*beep… beep… beep…*
“Stupid alarm…”
I mutter, my fist landing straight on top of the annoying machine. 5:30… eh, at least it’s better than last time.
Letting out a loud yawn, I drearily make my way to the other side of the bed, where I put my phone. Lately, it’s been a habit of mine to check for messages. It’s not much of a good habit, but for someone with too much free time on his hands and no money to spend, there’s really nothing else I can do.
[Me: Hey, should we meet somewhere to discuss what to do next?]
…
[Me: Where have you been?]
…
[Me: Are you avoiding me?]
“Tch,” I click my tongue and throw the phone back onto the bed. Last seen 2 weeks ago, huh?...
Ever since that night, both Natsume and Yoichi have been ghosting me for no reason. I’ve messaged them countless times on CURVE, but none would answer. And it’s not like they’ve left me on read, they just straight up didn’t see the message. Sure, one could make the argument that they might have been too busy to check their phones. And especially with Yoichi, that might very well be what happened. But these are teenagers we’re talking about. If there’s anyone strong-willed enough to not even touch their phone for two whole weeks, they would have run for Prime Minister or something.
But I digress. The fact of the matter is still there - neither of those two have replied to me, and I still have nothing to do.
A sudden buzz of the phone interrupts my train of thought. A text, at this hour? Can it be…
[Yaga: Young Master, here’s the grocery list for today. I hope that you’re not lying in bed all morning again.]
You know, Granny Yaga is surprisingly adept at all the new tech despite being… actually, I don’t even know what her age is, now that I think about it. She lied to me with a different number every time I asked her. But still, texting on CURVE at 6 A.M is not an old lady's behavior, that’s for sure.
I let out a sigh, grab a bag and a nearby baseball cap, and make my way out the door.
Even though it’s been more than a year of me living this frugal life, I still find it funny sometimes that of all people, it’s my butler that makes me buy my own stuff. And always on this kind of weird-ass time too. I’ve been doing this so much that even the sight of empty roads doesn't surprise me anymore. It’s just sad at this point, seeing that I always end up alone no matter what I try to do.
I guess if I have to find an upside to all of this… it’s that the morning air is always refreshing, both to the body and the mind. No wonder why so many people go for morning jogs. And I’m sure this is Granny Yaga’s own way of ensuring I take care of my health too, so I can’t complain so much.
Before I know it, the convenience store is already in front of me. Now, to check that list again…
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“Ouch! Hey!”
A voice exclaims as both I and whatever’s in front of me fall to our behind, landing butt-first onto the concrete pavement. Holding back my voice, I put away my phone to take a closer look at the perpetrator.
“Watch where you’re going!” The other person - the most average-looking individual I’ve seen in my life, shouts. Seriously, his face is so plain, I bet you can throw him in a group picture and no one would even realize he’s there.
To my surprise, however, the guy takes one look at my face and audibly gasps in shock:
“Is that you, Fuutsuno?”
“... Yes, I am Fuutsuno,” I cautiously answer. I definitely don’t know this guy… right? Why is he looking at me like some kind of acquaintance? And I’m sure at most we’re acquaintances, right? After all, my friends would call me “Hakuen”.
“What a coincidence meeting you here!” The other side, meanwhile, continues as if nothing had happened.
Realizing I can’t keep up the facade any longer, I let out a sigh, prepare myself for the worst, and ask:
“And… you are…”
The opposite party pauses for a second, before letting out a hearty laugh:
“Haha, good one!”
I wasn’t making a joke though. Have you seen yourself in the mirror, man? How can I tell you apart from the dozens of people I’ve seen in my life?
“It’s Takahashi! We’re in the same class, remember?”
“Takahashi…” I squint my eyebrows, racking my brain for any sort of memory regarding this person. Why, of all the names, do you have to have one of the most common Japanese surnames ever?
“I sit by the window,” seeing my face, the boy named Takahashi continues. Sure, like that’s any easier to pinpoint.
“Riggghttt…” I slowly nod in response.
“Must have been tough huh?”
“Tough? What do you mean?” His sudden words send me into confusion.
“You know, having to wake up early every morning to follow your friends’ schedules.”
“... Friends? What do you mean?” The more he says, the more I don’t get. Of course, my mind naturally jumps to you-know-who, but they weren’t even answering my texts.
“Huh?” This time, it’s the Takahashi boy that’s confused by my words. “Aren’t those two your friends? You know, Kuroba from our class and Fukuzawa from class B? You’ve been seen with one another all the time, so I thought…”
“No, no, that’s the natural thing to think of,” I quickly wave my hand. “We’re friends, yeah, but I haven’t seen them lately. This is just my morning routine.”
“Is that so?” This Takahashi person scratches his cheek in embarrassment. “Guess I was wrong then. I also have a morning routine, and I’ve been seeing those two together lately, so I just assumed…”
“... What did you say?”
“I mean, I just assumed…”
“Before that!” I grab his shoulder and shake his whole body, but it only takes a second for me to realize how much of a horrible mistake that was.
“Uh… I’ve been seeing them together lately…?”
“Where?”
“I’m not sure! Somewhere around the station, I think?”
I immediately drop my grip on the guy and run as fast as my legs can take me, not even waiting for his goodbye that just goes smaller with each step I take.
Why? Yoichi, Natsume, what’s the meaning of this? I can understand that you don’t want to see me… No, to hell with that. I can’t understand. Why do this to me now?
Before I know it, I’ve already arrived at the station. And before I know it, the sight I wanted to see is already in front of me.
There they are, together on the platform to the next train.
“Haha…” I can’t help but utter a bitter laugh.
What the hell was I thinking?
Of course there’s nothing between them. Just look at their eyes. Those aren’t the eyes of a couple enjoying their secret date. That sheer focus and determination, as if in front of them is only the goal to their dreams… Those are the eyes of people sharing the same kind of drive and passion. Of those who possess ‘generational talent’.
I was a fool for thinking that I could understand them. And not only that, I once again let this petty jealousy get the better of me, so much that I almost discarded the friendship that we’ve built for so long. Whereas the matter of fact is, I’m just some good-for-nothing dirtbag with no talents whatsoever, a scum of the earth only knowing how to spend money, and now without any money to his name.
Without another word, I leave the station and dial my phone.
“Young Master, what’s wrong? Did you get the groceries for today?” Granny Yaga’s voice sounds on the other side of the line.
If my only worth is my money, then I can only do one thing.
“Yeah, I have them right here. Oh, and bring me the list again, Granny. I have work to do.”