Corruptions Are Best Exposed In The Autumn!

Chapter 14 - The Toilet Surfer

"Where are you going this time?!" Shouted Lily, who barely had her coat on by the time I dashed out of our café.

"There's just a few more things I gotta do!" I replied, but before closing the door behind me, I turned back with one more question. "Mind if I stop by your place tonight? I need to let your dad know something!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she replied. "You owe me one for sending you a photo of the team." She walked back into the storage room, and I smiled.

She's been dealing with my shenanigans for weeks now... I thought while walking down a crosswalk.

It's been a week since I was last with Rin, back during that time at Febai College. Instead of playing the hero and helping her recover from last year's implosion, I found myself hiding in the girl's bathroom stall instead while Rin defended my reputation. All I could do was quiver at the thought of how useless and embarrassing I was.

"Not this time," I murmured to myself, pulling out my phone to view the picture she sent. "Just what kind of phone does she even have..."

The photo featured an open binder that included the contact information of every player on Rin's team last year, but I could hardly make out the pixelated numbers and addresses. It already felt illegal to obtain such private information, but I just had to get this done; I promised myself I'd delete the photo afterward.

Racing down the streets, I dialed Gio's number on my phone and brought it to my ear, hoping he would answer. After multiple rings, his voice finally popped up on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Gio!" I shouted. "I need to stop by your place again today!"

"Jeez," he replied. This was the fourth day in a row I had called him and stopped by his place in secret. "This is the last day you can come, got it?"

"Yeah, don't worry."

"And well, you've donated quite a lot of money recently to our charity. I guess you really are trying to change yourself. Listen, come now, because I gotta leave after 6."

"Thank you, I owe you one," I said happily, but before closing the call, I had just one more question. "Hey... do you think I can volunteer after hours for one of your clinics?"

"Huh?!" Gio shouted. "Are you nuts? What if Mila's family sees you?!"

"That's why I said after hours!" I repeated. "I'll do anything, even mopping the floors or taking out the trash!"

"Listen, don't push your luck. Get this stuff done with Rin's soccer team first, and then we'll talk about that, okay?"

"Okay," I finally closed the call.

As I continued running down the various blocks until the older, brick-made low-rise buildings around me turned into high-rise apartments, I couldn't help but think back to last night's discussion with Lily's father:

"Mr. Meyer," Once I arrived at Lily's apartment, I took off my backpack and placed it on the door mat in front of me. Unzipping it, I took something out, then knocked on the door, hoping he would answer.

"Kai, why are you here again?!" Mr. Meyer shouted, creaking open the door slowly this time. "Like I said the other day, I've given up on trying to-"

His speech halted, and his jaw dropped to the ground. Out in my hands was a red jersey with the Febai national emblem stitched on the right chest, and the Febai college emblem stitched on the left. I made sure to hold the jersey by the shoulders in front of his face, so he could get a crystal view of every single detail.