loveless

Makoto and Haru

It’s been months since Takumi came to Tokyo. The tests were ending in a few days. The classes had been mostly self-study for the past month and the students seemed much more serious. The weather was getting much warmer and the sun was aggressively leaking its rays. It was hard to get comfortable in a class with no air conditioners. It was new for Takumi. He had never felt extreme heat or cold, as the Duke’s mansion had always had a regulated temperature.

***

Exams are finally over and the students were getting dismissed from their classes; off to their one-week summer break. Takumi was heading outside of the gate when Makoto grabbed his shoulder.

“Sup mate? How’s life?” he said, with a broad beam on his front.

“Do you need something?” asked Takumi sounding confused.

 “My friend and I are going to hang out a bit. Wanna join us?”

“No thanks. Bye,” he responded toneless.

“I knew you would say so, but I don’t accept,” he commanded confidently as he tightened his grip around his shoulder.

“You are not going to give up, are you,” he irked, as he rested his hand on his forehead.

“Nope. We are missing people today and it won’t be fun with just me and Haru,” he pouted.

“Fine. Make it quick,” he disclosed void while walking out of the school gates. Makoto was as excited as a wild horse and walked after him. They stopped outside the gate in front of a very tall skinny guy. He had short brown hair and bangs slightly brushing his forehead. He had rounded dark brown eyes with very long dark eyelashes. He was quit tan, resting his back on the school’s wall.

“This is Haru. I met him on the first day of school, in our first year,” said Makoto.

“So this is the rumoured Takumi huh? Well you ain’t anything that special.” He laughed as he held his chin and permitted his eyes to scan Takumi thoroughly. He seemed to be glaring more than anything.

“Shall we go then?” said Makoto as he led the way. Haru held his hands behind his neck and walked after Makoto. Takumi finally tagged along after releasing a tense sigh.

“So mister Takumi would you tell us something about yourself,” asked Haru as they were getting close to the city centre.

“yup! Who are you? a Gangster?” Makoto added on.

“I have nothing to tell,” he replied hollowly. His face gave off bored vibes before he started to yawn.

“Like where you came from and why you are so fluent in Japanese,” said Haru.

 “Why do many people like jumping to conclusions on their own? I am Japanese,” said Takumi, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

“Hey, I am not smart but it’s so obvious that you are a foreigner! Even a kid can tell! And did you realise how people kept staring at you the whole time?”

Takumi looked towards him and then at Makoto.

“I didn’t expect your friend to be nosier than you,” said Takumi indifferently. Makoto forced a sarcastic laugh and wrapped his arm around Haru’s shoulder.

“You can’t expect a mafia member to tell your personal info, can you?” said Makoto.

“What mafia? You are letting your imagination run wild again,” said Haru with a plain front.

“Everyone has things they don’t like to talk about. Just ask something else,” said Makoto with a raise of a finger.

“Let’s see…” Haru itched his head and stared at Takumi again. “What sports did you play, that got you such a built?”

“Mostly swimming and mixed martial arts. The gym exercises also helped a lot,” he said after a pause.

“You did that every day?” asked Haru.

“I had a lot of free time…”

“Lucky,” cried Makoto.

“You must be quit rich to have afforded these classes. The only thing am able to play is basketball and that’s an after school club,” blurted Haru.

They continued walking silently, when they stopped in front of a restaurant which read as MacDonald’s. They walked inside and looked for an empty table. It was very crowded and the decoration was very plain. They sat on a table of four. The table and the sofa were red; not so comfortable.

“I hope you are hungry,” said Makoto.

“If its food, then you don’t need to worry about it,” said Takumi as he was reading the menu.

“I had a feeling that you weren’t the type to like food much,” blurted Haru in surprise.

“As I said earlier, don’t jump to conclusions this easily,” said Takumi before he placed the menu back down and looked straight at them. “Which one is the biggest?” he asked. Haru and Makoto looked at each other before pointing at the largest picture on the menu. It had the highest price in a flamboyant box.

“Let’s all order this one, with large fries and large soda!” said Haru.

“I’ll skip the soda,” said Takumi.

“are you a healthy freak?” asked Makoto laughing.

“depends,” he responded.

 The waitress came with the meals in her vast red tray. The sandwich was the size of his opened palm and the depth of four fingers. It seemed quite oily. He looked at it in disappointment.

“Excuse me. Can I get another one?” he said before the waitress left.

“Are you saying this is too small?” asked Haru.

“I don’t understand how this is the biggest…” he unwrapped the aluminium on the sandwich and took a bite off it. It’s better than I thought. Maybe I should learn to make it someday.

 “Do you like video games?” Asked Haru.

“I am fine with them,” he responded fruitlessly. He had just finished his first sandwich and started unwrapping the second one. Haru and Makoto were just finishing their sandwich as they stared at him with owl eyes.

“What?” asked Takumi, before taking another bite from his second sandwich.

“Do you gain weight easily?” asked Haru while taking a sip from his soda.

“No. I never gain any, no matter how much I eat.”

“Just how lucky are you?” said Makoto.

“I wonder about that…” Takumi faced the table and finished off his meal. They sat in silence for a while, finishing off what was left from their food.

“Let’s go to the arcade then,” said Makoto excited.

“Suit yourselves.”

“Hey, you are never getting a girlfriend with that attitude,” said Haru.

“Don’t deny it both you and I are really jealous of both his physical appearance and his cool attitude, and also how the girls love that type,” said Makoto before he gave a deep sigh.

Takumi finished his fries and got up. They walked to the counter and paid for their food. Takumi payed with the credit card the Duke gave him, when Haru and Makoto started staring at him.

“You have a credit card?” questioned Makoto. Takumi clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

“My father is traveling for a few weeks so he gave me his credit card.”

“Makes sense…” responded Haru with narrow eyes.

They walked for a few steps when they reached the arcade. It looked like a club from the outside since it was dark and had lights on everywhere. Inside were a lot of video games, such as car racing, singing, dancing, shooting and many others. It was very crowded. There were many people close to their age from different schools, especially secondary school students by the looks of their school uniforms. Takumi looked very thrilled. They tried many games, and in all of them, Takumi came last.

“Woah! Takumi you suck at these things.” Makoto laughed. Takumi kept quiet looking slightly shocked. His eyes were widely opened and he seemed deep in thought.

“I guess you aren’t perfect in everything,” said Haru, chuckling.

“yeah.” Takumi had a slight smile on his face as he looked more comfortable than usual.

“Hey, how about we try the car racing game last?” asked Makoto.

“Sure thing but on one condition.” grinned Haru.

“What is it?” questioned Makoto, curious and eager.

“Whoever wins will have to order the loser to do whatever he wishes for!”

Takumi sat on the seat quietly without discussing anything. It was his first time holding a device like that, it felt strange but it wasn’t that different from the real thing. He had learned how to drive, but never on a game. Haru and Makoto followed his silence and started the game.

As soon as the game started all of them looked so eager to win as if their lives depended on it. Takumi, on the other hand, looked even more calm and serious than ever. As soon as the match started everyone moved around while playing as if they were the cars themselves. Takumi played only with his controllers he was sitting very calm and still as if he didn’t even try to win, but he was already in the lead. He had great control of the wheel and the speed, as well as the direction. He had great concentration.

“How the hell did you win? What kind of trick did you use?” whined Makoto.

“I just played normally like how you did,” he responded tranquilly.

“So what would you like me to buy you am the looser. Please go easy on me. I am broke,” said Haru gloomy and disappointed, while sitting on the floor right next to the game machine.

“I don’t need you to get me anything.” He stepped out of the machine.

“You have to ask for something. This was the deal,” ordered Haru with a frown on his face.

“Ok, then I want one of those triangular rice balls.” He shaped out with his finger.

“Are you seriously serious,” asked Haru turning that frown and that forced smile upside down.

“You’re lucky Haru, if I were the winner I would have showed no mercy,” said Makoto while having a wide grin on his face.

“well seems like new kid has got some morals, unlike a certain somebody.” He smirked.

“huh? Are you calling me morale less now? You basketball giraffe.” laughed Makoto.

“better than a chubby soccer ball,” said Haru lifting the left side of his mouth. Makoto clenched his teeth in agitation as he was about to continue the argument.

“Can I get my rice ball now,” asked Takumi with eyes as empty as the lifeless ocean.

“Is this the only thing you are thinking about?” muttered Haru annoyed.

“then should I go back home? I would be more than glad to do so though,” he exclaimed.

Haru narrowed his eyes and erased his expression. “Fine let's go buy rice balls,” said Haru, while heading out of the arcade.

They followed Haru out, to the middle of the city centre, to a very small court in the corner beside other food courts. It was also very crowded. The line had as many people as twenty on just one tiny court. The sun was starting to set. Takumi looked at his cell phone realising that it was already eight. It used to take ages until one hour passes. I didn’t know living normally would be this pleasing.

“How many girls have you dated before?” asked Haru as he handed out the rice balls.

“None,” he responded, taking a bite out of the rice ball. I wonder how they make the rice this solid.

“Are you kidding or are you actually being serious?” asked Makoto in a daze.

“Then, what kind of girl is your type?” asked Haru. Takumi sat silently holding the rice ball in front of his mouth.

“I’m not interested, so I don’t know.”

“Are you interested in guys?” asked Haru, as he was stuffing the rice ball in his mouth.

“Not interested either,” he said in an irritated tone.

“So you’re an ace?” said Makoto as he clapped his hands.

“Most probably,” he answered, grabbing another rice ball.

“Such a waste.” Laughed Makoto. he put his hand in the bag that Haru was holding but his hand came out empty.

“Where did all the rice balls go? I only had one…” Makoto cried.

“I only had two… I bought ten,” said Haru. They turned their gaze towards Takumi and glared at him. Takumi finished eating the last rice ball and said, “You eat slowly.”

“I think it should be, you eat too fast,” said Makoto.

 “Oh, it’s time for me to get back home.” Said Haru agitated as he rushed to the end of the street.

“Yeah it’s already nine,” said Makoto, “Thanks for tagging along mate!”