(Yuma's POV)
You know what I hate?
KOTA.
Not because he's loud.
Not because he draws smiley faces on the blackboard with permanent markers.
Not even because he keeps putting frogs in my desk.
No.
I hate him for one simple, evil, cruel, unforgivable reason:
AYUMI.
Yes, that Ayumi.
The prettiest girl in class. The girl with the soft voice and the sparkly pen. The girl who once said "good morning" to me and I nearly fainted and had to pretend I dropped my inhaler (I don't even have asthma).
But every time I almost talk to her...
Every time I build up the courage, tell myself "Yuma, today is the day,"
KOTA. RUINS. EVERYTHING.
Monday – "Operation Compliment"
I fixed my hair. Smelled like minty shampoo.
I rehearsed:
"Hey, Ayumi. That's a nice pen... like your personality—shiny!"
I walked up to her, heart pounding.
And then—
KOTA: "Hey Ayumi! You dropped this!"
He hands her a pencil (that she didn't even drop).
She smiles.
"Thanks, Kota-kun! You're so observant!"
What am I?! A lamp post?!
Tuesday – "Operation Open the Door"
I see Ayumi walking toward the classroom. I sprint. I grab the door.
I look cool. I nod like a gentleman.
"Ladies first."
Ayumi smiles and says,
"Thank y—"
KOTA: "WATCH OUT!!"
He shoves me aside like I'm a stack of laundry, slides on his socks across the hallway, crashes into the door and it slams shut on me.
WHAM.
Ayumi screams.
I'm on the ground, the door stuck on my hair.
Kota's excuse?
"Oops! My bad, President! I was saving a bug from getting stepped on!"
What bug?! Where?!
WHY IS HE ALWAYS "SAVING" SOMETHING?
Wednesday – I read a magazine...
"Men's Heart Monthly – How to Hold a Long Conversation With a Woman"
Step 1: Smile gently
Step 2: Ask her about her hobbies
Step 3: Listen and nod, say "I see..."
I memorized it. I practiced it.
I approached Ayumi.
I said, "Hi, Ayumi. What do you like doing after school?"
She opened her mouth to answer...
KOTA: (sliding in like a baseball player)
"AYUMI! Can you help me tie my ribbon like yours? I want to look like a magical girl today!"
Ayumi giggled.
> "That's so cute, Kota-kun!"
Cute? Magical girl?
HE'S WEARING A RIBBON ON HIS FOREHEAD!!
---
Thursday – Revenge?
I pulled Kota aside and whispered:
"Do you... like Ayumi?"
He stared blankly.
"Ayumi? Nah, I just like bothering you."
HE SAID IT. WITH A STRAIGHT FACE.
That monster doesn't even like her and still blocks me like a goalie on fire.
So yes.
I hate Kota.
---
That same day...
I stared at my reflection in the window during lunch.
"Is it me? Am I the problem? Is my hairline receding at fifteen?!"
Behind me, Kota was building a castle out of meatballs.
Ayumi was clapping.
"That's sooo cool, Kota-kun!"
I dropped my fork.
"...I built a chair out of toothpicks once."
"Nice, President!" (A random guy.)
Kota added a flag on top of the meatball castle. It had a smiley face and the words "Yuma's Tears" on it.
One day Yuma one day we'll get ayumi heart
We need to just remove that menace in the picture and we'll be married with 5 kids
Hahahahahhahaha
Scene shifts
...Cut to a dark, cluttered condo in an unknown city—beer cans litter the floor, an ashtray full of cigarette butts sits on the table. The TV flickers in the background, playing an infomercial no one's watching.
The picture he saw it's lingering into his mind
He saw
Something
He saw a vision
A future
More like a possibility
If he were switch place with that man will he be happy? Will his smile be wide like that man
Daddy huh it will be a nice thing to hear
It's seems my father instinct are kicking in huh?
Then, with a twisted grin, he walks to the mirror. His beard is thick, wild. He grabs a rusty razor.
"Let's see how pleased you'll be..." he says to his reflection, slicing off the beard bit by bit.
"Maybe if I show up at his birthday... tell him who I am... tell him he's the son of a successful man—rich, respected, connected... yeah. He'll ditch that loser in a second. Yeah we had a connection once, when he left me with you i knew you had fun with me hahaha
He laughs—louder, harder, crueler.
"He'll leave that guy the moment he learns the truth."
A pause. He looks back at the photo one more time.
Wait for me my son daddy's commin
CHAPTER END 🫠