Nothing New, Just f*cking Life

"What a pain!" I exclaimed as I slumped onto a bench on the school campus. The chatter of students filled the air, their voices mingling with the sounds of laughter and footsteps as they walked by, eager to enjoy their lunch break.

"I humbly beg your pardon, Master. I was unaware that it would lead to such a commotion." Suko said, her voice laced with concern as she leaned down repeatedly to apologize. And I think, for the first time, the expression Suko was making was genuine.

"Okay, okay, fine..." I sighed, feeling the weight of the thoughts I needed to sort through. After she stopped her loop of apologizes, I turned to my left and pointed with my index finger. "Do you know what they are doing?" I said.

"No, Master," she answered, her gaze following mine.

A group of students had gathered to my left, crammed behind one of the school pillars, their eyes fixed on us with intensity; it seems they are trying to hide. However, with this huge amount of people... well, whatever.

"So, let's get back to the point. Are you saying I need to train?" I inquired, shifting my posture slightly.

"Indeed, as you have stated," she said, her tone back to steady and firm like always.

"Then how'm I supposed to train?"

"One must attune oneself to nature."

"What do you mean by that?"

"As it is spoken, Master. Magic powers are divided into 5 elements: fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning. To harness these elements, one must achieve a level of concentration that allows for the activation."

"So anyone can do this with a sufficient level of concentration?"

"Alas, no, Master. In the human world, such abilities exist only in fiction. Even if ordinary humans were to try for one hundred years, they would ultimately fail. We must be connected to forces beyond their understanding—specifically, the experiences you have faced over the past few days."

"Okay, I get that part, but how do I actually do it?"

"It's as simple as reaching into a jar to scoop out butter with your fingers," said Suko, a grin spreading across her face. What?! What is she thinking? Now, why is she showing more expression than before? "Master, I believe it is better to show than to tell. Please decide on a place where I can demonstrate this."

"Okay, how about the park near my house?" I suggested, but then it hit me—she wouldn't know where my house or the park is. "Hmm, do you know where my house is?"

"Yes, Master. I will be there," she replied, bowing gracefully before turning to leave.

"Huh? How did she know?" I wondered, my mind racing. Maybe, just as she is connected to me, she has some way of knowing... I glanced around, the group of people who had been staring slowly fading into the background.

Oh, I forgot about the time, too. Well, whatever. She'll wait for me until I arrive. There's no use in overthinking it; she's full of mysteries.

I sighed, sinking deeper into the bench, the warmth of the sun contrasting with the cool breeze. The sounds of joy around me felt distant, almost surreal.

***

Ding, Dong

It was 3:10 p.m. when the final school bell rang. Students began to pour out of the classrooms, but today felt different. Since the first period, I had felt a gaze surrounding me, and even now, as they left, I could still sense their stares lingering on me.

"*Sigh* What an unpleasant feeling..." I muttered as I packed my things.

"Hey! Ren, who was the girl that came to talk to you in the first class?" Aiko asked, approaching me with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Oh, she's just a relative who seems to have forgotten something," I replied, lying to conceal Suko's identity.

"Oh, really? I think I've seen her somewhere before," Aiko said, tilting her head as she tried to recall where she might have met her.

"Maybe you saw her at my house before."

"Maybe. By the way, I haven't seen her around; is she a transfer student? It feels like all eyes are on her right now."

"Well, yeah." It seemed Suko's magic had done something to make everyone forget about her. But why now? Why is she being noticed now?

"Well, let's go..." I said as I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Hmm? Where?" Aiko asked, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Huh? You know, to find out where Kai has been," I replied, trying to keep my tone light. "And I was thinking... you were acting a bit different today. What happened?"

If I had to describe it, she wasn't really acting different; she was just being her usual self when she was with Kai. But was she not feeling down?

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Hmm? What do you mean by 'acting different'? And who is Kai?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Aiko, are you joking with me?"

"No, I seriously don't know who Kai is." She said, her eyes revealing the truth of her confusion.

People can say anything, whether it's a lie or the truth, but her eyes showed nothing but honesty. It was clear she had no idea who I was talking about. What?! How did she forget?! My mind racing with many thoughts. Did she have amnesia? No, but she knows about me, then magic?

I tried to calm myself before saying. "Well, you are dating with him, and he's my friend from elementary school until now."

"Hmm? I don't remember dating anyone. And you know I can't date someone besides you?"

"Huh?"

"I said we are dating~"

"Hey, I told you before that I don't understand romantic feelings."

"Yeah, you said that. Well, I was the one who liked you, so I kind of forced you to date me. Are you trying to run away by lying again? You're doing something bad in our relationship, but I don't hate that about you," she said, with a big smile on her face. 

She was telling the truth. So what? I didn't understand anything. Why were people staring at me so intensely, and why were they all boys?

"Um, Aiko, do you know how many love letters I've received in high school?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"If I remember correctly, it's up to 50? Why do you ask? Do you want a love letter from me too?" She replied, ending with her usual playful tone.

"Ohh, okay, then I'm going!" I said, bolting away as fast as I could to escape the situation.

"What, what?!! Why is all this happening without any breaks?! My mind cannot handle this complex situation!! I want to shut this world out—NOW!!" The thought echoed in my mind, drowning out everything else.

"All the eyes... I know they look like jealous monsters. I felt their stares piercing through me, suffocating. I know this feeling... I had been able to control this tension with Kai's help, but—had Kai's existence been removed from this world?"

My head was a whirlwind of thoughts, swirling until my surroundings faded into nothing but black.

Should I go to the park first? Or try to find out about Kai? What about his family? Did they also—with many thoughts racing through my mind, I almost reached my house. Should I check Kai's house?

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears, drowning out the sounds around me. The exhaustion from running hit me like a wave, but I pushed through, driven by a mix of anxiety and determination. 

Kai's house is across the street from mine, and as I looked over, I saw nothing unusual. He had moved near our house when I was in fifth grade, so I had visited many times. But since starting high school, I hadn't been there; this would be my first time in days.

Ding, Dong.

I rang the doorbell, my heart racing as I waited for a response. What if someone else answers?

"Coming, coming..." a woman's voice called from inside as she approached the door. My heart raced even faster.

*Rustle*

The door slowly opens, revealing a familiar face.

"Oh, my! Ren, It has been days! What brings you here?" Kai's mom said as her eyes fell on me. She was still wearing her work clothes.

"Good afternoon, Aunty. Um, about Kai—"

"Oh, did Kai cause problems at your home? I need to teach him a lesson later."

"Huh? No, it is not about—um, where is Kai, by the way?" I asked, confusion creeping into my voice.

"Ohh, I will call him," she said, turning inside and calling Kai's name repeatedly.

"He must be coming out."

"I can wait—"

"Mommy, what do you need?" A little boy said as he appeared from inside the house. He looked like he was in the third grade; his face smeared with bright colors, as if he had been playing with paint.

"Kai, greet Ren."

"Ohh! Ren-chan, do you come to play with me?!" The little boy exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

What?!! What is happening?! Are you telling me that kid is "Kai"? He looks just like him, but—how is he a child?!

It's not possible. Impossible!!

Magic... how could magic cause this?!

This has to be something more! Why would anyone want to break Kai's relationship? Did they hold a grudge against him?!

"Hehehe~ My sister is amazing!" Suddenly, a voice chimed in. Sisha, who said she is my personal fairy, appeared, settling back onto my shoulder with a playful grin.