Hideaki and Seiji were strolling in the nearby park. The weekend was just around the corner and weather was perfect for an evening stroll. As they were peacefully walking, Seiji felt that he needs to talk about one thing with his roommate...
'How should I get to him?' he pondered 'By forcing him?' he remembered Akemi's words 'No... If I'll force him to tell me this, it won't work out, and he may close up for me even more. I need to think of other solution... But then... There is one thing that got me wonder...'
Seiji's mind was busy analyzing the best way to approach his roommate about the tension between them. He knew pushing too hard wouldn't work.
Hideaki was like a tightly closed book - forcing it open would only tear the pages.
Glancing at Hideaki, who seemed absent-minded, Seiji broke the silence.
"Hideaki," he began, his voice calm but direct. "Why do you always act so erratic, even with people who try to be your friends?"
Hideaki blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Seiji didn't let up, his tone still steady. "You're always on edge. Violent. You lash out at people -Ken, Rika, even me. Why?"
Hideaki let out a forced laugh, clearly uncomfortable. "Me? Violent? You're imagining things, S-Seiji."
Seiji stopped walking, turning to face Hideaki fully. "I'm not imagining anything. I'm asking because I've noticed it. Every time someone new tries to get close to you, you shut them out. You push them away. Why?"
Hideaki's smirk faded. He didn't answer immediately, his gaze falling to the ground.
Seiji continued, unphased by Hideaki's silence. "It's almost like you're afraid of something. Not fear in the obvious sense, but... social anxiety. You seem uncomfortable in crowds, hesitant around strangers. Remember the summer festival? The mall? You were on edge."
Hideaki clenched his fists, clearly agitated now. "I'm not scared of people," he spat, his voice tense. "If I were, I wouldn't be killing them, would I?"
Seiji raised an eyebrow but didn't lose his composure. "That's not what I meant. I'm talking about a different kind of fear. The kind where you avoid letting anyone in, because you don't want to risk... whatever it is you're running from."
Hideaki's expression hardened, but there was something in his eyes-something Seiji recognized. Fear, masked by bravado.
"Why do you care?" Hideaki snapped. "You think you can fix me? Help me 'open up'? What makes you think I want that?"
Seiji crossed his arms, his voice steady and pragmatic. "Because bottling up everything will only make you worse. You'll keep spiraling, lashing out at people who don't deserve it. I'm not here to fix you, but I won't stand by and watch you self-destruct either."
Hideaki looked away, the tension between them thick in the air. He hated this-being vulnerable, feeling cornered. But Seiji wasn't letting him off the hook.
"I've seen how anxious you get," Seiji added. "You're not as good at hiding it as you think. And if you keep pushing people away, one day, you'll be left with no one."
"Like I care," Hideaki muttered, his voice low but defensive. "I don't need people. I don't need you."
Seiji's gaze narrowed slightly, his tone turning cooler. "Then why are you still here? Why haven't you just killed me and moved on to the next victim?"
Hideaki's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he was silent. Then, with a frustrated growl, he shouted, "Shut up! You don't understand anything!"
Seiji didn't flinch. "Enlighten me, then."
YOU ARE READING
Everyday Life with a Murderer
ActionA adult Japanese man, Seiji Sekiguchi was devastated by his life. During one rainy evening, he went to the rooftop of a building to commit suicide. Unexpectedly, on his way he meets a man, who apparently wants to kill him. Prepared for certain death...
