Chapter 4 — Normal

Chapter 4

The train home is never quiet either.

Different kind of noise though. People talking, wheels on the track, a salary man asleep standing up with complete confidence. I don't mind this noise. It asks nothing from me.

Kaito sits next to me at the second stop. He doesn't ask if the seat is taken. It is always taken. It is always his.

We don't talk for three stops. Normal. Kaito has never needed to fill silence.

"Six people," he says at the fourth stop.

I look at him.

"On the roof. Six people." He is looking at his window. "That hasn't happened before."

"Hori did it," I say.

"I know who did it." He pauses. "I'm saying it happened."

Two more stops pass.

"She said you were a pretty nice guy," Kaito says. His voice is completely neutral. This is somehow worse than if he was teasing.

"I heard."

"Are you."

I look at the city moving past the glass. "I don't know what she meant."

"I think she meant you're a pretty nice guy."

cut it off..  Kaito looks like he is almost smiling. He rarely almost smiles. I file this away.

My stop comes before his.

I stand and he says without looking up "Kenzou is going to name the group something embarrassing by Friday."

"I know," I say.

"I'm telling you now so you can prepare emotionally."

The doors open. I get off.

Behind me I think I hear him actually smile. I don't look back to confirm.

The apartment is quiet when I get home.

I heat noodles. I stand at the window. The city does what the city does.

I think about six people on a roof. I think about Hori saying he's a pretty nice guy to two people she had barely known and walking them over to a table like she already owned the outcome.

I think about Kurenai looking at the window like it owed her something.

I think about Yuma's smile when Kaito said nothing particularly notable.

I think about Kenzou offering me food I didn't ask for and looking satisfied when I took it.

These are very normal things. I am aware of that. People eat lunch together every day in every school in Japan and none of it means anything larger than what it is.

I finish my noodles.

I turn off the light.

I don't know why I'm still thinking about it.