Chapter 6 – I Like This Guy…..O-of Course Not!

I, Koga Kurumi, came from an average family.

There’s nothing special about it, a very normal family. My parents were close and they loved me---that was until my 3rd grade of junior high school.

I was scouted spring of my 3rd year junior high school. They gave me a business card and asked if I wanted to be a magazine model. My life was going too well and can even be called smooth sailing. I took that opportunity of course.

I was aware of my good looks and I think I had some talent considering that I was able to do most of my modeling shoots with very few rejections.

So, my work was endless and my popularity soared. It was going so well that it scared me. I thought about taking a break but when I saw how happy my parents were, especially my mother, I couldn’t say anything.

Eventually, I started going to high school but due to my work schedule, I was only able to attend school for a short time. Isolated from the rest of the class, I could only read books by myself. As a result, I threw myself into work as if I were running away and as a matter of fact, I succeeded. It was toward the end of the second semester of my freshman year in high school that I began to hear about the possibility of becoming an actress.

That’s when I realized that something was starting to go wrong.

The school began to freak out and my mother was habitually telling me that the only thing that would make my life worth living is to work and succeed.

Then, my father dealt a decisive blow by saying we should go on a separate way.

My father is an honest and capable man that’s why I knew things have gone worst. I knew that if things continued as they were, our family would break up in the not too distant future. He asked me to leave the house as well and said that the three of use should get some distance from each other.

My mother objected but I left a note saying “He’s right” and left the house. I agree with father so I left the house and stopped working at the same time, feeling sorry for my mother.

However, living alone only brought me more loneliness. The job I had been devoting myself to was gone and there’s no place for me at school. On the contrary, I was bullied. Why? Just why?

I have no one to talk to. If I didn't charge my work phone, my personal phone wouldn’t make a sound. I couldn’t even cry when I thought this is my friend circle.

---Scene Change---

When I woke up, I found myself leaning against someone. I wonder who was the person who’s regularly breathing next to me. The only ones I’ll let sleep beside me are my parents but it’s not them. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I sat up and stretched out to check----it was then I realized that I had been covered with a blanket.

The person who put it on me was, of all people, the boy sleeping next to me. I put the blanket over his lap and stood up. In front of me are empty liquor cans scattered around. I wonder how many cans have we drunk. My throat is dry and I feel like I’m going to die.

「Water, water….I mean, why was I sleeping on that place….」

I poured a glass of water in the kitchen and drank it.

Then, the memories that had been shrouded in haze came flooding back, albeit dimly. When I was bullied at school, I cried out to him. He’s saying and doing things like a lunatic would, but he was always on my side.

He was the only person who took my hand when I was drowning in anxiety.

With a dazed head, I look at the boy who’s sleeping on the sofa. I don’t know what’s happening but my face feels hot.

Anyway, I brought him home with me, took a shower, and drank and drank and drank to relieve my built-up stress.

Before I knew it, my finger was already crawling on my lips.

And I kissed.

「…..aahhhhh!? W-why!? Why did I do that!?」

I was so confused that I was about to scream instinctively but I held it back and just whispered. But, why did I kiss him!? I don’t get it! He’s a lunatic, he’s a pervert, he said “Let’s have sex!” to me, he said he likes me, he said he loves me, he said he’ll be there for me no matter what, he said he’ll be next to me when I need him, he thinks about me first, he’s cool….he’s so cool!?

「N-no!? T-that’s not true!」

I crouched with my hands on my head.

That’s not true because he’s crazy, he can’t read the atmosphere, he talks about the future, he asks me how many children I want, he confronts the bully, he destroys the atmosphere oppressing me, he gets very angry for me, he holds my hand gently…..

「No! D-don’t think that way….!」

---t-this is dangerous! This isn’t good for my mental health if I think about it more! Don’t say a word!

I gulped down the rest of the water and swallowed it. I swallowed the rest of the water in a single gulf and after changing my mind, I headed for the sofa where the lunatic was sleeping. As I did, I looked at my watch and saw that it was past twelve midnight. I don’t think he’ll be able to catch the last train so he’ll just have to stay here.

「Haa, what a pain in the ass. Yeah, a pain in the ass….! A-a pain in the ass!」

I scolded my bouncy heart. It’s a pain in the ass to make a lunatic like him stay here! And he reeks of alcohol! Anyway, I’ll have him take a shower or something. I’ll call his house after that. Wouldn’t it be weird if I’m the one who’ll do that?

「Oi, wake up.」

「….hnnnmmmm….」

「……….ha!? Why am I taking out my smartphone!?」

It was on camera mode when I put it back and then, shakes his shoulder. After a while, his eyelids twitched, and looked at me with his eyes---and then.

「Oh, Kurumi-san! Good morning! Now, let’s continue!」

He stood up, hugged me, and kissed me.

My pulse was racing, my thoughts were blank, and a lukewarm, comfortable feeling took over my body---my head was boiling.