by Adam Smith
Misa gives a slight shrug. “I didn’t think they’d blame you.”
“Who else—?”
A soft knock sounds on the door, and Haruka pops her head into the room, “Are you alright, Rin-chan?”
“I’m fine.” I sit up and straighten the creases out on the fluffy pink bedspread before turning to face Haruka. “Aren’t you supposed to be down at breakfast?”
“You weren’t there. I just wanted to check that you were alright.”
“I’m fine. Let’s go eat while there’s still food left.” I force a smile, even though smiling is the last thing I want to do right now.
She nods and starts back down the hallway. I give Misa one last glance before rushing to keep up with Haruka. Today hasn’t really gotten off to the best start, what with my constant nightmares and Grandfather’s wanton accusations, and I get the feeling things aren’t suddenly going to get better.
* * *
The first thing I see when I get off the bus is that blond boy, standing under a tree, clutching his book, and staring at me. What’s with this guy? Choosing to ignore him, which is extremely hard with him staring at me like I’m some rare exhibit in a zoo, I follow Haruka and Miki into the school.
The pair dart off to check on something in the music room, and since I don’t feel like being yelled at by Sakura this early in the morning, I make my way to homeroom. As soon as they’re out of sight, I hear footsteps pounding the pavement behind me, following me, stalking me. Something tells me this guy’s not going to let me ignore him that easily. Just before I reach the classroom, a male voice calls out to me, “Rin, wait up.”
I pretend I don’t hear him and slip into the classroom without looking back. Instead of a reassuring crowd, there’s only a group of three or so girls hanging around the front table. I slide into my assigned seat and stare at my hands, hoping the boy won’t try to talk to me. But of course, I’m never that lucky.
He stops beside me, panting, and slides the book in front of me. The black and white pictures on the page depict a classroom scene. It shows a boy, standing over a girl’s desk, showing her a book and talking to her in some form of heated discussion. I stare at the kanji, unable to make out any of the dialogue. Okay, I don’t need to be told I’m illiterate. I’m sure with all this school I’m being forced to attend I’ll manage a basic reading level eventually, but right now it may as well be in Arabic for all I can understand.
“Can’t you just leave me alone?” I’m unable to keep the anger out of my voice, no longer feeling scared of what he’s capable of. I have had enough of this Stalker Boy act.
“You probably don’t know me yet. Well, not officially. I’m Matt, but I thought you’d want to know something very bad is going to happen to you soon,” his Japanese is clear but with a bit of an accent that tells me he probably learnt it watching anime or something.
“Leave me alone.” I glance around, hoping the teacher would walk in already, looking everywhere but at him. Why is this dingbat bothering me? I have no idea if he’s trying to threaten me or not.
He spits out a series of words and after an awkward minute of him sounding like a chipmunk on helium, going at a speed I’m unable to keep up with, he finishes and just stares at me, panting, as if he’s waiting for my response. I only catch a few words of his entire spiel: manga, future, happen, you.
“Can you repeat that? Using words this time.” I don’t want to give him a reason to keep talking to me, but it’s clear he won’t leave until he does. Somehow, I doubt it would make any sense even if he wasn’t talking at hyperspeed.
He takes a deep breath. “This manga tells the future. You’ve got to believe me. I don’t know how, it just does,” he starts again, making sure he pronounces each word in a nice clear voice. Now it sounds like he’s talking to a baby—seriously, from one extreme to the other. Why can’t he just speak normally? “It shows everything that’s happening. Going to happen.” He flips through the pages, too fast for me to take in any picture long enough to make it out. “And right now it’s showing you. There’s going to be an accident. I’m here to warn you. You need to be careful.”
“You don’t actually expect me to believe any of that?” It’s still a shock that he’s coming straight out to me with this news. And here I thought I was the crazy one. “What you’re saying is this comic book of yours—”
“Manga,” he cuts in.
“Sorry, manga of yours, shows me dying?”
“I’m just trying to warn you,” he sounds irritated. “Have a look here.” He flips back through the book until he finds a page. The same one he showed me first. A boy and a girl in a classroom having an argument while he shows her a book. Each frame of the manga is full of indecipherable Japanese symbols. Nothing more than bizarre squiggles and random shapes, not words meant to be read. “That’s the conversation we’re having at this moment.”
“Do you honestly expect me to believe this?” I look up at him, his green eyes never leaving the pages that lie on my desk.
“Just read it.”
I close the manga and push it towards him. I’m sure his story is interesting and well orchestrated, but I’m not going to give away the fact that I can’t read just to humour him. The whole thing is ridicul—
I suck in a breath as I catch sight of the cover. Beneath the sprawling title ‘Shinigami Eyes’ is a girl in a standard Japanese school uniform staring listlessly out the window of a train. It could be the cover of any random manga book, but the girl on the cover bares an eerie resemblance to me. Right down to the streaks of purple running down one side of her head. Shaking off the creepy feeling, I say, “Sorry, but I don’t believe in magic comic books.”
“Manga.” He snatches it up from my desk and, giving me one last pointed look, says, “Just be careful on the stairs.”
I watch him stalk over to his desk and slump down in his chair, defeated.
“What was that about?” a soft voice whispers beside me.
I almost jump out of my chair with shock. When did she get here? At some point Miki must have appeared beside my desk. Nearly gave me a heart attack.
“He thinks I’m in danger,” I spit out, shaking my head, not sure whether to tell her the details of his threat or not.
I risk a glance towards Matt and catch him flipping through the pages of his manga. As if he knew I was looking, he lifts his head and his eyes meet mine. He stares at me until I drop my gaze to the table. Seriously, what is his problem?
“Don’t worry about it, he only wishes it were real.”
“Yeah.” I try to convince myself that everything he said was just the work of a very powerful imagination. What am I saying? There is no such thing as magical manga that predicts disaster. No matter how much it might look like me.
Chapter 7
“Are you okay, Rin-chan?” Haruka pauses in her sweeping to look over at me.
I dart my gaze around to ensure no one else is within eavesdropping range—I have no idea why, I just do—before I grip my broom tighter and take a deep breath. “Can I ask you a question?”
She nods. Even though she doesn’t say anything, resuming her sweeping at the non-existent dust on the ground, I know she’s watching me with cautious eyes as if she’s afraid of what I’m going to ask.
“What can you tell me about the boy with the book? Matt, I think he said his name was.” I drop my gaze to the ground, just to keep from looking around for him, as if I expect him to suddenly appear whenever I say his name.
Haruka lets out an annoyed huff, but underneath I can sense that she is relieved. I guess I didn’t ask the question she’d been expecting, and now I’m a bit curious as to what she’s afraid of me asking. Ignoring the sudden curiosity burning in my stomach, I wait for her answer.
“Oh,” she draws out the word. “His parents work for a communications company, the same company Father manages. They moved here from England about three years ago. All I know is that he is obsessed with anime and manga, a major otaku. Recently,
he’s been running around warning people that they’re going to be involved in accidents. Because a manga told him so.”
I lift my gaze to Haruka. “Do you think the manga might be for real?”
She gives me an irritated look like the answer should be obvious. “No. He’s being dramatic to get people’s attention. Just…”
“Just what?”
“Don’t tell Miki-chan I said this, but it is a bit creepy how things tend to happen to the people he’s talked to.”
“So the accidents do happen then?”
“I’m not saying they do, but a lot of people are starting to think he’s the one causing them. Trying to make his manga come true.”
“What about the other things he knows?”
“What other things?” She raises her eyes to mine, a look of explosive outrage building behind her gaze.
“How does he know what he does about me?” my voice rushes out somewhere between panic and accusation.
Haruka shrugs and I see the tension easing out of her. “He’s just trying to get inside your head. Sure, he found out your name somehow, but that doesn’t mean he actually knows anything. Everyone in class was told that you’d be transferring in, he probably just found out ahead of time. Has he actually told you anything specific?”
“Come to think of it, no, he hasn’t.”
Once I move past the initial panic, it’s obvious what he’s doing. He’s using ominous vagaries and getting me to fill in the blanks for him like all those TV psychics do. Relieved, I do my best to push the strange boy and his book from my mind. No magic here, just a few good guesses.
* * *
“Hurry, Rin-chan, we’re going to be late,” Haruka yells, diving from the train before the doors have even finished opening.
I try and shove my way through the pack of harried commuters crowding the doorway before I lose sight of Haruka. One little train delay, and suddenly everyone is in a rush. It was only like three minutes tops. Maybe ten. Now it looks like we won’t even be stopping for food, in case we’re late for Juku. This sucks.
I watch Haruka tear off up platform, ducking and weaving between pedestrians like she’s trying out for the Olympics. I lose sight of her and suddenly she’s at the far end of the platform. I have to run or else she’ll leave me at the station. I don’t know the way to Juku on my own. Not that I want to go there, but still.
I stop at the top of the stairs, huffing and heaving. I’ve never done so much running in my life. Peering down the steep flight of stairs, I catch a brief fading glimpse of Haruka disappearing down the far end of the hallway like a white rabbit down the rabbit hole. I’m never going to catch her now.
“No. Stop. Wait.” Sucking in a breath, I mutter weakly.
Well, I tried. Maybe if I find a nice place to sit down, she’ll come back for me. Like a McDonalds or something.
A hard shove lands on my back, and I feel the ground fall out from under my feet. My foot catches on the edge of the step, and a sharp jolt race up my leg as I suddenly become airborne. Everything slows and my panicking brain struggles to comprehend my newfound ability to fly. Countless stairs drift by before my eyes as I watch the concrete floor creep up to greet me. Screaming, I squeeze my eyes shut and await the inevitable thud against the hard surface below.
A firm hand grabs onto me, and I thud into something soft instead.
When I gather up enough courage to finally open my eyes I come face to face with the broad chest of the boy—young man—who caught me. His dark hair hangs casually over eyes brimming with concern.
“Are you okay?” he asks, carefully repositioning his grip on me. His black woollen jumper ripples against his lean, athletic body as he gently lowers me to the ground. The black jumper and faded jeans stretched across well-maintained muscles gives him a look I can only describe as roguish.
“I’m fi—” I start to say, but end up biting back a scream when I try to stand up.
“You are not.” He grasps my ankle.
I cringe as pain shoots up my leg when he moves the ankle back and forth.
“Here, lean on me until you can walk.” The guy pulls me into his arms and starts leading me away from the stairs.
I glance back and think I see a certain blond lurking at the top of the stairs, glancing everywhere and looking shifty, but when I look again he’s gone.
“Hiro~shi~, why’d you run off on me like that?” an incredibly whiny voice calls out as soon as we enter the station proper, and a girl with wavy copper-tone hair comes running over to meet us. The instant she sees me clinging to the guy, a look of pure murder enters her eyes. “Get your hands off of my boyfriend!”
Freaked by the sudden anger directed at me, I reflexively start trying to bury my face into the guy’s chest. This doesn’t seem to do anything to lessen the girl’s rage, for some reason.
“Ease off, Sakura. She fell down the stairs, and injured her ankle. I’m just helping her walk.” He gives her a crooked grin and the girl seems to calm down. “You’re lucky I’m fast on my feet or things could have ended up a lot worse.”
The girl, I belatedly recognise as Sakura, leader of the music club, the one who didn’t show up to club today, turns towards me, and I could swear a scowl tugs at her lips before it’s replaced by a warm smile. “Are you alright, Waters-san?”
“I’m fine.” I try to push myself to a standing position. Away from her boyfriend.
“Oh, so you two know each other then?” Hiroshi frowns at my wobbly distancing and grabs my shoulder to keep me upright.
“Yes, Waters-san joined the music club yesterday. She’s my newest kouhai,” Sakura adds in a sickly sweet voice, still unhappy about my proximity to Hiroshi beneath her friendly grin, but at least no longer looking for a knife to stab me with.
“Found her! She’s over there hugging that boy!” a sudden cheerful voice shouts loud enough to attract the attention of several passing commuters.
Sakura looks ready to snap, and I almost tumble back onto my ass trying to put as much distance between me and her as possible. Hiroshi just laughs and grabs my hand to keep me from falling as a distraught looking Haruka and a way too happy Miki come bounding over to us.
“Rin-chan, gomenne.” Haruka stops in front of me, taking in my awkward stance between Hiroshi and Sakura. “I-turned-around-and-you-weren’t-there. I-looked-everywhere. Where-did-you-go? Miki-chan’s-been-helping-me-look-for-you.”
I can only blink as her hyperspeed rundown washes over me while Miki bounces around beside her like a joyful dog expecting a treat. Sakura just stares at us like she’s planning a killing spree and is trying to work out who to start with.
“She had a bit of trouble on the stairs,” Hiroshi volunteers when it becomes clear no one’s going to talk.
“Stairs?” Haruka stares blankly like the entire concept is foreign.
“I fell down the stairs.”
“Oh my god, are you okay, Rin-chan?” My overly concerned cousin nearly barrels me over in her rush to comfort me.
“I’m fine,” I mutter. Really, I just want people to stop fussing over me.
“Takahashi-san, maybe you should take Waters-san to a hospital? She might need to get looked at.” Sakura is casual and friendly, but her eyes still glare at Hiroshi’s hand on my arm.
“I’m fine,” I assure them, my much-used catchphrase. Even if I did manage to break a leg, I’d probably still tell them I’m fine. I’d really like for my mother not to hear of this. “I just jarred it, that’s all. I’ll be right in no time.”
“Come on, we’ll skip Juku tonight, let’s get you home.” Haruka grabs me around the waist and Hiroshi finally let’s go, much to Sakura’s relief.
“I’ll help,” Miki pipes up as she grabs my arm, then in her usual energetic way begins bouncing on the spot. Each tug on my arm sends another jolt of pain across my wounded ankle. Oh, yay! Looks like I’ve got two babysitters, one of which is doing more harm than good, to make sure I get home safely. Super.
As
I hobble away, well aware of everyone gawking at the scene I’ve caused, I can’t help but notice Sakura throwing herself into Hiroshi’s arms the moment we step away from them. I turn my gaze away from the lovely scene and that’s when my eyes catch on a certain blond kid standing near a café on the other side of the station. He’s there watching me, usual manga held open in one hand and clutching something small in the other. He mouths something at me and I can’t help trembling as his warning comes floating back.
‘Be careful on the stairs’.
Chapter 8
“I didn’t think he would go that far.” I can feel the concern mounting in Haruka’s voice the second I finish relaying everything that happened. “Should we tell some—?”
“No,” I snap without letting Haruka finish.
She eyes me as if I’m crazy. “But Matt could have killed you.”
“I don’t even know if it actually was him, it could have been anyone.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince Haruka or myself of that. “I would rather just forget the whole thing.”
My gaze darts around the area, heart pounding and palms sweating. The whole thing has me a little freaked. I felt someone push me, and he was right there. At least I thought he was. The whole way back to the platform, this time by elevator, one thought kept circling my head: did he do it or am I just seeing things again?
Even as I retold events to Haruka and Miki, something felt off. Haruka seemed confused when I told her I saw her on the stairs, telling me she took the escalator. Maybe I am seeing things. I’d almost prefer it if it was Matt had pushed me. At least then I’d know for sure.
“Ah, alright, if you’re sure. Are you okay though?” Our train pulls into the station, but she doesn’t get on. She just looks at me as I gingerly test my ankle. Still sore, but at least I can stand on my own now.