“Katsumi, you think you wanna have everyone over tonight?” Nara came back to the living room from the kitchen, “It is Friday, don’t think anyone’s—”

Isn’t that the last thing I should be doing?

Katsumi was sat in front of his TV, playing a game as a robot in a black-dress.

Isn’t that the opposite of what I promised Arata-san?

 

‘You can’t run forever’

‘I can try’

Why would I say that? Is that promise that I don’t want to change? The whole reason for pushing her away was to change on my own. And now I have… And now I’m repeating the cycle.

Katsumi set down his controller.

Is this really what I want…?

A hand smacked the back of his head, “Hey! Are ya’ like having sex with 2B in yer’ head or somethin’?”

“Huh– Oh, sorry… I just zoned out.”

“...I was askin’ if you wanted people over tonight?”

 

“Hey, Umi-chan, It’s been a minute!” Katsumi’s friend Nobuo greeted him as he entered.

“Yeah, it definitely feels like it’s been a bit.”

“Your eye all better?”

“Almost as if it didn’t happen.”

“That’s great.”

Maaya followed in behind him holding a nice-looking bottle of Sake, “Hello~!”

“Evening Maaya-chan.”

The next two in were Shouko and Kenshi. Behind them was an American girl, one with long blonde hair. Katsumi recognized her.

He turned to Maaya and whispered, “Is that the girl in the photo you showed us?”

“Yeah, that’s Jackie”

“Hey, Nobuo,” Nara called out, “Where’s Makoto?”

“Apparently he’s been seeing someone for a little bit now. He’s busy tonight.”

Katsumi did a double take at this. There’s no way… Is he actually starting something with Hirano-san?

Nobuo and Shouko remained in the kitchen while the rest of the group made their way into the living room.

“Jackie, I don’t think you’ve met Katsumi yet.” Maaya introduced him.

“No, I haven’t. It’s nice to meet you,” She gave a large smile with her straight, white-teeth.

“Hi,” Katsumi gave a small smile back, “I think I go to school with your younger brother, Brad.”

“Really!? That’s great he has friends!”

What’d she mean by that? Did he not back in America? Or is she just worried? “I won’t be worried, everyone loves him.”

She seemed even more taken aback by this, “That’s incredible…” 

I’m gonna ask… “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but did he not have friends back in America?”

Jakie laughed a little, “Yeah not really. He spent all of his time in his room doing something on his computer.”

What?

“It sounds like he’s done a complete one-eighty, that’s great to hear!”

A few scenes of Brad flashed in Katsumi’s head. Of him looking so natural interacting with people he’s never met before. Introducing himself as if it’s something he’s always done.

It’s not possible he just switched up like that… I don’t believe it.

After a bit the two in the kitchen came and joined them in the living room. The evening went on like all the others Katsumi was familiar with. It was a feeling that a part of him missed.

Something that I’m so used to. But this just doesn’t feel right… Do I really care that I’m breaking a promise to Arata-san…? I don’t know. But am I breaking one I made with myself?

His phone dinged. A text from an unknown number.

His living room was now empty. Everyone had left by now, even Nara. It was the depth of the night and Katsumi jolted awake from the notification.

Using all his strength to lift a finger, he tried to tap on his screen. The phone was swirling and fading from place to place. After a bit of trying he finally managed to unlock it.

He stared at the home-screen for minutes, waiting for his phone to do something. He blinked, realizing that’s not how it works. 

He managed to open the 

‘It’s Brad, come outside’

Brad… Brad… Was he here? His sister? It’s his sister forgetting something?

Katsumi stumbled to his feet.

I guess I’ll see what they want. 

He wobbled his way to the front door, using the wall as a guide. He slipped on his shoes and poked his head out of the door. No one was there.

Stepping outside the cool night-air rushed into his nose. He took a deep breath in, one that seemed to put some conscious life back into him.

He blinked.

Lights from the city made the horizon glow. The air was clean and refreshing. 

What was I doing?

Katsumi walked up the railing and peered out to the street below. 

There was a foreign man standing directly below.

Brad?

Brad held his phone to his ear and looked up at Katsumi. He waved, signaling for him to come down. 

Katsumi nodded and started the trek down. 

Shit… Why’d I do this… I wish I could walk, there’s no reason I should be getting blasted like this so often…

He wavered but caught himself on a wall. 

 

“Evening Katsumi,” Brad greeted him at the front door.

In return Katsumi gave a dead-stare, then finally spoke back, “...Hi.”

“Let’s walk. Think you can do that?”

“...Yeah… I’m coming down I think,” Katsumi mustered all of his focus on his steps. 

“Let’s get you a hangover drink, come on.”

Do those work for weed? “Won’t they not sell them to you? You’re the same age as me.”

“I’m a foreigner, they probably won’t realize how old I am.”

After a bit of walking a thought struck Katsumi, “Wait… Why are you here right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… Why’d you uh, come to my apartment at two in the morning?”

Brad put his hands in his pockets, “I walked my sister to the station this evening, and she mentioned something about going to a ‘Murakami’s apartment’. I honestly didn’t think she meant you. But when she came home and I asked her, she described you exactly.”

“...So why’re you here?”

“I know my sisters ‘lifestyle’. And I was aware yours was sorta like hers. But I didn’t expect it to be to the same extent. I knew you weren’t doing well, but I didn’t expect you to be doing this bad.”

“...So what if I am?”

“Do you not care about Arata-san?”

He has some fucking nerve saying that… “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Ki-Ki-chan has been talking about Arata-san often, she isn’t doing well. She’s doing a good job hiding it but Ki-Ki-chan can tell.”

“Arata-san and I agreed that we wouldn’t talk anymore for her own good. That I’d work on myself without her.”

Brad shook his head, “This? This is working on yourself?”

“I’m trying.”

“Clearly trying for you is not doing anything then. Your eyes are bloodshot and you look awful,” Brad smirked.

Katsumi gritted his teeth, “Aren’t you the same as your sister? You’re the one who asked me for a cigarette the first time you talk to me.”

“You know you’re lying to yourself. One cigarette isn’t the same as.”

“...You should be worried about yourself and Akito-san’s delusions, not my problems.”

Brad laughed this time, “You really think some highschool drama is the same as a drug-addiction?”

“It’s not an addiction!”

“I live with one, I know what it looks like.”

“You don’t know shit!”

Brad shook his head.

The two stopped outside the convenience store.

“Stay here for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

He came back out a minute later with a hangover drink. Katsumi was sitting on the curb with his head in between his knees. 

“Here,” Brad handed him the drink.