悪魔は僕の部屋の中に
[Akuma wa Boku no Heya no Naka ni]
By Bayou
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Part 2
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"Kyou-chan!"
A familiar girl's voice called him out from the campus ground.
Kyou turned; it was Ryoko who was approaching him arm to arm with her boyfriend, Asuka. It was bitter to saw her getting along with her boyfriend. A painful stab on the heart, but he forced a natural smile.
"Oh my!" she squealed in surprise, seeing the patch on Kyou's cheek, "Is your face okay?"
"Oh," Kyou touched the patch, "Well, it’s a bit swollen and bruised, but not that it'll make me uglier than this," Kyou said jokingly, "I mean, a guy with a bruise on his face looks somewhat manly. Since I already have a tough look, I'm manlier than a manly man now, don't you think?" Kyou cracked a joke hastily, seeing Asuka was making regretful face.
But no one laughed.
"I see... Sorry for yesterday..." the girl apologized.
"Don't worry, I'm okay."
There was a moment of pause, making Kyou felt discomfort with the tense atmosphere.
"Hey, are you heading to the cafeteria?" Ryoko started the conversation again.
"Yeah."
He finished his morning classes and would be free for the rest of the afternoon. But before he'd go to his part time job, he decided to grab some lunch first.
"I owe you 2 lunches," she said, "And Asuka-kun suggested me to buy you the deluxe set meal for apologize."
"So I heard yesterday," Kyou laughed.
Asuka seemed bashful. He just grinned and said nothing.
"Say, can I save those lunches for rainy days?" Kyou asked, "I still have money to buy my own lunch today, and I always broke in the end of the month, just before my paycheck. You can buy me lunch then."
A familiar girl's voice called him out from the campus ground.
Kyou turned; it was Ryoko who was approaching him arm to arm with her boyfriend, Asuka. It was bitter to saw her getting along with her boyfriend. A painful stab on the heart, but he forced a natural smile.
"Oh my!" she squealed in surprise, seeing the patch on Kyou's cheek, "Is your face okay?"
"Oh," Kyou touched the patch, "Well, it’s a bit swollen and bruised, but not that it'll make me uglier than this," Kyou said jokingly, "I mean, a guy with a bruise on his face looks somewhat manly. Since I already have a tough look, I'm manlier than a manly man now, don't you think?" Kyou cracked a joke hastily, seeing Asuka was making regretful face.
But no one laughed.
"I see... Sorry for yesterday..." the girl apologized.
"Don't worry, I'm okay."
There was a moment of pause, making Kyou felt discomfort with the tense atmosphere.
"Hey, are you heading to the cafeteria?" Ryoko started the conversation again.
"Yeah."
He finished his morning classes and would be free for the rest of the afternoon. But before he'd go to his part time job, he decided to grab some lunch first.
"I owe you 2 lunches," she said, "And Asuka-kun suggested me to buy you the deluxe set meal for apologize."
"So I heard yesterday," Kyou laughed.
Asuka seemed bashful. He just grinned and said nothing.
"Say, can I save those lunches for rainy days?" Kyou asked, "I still have money to buy my own lunch today, and I always broke in the end of the month, just before my paycheck. You can buy me lunch then."
"Kyou-chan, stop being a super nice person, please. That makes me feel like I'm the bad one here," Ryoko pouted.
"If you feel bad about it, just accept my request," Kyou smiled and pat Ryoko's head, then turned to Asuka. "Oh, and I haven't got your name, yet."
"Oh, sorry," Ryoko apologized, "This is Mizusawa Asuka, my boyfriend."
There was a stinging pain on Kyou's chest again when he heard the word "boyfriend".
Asuka bowed politely toward Kyou who bowed back at him.
"And this is..."
"...the famous 'Yes man' Ooguma Kyou," Kyou cut in Ryoko's introduction and grinned. "So I heard that too,yesterday."
"Really sorry about yesterday, dude. That was my fault..." Asuka apologized.
"Nah, that's ok," Kyou waved at those apologetic words. "Lucky I didn't have broken jaw, if I had; I'll charge you for the hospital and the consolation money," Kyou grinned.
"You're somewhat different with the rumors," Asuka said, quite astonished, "You're..."
"Straightforward? A jester? Yeah, I heard that too, a lot."
Actually, "weird" was the word in Asuka's mind, but he swallowed it so he wouldn't make anymore damage then he already had.
"Well anyway," Ryoko butt in, "Thanks to you, we finally talked and solved everything's out," she giggled. "Oh," she pulled Kyou's sleeve to make him bend and whisper in his ear, "We're making out yesterday. He was a virgin, so he's kinda timid with that kind of thing."
"Ryoko-chan!" Asuka raised his voice in embarrassment, "You don't need to give him the detail!" he gritted his words.
"Kyou-chan is somewhat our cupid, you know," Ryoko pouted, "So he has the right to know everything about us..."
"If you feel bad about it, just accept my request," Kyou smiled and pat Ryoko's head, then turned to Asuka. "Oh, and I haven't got your name, yet."
"Oh, sorry," Ryoko apologized, "This is Mizusawa Asuka, my boyfriend."
There was a stinging pain on Kyou's chest again when he heard the word "boyfriend".
Asuka bowed politely toward Kyou who bowed back at him.
"And this is..."
"...the famous 'Yes man' Ooguma Kyou," Kyou cut in Ryoko's introduction and grinned. "So I heard that too,yesterday."
"Really sorry about yesterday, dude. That was my fault..." Asuka apologized.
"Nah, that's ok," Kyou waved at those apologetic words. "Lucky I didn't have broken jaw, if I had; I'll charge you for the hospital and the consolation money," Kyou grinned.
"You're somewhat different with the rumors," Asuka said, quite astonished, "You're..."
"Straightforward? A jester? Yeah, I heard that too, a lot."
Actually, "weird" was the word in Asuka's mind, but he swallowed it so he wouldn't make anymore damage then he already had.
"Well anyway," Ryoko butt in, "Thanks to you, we finally talked and solved everything's out," she giggled. "Oh," she pulled Kyou's sleeve to make him bend and whisper in his ear, "We're making out yesterday. He was a virgin, so he's kinda timid with that kind of thing."
"Ryoko-chan!" Asuka raised his voice in embarrassment, "You don't need to give him the detail!" he gritted his words.
"Kyou-chan is somewhat our cupid, you know," Ryoko pouted, "So he has the right to know everything about us..."
For a split second, Kyou was looking dejected, but he forced a smile that he was very sure looked so fake, it would give him away.
"You don't have to report your every single private life, Ryoko-chan," he said, "Kinda makes me feel awkward too."
"See? Told 'ya. Now Ooguma-san seems troubled," Asuka knocked his girlfriend forehead lightly with his knuckle, made the girl lolled.
Then she turned to Kyou as if she realized something, and said, "Kyou-chan, don't tell me you're also a vir..."
"Waaah!!" Kyou shouted unconsciously and covered Ryoko's mouth; blocking the rest of the sentence that would come out from the girl's mouth.
Now the three of them was standing still in silent and a very awkward atmosphere.
Kyou sighed quite aloud and removed his big hands from Ryoko's mouth. "Please be very careful of what you said in public, Ryoko-chan..." he said soullessly, "The walls and trees have ears here; and a very sensitive one too."
"Sorry..." Ryoko apologized.
"I better get going now," Kyou waved at them and walked away in weak, unstable steps.
"How about your lunch, Kyou-chan?" Ryoko shouted, as Kyou walking further from them.
Kyou waved again without turning, "I’ll just grab anything I can find on the way to my part time job..."
"I'm really sorry, Kyou-chan!! I won't tell anyone!" she shouted again, trying to encouraged him but somewhat in an unintentionally wrong manner, made Kyou bumped his face onto a lamp post on his path that he was too distracted to see.
* * * * *
Kyou sighed aloud in his cubical. Somehow he managed to arrive safely in his office though his mind was blank along the way.
He worked as a freelance illustrator in a famous magazine publishing. The company's illustrator team had their own office room, filled with only 8 desks lined in fours, back to back, and one room in the far corner for the section chief. The desk wide was 1,5 x 0,5 meters, separated by partition on each desks to make it a little private but practically was quite open. Kyou shared his work desk with other freelancer who worked in different shift with him.
A slap on his head by a bundle of paper made him yelped in surprise.
"What's with the sigh?" someone asked in a friendly tone, "Got dumped by a girl?"
That was a strike to the heart.
The one who said that was Kanoe Takashi, his superior in the office, a very talented illustrator. He was 25, only four years older than Kyou, but already became the section chief of the illustration division in the company. Not to mention that he was handsome too, a little bit narcissistic, a fashion freak, but friendly with everyone. The type who made Kyou felt very inferior.
"Buchooou*..." he whined, "Don't rub salt on my wound, please..."
"Oh? So it was true that you got dumped by a girl? And the patch also?" he tapped his own cheek to point out Kyou's covered bruise.
"Tsk!" Kyou clicked his tongue, irritated.
"Want to talk about it, Kumagorou-kun?"
"Kuma—what? Hey, don't change other people's name as you please," Kyou protested.
Kanoe waved his words away, "I'm offering you a help here, Kumajirou-kun. I'm willing to hear your rant, so be a little thankful."
"I think it's unnecessary to thank a person who makes fun of other people's name," the boy pouted.
"Yes Kanoe-san, don't tease your junior," suddenly somebody cut in to their conversation.
It was Shinonome Shogo from the children's magazine division. He was also an attractive young man; but different with the fashionable Kanoe with his leather jacket, he was dressed casually in jeans and brown plaid shirt over his white t-shirt. When the two of them standing side by side, it was an eye candy for everyone; not only for girls, guys would also unconsciously have their eyes on them.
"Thank you, Shinonome-san," said Kyou, smiling at the man who he thought was taking his side.
"Just call him either Kumagorou or Kumajirou, not both. Made up your mind," Shinonome add with plain face.
Though he looked very serious, Shinonome actually loved to crack a joke. The thing is, he barely had facial expression, so it's really hard to tell whether he was joking or not. Like earlier, he was actually joking, but he didn't seem like he was.
Kyou's smile faded when he heard what Shinonome said; the expressionless man wasn't on his side, but he was siding his best friend.
"Which one is cuter?" Kanoe asked Shinonome.
"I used to have a dog named Kumajirou," said Shinonome, ignoring the death glare from Kyou.
"Kumajirou then," Kanoe decided, "So, Kumajirou-kun, do you want to share your pitiful love story to us?"
"Not answering that," Kyou pouted, "Not until you stop making fun of my name."
"Heh, scrooge."
"By the way, Shinonome-san, what are you doing here?" Kyou said, ignoring Kanoe, "Handing over this month's task? Why bother coming all the way down here? You could've emailed Buchou, y'know. Or you're just making excuses to see him?"
Kyou was well aware of these two relationships. They were so close that it always misled people who saw their relationship. Or the rumors that flew around the office really had had strong basis, since they were childhood friend, a colleague, and now they’re practically living together.
"Yes I am," Shinonome answered calmly, barely winched his eyebrow.
Kyou was actually intended to tease Shinonome, but it seemed that he took his words quite seriously.
"Really Sho-chan?! I'm very happy to hear that."
And then, came along this calling with first name basis and flirting at each other that made Kyou sighed. Though Shinonome was aware in places where they could call each other in nicknames, Kanoe seemed not too care; he always called Shinonome, "Sho-chan".
"No, I really am making an excuse to go here," Shinonome replied straightforwardly, not aware that Kanoe was teasing him too. "I was bored sitting on my desk; writing and checking articles. I need to stretch my back a little."
"Kiriko will lash you if she realized that you're lazing your ass off," Kanoe laughed off his partner's ignorance.
"I've done most of my works, so I think its ok."
Kyou sighed again. Seeing those two in their own world, are something to be jealous of. He never had close friend before. Not that he didn't have any friends; on the contrary, he had tons of friends. But none of them could be considered as his best pal.
"You're sighing quite a lot, Kumajirou-kun," Kanoe smirked.
"This lovey-dovey thing of yours kinda makes me jealous, y'know. Pelase consider that I was just brokenhearted. Do me a favor; please. Go flirt in other place, not in the office. Don't you guys get bored in living, working, and hang out together 24/7, already?"
Kanoe chuckled while huddling Shinonome's shoulder, "I can never have enough of my Sho-chan."
A squeal of excitement was heard from the corridor outside Illustration division's room. The girls, who happened to be passing by the opened door, seemed to overhear the conversation.
"There goes the source of gossip. Soon there'll be weird rumors circling around the office about you guys," Kyou shook his head in disbelief.
"Oh, we can still add more spice in it," Kanoe kissed Shinonome's expressionless face on the cheek.
That act really caused a major uproar! The silent room that only contained 7 inhabitants—excluding Kyou, several outsiders from other department, and more stalkers in the corridor, suddenly went buzzing in commotion. Everybody was poking their heads over the partition of their desks to watch the sequence happened. It seemed that all of them were in all ear with their conversations.
Kanoe laughed, still clinging on Shinonome's shoulder, and shouted to eveybody, "Now you don’t have to watch gossip show on TV anymore. The live event is more exciting, don’t you think??"
The room roared in laughter. Kanoe was smart enough to brush off the upcoming weird gossips. Doing such thing made everybody thought he was only joking.
A knock on the door shut down the commotion, in a split second everybody was getting back to their own business.
A woman in semi-formal suit walked elegantly in to the room and asked, "Is Shinonome here?"
"I'm here, Kawaguchi-san," Shinonome answered.
Kawaguchi Kiriko was the head chief of children's magazine, Shinonome's superior. She was a very capable woman and rather strict at times. Outside work, she was quite fun person to hang out, and surely can handle liquor well.
"Are you done handing over the task for the illustrators? I really need my editor's ass glued on their seat to continue working. We’re a bit behind schedule here."
"Okay, Kawaguchi-san, I'll be back working," Shinonome nod obediently.
"Great. I don't want you to loitering around and bugging Kanoe, because I want to be sure that the illustrations for our magazine finished on time," she squinted at grinning Kanoe. "You always give me trouble for pushing your deadline over the limit," she said in strict tone, "It'll be a hassle for me and the layout team. I don’t want that to happen again."
"Yes ma'am!" Kanoe saluted.
Kawaguchi sighed, and Kyou was shrinking his body seeing bald attitude of his superior. I don't have anything to do with this, he said inside his heart.
"Oh, Ooguma-kun?" the woman called.
"Y—yes?" Kyou replied nervously.
"I like last month illustration for the short story. Keep it up," she patted Kyou's shoulder and went back to her department with Shinonome.
"Ok, enough fooling around everybody. Get your asses back to work now," Kanoe clapped his hand and encouraging his subordinate to work.
"The one who was fooling around was you," Kyou whispered between his breaths.
"What did you say, Kumajirou-kun?"
"Nothing..." Kyou averted his eyes from Kanoe's stare.
[to be continued]
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