Chapter 9: Fishy
Translator: Soafp
[Kenji PoV]
The weekend had flown by in the blink of an eye, and now Monday had arrived all too soon. As the sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow across my room, I reluctantly peeled myself from the comfort of my bed.
But aaah, how cozy it was beneath the blankets! I buried myself deeper into the softness, wishing I could stay cocooned in this warmth forever.
“Why do you have to exist, Monday? Can’t it be always Saturday? Or can’t school start later?”
I groaned, my voice muffled by the pillows.
Grumbled to myself, knowing full well that my complaints were futile. No matter how much I wished for it, Monday would never transform into another lazy weekend day.
With a resigned sigh, I finally mustered the strength to swing my legs over the edge of the bed and plant my feet on the floor. It was time to face the day, whether I liked it or not.
With a sense of reluctant determination, I dragged myself through my morning routine, each task feeling like a monumental effort. Once I was finally dressed and ready, I trudged downstairs, the weight of Monday morning heavy on my shoulders.
As I descended the staircase, the familiar sight of my father greeted me. He sat in his usual spot, slouched in the chair with a half-empty bottle of alcohol clutched in his hand. The weariness etched into his face seemed to deepen with each passing day, and the heaviness in his eyes spoke volumes of the grief he carried.
It was a scene that had become all too common since the day my mother’s infidelity was revealed. Despite the passage of time, the wounds remained fresh, refusing to heal.
Nothing had changed since that day. My father still grappled with the pain of betrayal, drowning his sorrows in alcohol as he struggled to make sense of it all.
“Good morning, Dad.”
“….”
There was no response, only a hollow silence that seemed to echo through the room. A body without a soul.
It was painful to see him like this, to witness the depth of his despair. His once lively eyes were now dull and lifeless, reflecting the emptiness that consumed him.
Without saying more than needed, I prepared and ate my breakfast in silence, the heaviness of the atmosphere lingering like a shadow over our home.
“I am going.”
“…..”
There was no response, only a solemn nod from my father.
With a heavy heart, I gathered my things and made my way to school.
As I made my way down to school, I passed by other students whose expressions mirrored my own reluctance to face the new week ahead.
The end of the weekend always seemed to cast a shadow over the start of the week, leaving us all feeling a little somber.
“I hope you’ll survive this week too, my comrades.”
Offering a silent nod of solidarity to my fellow students as we trudged our way to school.
As I walked my usual route, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of one particular student among the crowd: Ryota. It was unusual for him to be late.
A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I entertained the possibility that Ryota might have overslept, lost in the blissful aftermath of our date. Perhaps he was still floating on cloud nine, reliving the moments they had shared together.
Whatever the reason for his absence, I resolved to ask him about it once I saw him. After all, I couldn’t wait to hear about his thoughts and feelings regarding their time together.
As I continued to walk to school, I saw the school gate.
As I opened the classroom door, the chatter of my classmates immediately caught my attention. They seemed engrossed in a conversation, their voices hushed but tinged with urgency.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Tanaka-kun. Have you heard about the rumors?”
“What rumors?”
“Really? You haven’t heard? It’s about Ken-kun.”
My heart skipped a beat. Ryota? What could possibly have happened to him?
“What about him?”
My apprehension growing with each passing moment.
“He got arrested and is in jail now.”
“You must be joking right? You can stop now, hahaha”
“….”
“It is a joke, right?”
“….”
He was dead serious. I could only hope it was just a rumor and that Ryota would show up for class.
“Okay everyone, go back to your seat. Homeroom is about to start.”
As the teacher arrived, the classroom settled into its usual routine.
“Sensei, do you know where Ken-kun is?”
“Ah, he won’t be attending school for a week due to personal reasons.”
Everyone started to mumble.
“So, it must be true then.”
“What has he done?”
“I did not expect from him if I am being honest.”
“Yes, yes. I will now start.”
As the lesson began, I tried to focus on the material at hand, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Ryota.
School was over and I was standing near the school gate waiting for a specific person.
“Hana, there you are.”
When I looked at Hana, it was evident that she wasn’t doing well. Her expression mirrored the weight of the rumors that had been circulating about Ryota.
“Hi Kenji. Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes, actually I want to ask you something.”
“Is it about Ryota?”
I nodded silently, confirming her suspicion.
Hana’s shoulders slumped slightly, and she let out a heavy sigh.
“It already spread throughout the whole school it seems.”
“Did you go on a date with him yesterday?”
“No, he never showed up.”
“Do you know the reason?”
“Not after I talked with his step-brother.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s true. Ryota is in jail because the police found a switchblade in his pocket, and they suspect he was involved in the fight that happened a few days ago.”
“Switch blade? Fight?”
Ryota was never a knife collector nor was he ever interested in.
But fighting? Ryota, fighting someone? Something isn’t right.
As I mulled over the unsettling news, I noticed Hana’s expression darkening, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Are you alright?”
Hana took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly.
“Yes, just need to sort out my thoughts.”
“Alright, if you need anything, you can come to me. Ryota is important to both of us.”
“Thank you.”
With a shared sense of unease hanging between us, we parted ways, each lost in our own thoughts and uncertainties about the future.
As Friday rolled around, I found myself no closer to unraveling the mystery surrounding Ryota’s arrest. Despite my best efforts to gather information and piece together the events leading up to that fateful day, I had come up empty-handed.
With a heavy sigh, I acknowledged the frustration that lingered in the air. It seemed like every lead I pursued ended in a dead end, leaving me no closer to understanding what had transpired.
“Haa…”
Maybe Hana has found something. I swiftly packed my belongings and made my way towards the school gate. As I passed the gate, I positioned myself against the wall waiting for Hana.
As I was waiting I heard Hana voice.
“Ken-kun!”
Hmm? Is she calling out for Ryota step-brother? But why?
“Koboyashi-san, you need anything from me?”
“Yes, actually. I want to relay a message to Ryota.”
Wait, what is the meaning of this? Relay a message?
“Sure, what do you want to say?”
Yeah, what do you want to say?
“I…..’I want to break up with you’.”
“Are you sure about it?”
“Yes, I have thought a lot after our conversation and I ignored your first warning and I got hurt because of it. I don’t want to ever go through this pain again…I don’t want to date a criminal.”
“You have made a wise decision. I will make sure Ryota receives the message.”
“Thank you, Ken-kun.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
(…)
I quickly left the scene before the two of them could see me. I decided to take a moment to gather my thoughts, so I made my way to the park.
There, surrounded by the tranquility of nature, I took a deep breath, letting the fresh air calm my racing thoughts.
There was a lot to uncover. First off, Hana meeting Ryota’s step-brother. Was that the reason why she felt down last Friday? Also, she broke up with Ryota without hearing what he has to say.
How can she believe in a mere rumor over someone that she loves!?
Was Ryota not important to her?!
I felt a surge of anger rising within me. I had believed that Hana could make Ryota happy again, but her actions only seemed to make matters worse. Betraying him like this… it was unforgivable.
As I sat in the park, my mind buzzed with unanswered questions. What had Ken-kun said to Hana that had left her so distraught? What secrets were they keeping from us?
But despite my curiosity, I knew I wouldn’t find the answers until Monday when I could confront Ryota myself.
Monday arrived, the day I had hoped to finally get some answers from Ryota. I stood at our usual meeting spot, but he never showed up. Disappointed, I thought I would see him in class, but that never happened and the school day ended.
The next day, I arrived at class early, my mind filled with anticipation. As I waited for the lesson to begin, I couldn’t help but scan the room for any sign of Ryota.
However, to my disappointment, he was nowhere to be seen. It seemed he hadn’t arrived yet.
Curiosity buzzed among my classmates, evident in the hushed whispers and speculative glances exchanged around the room.
“Hey, what do you think Ken-kun will say when we ask him about his arrest?”
“Don’t know. Probably just dodge the question like always.”
“I think he won’t even bother to give us an answer.”
Their words only fueled my own frustration and confusion. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Ryota’s situation than meets the eye.
But until he showed up and provided some answers, all we could do was speculate.
“Okay everyone, take your seat.”
As the teacher said, everyone took their seat.
“Right, I have announcement to make…”
The teacher looked somehow nervous.
“Ryota Ken will no longer be attending this school.”
Moetaz
April 5, 2024 at 3:04 amWe all need one kenji in our lives
anon
April 5, 2024 at 12:56 pmI take that back, Hana doesn’t seem to have any plans after all