I opened the door for Ayano. She begrudgingly got into the car and I got in the driver's seat. We pulled out of the drive way and I turned up the music to try to hide the sound of my heavy breathing.
After work, I headed down to a local pet store to purchase a rabbit for Ayano. It took a while to find one that I felt was right, but I finally settled on a brown floppy eared rabbit. I picked up the essentials then went to check out, but ended up bumping into a worker on accident.
"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, jumping back a bit.
"It's ok, I'm sorry for bumping you, Ma'am."
She brushed herself off before smiling at me, "Can I help you check out?"
"Yes, thank you." I nodded in agreement. There was something odd about that woman... I felt like I knew her somehow, but how? I tried to push the thoughts out of my head as she helped me check out. The woman was short with long black hair and sad chocolate brown eyes. She smiled sweetly to me.
"Have a nice day, Sir!" She chirped. I smiled back and nodded.
"You too."
And with that, I left and headed to the school to pick up Ayano. When I showed her the rabbit, she practically squealed in delight.
"Dad! A real bunny?!" She asked excitedly as she took the little rabbit into her arms. "He's so cute. I love her. Thanks, Dad!"
"What are you going to name her?"
"Lacey."
"That's a cute name," I smiled to Ayano. She set Lacey in her little bunny crate then hugged me. I hugged her back, happy to see my daughter smile. It was a good reminder of why I survived. Why I have to keep surviving.
