In my actions of pure panic,
my hands had rested on the operating stove,
barely holding me upwards.
I would pay the price.

With a quick shout in pain I thrusted myself upwards, only to once more bear the consequences of my own actions.
My stability, I was more askew than the tower of pisa. I tumbled, tried to hold on, but fell.

*Bumpf!*

My back was injured, my head was pounding. It felt like I lost only half of my consciousness. Most of my senses were numb, my ear was the only reliable source of information I had.

I could hear them speak.

"Onii-chaan? Did your let the food fall again?" Satama asked me.

As if I've ever let the precious food fall onto the ground before.

Yet in my pain I was not able to speak, so Mai-chan, Ajisai-san and Satama herself decided to enter, according to the previous invite, which I did not approve of. You could hear the shoes falling onto the ground, as naturally done in any household when entering.

Slowly, they walked into the room, expecting what was to be expected from a natural morning. I could not see, as my eyes were closed, but I heard the deep inhales from all the girls, as if we were in a musical. They all sang their airly song, one by one, in harmony and tact.

"Ken-kun!" Mai-chan spoke, as she ran towards me, quickly followed by Ajisai-san.

I was still quite knocked out. It felt like the void form this morning. Emptiness all around, only noises from people and a light from above. Though I knew I wouldn't wake up in my room this time.

After that thought-process, I hardly but surely realized how both friends from before were now lifting me up from behind.

And then it hit me.

Wait...are they...they are both...!?

Quickly, I awoke to sanity,
pushed myself forward,
and found footing.
A slight swaying, 
but I stood.

What for one is a helpful touch or act, for another is the utmost feeling of discomfort. Over the timespan of my loneliness, I thought I reassured some kind of immunity against the unease of physical touch. Oh Boy, how I was wrong.

The quick realization,
the embarrassment.
It was like a switch, activating my childish side.

"Ken-kun, are you alright?" Mai-chan asked worryingly.

I turned to her, with a harsh smile. I tried to calm my voice, speak clearly and fluently.
But nothing would work today.

"Oh no I'm f-fine. D-do not worry."

"Really?" Ajisai-san wanted to reassure. "You seem to have hit the ground pretty hard."

I moved my arms, attempting to make gestures meant to decline any more of what I could not handle.

"It's fiiiiiiine! It's alright! It's fine!"

Am I really repeating myself?

"I have not hit the ground too hard. My head slightly hurts but it's alright."

IT CLEARLY ISN'T

While I was fighting against myself, Ajisai-san looked at my hands and analyzed their skin. They both had large burns, widened across my palm and at the tips of my fingers. She then spoke in a slight shock, her hand rushed, held before her mouth.

"Ken-kun, y-you burned your hands?"

I could not move again. What was I supposed to say: 'No? I have not! It is all in your imagination!' I could not lie like that, but rather I decided to awkwardly stay in my position, as if it was for the better.

"Let me see if I have any bandage-"

My Brain, filled with information,
Electronic flow,
Time had slowed down,
Like a mastermind, I analyzed her words,
The structure, The meaning.
And quicker then struck by lighting,
I realised:

This is my chance!

"H-hey, do no worry! We have bandages in the bathroom." I stuttered.

I slowly started walking towards the corridor.

"I will apply them to my hands and return. Please, make yourselves at home."

I started walking, transformed it into a run. My goal was clear. As I turned my head one more time, acting like a natural human being, I glimpsed at Satama. She was not confused like Mai and Ajisai were. She looked at me with disgust and a tiny fragment of hopelessness. It was clear that she, as she had lived with me for years now, has seen through my miserably set fassade, but I proceeded to smile half heartedly.

When I then confronted the door, tried to open it with my right hand, I shortly felt a racing flow of pain run through my veins into my hand. It caused a short twitching, Reflexively my hand rushed back to me. I tried the left one, it seemed less injured, as only a small amount of pain crossed my hand.

So I opened the door,
went into the bathroom,
and closed behind me.

The last thing I heard was the bumping door and the lock falling into its close.
I had escaped.

I exhaled deeply.
"Haaaaaaaah."

What a morning.

And what a morning it was indeed.

What you now have witnessed, was nothing but natural, in terms of my day to day protocol. Never would I agree to letting people in my dome, my sacred home. Sharing my life with a tiny universe consuming gremlin was enough. I have adapted to her and her habits. Her provoking personality is something you get used to pretty quickly, even if the effect weighs the same every time. Guests were unusual. It was not due to dislike, but I was too anxious to simply have anything like a conversation.

Snapping back to reality, it evoke again, my hands, burning in rage.

Arg! The pain. I should get the bandages.

I looked around the bathroom, designed with white tiles. Its size was formidable, nothing outstanding. It had everything one needed:
A bathtub to the right, around 1 and a half meters long with a small showerhead and its tube attached to the wall, a toilet to the right, a sink to the front and a cabinet right above it, with attached mirrors, slightly shod but currently showing my wandering face. I would find exactly what I was looking for, since the cabinet held the bandages.

I reached for the right handle, with the respective hand, but paused, as I remembered. I switched to the left and opened the cabinet.
It was filled with medical essentials. Some pills in a small brown glassed bottle, its effect causing a better sleep. My father liked to use them. I could also locate some medication against a cold, small patches against bleeding wounds and so on, but I was only interested in the white strips of latex rubber, that would cure me for a while and restore my possibilities.

Where....hmmm...ah! Found it!

I grabbed it and started pulling it around my right hand first. As I went around my hand, slowly and with a tight grip, layer after layer, closing it in more and more, I once more stopped out of a sudden. I focused on my hand, then I raised my head to look into the mirror.

There I was, halfly reflected due to dust, blurred.

W-What am I even doing here.

I felt frustrated. Social- contact correspondent a burden. I would have to ignore that for now.

I started strapping the bandage again.

You see, when I was a young child, around 4 years old, my parents became friends with the noble Kurogane family. Rich in every way, their house was far to the east of Japan, resting on a mountain. A mansion of the greatest proportions seen to man. Their only child, a son named after the history of alchemists in their family: Renki, was supposed to be raised in a natural environment, thus he became my best friend in kindergarten. A true companion, who did not leave me even in my darkest times. When all my friends left me, he still stayed, and helped me achieve contact in highschool.

He was the one to make me friends with Mai-chan.
The helpful it was, I could not have declined, as Renki had the aura of my mother. No was rarely an option
An option was rarely an option, yet I am somewhat grateful.

I finished my bandages, put the roll back, closed the cabinets and engaged in my planning.

I was not in a hurry, rather I would have stayed in place for a while, but that would only make it harder. The rat that fell into the cave of three lions, apex creatures, now had to come up with a strategic well planned algorithm, with which it could trick its enemies, and stall for time.

I closed my eyes and fully concentrated.

Alright, you gumpy idiot, THINK! When I open that door and walk down the corridor, I should be able to simply walk towards the kitchen, make the food that Satama had invited them to, serve it and then proceed to wait in the kitchen, pretend as if I was busy and wait until they are gone. Perfect! It is a master plan!

I was ready! Filled with determination and confidence, I opened my eyes, looked into the mirror, to see a new man, ready for a fight.

Reality is not a game.

You do not plan for outsmarting your enemy. I looked upon myself. Who was I? Like this very morning, I reflected. I was just a miserable guy, anti-social to the point where a person's touch makes me run.

They are very polite and helpful I thought but that does not...help me.

I was struggling. I realized how my life was holding me back.

If only I was in a better situation. I could be living alone for example. If that would be the case, I would not have to worry about other people. Yes, like that. I really wish I-

Once thought but not told, as if a god tried to stop my words every single time, I was interrupted from the door.

It suddenly knocked, two times. gentle but not to overhear. I jumped, squished together. A timid voice arose from the outside.

"K-Ken-kun. Are you alright in there?"

It was Ajisai-san. She must have been worried, since I have been in this room for quite a while, only en- and decouraging around like a sad outsider of society I was.

"A-Ah, Ajisai-san. No, I'm fine. I couldn't find the bandages, I'll be with you in a s-second. Perhaps it might take some minutes."

I was scared to oblivion. One could easily tell by my accidental use of fancy language, but I was separated by a door. Yes, A door. What once was a square of wood now felt like the power of Nations.

"O-oh well, I-I'll see you then."

Her footsteps echoed in the corridor, getting quieter and quieter. A slight scratching was heard form a chair, but silence stretched again.

So stressed today.

I turned towards the door.

Fine, I will calm myself. I will open the door and execute my plan the best I can.

A man, the lowest of low, a fool to himself, can rise amongst the people, to be a hero.
I was not filled with determination, nor was I strong or hopefull.
But something made me feel, like it was going to be alright, a glimpse of aspiration.

I took a deep breath one last time and walked towards the door. Every step felt like any second there would be a hole opening under my feet, devouring me whole, making me fall into infinite despair.

But it did not happen.

To my own surprise I was feeling better.
I confronted the ultimate lifeform that helped me in these depressing times,
moved my right hand to the pawl,
and pushed it down.

Little did I know
that in under a minute,
I would be learning.
I would be taught by the reality of life:

Confidence, a fool's substitute for intelligence.

I opened the door.