OKANO KEI
"Oh, Kairi!" I called out, but my voice seemed to vanish in the noise of the crowded hallway. She didn't turn around, her back still facing me.
Eito was already heading after her when I grabbed his arm. "Kei, not now."
"But Eito. I need to talk to her," I insisted, my voice tinged with desperation.
"Then try to talk to her if you can," he retorted, pulling his arm away and walking off, leaving me standing there, bewildered.
"Weird..." I muttered to myself, shaking my head as the bell rang, signaling the end of our second class. It was snack time, and we all gathered in the cafeteria. The clatter of trays and murmur of conversations filled the space.
Kairi sat alone, engrossed in a book. Rika approached her, offering a snack. "Kairi, do you want these?"
Kairi didn't look up, her eyes glued to the pages. I watched, feeling a knot form in my stomach. I opened my mouth to speak, "She's acting weird..."
"You made her that way," Eito smirked from across the table.
"Are you kidding me?" I bit my lower lip, frustration bubbling up. "Just tell me what happened."
"No, Kei. I'm telling the truth..." He leaned back, a smug grin on his face.
Anger surged through me, and I stood up, hitting the table with my fist. The loud bang made Kairi jump; her eyes wide with shock. I reached for her hand. "Kairi..."
She pulled away, tears streaming down her cheeks, and ran off. Eito's arrogant laugh echoed in my ears. "Look, you did it again. She doesn't deserve you..."
Doesn't deserve me?
I thought they were my friends, here to help me with Kairi, not to tear us apart. I was about to chase after her when Keyon grabbed my arm. "Let her breathe, Kei. She's already suffocated."
"Tch!" I sat back down, shoving food into my mouth mechanically. Kairi was acting weird; Eito was acting weird.
Everyone was weird.
Everything was weird.
What did I do to deserve this?
The school day dragged on, and by dismissal, Kairi had skipped her last three classes.
"Let's go..." Haruto called out to me as I lingered in the empty classroom.
"Okay, Kairi didn't come back," I said, frustration lacing my voice.
"I'm always here if you want to get drunk..." Naoya chuckled. "Right, Rika?"
"Again, tsk. I don't want to drag you home again. You're too heavy!" Rika pouted.
"That's weak..." Sakura giggled.
"Noel is too small to carry..." Keyon burst into laughter.
"You're also small..." Rin pointed at him, chuckling.
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Noeru's laughter was infectious. "I'm not the only one then!"
"I maybe want to drink..."
"So then, let's go!" Naoya yelled.
I just nodded, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. I got into my car and drove us to our usual bar, a haven for students ditching their responsibilities. After an hour, we arrived, and the familiar noise and smell of the place hit me like a wave.
