Chapter 39 : A Talk on the Rooftop

It was a week after my birthday. Mei suddenly hugged me in front of all our classmates. It was shocking for me as even when we were alone, we put some distance between each other.

"Urien… My… my," she said between sobbing and gasping.

Guess I won't be able to talk to her like this. I turned around to our classmates and shouted, "Class prez! Please tell the teacher that I will be skipping this class because I felt bored! I will be counting on you!"

Class prez got confused and, "Eh? Eh? Urien-kun, what do you mean you got bored?!" she shouted back. You see? Even though I still talk and interact with Mei, the class didn't outcast me. I got along with everyone after all.

I didn't hear what class prez shouted because I, together with Mei, are already on our way to the roof. It was a perk of being a top student. Teachers won't get mad at me as long as I keep getting 100% in the quizzes.

I placed Mei on the bench we usually sit on and went for a can or two of coffee. She was still in a mess when I got back. Her hair is disheveled and she has dried trails of tears on her face. I didn't know what happened to her but it must have hurt her badly.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked while handing her a can of coffee.

"No. I am sorry, Urien but I am not feeling any better," she looks downcast.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask while taking my place beside her. But this time, there isn't any distance between us. Our shoulders are touching and I can feel her shoulder shaking.

"I tried to stay positive even after all of this happened," she started, trying to calm her breath. "It was before the two of us became close like this. I assured myself that my father will be released because it was a false charge and there is still Mr. HOMU who teaches me how to handle swords whenever my father isn't around," she added without stopping between her words.

"Mei, if Mr. HOMU comes to you when your father is not around, he has some serious issues," I chimed in my thought.

"Please shut up," she snapped. Woah, this is the first time I had seen her snapped.

"Okay," I nodded. It is not a good idea to be a jerk when a girl is feeling distressed. My mother taught me better.

"Mr. HOMU usually comes and teaches me every week. But he hasn't come for three weeks now. Every week, I got a letter saying he was sick. I thought he was avoiding me like everyone else. That was until I saw something in my father's room," she ranted.

"Your father's stashes? I get it. It can be very stressful when you find the body pillow of your mother in your father's room. I get it," I nodded sagely. My Father also has that after all.

"What? No! I found Mr. HOMU's costume in his room," she denied.

"Oh… sorry about that," I apologized. "So, Mr. HOMU was your father all along?" I added.

"That's right. I am sorry, Urien. I don't know what to do anymore," her head is looking at the ground. I cannot see her face but I am sure as hell she is crying.

I pat her back, trying to calm her down. "My father is at his office most of the time. He is at home only when sleeping and eating dinner together with me. That was the only time I was able to talk with my father," she started while looking above. "Or so I thought," she added. "Father was there for me as Mr. HOMU."

"It's okay, Mei. Let it all out," I kept patting her back. I am not good with emotional stuff. Even in my previous life, I didn't usually give consolation to others. And I stopped doing it after HIMEKO died.

Just like that, Mei cried her heart out. And I didn't know that this Mei is a hugger. Even after becoming friends with her, I was just replacing her with MEI I had known before. I treated her like how I usually treat MEI, jokes like how I usually joked with MEI, and even now, I didn't do anything other than patting the back because MEI doesn't like patting her head or hugging.

Even after becoming her friend, I was treating her like a substitute. I… I am a bad friend, aren't I? Feeling bad for treating her like that, I hugged her back. No more. This and that MEI are different people. Just because they look like one another doesn't mean they are the same. I thought I made myself known of that with Okaa-sama.

And like that, the two of us hugged each other while talking about each other on the rooftop the whole morning. The barrier between us was already gone and I… I am glad to have a friend like those three back when things were simple.

Kyuushou is also a friend but… acting like she knew almost everything about me? I will be honest. It is creepy. She won't tell me anything about her and acted like a chuunibyou saying "You will remember someday." What am I going to remember? When? My guts are telling me that I can trust her but how am I supposed to trust someone I barely know?

"Everything is gonna be alright, Mei. I will be there for you," with one last hug, we separated.

Let me tell you something. Corrupting Mei is fun. I corrupted a former model student like her to skip classes. The two of us were on this rooftop until the lunch bell rang.

"How is it?" she asked while I tasted the lunch box she prepared for me. Oh my, Mei is looking nervous.

"A little spicy for my liking but it tastes great!" I replied while munching the karaage.

"Urien… doesn't… like… spicy… foods," I looked around as I heard Mei muttering and saw her writing it down in the notebook.

"You don't need to cook what I like, you know?" I deadpanned at her. She is learning how to cook. Not how to please me. Wait… that came out wrong.

Mei didn't reply but put her book back in her breast pocket. She smiled at me and it sent shivers up my spine. "What are you talking about, Urien?" she asked, to which I shook my head very quickly. I had seen that smile before. It is the smile Mother used to Father whenever he did something she didn't like.

The two of us went back to class after eating our lunch. The rest of the day went on just like that and I am now making tea for the two young ladies in front of me.

"You know? Rita is actually jealous because she can't recreate the taste of this tea," Bianka told me.

"Haha, you jest, Bianka. Everybody can recreate this taste with enough skill. I am sure Rita will be able to do it not too far in the future," I replied politely. Knowing each other for nearly two months, I reached the conclusion that these two ladies are rich… very rich. They gave me very huge tips every time they came here to drink the tea I made.

Rita shook her head and drank the tea like a lady from high society. "Rita, you don't need to be shy," Bianka teased.

I can't shake off the feeling that these two are somehow trying to fish for information from me. There was that one time they tried to ask me where I was from, where are my parents, and many other things that shouldn't be asked to a stranger. And there was that one time they tried to take a strand of my hair. They are good talking buddies but… I don't feel safe with those piercing gazes they are giving me. I can't do anything but endure their stares because I don't have anything to protect myself. I can't bring any weapons without getting arrested after all.

"Thank you for your tea as always," Bianka stood up while leaving the money on the table. "See you next week?"

"See you then," I nodded.

Only after they left the cafe did I sigh in relief. I don't know about others but I can feel the pressure whenever they come inside the cafe.

Then, something hit me. Other me said that there are Honkai's influences in this world. And both of them mistook me for what they called "Overseer Otto" which was the same as what Father was called back home. They are Valkyries, aren't they? And this overseer dude… he has the same name as my father. I guess someone named their child after one of their ancestors.

"Hey, Urien! Come and help here!" I heard someone calling me from the kitchen.

"Coming!" I shouted back. I can think about those later. Now, I need to earn money for my survival.