She Comes And Goes As She Pleases (Part 29)
by BrDPirateMan
What are the chances that Eri would be present in my home on any morning?
Ninety-nine percent. She always came over to play with me. Otherwise she was already in the house from staying over the previous night. Either way, she's been a regular customer.
Today fell under the remaining one percent.
No sign of her. I once contemplated calling her up to see if she was alright, but knew better not to prod a brooding lioness.
Getting involved in Shiki's little bomb of a plan didn't do me any good. Eri saw everything; all the things I did with Shiki were out in the open. She saw our arms linked together, amongst other stuff. The sight of us being physically close must have made her uneasy, to say the least. And it wasn't even my doing! Shiki took the lead pretty much the whole time.
Eri didn't even give me half a chance to explain myself. Instead she blew me off and gave me a kick to the groin for good measure. It didn't sting that much anymore, and walking was no longer a problem, thankfully… but could I father kids in the future? I was just glad she didn't wear steel-tipped boots…
The fate of our relationship was a real cause for concern. I'd tried everything in my power to start the healing process, but it wouldn't take off in the first place. None of the text messages I sent got a single reply. The same could be said for all of my phone calls and e-mails. And when I went to her place one more time, she was either not in or couldn't be bothered to see me. Nothing.
In need of a cool head, I wound up milling the streets of Shibuya, hoping to find some sense of solitude in aimless wandering. From Scramble Crossing to Dogenzaka and back again… I was fresh out of ideas. With no way to contact her, I was left high and dry. However, there's no use worrying about it if I couldn't do anything in the meantime, so I might as well do something else to take my mind off of it. Who knows… maybe by the time I'm done touring the whole of Shibuya on foot, I'd have thought of a plan.
Let's try a different location this time… AMX might have some new CDs out. Copper Apple just released their latest album, or so I've heard. Worth a look-see.
Where was it, where was it… It's around here somewhere… And there! I found it! Copper Apple's newest album. Just in luck too. It was the only copy left! Sure goes to show how popular they were.
I reached out to grab it, but someone snatched it from right under my nose. Maybe too popular.
The person who had beaten me to it squealed, "Oh my god! It really is Copper Apple? ! How could I have missed this? Lucky!"
I could've cursed, right there in the shop. But when I got a good look at the face of the thief, I nearly fell over instead and gasped her name.
"Eri? !"
Startled, she suddenly saw I was next to her, and her expression changed from the joy of finding a good buy to the loathing of seeing someone you wanted nothing with. Like an ex-boyfriend. Or something.
"Ugh, you? !" she spat. "What're you doing here?"
"I could ask you that myself. I've been trying to reach you, but you never took any of my calls or messages."
"Look, what's a girl got to do to get some space? I'm still trying to clear my head from last night. Will you please not be around me for a while?"
"Wait, see… Last night, it… it really isn't what you think it is."
Eri was exasperated and she let me know from that long grumble of hers. The last thing she wanted was for us to go round in circles again. So she nipped it in the bud.
"If you're going to explain yourself again," she said, "then no, I'm not listening. I have a fairly good idea of what you're trying to say anyway so let's all give repetition a rest, okay? Plus I've come out here for the sake of my tired brain and I will be darned if you're going to take the simple privilege of personal privacy away from me. I know my brain wouldn't be happy, and neither will I."
Beneath her sunny exterior lay a tongue made of razors. She only used it when she was angry though, so as long as you didn't spoil her day, you wouldn't have to endure her long sarcastic speeches. I knew about this side of her when she jilted her last boyfriend with a scathing list of reasons of why she hated his control freak tendencies. Boy, did he wilt like a dead plant… And now, I got to experience what it was like being said dead plant.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a purchase to make." And as she left for the counter, she waved the Copper Apple album in front of me in a show of hard-earned victory. It was the last copy, she took it, and she rubbed it in my face! Talk about spite…
Then she left the store without so much of a glance towards me. I scampered after her, hoping to catch up. But the streets were awfully congested around AMX and I soon lost her. I was so close!
Giving up was not even a course of action I intended to take. I needed to press on. At least I saw the general direction she went, so I knew she'd either be going straight at the next fork to the Shibu-Q Heads department store, or to the right towards Molco, where another store awaits. There was a 50/50 chance that I'd go down the wrong road and waste my time searching for someone who wasn't even there, but hey… Wouldn't be any fun otherwise, right?
…I kid. This was nuts.
XOXOXOXOXO
"Oh my god, this skirt is to die for! And the best part is, it's on sale! How many levels of awesome is that?"
Eri twirled a little, and the salesman tending to her praised her with a wide grin. "That skirt is so you, miss. You'd set trends walking down the streets."
"Really? Hee hee… okay, I'm going to try another one."
Two minutes later, the curtains of the fitting room whooshed open and, like magic, she was completely transformed.
"Whatcha think of this now?" she asked next.
The salesman nodded. "I like how the shorts accentuate the shape of your legs. Paired up with that top you've got a getup that's perfect for beating the summer heat. Trust me, I know these things."
"You've got a good eye, I can see!" She was soaking up his compliments like a sponge. Like an idiot. It was time to set her straight.
She ducked into the fitting room again and while she was busy changing, I emerged from my hiding spot a few aisles away and politely coaxed the salesman to step aside. Confused, he scuttled away at my insistence and went to serve another customer.
"You're such a darling," she cooed, thinking she was still talking to him. "How nice of you to go out of your way to help me choose clothes! You're no slouch in the fashion department either, but then that should come as no surprise! This guy friend of mine, on the other hand… He's a total idiot when it comes to attire. I mean, ugh! Seriously, how can people get sooo dumb?"
Uh-huh. You just keep talking, Eri. Just keep talking…
And talk she did. "He could be so much cooler, you know. All of that potential… wasted, just because he wouldn't try on anything outside of his usual wardrobe. You know what turns him on? T-shirts and baggy trousers! Can you believe that? ! And oh, get this. He thinks having a spiky carrot salad on his head is all it takes to be fashionable. Ha! Fat lot he knows!"
…I was looking forward to giving her a piece of my mind soon.
Finally satisfied with how she turned out, she cut her tirade short and whistled to herself. "Ooh, hello girl! You are H-O-T hot! Yes, this will do!"
The curtains slashed open and out she stepped with head held high and eyes blissfully closed. Then she struck a pose. Despite her vanity, she was a sweet person at heart. But she still loved being vain. Hence the pose. If there was music and dramatic lighting it'd be perfect.
"Now, what do you think of this? Tell me I look fabulous? Ha ha! Just kidding. No, seriously, gimme your opinion."
"I'd feel more at ease," I replied flatly, "if that skirt was a bit longer."
"Eh?"
That wasn't quite the flattery she was expecting to get high on. And when her eyes snapped open, she saw why.
"Gah!" She recoiled like a frightened horse, seeing that I had taken the salesman's place. Her arms and legs were flinging all over the place; not quite the hilarious pretzel pose that Beat was famous for, but an admirable imitation of it nonetheless.
I continued, "If you were more lenient with your criticisms of me, that'd be great too."
"Neku!" The girl had her hands balled up into fists and fumed like a chimney. "What one earth are you doing here – wait, before all that! How did you follow me here? ! I could've sworn I lost you way back at AMX."
"Uh, I actually followed the smell – "
"Wh-Wha…? !" She screwed up her face to show her disgust. "Eew! Are you for real? ! Pervert, pervert! You're a lowly, despicable bug! Someone get me my insecticide!"
"– of your perfume, Eri. You're very picky when it comes to perfume, and I know you like that particular one. Vanilla Splash, if I recall correctly."
"How do you know so much about me? Are you a stalker?"
Arguing with her wouldn't do us any good, so I ignored her instead and chided her for asking for a salesperson's opinion. "You know they're going to say you look good no matter what. They're running a business and they want you to keep coming back to the store, so they'll never tell you the truth, even if you look terrible."
"I don't need your lectures, Neku."
Her appetite for good clothes had dissolved thanks to me, so after she was done getting back into her usual clothes, she stomped out of the store without making a single purchase. Although she tried to keep her distance, I managed to catch up with her, grabbing onto her arm for dear life.
"Let go!" she growled. "Or I'll have you on a restraining order so fast, it'll make your head swim!"
"T-Ten minutes!"
"What?"
"Ten minutes of your time!" I pleaded. "Just… Just gimme ten, so that we can talk. It's all I ask. Please. I… I never got a chance to really explain everything. I just need you to understand me."
I could see her hesitating. For that one brief moment I had disarmed her, taken away her sword and shield. Now's my chance to press forward!
"Please, Eri. Please… listen to me, just for a while. I wouldn't be long if… if you really can't stand me. Really, I can make it short. Kinda."
For the next five seconds we just gazed at each other, lost in the moment. However, she recovered from her stupor in a flash and yanked her arm free from my grasp. I thought she'd yell at me to get lost, but her tone was genuinely apologetic.
"I-I'm sorry, Neku… But please, you have to leave me alone. I… I just…"
Her hair swished like a length of silk as she turned on her heel and started walking, leaving her sentence unfinished. She didn't know how to end it, I suppose. Two steps later, she stopped in her tracks, much to my curiosity. Then she threw these words over her shoulder:
"Maybe… we can talk later. But not now. I'm not ready to listen. And don't call me. I'll call you."
Huh? Was this a good sign or bad? She said we could sort things out at a later time. If all went well, we could be friends again… As long as there was hope for us, I should cling onto it!
That was all I would hear from her before she melted into the throng of shoppers. If she stated so clearly that she didn't want to be disturbed, then there was nothing I could do. But if her word could be counted on, then I could see her again on better terms. Hopefully.
Reluctantly, I went in the opposite direction.
XOXOXOXOXO
What's a guy got to do when he is at his wit's end? I kept telling myself how I shouldn't waste time trying to make sense of Eri's words because it'd all become clear in time, but in a corner of my head I kept wanting to analyse the situation over and over. I always came up with nothing useful.
No! I was thinking too much. I should take my mind off of this. As luck would have it, I chanced upon the local arcade. I wasn't a hardcore gamer by any means, but heck, why not give this a try… Surely there'd be something that I was a natural in.
The last time I came here was years ago when I was still a kid. Coming back to this place gave me an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. I remembered how I used to play Alley Brawler, and how I would shake my fists in frustration at the screen because I could never beat the last boss. And I was the reigning champ in Zombie Shredder 2 for at least a week until someone else came along and beat my high score. I had fond memories of the arcade, which was why I was a bit sad looking at it now.
Many of the older machines, which I had played to death, had been removed and replaced with more advanced ones. Looking around, I was disappointed to see that Psionic the Warthog was gone. And when did they install this new dance game? I lingered around within a small crowd that had gathered to watch this guy pull off wicked moves on a dance pad.
The arcade certainly was very different than before. Ten years was more than enough time for it to undergo a major facelift. Could I even find anything I might like?
Then I saw it. The latest installment of the Alley Brawler series. Finally, a game I could familiarize myself with! It was nestled within an aisle of similar fighting games. The machines were placed back-to-back and you could set them up to challenge whichever worthy rival might be in the vicinity. But as I was here to blow off steam, I elected to play on my own.
As I sat down to start it up, my thoughts suddenly shifted for a second and Eri materialized in my mind's eye. What was she doing now? Did she still not like me? What should I say to her when we next met? All these questions and many more bogged me down so much that I almost completely forgot about the game. The heavy stuff could wait. I needed to give my head a break.
To my chagrin I discovered that one of my favourite characters wasn't in the lineup. Where was Yatagarasu? ! He and I went a long way back and I'd practically memorized his entire move set! Just my luck to have to make do with a fighter I wasn't fluent with. At least Underdogma had a cool name. My skills weren't what they used to be anymore, and I barely scraped through the first few opponents. Man, my fingers were blistering from the workout, but it was still thrilling!
Then my screen started to flash. In large letters it shouted, "Challenger appeared! ! !" Huh? Someone wanted to challenge me to a battle? A quick check revealed that my opponent was sitting at the machine opposite mine. Curious, I peered around the corner to catch a glimpse of him. He did the same, and our eyes met. Except… it wasn't a he. It was a she, and not only that, it was…
"Eri!" I gasped. "What are you doing here? !"
"That's my line," she said, wearing her 'You again? !' face. "By the way, we have got to stop saying 'What are you doing here? !' so much. It got old several paragraphs ago, you know."
"S-Sorry. I'll try to keep that in mind the next time we, uh, accidentally bump into each other again."
"Whatever. Why do you keep following me? I told you to keep out of my hair until I'm ready to talk. I said I'd call you, didn't I?"
"D-Don't make it sound like I'm some creepy old man… We just happened to be in the same place at the same time, that's all. So, uh, why are you here again? You don't seem the type to play video games."
"Yeah, I'm not. I came here on a whim. Thought that if I tried a game or two I might feel better. I don't know the first thing about Alley Brawler… Heck, all I did was press buttons at random and now I'm off to fight you."
Without much hesitation, my instinct kicked in and I invited her to undertake a crash course. A magazine I had ever read had this article that said games are one way for couples to bond, so I figured, well, perhaps this might also help to mend our relationship.
"Uh… if you're interested, I can teach you the basic moves, Eri. It's nothing that'll help you win against a pro, but you gotta start somewhere."
Eri was about to oppose the very idea, but stopped herself before she could unleash another verbal lashing at me. Instead, she glanced to the side, considering whether to accept my offer or not. She probably wasn't going to say yes…
Very meekly, she mumbled, "I… I could really learn how to throw a punch, at least… My money would go to waste otherwise."
Whoa, she said yes? I sat on an empty seat next to her; side by side we went through her first gaming lesson. "Alright, Eri, the first thing you need to know is…"
Every one of us is born differently. What one might have a natural affinity for would prove difficult for another. Video games were not her forte. Even the simplest of button commands was a headache for her to follow.
"I can't do this!" she wailed. "Why is the input sequence for Spinning Bird's Nest Kick so long? !"
"Y-You don't have to try and pull off such a complex move so early… Stick to simple combos until you're ready for the real thing."
"But I wanna do it. You're going to be my opponent later, so I want to be able to kick your butt with it! That'd be stylish, no?"
"Sure, I guess… Your call."
She never did manage to get it right, but was impatient to crack some skulls (mine specifically), so our long-awaited match began right away. A rusty gamer and a total newbie… We were hardly the most graceful of sparring partners. But I had more experience under my belt, so I fared better. Actually, I held back for her sake; even then, she performed about as well as a dead horse. I won both rounds. Underdogma went wild with his victory dance while Eri's character lay shamed and unconscious on the floor.
Come to think of it, there was another part to that magazine article. It said that the best games for couples and couples-to-be involved cooperation, not competition. Role-playing games were in, while fighting games were out. Whoops! No wonder the frustration wouldn't leave Eri's face.
"Um…" I was as tactful as I could possibly get. "I-If you want a rematch…"
"Nah, I'm good." Eri rose from her seat. "I'm not cut out for fighting games. Everything's too fast."
"Well, I saw a crane game somewhere… Wanna give it a shot?"
"Oh, that sounds more like it!" Her defeated slouch disappeared and she cheered up. "Maybe I can find a companion for my teddy – hey, hold it!"
"Huh?"
"I'm supposed to hate you right now! We can't get all chummy at a time like this!" And she crossed her arms to show that she wasn't receptive to my friendliness. Was it possible for a person to forget to show hostility towards another?
"Y-You're still going on about that? C'mon, stop that… Besides, do you really hate me that much?"
"That's… That's not the point. I'm just saying that we need some distance between us, at least until we can put an end to this nicely. It's not right to get back together so early."
Dear, dear… Back to square one. Luckily or unluckily, someone came along and swung our conversation in another direction.
"Oi," said the surprise guest, coming over. "Phones, Eri… You two on a date, yo?"
Beat. The arcade was one of his favourite hangouts, so it was easy to see why he was here.
"A date?" Eri cleared her throat uneasily. "No, we just met by chance, is all."
"Huh… If I didn't know better, I'da thought you doin' sexy time by playing games!" He fell into a series of loud guffaws, blind to the tensions brewing between me and my lady friend. "Phones, yo… You ain't gonna get anywhere having dates in the arcade! Where's your sense of romance, man?"
I scratched my head. "Didn't she make it clear we just bumped into each other? It's not a date. I was just – "
Eri suddenly lunged at Beat's arm and hooked hers around it. While Beat almost jumped, I was immediately filled with outrage. Only lovers and very close friends should be able to enjoy the benefit of physical contact of the superglue kind. Beat may be a good pal, but she didn't need to do that to him. What was she doing? !
With a sickly friendly face pasted on, she giggled, "Ooh, Beat! You came at just the right time! I was wondering who I could get to accompany me round town. I'm sure we'll have lots of fun together!"
"Huh?" Her behaviour confused him, prompting him to say, "But Phones is right here, yo… Why not get him instead?" Yes, that's right! You go, Beat. Slap some sense into that pretty little head of hers and maybe she'd see the error of her ways, and then we could reconcile or something. Dude, you really are my frie–
"I'll treat you to as many chili dogs as you can handle."
He gasped. "At M-Mexican Dog? ! Your treat? Fo' real? !"
"Yeppers! I'm feeling generous today. Hey, there are people out there who betray their own friends but I know I'm not one of them! It's a promise! So how about it? Hungry?"
The saliva dribbled down the side of his mouth like an avalanche. No, Beat, resist the temptations of your stomach! Eri's just seducing you for her own personal gain! You're my friend, right? You wouldn't go out with my love interest, right? You promised to give me your absolute unwavering support, ri–
"Aight, let's go! I'ma eat a whole dozen 'a them, yo!"
"Then off we be!" The two of them sped off, arm in arm, leaving me choking in a cloud of dust.
What the… What the… Beat, you…
I screamed the arcade into a pile of rubble. "YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND! ! !"
XOXOXOXOXO
Call me clingy and possessive, but I couldn't help what I just did, okay?
I secretly followed Beat and Eri all the way to the Mexican Dog fast food restaurant. I didn't enter, though, electing to stay hidden within the crowds and watch from a distance. Eri may have eloped with my supposed ally Beat, but I wasn't about to cause a scene by getting in their way.
Just look at them. They were all smiles and having fun. I didn't know what they were saying, but they were happy. Whoa, Beat was really taking her up on her offer of free food! He had whipped himself up into a feeding frenzy. How many dogs was that? At this rate he was going to grow even rounder…
Eri wiped his cheek with a tissue whenever a blot of ketchup appeared on his face. The nerve of – That's what she normally does with me! Was she trying to flirt with him? After all that we'd done together, she's fine with playing with another guy like she's forgotten all about me? !
Was… Was this how she's able to switch boyfriends so quickly? Did being with so many boyfriends increase her resistance to the sting of heartbreaks and make it easy for her to dump people?
Was the real reason something else? I thought back to what Rhyme said.
Don't you think it'd be a more likely scenario if she just plain gets fed up with guys too quickly? Even you have to see that something's wrong here.
Yeah, well, maybe that could be it…
No, the vector of my thoughts was way off! Eri's dotty. She's an incurable pervert. She loves to make fun of me. But was she promiscuous? Never! She wouldn't go out with one guy only to turn her back on him the next day and swing with another. She's only doing this because she was mad with me. Maybe she wanted to get back at me, give me a taste of my own medicine…
Huh? 'Taste of my own medicine'?
The churning, bubbling sensation inside me now… Jealousy. Eri kept it bottled up inside her, all while Shiki pretended to get touchy-feely with me. I see… So that's why she did what she did with Beat.
She simply wanted me to know what it was like to watch the person you love go out with someone else. Of course, that would mean she was in love with me… I never doubted my hunch about that. And while that made me happy, I also recognized the burden I had to carry for my actions. This was all partly my fault; I'd have to make it up to her somehow.
I let Eri be and left the area. I'd see her again soon, but until then, it was back to trawling the streets again. I should get a side job as a vagabond.
Seeing Beat enjoy himself as he engorged himself stupid gave me a sudden craving for noodles. So now here I was at Ramen Don enjoying a bowl of shio ramen. The simple taste of soy sauce broth was refreshing. Not exactly warm chicken soup on a cold winter day but it comes close. I won't be ordering seconds though. One serving's enough for me.
Halfway through my meal, a customer came over to take the seat next to me. I didn't take much notice at first, but when she greeted me and I saw her up close, I almost choked.
"Neku!" she cried. "Fancy seeing you here!"
"Shiki? !"
Yup, it was her. The source of all my troubles and worries was right here in the flesh. Oh boy, why did she have to show up now… Not that I hated her. Nothing like that. I still liked her as a friend, but… how was I supposed to catch my breath from all the mounting stress?
"Shibuya sure is a small place," she chuckled. "Ain't nowhere we can go without bumping into someone. Hey, I'll treat you!"
"Oh, th-that's not necessary, thank you."
"No, I insist. I'll pay. It's not much, but it's the least I can do to thank you for helping me out last night."
"Ah, okay, th-thanks, Shiki." I made small talk with her. "How's it going with your relatives?"
"Good. They plan to go shopping this afternoon, and my parents and I are joining them."
"And your cousin, by the way?"
Talking about him used to give her split hairs but not anymore now that the problem had been cleanly resolved. In fact, she was looking mighty cheery. "He's a lot more reasonable now. He's no longer the clingy guy he used to be. He still has some kinks to his personality that need ironing out, but at least he's not coming after me anymore."
"Heh… Finally got that cloud off your mind, huh?"
"You bet!"
I spent a long time chatting with her, partly because I was entertaining a friend, and partly because there was nothing else to do at the moment. After we were done with ramen we wandered around the city and presently found ourselves standing in front of the entrance of an amusement park. From here we could catch a glimpse of a merry-go-round and the Ferris wheel – or simply The Wheel as many of us liked to call it. We heard the screams of people who were brave – or foolish – enough to ride the roller coaster. I glanced over at Shiki, and she had this nervous smile on her face.
Absentmindedly I strung words together. "So… the amusement park, huh."
"Yeah, brings back memories."
"Childhood memories?"
"It's nice to see that this place is still standing," she sighed dreamily. "Last time I was here, I was still in high school. We went on The Wheel."
"Was it fun? Wait… 'We'?"
"Huh? Oh, you don't remember, do you…" With a deepening red tint on her cheeks, she said, "Beat, Rhyme and Eri bundled the two of us into one of the cars on The Wheel. It was really embarrassing, but the ride was still cool… and… yeah."
No, I do remember… When we were hoisted high up in the air, I was happy, and so was she. That's all in the past now though. If being here was going to brighten the spark of hope she was holding onto, then I'd rather be somewhere else. There's a certain other girl I was better off hitting on.
"Hey, Shiki," I said, "down the streets there's a really good bookstore… I bet you can find some books about fashion. Let's go check them out!"
The tone in her voice showed that she wasn't eager, and her hesitance made it clear that she wanted to stay. And true enough… "W-Wouldn't you like to try out the hoop toss, at least?"
"Um, but…"
"Y-You used to be on the baseball team, so I thought these kinds of games should be a piece of cake to you."
She was still talking as I stared at her.
"And… I mean, uh… I really liked how you pitched in all those matches back in school! So I was hoping to see if your skills are still in tip-top shape. Th-That, and, um…"
What would she say next?
"…I'll pay! I'll pay for the two of us!"
Getting desperate now? Oh, brother.
"Shiki," I said, defeated, "if you want to spend time at the amusement park, just say so. And don't worry, I'll pay."
She perked up at once, like a dog being given a treat. "Really? So… we can check it out?"
"Sure. I haven't touched baseball for a long time, though. There's no guarantee I'll ace the hoop toss."
"Oh, it doesn't matter! So long as we have fun, right? Hee hee!"
There was a skip in her step as we walked in through the main gate, and she was as happy as a clam. I didn't intend to spend so much time with her, but it couldn't be helped.
Between her natural bashfulness and my own reluctance to go too far with her, we made our visit to the park a relatively safe and placid one. We didn't do any of the rides because they were the type to make you dizzy and we didn't want to risk showing the whole world what we ate minutes ago (hopefully you get my drift…), so we lingered around the game stands instead.
Clunk.
In it went. The old geezer manning the hoop toss stand let out a cheerful cry, and with a few congratulatory words he handed me my prize, a stuffed toy in the form of a… uh… I didn't even know what to call this thing. We examined it from all angles, but we still couldn't identify the sort of creature this winged eyeball was supposed to be.
"Wh-What's this?" I asked, giving up.
"An ahriman," chuckled the stallholder. "Cute, innit?"
I took a sweeping glance at all the prizes lined up against the wall – horned devils and otherworldly monsters that were all cute in their grotesque ways. It wasn't the stuff that could give children nightmares, but…
"Your taste in stuffed toys," I said, "is… unique."
He just laughed it off. "I get told that a lot."
The ahriman in my hands stared back at me with its one great eye, fangs bared in a toothy grin.
I turned to Shiki. "Here, this is for you."
"Whuh? B-But… you won it… I couldn't possibly – "
"Nah, it's fine." I pressed it into her hands gently. "Mr Mew won't be so lonely with this little guy around. I just hope he's not allergic to monsters."
She giggled at my thoughtfulness and graciously accepted the ahriman as part of her family. Nestled in her arms, it was the very picture of contentedness… maybe. Something about its fuzzy appeal made it ripe for petting, and before I could stop myself, I actually reached out with one hand and patted it on the head. Anyone might find my behaviour strange but she thought it was amusing and broke out into a grin.
"Never thought you had a soft spot for soft toys. Cat's out of the bag now, it seems."
Only then did I see how weird I was and this hasty explanation was all I had to offer, "Ah, no, it's just… Eri has this teddy bear, see, and she's so attached to it that she's even taken to giving it a name… And she always makes me pet it. It's really silly."
"Ahaha… That's Eri for you."
I laughed. "I know, right? She's a treasure trove of eccentricities."
"Mm-hmm, yeah…"
Did the atmosphere thicken a little? It felt that way the moment I mentioned Eri. But Shiki seemingly didn't think anything of it, and her usual nice self prevailed.
"Oh, um… Neku, let's try that one next!"
"Shiki? Ow! I'm coming… You don't have to pull so hard!"
Whether I liked it or not, this was turning into a full-fledged date pretty fast. First ramen and now an outing at the local amusement park? I was drifting further and further away from Eri… and I was helpless to stop the wheel of fate. It was going on autopilot, and the speed was stuck at fast.
There had to be a way out of this vicious cycle. But I had to find it quickly.
XOXOXOXOXO
"Sh-Shiki, why'd we have to end up in here?"
"Oh, c'mon," she pouted, "the Haunted House is one of the best attractions! It never gets old! You wouldn't have lived if you haven't gone through it at least once in your life."
"I wouldn't have lived otherwise? I'm about to die from fright!"
Jump scares and horror movies were my greatest weaknesses. Whenever a decayed ghoul appeared onscreen, I would immediately shrink into a fetal position and pray that everything would be alright. It's a bit more tolerable in a cineplex, because at least the horrors were restricted to a screen. But here in the Haunted House those same creepy somethings were right in my face like the real deal and I was screaming louder than even Shiki. Actually, much as I hated to admit, she was holding up better than me.
An arm shot out at me from a hole in the wall. Rotten flesh hung limp from it in strips and pieces. That in particular gave me a huge fright.
"Gah! Get away from me! Get off get off get off get off…!"
"Neku, Neku! Calm down! It's just a – "
"I know, Shiki. I-It's all artificial… But, well… It was a gut reaction…"
"Pretty explosive for a gut – "
"AAAAAARRGGHH! ! !" There was a corpse pinned to the ceiling!
"– reaction."
"S-Sorry. I'm no good with these things. Really, it just freaks the heck out of me."
"No, no, I'm sorry for dragging you here. I didn't think you'd be so scared. But don't worry! The exit is just a little farther from here. You just need to calm down and take deep breaths. We'll be out in no time at all, trust me!"
My shoulders slumped in shame.
She cocked her head to one side in puzzlement. "What's the matter, Neku?"
"Being comforted by a girl," I mumbled sadly, "is just so uncool. I'm hardly a man anymore…"
She laughed softly. "As long as we stick together, we'll be alright!"
I didn't look where I was going and walked right into another rotting arm. This time the shock was so bad that I thought the whole world heard me.
"AAAAAIIIEEE! ! !"
Shiki tried in vain to calm me down again. "We're getting outta here soon! You just have to relax! When you think about it, this whole place is just cardboard props and fake blood! Nothing's real! There's no need to be so scared, really!"
"J-Just tell me when the whole thing is over."
There was a light at the end of the twisted corridor, in both the literal and figurative sense. I just needed to follow it, and try not to bump into anything unsavory, and I'd be out of that hellhole. That's right… Just a few meters more…
I might have tripped over a few things here and there, but eventually, to my relief and delight, we were standing right in front of the exit. Freedom was just a curtain away! Without wasting a second more, I grabbed it and whisked it aside with a vengeance. No more scary stuff for me, thank you very much. I've already shaved enough years off of my lifespan watching horror flicks with Eri!
Speaking of which, when we emerged into friendlier surroundings again, she was right outside. I almost wanted to dive back into the Haunted House. Almost.
Eri was milling around the place nibbling on a crepe, with Beat in tow. How many times did our 'chance' encounters have to happen in one day? When she saw me, she looked startled for a moment – she even nearly dropped her crepe – and then she tried to veer her poor chaperone in the opposite direction. Curiously, she didn't seem in such a bad mood anymore, but more like she was desperate to stay away for the time being. Poor Shiki wanted to call out to her buddy, but stopped, confused at her arctic-cold attitude.
Beat, however, refused to budge (and with that heavy body of his, it wasn't at all difficult). He bellowed my name with a wave of his hand. "Oi, Phones! Nice timing. Get o'er here, man! …You too, Eri."
She shrunk behind his back, muttering uneasily, "D-Do I have to – "
There was a serious edge in his voice. "Girl… Even you gotta know you can't keep bein' like this. He's hurtin' too, yo. As much as you, maybe more."
This exchange puzzled Shiki, who was more of a bystander than anything since she didn't understand the whole story. As for Beat, well… He must have asked to know everything from Eri. Whether he really got the gist of the situation or not I couldn't tell, but he knew for sure that I had a thing for her and that the vice versa was probably true, so when he saw that we weren't on good terms, he must have taken it upon himself to get us to make peace.
"C'mon, Eri," he pleaded. "You ain't gonna know till you listen."
It was an eternity of five or so seconds before she reluctantly approached me at a snail's pace. Way to go, Beat! Maybe I could finally say something to her. Just when I thought the ice queen was starting to thaw, the sight of me together with Shiki caught her attention and she backed away again in dismay.
She shook her head. "I-I'm sorry… There's… There's stuff I gotta do. I have to go."
And then, like a frightened horse, she bolted. Damn, did she have super powers or something? One moment she was here, the next she was nowhere to be seen. This was getting so tiring. It'd be nice to just go home right now and take a much-needed nap, but how could I possibly do that when I had unfinished business to take care of?
"Um, guys?" began Shiki. "What's going on? Mind telling me?" She was wading in the dark and would appreciate it if I told her the truth.
"Huh? Um, well… How should I put – "
My eyes were darting this way and that trying to put together a solid explanation. That's when I saw that Eri was back and right beside us. All three of us saw her. And we freaked out. Especially Beat. Wasn't she miles away just seconds earlier? ! She had to be Wally West's long-lost cousin to make it back this fast!
I didn't stay dumbfounded for too long, but was too slow to call out to her again.
"Here." She hurriedly pressed her half-eaten crepe into Beat's hands. "And thanks for coming with me today."
He glanced at his impromptu present but wasn't thrilled to receive it. "Girl, I'm all for not wastin' food, but I don't like crepes – "
But Eri had long gone. All that was left… was the wind. Done like a true ninja.
She didn't even look my way. I thought for one painfully brief moment that she did, but I guess it was just my imagination. I was probably the last thing she wanted to look at.
Beat was most sympathetic. "Sorry about everything, yo. Sorry it didn't work out. I'da made good things happen if I's a bit more… uh… perchansive?"
"You meant persuasive, I'm guessing," I said. "But nah, don't sweat it, man. It's fine. I'll find a way."
Shiki piped up, tired of being left out of the loop. "Um, can anyone tell me what's happening? Eri didn't seem her usual cheery self, and that makes me worried." Indeed, she deserved an explanation, and about time too. Because she was a key player in this matter.
"Aight, man. I gotta dash, yo. Slide me some good news later." Then my gallant skater friend left and it was up to my lonesome self to put a lid to this fiasco.
Shiki tugged at my sleeve, seeing that I was in a dazed state. "Neku… Hey, are you here with me?"
She was the first obstacle that I needed to clear. The first hurdle I had to jump over. …It was a pretty high hurdle. But if I didn't do this, I couldn't pave the path to better things.
"Shiki, can we talk for a bit?"
XOXOXOXOXO
We left the amusement park and retired to the roof of a three-storey building. Getting here required going out of our way a little, but here we could have all the privacy we wanted. As an added bonus, the city scenery was a feast for the eyes and helped me to relax.
Shiki let her breath out slowly through her teeth, producing a hissing noise. Maybe she knew that she was destined to hear about something that wasn't all milk and sunshine, and was bracing herself for it. "I'm ready to listen," she said at last. "What's the story? Surely you must know what's up her butt…"
I laid down the brief foundation of facts that made my explanation easier to understand. The first thing I told her was that Eri made a living masquerading as Seishirou-sama, which totally took her by surprise.
"Eri is…? !" She couldn't even finish what she was saying, dumbstruck as she was.
"You've got to keep it a secret. I was made to promise not to tell anyone. Don't ask her about it, okay?"
"Alright, I'll keep mum. But… Eri really is Seishirou-sama? ! I couldn't tell at all!" Then she had a weird thought. "Wait, I used to be a big fan. D-Does this mean that at some point, I was gushing over a girl?"
"Uh, I'll leave the heavy thinking up to you…"
"So… it was her who served us during last night's dinner. Gosh! Hang on, I get that she's a part-time butler but what's this got to do with anything, Neku?"
This was the squeamish part. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my head as clear as possible, bracing myself for any undesirable reactions from her.
"When she saw us at dinner like that, she had no idea we were just pretending to be a couple, and, well… she got kinda jealous."
"J-Jealous?"
"Eri and I have been real close as of late. We're quite attached to each other. But it's because of this that she isn't too hot on the idea of me going out with someone else, and for that matter… neither am I."
Shiki's facial expression didn't change much, but I could see the inner conflicts raging in her soul. I was being awfully subtle so I was afraid she might not get my drift yet, but it appeared that she was slowly beginning to understand how things really worked between myself and our bubblegum-haired friend.
"I've tried countless times today," I said, "to explain to her what she saw, and to… um, clear my name, so to speak. But she's being awfully stubborn and wouldn't listen to me. So we're in a bad way now."
Images of a certain previous event started to play inside my head; months ago when I found out Shiki had a boyfriend, the whole world crumbled around me. I no longer had a chance with the girl I liked back then. My soul was crushed down to the size of a pinhead… Was this the exact feeling she must be suffering now? It took a few stagnant seconds for her to think of the right words to say. Her voice came out in starts and stops and it was clear the revelation was something she'd rather not hear.
"Y-You sound like you guys are in a serious relationship. Even if nothing's official, it seems that way already. That's… That's how much you like her, huh?"
My stomach lurched with every word I uttered but I persevered for the sake of a future with the girl I loved.
"Eri's a bit of a mixed bag," I said. "On one hand, she has all these crazy traits that might put a normal person off. She's eccentric… always gets these weird ideas in her head and then expects me to play along with them, even if it'd land us in trouble or put us in clunky situations. In that regard, she's also very unreasonable." I chuckled a little, thinking back to all the things she made me do. "And she's a big pervert on top of that. Got no real shame to speak of.
"On the other hand, however, she's not so bad once you get to know her. Sure, she can be a real pain in the butt if she feels like it, but she's got her good points too. For one thing, she's a hard worker. Eri couldn't cook a single thing before, but ever since she's started taking cooking lessons from me, she hasn't stopped practicing in the kitchen. That proactive attitude of hers… I initially thought she used it only for her stupid ideas, but I stand corrected now. Plus she has a good heart. There were times when I felt down, and she was there to lift my chin up. I'm grateful that she really cares about me.
"What I just said merely scratches the surface of how much good I see in her. All I can say is she's a great person. That's why… That's why I…" The words had some sort of inertia to them. The more I spoke the harder it became. Just a bit more… I had to say this and say it I did.
"That's why I love Eri! I want to be the man by her side. No matter how much she may hate me now, I've got to go after her."
In a wistful dreamy sort of way, I leaned against the railing and looked out over the city. The sky was painted with the golden hue of a late afternoon. Give it another hour, and it'd be dark.
"She's waiting for me," I said. "I'm positive she is. I'm confident we can make things right again, and then maybe… just maybe…"
I struggled for a second and glanced at Shiki.
"…And then maybe we wouldn't need to pretend anymore the next time we go on a date."
What went on through her mind? There were neither tears nor any indication that she was tragically sad, only the deflation of defeat. Could she return to her usual self? She was a strong girl, right? She'd been through thick and thin with me and I had seen her determination. Luckily, my faith in her wasn't misplaced.
"Neku," she said, "are you certain?"
"I'm… I'm certain."
"For sure? You really do love Eri?"
"Yes. I need her."
She joined me to lean with her back against the railing, and let out a sigh. "Whew! Well, at least now I know where I'm headed."
"Huh?"
All the way up. Her neck was craned all the way up to look at the amber sky, and there was a small smile to go with her face, like she was trying her best to push forward to better things. "You know, Neku… back in the autumn when you rejected my confession, I thought that was it. I tried to get over it and treat you as a friend again, but no matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking of you.
"'One more time!' That's what I told myself. I made a promise… to try my very best to get you to see me in a different way. If there was even the slightest chance for romance between us, I should grab it. Ahaha… Ironically, that's something Eri would say to me, isn't it?" Realising it could be taken in offense, she said hastily, "Sorry, that came out wrong. I didn't mean to make it sound in poor taste."
"No, that's fine, Shiki. It's alright."
"So, um, I wanted to have another shot with you. I kinda figured you and Eri had a thing going on… I could tell from the way you keep talking about her. But I decided to take the plunge anyway, even though that meant she'd become my rival. And I made it clear to myself that if I couldn't make you my boyfriend this time, then I'd accept this as my loss and move on."
"Shiki…" The girl's determination was something…
"And now that I know who you're gunning for, I think I can finally relax!" She stretched out her tired arms. "I don't need to feel so tense or envious anymore, because I don't need to keep going down this path. This is not where my destiny lies, so I'll just choose another path… seek out a new relationship."
I nodded approvingly. "That's… good to hear. Don't worry, I know you'll do fine."
Shiki faced me and bowed slightly. "Thanks for everything, Neku. Thanks for putting my heart at ease. Like I said, I know where I'm headed in life now. But before that…" Now she wore a firm expression. "…I have a favour to ask of you. Please… allow me to be a bit selfish. It wouldn't take two seconds."
"Wha…?"
Suddenly the winter wind kicked up and slammed me in the chest. The chill caused me to instinctively squeeze my eyes shut. When I pried them open again, she was right in front of me. I could have jumped back in shock, but she was faster. Her lips pressed against my cheek where they stayed for a few seconds, and then it was over.
Of course I was stunned. As I reached up to touch the part where she had kissed me, she proclaimed, "Now, I can finally let go of the past. Sorry for all the trouble I've caused you and Eri, and thank you… again. Oh! And thanks for Mr Eye too!" She gave her ahriman a loving squeeze. So it already got a name…
"Ah, um… You're welcome, I guess?"
In an instant, she was back to being the usual Shiki with a smidge of playfulness. "And that's that! We're still friends. That'll never change. Oh, by the way, it probably wouldn't be anytime soon, but somewhere down the line when I snag myself a boyfriend, I'll make sure he's tons better than you!" She even gave me a feather-light punch to the chest.
I laughed, relieved that everything had resolved in the best possible way. "Heh, that's the spirit. Good luck."
"Um… one more thing, Neku."
"Yeah?"
"Don't you need to chase after someone?"
My mind leapt into overdrive in a millisecond. In the midst of the drama I had totally forgotten about Eri! I had to find her and clarify things by today.
"I gotta go, Shiki. Take care!" But before I could take a running start, she stopped me with a rational thought.
"Hang on, you don't even know where she is! You can't expect to dive into a haystack and find that needle."
Dammit… That's true.
Twice she pressed her cell phone to her ear, and twice she got no answer. She had tried calling her friend, but just as I guessed, it was of no use. Shiki shook her head sadly. "I'm not getting anything from her. Neku, I… I'm so sorry. It's because of me that this happened. I shouldn't have asked you to help me with my cousin."
"No!" I corrected her. "No, it's not your fault. Everyone was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. No one could have predicted she'd be working on a day that's not normally covered by her shift."
"She'd have to go home eventually. Maybe you could try checking out her place?"
"But she might decide to stay over at a friend's house…"
"Y-You have a point there."
We went through all the possible methods to tackle my dilemma, but each potential solution failed to make the cut. I was a man working on borrowed time. And it was going to get dark soon too, which made me even more worried. Not just for myself but for her too. Just when it seemed like all was lost, however, I had a brainwave. As though some higher being had put the spark back in my light bulb, I knew just what to do.
"Actually," I said, "I think I have an idea where Eri might be."
XOXOXOXOXO
It was a long shot. Like, Great-Wall-of-China-long. I hoped to find Eri where I was going, but there's no telling if I'd even be remotely correct with my gut. It's just something I put my trust in, something I had to try.
So down the streets I ran, a lone man on a mission. My lungs were aching. Pain gripped my leg muscles. Body turning to jelly. And the sky had turned quite black already. Nothing could stop me though. I went back to the residential area where we were neighbours, but my destination was not her house. No, there was another place I had in mind. It's just around the corner… Almost there…
I found myself in a public playground. As I tried to calm my laboured breathing, I scanned the place. A slide here, a seesaw there, monkey ladders on the far side… On a fine day there'd be children playing and having fun, but at this time of the evening it was deserted.
The street lamps shone like oases in the blackness. And within one of those oases was a set of swings.
Sitting in one of the seats was Eri, looking so lost in thought she didn't notice me until I was mere feet away from her. That's when she lifted her head and saw me. She was visibly surprised. As for me? I was just too relieved for words. Relieved and exhausted. I was nearly doubled over, panting terribly.
"H-How did you manage to find me?" was the first thing she said. And she really wanted to know.
I needed a while to get my breathing under control before I could explain myself. "Ever since high school, whenever you were especially angry or depressed or you simply wanted to think, you'd come here to clear your head."
She was mumbling half to herself. "Then I need to stop being so predictable. Oh well, why don't you have a seat?"
"Only if you don't run away again." I plopped down on the seat next to hers, grateful for a chance to rest my legs. "I've had enough of marathons."
"I'm tired of running myself." In small slow arcs she let her feet dangle, and occasionally her boots would scrape the ground. "You know, during my 'date' with Beat, he asked what was wrong, and I didn't tell him. He didn't push the matter any further, which was good, but he did say that even if I was displeased with you, I shouldn't ignore you like I did."
Beat said that? Was it because of him that she was finally ready to calm down? Dude, you truly are a friend after all! Never mind that you ran off with her to have chili dogs; you probably did that for the benefit of your stomach anyway, so I'll forgive you.
"Sorry, Neku… I was out of line being so harsh to you. I refused to listen to you because I was scared."
"Scared?" I didn't understand. "Why? What do you mean?"
"Over the years our friendship has deepened to something more, something far richer. As this was happening, I… well, I'm not sure if this is the right way to put it, but… I started to grow selfish."
"Huh?"
"You're a pretty cool guy, you know, despite all of your obvious faults. And even with how different we are, we get along fine like peanut butter and jelly – no, much more than just fine. So you see, what we have forged together is really special, and I don't want to give it up. I quickly came to a point where I can't even bear the thought of handing you over to anyone, not even Shiki."
This told me an important fact: Eri didn't really see me as only a friend anymore, but as someone much closer. Close enough to be possessive. I could understand though. There were times when I too thought she belonged to me and no one else, and I would feel stressed whenever someone or something came along to disrupt the everyday routine of good times that we shared. We're in the same boat.
"You must think I get jealous easily, and you know what? On any other day, that might very well be true, but right now I'm just afraid I'll lose a good pal and then the special bond we have will disappear. I don't want that."
I thought hard about what she just said and chose my words with care. "Eri, there's nothing wrong with selfishness."
"Eh?"
"If you feel that strongly for someone, it's perfectly fine to be uneasy when, you know, a rival shows up."
She dipped her head ever so slightly, trying to hide the glow of her cheeks under the shadow of her cap.
"Back when we went on that onsen date," I said, "I was outraged that you seemed to contemplate hanging out with other guys when you already had, um, me. And we weren't even going out for real at the time." Making up with her was starting to sound strangely like I was revealing my feelings for her, but there was no better way I could think of to rephrase it. "I think what you're feeling now is the same as what I felt back then, so I can empathise. It's no fun, so I'm sorry I made you feel this way."
Her breath came out in a tongue of fog as she exhaled. "Glad to know you understand what I've been going through. But you still haven't told me why you were having dinner with Shiki in the first place."
Finally, a chance to clear up the misunderstanding! "I've been trying to tell you why ever since last night."
When the entire truth was fleshed out, she realized – belatedly – that she had been wrong, and lost no time dishing out the apologies at a rapid-fire pace. "Sorry, Neku," she gulped. "You were only helping a friend in need, so that's quite alright! That cousin of her was really pushy though." As relief washed over her in waves, her smile began to widen.
I suddenly remembered that she saw me with Shiki at the amusement park, and decided it'd be best to clarify this matter too while I was at it. If you have to do something, you have to do it properly, so they say. "Um, Eri… About this afternoon at the amusement park, actually I was…"
Her finger reached up and pressed on my lips gently; whenever she wanted me to be quiet for a bit, she'd do this suggestive little action, usually accompanying it with a wink and a knowing smile like now.
"Don't worry too much about it, Neku. I know the whole story now, so I can guess how things played out. 'Cause if I know Shiki, she only 'went out' with you today because she wanted to thank you for your help. That's how she works, you see? As her best friend for years, I should know this much."
"Oh, um, y-yeah, that's pretty spot-on…" Sort of. She got the gist of things quickly enough… Maybe there's no need to elaborate further on all the piddling details like the ramen meal or even Shiki openly giving up on me.
"Sorry, I should trust you more. Deep inside I know you're trustworthy, but I kept thinking otherwise. So… that's not nice of me."
"Don't worry about it. If I was in your shoes, I'd feel the same way. Anyway, that's over now." The sooner we got this over with the better it was for us. "And we're both cool again. That's what matters."
"Yeah!" And she was back to her preppy self. All of a sudden she perked up like she had recalled something. "H-Hey, wait a minute!"
"Huh? Wh-What is it?"
"I totally forgot that I kicked you in the groin! Sorry about that… Is it okay? Does it still hurt?"
"Um, no permanent damage as far as I can tell…"
"Hey, can't hurt to be sure. Right, shall we have a look?"
"D-Don't wiggle your fingers like that, man." My shoulders shuddered uneasily. "Freaks the heck out of me. And no, I can do it by myself."
"You sure? I wouldn't be long…"
"I insist you lay off my zipper!" And she laughed at that.
Eri was swinging to and fro gently all this time and now she dug her heels into the ground to stop. Then, when she rose from her seat, it was with a hop in her step like a bunny, only livelier. The Eri I knew and loved was back. This was more than good news to me.
And this was a sentiment she seconded fully. "All's well that ends well!" She twirled round on one foot and had a big smile for me. "We're still the most awesome team, right?"
"You don't even need to ask."
As soon as I got up she closed the distance and buried her head into my chest. I panicked a little, thinking she might be crying again, but I was thankfully mistaken. She just wanted a good hug. So that's exactly what I gave her. I could feel our relationship healing as the warmth of our bodies enveloped us from the cold. I knew no better bliss.
"Hey, is there anything special I can do to make it up to you?"
"Y-You don't need to go that far, Eri. Don't sweat it, really. That we're back together is enough for me."
"Yeah, I knew you'd say that," she said, lifting her face to look at me, "but I don't want to just do nothing when you've been through so much trouble because of me. There's got to be something. Think of something, please? Um, no sex though. We're both open-minded people here, and I think you're plenty cute, but – "
I spluttered, "We don't go that far yet!"
"'Yet'…?"
"Uh, no, I didn't mean anything by that! Nope. It's just your regular old slip of the tongue, ahaha! Silly me, right?"
Her eyes narrowed in exaggerated suspicion, though I could see the ghost of a mischievous smile. Whenever she gets wind of a mistake you made, she'd never let you go. And here it was just one word!
Ah, hang on, she was ready to do anything for me, right? In that case, I had an idea. The perfect chore for her, whether she was willing or not. No, she had to be willing. I just knew.
"Okay, Eri. I have something that's right up your alley."
The glint in her eye shone so brightly I wished I had brought my sunglasses along. "Alright, let's hear it! Whatever it is, I can do it in any costume you desire!"
"I'm not that kind of fetishist," I chuckled. "You just need to tell me your answer."
"My… answer?"
I hardened the grip of my arms on her back, and I could feel her slender frame stiffen up as she waited, puzzled and curious to know the meaning of my request.
"Eri, when I confessed to you, you couldn't give me a reply right away, though you promised to tell me in time. For the past one or two months I have been waiting patiently…"
She fidgeted slightly, but my arms held her firmly in place. Admittedly, she didn't try to run. Taken in by the rosy atmosphere that was brewing like a broth, she clung closer until I could feel the crest of her bust pressing against my chest. Our hearts were pounding in unison. The sensation left me at a loss for words. But I couldn't very well stay in silent awe. I kept talking.
"I've just about reached my limit, however. That's why I would like – no, I need to hear it from you. Please, Eri?"
There was a delay of a few moments when she wrestled for the right things to say. But she knew what I wanted.
"Say it again, Neku."
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Confess to me again," she whispered. "I want to hear it."
My insides lurched, but I'd been through this before. After all the hardships I'd endured, this should be a pushover.
"Eri, I love you."
She gulped. I could almost hear it.
"Do you really mean what you say, Neku?"
"Of course I mean it. I'm serious about you. I could even go into one of those long-drawn speeches about how you make me the happiest person in the world, but that's not my style and I'll just bore the pants off of you anyway. You just need to know that I want to be the man by your side."
Silence.
"Again, Neku. Say it one more time."
"Huh? Um…" I cleared my throat. "I love you."
"Again."
"I love you, Eri."
"Once more… P-Please, I need to hear this."
The girl was quivering. Finally her armour was crumbling away and I was getting through to her. But she needed that last push, so once I was done weighing my options, I fueled myself with a surge of courage… I didn't know what caused me to become so brave. Maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Or maybe I was just sick of being so passive while she made all sorts of moves on me without any fear or shame. Yeah, I was envious of her. I secretly wanted to be as bold as she was, but fear always held me back. No more. With my confidence cranked up to eleven, I went and did it.
I dove in like a hawk, our mouths connecting. The whole world went psychedelic when I touched those amazingly tender lips of hers. Her voice tried to fight its way out, but was reduced to a mere mumble. It was cute how she couldn't speak at all. She went ramrod straight and I was afraid she might shove me away in disgust, but as five seconds turned into ten and then twenty and beyond, it was clear that she was here to stay.
She pulled away slowly, her face flushed, totally out of breath. It would be a while before she could talk again.
"Y-You dummy," she chided weakly. "The kiss comes after the girl says yes to your confession, not the other way around. Way to mess up the whole procedure, Neku."
"Sorry, my bad." There was a stupid grin on my face and I couldn't wipe it off. "So… um, what's your answer?"
Her entire body bristled with the eagerness to continue where we had left off, and on any other day, she might have told me to shut up and keep kissing. Today, however, she finally put me out of my misery. I almost couldn't hear her over the sounds of the night; it was so soft.
"I… I love you too… Neku."
I gasped in delight. She said it! She actually felt the same way towards me as I did her, just as I thought. But it was a great relief to hear her say it out loud instead of dropping hints here and there and expecting me to get the idea. You have no clue how happy I was! I had half a mind to jump for joy and do a victory dance and shave my hair off in celebration and everything, but Eri wanted me to say something in reply. In fact she was waiting.
"Hello? Neku? …Oi."
"Ah, s-sorry… I've always been single, so my mind just kinda shut down thinking about all the changes that are bound to happen in my life from here on out. Wait, we are going out now, right? As in you and me? Just wanna make sure."
She giggled. "What else would you be doing together with me?"
"Huh… Let's see. If I'm not being forced to watch horror films with you, or accompanying you to the nearest lingerie store, or getting embarrassed being spoon-fed by you in public, or scrubbing your back in the bathroom, or putting up with you going about your business in my house naked, or cleaning up the floor because I dirtied it with my nosebleeds… then yeah, I guess I'd be happily going out with you."
"Ha ha ha ha…! Oh, Neku, you really know how to make a girl laugh. More importantly…" She looked up at the skies, and I followed suit. "…it's starting to snow. Looks like it'll be a heavy one too."
"Ah…"
I had been so absorbed in the whole affair that I didn't even notice the snow that was drifting down on us. How… mesmerising. This really was the picture of beauty that I wanted. But she was right. Any longer out here, and we'd be a pair of soaked mice.
"Let's head back, Eri. It's getting late. Are you… um, staying over?"
"I sure am. You know my habits by now, Neku!"
"True that. Then let's talk some more later!"
We spent the walk back home arm in arm. This was the best day ever. My life of loneliness was finally over after twenty long years.
XOXOXOXOXO
A confession can be resolved in a few minutes. Yet, within the span of so little time, a whole world of possibilities can unfold. There were things that I wouldn't even think of doing with (or to) Eri before this, but now I was more or less free to do them with impunity. She was in the shower at the moment, and if I really wanted to, I could barge into the bathroom right now and say hi while she's in the middle of lathering herself up, but being naturally shameless she'd be all fine and dandy with it. But that didn't mean I had to do it! That wasn't my style.
Well, getting all hot and bothered waiting for her wasn't going to do me any good. No, I should meditate. Yes, my soul was like a meadow… My soul was like the wind on a cool, calm day. My soul was –
"Um, what're you up to, Neku?"
"Waagh!"
Eri's voice cut into my dream-like state. If that didn't already jolt me back into the real world, then the sight of her kneeling half-naked right in my face would. And it did. God, that lace was dynamite!
"Whoa, don't do that!" I said. "You gave me quite a shock there."
"Sorry. You looked so constipated I wondered what's up."
"How does meditation make it look like I've got a bowel problem? ! …Anyway, you're done with your shower, huh."
"Nothing like a hot bath on a cold day!" She stopped toweling her hair dry momentarily to do some quick stretches, which arched her body in suggestive ways. "Don't you want to take one too? You must be all sticky and sweaty after running so much today."
"I-I'll take one later."
"Then I'll join you! I can scrub your back."
My whole frame shuddered with mounting arousal. "Thanks, but I'll pass this time. It's kind of dangerous, frankly."
She fixed me with a puzzled gaze but was quick to toss the matter out of the way to focus on more important things. Being an uncompromising skinship lover, she had a habit of getting physically close to people whom she liked. And with me, whom she was in love with, she didn't even need to think twice about being even closer. She dispensed with my little bubble of privacy and proceeded to sit on my lap with a giggle and a wiggle of her butt. I was powerless to stop her. I probably didn't want to anyway.
"You're my favourite seat!" she said with that impish grin.
I faked disappointment. "So I'm just a chair to you?"
"Don't be silly. We all know chairs can't be as cute as you are."
"Well, I can't argue with that."
"Hee hee."
We stayed silent for a while, losing ourselves in the romance of the moment as we gradually explored the boundaries of our relationship on a physical level. Now, I swear, there was nothing particularly lewd going on between us. At the very most, she was pawing my chest gently while my hands took a liking to the small of her back. Simply touching that sweet spot was enough to send my heart into loop-de-loops. Eri and I never really touched each other like this before we started going out, so this was very refreshing, not to mention exciting.
"It's been a long winding road for both of us, huh?" she said at last.
I nodded. "…Yeah. We definitely had our ups and downs. But I'm glad everything worked out in the end."
"And now we're a couple. I've waited too long for this." A slight pause fell over us before she carried on. "I'm glad I met you, Neku. There may be no doubt that you're a living bundle of awkwardness…"
"Gee, thanks, Eri."
"…but even then, you have a lot of strong points. As blunt and brusque as you may be, you're probably the kindest person I've ever seen. And I know you can be trusted. Among other things."
"Th-That's how I am, yeah…"
"And that's what I like about you."
Now she clung so close our bodies were pressing into each other. Our foreheads were touching and her damp hair fell over my face like a curtain. The smell of shampoo was awfully refreshing. I wrapped my arms around her waist, cautious as ever because I still wasn't sure if I would be branded as a pervert otherwise, but when she purred her contentedness I squeezed her tighter. It's so awesome to be in love! I could say that sentence a hundred times and not get tired of it!
Eri continued in whispers, her breath tickling my cheeks. "I've been going out with guys left and right, hunting for my Prince Charming, but it's so ironic that it's hilarious… The perfect person you devote years to searching for is usually right beside you. It's only until fairly recently that I began to see you for the gem you truly are… Ha. Was that clichéd or what?"
I snorted, amused. "Damn right it is. But it works; that's all that matters. Besides, it's the same story for me."
"I know."
A warm sappy mood was quickly building up and there was an itch we were dying to satisfy… with our lips. No words needed to be spoken. It's like an unspoken rule that even I knew: when two people in love give each other the look, kissing was bound to follow. Nearer and nearer our faces drew…
…but at the last moment, before it could be done, Eri gasped. "Ah! Hold on!"
Slight disappointment marred my evening when she bounced off of me to go over to the windows where she drew the curtains fully. I hurried to turn off the lights because she was still in a very indecently-dressed state and I was afraid she would be the target of roving eyes. When the room was sufficiently dimmed I felt better, but insisted on draping a dress shirt over her shoulders, an act she took to kindly.
"Thanks," she said. "That's nice of you."
"Don't just stand in front of the window like that," I pleaded. "Think about what you're wearing… or not wearing, for that matter."
"But Neku, look!" She ignored my argument and jabbed her finger towards the scenery outside. "It's still snowing! Isn't it beautiful?"
I saw no way to disagree with her. The neighbourhood was awash with a splash of white. The snowfall was somewhat thick and it was hard to see much of anything through it, making it feel like we were in a blizzard. But in my home, not only were we safe and warm, we also had each other for company. Our current circumstances moved me so much that I went ahead and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and I was glad to feel her snuggling up to me in response. We watched, trapped in a trance, as the snow came down.
My insides were bursting with joy and I couldn't contain myself any longer. I whispered the three magic words to her again.
"I love you."
Eri looked at me with a smile that could melt ice. "I love you too, Neku. But now… I want my revenge."
"Huh? What do you – durff!"
Eri was too fast for me. She didn't waste a second more and flung me onto the bed. The breath was knocked clean out of my lungs and as I lay dazed and recovering, she shrugged the dress shirt off her shoulders and clambered on all fours above me, causing some serious palpitations in my ribcage.
"Neku," she snarled tigress-like, "it seems I have to teach you a lesson."
"Wh-What lesson? Please tell me you're not going to take my virginity. My heart isn't – "
"Ooh, I like the sound of that." That sounded like bad news to me, and I began inching backwards out of fear for my own safety – hey, you can't blame me; she really looked like she wanted to get inside my pants! As she slunk after me, even the smallest and most insignificant of movements – like the feline sway of her hips – carried a strong sexual connotation. So here's a pearl of wisdom from me: if you're weak against flirtatious girls, don't give them any ideas!
When she started tugging at her bra straps provocatively, that was when the alarm bells in my head started ringing in overdrive. "Hey, hey, Eri! Hey! No! We are not going there! We just started dating! There's no reason to – blargah!"
…Ugh, fell off the edge of the bed. And the first thing that connected with the floor… was my head. It hurt bad. My limbs were suspended in mid-air, giving me the appearance of a helpless beetle that had been flipped onto its back. Eri peered at me and gave a wry sigh.
"Neku, what the heck are you doing? For goodness' sake, I'm just kidding like usual."
"Are… Are you sure?"
"Sure I am! Trust me. I'm not gonna go that far! Do you think I'm going to attack you in the middle of the night, pluck off your jammies and chain you up? I don't think I'm so terrible a person, uh-uh!"
"When you talk in such a graphic manner, it doesn't sound very convincing, Eri…"
"No, really! Alright, fine. Let's rephrase things. Do I look that untrustworthy to you?"
"Well… you're kinda drooling…"
"Eh? No way! Come on, I wasn't – *slurp* – drooling."
"You slurped."
"For real? …Ahahaha!" She burst into laughter, realizing her many slip-ups too late. "Ah, well, never mind about all that. How's your head? Sorry about that, by the way."
"I'll be fine. Can you help me up, though? …And no tickling."
"Aww, you saw through me. You're no fun!" And she laughed some more before getting me back on my feet.
Our comedy routine came to an end eventually; it was way past bedtime thanks to her antics. We shared one last glance at the snow outside, then it was time to close the curtains and settle under the covers. Using whatever little effort we had left to stay awake, we made small talk interspersed with occasional sweet nothings. It was plenty of fun flirting with each other so freely, but alas, fighting against our drooping eyelids did little good. Before sleep overcame us, I suddenly recalled that Eri had mentioned something about teaching me a lesson. Seeing as she was mostly docile from drowsiness, I figured now was a good time to ask. Figured she wouldn't try anything funny.
"Oh, that?" she mumbled. "I just wanted to enforce that you simply do not kiss the girl before she answers to your confession. You deserve a hundred – no, a thousand demerits for breaking that taboo! You hear me? You can't mess up like that ever again!"
"Bit late for that, isn't it?"
"Doesn't matter. Confessions come but only once. You can't botch 'em."
I chuckled. "I didn't botch this one. It's called 'creativity'."
"Ha! Says you." She curled up close. "I suppose a goodnight kiss will have to suffice for revenge… for now."
"H-How is a goodnight kiss revenge anyhow?"
"You ask too many questions," she laughed. "C'mere already."
Our happiness was complete. But this wasn't the end of the tale. The moment a relationship is forged between a boy and girl, that's when the story truly begins.
There would be times both good and bad in store for us. Things weren't going to be rosy all the time, but half the fun is seeing how well you can overcome the worst of situations with a smile on your face. And facing the odds with a lover by your side makes the going a lot easier. Some mistakes were bound to be unavoidable, but that's life. We just needed to stand up and walk side by side again.
Over the years I had come to take Eri's friendship for granted. No more. From now on, I promised myself, I would cherish her as a whole. I was going to make her happy. Every day would be a challenge in itself, but I was ready. And one day, should we take things further… I'd make sure we could do it with no regrets.
Taking things further, huh… Ha ha ha… That's just my man-brain at work again. But… let's be frank here: when we're dead serious about each other, it might just happen… You never know.
Just then, Eri – who had long dozed off – began to mumble in her sleep. Even for sleep talk, however, it was awfully strange.
"The tempura… has the same colour… as your hair… Neku."
Yeah… weird. Just like her.
But I was in love. And that's cool.
...
Author's note:
Neku and Eri are together at last! But the story is not over yet. I have some ideas in my head that I simply must write down, so please continue to watch this space. I know it's not much of an author's note, but thanks to everyone who's been following this story! In the meantime, look out for chapter 30! See you soon!