The cafeteria was loud. The noise was a physical weight. It pressed against Kaito's temples. It settled behind his eyes. He sat at the usual table. The plastic tray was cold. The food was untouched. Steam rose from the broth. It vanished into the air.
Kaito kept his hands still. They wanted to shake. He clasped them together under the table. He hid the tremor. He looked at the table surface. The laminate was scratched. White lines in the grey. He counted them. One. Two. Three.
Ryota sat across from him. Ryota was talking. He was always talking. His hands moved. He knocked over a salt shaker. He caught it before it fell. He laughed. The laugh was loud. It cut through the background noise.
Ryota said, I am telling you. The vending machine on the second floor is rigged. It eats coins. It eats specific coins. I tested it. I used ten yen. It worked. I used fifty yen. It ate it. It is discriminating. It has preferences.
