Tuesday
Several minutes past 8:00 am
Panting*
Panting*
I was dreaming. Dreaming of that very moment; dreaming of that tragedy. Three years have passed since that night. Three years since that person went missing. The body cannot be found anywhere near where it had happened. Until this day, I cannot believe what had happened during that night. I am still hoping that there's still a chance that that person will show up. Hence, my pain cannot be avoided that easily.
"Don't let go please! I'm begging you don't let go of me!" I shouted in my dream.
"No. This is 'good bye,' Tsuki," the person said in my dream."
"No, no, no! I promised myself that I won't let go of your hands! Please just don't let go!" I said exclaimed dramatically.
"Goodbye, Tsuki. Thank you for everything," the person replied.
"Please! I beg you! If you're doing 'that' take me with you too. Please don't let go! No!" I begged so much to the point that I woke up.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAA!! No!!" I screamed in agony and pain.
As I woke up from that dream, I felt that someone was beside me and I also noticed that someone was crying and holding my right hand softly. It reminded me of Sachi, my childhood friend, it had appeared that she was saying something or maybe I was still half asleep. I was confused.
"It's okay. It's okay. I'm here Tsukasa. I am always here for you," Sachi said as she held my hand while tears were dropping from her eyes.
As I caught a glimpse of her right beside me, I noticed that she was sobbing. She then reached out her hand and started holding mine. I suddenly snapped out of my confusion and realized that it was really her. I thought I was just hallucinating or something but it was really Sachi. She was sitting on my favorite chair so I decided to get up and sit on my bed. I was wondering of all the places she could have been, she was right beside me and so I asked...
"Why are you here?" I asked her.
"Asahi was panicking a lot when she saw you crippling on the floor. You should be thanking me because I gracefully watched over you. Hmph!" she said highly to herself while wiping her tears.
"Well, I do appreciate what you did so could you care to explain what exactly happened last night? And why are you here in my bedroom?" I asked.
"Fine, I'll tell you, but promise me you'll follow my favor after I tell you what happened," she replied followed up with a make-face.
"Fine, let's hear it," I said with pride.
It was a risky move for me since I have agreed to a favor that I know nothing about. I only agreed because I was grateful that she was at my bedside and I saw sympathy in her eyes as she wept by my side. Who knows what could have happened to me if I was left there in my bedroom alone.
Sachi proceeded tell me exactly what had happened as told to her by Asahi.
Flashback last night*
Asahi told her that she heard me screaming and she noticed that my scream wasn't 'normal' so she decided to rush in to my room to check on me. What she saw right after she opened the door surprised her...
Asahi found me crippling on the floor while covering my face in fear of something. She said I was hysterically screaming in pain and agony. She also said that she found my chair lying on the floor and assumed that I fell off right after I screamed.
Asahi mentioned that it took her quite some time before getting near me. She said I was reacting in fear of something whenever she tried to come close to me. She described that I was covering my face and cowering in fear of something. She also stated that I was saying "something" that she cannot seem to understand. She just described it as some language or dialect that she cannot comprehend.
Eventually, she strengthened her resolve and finally got a hold of me. She said that she approached me carefully one step at a time, calling out my first name without honorifics sweetly and softly. She explained that she did that because she thought I needed to feel some form of maternal care so I would calm down. She then mentioned that she was willing to take any punishment right after. After some time, she was relieved to see me starting to calm down and started smiling little-by-little.
To her surprise, I immediately hugged her in an intimate way and she said I thanked her for not letting go and not leaving. She mentioned that my eyes started tearing up and it seemed that it were tears of joy and relief about something.
She stated that after hugging her, I held her both of her hands softly and I started stroking my left thumb on her right palm tenderly in a circular motion. Then I looked at her eyes intimately and gently placed my right hand at her cheeks. I carefully brushed my thumb toward her lips while tearing up a bit more as I smiled again in relief while joyfully looking at her.
She was also surprised that I called her by some name she did not seem to understand. Right after that, she just decided to play her role perfectly and looked back at me the same way as I was, while stroking her left hand on my back softly.
Moments after that, she said that I passed out on her right shoulder after hugging her intimately for the second time so, she decided to carefully lay down my head on her lap and started stroking my hair gently similar to how a mother would to her child. She was in great relief that I have finally calmed down. She also happened to pass out for a while because it was already dawn.
The moment that she woke up from her passing out, she decided to call Sachi so that there will be someone who will inform our school that Asahi and I will not be going to attend that day with the reason that I will not be feeling good that day and that she needs to look after me. However, because of private matters, Sachi was also not attending school that day. Instead, she convinced Asahi to attend school. Asahi agreed briefly and humbly asked Sachi to watch over me if she has the time. Sachi agreed to that favor of hers and said that she will stay until the moment I wake up and will attend to my needs in her place. Asahi thanked her and started to get ready for school and left right after.
Sachi perceived the story from Asahi to be thrilling. She even said that she was panicking at first but then she realized that I needed her help that time. That's when she decided to strengthen her will and approach me as gentle as possible.
Flashback ended*
Present time*
"So, you were here for that reason? To tell me all that and watch over me, how sweet of you isn't it?" I asked and commented thankfully.
Sachi stares at me blushing without uttering a single word. So, I decided to follow up a statement to free the awkwardness between us.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Since, you already told me your reason of being here. I think, it's time for me to listen to the favor that you asked of me earlier," I followed up.
"I haven't told you yet, what I said was just one part of why I'm here," Sachi said timidly while looking away from me.
I glared at her looking confused, with both of my hands open and palms facing upward. I continued to ask her.
"So what is it that you really wanted to tell me?" I asked.
Sachi finally decided to state her business. She pointed her index finger while looking at me bashfully. Honestly, she looked kinda cute that time. I always notice that whenever she is going to tell me something she is going to look away for a moment.
"Fi-five things, I want you to grant three of them," Sachi said timidly with both of her index finger touching each other's tips while looking away to the right while blushing.
"Okay, what is it?" I asked.
Then I thought to myself.
I guess this is not going to be a hard and trivial one. Knowing Sachi, I think she will just ask me to buy something and take her somewhere. However, this time is a bit different thinking that I have to grant three of her wishes.
My thoughts ended*
"First, I want us to set up and have a date when we are free," Sachi said loudly while looking at me with both of her fists clenched. I also noticed that both of her hands and knees were shaking.
"Okay!" I said after I stood up from my bed and while stretching my arms.
"Second, I want you to make me feel special. I want to feel like a special someone to you. Like a person you deeply cared for," Sachi insisted while staring at my eyes with a pitiful look. Now, her hands were at her lap and her knees were still shaking.
"Hmm... I think I can do that!" I exclaimed nicely.
"Third, I want you to kiss me", Sachi said timidly as she stood up with both of her arms on her side while her fists were slightly clenched.
"Uhm! That is a bit too mu-", I said hesitantly but she suddenly interrupted me.
"Fourth, fall for me. Fall in love with me, love me like that "person," hold me like you held her before. I miss the old you Tsukasa!" Sachi said emotionally while her upper body was slightly bent towards me. Both of her eyes and fists were closed as she asked me such a ridiculous favor.
"Hey! This is going too far alre-," I said in a slightly angered tone but, she interrupted me again.
"Fifth, please Tsukasa forget about that "person". I know it is hard to replace that "person" but, Tsukasa be considerate of your father and start to think of other people's feeli-," before she could say any more words, I got annoyed so I interrupted her.
"What are you talking about?" I asked her with a loud stomp.
"Please, I am begging you. Just try to heal yourself from all that pain and suffering. I just want your old self back. Please, let me help yo-," she insisted but she was getting really close to me so I interrupted her once more by pushing her.
Thuds*
I pushed her and suddenly she slipped but she managed to grab a hold unto my right shoulder. In the end, we both slipped and it seems that I floored her. I really felt guilty getting mad at her and venting out my anger so, I decided to not utter a single word for now.
Panting*
Both of my hands were touching the floor and were near her shoulders. My right knee was at the middle of her thighs. I was slightly out of breath because of the argument we just had. I know I agreed to grant three but she went too far. I didn't expect such favors.
Panting*
Sachi looked at me terrified. She was so terrified that she cannot look directly at my eyes. She just kept herself looking away. Her hands were on her chest while I can clearly hear her heartbeat. She was also catching her breath from what had happened.
Panting*
After things started to calm down, we were still on the floor looking at each other. As I was hearing her heartbeats, she was hearing mine as well. Our position did not change, it seemed that we were attached to it for now.
Moments later, Sachi decided to speak up and asked me a question regarding her favor. She was really insisting on getting her favors fulfilled.
"So, will you grant three of my favors?" Sachi asked while panting.
Panting*
"I am a man of my word but, it all depends on my choices right?" I replied in a calm manner while panting.
Panting*
"It all depends on you Tsukasa. Besides, I am certain that I cannot replace Ma-. I mean that "person". I know what you two have are intimate," Sachi said calmly as she giggled a bit right after.
"I am glad that you understand. Knowing you, I thought you were going to wish for something that I can buy or something that I can do by using money but that doesn't seem to be the case now, is it?" I said while I smiled a little followed by a soft laugh.
"So, care to let me which one will you fulfill first?" Sachi asked curiously.
"Honestly, I need one more variable for what's to come two weeks from now." I said straightforwardly.
"Hey! Not fair we are discussing about my favor and not your 'variable' or whatever. How selfish of you. Hmph!" Sachi said in annoyed voice followed by a cute pout.
"Well, I haven't said anything concerning my favor yet, right?" I said.
"What is it?" Sachi asked.
"Two weeks from now I need someone to present to my father as my girlfriend. He said you are off limits unless, we did progress a bit. So, I'm thinking of dating you for now." I said straightforwardly with a smile, as I view the reflection of my face in her eyes.
Sachi was surprised about what I said. I can tell because, since she was blushing. Her stuffy cheeks looked even cuter every time she blushed. Honestly, I think Sachi is really cute but I really don't want to start any relationship with a woman right now. Besides, most of them are still untrustworthy and it is not worth it to waste all that time and effort at all.
"Are you sure? Do you want to present me to your father?" Sachi asked while blushing.
"Well, I'm just going to use you as a role player for now but do not worry. I won't count this as one of those three favors. Let's say this is just a token of my appreciation," I said with a smile followed up with a bit of laughter.
Sachi blushed once again and she looked even cuter that time. However, I can assure you that I did not feel anything weird toward her during that time. No heartbeat skip, no tightness on the chest, and most importantly, the feeling called 'butterflies in my stomach' was not present at all.
Looking at how things went this day, I cannot help but think of my plans on how I will oppose my father's lie detector test and the fact that I was making someone to act as a puppet girlfriend of mine. A puppet which will do what I wanted whenever I pull the strings.
My thoughts were....
I thought of this for a while. I thought of lying about my feelings to myself and making my lies act as the truth in the lie detector test. It is really a hypothetical approach but there are studies saying that lie detectors are not always accurate. They cannot really differentiate the truth from the lies. So, I thought of something, what if I alter the truth about myself with lies and make myself believe in those lies. If I succeed, the lies that I did to myself will be my true self. Therefore, the lies will have become the truth. When I will be asked in the lie detector test, there will be a possibility that the lies that I orchestrated will be judged as the truth.
Analyzing what my father mentioned about me and Sachi being accepted as lovers by him, He said that we need to further progress our relationship. Looking at the big picture, Sachi's request is almost similar to what my father wanted. So, I think I will be using one of her favors to use against my father. However, deep down, I felt guilty about making Sachi my puppet. Then again, I thought to myself, I'm just going to borrow her idea and use it to oppose my father with her acting as the puppet girlfriend. I will not deduct it to her favor, since it was her idea and the rights belongs to her.
*My thoughts ended*
"Hey! Tsukasa, stop spacing out and answer me. Clarify it to me you did not give me a proper answer yet. Hmph!" Sachi said while pouting.
I realized we were still on the floor on top of each other while I was spacing out, thinking of my nefarious plans and evil goals.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was spacing out a bit," I apologized.
"Hey! It's not fair, give me a proper answer. Do you really mean it?" Sachi asked worriedly.
"Yes, I mean it but like I said, I'm just going to use you. But do not worry, I will now count this as one of your favors," I said while smiling.
Footsteps approaching*
"Fine, at least I get to be your date for a while. I think I'm good with that so can you tell me one of the favors that you have chosen right now?" Sachi asked excitedly.
"Uhm! Fine, if that is what you really want. One of those will be-," I said but I got interrupted by something.
Buzzer*
Door opens*
Slips*
Thuds*
What is this softness? Is this Sachi's abdomen? No, it feels like there are two round objects sandwiching my face. Wait, isn't this her?
"Ahhhhhhhh!!" Sachi squeals.
"It seems like we're energetic this morning eh?! Tsukasa?" someone arrived and said.
To be continued...