Ch. 23 - Intrusive thoughts.

It was already late into the night, it was cold and dark, only the moonlight coming from my window brings brightness to my room. The window glass is shaking due to strong winds, as if there was a storm. It was quite and chilly, even though I like sleeping only on my underwear, I wore my pajamas due to cold temperatures and cover myself in a thick blanket. Its also quite, and most people are probably asleep now. Yet, even though im in comfort I could barely fall asleep, I just lay down in my bed, silently starring at the ceilling. Still unable to forget the confrontation I had with Fuyuko hours earlier in the game shop...

* 3 hours earlier *

...Hearing her voice cause me to stop on my way. I turn around and ask her what she wants to talk about. She gave me a cold glare, I was unhinge by it and I also gave her the same glare, however my eyes are much more intimidating. Seeing how I am not going to soften up or let my arrogance go down, her tough expression fades. She let out a sigh and started talking.

"Look, I know since the last time we talk, we haven't gotten into good terms. And I just wanna let you know I never intended to offend you back then."

She told me in a soft murmuring voice, seems like she's trying to apologize, so I calm down for a little bit.

"Yeah, its okay, I understand."

I replied.

"But you know...its been a while since we talk, so I wilk take this opportunity to tell you this...She needs-"

Akagi : "Stop."

I said as I raise hands with my palms facing her direction, signaling her to stop. I knew something was off, she always has something else to say.

Fuyuko : "Please hear me out, Akagi, she needs to see you. She needs your help."

She said in a distress distress distressful voice.

Akagi : "Oh really she needs to my help? And she needs to see me? What for?."

I said in a curious sarcastic voice.

Her face shows sign of desperation and anger, as if she's hesitant to talk to me in the first place.

Fuyuko : "Akagi! How long do you intend on ignoring her pleases? How long do you plan on carrying this hatred and anger?"

She started to get louder and her voice started to sound in agony and desperation.

Akagi : "I will carry on with this hatred for as long as I can remember what she did to me."

I said as I slowly walks towards her, trying to intimate her and make a stop at this conversation.

Fuyuko : "So you're just abandoning her like that? What about your promise to each other?!"

She sounds troubled with her statement. However this won't cause me to be alarmed whatsoever.

"Lower your voice."

I calmly said. Giving her an expression that I don't care.

"She abandoned me, she betrayed me, she broke her promises. Not me."

This kept her silent. She has no hold against me whatsoever.

"And try to remain quite about this, I am currently enjoying myself and I dont wanna ruin the atmosphere. Best of you to do the same."

I wasn't able to say this to her before, but now that I did. At this point, I was sure this would finally settle this resentment once and for all.

So I turned around and started to walk away.

"So you're just gonna walk away like that? Don't you even wanna know how she's suffering while you have fun?"

This kinda hits me hard, but I wanna retain my pride and not look weak.

"Whatever she's suffering, its her fault."

I proudly walk away with my chest up high. Showing no signs of regret, as I know there's nothing wrong with my decision.

However, im still pretty pissed off that she has to bring it up, and she really has to make it seem like its my fault. Sure I have my own part in the conflict, but I dont think it should be all blamed on me. I wish I'd just walk away at that moment, but I just stood there and actually listen to what she said. Im such an idiot!

After that incident im glad everything went well and everyone had fun. I told myself I wouldn't pay attention to it but it keeps on repeating on my head.

I look at my phone and its 1:34 early morning. I couldn't sleep straight and I feel like I only doze off for 30 minutes before waking up again for another 30 minutes only to doze off again since I lay on my bed. I have no work tomorrow but my dad and stepmom are going to have an activity on the restaurant, I should really try to get some sleep. I walk downstairs to get something in the fridge that I can use, I carefully walk around my house, I dont really like opening some lights, and I know the layout of my house. I open the fridge and grab a bottle of wine.

"Perfect~."

I said to myself while holding a cold bottle. Due to the stress I receive from work and high caffeine consumption cause I like to drink coffee. I occasionally get chronic insomia, I haven't told anyone about this cause for me, its nothing to worry about. Since then I bought some wine, not expensive good quality wine, just ordinary wine that can make me feel relax and sleepy. I couldn't use sleeping pills cause they can make me fall into deep sleep for 9 hours straight undisturbed. So this should do the trick for now.

...

*Phone beeps*

My eyes slowly open, my eyelids are heavy and I am struggling to fully open my eyes. I grab my phone and snooze my alarm, I look around and its quite bright already. I can hear the busy street noises outside, I look at the time and its 9 AM. I slowly get up from my bed and my head started to spin, it hurts and my vision gets blurry. My body feels aching and its hard to move my limbs. As I got and slowly walk, I hit my toes into a glass like object, its hurts and so it opens my eyes and wokes up the rest of my body. I heard something rolling, when I look it was a wine bottle, I pick it up and it was the wine bottle I grab in my kitchen last night, I couldn't remember drinking it all. But apparently I did. That's probably the reason why I woke up feeling dizzy and tired.

As I was showering, some random thoughts get into my mind. Remembering the times when I was still chatting with Airi online, especially the way she acts flirty and calling me in cute nicknames. I remembered the last time I was drunk, I got married to her, in the game atleast. I laughed a little bit just by remembering it, I sigh and relax my body. Feeling the warm water drip from my hair and hearing the sploshing echo across the bathroom. But then it suddenly struck me, last time I get drunk I got married in game, now I wonder what did I do this time.

I just shrug it off and wash myself. For some reason I can feel I am enjoying myself with the water more than usual, I love it and I dont have any complains against it. I have to hurry up as I need to get to the restaurant at 11 AM. So I exited the shower and face the mirror to put on some lotion on my face and neck to make it look smooth, moisturize, clean and bright. I put on freshly new clothes and brushed my hair. I took a good look at myself in the mirror to see if I look appealing and charming. I dont really care to look very alluring or attractive, I only use cosmetics to keep my face clean every time I go to work, cause I am exposed to the customers and whenever I have to meet my stepmom. She gets very angry when I dont pay attention to how I look, she treats me as her own child, so I allow her to act motherly around me.

I left my house and made my way to the restaurant. I decided to just walk all the way to the restaurant as I was not in a hurry and I wanna enjoy the view of the glittering coast and the bright sky, I stop at the nearby cafe as usual to get myself some coffee and something to eat.

As I arrive, my father was already there, he greeted me with joy. We plan on adding new dishes to the establishment to attract more and new customers. I was happy to do it again with my father as this is our only form of bonding together as father and son. Even though I feels a bit awkward being around my dad sometimes, and I find it hard to speak, because I know that he knows how baffled my thoughts are. And I don't want him to worry about me any further. Im a grown man now, I must handle myself.