Seiji spent the next few days at work, sitting at his desk and programming.
He happily recalled the weekend he spent with his friends in Kyoto, and how much emotion it caused in his roommate.
What surprised him was the fact that for some time the attacks from his bullies had stopped, and even more to add, the people who had previously bullied him began to ignore him...
Seiji remembered the situation before the trip to Kyoto... The incident in the store when Hideaki was the one who put fear and terror on Iwasaki-san and Ume-san's faces.
"They started avoiding me shortly after that incident... It seems like because of Hideaki, they tried to completely cut ties with me..." he pondered. "Well... if that's the case, then oh my... This... This is amazing! I can finally work in peace! So, could it be that my torment from them has finally come to an end?" Seiji asked himself, feeling excitement and the thrill of finally having peace inside.
Suddenly, someone approached his desk... None other than Iwasaki and Ume themselves.
Seiji felt his moment of happiness rapidly plummet. He swallowed and looked at his long-time bullies... 'So much for that peace...' he sighed.
"Sekiguchi." Iwasaki spoke. Her tone was serious and threatening as if she was about to come up with another action to humiliate Seiji in front of others.
"What is it, Iwasaki..." Seiji asked reluctantly.
"We need to talk," she replied.
"I don't see anything we need to talk about. Please, just leave me alone..." he said, then refocused on programming.
"No!" The woman shouted, slamming her hand on the programmer's desk. She quickly reconsidered, "Uh, I mean..." she cleared her throat, and her tone softened slightly. "There is something we need to discuss."
Ume nodded in agreement.
Seiji sighed and rolled his eyes towards the two coworkers. "What is it..."
At that moment, the woman bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry!" She screamed.
Seiji was stunned.
His mind raced, trying to comprehend what had just occurred. "What?" he uttered, his voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.
***
Meanwhile, at the apartment, Hideaki was torn. He was lying on the couch and staring at his hands...."Can... I... really create beautiful art...?" He thought, then got up and stood by the balcony door, staring at the falling snow.
"I always thought that snow and blood looks nice together..." he muttered to himself, his eyes staring dispassionately at the white flakes falling to the ground.
He opened the balcony door. A cold winter breeze greeted him, making him shiver a bit. Then he cut a small wound on his finger tip. Blood began to flow in a stream onto the snow-covered floor. A red glow flashed from Hideaki's right hand, and with a few precise movements of his fingers, he manipulated the blood into the shape of a delicate snowflake.
When he finished, he stopped the bleeding and stared at his creation with a sigh. The intricate blood snowflake was beautiful, yet it left him feeling unfulfilled. He sensed that he could do more, create something greater. He looked up at the gray sky, the clouds obscuring the sun, and felt a mixture of longing and frustration.
"Why does it feel like it's never enough?" he wondered aloud. "Why do I feel this emptiness, when I create something beautiful?" His thoughts were heavy, weighed down by his inner turmoil and the conflicting desires that consumed him.
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...
