One and Only | Osamu Miya

Chapter 3

Saturday Surprise

Arishira's POV:

It was Saturday, and Osamu had dropped me off at home early that morning. Mom and Dad were still asleep, and the car was in the garage.  Thankfully, my period cramps had subsided, although the intense pain from just a few hours earlier, while I was asleep in Osamu's bed, still lingered in my memory.  The memory of waking up in his bed, hugging him… it was both exhilarating and mortifying.

I went to my room, turned on the air conditioner, and lay down, replaying the events of the previous night.  Had I sleepwalked?  The thought was incredibly embarrassing, especially considering Osamu's lack of reaction.  Hugging my favorite volleyball player, though… if only I'd hugged him properly. Perhaps I'd unconsciously wandered into his bed.

It was 6 AM, a Saturday with no classes.  I decided to go grocery shopping later; Mom and Dad would likely be at work.

I grabbed my phone and hesitated. Should I text Osamu?  We'd exchanged numbers before he dropped me off.

arishira_haruki: hey osamu! ;)

m.osamu: morning.

arishira_haruki: watcha up to?

m.osamu: just laying down on my bed. I'll head to practice soon.

arishira_haruki: alrighty!

Ugh, our conversation was so dry. I decided to stop texting.  Osamu was introverted, and according to Atsumu, he wasn't great at communicating. He was usually quiet. But he'd communicated with me. That was different. He'd made a friend – me, of course.

I was introverted too.  I only had one friend, maybe two now that Osamu was in the picture. I usually went to the nearby seashore to watch the sunrise or sunset.  It was just across the road.

I decided to take a nap, planning to go to the mall around 9 AM, if I didn't oversleep.

 

My parents dropped me off at the mall, waving goodbye before heading to work. I went to the supermarket, grabbed a cart, and checked my grocery list on my phone.

 

After an hour of shopping, my cart was overflowing. It was so heavy it was a struggle to push. I called one of Mom's assistants at the office to pick up the groceries.

At the checkout, after paying with Dad's credit card, I waited for the groceries to be bagged.  Just then, Mom's assistant arrived. I helped her load the bags into the car, placing them on the passenger seat.

"Miss Ari, are you going home?" she asked.  I shook my head.

"Later. I'll explore the mall first," I replied.

"Alright, miss. I'll take the groceries home. Just let me or your mom know if you need anything."

I waved goodbye as she drove off.  I didn't know her name; Mom had so many assistants.

Back in the mall, I decided to head to the arcade on the second floor.  I took the escalator, marveling at the mall's size. I checked my phone, hoping for a message from Osamu, but there was nothing.

Before leaving his house, he'd asked for my Instagram, so we could communicate. I'd checked his profile; it was mostly volleyball photos, some family pictures. He looked cute in every photo.

At the arcade, I exchanged my money for tokens – twenty should be enough. I went to the claw machines, determined to win the cute gray cat plushie.

I inserted two tokens, carefully maneuvering the claw.  I pressed the release button, and to my surprise, I won!

I smiled, hugging the plushie. Should I give it to Osamu? He'd probably love it.  I had plenty of plushies at home already.

I continued exploring the arcade, noticing a section with transparent doors – karaoke rooms.  I peeked into the first room; five people were singing and dancing enthusiastically.

Then, I looked into the second room, and froze.

Osamu was inside, with another girl. They were singing and laughing, a side of Osamu I'd never seen before.  He was actually laughing. Was he lying?  Had he lied about me being his only fan?

A wave of hurt and confusion washed over me.  I immediately left the arcade, went to the first floor, and called Mom.

"Mom, please pick me up," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

I knew I shouldn't be jealous, but I couldn't help the bitter taste of disappointment that filled my mouth.  The day had taken an unexpected, and painful, turn. The gray cat plushie felt heavy in my hands, a stark contrast to the lightness of heart I'd felt just moments before. The mall, once a place of excitement and fun, now felt suffocating, a stark reminder of the uncertainty and vulnerability of my feelings.