After school, I was walking with the girl who said that she could help me get money. The entire walk home, I was a bit saddened by what happened today. Haruka didn't even try talking to me once. I wasn't sure why, but I honestly expected it. I guess it was tougher to handle than I thought it would've been. "We're coming up to my apartment now." The girl said to me. "Also," She turned around and looked at me with a smile. "I'm Misa. What's your name?" She asked.
As I looked at her, I believed she was a very good person. Though my expectations of what people would be so far hasn't exactly been the most accurate. But I was stubborn. "Koyoko." I responded to her with a smile back.
After that interaction, we made it up to her apartment complex. She lived pretty high up, on what seemed to be the tenth floor of the building. What's worst, the building didn't even have an elevator. Just stairs for us to walk up. Besides that, it seemed pretty kept up with modern decorations and décor.
I stood behind her as she walked into her apartment. Out of desperation I had been following her all of this time, but I'm just now logically thinking about how I'm following some random girl into her apartment.
I couldn't help but think about what could go wrong, as other things have been going wrong thus far. "You coming in?" Misa asked me as she stood inside of the apartment with the door open for me to enter.
She knocked me out of my thoughts as a result. Despite the risks, I was more desperate to protect Haruka from what Dejin and those guys would do to her if I didn't get the money. So without hesitation, I walked into Misas apartment.
The moment I walked in, I got a whiff of cigarette smoke. Which surprised me considering she didn't seem like the type to smoke. But expect the unexpected I guess. "Follow me. If you want to make money, then I got a way for you." She said with a smile, before luring me into the back of her apartment. As I got a look around, it seemed pretty neat and clean.
Soon enough, we made it into her room. Or atleast that's what I assumed by the way the room was setup.
I looked around awkwardly as she got on her knees infront of the bed, and pulled out a box from underneath. As she did, my eyes fixated on the box, as I was curious what was inside.
When she opened it, she pulled out a bag that had some white powder inside of it. Out of confusion, I moved in closer to get a better look. "If you want to make money, this is the way." She said with a smile, as she stood up, and waved the bag infront of my face.
I immediately frowned once I realized what the substance was. "Are you serious? Drugs??" I was flabbergasted. Especially when she pulled up a desk and table, and laid out some of the cocaine on the desk.
She sat down on the table, and leaned over the substance, before snorting some up her nose. After she did, her eyes seemed to get a bit watery, and her voice sounded more cracking. "Help me sell this. Some stupid person wants me to sell all of this by the end of the week. If I don't then he's gonna fuck me up. He gets most of the money, but I'll split some of the money he gives me with you. How about that?" She asked me, before looking up at me.
In that moment I was absolutely frozen. I stared at her with shock as she snorted the rest of it that was against her nose. "But-why are you using it if you're supposed to be selling it?" I asked her out of shock.
"Yeahhh that's the problem." She said with a chuckle, as she slowly started to laugh more. I was in disbelief, to the point where I could feel my own legs shake. I felt like I would fall to the ground from this encounter.
How desperate am I to where I'd sell drugs to protect some girl that doesn't even like me? I looked down as I thought these questions in my head, and the more I thought about it, the more frustrated I began to get. "I'm sorry, but no..I don't mean to pry, but you shouldn't be doing this..and I'm not going to worsen someone else's life just to protect someone else's. That's not right. That's not how this is supposed to go." My frustrated tone seemed to be pretty obvious, as Misa stopped laughing, and watched me instead.
After staring at me for a few seconds, she suddenly stood up, and walked close to me. As she stood only a few inches away from me, the frustration that I had, had been submerged. As my anticipation rose. "If I don't pay them, I'll get hurt..but since I've been doing some of it myself, I won't have enough anyway..I need you to help me." Misa suddenly grabbed my hand with those words, and moved them up against her chest.
The shock in my face had only increased. I anticipated something, but it wasn't this. I tried to pull away, but "What're you-?" I asked but she pulled me closer, and pressed my hand against her chest harder.
I clenched my teeth and stared up at her face with widened eyes. I didn't know how quickly the drug would take effect, but it seemed like it might've already done it. "Why..why are you asking me?" I asked her.
"Because you seem reliable.." She moved in closer to me, with her lips only a few inches away from mines. The look in her eyes made me realize that she was not being herself at the moment. I didn't even know who she was, but I didn't think that this was her.
Is that why Dejin wanted me to get the money for him too? Because I was reliable? No..it's because they see that I'm weak, and they think they can use me. This is no different than how my Junior highschool life was..no friends, no associates, no one to hang out with. People thinking I'm some smart guy so they tried using me for the answers of tests. But I see that now. Unlike in highschool when I felt happy at the thought of them believing I was reliable. Not even that. Just thinking I would get friends from it.
The thoughts anger me. Out of anger, I yank my hand away from Misa as hard as I could. The sudden gesture shocked her as her lips slightly parted, and she stared at me. "You're just like my boyfriend..selfish!" She screamed at me with sudden tears that started to come from her eyes. All while I stood in silence. "Get out!!" She demanded, before shoving me out of the room.
Without saying a word, I held onto my bag, and walked out of the room in a calm manner. All while she continued screaming at me to get me out. When I was at the door, she shoved me out one last time, before slamming the door behind me.
After taking a second to reflect on what just happened, I started to walk home. While I did, I looked up towards the sky. It was a orange and blue color. While looking up at the sky, I started to feel defeated. More than I initially did.
Taking some steps, I made my way to a small convenience store. I walked in to grab a few things that my mother had asked of me.
Haruka was also inside of the store. She looked towards me from another aisle, though I hadn't recognized her. She looked at me as if she was conflicted. Before she would pursue me, she suddenly stopped. While the other girl from our class with the glasses watched her.
After paying for my items, I walked out of the store and began to head home. While I walked home, I noticed the same girl standing on the sidewalk once again. The red hair and green eyes surely did stand out. But what caught my attention even more, was the fact that she was out here once again. "You know, my offer still stands." She said with her hands behind her back, and her ankles crossed.
I looked towards her in silence, while the two of us kept eye contact with one another. "So I'll try this again." She said, as she walked up towards me with a suggestive smile. "You seem to be having a rough day. Could I make it better for you?" She asked me once again. Same tone, stance, and expression.
I continued looking down at her for a few seconds, before responding. "Actually, yeah. You can." I responded back to her, making her smile even more.
Meanwhile, back at the convenience store, the girl with the glasses had approached Haruka. "H-hey..do you think we could talk?" She asked Haruka while stuttering and trembling a little bit out of shyness.
Haruka looked towards the girl with the glasses with a shocked expression, before forcing a bit of a smile.