Chapter 58: A talk with Selena
"I am gonna walk to my home. But if you want, we can take the train."
I ask Selena. She is still new to this area and it's kinda hot. So maybe I should take the train.
"No. I am fine as it is. I want to see this neighborhood as well. So let's walk." (Selena)
"You are pretty cool with this but you have to be careful as well. You are going to a guys house. Moreover I live alone."
"Are you going to do something to me?" (Selena)
"Nah.. I would not. But take this as a reminder."
"I will. You said you live alone. What about your parents?" (Selena)
"Mmm…..they are beyond the Styx I guess. I mean how are they in heaven is something I don't know."
"Oh…. I am sorry." (Selena)
"Don't be. It happened a long time ago. How many years? About five years already. Time sure flies. I think it was just yesterday that my mom would scold me for bad grades and dad would just bitterly smile at our exchange."
I remember the good old days. Those days were really fun. Back then I thought it was a nuisance but now I miss those days. It truly is as they say.
When you lose something, you understand the true value of that. I lost my parents and now am understanding their value. But they can't come back now. But I have to move forward.
"You have been living alone for five years!!!???" (Selena)
"Yeah. At first, it was hard. But then I got used to it. Cooking was hard too. But I soon got the hang of it as well."
"You can cook too. I can't cook to save my life." (Selena)
"It is about practice. If you cook everyday, you will eventually get better at it."
We talk about different things. She tells me about her country. Denmark is an European country so it is basically cold.
But the country sounds nice. A good place to visit. And we reached our neighborhood before I even knew it.
"We are almost there."
I can totally see my house. She is by my side. Looking at things with glittering eyes. She is curious.
When I was opening the front door, I felt a gaze. I look behind.
The house at the opposite side is basically our neighbor. But we have known them for a long time. Ahh…not we anymore. I have known them for a long time.
And the one who is actually staring at me is Mizuki. She is my once childhood friend. We used to play together all the time. But after my parents's death, we stopped talking to each other.
Now, she doesn't even look at me. But why is she staring at me? I can see her rackets with her. So she must've been practicing.
She plays tennis as well. She must've come back home.
"Ahh…Mizuki, hello."
I wave at her to which, she just turned her head and entered the house. Lately, this has gotten worse. She won't even look me in my eyes.
"Ahh…what happened to her?"
I really wonder. But I can't do anything.
"Who is that?" (Selena)
"Ohh..you haven't met her yet. She is also in the same class as us, Mizuki. She is the Madonna of our class. But now that you are here, something is going to happen."
I can tell that. Mizuki is friendly and good mannered. She always smiles when she talks and is kind to everyone. The only exception would be me.
Selena is just like her. Kind and friendly. But Selena is kinda too trusting of everyone. I fear the future.
"Why are saying something like that?" (Selena)
"Once you enter the classroom tomorrow, you can see. The commotion the boys will be making. Be careful and make some girl friends as soon as possible. You need some shields."
I will fill her in and leave the rest to Maya. She is actually really useful to have around in cases like this. She is called The guard dog, Maya. An awful name but is actually really accurate.
I open the door. The same cold house. No life in this house. A dead house.
"Make yourself at home. The only one here is me anyway."
I lead her to the living room and have her take a seat.
"Wait, I will be right back."
I go to my room. I have to change too. I don't have a closet but my clothes are in my room.
A black t-shirt and a jeans pants. I don't have any fashion sense and all my clothes are bought from online. The only things I have are black shirts and white shirts. I don't understand fashion anyway.
I go downstairs to check on her. When I open the door to the living room, I find her staring at the photo frame.
"Is that you in the middle?" (Selena)
"Yeah. My middle school entrance ceremony. That was the last photo we took together."
"Your mother sure is beautiful." (Selena)
"Yeah. Sometimes I think, whether I really am her son or not. My parents were handsome but I on the other hand turned out pretty lame. I guess, you always don't take after your parents."
I laugh weakly. But I have always thought about it. I even thought that I was adopted into the family. But when I proposed this theory once, they called an emergency meeting and scolded me for an hour.
"How did it happen?" (Selena)
"Car crash. We were visiting a distant relative but on our way home, the car lost control and fell down from the road. I escaped with only a few scratches and a broken wrist. But they weren't so lucky."
Selena falls silent at that.
"Let's go. Wait,…" I take the keys and notice the package from this morning.
"What should I do? Oh well? I will check it later."
I take my bicycle keys and leave with Selena.
When I was locking the door? I felt a gaze again.
Mizuki is looking out the window and when I turned, she pulled the curtains. Does she hate me seeing her face that much?
"I can't ask you to take a seat because it's illegal to ride two people on one cycle. Let's walk. It's actually pretty close."
"I think I know which way. I was given a map so I remember the area around the house a bit. It should be about 10 minutes walk from here." (Selena)
"Yeah. Let's go. I am actually starving and grandma's lunch is delicious. Compared to that, Ms. Mary is pretty lacking."
I remember the time when she tried to cook curry but ended up with a bizarre colored concoction. That concoction was equally poisonous as well. In the end, it was used as a pesticide. But the weeds died as well clearing a whole area.
How did she make such a perfect poison when making food is a wonder.
Everyone has their strong and weak points so I can't criticize her about it. Like I can't swim. And my eyesight worsens at night as well.
"Do you miss your parents?" (Selena)
"Sometimes. Just like today, when I woke up I thought I would go downstairs and see them. Which I never will."
"Must be hard accepting it!!!" (Selena)
"At first, it was. But I have to accept it. Vehemently denying it won't do me any good either."
"You are really mature for your age." (Selena)
"I still think of myself as a kid. There are many things I need to know about."
True though. I know nothing of the world. So let's take my time and learn about the world slowly.
"What about that girl? The one who was giving you quite the intense glare." (Selena)
"Ohh…Mizuki huh. I wonder. We were childhood friends and we used to go to school together. But when my parents died, I kinda distanced myself from her. But the distance only increased and now it has become like this. I can't do anything to fix it either as she is a difficult person to understand."
"I don't think she was that difficult!!" (Selena)
"Maybe to you, but a girl is the most mysterious thing to a boy. We at least I don't get women."
"But you are talking with me." (Selena)
"I feel like talking frankly with you. But most of the times, I have my guard up so no one can talk to me. It means, you are that dangerous considering you made me drop my guard."
"Hey, I am gonna get mad at you." (Selena)
"Sorry. But it's true. I am frankly saying things. No pretense and fake words."
"I am happy about that." (Selena)
"But be careful. Boys my age can be desperate. So be careful of boys and if you get confessed to, you consider it well."
"You are acting like my dad. He said those same things before I came here." (Selena)
"A father is always worried about his daughter. It can't be helped."
But I really get her father. Having a daughter this beautiful would just make him anxious about her.
And with that, we reached Mary's house. I open the gate. It really is a big house. A traditional Japanese house with a big lawn and a pond in the back.
"Yo, gramps!!!"
I open the door and see gramps. He is cleaning his fishing rod.
"Ahh…Akatsuki and Selena too. Come."
He smiles at us and takes us inside.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone