Ch. 14 - Sympathetic.

I was sitting in the living room on my phone, reading sensitive messages from a person in an online game whom I just met a couple of weeks ago. Yet, we alraedy shared some of our past with each other and I felt pity, understanding how she felt as I too, was a fellow human being who suffered the same way and seeing someone else currently suffering the same ordeal. Despite the fact that I told myself not to meddle with other people's lives and focus on my own. I can't help it but atleast lend an ear and see what I can do.

Akagi : "Im sorry for your loss."

Airi : "Its okay you didn't know."

Akagi : "So since then you haven't been eating well and you haven't been paying attention to your health?"

I just learned, that due to her grandfather's death who took her in, whom she grow up with. She's slowly losing the will to live and just let things run on their own without giving attention to anything else. I was also took in by my grandparents when my mother abandoned me. I also felt such grief when both my grandparents pass away. After that I move to my aunts house and live with my cousins, I felt uncomfortable and I didn't know what to do in that time. Knowing she is under the care of her mother's friend, who isn't blood related yet treats her like their own child. Its inevitable that you will feel unwelcomed, useless, alienated and you will feel like your such a burden.

Airi : "Yes, and my current legal guardians are also stressed out on how to keep me healthy. I feel like im such a liability and soon after when we arrive here, I move out to the dorms provided by my scholarship in the university. And whenever they ask me if I already ate, I just lie to them so they can be comfortable and not stressed out anymore."

Akagi : "That's hard, I know how you feel."

Airi : "How do you know?"

Channeling my deep thoughts and emotions, I started to describe to her how I felt during those times.

Akagi : "You feel hopeless and unwelcomed, you alienate yourself cause you think of yourself as a burden for the people who had no obligation to take care of you, but they did out of pity. You also feel like you have no freedom and pressured to live up to their standards and wishes, you bottle up all your emotions, cause your afraid that when you open up to them, you will be judge and be told to just shook it off. Your mentally in shambles and shattered. You feel useless, as for the mean time, you can't do anything to return the kindness they've shown you."

Airi : "Thats....so true and you really do know how I feel. What you said is so deep and it hits hard...."

Akagi : "You should listen to them and make them feel that you are grateful and you appreciate the kindness they've shown you."

Airi : "Will that help me?"

Akagi : "Yes, in order to relieve yourself just by a little bit. Treat them as your own parents, just like how they treated as their own child, this will help you feel welcomed and be at ease."

Akagi : "Thank you, this is what I wanted to hear, we really have some similarities."

Akagi : "Also, dont keep your emotions bottled up, be open to them or have your friends to listen."

Airi : "I sure will do, but im afraid they might laugh it off or judge me."

Akagi : "We are not certain about the outcome, but you will certainly regret it sooner or later if you dont try. If you continue to bottle it all up you might lash out to simple things and it can affect your mental state."

Airi : "I see, you have a point. I always like how considerate and insightful you are, you are also a good listener and you give out good advice."

I must be able to at least teach and encourage her to be able to stand and defend her point and not be afraid to speak what she thinks or feel, also not to be afraid to do what she likes. I still haven't change my mind about leaving her and isolating myself from others, only being with my closest friends and family.

Akagi : "Take good care of yourself, so one day you would be able to work and help your family."

Airi : "I will~ Thank you for always listening~."

While I was chatting with her, I remembered that I was waiting for my friends replies in our group chat.

I completely forgot about them, thinking so deeply and expressing the similarities of how me and Airi feels has got them slip from my mind.

Akagi : "...Airi, can we talk next time?"

Airi : "Eh? Why? Is something wrong?"

Akagi : "Yeah, something urgent just got it."

I left out a message in the group chat saying I will be there just a minute.

Airi : "Okay, you just focus there, I will see you again next time."

Akagi : "Bye~ See you next time."

I log out of the game and heads toward our group chat, my notifications we're always off as sometimes I get annoyed by how many ads keep popping up in my notifications. I look and saw that there were 34 new messages the latest one being 7 minutes ago, I scroll up to where I was before and read everything. They were talking about the new games, anime and mangas that just got released, both Ryota and Haruna are in a quarrel cause they haven't been able to spend time with each other. Kazuo is expressing his ideas and admiration for Fuyuko, and Chinatsu is just replying with meme templates. Its a disaster, If only I've kept them in check we'd be finished by now, but then I wouldn't be able to help and encourage Airi.

Anyways, I have read everything I need to know to catch up, now time to start up our online gathering.

I started by pressing the group chats video call and all of our cameras turned on.

Kazuo : "Akagi!"

Akagi : "Hello, Kazuo."

Chinatsu : "Hello, Senpai!

Akagi : "Hello Chinatsu and everyone."

Haruna : "Hi guys."

Ryota : "Hello~"

Akagi : "Alright, is everyone doing good? have you guys ate yet?"

Ryota : "Eating right now."

*Lifts up the plate in front of the camera.*

Kazuo : "I just finished."

Akagi : "Glad to hear it."

Haruna : "The rice is still cooking."

Akagi : "It'll be done soon."

Chinatsu : "Same here."

Akagi : "Cooking, eating or finished?"

Chinatsu : "Eating."

Akagi : "I just finished mine, this will be over in a few minutes, just lend me your ears."

Chinatsu : "What is this all about, senpai?"

Akagi : "Its about our weekly gathering, you know how we always go out to establishments every saturday cause sundays are days off?"

Haruna : "Yeah, its our only time with each other."

Chinatsu : "But recently we haven't been doing anything other than stay at home."

Kazuo : "We're dry out of ideas."

Akagi : "Well I have an idea, and im here to propose it."

Chinatsu : "Oh wow, your proposing now."

Ryota : "Bruh, he proposes all the time."

Haruna : "Since when he'd stop though?"

Akagi : "About 2 months ago. Anyways, I think you guys should make Saturdays work only half day. Cause you guys are clearly overworking yourselves and you're only supposed to work part time."

Kazuo : "Well senpai, that place is where we are all gathered in one place, so aside from the extra hourly wages, we kinda hang out in there."

Akagi : "I know, but you guys need to ease your minds a bit, you guys are overworking and cleary your minds are exhausted as well and that's why you haven't been able to focus on your studies."

Haruna : "Yeah, I think Akagi is right, we need more time for ourselves rather than to work so much."

Ryota : "Yes, and I could use those extra hours for some space and to go with Haruna on dates."

Akagi : "And if you work half day on Saturdays you will only lose about 3 hours worth of hourly wage."

Kazuo : "I see, you do have a point."

Akagi : "Besides, money can't buy you happiness and whenever your in a tight financial situation, you could just ask to work overtime. Sundays are still off by the way."

Haruna : "Does your father know about this?"

Akagi : "Yes, he only goes there on weekdays, so I was the one managing the whole restaurant on saturdays."

Kazuo : "Wow, you really are efficient and independent."

Ryota : "He's Masao-sama's only son, so I think its only natural for him to be."

Haruna : "Well he wouldn't have the second most authority for no reason."

Akagi : "Thank you, but enough flattering lets get into my idea for this week."

So we talk about going to a mall where all the newly released games and animes are on sale. We also talk about hanging out in the arcade for Kazuo and Ryota to go on with their dates, while Chinatsu and I. Being single, will probably just play around and compete with the most prizes and games. They all agreed and I upon seeing them exited, I felt a sensation of accomplishment and joy. I also remembered that Kazuo would be dating Fuyuko, an old friend of mine, we haven't talk for along time and the last time we did we got into an argument that I still cannot forget. I hope everything goes well and I would stay calm.