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jeez, can’t they just leave me alone? why are they only bullying me? just because i’m…
different .
mizuki ran a hand through their hair as they walked down the street. it was a hot, clear, sunny day in Tokyo. they had just left school after only going to three classes, and decided to go to a mall. on the way there, they realized something.
wait, i just realized. the mall is closed today!
“jeez, can’t i be smart for once?” they sarcastically said, pinching the ridge of their nose. “i’ll text ena and ask her if she just wants to hang out.”
they took out their phone to text ena until they realized where they were.
they were in the miyamasuzaka streets, they’d been around here before, like for the Shibuya Festa, but they remembered something from about a year ago.
mizuki had just come out from middle school, it was a clear, summer day, just like this one, and the bullying at school intensified. it was like they were the only ones getting bullied and not everyone else. was everyone picking on them just because they were different ? what kind of kids are they? did their parents just up and left them then the kids resorted to attacking people who are different?
mizuki took a turn, and what they immediately saw shocked them.
they saw a short, brown-haired girl. she was petting a short-haired, grey cat. but, the little feline looked like it was crying, then that's when mizuki saw an older cat next to it, laying on the mulch. it was dead? suddenly, thunder roared in the sky, and mizuki saw lighting. they didn't the girl and the cat get caught up in the rain.
“hey, ma’am!” they called out, running to the both of them.
“huh?” the girl murmured, turning around. “who are you?”
“that’s not important right now, it’s about to rain and thunder, you should go home,” mizuki kneeled to meet the height of the brown-haired girl.
“but…this kitten’s mother got killed, and…” the girl’s voice started breaking, and mizuki turned to look at her. and wow, was she pretty. her soft brown eyes shined with her tears, and her short hair framed her facial features. “i-i doesn’t wanna leave him alone…”
silence.
“i also don’t want to go home.”
“is something happening at home?”
“uh, kind of… it's nothing too bad, i just don’t—hey why do you care!?”
“i’m just asking, you don't have to answer if the topic’s sensitive to you.”
“...sorry.”
mizuki started petting the kitten, who was shaking and shivering. “mind telling me where you live? i can walk you there, then after i can bring you some cat food and first aid,” mizuki asked, hoping the girl would say yes. she was pretty, and mizuki felt something in their chest. i wonder if she would like me for who i want to be, they thought.
“um, i live near here,” the girl pointed down the street to a certain brick house. “right there, i just wanted to get some food and…i saw…” she couldn’t relive that memory. she just couldn’t, it was too painful.
“you saw the kitten’s mom…”
“yes.”
“i'm so sorry,” mizuki got up and held out their hand. “here, i'll walk you, you and the kitten will be safe, i promise.”
ena’s face flushed a crimson color. was this person flirting with her? if so, they were doing a good job at it. ena reluctantly reached her hand out to hold the pink-haired person. “thank you, sir.”
mizuki’s heart broke.
“you're welcome,” mizuki kneeled to pick up the male kitten. “do you want me to pick up the mother?” ena thought for a moment before shaking her head.
“no, i don't want her to stain your uniform,” she looked off to the side. “besides, she’s already dead…there's nothing we can do for her.”
“you don’t want to give her a proper funeral?”
“on second thought!! ill pick her up!” ena picked up the limp mother cat, and mizuki smiled at the sudden change. cutie.
they got to the steps of the girl’s house, and ena took out her house key and unlocked it. “i don’t think my parents are home, only my younger brother.”
“is your brother the reason why you didn’t want to go home?”
“no, my dad. i thought he was home but if he was he would yell my name as soon as i unlocked the door.”
“may i come in?” the brown-haired girl scoffed.
“no! i don't know what things you might do to me!”
“...really? ugh, you're so unreasonable,” mizuki sighed. “whatever, i’m wasting my money on you, so you better appreciate it,” they placed the kitten down and it ran inside the house, curling up near the couch. “well, there he goes, what do you need? blankets, towels, first aid…that's it?”
“yeah…and thanks, for everything, uhh….”
“...zuki akiyama....”
“thank you, akiyama-san,” she smiled and it reached her eyes. “my name is ena shinonome.”
“no need for thanks, shinonome-san,” they looked inside of ena’s house and saw how neat it was, and bland. could never be me. they thought. “well, i'll be going now, i'll be right back!”
and back they were, with the things ena needed in their hands in bags. they knocked on the door with their elbow, and almost instantly, the girl answered. “hi, akiyama-san.”
“hi,” they politely replied back and raised their hands. “i have the bags, may i come in now?” ena didn't say anything, she just stood to the side signaling that mizuki could come in. “thank you.”
mizuki placed the bags on the counter. “you have a nice home.”
“thanks, it's my mom who decorates and cleans the house. my old man just sits around and does nothing,” ena said while taking out a blanket from the bag and covering a spot on the counter, and placing the kitten on the blanket.
“is that so…” mizuki opened the first aid kit and grab some alcohol wipes, wiping some cuts on the little feline gently. “he doesn't sound like a nice father.”
mizuki noticed ena’s hands ball into fists. “he…really isn’t, but, i…still love him.”
ena grabbed another towel and wet it with some water and dawn soap, “well that's good,” mizuki said, “it would be bad if you didn’t, that would’ve meant he’s doing something bad to you,” they rolled up their uniform sleeves just in case.
“yeah, i’m glad he hasn’t, all he's doing is yelling at me, like discipline, you know?”
“yeah.”
after soaking and cleaning some fleas and dirt off the little feline, they focused their attention on the mother cat, whose limp body was on the counter, eyes open. it was creepy, to say the least. “what are we gonna do with her?”
“um, you can leave, akiyama-san. i'll clean her and do a proper burial for her, and hey! maybe i'll invite you.”
mizuki laughed softly. this girl was too cute. “that’s good, i'll give you my house phone number.”
after giving ena their number and having a small conversation, mizuki decided they had overstayed their welcome and said they had to go home. they both said their goodbyes and they said bye to the kitten, whose name was now aki, short for akiyama. but ena would never tell them that.
“wow, that was so long ago,” mizuki said as they waited for ena to arrive. “i was a whole different person back then!”
“hey, mizuki!” a familiar voice shouted. the voice kept giggling as they arrived closer. and soon enough, they were right in front of the pinknette. “what are you thinking about?”
“ah,” she doesn't know, does she? “nothing important.”
ena started to look around, then a big smile gave to her lips. the same smile she wore back then, the smile met her eyes. “i remember this place!” ena said, “in my first year of high school, i met this guy who was nice enough to help me clean this kitten i found on the street after his mom died,” ena shuddered the memory of the feline’s mom getting run over. “i even named the kitten after his last name, aki, but i forgot the person’s whole name! it's been so long,” ena looked at the buildings and people walking across the street. “i wonder where he is now.”
mizuki fought the urge to tell ena that they were the guy back then. but then they’ll risk their secret getting revealed, so they kept quiet. “yeah, i wonder.”
if only.
if only she remembers.
then my heart wouldn’t break at her using those pronouns.