COMING OF AGE | Nishimura Riki

031 | butter in a frying pan

sato mai 
───────────

I was so wrong with my expectations and so far away from the truth. For some reason, I thought everything would go so smoothly like butter in a frying pan. I thought I had learned by now that life does not go as planned. There is always a twist here and there coming up when you least expect it.

Yesterday, when Dad and I visited Mom. The nurses took the opportunity to remind me of the upcoming bills as if I didn't know they were coming. And when we reached the hostel, the rent envelope was lying on the doormat.

Today, I had to skip school because of "work". It's not even work anymore and it has never been, it's how me and my family survive. Eito has been a big help lately by promoting the new product I'm selling, leading me to more customers.

One of the few beautiful things in this world is people who voluntarily help you because they want to. Especially, when you can feel it. Beautiful things do not always have to be visible objects, they can be feelings too.

Once the customer had turned his back to walk away, I let out a sigh of relief. Not because of the customer, it was nothing wrong with him, but because of exhaustion. I have zero reasons to feel exhausted when my "job" is standing still and talking to strangers. But when I say it's exhausting I don't mean it's physically exhausting, it's mentally exhausting.

There is no particular reason why it is mentally exhausting, it just is. It is probably caused by stress, the number one overwhelming feeling. Who isn't stressed these days?

My phone started to ring with Eito's name was shown on the screen.

"Hello?" I said as I picked up.

"Hi! Is everything going alright over there?" Eito asked.

"Yeah, better than I expected to be honest. Thank you for helping me" I answered.

"No problem" Eito replied.

"And your boyfriend is here by the way" He added.

"With boyfriend you mean Ni-ki and with here you mean the warehouse?" I asked to make sure I got the correct information.

"Seems like he is not the only one who skipped school today" Eito answered.

I hung up the phone and began walking back to the warehouse. Lucky for Ni-ki, I'm pretty close, meaning he can spend his time on something other than waiting for me. There are better things to do with your time than waiting for me.

⛅️

Ni-ki was sitting down on the disgusting yet very comfortable couch, staring at the floor. Based on the aura around him, it was a serious family problem that happened yesterday. He seems down and melancholy, not as bright and cheerful as he usually is.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

His aura switched from blue to yellow as soon as he looked at me. Yet, the blue color was still peaking through the yellow.

"I came to see you" Ni-ki answered with a smile.

"But you are skipping school?" I replied.

"And so are you" He added.

His comment made me laugh a little. I walked up closer to him and sat down on the couch.

"Why are you not in school?" Ni-ki asked.

"My Dad is added to my household again. I was gonna tell you the day before yesterday but you had to leave early. I have many irons in the fire right now, and money is not one of them" I answered.

"Was your father released yesterday? How is it going so far?" Ni-ki replied.

"It's very stressful. The rent came yesterday and the hospital bills are coming soon. I can barely take care of myself, how am I supposed to take care of my parents too at the same time?" I said.

"My Dad was very surprised by everything. The world has changed and developed a lot in the past decade. When we were at the hospital to visit my Mom, he was so impressed with the new modern flatscreen phones. I agree with him" I added.

"I cannot imagine how confusing it must be for your father. I wonder if I would even be able to recognize it if I were him" Ni-ki said.

"Do you wanna know why I still use a button phone?" I asked and Ni-ki nodded.

"Firstly, because I can not afford a modern one. Secondly, the police can't track a button phone" I answered.

Ni-ki seems more impressed by my answer than I expected him to be. This was a fact I didn't know either until I met Eito. He told me a lot of people who are involved in criminal business use button phones just because the police can't track them. He then followed up by saying I had already been a part of the community even before joining it.

"I don't think I have ever heard you talk about your mother before" Ni-ki suddenly said.

"I don't remember anymore what I have told you or not. All I know is that you know too much about me. And that is a compliment by the way" I replied with a smile.

"I also know that I can bring up my parents into our conversation very naturally. It doesn't feel forced or anything, it just slips in like butter on a frying pan" I added.

Despite seeing Ni-ki smile, his aura is still blue. I am aware of his family problems and yet I was the one who brought up family into our conversation. I feel bad for him, especially when I can tell Ni-ki is trying his best to hide his ongoing problems.

I hope his problems don't linger in his head for too long. Hopefully, he will be comfortable enough sharing his problems with me as I am with him.