The Gap Between

After all the women ate their dinner, I went downstairs to get my fill. I walked out of my room and headed downstairs. I felt my stomach growling. I wasn't gonna lie...this was torture because I damn there had to starve myself for an hour before being able to eat myself.

I entered the kitchen and noticed a note on the kitchen counter. I picked it up and read it. I was written in hiragana. "Sorry, but Rena said you had to pick up your own dinner. Mitsuki." I read.

I rolled my eyes and set the note back on the table then walked back upstairs to get a jacket from my closet. I put on my jacket and went back downstairs to the front door. I put my shoes on and was about to announce that I was heading out, but decided to just leave without a word. I put on my headphones and my hood then played Sleepwalking by Bring Me The Horizon.

"This shit is torture. I should've agreed to that apartment. This is crazy." I said and looked around. It was pretty light out since it was only 5:45 PM. I looked at my phone and used a GPS to find my way to a seven eleven that was nearby.

I made it to the store and walked in then got me something to eat and paid for it.

"Thank you come again!" The clerk smiled at me then waved.

I waved back and went outside on a bench then sat down. I just got myself a bottle of orange tea and a few onigiri, or as Brock from Pokemon would say, a jelly filled donut.

I ate alone, but didn't really mind. After I got done with my food, I cleaned up my mess then threw away the trash and decided to go back home before it got too dark. I looked at my phone as I walked down the street. Here I didn't really have to worry about anyone creepy following me. I was more worried about the Japanese spirits than I was a out the people. The Spirits always be catching bodies around Japan for some reason.

I made it home and walked inside then took off my shoes. I walked down the entrance way and noticed Aki and Momoko sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV together.

"Oh hey, Archer. We didn't even realize you left!" Momoko waved at me.

"Mmm, I bet." I said and headed for the stairs.

"Heading to your room already? Why not hang out with us for a bit? I know it's pretty lonely having to be by yourself here." Momoko said.

"Urk! What? Momo, he can't because of Rena's rules! We can't!" Aki said.

"Oh right, sorry. I must've forgot. Well maybe next time." Momoko smiled.

I walked up the stairs and just went into my room for the rest of the night. I laid on my bed and listened to music until I fell asleep.

The next day arrived and I was ready for school. I left my room before anyone else did and I headed downstairs. I headed in the kitchen to grab my keys from the counter. I noticed Aki who had her hair in a ponytail this time. I wanted to say something to her, but decided against it and just left without a word.

Aki looked up and looked at the door. "No good morning..? He just left.."

"Hey, good morning Aki." Suki said and yawned. "I really don't want to go to classes.."

"Yeah me neither. Just waiting for Momo and Saya to hurry their butts up. My coach doesn't want me to be late today." Aki said.

"Ahh. Where's the loser at?" Suki asked.

"You just missed him. He left without a word." Aki said.

"Huh. I guess he's learning!" Suki said. "Eff that guy. I still don't understand why Rena couldn't kick him to the streets!"

I sat at the courtyard alone and yawned. I just scrolled through my phone while slightly slouching on the bench. Today I had Geography, Music, Chemistry, and Gym Class. I hated Geography and slightly loved Chemistry in Highschool. I wondered how my day would go today.

"You're here early." A voice said to me.

I looked up and noticed Aki looking at me with Suki, Sayaki, and Momoko. "Yep. Decided to leave just a few minutes ahead before you all were ready."

Aki heard the sass in my tone. "Hm. I see. You didn't say anything to us this morning. It's customary to announce when you come in and leave your home. Even when you live alone."

"What's the point. I'm an outcast at home. This is the only time we'll actually get to speak. Whatever happened to you not wanting me to be associated with you?" I asked, looking at my phone.

"What a jerk." Suki rolled her eyes.

'I'm the jerk. Says the girl who wanted to leave me in the streets.' I thought to myself.

"Ugh. I only came to talk to you because Momo wanted me to. I still don't want to be asso-"

"That's all fine and everything. I'm gonna go...do something. Anything. I'll see you later." I got up and grabbed my bag then left.

'This was not the way to grow closer to her. Why didn't you just strike up a conversation when you had the chance. You blew it!' I thought to myself.

"Well that didn't go as planned." Momoko said.

"You think?" Rena asked.

"He probably thinks we all hate him. I mean first impressions mean everything you know and those rules you set up makes him feel like he doesn't belong." Momoko said.

"Because he doesn't! It's an all girls share house!" Suki said.

"See what I mean? He won't get an opportunity to show us he's not that type of guy if we don't give him that chance. I mean when he comes home, what is the first thing he does? Go to his room like he's some prisoner. Come on girls, he's our new roomie. We gotta treat him like one." Momoko said.

"As much as I want to, literally four of the six of you who voted did not trust him. It is my responsibility as the one who keeps the house from spiralling into madness to set rules and regulations to make sure everyone is happy." Rena said.

"Everyone or just us?" Momoko asked.

Out of everyone, Momoko is the only one who's willing to be friends with me other than Mitsuki. She understands the fault in everything, how these rules make me feel more like a kid who's grounded than an actual house member.

"Listen, I understand how you feel Moko, I really do...but when four of the seven doesn't trust him what do you want me to do? This is the only way to keep things at bay." Rena said.

"I guess, but it's a little torturous for him to say the least." Momoko said.

I sat in the cafeteria and scrolled through my phone. The dream was looking bleak but that wasn't gonna stop me. I would complete my dream one way or another.

The bell rang and I got up to head to my first class. The first class I had was Geography. I walked inside the classroom and noticed Aki also had this class. I sat in one of the empty seats that wasn't near her. She looked at me then looked at the professor who walked in the class.

The class started and the professor started his lesson. I listened to him and jotted down some notes before immediately getting bored of this class already. I was reminded of why I didn't like the class. It was always because even the teachers sounded like they hated the subject as well, but it was one of the introductory courses so it was fairly easy with or without notes.

The bell rung for the first class to end and we all gathered our things. I decided to go hang out in the courtyard before my second class started, which was music. I listened to some music while I hung out at the courtyard and after a few tracks went by, the bell rang. I got up to head to my next class. I didn't share Music Class nor Chemistry class with anyone. Gym Class, I once again shared with Aki.

I raced against Raidon once again and tried to break my 14.0 record. It seemed that Raidon only got faster and faster. I decided to race against him a few more times but couldn't even break a millisecond's worth of time. I groaned and sat down on the track.

"Here." Raidon said and held a bottle of water at me.

I looked up and smiled then took the bottle of water from his hand. "Thanks."

"One thing coach likes about you is that you're consistent. Some guys will grow slower, but consistency is pretty good." Raidon said.

I nodded and took a few sips of my water. I spotted him looking at the girl's section of the track. "Hey, I heard that you and Aki used to date?"

Raidon looked at me. "Who told you?"

"Gossip spreads like wildfire no matter the location." I shrugged.

"Mmm...that's true. Yeah me and her used to date. She broke up with me however. I don't want to say why, but that's in the past now. Are you friends with her?" Raidon asked.

"Me and Aki? Friends? Yeah not even in my wildest dreams." I chuckled.

"I hear that you're living with her with her other friends. How did you manage that?" Raidon crossed his arms.

"Well I was offered to look for apartments, but that was gonna take too long and I didn't want to be a bother to Mr. Yoshino so I just took the first deal, live with Aki and the others." I said.

"Huh. How's your second day going so far?" He asked.

"Meh. Not better than the first day but not worse either. It was about the same." I shrugged.

"Oh word? Well hopefully things get better as the semester goes." Raidon said.

The whistle blew and that was our cue to huddle up with the coach. The rest of the day went by and it was fairly calm. The final bell rang for us to go home and I ended up walking home alone once again. I watched the others walk in groups and with their friends to bus stops and the train stations. I decided to go to the convenient store before heading home.

I made it home and unlocked the door, walking in. I closed the door behind myself then took off my shoes. I walked down the entrance way and noticed Rena, Aki, Momoko, and Orime sitting on the couch together. Mitsuki was making dinner.

"Welcome home." Rena said.

"Thanks." I said and made my way up the stairs.

"Hold on! Come watch TV with us." Rena said.

"Nah I'm good." I said then went upstairs and to my room.

Momoko looked at Rena then elbowed her. "Drop the stupid rules."

"You know why I can't." Rena said.

"If you don't the gap between us and him will only grow larger to the point where completely stops talking to us." Momoko said.

"Listen, I can't get rid of the rules unless all seven of us trusts him or at the very least a majority of us. Majority meaning four of the seven of us." Rena said.

"I know what majority means, woman! I just think it's unfair to him to treat him like this especially on his first day. We're treating him like an animal. Like seriously? Get your own dinner and groceries? I understand the not walk with us, just slightly understanding it, but starving him? Come on." Momoko said.

"He's got a bag of food doesn't he?" Aki rolled her eyes.

"That's gonna be unhealthy after a while. Come on, Orime what's your thoughts on this?" Momoko asked.

"It's only the second day. I still don't know much about him yet. From what some of the students say, he's pretty chill. I'm just being weary." Orime said.

Momoko crossed her arms. "I shouldn't really ask you, you barely leave your room when you come home plus you only hang around Mitsuki. I would ask Sayaki but she's busy with her music career. I already know Suki's answer and Mitsuki's answer. Aki why don't you trust him?"

"Because...he's a guy living with all girls. It's only natural that he'll soon try to make a move on one of us. I mean think about it, his hormones will go crazy after a while. Boys are naturally more horny than girls anyway. Plus...I don't want to get too close to him." Aki said.

"Why?" Momoko asked.

"I just don't okay?! God, why do you trust him so much?" Aki rolled her eyes.

"Because he's done nothing to us for us to treat him like he committed crimes. He just got here and we already isolated him." Momoko said.

"Alright here's what I am going to do alright? If he goes the rest of the week without doing anything wrong, I'll drop the rules. So far he's been doing okay." Rena started.

"Yeah because he's avoiding us." Momoko said.

"Ahem! If he proceeds to do something wrong I'll set up the rules once again until further notice. Deal?" Rena asked.

"Deal!" Momoko said.