There are no windows in my pod—that’s what the Zenith is for—why waste time in the mundane ‘real world’ when I can mingle with cat girls on the rings of Saturn? Yet I find myself unwilling, even as I put on my headset. Unlimited worlds, questlines, people to meet, enemies to kill, gold to earn and convert to real world credits… I stand around Tarukaja tower and watch other players murdering shadows. I used to get annoyed when people would stand around doing nothing in the grinding area. Look at me now, doing the same thing…

5:30pm!!! I throw the headset harder than I meant to, catching it before impacting the floor. I run out the door and happily make my way to Mitsuko’s house.

“Hey, loser.” I hear that familiar voice call from behind me, not too loud, not too excited. Mitsuko always spoke with a slight disinterest, like she had a magical barrier to suppress her emotions. I wait for her to catch up. Black school uniform, red ribbon tied on her chest, short black skirt and nylon stockings with a thin vertical rip traveling up her thigh. Her archery bow is secure around her shoulder. Her backpack always looks like nothing is in it.

She passes me and I follow. “Hi… How was practice?”

She shrugs one shoulder. “It was whatever. Don’t walk too close to me. My friends could be around here. Volleyball just ended. I think the cheer squad is still going at it.”

I lag behind, concealing my rebellious feelings. I hate this part of our dynamic. Why is she so ashamed of me? We get to her house and I’m finally allowed to be in closer proximity. Her fake personality sheds and she sees me again. Her mom isn’t home. Mitsuko explains that she’s with a client.

“Sooo, what does your mom do, exactly?” I ask as we ascend the staircase.

Mitsuko doesn’t respond. She sets her bow and bag in the corner and plops on the bed. After crossing her torn stockings she replies, “She’s a hypnotist. Well, hypnotherapist to be exact. Why?”

I twiddle my fingers. “Just curious—I never heard of such a thing being a real job. How long has she been doing it? Did she teach you—”

Mitsuko raises her palm. I shut my mouth. “What are you doing?” she asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Asking questions about my mom. About me. How is it any of your business?”

“Well…” I look at her bashfully, my eyes darting from her gaze to the room, back and forth… “I wanted to know more about you… I feel like I don’t know much.”

Mitsuko gives a subtle nod. “What do you know?”

I think for a moment. “I know you’re a foreign exchange student… But I don’t know where you came from. You’re an archery master… Talented… and you’re… my bully…”

Mitsuko smirks. “That I am. Speaking of… Don’t we have some training to do? What did you say? You need to be fixed?”

My cheeks turn red. “Y-yeah…”

“Tell you what. If you do good today, I’ll answer three questions… Make it two. Maybe one… We’ll see. Deal?” Mitsuko offers a handshake. I accept. Her palm is rougher than usual from her recent archery practice. I realize she looks a little tired.

“So you were distracted by Ms. Ogawa. That’s never happened before? I find that hard to believe from a creep like you. Honestly, you should be ashamed of yourself,” Mitsuko taunts, getting more cruel with each word.

“I hope you realize by now why we can’t talk in public. To be seen with the likes of you… Ew, no thanks… What would happen to me at school? I’d have to sit alone, just like you. I still wouldn’t sit with you, even if I was an outcast.”

Mitsuko says in a sing-song manner, “Loner with a boner! Alone in the corner! Ha!”

Her onslaught is like an ego-stripping session as I feel my self-confidence being trampled beneath. Mitsuko is getting fired up—the traces of fatigue leave her body with each insult she hurls at me. Her look of satisfaction is my only reprieve; I’m glad to see her liven up.

She uncrosses her thighs, leaning forward as she raises her voice, “Get on your knees. Or do I need to snap and point, like you’re a stupid dog? You want a treat? My feet? Fucking pathetic. I’d spit on you, but you don’t even deserve my saliva. I SAID, get on your knees…”

Snap! I drop like I’d just been shot in the legs. The room shakes with my landing. “You look so stupid. You’re lucky Ms. Ogawa didn’t see you being such a pervert. You’d get expelled and have nowhere to go. You’d be forced to play that stupid nerd game the rest of your life just to make money. Oh wait! You already do that!”

Mitsuko laughs belligerently at herself or me or both… I tense my knuckles, unsure why she’s assaulting me like this. But I take it obediently, despite a dying voice in my head telling me to speak up… I blush more and more as she continues with her teasing.

“You deserve a punishment, right? A lesson in training? That’s the only way to fix your broken brain. Too stupid to do anything on its own. Right?”

My lip trembles. Mitsuko gets up in a fit of rage. “Right?! Are you fucking listening to me?”

“Yes…” I manage to whisper pathetically.

“Yes, what, idiot?! Yes, you’re a dumbass? Baka?! Oh, I shouldn’t say that, you might get turned on. Fucking weeboo creepazoid fucking… uh… Idiot!”

Mitsuko stuttered? It gives me the courage to look in her blue eyes. She doesn’t like what she sees. “Don’t fucking look at me with those puppy dog eyes! Idiot… You’re not crying, which is rare… Is your skin finally getting thicker? That’d be a miracle—fucking dork… Now, answer the question. Do you deserve a punishment?”

“Y-y-yes, I deserve a p-p-punishment.”

Mitsuko mocks my stuttering, her fangs arced toward the ceiling as she cackles. She shakes her head while sighing. “Fuck, I do love seeing you like this... Weak, submissive, needy. This is what you deserve. Get ready…”

Mitsuko widens her stance, opens her palm and rests it gently against my cheek. My body and mind go into stasis. “Are you sure about this?” she says.

I nod, unsure what she is about to do.

“I don’t fucking care. You’re going to take it. I need this more than you. Fucking just… sit there… and take it!” She swings her arm backward and slaps my face. I fall to the floor like a rag doll as I yelp. The sound of her palm striking echoes in my ear—burning, stinging, radiating pain across my eye.

“Oh, shit—” Mitsuko drops to her knees. Her stockings make a ripping sound. She helps me back up. “I-I didn’t mean to hit you that hard! I got carried away, again. Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Mitsuko rubs my face like she’s trying to erase a whiteboard. I back away from her touch. My eye is having trouble opening. I’m scared of what she’s going to do next—I flinch again as her other hand comes near. She’s troubled by my reaction.

Mitsuko’s venom leaves her voice, becoming gentle and desperate for me to understand. “I’m not going to hit you, I promise. That was just part of your punishment. I didn’t mean to get so carried away… I had such a rough day and… I was thinking of doing this ever since lunch… Fuck, are you ok? Your eye… Oh no…”

The stinging alleviates, like Mitsuko’s nurturing the pain into the void. I twitch my eye open, but it’s uncomfortable. She tells me to keep it closed. She covers her mouth, her body trembling uncontrollably. I’ve never seen her like this…

I grab her hand to console her. It helps to calm her down as she takes deep breaths. Mitsuko seems more shaken up than me.

“Fuck… I’m so sorry, Jin. I got riled up. I lost control. Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m ok. It hurts but… I…” a blush envelops my face. “I kind of liked it… and I think I learned my lesson…”

Mitsuko looks at me dumbfounded, like seeing an equation she can’t comprehend. She smiles, then giggles, then heaves in her laughter. “What?! Holy shit, you can actually be funny sometimes…”

She wipes a tear away, then realizes I’m serious. She sets her fingertips on my cheek again, speaking more seriously. “You surprise me every day. Fuck…” She bites her lip seductively. “Next time I’ll try to be gentler, ok?”

I nod in agreement.

“Let’s get you an ice pack. I hope that doesn’t leave a bruise… Fuck, I’m the worst person in the world, right?”

“No… You’re my best friend—I mean! Sorry! You… You’re my bully…”

Mitsuko carries a sad smile after hearing my words.