The Gathering
Masaomi knew that he had a problem. He lay in his bed. But he wasn't alone. The boy looked down beside him. It took work to sneak his "girlfriend" in. "Girlfriend" in the loosest of terms possible. Were they really dating? She already had a boyfriend. He probably could just walk through without saying a word. He just didn't feel like dealing with the stares. Masaomi can't keep going like this. Something has to change. But...
He looked down at the mess of black hair next to him. She would probably leave in the morning. They had been having more sexual encounters lately. His friends know that he has been seeing someone. Masaomi refused to say anything about her. They don't ask. He doesn't know if that is good or not. They all seem to have their own problems. Mikado and Anri were still dealing with a pregnancy didn't want. There's another tadpole who's pregnant. There's been a lockdown that no one can explain. Not to mention the game that keeps spreading.
Meanwhile, Masaomi has his own problems. His habits aren't the only thing on his mind.
There was a strange dream last night. Even he can't fully put them into words. He goes over it in his mind many times. Masaomi still can't figure out what he was looking at.
It started out in the darkness.
Masaomi couldn't see anything around him. When did it get so dark? He could tell that he was still in Tokyo. Not exactly Ikebukuro. But he was still in the city. Masaomi began walking down the path. The grass stood out in the darkness. It was then the boy noticed that he wasn't wearing any shoes or socks.
Masaomi walked down the path. He didn't have a destination in mind. All he knew was that he had to keep walking. He didn't feel cold or anything. The grass was wet with the dew but not much else. As he walked, something about this place looked familiar. Had he been here before? The boy couldn't tell. Still, he kept walking.
With each step, Masaomi's eyes adjusted to the darkness. The lights from the street in the distance drew his attention from up ahead. He came over to the edge of the hill. Masaomi took a peek down. That's when he noticed something a bit... off.
Several white lawn chairs sat in an empty clearing. Masaomi got a good count of eighteen chairs. There might have been more. The chairs sat behind what looked like an old abandoned council building of some sort. Masaomi couldn't take his eyes off of the chairs. What were they out here for? Who put them out here? It looked like they were just left here for some reason. A reason that Masaomi wasn't sure that he wanted to know. He wanted to back away or look anywhere else. Something inside of him compelled him to come closer. Was he supposed to sit down in one of the chairs? If so, why? The boy wasn't sure what was going on.
It didn't help that he was alone out here.
"Hello?" Masaomi asked. Nothing. There was no one out here for sure. He didn't know why he did that. The longer he stared at the chairs, the more unease started to consume him. Someone had to have called him out here. For what purpose? Who called him out here?
Another thought crossed his mind. No... Don't tell him... Masaomi slowly backed up. No. No way. No. No. No!
A hand rested on his chest.
Masaomi looked down. His "girlfriend" looked up at him. The boy started to relax.
"Hey," she said.
"Uh... hi..." Masaomi said. She rested her head on his chest.
"What's on your mind right now?" she asked.
"Not much," he said. "Why?" She shook her head.
"No reason," the woman said. Masaomi didn't know how to handle her cuddling up so close to him like this. That's when another thought crossed his mind.
"Hey," he said.
"Hm?" she asked.
"Um... what's your name again?" Masaomi asked. She giggled as she kissed him on the chest.
"Does it matter?" she asked. The boy thought about that for a moment.
"I don't know. I guess," he said. The woman giggled before slowly closing her eyes.
"Ruriko," she said.
"Hm?" Masaomi asked.
"That's my name. It's Ruriko," the "girlfriend" said. She dozed off after saying that. Masaomi looked up at the ceiling.
"Right..." he said. Masaomi knows that he has a problem. What he's doing about it, he has no clue.
