V1 - The Right Direction: Part One

"I hope he comes to school today…" Mayumi glanced at Katsumi's front door and memories of her confrontation with Nara from yesterday began swirling in her head as she headed to school.

'He's fine the way he is, doesn't need savin'.'

'Katsumi thinks you're a pain.'

She looked at his door for a moment longer. Her grip tightened on her bag. She quickly turned towards the elevator and stormed out of the apartment building.

"Umi-chan!"

"Ah! Oh, good morning Yui-san." Yui caught up and latched onto Mayumi, being a little too friendly for Mayumi this early in the morning.

"I didn't know your new place was so close to me! You should've told me."

"I didn't know either. So I don't think I would've been able to tell you."

"Yeah, that's true… But it's nice that you didn't have to go with your mom overseas." Yui moved her hand to her chest and her bright demeanor darkened ever so slightly, "I would've been heartbroken if you left before high school started."

"I'm glad too. She works really hard to support me so I might go see her sometime next year."

"Ahh but it must be nice living alone."

"Oh you know, it has its ups and downs. Some of the neighbors aren't very nice."

"I mean some people are gonna be like that. Just know if you ever are in trouble you can call me. Okay?"

"...Yes, thank you."

"Hmm, well now we can walk to school together everyday!"

"Yeah… That's great."

Yui pouted, turning her head away from Mayumi, "Are mornings your worst enemy or is it me?"

Shit… 

Katsumi tried to swing his legs out of bed but overshot and ended up rolling onto the floor, pulling the bed-sheets with him. 

"Nine-fifty…" Suppose I'm a little late. I could probably return the box and get to school in about an hour. Wait no, that's a terrible idea. I'll just tell Junichiro-san to come get it. 

Katsumi carried this train of thought to the shower where his practically asleep brain could only think of one solution. 

"Hmm…" Junichiro-san and Nara are most likely still sleeping. I'll just wait until they wake up and then give em' a call. 

Walking into the living room while drying his hair. He hesitated when he looked at the closed curtains that were preventing the sun's light from getting.

No no, what the hell? Katsumi shook his head and sat down on the couch.

"Ta-san… Arata-san!"

"Huh…? Sorry sensei." Mayumi quickly rose from her seat followed by some light laughter from around the classroom.

"Damn, some kids these days. Apparently the window is more interesting than school… The answer to number seven Arata-san." 

"Yes, sorry." Mayumi came up to the chalkboard and stood in front of it. She didn't move her hand, let alone writing anything. 

"Somewhere else today are we Arata-san?"

"Hmm? Oh uhm—"

"Just go back to your seat. Nifuji-san can you answer this question?"

"Yes."

As Mayumi returned to her seat Yui gave her a worried look. Mayumi mouthed 'I'm fine' in response.

 "Umi-chan what happened earlier? Haha, you completely blanked up there." Saki approached Mayumi who was sitting with her head on her hand gazing out the window. Yui was sitting backwards on the desk in front of her fiddling with her cellphone. "Yeah what was up? I've Never seen you do somethin' like that."

"Ahh— I've just been a bit distracted recently I guess."

"Yeah, it's probably the stress from living by herself. It would probably be pretty scary, she even said some of her neighbors were mean." Yui put her phone face down and stretched her arms up, ending her sentence with a relieved sigh. 

"Mm? Is your mom going to be overseas for a long time?" 

Saki leaned against Katsumi's desk. However he wasn't in it, and Mayumi blankly stared at the empty seat. 

"Where's that change…"

"Hello? Earth to Umi-chan." 

"Yes?"

"Is your mom going to be overseas for a long time?"

"Yeah my mom's in America this time for a little over a year."

Yui livened-up on hearing this, her eyes widening. "Ohh that's amazing! How good is her English?"

"Ah well—"

"How's your English?" Yui cleared her throat, "'How are you today? The nice weather is it?"

Mayumi lips curled upward slightly. "It's not that good. She's never really had time to teach me English because she's overseas so often."

"Ahh… 'I know, I know'."

"'I think you are trying to say: I see, I see'."

"'Woah! Nice English'!" Yui gave a thumbs up and a smile.

"Anyways, are you busy tonight? Yui-chan and I were thinking about going shopping; stores are starting summer-sales early." 

"I would love to but I'm kinda busy tonight, sorry." 

"…Hey, actually would it work if we just came over? It'd be cool to see your new apartment. We could just do some studying and chill."

"Oh that'd be nice, these summer deals go on for a while so shopping can wait." Yui commented.

"Sorry, I have something going on tonight. Could we do it this weekend?"

"What do you have going on?"

"That's a good point Ki-Ki-chan. You normally don't have any plans… What do you have going on?" Yui moved her face closer to Mayumi's, seemingly inspecting it for clues as to what she was doing tonight. "Hey hey, did you get a boyfriend?"

"Mm-mm, it's about time she does. I mean you're so pretty it's a waste being single."

"No you guys." She put her hands up and signaling the two to slow down. "I'm not seeing anyone."

"Mhm… okay, okay. When you're ready, introduce him to us. We'd love to meet the person that stole Umi-chan's heart." Saki exaggerated her point with a sweeping hand motion, followed by a little laugh. "Anyways, I'm going to get lunch with Brad. Bye bye."

"Mm, alright. See you."

"Bye bye." 

Right after saying her goodbye Yui swiveled around to face Mayumi with a great curiosity in her eyes. 

"Come on, come on, tell me. Did you meet someone?" 

"I don't know why you two instantly jumped to that conclusion. It's a little rude to just suggest something like that. Tonight I'm meeting with Murakami-kun to work on our modern Japanese project. And I have a feeling you didn't even remember that we had one, let alone start on it."

"That may be so" Yui looked away while saying this but then quickly brought her face up to Mayumi's again. "But more importantly, that means you're going to be alone with a guy for the first time. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"You're not wrong but I could never see Murakami-kun doing anything like that."

"Alright, that's all for homeroom today. Have a good day everyone." 

Chatter started to fill the classroom, people making plans for the weekend. Friends as each other to go out for Karaoke or shopping. Some others concerning themselves with the soon to be due modern Japanese project. The sounds of students bustling accompanied by the that of chairs moving and bags rustling. At the front of the room Hasegawa-sensei who looked ready to collapse shuffled and straightened some papers. 

Mayumi and Yui were on their way out of the classroom passing in front of Hasegawa-sensei when he called out, "Nakagawa-san, could you come here for a moment?"

"Yes?"

"I–"

"Oh sensei, has teaching been stressing you out lately? You look terrible. It's a real struggle keeping up with all the grading isn't it?"

He moved his papers in front of his mouth, "...It's the biggest shame I can't lay my fingers on the students, isn't it?" 

"Hm?"

"I looked and saw that you live somewhat near Murakami-san. I'm sorry about this but could you bring him his homework? And I'm guessing you'll have to do this many more times because it seems like he isn't going to be attending school anytime soon."

"Sure! I'm happy to help!"

Hasegawa-sensei pushed up his glasses. "Bet you are." He handed a couple of papers to Yui who accepted them with a smile.

 Mayumi led the way out of the classroom followed by Yui who wished Hasegawa-sensei a good evening with a smile and a wave. 

"Yes thank you. You girls be careful on your way home." He pushed up his glasses slightly then straightened his papers. 

Yui slid the door closed and the moment she did what sounded like a storm of papers flying could be heard from the classroom. 

"What was that?"

"…"

"Umi-chan?" Yui waved a hand in front of Mayumi's face 

"Ah, sorry… yeah I don't know."

"What's up with you today really? You're never this distracted… Is there really nothing going on?"

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry… If anything… happens, I guess? I'll tell you."

Yui's expression brightened like a room after opening curtains that have been shut for weeks. "Mm, alright!" Yui showed some concern in her tone but quickly went back to her upbeat demeanor and the two continued through the school. 

A cool breeze blew through the corridors created by the city buildings on either side of the street, hitting them head on and then helping cool off from the dry heat of the sun beating down through the sea-blue sky. Mayumi watched herself in the reflection of the store windows as the two walked by them.

"Umi-chan see, that's the café I was talking about! It's English or German I think."

"You know, now that we're here. I think I might know the owner of this place."

"Really!?"

"I'm pretty sure it's a German man and his wife, they used to take care of me sometimes when I was younger while my parents were overseas. If it's who I think it is, his name is Leon Schneider."

"I see… You think we can get a discount then? You know, friends and family type deal."

"I wouldn't want to impose myself like that." Mayumi waved a hand in front of her face to dismiss Yui's request.

"Mm… no fun."

They continued down the street at a pace that made them seem as if they had no particular place to be, chatting away when a woman's voice called out to Mayumi.

"Arata-chan?"

Mayumi turned halfway around and saw a woman who looked to be in her early thirties dressed like she came straight from her office job.

"Oba-san?"

Her short brown hair fluttered a bit in the light spring-breeze; she tried to stop it by putting a hand on her head but this had little effect. "Yes, it's been a while. How've you been?"

"Amazing! It feels like this place was magically transported here from England or something. The forks and knives, the plates and cups, it all looks so authentic!"

"Why do I always give in to you?"

"Yeah it has been some time, I've been doing quite good, thank you."

"That's nice… Care to join me? We could catch up for a while, Leo-san is also in right now. It's been a while since you've seen him, hasn't it?"

"Sorry, I'm a bit busy right n—"

"Hnnnn—" Yui was looking over at Mayumi with widened eyes and slightly puffed out cheeks. 

"Ahh fine, have it your way… Sure we have some time, it has been a while since I've seen Leo-san anyways."

"Y'know, I'll say it again, you're no fun. I mean look, you're at this super cool themed café and all you order is a black coffee. That really says a lot about your character Umi-chan." Yui had some cake skewered on her fork and pointed it at Mayumi before putting it into her mouth. "Mmm! delicious!"

"That has got to be the most stereotypical reaction I've ever seen…"

"Anyways Arata-chan, you're finally in highschool! You've gotten into such a good highschool too… Look at you all grown up! But you know, that is the question: Have you grown up?"

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"It doesn't really seem like it… You still talk that way, never expressing yourself. I know it's been hard—"

"It seems the one that hasn't grown up is you, Hirano Oba-san. Shouldn't you, the adult, be at their job right now?"

"...Oh please, I'm on a…"

"You're on a…?"

"...Late lunch break…"

"Late lunch break… I see" Mayumi picked up her cup and sipped from her coffee.

"Yes yes, I'll go back shortly, don't worry. But you shouldn't avoid this topic, it's a serious issue."

Yui looked up from her smartphone after hearing this comment, "Ohh yeah, I guess I just grew used to it. She hasn't changed much the past few years now that I think about it. I remember back at the start of Junior High you were so… outgoing? Helpful? I guess you could say.

"Pffft— O-oh sorry, sorry, excuse me." Mayumi choked on her coffee after hearing Yui's. on the discussion and started coughing, almost spilling coffee on herself.

"I mean it's true, you'd drop whatever you'd be doing in a heartbeat if someone needed you."

"From that reaction it seems like you realize that there's a problem." Kaede Hirano crossed her legs and straightened herself a bit while sipping from her espresso. "I think you need to open up again, you've been like this for too long." 

"Don't try to seem like the mature one now. Who's the one skipping their job like a school-girl who doesn't want to take an exam?" Mayumi responded in a fury.

"Come on now, don't be so mean to Kaede-chan, she's doing her best—" A tall white man came out of a door by the front counter wearing an apron. His curly, light brown hair nearly touching the top of the doorway. "—And is that really how you should treat your elders?" 

"Leo-san!"

"It's been quite a while hasn't it, Arata-chan?" Mayumi jumped up from her seat. "How've you been? Already in high school huh?"

Mayumi ran up to Leon and embraced him tightly; like seeing a grandmother you haven't seen in years. Kaede and Yui stopped their conversation in an instant and turned their full attention to Mayumi. Both of them had their mouths open, shocked by the sudden burst that came from her.

Kaede put a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. "I don't get that girl at all…" 

"Mm, it has been a while. I've been doing great!"

Kaede scooted over to the end of the seat so Leon could join them. Compared to the rest of the group he towered over them. Even the way he sat made him seem imposing, with one leg swung out of the booth and his entire forearm on the table.

"What brings you and your friend here Arata-chan?"

"We were just passing by and Hirano Oba-san called us in here—" Mayumi gave Kaede a glare for a moment before continuing, "Our teacher had asked us to drop something off for a classmate but when we passed by here Yui-chan pestered me to stop here."

"I was not 'pestering'. It was… You were the one that gave in!"

Mayumi did not even acknowledge her excuse, instead sipping from her black coffee. 

"The contractors finished installing everything about two weeks ago and I finally opened this place about a week ago. It's been packed for most of the week! Apparently it got really popular on social media because it seems to be a hit with the young people."

Yui looked down at her smartphone and tapped on it a few times. She held it up showing everyone a twitter post. "Yeah apparently some influencer Tweeted about how excited she was for this place to open and everyone began sharing her Tweet. Take a look." The likes and retweets under the poster were in the tens of thousands and thousands respectively.

"Wow… Who would've thought. That's incredible! I'd love to thank her for what she's done for me."

"You never know, she probably already came here." Kaede commented 

Mayumi shifted around in her seat checking out the café. From what she could see there were at least three other employees and almost every seat was taken. "Ah I see… That's great. You've been planning this for a long time so I'm really happy to see it doing so well."

"Thank you Arata-chan. It really has been—"

"Schneider-san, we need you in the kitchen!" A man came out from the same door and called Leon. 

"Right coming! Well it seems like we'll have to chat some other time. Thanks for stopping in!" Leon ended his sentence with a big smile and stood up by pushing himself up from the table with his large arm. "Oh, Arata-chan is right, Kaede-chan, you should really get back to work."

"How mean…" Kaede said as she sipped her espresso. "Well anyways I should get going, it's nice seeing you again. She set down her cup and grabbed her bag, putting the strap over her shoulder. "See you two." With a wave she headed out of the café, her heels tapping as she walked. 

"Umi-chan we should probably get going too, we still have to drop off Murakami-kun's assignments."

"Now you want to do what you're asked…"

"Hey Umi-chan, you think I could stay over tonight? It'd be so much fun staying together in your new apartment. Wouldn't it?"

"Sure, it is Friday so why not."

The elevator doors slid open revealing a man near the end of the hallway, looking beat up and tired. There was a black object layed on the ground next to him. He clenched his stomach and coughed.

"Oh my god, don't tell me—"

"Hey Umi-chan? What's going on? W-who's that at the end of the hallway?"

Then a voice from an unseen person flooded the corridor. "Yer' all spent sherif… This town ain't big enough for the both' us."

A girl wearing an American cowboy hat stepped out of the doorway, legs spread wide in her stance and her hand hovering over a holster on her thigh.

"T-that… that's where you're wrong, Big-Red… I still got that fight left in me…"

"You don't—"

The man on the ground quickly reached for the black object and pointed it at 'Big-Red', pulling a trigger which produced a clicking sound.

"W-well I'll be damned…" 'Big-Red' fell over backwards into the doorway. 

The man looked over at the two girls, "Arata-san! Oh and Nakagawa-san!"

"Murakami!?"

"Murakami-kun? Huh?" 

"What in god's name are you doing! Oh my god! This— this is—" 

"This is– extremely fun? Hell yeah it is!" 

"No! No no no, d-don't tell me you two are playing around with those guns!? They're fake right?"

"A-Arata-san, calm down. It's alright, really. Look they aren't loaded, you're freaking out for nothing. Hahaha see?" Katsumi pulled the magazine out of the gun and showed it was empty. He put it back in then held it mere centimeters from Nara's head and started rapidly pulling the trigger. "See? See!?"

"Stop! Stop! What's wrong with you!?"

"U-Umi-chan? I— what is this? I'm so confused."

Nara had been off in her own world staring blankly out at the cityscape while Katsumi was giving his demonstration. However Yui's remark regained her attention, she stared at her from the corner of her eye with her head still facing out towards the city.

"Umi-chan, w-who is she?"

 "Hmph, didn't we go to Junior High together? Nakagawa-san right? Remember me? I transferred in from the country, Nara Takagi."

"Y-you're the one Ki-Ki-chan has been talking about…?"

 "I mean it's fair that you're confused but like the sheriff here was saying, it really is nothing to worry about. I mean come on, they're not loaded. Practically fake at that point."

"..."

"And Arata—" She began approaching Mayumi, "Please please, you gotta understand, I was just coming here to pick them up from Katsumi. We just happened to get carried away — A little fun."

"D-don't get near me again—"

"What? Do I scare ya'?" Nara stopped moving and extended her arm straight out, pointing the gun directly at Mayumi. She squeezed and the trigger came back. 

"Bang."

Mayumi had been turning red and was clenching her fists. She stared down the barrel of the gun. 

"Umi-chan… Are you… Are you crying?"

Mayumi instantly swiveled her head towards Yui. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes. Her face had turned red from trying to keep her tears in and her composure steady.

"Well I suppose that's natural… Tell ya' what—" Nara pulled out her smartphone and began tapping away. "I'll call Junichiro and tell him to come pick me and everything up, it all works out right? Problem solved, nothing for you to do!" She put her hands together and gave a sincere looking smile.

"Nothing for me to do? What's that supposed to mean…?"

"Eh? What was that? Can't hear ya'."

"Look at him. It looks like he's beyond fixing… Why are you—"

"Why am I what? Helping out my friend? Why are you getting involved in strangers' personal lives? Come on Umi-chan, let's grow up and stop pretending to play the hero." Nara picked up the cardboard box and put the guns back in it. 

"Stop 'playing the 'hero'? Don't give me that… I-I, I'm going to actually try and help him. Are you really blind to what's happened to him? Or are you ignoring it?"

"U-Umi-chan?" Yui tugged at the sleeve of a wavering Mayumi. "This isn't like you." 

"Hm, ha— hahaha oh my god, you're delusional." Nara looked down at her smartphone then tipped her hat, "My ride's here, later y'all. Have a good weekend!" Nara strode past a disheveled Mayumi, glaring at her out of the corner of her eye as she passed her. 

"She's nobody to worry about Yui-san… She's just somebody that doesn't like me." Mayumi looked directly at Katsumi..

"I… I can see that… It doesn't seem like a good time for me to come over really. I'll just… I'll just get going… Murakami-kun, we uhm— we brought the assignments you've missed, make sure you do them." She ended her sentence with a wry smile and quickly bowed before swiftly making her way to the elevator then out of site. 

"I really didn't know what to expect when I agreed to help you, Murakami… But this? I don't think I'd ever been able to predict something like that. I don't understand you two."

"Arata-san, I'm sorry. I have no idea why Nara is acting that way towards you. I'll talk to her about it."

"Murakami-kun, I think that's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Don't think I'm not aware that this isn't my place to talk but, how do you not see that it's her causing your struggle."

"..."

"Your silence speaks volume, Murakami-kun. I think you realize—"

"She's not the problem… Like I said, I'll talk to her and I apologize for her actions. But I don't think she's the problem. It's just her way of looking out for me."

"..."

"You said you wanted a change, you asked me to help, so give what I'm saying a chance. You won't know what will happen until you've given me a chance…"

The problem is I didn't want to give you a chance… My hand was forced… But I guess one weekend of having it her way couldn't hurt. The shit I'll get from Nara will be intense though.

"Ahh dammit…"

"Murakami-kun?"

"Sure, I'll give your way a chance." 

I hadn't noticed till now, but the whole time Arata-san was talking to Nara she was on the verge of tears… None ever fell though, did they? They're even still some tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

'I never knew you had a job at that restaurant, Aki-kun. I go there about once a month. What's the matter Aki—'

Katsumi picked up the TV remote and pressed the mute button, abruptly cutting the sound. The room was still; the air around him began to feel heavy, seeming to only press down on his face. He sat slouched on his couch with his mouth agape staring blankly at the ending credits of the show silently rolling. He began slightly jerking back and forth. His arms lay dormant at his sides. Katsumi quickly sat up straight and blinked. The pressure around him quickly faded away and he began to take notice of his surroundings. The golden light of the evening sun shining through cracks in his curtains illuminating dust particles floating aimlessly through the air. He took in this scene for a moment longer then sank back into his couch. 

God that confrontation with her was tiring… I was having so much fun with Nara and she had to ruin it… All the Blu-rays I own are boring shit and—

"Dammit I agreed to 'give her way a chance' this weekend. Her way is shit! I was having fun!"

An electronic crackle took over the silence. The sound filled the air for almost half of a minute. A cloud of smoke floated towards the middle of the room where it quickly dissipated.

"No wayy…. I thought I muted the TV. Where did those thuds come from?"

Another series of thuds came from his front door. 

"No… No, that's impossible.

Katsumi opened the door which revealed the source of the noise.

"We need to do the Modern Japanese project. It's due next week."

"Uh?"