When I first decided to get myself an account, so many many years ago, I didn't actually have anything to put up on it. Being the impatient kid that I was, I decided to write this little piece in about half an hour to post to my new account. It's obviously a rushed job, very incomplete and plotless, and Makoto is out of character. Also, I was completely unfamiliar with the Japanese monetary system, so that part dealing with yen is painfully inaccurate. So much for research!
By Shizu
Author's Notes: This is my first work for (and a VERY short one at that), so don't expect it to be any good. I had to write SOMETHING so my penname would at least show up somewhere... Expect more from me later. I have several projects I'm working on.
I sigh. An exhausting day at school again. Several hard tests and quizzes… At least my friends are there to cheer me up. Even so, I find it harder and harder each day to juggle the life of an average high school student and my role as an upholder of peace and justice, and so on and so forth. Right now, all I want is to be home, alone. Like before. Like…normal.
I come to an intersection. I decide to take the shorter way home and to run a few errands on the way. The grocery store is the first.
A man slips by the cashiers unnoticed with a bulging sack. Those idiots. Are they blind? I begin to follow him, but hesitate. They have security cameras. They'll catch him later. You can't stop every crime. Just let it go. I take the bag of groceries I just paid for and continue on my way.
While I'm in line at the video rental store, I watch a woman pay her fines. The employee accidentally gives her 300 yen more than what she should have received in change. I wait for the guilt to reach the woman as she counts the money. When she reaches the door, I almost say something to the man at the counter, but change my mind. Some people just aren't honest. You can't help that. There are a lot more people like her. Just forget it ever happened. I check out a few DVD's and leave.
I walk up the stairs leading to the second floor. I regret choosing apartment 201 because I have to walk all the way to the end of the hall to get to it. I could take the other flight of stairs, but tonight, I just want to get home and take the closest one.
I hear shouting as I near number 215. The husband must have been out drinking again…I overheard his wife talking about it to Komatsu-san at the front desk. It seems he's also abusive when he's sober…
"How many times do I have to tell you, woman?!?!" I hear shattering glass and a scream. It frightens me to know I'm not supposed to be hearing this. Maybe I should just be on my way…
"Please! Put that down…!" then more screaming and sobbing and shouting. I pause at the door for several seconds. Should I help her? No…it's none of my business! She should call one of those hotlines. She needs to be asking somebody for help…but isn't that my job? To help people? No, Sailorjupiter's job is to defeat monsters, not abusive husbands. He could be a monster, to some degree, but he's still a human. Not even the sailor senshi could defeat every evil human, because we're all evil.
I listen for a moment longer. There's just crying now. I want to comfort her. I want her to know that I was a witness. I want to tear that man apart. But I can't.
It's her life. It's her husband. It's not my job to interfere.
It's not my problem.
