That afternoon, we read together and had a great time. But around 3 p.m., I had to head to the university to work on some urgent reports.
It was Friday, and a few classmates had planned to work on them together. These sessions often ran late. Last Friday, we worked until midnight, and I expected the same this time.
Sure enough, by 6 p.m. at the university, it was clear we wouldn't finish before midnight. I called Suki.
"Suki? Babe, are you still at my place? I'm gonna be late again, so don't wait up."
"Oh, Taro, it's you… I… um…" She sounded hesitant over the phone.
"Yeah, eat some of the lunch leftovers. If you're tired, you can head home. I'll swing by to check on you when I'm done."
"Um, Taro, actually, I have something to tell you…"
She rarely sounded this unsure, which struck me as odd. "What's up? Tell me."
"You won't get mad, right, big pervert?" she asked cautiously.
"Yeah, sure…" I felt a growing unease.
"Promise? I'm back at my place. Some classmates are coming over for dinner tonight, and… Kenji might be coming back to Clearwater University with them…"
"What?"
The mention of Kenji's name made me blurt it out.
"Are you upset? I can call and cancel…"
"No, it's not that…"
My mind was suddenly a mess.
I wasn't thrilled. The idea of her meeting her ex made me uneasy.
Still, she was being upfront, and there'd be other classmates there, so it should be fine, right?
But he's her ex. Was there something she wasn't telling me?
I should trust her. Kenji's in Pinewood Town now, and even if he's back briefly, nothing would happen between them.
The more I thought, the more confused I felt.
"So, is it okay if they come to my place tonight?" she asked carefully.
"Yeah, sure," I said, forcing calm.
"Hee hee, thanks, big pervert! You're such a big-hearted pervert!" she giggled.
"Stop teasing. So I won't see you tonight?"
I half-hoped she'd say I could come, but…
"Um… it'd be awkward if you two met. How about tomorrow? I'll come see you then…"
"…Alright. Don't stay up too late…" I said, disappointed.
Though I agreed, I was still annoyed. It was Friday.
I'd planned to "have fun" with her tonight, but now her classmates, and her ex, had stolen my time, leaving me to spend the weekend night alone.
I wasn't sure if I was being paranoid or just cared too much about Suki.
That night, I couldn't shake an uneasy feeling.
I kept telling myself not to be petty. Meeting classmates shouldn't be a big deal. Opposing it would make me seem controlling. She's so good to me and so honest, I should trust her.
But by 8 p.m., I made up an excuse and drove to her place.
I'm not sure if I was worried or secretly hoping for something. I didn't think too hard about it.
On the road, the flashing car lights made me uneasy.
What would I say when I got there?
That I didn't trust her? Too embarrassing.
That I just happened to stop by? Too fake.
And what would I say to Kenji?
Still, I couldn't stop myself from wanting to see her. Maybe it was love, or maybe jealousy.
Driving, I felt restless. Though it wasn't physical exertion, when I parked outside her place and stepped out, I was panting like I'd just run a race.
Suppressing my pounding heart, I peered into her yard. Besides her little red car, there was only a black Jeep.
The license plate was from Pinewood Town.
What!
Was that Kenji's car?
My worry spiked.
I was about to ring the bell but hesitated.
Instead, I grabbed the spare key from under a flowerpot by the door.
Suki never used the spare key in front of me and didn't know I'd found it. I discovered it once when I forgot something at her place and couldn't find her.
I knew if she caught me sneaking into her house and spying, we'd fight for at least a week, or worse, she'd cut me off from intimacy.
But I decided to take the risk. I don't know why, but I was consumed with worry, maybe about them rekindling something, or just irrational fear.
I quietly opened the door. The first floor was empty. Maybe they were upstairs in the living room watching TV, I reassured myself.
I crept up the stairs, puzzled that I didn't hear the chatter of a group.
A sudden thought hit me: Would Suki be bold enough to lie about a group of classmates coming over, just to spend time alone with Kenji, knowing I was just a short drive away at the university?
No way.
Maybe they weren't here, or they'd gone out to eat instead.
Yeah, that made sense. I was overthinking.
I carefully reached the second floor, listening for any sound. The living room was tidy, with slightly worn sofas, but empty, though the light was on.
They must be out, I thought.
Just as I was about to assume they'd left, I heard voices from Suki's room.
Were they just chatting in there?
My heart eased slightly.
But why in her room?
What should I do? Leave or stay?
As I hesitated, I heard a man's impatient voice from inside: "Let's go outside. It's too hot in here."
Someone was coming out. Afraid Suki would see me, I started to turn and head downstairs.
But then I noticed the door to Hana's room. A sudden idea struck.
Hana, the 40-something woman who lived with Suki, was only home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The house was usually empty otherwise.
And I'd heard her room's door lock was broken!
Without thinking, I slipped into Hana's room.
I didn't consider what I'd do if Hana was there or came back.
Luckily, she wasn't.
The room was dim and messy, towels, blankets, and underwear strewn everywhere.
I crouched by the door's peephole, looking out at the living room. Directly across was Suki's door, marked with a small bear. The small living room had a wooden table and a few sofas, with the stairs and bathroom to the left and a balcony to the right.
Someone had said they were coming out, but no one had yet.
I strained to hear the conversation, hoping to catch something.
"…Let's not go out. Hana might come back…"
The door was thin, and Suki's sweet, delicate voice came through clearly.
"…No way, your room's too small… too much stuff… too hot," a guy replied, his voice unclear.
"…You're still not satisfied…" Suki said, her tone a bit coy, which made me uneasy.
"…No… let's go out… stop talking so much…"
It was the same guy. My memory's sharp, and I was sure it was Kenji.
My stomach twisted. Though their conversation seemed innocent, the fact that Suki and Kenji were alone in her room made me insanely jealous.
Then I heard:
"…No one's around… what's the problem…" the guy said.
"No way…"
Since Suki didn't want others to see her with Kenji, maybe she still cared about me?
Maybe the other classmates were just running late.
That thought calmed me slightly.
"…I'm going out… heh heh…"
Kenji laughed for some reason, and Suki's door suddenly swung open.
"…Ugh… don't…"
Suki's voice sounded annoyed, becoming clearer as the door opened.
Two figures stepped out.