The path to the truth: Male Reader X Naoto

Part 82

07/19

I went back to the Ailurophobe (guy who's afraid of cats.

"You! You're the one who tried to feed me to the cat! Oh, er, sorry, I just can't stay calm when it comes to those damn cats. I have an idea, what do cats like to eat? If I sneak up behind them and slowly touch them while they're chowing down on food, then I'll be the one in control, right? But, to tell you the truth, I'm also afraid of fish. Y'know, those creepy eyes! All muddled, looking this way! And those scales! Uhh, is there some kind of cute fish?" He asked.

"I've got this red goldfish, is it cute enough for you?" You asked. Please don't question where I got it or how long it's been sitting in my back pocket.

"Oh, it is cute! Give that to me! I'll use it to ambush the cat!" He said. He took it from me and ran off.

I'll check back with him tomorrow. Let's go back check on the old lady who I'm still convinced is some kind of secret Great Old One or something.

"Oh it's you, come to visit this old lady? Come, sit with me." She said.

I sat with her on the grass.

"Hmm, the more I look at you, the more you remind me of him. His nose was just a little lower than yours, and his eyes a bit smaller, and his hair was shorter. Haha, he was a handsome man." She said.

"So, he didn't look like me?" I asked.

"Well, maybe not so much in the face, but, your expressions and the gestures you make, perhaps? My husband that is, he passed away recently. Do I look like Death to you?" She asked.

"No, not at all." I said.

"I see, you mustn't become Death." She said.

I feel like I brushed against the heavy weight she's bearing, maybe she's not some kind of evil entity after all.

Death Social Link: Rank 2

"When I'm with you, I feel like he has forgiven me. That can't possibly be true though, after all, I'm the one who, I'm sorry, I'll see you later Bessho-chan." She said.

I left Hisano and went home.

Evening.

I gotta put my nose to the grindstone while studying here, if I get good marks on my exam Dojima said I can have my scooter back, and my curfew will be lifted. I hear a noise coming from my window, some kind of knocking. I was surprised to see that Cal was sitting on the roof in front of my window.

"Cal! What are you doing here? If you wanted to come visit you could've just used the front door!" I said.

"I didn't know if Dojima was here, can I come in?" He asked.

"Only if you're here to study." You said.

"Believe it or not, yeah." He said.

I let him in.

The two of us compared and reviewed notes.

"Geez, this world is pretty different compared to ours." He said, while spinning around in my chair.

"Yeah, what's weird is that if Margaret is to be believed, they used to be one and the same. Hard to believe. You know what I miss the most from home? You know, besides the obvious." I said.

"The hot dog truck?" He asked.

"The hot dog truck. There's no where in this town that sells hot dogs or any other kind of sandwich like that. The only thing they have here are steak kabobs. Which, mind you, are pretty great. But there's no variety." I answered.

"Hey, that's what you should do. After your probation is up, open up a food truck. You can make whatever you want, last I heard you're a pretty good cook. That and you'll have somewhere to live too." He said.

"The only version of this story that will result in me living in a food truck is if we turn an RV into one. That way I actually, you know, HAVE A BED AND SHOWER." I said.

"Fair point, not like you can go awkwardly live in the Shirogane estate." He joked.

I sharply inhaled before replying.

"Get out."

"Come on man it was-"

"I am not ready to talk about this right now, get out." I said firmly.

"Okay, okay, I hit a touchy subject. I know you're still hurting about that, that's the main reason I'm here, to check on you." He said.

"What part of get out do you not understand." I said coldly. "You can either go out the way you came willingly or I can THROW YOU."

"You don't have the balls." He said.

"You wanna try me?" I said standing up.

"Do it. I won't press charges, hell I'll be impressed if you pull it off." He said.

There was a knock on my door.

"Big Bro are you okay in there? I heard shouting." Nanako said.

"I'm fine, just having a little disagreement with a classmate." I said, calming down a little.

"Please don't fight, friends shouldn't fight." She said.

"We're not fighting, just, having, okay yeah we're fighting." I said, going to my door. "I'm going to go do my brotherly duties, I suggest you not be here by the time I get back."

I went into the hall to talk to Nanako.

"You're right, friends shouldn't fight. But, sometimes we say things to each other that makes the other upset, and it can get a little, mean." I said, trying to reassure her.

"Did he hurt your feelings?" She asked.

"No, but he said something he probably shouldn't have. I lost my cool for a moment, and was, well considering doing something mean to him." I said.

"But you didn't, right?" She asked.

"No I didn't." I said.

"Good. I don't know what happened, but I heard dad saying that if you do something bad again he'll have to take you away. You're not gonna leave me, are you big bro?" She asked, on the verge of tears.

I gave her a hug.

"No, I'm not going anywhere. Okay? I'm just in a lot of pain right now, but you being here helps make it easier to deal with." I said. "Come on, let's go find a book to read before you go to bed."

After reassuring Nanako, we read a book together, then Dojima took her to bed. I went up back to my room for the night too.