In Excess (Itafushi)

Chapter 2

I wasn't sure what to make of last night. I realized once I got back to my dorm that I never actually figured out the neighbor's name. I followed him through the patio door of his own apartment which was identical to the one next door. I could still hear the music and people screaming next door. I wondered how many people at the party actually knew the host or anyone else there and how many just heard the noise and invited themselves.

There was a group of people in the living room, some playing video games, others waiting their turn and commentating on the players' shortcomings. The boy that had invited me in found something he had been looking for in the refrigerator then placed a hand on my back, guiding me deeper into the apartment.

"Is it worth checking out?" A guy draped over an armchair asked.

"I'd wait a bit. It's kind of dry right now," the boy answered, not even stopping to look at anyone in the living room. I assumed some of them were roommates, but I couldn't tell which ones or how many. He guided me up a staircase, and the chaotic noise started to fade. I hadn't realized that we had been shouting to hear each other until now. We walked into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He must have noticed my eyes widen when the door clicked shut.

"I promise I'm not a murderer," he laughed. "They're just loud." He started pouring the juice he found in the refrigerator into two plastic cups with the contents of the bottle he had taken from next door.

"Just a thief," I noted, accidentally sounding too serious. He turned his head to smile at me sheepishly.

"We all have our vices," he excused with a shrug. "You can sit down." He handed me one of the cups and pulled out his desk chair for himself, leaving me to either sit on the floor or the edge of his bed. I opted to sit on the edge of his bed, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. The drink was very sweet and tasted of artificial coconut, but didn't burn nearly as bad as Josh's concoction.

"You didn't look like you were having a good time," he stated bluntly. I chuckled dryly.

"Was it that obvious?" The room was very plain. All of the furniture was black, and the walls were devoid of any decoration. Even the blanket on the bed was plain and grey. It seemed to directly contrast him entirely. He had pink hair and was wearing a bright yellow sweatshirt, so I had a hard time believing that this could be his room.

"How did you lose your roommate?" He asked instead of answering my question.

"He just started talking to some of his friends. I guess he lost me, not the other way around." I remembered I still needed to text Will to let him know that I was next door. I made a mental note to message him in a few minutes.

"You're not a big fan of his friends?" He assumed.

I shook my head immediately. "No, no. I just don't know them." He nodded his head slowly, accepting my answer before taking a long drink from his cup. I was wondering if he regretted inviting me into his apartment. Maybe he realized too late that I was boring, and that was why I was alone outside. I found myself apologizing to him, my mouth moving before my brain could intervene.

"Why are you sorry?" Luckily, he seemed to find my sudden apology funny rather than something worth ridiculing.

"I'm boring you." I didn't leave room for him to refute, but he did anyway.

"No, you're not." He tilted his head to the side and softened his smile. "This is the most fun I've had all night." My instinct was to immediately follow that up with another self-deprecating proclamation, but I bit my tongue. Gojo always told me that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. He made another drink for himself and topped mine off while he was at it. "So, what's your major?" he asked as he sat down again.