A Neighbour

The sun was about to set at the horizon. I was returning home from school. It was my first day at this new school. However, there's no lack of trouble even on my first day.

I heaved a sigh and looked over my shoulder. That girl was still following me. I knew that the girl had something to say to me from the way she was throwing cursory glances in my direction and every time she looked directly into my eyes. It was as if she wanted to know something from just looking at my eyes.

For a moment, I decided to confront the girl and ask her what she wanted. But I dismissed the idea. What if, on confrontation, she denies that she had been following me. If she denies it outright, I have no way of confirming it. It might even backfire.

So, I just decided to wait and see how things progress.

While thinking all these, I had already arrived at the front of my apartment to which I had moved just yesterday.

The apartment was a six-story building with four flats on each. Just by looking at the exterior one can easily say that it was expensive. It had a modern curb appeal. It was a concrete building with a lobby and elevator. It also had a sort of park with some benches and a small area for children to play.

Just before entering, I again looked over my shoulder and the girl was approaching me. It was becoming more troublesome. I decided to confront the girl but stopped again. There were a lot of people around here so if I confront her we may attract attention. So I decided to go and if she followed me all the way up to my room I will do something about her.

I entered the gate and went straight for the stairs. I didn't like to take the elevator.

After about passing two floors, I looked down to check if that girl was still tailing me. After seeing no one, I heaved a sigh. But I still wanted to know why that girl was following me.

Since the girl wasn't around anymore, I thought there was no need to dwell on the matter anymore.

I ascended the stairs and reached my floor. Exactly at that moment, the door to the elevator opened.

"Huh….?"

That girl was there!

I was staring at her. She also looked at me, however, shortly. Even at that brief eye contact, I could sense her curiosity leaking from her eyes. I knew that she wanted to know something.

What if she knew something about me? About my past?

No, no, no.

I shook my head. It wasn't possible. I had come here precisely because no one knew about me here. So, I ruled out that possibility.

Since she had come following me all the way up to my apartment, I finally decided to ask what she wanted and why she had followed me. When I was just about to ask her, she turned around and..

"Huh…..?"

This was the second time I had said that.

She took out a key from her bag and opened the door to room 201 which was next to my room i.e. 202.

When she found that I was staring at her, she turned around and asked, "What?"

"Oh. No. Nothing."

"Is that so?"

After that short reply, she went inside and I could hear the sound of the door lock from inside.

Then I finally realized that she was not following me. That black-haired girl, who I thought was following me, Ichinose Kei, lived next door. She was not following me. She was just going home and we just happened to live at the same place.

I was overthinking. But given the situation, it was the most plausible conclusion.

Heaving a sigh, for probably a third time, I walked over and opened the door to my room. I put my shoes in the rack and made my way inside.

The apartment was quite spacious. It even had a spare room in addition to the bedroom and main living room. It was quite an extravagant dwelling for a person living alone. The apartment was quite near to the school and they had also insisted so I decided to live here.

I threw my bag on the sofa, changed into a T-shirt and a track and took a bath.

After then I fiddled with my phone for a bit and thought of what to eat for dinner.

I opened the fridge and took an energy drink.

"This will do, I guess."

I then went to the balcony. The apartment also had a balcony and I often liked to spend my time there alone, especially at night.

Drinking the energy drink, I gazed at the sky. The wind ruffled my hair.

"Is that your dinner?"

I turned around to see who was the owner of that unexpected voice.

There she was, Ichinose Kei, my neighbor, on the balcony. The wind blew her long black hair.

She was placed so beautifully against the night scenario, I almost wanted to take a picture. But, of course, I didn't.

Finally coming back to the current situation I looked at the girl and said, "Yes."

"Don't tell me you always have that for your dinner?"

"Most of the times."

It wasn't that I was a bad cook. Actually, cooking was something I was good at. But I was lazy. So most of the time, I always settled for these drinks or other snacks.

"A boy of a growing age should give priorities on eating habits and make sure to eat a balanced diet on a daily basis."

"I know that."

Everyone knows that. I was just lazy. Anyway, why was this girl lecturing me on my eating habits like I'm her son or a brother? We had just met today and this girl was talking to me as if she was familiar with me.

While I was having those thoughts, the girl turned around to go back to her room.

Just before she went inside, she looked at me.

"Good night."

With that parting remark, she went inside.

I also finished my drink, threw the can inside the bin and made my way towards my bedroom.

It had been about ten minutes after our conversation at the balcony when I heard the sound of something breaking from the room next door.

Did something happen? The sound definitely was of a glass breaking. I should go and check.

I stood up from my bed and was about to make my way to go and check what had happened when I suddenly stopped in my tracks.

The girl wanted to know something from me. She had that curious look in her eyes whenever she looked at me. And she was also trying to act familiar with me. Before coming here, I had made a promise to myself that I won't get too involved with others, especially if the person was someone of the opposite sex.

I returned to my room, turned off the lights, and made myself comfortable on my bed.

If something serious did happen, what should I do? Help her? But that means I will be getting involved with her, right? So, I shouldn't help her and just feign ignorance, right?

But I knew that if I didn't help her and something did happen to her, I would probably feel guilty.

"Damn it"

I clutched my blanket a bit tighter.

"I guess I will have to wait for tomorrow to see what I would do."

With that, I went to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up as usual. Took my shower, had a glass of hot milk as breakfast, and got ready to leave for school.

I locked the apartment door and was gazing at the morning sky when I heard the door next to my room open.

My neighbor, Ichinose Kei, came out and was locking her door.

"Good morning."

"Huh? Oh. Good morning."

I replied a bit late as I didn't expect someone to greet me early in the morning.

When I looked at her, she wasn't wearing her black tights today but short black socks and she had a bandage on her right leg just above her socks.

"Oh."

Then I again recalled the sound of a glass breaking had heard yesterday.