The Other Half On The Second Floor

Chapter Twenty-Five

The touch of the warm water hit my skin lightly, it was a delightful feeling. It felt so nice because of how it felt as if I was cleaning any dirtiness of my body from activities I, for one, didn't want to participate in. My body ached of agony, it began mentally and emotionally, then physically when I took up habits that one may say are unhealthy and dangerous, and they are, I won't lie, yet they soothed me. I'd become addicted to the feeling of getting a high from the feeling of something entering my lungs other than oxygen, everytime I let it out, it felt just like any other air but sweeter. Better. Perhaps that's why when I didn't have my usual tabs, cold air replaced it somehow. It wasn't the same, but it filled the void until I could get my hands on those damn things again. I coughed continuously in the shower, almost to the point of gagging and losing my breath. My chest and entire torso throbbed now, but it'd get better as soon as I rested and smoked again. It was a repeating cycle that by now, I'd grown used to. Hisa and Akemi had spoken to me about my problem before, but I never really listened. If it helped with coping, why should I quit? Just so I can end up miserable as before?

I stepped out of the shower and dried my body and hair with the brown towel. I catch sight of my reflection in front of me. My hair has grown. Longer than I'd ever let it be. Old me would've made an appointment right away to have it managed and cut, but now, I'll just find a way to take care of it on my own. I hadn't put much care into getting a haircut. I walked, or rather dragged my body that seemed to weigh twice as much as usual, to my bed and let my body fall onto the mattress. With a miserable body and mind, my only option left was to fall into a state of unconsciousness.

—- ♡ —-

"Kaito.. Kaito!!"

My eyes awaken rapidly, I lift myself up to see who is calling my name, my head in incredible pain. It was my youngest sister. "What?"

"Your friend is here. He's been at the door for ten minutes now."

I grab a hold of my phone and realize I had fallen asleep for far too long. I was already thirty minutes late to the hangout. I curse under my breath, racing to the door as quickly as I could. When I finally open the door, I see Hisa standing there. He didn't seem to have lost his patience, or annoyed. I never understood this guy, he was practically a saint. "Hisa.. I'm so sorry I fell asleep..."

"It's alright, come on let's go Yuzuki is waiting!"

I rubbed my eyes and pulled a pack from my back pocket. I take a stick out to light it. I inhale it a bit and release it slowly, a puff comes from my lips. Hisa turns to me and just looks. "Kaito, when are you going to quit smoking? You're already coughing like crazy and look worse."

I groaned slightly at this remark, I'd heard it so many times that it wasn't anything new to me. "The day I'm not miserable anymore.. So never." I attempted to play it off as a joke and laugh along, but even Hisa didn't smile. Nothing but silence.

"Why aren't you happy..?" I hear him say under his breath. Before I could even comment, we reached the location we were meant to be more than thirty minutes ago now.. And how I wish I would've stayed home. How I wish I had fallen asleep and didn't wake up. How I wish.. I had something more to draw out what I felt. My eyes widen with horror with the awful sight. No, not awful. Disgusting.

Yuzuki was standing there, with no shame on her face, her eyes, with a man who was our age. Body all over him. Seducing the motherfucker. I crush the cigarette with my bare hand, out of hatred and being downhearted.

"What the..." Hisa's facial expressions showed how repelled he was. Face scrunched up. I waste not a second to confront the two. Hisa follows right behind. When she caught sight of us both, her face went blank, and that had been the last straw for me. No face of remorse, regret, humiliation, nothing.

"What the hell?! Who is this bitch?!" I scolded. He places his arms in front of her, trying to protect her I assume.

"Who are you..?" He questioned. But, before I answered my fist made contact with his face. Over and over. Hisa and Yuzuki make an effort to break us apart, and after a few minutes they manage to do so.

"Kaito what is WRONG with you?" Yuzuki screams. I can't help but laugh. I laugh out loud so incredibly hysterically one may say I sounded mental. "Me..? What's wrong with ME? The fucking audacity."

"You know what.. You're right. The audacity. You have the audacity to treat me like shit yet complain when I find someone better. Kaito, you seriously didn't think you were the only one right? Please tell me no, because if you did.. My god you're idiotic. Just sleeping together doesn't do it. Get the hell over yourself." She finally showed a sign of some emotion in her eyes.. But not the ones I anticipated. No. It was of pride and no shame. Happiness at her accomplishment. And I stood there, knowing how idiotic I truly was.