Change
I hate this life. Living in this world is one of the things that I never asked for. I am simply nobody. I live in a condo alone; it’s funded by my parents because I could no longer take the sight of my parents watching me wasting away at my life. I voluntarily stopped going to school and even stopped making contact with my friends; if I could even call them that. On the days that I stopped going, nobody visited me. It wasn’t until a month of not going to school did I get visited by someone; it was a girl. Her name was Miyata Shiina, the class representative of my class.
When she visited my house, I hadn’t allowed her into my room and just kept her outside. My parents had let her in the house to try and convince me to go to school. They had hoped that a beauty like her would convince me. Straight black hair, alluring brown eyes, and a body that would make even the goddesses jealous was definitely my definition of beauty. I spend my time playing games on my computer and my consoles, I mostly prefer playing MMORPGs; I could make contact with people without looking at them. Pathetic, huh? I guess I’m still yearning for contact with other people even if I have to use games as a medium.
“Will you let me in today, Watanabe-san?”
Miyata’s sweet voice came from the outside of my room.
“What would it take for you to stop coming here every day?”
I answered harshly. I didn’t want to go back to school. She stays here for an hour everyday even if it’s only outside of my room to try and talk to me.
“Even if the teacher asked you to talk to me, isn’t this a bit much? You’ve been coming here every day just to try and convince me to go back to school, and what about it? What would happen if I did go back? I’m already behind on the lessons, I already stopped making contact with my so-called friends, and my reputation already went down the drain after what happened with her.”
I continued to try and persuade her to leave; I don’t know who was persuading who anymore.
“…It wasn’t your fault.”
I could hear her voice filled with sadness like it was on the verge of crying; she was a really nice girl through and through.
“And who’d believe me? Since you go to my house every day, if you try and persuade them that I didn’t do anything; they’d think I brainwashed you. That’s how bad my reputation is now. You know it well.”
“…Even so, I’ll try! I’ll do it every day if I have to! I’ll tell them all what really happened, and if that’s not enough I’ll even persuade her to tell the truth!”
I placed my controller on the floor and closed my eyes.
“So you’re saying that you’ll hurt another person and increase the burden on yourself just to make me go to school?”
“That’s-!”
Wrong. I could tell what she wanted to say but now that I pointed it out, she knows the meaning of what she had said. I didn’t want to be this cruel but I wanted her to leave, even I feel bad for making someone wait outside my room every day just to get turned away each time, but I couldn’t go the easy way anymore.
“…I’m going home. I’m sorry for today, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Don’t bother.”
With that, she left. I could feel myself relieved yet hurt. I’m the worst; I turned away someone who was sincerely worried for me.
That was one of the days that had regularly occurred when I was still at my parent’s house. But on the day I decided to leave was the reason that I feel like I want to die.
On that day, I had made her cry and I hadn’t had the chance to apologize.
“Watanabe-san, I’m sorry for visiting again. But, let’s go to school together tomorrow!”
She visited once more. Her enthusiasm might affect me someday, I can’t allow that. I want to give up and entrust my life to this room; surrounded by nobody. I don’t like this way of living but I don’t want to go back to the previous me, I don’t want to be looked at by those eyes anymore.
“Go away.”
“No, I won’t go until you promise to go to school with me.”
Easily rebutting me was one of her strong points, she had learned how to do it by continuously talking to me. I continued playing my game; continuously tapping my controller with force. I prepared for this hour with her every day; I always played games that wouldn’t need my whole concentration. I guess it’s my way of answering her kindness.
She continued to talk to me about her day and what was happening with school; when she ran out of things to say, she’d tell me about the lessons and teach me how to do math through the door. She stayed here longer than before; it’s already been three hours. My parents had brought her a cushion during the time and she continued.
“…When will you stop this foolishness, Miyata-san?”
“Huh?”
I interrupted her while she was talking and her voice made it evident that she was surprised and confused.
“Coming here because the teacher told you to take care of me; but you come here every day, that goes way beyond your line of duty. Did you think I’d be moved by your dedication?”
Stop.
“Telling me all about the things I missed in my absence and telling me all about the lectures that I hadn’t taken, did you think I’d feel grateful?”
Please stop.
“Trying to make friends with me just so I would go to school, did you think I’d comply with your requests?”
Please stop!
“Trying to get into my room each time you go here, are you trying to use your body to make me go to school?”
STOP IT!
I couldn’t stop my words, I wanted her to be free of this duty yet I said it all wrong. I’m so stupid.
“I…”
She was speechless and I could hear her rough breathing. She’s crying.
“…I may not have come here at first because of my own volition but I’m certainly here because I want to be here now. I want to make you go to school because the reason you left was because you were wronged. I told you all about the lectures so that the day that you come with me to school, you won’t be behind on the lessons. And finally…”
She was sobbing; I could hear her voice and rough breathing clearly.
“…I’m trying to go into your room… so that you can see that… my feelings are true! I want you to go to school, I have no ulterior motive! I’m not like that girl who lured you in just to frame you! Why can’t you understand that…?”
Her voice had a mix of emotions from sadness to anger and finally to hopelessness.
“…I’m leaving.”
I could hear her picking up her stuff as she was about to leave.
Wait…
I dropped my controller and headset and began to stand up. I fell down but then stood up and grabbed the door.
Please wait…!
“Miyata-san…”
I have to apologize!
My hand reached for the door and opened it and was met with the sight of the floor. There was nobody else.
She left…
I stood there in a daze while looking at the place that she sat at.
A few seconds later, my mother had come up the stairs.
“Jin…”
“Mom…”
“…Why did you make her cry?”
“…”
I stood there in silence as I looked at the eyes filled with sadness of my mother.
“…I’m leaving.”
My words came unexpected to my mother; both of her brows raised and her eyes expanded.
“I want to leave home. This is my final request, mom.”
I guess my face really was quite a sight to see, the pupils of my mother’s eyes were shaking.
“I’ll arrange it.”
My mother walked down the stairs and I could her having a conversation with my father.
I walked back into my own room and only packed the necessities and my stuff that my parents can’t use. I would leave the console and computer but my parents wouldn’t sell them, my family was quite rich and had a ton of money to spare, they could support an entire hotel let alone a single condo. My mother worked as a nurse and my father was a famous doctor, I guess that was also a reason why a girl framed me, she was jealous.
With that, on the evening of the next day; I had left home and stayed at a hotel room. Miyata Shiina had not visited me during that afternoon and I couldn’t tell her my apologies.
It’s already been a week since I started to live in this condo; I get food from a nearby convenience store and from the landlady sometimes. My parents give me money every month but it’s only enough for a month’s worth of food. If I spent any of it on anything else, I’d definitely not be able to eat for a few days.
I guess they want me to do part-time work, looks like they haven’t given up on me yet. Despite how I act, I’m actually quite well-built. I have a few dumbbells of varying weights and a mat for exercise in the room that in my parent’s house. There was more than enough space for my exercise gear and so I brought them over here.
If I were somebody else and evaluate myself, I’d honestly say that I’m quite handsome. I’ve always paid attention to my looks and so I train daily. And it’s only been two months since I stopped going to school. When I still went to school, I had quite a lot of friends and was well-known on nearly all grade levels.
Many of my juniors even confess to me often and even some of my seniors as well. Despite that, I’ve never had a girlfriend. If I had let Miyata Shiina into my room, I’d definitely have been persuaded by her beauty alone, I’m quite an easy man.
In the game, my friends talked to me about a rare loot box about to be released. They say that many players will get the top reward; the game masters were quite generous.
I guess I’ll look for a job in that convenience store. I did see a help wanted sign on the window.
I opened the door then looked both directions and was met with the sight of a girl in front of my door.
“Eh?”
The girl looked up and her eyes expanded as she saw my face.
“Miyata…Shiina.”
“…Watanabe-san…?”
Her hand poked my chest as if to check if I was real.
“…I don’t know how I should feel if I were to be poked just as I walk out of my own front door.”
“Eh…?”
Her face flushed red and she bowed her head before sprinting off to the door next to mine.
Didn’t that room belong to a family?
She took a key from her pocket and opened the door then proceeded to sprint inside.
“…So she lives there. What bad luck I have.”
Though I say that, if it was the previous me; I’d be jumping and screaming in joy. I decide to continue with my plan and walk to the elevator.
As I got down and walked outside, I saw the figure of Miyata Shiina looking through the window. The lights on the hallway just made her figure even more visible in the night.
I clicked my tongue and walked to the convenience store.
“Welcome!”
Behind the counter was an old woman with a smile plastered on her face.
“Ah, it’s you again! Welcome, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
I walked to the clerk and asked for the job. I had built quite a bit of a good reputation with this old woman and another male clerk and was easily accepted to get an interview.
The manager made an exception for me after hearing my circumstances and the praise of the clerk then immediately employed me. I have to go to my parents later to get the papers signed before I can officially become an employee but I can start working tomorrow.
I bought food for two days; I had a fridge at the condo to store them and a microwave to heat them up.
“I should really learn how to cook…”
With that, I sighed and walked back home.
As I went up to the elevator and unlocked the door to my room, I heard another door opening from the side. It was Miyata Shiina’s door.
“Crap.”
I cursed and opened the door as fast as I could and was about to close it but a foot on the door stopped me.
“Closing the door isn’t allowed, especially after you saw me, Watanabe-san.”
I sighed and opened the door and was met with the sight of Miyata Shiina, it’s only been a week since I last talked to her but it’s been two months since I last saw what she looked like. Though I had seen her in front of my door earlier, it was only for a few seconds.
“May I come in?”
Miyata Shiina leaned forward exposing her chest which made me quite embarrassed due to my inexperience and immediately blanked out.
“Y-yeah.”
I had fallen for the trap, she knew I had no resistance to women and walked into my condo defenseless.
She gestured to sit down on my bed and I responded with my hands before she began talking.
“So, what now?”
A simple question, but it stumped me. My mind immediately made tons of scenarios as to what would happen but was woken from my daze with a giggle.
“Hahaha! You should see the look on your face!”
Miyata Shiina had her mouth covered by her hand and her eyes had tears on the corners as she pointed at me while giggling. She became unable to stand it and spread out on my bed in laughter.
She got me… I guess this is revenge for what I did to her.
I smiled at the look of her face. I guess I’ll tease her.
“…I see. Then, let’s proceed.”
I stood up and placed my hands on the side of her head as if I was pinning her down.
“Eh?”
Her face all the way up to her ears were flushed red and she kept making noises that I couldn’t comprehend, looks like she wasn’t experienced with men.
“You do know what it means to go into a man’s room at night alone while teasing him, don’t you?”
I teased her while leaning in even closer to her. At some point, she had closed her eyes and was perking up her lips.
Sadly, I’d have to leave it at that.
I suddenly stood up which elicited another ‘eh?’ from her. It seemed like she’s been making that noise a lot lately.
“I was just teasing you.”
Of course, I elicited a kick because of those words. She kicked my knee and I had to crouch down.
...
Right now, I was doing seiza on the floor as an apology to her.
(A/N: Seiza is the formal Japanese way of sitting.)
Miyata Shiina had her head turned to the side with a pout on her face. I could hear her mumbling but I couldn’t make out the words.
“…even though I was prepared… he had to stop…”
After a few more minutes of her silence, I coughed to get her attention.
“Umm, Miyata-san… I’m really sorry for what I did but it’s getting late so should we start talking?”
Miyata Shiina began looking at me but there was still a pout on her face.
“Alright, so first off…”
Miyata Shiina began pointing her finger at my face.
“Why were you avoiding me before?”
Because if you were to go into my room and charm me to go to school, I’d definitely go with no hesitation; like I could say that!
“No reason. I just didn’t want to talk with anyone face to face.”
I tried my best to keep my poker face. I’m still attracted to women but I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship or even have a close friendship with one after that incident.
“…And what about those things you said to me on that day?”
Miyata Shiina’s head dropped down and her expression couldn’t be seen by the dim light from the lamp.
“…I didn’t mean any of it. I just wanted to get you out of my place because you were so close.”
Her head kept low and she spoke once more.
“Close to what…?”
I stared at her figure in silence and only spoke after a minute.
“Close to making my shell break, after a month of continuous effort; you managed to actually pierce through the outer shell of my defenses.”
She kept her head down but I could tell there was a smile on that face. Once I saw that, my heart kept pounding as if it would leap out my chest at any moment. Is this really because I haven’t been with any girls?
“Well…”
The smile on her face slowly disappeared and her voice became lower.
“…will you go with me to school on Monday?”
Right now, it was Friday; I told the convenience store owner that I could work on weekends and afternoon on weekdays. I have five shifts a week with at a minimum of four hours each day and my hourly payment is at eight hundred yen.
I specifically told the manager that I may go to school on weekdays and so they kept my schedule open. They were really nice people even if they only knew me for a week save for the manager who has only known me for a day.
“…Yes.”
With one simple word, I could see the smile on her face returning and she leaped at me and pinned me down while rubbing her cheek on my chest repeatedly.
“Thank you…”
Simple words of gratitude but to be honest, I should be the one to say those words. I had done nothing to warrant her thanks but I feel like she wasn’t speaking to me because of gratitude for agreeing to her request.
Nevertheless, I shouldn’t ruin the moment.
“I didn’t do anything, you did all the work.”
I could feel my chest getting wet, she was crying.
“You sure cry a lot…”
I held her head with my hand and rubbed it softly.
“No… I’m not saying thanks because of you agreeing to my request, it’s for another matter.”
She stopped rubbing her cheek on me and sat above me. I could clearly see her crying face even with the dim light.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“Eh? Save you?”
I was naturally bewildered, where did this come from?
“I knew it. You don’t remember what happened at all.”
Her face had a wry smile on it and she stood up. She walked to the door while holding her hands behind her back.
“Try to remember the events from seven months ago, it was when you were going home from school while running, I don’t know the reason but you definitely were.”
With those words that confused me even more, she left the room.
What happened seven months ago?
I kept lying down on the floor while looking up, now that she mentions it; I don’t remember much from that time.
The last thing I remembered was that I was hospitalized and when I got to school, everyone asked me about things I didn’t know and Miyata Shiina stopped them all with words yet I never heard them.
Strangely, after her words; nobody else tried asking me about what happened. And right now, she said that I should try to remember; not remember. It means that something must’ve happened that made me forget.
“I think that should be enough thinking for tonight.”
I decide to sleep for the night and think about the rest tomorrow.
By the time I woke up, I prepared my things for school and called my mom to tell her I was going back to school for a bit. I could hear her crying through the phone and I set off for my first day at work.
The eight hours I spent didn’t have many events happening but with that, I’ve earned over six thousand yen. I have enough to buy a lot of loot boxes from the games. But, I still need more money since I live alone now. I informed my mother that they can stop sending me money and only focus on the finance of the condo. I felt bad for leaving home yet still living dependent on my parents.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Once I got home; waiting on my door was Miyata Shiina with a bag.
“What are you doing?”
I asked as I got near her.
“Well…”
Her eyes darted all over the place as if searching for an excuse but when her eyes crossed mine, she sighed.
“My parents aren’t coming back tonight and I was hoping that I could sleep at your place…”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
Miyata Shiina made a face that showed that she was disgusted.
“…Could it be one of those devils?”
“Exactly!”
Miyata Shiina pointed at me then nodded repeatedly in exaggeration.
“Those devils with two horns, many legs, and wings, I can’t stand them! They just fly around the place like they own it; scaring everyone!”
She made expressions that showed that she was quite troubled by them. I looked at her figure once more before sighing and opening the door whilst gesturing for her to enter.
“Sorry for intruding…”
Her head hung low as she went in the room. What happened to all that spunk yesterday?
Even though the condo was quite big, it was only built for single use. There was only one bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom. Miyata Shiina’s place was renovated for family use and was quite large compared to mine.
“So, we have a problem now.”
As she took off her shoes and went inside my house, I immediately spoke.
“…?”
Miyata Shiina tilted her head and looked at me with confusion.
“I only have one bed.”
“Eh?!”
Miyata Shiina was flustered and immediately ran towards me and held my shoulders which couldn’t be taken seriously as she was nearly a head shorter than I was.
“Seriously!? Why does our condo have two rooms and you have only one?!”
“Well, your condo was renovated for family use while mine only has me in it and so it was fine to keep it this way.”
She fell to her knees and had both hands on the floor. She had stayed in that position for a few seconds before latching onto my leg.
“…I’ll go home now.”
I could feel her shaking from fear, they were only cockroaches…
“I’m fine with sleeping in the couch.”
She looked up in surprise but then suddenly stood up and shook her hands and head repeatedly.
“Nonono, I’m only a guest! I can sleep on the couch if you don’t want me to leave!”
I placed my palm to my face and sighed.
“I can’t just let a lady sleep in the couch while I sleep in a bed, can I?”
“But…”
She looks like she’s about to faint from embarrassment. I can throw her a lifeline that we can sleep in the same bed but that’ll undoubtedly fluster her more.
Miyata Shiina looked down and held her hands at her chest.
“Alright, will you sleep with me?”
Speechless, I stood there with my mouth agape. Her face was firm as if it wouldn’t give any leeway but I don’t think she worded what she wanted to say correctly.
After a few seconds of my silence, her face changed.
“Wait! I don’t mean that! I’m not an easy girl!”
She was as red as a tomato as she looked like she was about to cry. I stifled a laugh and gave her a smirk as I placed my finger on her mouth.
“Then, shall we go?”
She was as red as could be but I took her hand and dragged her towards the bedroom, I took two blankets and partitioned my side of the bed to hers. It was quite a large bed so there was more than enough space for the two of us.
“…You won’t do anything to me in my sleep, will you?”
She spoke from inside the blanket she was wrapped in.
“I won’t. But if you try and ask me again, I just might.”
I could feel the bed twitch as she wrapped herself up even more.
“Goodnight.”
“…Goodnight.”
I turned around so that my body would face the edge of the bed.
What am I doing?! Why am I sleeping on the same bed with a girl my age?! On top of that, she’s a beauty! Why did I tease her so much that I even placed my finger on her mouth?! We aren’t even that close and she could only talk to me like this because we’re neighbors!
My heart was in turmoil as I was only able to sleep in the morning.
Strangely, I woke up first. It was already near noon and Miyata Shiina had yet to wake up. That was quite strange considering that she’s always the first one in class.
I stood up from my bed and went over to the door. I looked back at her then proceeded to walk towards her side.
Her sleeping face was peaceful, she had unwrapped herself out of the blanket sometime during the night.
Her lips glistened, her silky hair spread out on my bed, and her face was as if it was made by the finest sculptors.
“Beautiful…”
A single word leaked out of my mouth and I rapidly used my hand to close it and I walked out of the room. Unbeknownst to me, I would later find out that she was already conscious at the time and woke up as she heard my compliment.
I got ready for my part-time work, I was already quite late but I didn’t have a fixed shift so it was fine. As I prepared to walk out the door, I could hear footsteps rapidly approaching.
“Ah! Watanabe-san, have a safe trip!”
I was taken aback but quickly smiled.
“I’ll be going.”
Monday morning, today was the day I would go to school after two months of absence.
Miyata Shiina had cleaned my house before I returned and greeted me before going back to her own house.
“I definitely don’t want to go…”
I walked to the door before looking back once and finally went outside. I was met with the sight of Miyata Shiina in her school uniform, she leaned forward while leaning left and right as if to inspect me.
“Good! Let’s go to school!”
She had a huge smile on her face as we began to walk to school. It was still quite early but there were a lot of students heading for school at this time.
On the way here, I could whispers as everyone looked at me, even after two months; my name hadn’t been cleared.
Miyata Shiina walked in front of me with a smile on her face; it was as if she couldn’t be affected by the atmosphere at all.
Unexpectedly, my desk was clean. I had thought that people would trash it because of what they think I did.
I sat on my desk and Miyata Shiina sat on hers. It was still quite a while before class and so I took my time to review the material that she told me I had missed. I was a straight A student when I was still properly learning, it was why when everyone got heard of what I did, they took the opportunity to ruin me.
Our homeroom teacher was an old man in his fifties; he had glasses and visible gray hair. He was surprised when he caught sight of me but when his gaze turned towards Miyata Shiina, he had a smile. He asked me to go to the faculty room after class to talk with him.
None of my classmates dared to talk to me and those who sat next to me moved their chairs toward the opposite direction. I was at the window seat in the back left and so I only had a few seatmates.
Each teacher looked at me suspiciously after I returned but they did their best to try and provide me with an adequate lesson on what I had missed.
When it was finally break time, I sighed and covered my eyes with my palm. I planned to sleep during break time, if I go to the cafeteria to eat food; people would mess with my desk. I can tell by their eyes.
Just when I was about to sleep, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Strange, nobody should want to talk to me right now. Even Miyata Shiina wouldn’t talk with me during school, would she?
But sure enough, I was met with the sight of her as I turned around.
“Ah, were you going to sleep? Sorry. But since you’re awake, do you want to eat with me?”
She leaned forward and asked sweetly.
“I haven’t brought any food.”
Her arm moved and placed a wrapped lunchbox on my desk.
“I made two lunchboxes today.”
She had cut of all my exits and I was forced to share a meal with her. Everyone looked at us with doubt, the women glared at me for the reason I left and the men glared at me because I was sharing a table and eating a homemade meal from the school’s Madonna.
She had only struck up conversations like “Could you follow the lessons?”, “Do you need any help?”, and “Ask me if you need anything at all.” I tried my best to respond but they were all lackluster.
While she was halfway through her food, a group of girls came by and struck up a conversation with her.
“Hey, Shiina-san, would you like to eat with us?”
“Yeah, Shiina-san, eat with us!”
They were trying to take her from me; my reputation must’ve gone that low.
“Sorry, I’m already eating with Watanabe-kun.”
That was the first time she attached a ‘kun’ to my name. It must be on purpose so that the other girls would give up on taking her, she was unexpectedly quite shrewd.
The girls gave up after a minute but when they left, one of them whispered an insult directed towards me.
“Eating with a rapist will ruin your appetite.”
My chopsticks stopped momentarily before it reached my mouth but I continued to eat the food.
Miyata Shiina looks like she had heard it as her face had an unsightly expression.
After we had finished eating, I gave the lunchbox back to her and she apologized.
“Sorry, Watanabe-kun, I forced you to eat with me and they even insulted you because of that.”
“It’s fine.”
I waved my hands and proceeded to stand up.
“Thank you for the meal, I’ll go to the faculty room now.”
“Alright, I’ll be in the bathroom to wash my hands.”
I nodded at Miyata Shiina and walked out the room with my bag.
As I opened the door to the faculty, all the teachers’ eyes fell on me. My homeroom teacher beckoned me over and made me sit down in front of him.
“Watanabe-kun, I’ll ask you straight out.”
My homeroom teacher sat straight and coughed.
“Did you or did you not attempt to rape Fukazawa Miki?”
I looked him straight in the eyes.
“I did no such thing.”
My homeroom teacher held my shoulder.
“Good.”
He signaled for me to go back to the classroom, but I naturally felt bewildered and looked at him.
“Why aren’t you going back to class?”
He asked.
“Well, it’s just that you believed me so easily. Normally, you’d ask me a lot of questions that would reveal my true intentions or you’d just ask me straight out.”
He shook his head with a smile.
“I know you did nothing wrong. If I thought you did something, why would I send Miyata, a girl to you? I know that you didn’t try and do anything to Fukazawa; I just wanted to hear it from your own mouth.”
I could feel relief welling out from within my chest and I bowed at him before I walked back to class.
The other teachers all looked at me but none of them were hostile, looks like the teachers knew what had happened. When I entered the class, there was only Miyata Shiina left. She was scrubbing my desk with something.
“Did someone write something on my desk?”
As I neared the desk, I could see the words ‘DIE’, ‘RAPIST’ and even ‘SUICIDE’. Her head was hanging down as she continued on scrubbing the desk, but just as I was about take my eyes off the desk and take her hand; I could see a drop of water fall on my desk.
I immediately took one of her hands and raised it up so I could see her face. Her nose was red and tears were streaming down her eyes.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
She continued crying as she had let go of the brush. I held the back of her head and placed her on my chest.
“It’s not your fault, you didn’t do anything.”
I caressed her hair as she continued to calm down. I left my desk as is and saw her off at the changing room, our next subject was P.E.
Our teacher asked us to form pairs with anyone we wanted, our class was even and so there was no chance of nobody having a pair.
Miyata Shiina quickly headed over to me and asked me to be her partner. I accepted it and I tried to go as easy on her as I could. She wasn’t too good with physical exercises and so I had to hold back quite a bit.
While in the changing room, the boys insulted me by calling me a rapist and threatened me to stay away from Miyata Shiina but I ignored them and quickly went back to the classroom.
When I sat on my writing-filled chair, the teacher had walked in. When everyone was accounted for, the teacher suddenly stood up and smacked the board.
“Who did that?!”
Our teacher was shaking in fury, her hands were clenched and you could see veins on her forehead.
“Who wrote on his chair?!”
Silence.
“Not answering?! I’ll forbid you all from doing your exams save for Miyata and Watanabe!”
All of a sudden, my classmates suddenly became noisy and yelled names. When everyone was done blaming each other, there were six people who stood beside the teacher. They were the ones who were responsible for writing on my desk and everyone else was an instigator.
“So, why did you do it?”
Our teacher had her hands crossed and you could feel the fury in her voice.
“He deserved it!”
A girl from the six spoke.
“That’s right!”
Another girl supported her.
“He tried to rape someone, I think that’s plenty enough reason.”
One boy said as if it was the most natural thing in the world, I could feel anger boiling up within me but I held it back. Making my image worse would just have the opposite effect of what I want to achieve.
But the teacher smacked the board once more.
“Oh yeah?! So ruining school property and harassing your classmates is right and just?! Who taught you morals?!”
The five of them shrunk back but the boy with confidence earlier still had not backed down.
“Even if we’re in the wrong, he had done worse.”
The boy turned his head to the opposite side of the teacher.
“…I can’t describe the fury that I’m feeling right now. I always thought this only happened in shows, the desks are written on and students harassing the others. This class was a well-behaved class but now you show your true colors. The six of you aren’t allowed to take your exams until your parents come and see me.”
The exams were coming very soon and so the six of them caused a fuss.
“That’s not fair!”
“Why do I have to bring my parents to talk to you when I only wrote on the desk of a rapist?!”
The teacher’s eyes were cold and looked at my classmates with scorn.
“Sit down.”
She pointed at their desks and they all sat down. When the class was silent, the teacher told everyone to stay put and left the room.
A few minutes later, she came back with our homeroom teacher. The kind face of our homeroom teacher was nowhere to be seen and his eyes were glaring at everyone in the room save for me and Miyata Shiina.
After a few minutes of silence, he began to speak.
“Haven’t I taught you all about how to accurately judge a situation?”
Everybody hung their heads low but another smack on the board resounded.
“Answer!”
His voice was filled with rage and everyone yelled a ‘yes’.
“Did I say that you analyze a situation by taking into account rumors and a single side of two parties?!”
Everyone hung their heads low.
When everyone was silent, our homeroom teacher looked at the door.
“Come in.”
A few seconds later, the door opened and came in a girl.
My eyes expanded and I clenched my fist. Miyata Shiina looked at me worriedly and back to the girl.
“This girl’s name is Fukazawa Miki, the alleged girl who was said to have been attempted to be raped.”
The girl was a beauty with her brown hair in a ponytail, her eyes were light blue, and her body was slender. The boys were all shaken and the whole class began whispering to each other.
“I will now allow you all to ask her questions that you want to ask.”
Fukazawa Miki hung her head down low.
It only took a few moments before one of the girls from the six who had written on my desk raised her hand.
“Is it true that he attempted to rape you?”
Fukazawa Miki raised her head.
“No, Watanabe Jin is inmocent.”
The whole class broke out into whispers once more and the boy with a calm attitude from one of the six stood up.
“Then, why did you take a leave of absence from school and why did the rumor spread of your words telling everyone that he tried it?”
Fukazawa Miki looked to the door and began talking.
“I invited him over to the science lab where nobody would be taking classes; I wanted to confess to him. When we were in the lab, I accidentally knocked something over and fell down. He tried to stop me from falling by grabbing me but he also fell in the process. When he was on top of me, I panicked and immediately ran out of the room. Just as I got to my class and told my friends, some girls with problems with me used this as an opportunity and told everyone that Watanabe Jin attempted rape on me. It would ruin both of our images with the lie that I lured him to a room and told everyone that he tried to commit something morally unacceptable towards me. I took a leave of absence simply because of the pressure from the rumors.”
The boy sat down and the whole class was silent, Fukazawa Miki began speaking once more.
“By blaming him using my words, it would mean that I invited him into an empty room yet accused him; it would make it seem like it was my goal all along.”
Many boys and girls began nodding. After that, the boy with confidence suddenly stood up and walked towards me in front of the entire class and bowed his head along with his body.
“…Watanabe Jin, I apologize for my mistake and for accusing you of a crime you didn’t commit. I’ll do whatever it is in my power to make it up to you.”
I could feel that he really wanted to apologize, he must’ve had a strong sense of justice yet it also interfered with his rational judgment.
“It’s fine.”
I waved my hands and he sat back on his seat. The rest of the five who had written on my chair also stood up and began offering their apologies.
And when they were done, Fukazawa Miki walked towards my desk and bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Watanabe Jin. Because of my disputes, even your reputation became damaged. I know you’d find it hard to forgive me but…”
She had to stop and catch her breath as tears were falling from her eyes.
I stood up from my desk and went in front of her.
“It’s not your fault. Also, I’m sorry.”
I bowed my head as well and she was taken aback as her mouth opened and didn’t close for a while.
“What for…?”
She hesitated to ask.
“Because, I directed my rage towards you; even if I hadn’t shown it to anyone else.”
She shook her head repeatedly while wiping the tears from her eyes.
“No, that’s only natural. A person who falsely accuses you that result in ruining your life, it’s natural for anyone to hate a person like that, right?”
Fukazawa Miki bowed once more and went back to the spot beside the homeroom teacher while covering her face covered with tears.
With a few more words from my homeroom teacher, we were dismissed. It was the last subject of the day and also coincidentally the time that this conversation took place. The six people who had written on my desk stayed behind to clean it up and I walked home with Miyata Shiina.
While we were walking home, Miyata Shiina was silent and had her head down.
“What is it?”
I couldn’t take it anymore and finally asked her.
“I’m just happy that you cleared your name on the first day.”
She answered which wasn’t convincing at all, she was hiding something.
“I know you’re happy about my name being cleared but there’s something else, isn’t there?”
I leaned in closer to her to which she avoided by moving to the side.
“There’s definitely something going on.”
She didn’t respond to my words and kept on walking.
Even as we reached the hotel, she had yet to face me and began to walk back into her house. I shrugged my shoulders and began getting ready for work. My school, the convenience store, and this condo were all close together and so it was quite easy for me to alternate between the three locations.
At the convenience store, there was a lady next to me in the same shift. She was quite nice and talked politely. My eyes travelled to the door and welcome a customer coming inside the store; and behind her was a familiar figure.
“Miyata Shiina…”
My mouth suddenly leaked out her name as our eyes met.
“Who’s that?”
The girl beside me leaned forward and I had to look back at her. When my eyes went back to Miyata Shiina, she was glaring at me and walked away.
“…”
I was speechless and just stood there. The girl beside me poked my shoulder and asked me the question once more.
“Was that your girlfriend?”
“No…”
I was pulled back into reality as the customer went to the front desk and I registered his items in the cashier.
Once the customer left, the girl beside me talked once more.
“Well, if she isn’t your girlfriend; it must be mutual love.”
I was surprised by her and looked at her with raised brows.
“She must’ve been jealous when she saw you next to me. You should go after her when your shift ends in ten minutes.”
“I will.”
I smiled and nodded at her and prepared to ready to leave my shift.
After I changed out of my uniform and placed it in the locker, I ran back home.
I got in the elevator and immediately knocked on her door.
“Miyata-san!”
“Coming!”
When I opened the door, there was a lady there with a brown ponytail with a curvaceous body.
She was the splitting image of Miyata Shiina, this was definitely her mother.
“Ahh, aren’t you our neighbor?”
“Ah, yes. My name is Watanabe Jin, a friend of Miyata- I mean, Shiina-san.”
The lady tilted her head and placed her index finger on her mouth.
“Shiina is in her room, I’d call her down but she seems to be avoiding someone; I asked her if it was a boy but she just groaned and closed her door. Come with me.”
The lady waved her hands, gesturing for me to go in. After I had gotten inside their condo, I could see a man watching television.
“Who’s this?”
The man removed the volume from the television with his remote and asked the lady in front of me.
The lady looked back at me and smirked.
“He’s our daughter’s boyfriend and also our neighbor.”
The man’s face instantly darkened as he stood up and walked towards me.
“Wait sir, I didn’t do anything nor am I her boyfriend!”
He looked he didn’t listen and placed both his hands on my shoulders.
What is with people holding my shoulders nowadays…
“Were you the one who made my little princess upset?”
His voice was cold as if he’s showing he would have no hesitation to clock me the moment I do anything to her. Also, why little princess?
I scratched my chin with my finger.
“Well, I guess I’m part of the reason though I can’t really tell what the actual reason is.”
Shiina’s dad was shaking in anger while muttering ‘you…’
Before Shiina’s dad could speak anymore, a hand held his shoulder.
“I was joking, he’s not her boyfriend. I just invited him inside to cheer up Shiina.”
“But…”
Before Shiina’s dad could speak again, Shiina’s mother pulled him toward a room and locked the door.
“Now, shall we go?”
“But is he okay…?”
“Let’s go.”
Shiina’s mother had a smile on her face and led me towards the stairs and into a door with a sign in front that says ‘Shiina’ with flowers around it.
Shiina’s mother knocked on the door thrice.
“Shiina, open the door for me a bit.”
“Yes.”
I could hear footsteps and Shiina’s mother retreated back into the stairs while passing me and whispering ‘take care of her’.
Guess I should be ready to force my way inside her room if she doesn’t let me in.
A few seconds later, the door opened and I saw the figure of a leaning Shiina wearing a camisole and shorts that only covered a few inches of her legs; revealing her smooth thigh.
She had a dumbfounded face and her mouth was open, I was the same but my eyes traveled all around her.
“Kyaaaa, pervert!”
She turned red and slammed the door shut. I could hear rustling of clothes and many objects falling.
After about two minutes, the noise stopped and the door once more. Shiina wore a blazer over her camisole but kept her shorts; her room was neatly arranged and had a few stuffed toys here and there.
Her room was very cute to say the least; I haven’t been in any other girl’s room though.
As she instructed me sit down on a cushion with a red face, she poured me some instant tea and gave me some biscuits.
She sat in front of me while covering her face with her hair.
“…Shiina-san?”
Shiina visibly twitched, what could have possibly- oh.
“Wait, I mean Miyata-!”
“No!”
Shiina immediately stood up.
“I-I mean you can call me Shiina, you don’t have to add a ‘san’.”
Shiina sat down on the cushion once more but covered her face.
“Then, Shiina, why are you avoiding me?”
“I-I’m not avoiding you, J-Jin-kun.”
She called me by my first name too…
I stared at her in a daze.
“Jin-kun, what are you staring at…?”
She was covering her red face and was peeking out through the gaps in her fingers.
“Ah, sorry for staring, but I know that you’ve been avoiding me; you glared at me when I was at the convenience store too.”
“…You know, Jin-kun, you’ve really changed.”
“Huh, what’s all this about?”
Caught off-guard by her words, I tilted my head.
“…Have you remembered the events of the seven months ago?”
“No…”
I shook my head and began to listen intently.
“Before seven months ago, you acted very differently. You never talked to anyone unless necessary and everyone called you a cool prince.”
I imagined myself with the same attitude as she had pictured out; it doesn’t fit me at all. The only thing I remember is that I was quite open with everyone after that time.
“I can’t imagine myself with that sort of personality.”
I smiled wryly to which she giggled.
“Well, it’s true. Everyone was shocked by your sudden change after the accident and started confessing to you. You used to get a single confession a week either by letter or personally; then it multiplied several times and you had to deal with a confession nearly every single day. I was quite jealous at the time…”
Her voice trailed off at the end and I couldn’t hear it clearly but she coughed once and proceeded with her story.
“Seven months ago, you saved me; this was what I told you.”
“Yeah, it was.”
I nodded and she continued.
“I was actually being cornered in an alley by some thugs who planned to do unspeakable things to me after stealing my money; and you came.”
She had a smile on her face as she reminisced.
“You yelled at them and jumped in front of them; they beat you up and even whacked you in the head so hard that you fell unconscious. I was so surprised that even with your silence and nonchalance; you still jumped in at the risk of your life. At that time, the police arrived and help me bring you to a hospital.”
The smile on her face faded as fast as it came after her next words.
“When I heard your diagnosis at the hospital, I felt so bad that I started crying then and there. You could say that I felt responsibility towards you but that’s sort of strange seeing as I was younger than you.”
She continued talking about me as if she had watched me with each second of my life until she got to the part where I quit school. I watched each and every one of the emotions that appeared on her face, I kept a straight face but my heart was in turmoil.
Once she finished her story, she looked up at me with a smile on her face.
“And now, you’re one of my most precious friends.”
My heart was threatening to jump out my chest, I have to do it.
“…Shiina.”
“Yes?”
I made my resolve, I’ll tell her. I don’t care if we haven’t known each other for long; this is the first time I’ve truly felt like this.
“I like you.”
I did it, I told her.
Her eyes expanded and joy was written all over her face but she quickly turned red with a silly smile.
“Eh… eh… I…”
Her voice sounded so happy that I could tell she returned my feelings.
“I… like you too.”
She suddenly burst into laughter as she looked at me.
“W-what is it?”
“Your face…!”
She was covering her mouth and tried to resist laughing with all her might. Strangely, I didn’t feel offended at all.
“Hey, you have something on your face.”
“Eh, where?”
She suddenly stopped her laughter and tried to reach for a mirror but I grabbed her hand and pulled her close.
Her eyes expanded as I kissed her; it was my first kiss so I didn’t know if I did it right but all I want right now is for my feelings to come across.
After our kiss that lasted nearly a minute, I released her first and it looks like she was quite disappointed.
“Want another one?”
I asked in a teasing tone to which she denied in a fluster.
“Want to know the reason I was avoiding you?”
Shiina asked me in a light hearted manner.
“I already know.”
I responded with confidence.
“You were jealous because I made up with a girl who liked me, weren’t you?”
“Yeah…”
She responded by covering her face.
“Hey.”
I opened her hands once more and made a light peck on her forehead.
“Thank you for being with me through all this; if anyone were to ask me who I’d want to spend the rest of my life with, I’d definitely say with no hesitation that it’s Miyata Shiina.”
I placed my hand on the side of her face.
“And I too, with no hesitation tell everyone that I want to spend the rest of my life with the man named Watanabe Jin.”
She leaned forward.
“Also, can I take that as a future proposal?”
I let out a slight chuckle.
“I’ll do it properly in the future so look forward to it.”
“I will!”
If this girl will stay by my side, I can't bring myself to say that I hate this life. As long as she's with me and I with her, I don't mind living through another lifetime.