Oh, the Words spoken unintentionally...
Tokyo: Shibuya Street's...
After the club...
The club doors shut behind them with a dull thud, Music still throbbed faintly from inside, bass leaking into the humid nighta air of Tokyo.
They were walking down the streets of tokyo, Reze stumbled one step, then another. her half drunk self she was walking latched onto Senkai's sleeve like it was a lifeline. He realized she is quiet a heavy drinker. He thought than, that day in the clubroom that night she really wasn't that drunk. "You walk too straight," she muttered.
"That's… not an insult is it?" He asked.
She said, "It is when you're swaying."
"But I am not swaying." She was drunk Very much, He looked down at her hand gripping onto the fabric of his shirt. Her fingers were firm. Not careless.
She was Grounding herself.
He exhaled quietly, She's a heavy drinker. He hadn't expected that, That night in the clubroom weeks ago — she hadn't been this gone. But back then she'd been calculated even in tipsiness. But Tonight?"
Her guard was… pretty thin.
They walked under flickering neon signs and glowing vending machines. The streets weren't empty, but quieter than usual — late enough for the city to soften. "You didn't drink much," she said suddenly. "I just don't like losing control."
She hummed."Liar." He glanced down at her, "You were watching me?"
"I always does." The words were said so simply that it almost didn't register. He slowed slightly. She tightened her grip instinctively. "Don't slow down," she murmured. "The ground is unstable. "It's concrete.
"Exactly that what I mean." Than hearing her drunk sweet voice He almost smiled, Almost. They turned a corner. Noises from the club faded further behind them.
She stumbled again — harder this time — and ended up more closer to him than before. Her shoulder bumped against his chest. Without thinking, his hand came to her waist to steady her. "Warm and Solid.
She froze, Just for half a second, Then she looked up at him, Too close. Her eyes were hazy, but not empty. "Drunk didn't mean unaware. "You catch me every time," she said softly.
"That's what gravity does." That's not what I meant she said." The city lights reflected in her eyes, for once, she wasn't performing, No teasing tone, No layered intent. But just pure honesty loosened by alcohol. She continue "You don't look at me the way other guys do,"
"That's a compliment?" Than he asked. "And Just how the other guys look at you?" "It's confusing she said. They'll all look at me like a some sort of pray, that they'd want to hunt. Keep me in a cage, or worse just want to have once."
"In simple term's they look at me in lust, or like something they want as a item to brag about, least the ones who wants me to warm their bed for once are honest. If it was in the old era I've don't even know how'll many times I would have gotten forced."
He let out a quiet breath. "Do you want me to beat all of them up, So they start looking at you with some respect. Than his voice in anger, it's not like a someone's made for their pleasures."
"You want me to?" He asked again.
She considered that, Actually considered it. "I'll don't know. cuz someone once did that in the past and it actually worked for a while." But than, in reality it never stooped, it just became behind the back of me, It's useless...
That answer surprised him. "Hm.. Than maybe I should try to something else.." A group of a random strangers laughed loudly across the street. A car passed, Somewhere, a train rumbled in the distance. Normal life moved around them. But here — in this small bubble of neon light — everything felt suspended.
She shifted closer again, her grip sliding from his sleeve to his forearm. "You know," she said, voice lowering, "I could kiss you right now."
There it was, Her Half drunk self, and Half a challenge, the Old habit. He didn't react immediately, Just looked at her. Studied her face like he was searching for something beneath the surface, "And?" he asked calmly. "And you wouldn't stop me. she said."
He asked and why do you think that? Her breath caught faintly. "But," he continued. "You'd might regret it tomorrow your words."
A Silence. That landed, Her fingers tightened around corners. "You think I'm that careless?" He said, "I think you hated not being in the control."
The night breeze shifted, brushing her hair across her cheek. "Hm.. She didn't push further.
Didn't lean in. Instead—Her forehead dropped lightly against his chest. A small, and a quiet surrender. "You're annoying," she murmured. And "You're drunk."
"Shut up."
He didn't move his hand from her waist, Didn't pull her closer either, Just… held her steadily and safely. After a moment her voice softened. "Back there, she said slowly, words being less guarded now, when I said, I don't like, not knowing where I'll stand…" He waited, than. She swallowed. ''It means I don't."
There was no seduction in it this time."No pretending, "No games. Just a girl who was tired of pretending that she didn't care, He looked down at her. "But you stand here with me, he said quietly."
She let out a shaky breath. "That's vague. "It's honest." He said. She lifted her head slightly to look at him again. No smirk, No sparkle of a strategy her energy was low. Just vulnerability made braver by the alcohol. "Why don't you ever chase me?" she asked.
The question was small, Almost fragile, His expression didn't change much. But something behind it did, "Because, he said, I don't want to chase you." Her brows knit faintly. But little did He knew he was already doing that. "I want you to walk toward me."
The words hit harder than any flirtation, Her throat tightened. That wasn't a line, wasn't a ego. But that's was choice, his choice. For a second, her composure cracked completely. Her voice low and sweet dangerous in a way, "You think you are special enough for that?"
Her eyes glossed faintly — not crying. But just overwhelmed. "You're unfair," she whispered.
"Why?" He asked. "Cuz you make it sound so easy, when It's not." A beat. Than "But it doesn't have to be a war." He said.
The neon light flickered above them. She looked at him like she was seeing him differently, Not as a challenge, Not a puzzle, but as something steady, Safe.
Her hand slid slowly from his forearm to his hand. "She intertwined their fingers. Not dramatically, Not Strategetigly, nor seductively.
But just… quietly. "I refuse, she murmured. I'll don't do that anymore senkai, she said." He squeezed her hand once, Firm and careful, but Certain. Than a silence reached his heart, than he moves his hand carefully, not showing.
A faint smile, "Ah... Forget it he said. Than take it as a flattery words of a introvert who was just trying to be confident." And a have a nice night but this time— She wasn't holding onto his sleeve to keep from falling, but instead to save him from getting hurt.
Her voice slow "senkai." He started moving backwards, through the glowing streets of the Tokyo. See ya around, than Reze Senpai He said, moving her hand carefully from his sleeves...
She tried holding his hand because she wanted to for a moment than stooped herself. And for once— Neither of them were pretending it was anything else.
That night they just drifted away their ways... Like the star's moved in the galaxy. She glanced at him leaving... he'd dissappar at the curve of the alley way. Walking he thought, "first I've had sex with her, the president of the club I'm in, than I confessed to her indirectly, and got shot down, and what the fuck I meant take it as a flattery?"
He let the small breath come out, "Whatever happens, happens, but I'm more worried for what's about to come next..."No I only did it because she was the one who seduce first" Yes, "So there is nothing for me to ashamed of— yep there's nothing to afraid of."
"It's all Reze fault."
Than he stopped. "No It's all Cella fault, Only if she didn't poke me at the first day of college I wouldn't have try to get a girlfriend nor go and chase after her either."
Than He overthinks as the thoughts went through his head. "Did I go too overboard, what if she tells the other club members, do I have to leave the club? "Shit."
Buzz buzz his handphone vibrated, he pulled it out of his pocket—
This is professor Yumiko from the Theater club, I am the adviser for your club. I'll will be giving the class (Understand acting) for the first years. And the mid term will be replaced with the group project. We need to arrange the group's, "So please come to the classroom 101 by 11am tomorrow, if your don't have time on that day please leave a message to inform."
"Why the fuck is there a group project, in an online class?" I'm hungry too, He thought.
Sigh....
———
Yoshimura house—
Next day...
The damn Morning came too fast.
Tokyo didn't ease into daylight — it arrived with the sound of low hum of a traffic. The distant rhythm of a train gliding along elevated tracks.
The Mechanical chime of a pedestrian crossing somewhere below his house window, Senkai He stared at the ceiling. His head didn't hurt — he hadn't drunk enough for that, "Unfortunately, that meant he remembered everything.
Every word. "I want you to walk toward me..." He groaned quietly and dragged a pillow over his face. "Why did I say that…" Fragments replayed in his head whether he liked it or not — her hand intertwining with his, the look in her eyes when her composure cracked, the softness in her voice when she refused.
And the worst part?
I've hadn't meant to sound cool, hadn't meant to sound confident, I just meant it. He rolled onto his side and than checked his phone. 10:07 AM. "…Shit." classroom 101, 11 AM.
He sat up immediately, running a hand through his hair. His reflection in the mirror looked a bit more exhausted than he felt, Not from alcohol — but from the overthinking.
"Did I go too far? He said. Was that a confession. Was that… a rejection? Maybe." He grabbed his jacket. He'd put it on lazily, as he walk out of the house taking the key of his bike.
While walking through the front door, his sister Cella passes him by, stopped He asked. "You are coming home now at the morning?"
"Does father even know should I tell him? "Stop asking questions she said. That's not your duty, and I was with Kai, not with some guy or alone, if you have more questions?"
"Kai?" She continued, He just left, after dropping me, He might be going home too, She said." Walking past him.
———
Outside Yoshimura house: A Nearby Park—
He sat at his bike as he gone out, while Cycling. He saw at the local park nearby his house, "kai, sitting there Smoking alone, He stopped his bike and park it outside the park, as he approach him. Hearing the sounds of the steps he looked up. "I really hate your sister. "Now what has she done? He asked, Sitting beside him, And just How much did you drink?"
"You don't know, first she took me out like her chauffeur, Than her Personal bodyguard on a shopping trip with her whole friend group. Just for carrying the luggage. Used me like a, I'm her personal slave." Than she got me in the circles, round and round out of my goals... She made sure I'll get stuck." He exhaled quietly...
"Knowing you, why did you even approach her? "Do you think I wanted to, He said. I've just needed the access to the group chat". "A group chat?"
"You don't seem to know there a secret group chat made by the old graduates of the business department. There's a lot of graduates, seniors, and few Rich people's are in it. They discuss about the stock market and stuff, If you need loan for starting a business, or a job it's pretty much a connection hub."
"And cella has access to it? My sister, wow..."
"You really seem to underestimate your sister, Kai said, Igniting a new cigarette." Than He continued. "She can do lot more, she took me to a drinking party's with the senior's." All of them drink like there's no tomorrow. I somehow Had survived the Orientation and now this." He exhaled the smoke again in frustration.
"Anyway she seems to be dating someone."
"What?"— "Yes, it seem to be someone who has graduated. than I heard in the party, A flashback went through his head, few male senior's were talking "do you cella is dating someone. "What? the other guy asked, who? a graduate of our major he is still in college?" Yea he is working in college.
"In our college He said. kai He said, "I already thought, it must mean he has to be someone professor aide or a assistant professor."
Than we just have to find out who it is. "A dark grin went through both of there faces, than we will have a leverage on her... Than Kai asked." Anyway what about you?" how's your college life going?"
"I've got short down, rejected. "Wow, That's all has left, He said. "So what kind is she?" Senkai He'd remembered her, her stare, her glance, her playfullness, than her Stillness, the way she is mysterious just like himself, Her Sweetness. But hidden beneath it all the way she is kind, quiet, beautiful and lovely. But there is that too, the Sadness, tiredness, the gray monochromatic world around her and something that he still hasn't figure out yet.
Than, "She is like a star, maybe. He said, Sometimes she shine to brightly in the world, than still there that mystery aura around her similar to me, but there a dark side behind it all unknown to me. She is matured, kind, sweet, playfull, and lovely,
A bit of dangerous girl maybe. She said, that she's is kind to everyone but, I've haven't saw it yet, her being kind to anyone else leaving me and her friends.
"Hm... Dangerous and mysterious..," ash fell off his cigarette. A star?" Sounds like a trouble to me, your taste has always been weird."
"Hey least it's better than your. What about you did you found anyone to date yet?" Nope I don't have time to invest in girls." And those women's, another flashback went through him. "Hey... handsome, are you first year which depart—
Just as the Senior's were throwing themselves onto him, at the drinking party. Cella from the side say's "Hey you Bastard women's stay away from my little brother."
"It's good I was not alone." He rubs his forehead remembering. "She admitted that you are her younger brother while she feels ashamed of me. What a little— she is bragging about you being her younger brother just because you are the top student and she is hiding me..."
What's her name. Kai said. "Who?" The girl you got short down by, "Amano Reze a third year, same age as the Cella.
Than He went. "Wow, Great cella was about to get a sister in law about the same as her age."
"Amano Reze... "Wait, a another flashback rings of the Drinking party. "Male senior's gathering, "hey do you know Reze she is getting day by day more bountiful. "Hey another guy said. I mean her busty body is just made to fuck." Be happy Lemon is not here, another senior said. I heard she seems to have made another target this time." Who?" Don't know only thing I know it's a junior."
"Senaki he paused for a moment. Thinking that it's him. Kai continued, He said it's a second year someone called, kazama, don't know, I guess he took her off your hand."
"Huh... he twitched his lips, "Anyways do you've know more about this, Lemon guy."
"Why?" Kai asked.
"Nothing, He said. "I guess it's good that she rejected you." What does that mean?" You would have to Broke too many mouth's because of her.
Plus she is way too out of your stranderds and is kinda women you would have to hide.
Cuz everyone gonna look at her and not in the nice way possible. And, she doesn't sound that great. She doesn't seem to have good rumors either.
He sight's in anger, than takes his cigarette. "Who were those seniors?" No just add me to the group chat, and tell me which bastard they were." Now I feel like I made a mistake telling you, Kai said. Lighting another one. Just as someone else walked by the park, in a black suit.
He looked at them than walk up to them, holding a bag full of canned beers, while drinking one. "What are you both doing drinking here in a park alone like a jobless bastard's. "Hey scary four eyes it's been a while He said. Before he said anything thing else, kai took the beer can from his hand and used it as the ash tray. "Hey!
"Senkai, he got up. "I'm leaving than I have a class to attend. Kai He got up too, "I should go to get a sleep too."
"See ya around scary four eye... They said. While leaving. He looked at them as they left. "What a bastard's no respect for their elder brother..."
———
Reze's Apartment.
Across the city — somewhere.
Reze was awake too.
Which was unusual.
She sat on the edge of her bed, sunlight slipping between curtains and tracing a thin line across her face. Her head wasn't heavy — she handled alcohol pretty well. But her chest felt strange. Quiet.
Last night wasn't blurry, Not fully forgotten.
She had remembered leaning against him. Remembered how he didn't tried taking the advantage. Remembered how he showed that he didn't cared.
Her fingers curled unconsciously at the memory of his hand squeezing hers once — firm, steady.
"I want you to walk towards me." Her jaw tightened, So, "Arrogant," she muttered. But the word lacked heat.
"No one had ever said something like that to her before, "Not bargaining. "No desperation. "No hunger for her. But Just a choice. And that did scared her more than the lust ever did.
She stood up and walked toward her mirror, She wore her inner wears, not the dress. For once, she didn't rehearsal an expression. "No playful smirk. "No teasing smile, Just herself. "…Unfair, she whispered again."
Then her phone buzzed, ting.
The same message from Professor Yumiko.
Group project, Her eyes narrowed slightly. Than another one from her. "Reze, can you help me chose the best play project by the first years later it be good if you do it as a director. We be putting that as the display for the first years later from next year."
Group projects meant interaction. Coordination. Time spent together. "…Interesting." she said. She replied back to her, "sure. But can I come into the class room as the Your Aide professor Yumiko, a quick replie come. "Sure Reze it be my honor to have your time as my aide" see ya than...
———
To be continue...