บท 7: They come to his house

A week had passed since their notes. They were at school now, it was a Japanese writing lesson and the teacher was finishing to give the homework. This time, they had to divide into groups of four and write a book. Those three were together as usual, but a girl called Tanaka Hana joined them. She had a long, black braid and red, dangerous eyes. The only one in their group who said yes to Tanaka was Alex. He was thinking that having her in their group could be funny. Meanwhile, Daisuke was looking desperately for an escape. Tanaka and Daisuke knew each other since primary school and for who knows why Tanaka fell in love with Daisuke in an unhealthy way. She started to behave as a mad stalker. Alex, looking at his friend's strange behavior, who was now analysing every single corner of the class, was laughing from the bottom of his heart. Kei was thinking 'What a disaster'. The lesson ended and it was lunch break. They all ate together and started to talk about how to organise for the homework. "Let's go to somebody's house" said Alex. "Ah, I live alone so at my house there is a mess. If you are used to a mess, you can come, but I'll tell you in advance that I clean once every three months, and I last cleaned it two months ago". The other three looked at Alex with a terrified look and agreed that they will never come to his house. Daisuke was already writing a message in their group (the three of them had a group chat) in which he was writing -I will never let that psychopath know where my house is-. Kei was now starting to panic, looking alternatively at Tanaka and the desk, hoping she would let them come. "I'm a girl, I can't let three boys come at my house". Kei was thinking 'Isn't there the gender equality?' but he didn't say it, thinking that having her as an enemy was more dangerous than having the police. All the gazes were now on Kei, who was saying "Let me see when I can" with a resigned sigh. Two days later they all came to his house. Kei heard the doorbell ringing and hurried at hiding photos of his family. He still was against the idea of telling them his true surname. Five minutes later he opened the door. Daisuke was looking at him with a lecturing gaze, Tanaka was alternatively looking at Daisuke with lost eyes and at Daisuke's friends with killing intent and Alex almost fell for how much he was laughing. Kei thought 'As desperate as I espected' but said "Come in". They entered the living room downstairs and sat on the sofa and the armchairs. "Why did you open so late?" asked Daisuke, the one most in a hurry between the hosts. "Five minutes is not that much""Imagine my situation out there""Good work at surviving. See, I've been in time""Barely. Now answer my question""Is this an interrogation?". Then Alex said "I'll go looking for a lamp""No!". Alex now was trying to look like a cat who wanted milk from an old lady. The result he obtained were piercing gazes from his friends (although Kei's one didn't reach him). "Answer" said again Daisuke. This kept on for a few minutes, 'till when Kei, psychologically losing, said "I was getting ready""With a simple t-shirt and trousers? Usually, to put them on, you need two minutes, at most""How do you know that?!""Don't you remember our summer journey?""Ohh, well, that time I was young and I had more energy""You are talking like an old man, but only an year has passed since then and you are not even sixteen""What's important is the age inside""Have you finished with this nonsense? Ah, doesn't matter, we have to write a book, right? Any idea?". For everybody's surprise Alex had been the first proposing. "I've thought about it a lot. Why don't we write something about a boy who will discover to be the father of himself". Everybody looked at him as if he was an alien and stayed silent for a bit. Then Alex said "My idea is so brilliant that you don't know how to say it""No, are you sure you did your best with it?""Thanks to my great imagination!""You mean absurd, right?""No, it might become extremely popular, I'm sure". Everybody was doubtful and at the end they didn't take the idea in consideration. Alex was thinking 'Why, what did I do wrong? Strictness is like the enemy of studies, right? Or am I still mistaking? Better to be free than bounded to traditional, right?'. Daisuke noticed that his friend was lost in his thoughts, which was a rare thing, and started to worry. "What's up, Alex?""Eh, ah, nothing". Truly strange. Daisuke was starting to feel like he was the only one without secrets between them. At the end they simply looked for an instruction book about how to write a book, which made them even more confused. Luckily they had one month. Tanaka, bored with the instruction book, said "Why don't we write a book called 'Daisuke's way to live'? There's a lot to write, although we would need even his address and what he does at home". Daisuke was scared and exclaimed "Absolutely not!!!""Maybe it can be interesting" said Alex, back to his usual self. Daisuke was already thinking 'Why did I worry for him?'. "Then why don't we write our stories?"said Tanaka, although she was thinking that she only wanted to know Daisuke's one. Daisuke thought that he didn't have much to say and almost said 'What could be so good about our stories?', but, before he could speak, both Kei and Alex said "No!", and, noticing Daisuke's suspicious gaze, they tried to correct themselves saying things such 'What could be so interesting' and 'I need my parents' approval'. 'Parents' approval?' thought Daisuke. Those two were definitely hiding something. Meanwhile, Tanaka wasn't even the very least worried about their words because she was interested only in what regarded Daisuke. At last they opted for a typical hero story. Kei then said "This month there aren't days when I can host you here, how about we go to a bar?". So, at the end, they organized to go to a bar for the next time. Tanaka had been the first going away. Her mother came to take her. She cried like a baby saying that she wanted to stay with Daisuke. Embarrassing. Then it became Alex's turn. Before going away, Daisuke went to the bathroom. On the sink he saw a photo that Kei had forgotten. There was a woman with short brown hair with Kei. The woman looked young, she seemed to be in her twenties, but that was impossible because there was written 'My little Kei has grown. He is finally fourteen. As a mother, I'm proud'. Daisuke questioned two things: how could she be so young and what was there to be so proud of. Ah, right, that was the time when Daisuke invited Kei at his house for the first time. It was the period when they became best friends. Daisuke then thought 'I've seen that woman somewhere'. "Daisuke, there's your father!" said Kei, and Daisuke hurried going. His father didn't have much patience, if he wouldn't have come within five minutes, he would have probably gone away by himself. The next day, in class, their schoolmates were all excited because of something.