Kenji Route: Path of the Bro Ch. 5

Before I get the chance to start another very engaging conversation with Ayako, I hear a knock at the door.

I get up from my spot on the carpet, and walk to the door, looking through the peephole.  The thin frames of Kenji's large glasses are clearly visible.  I take a step back and open the door.

Without hesitation, Kenji enters and half-shoves past me, dropping a few grocery bags on the floor near the jacket-cloaked bottle of alcohol.  As I close the door, he turns to me.

Kenji
"Shit, what the hell, man?  You didn't lock the door?"

A familiar manic grimace crosses his face.

Kenji
"Grahh!!  Are you are you just trying to let them in!?"

Of course, Kenji didn't tell me to lock the door, though I suppose I should've thought of it, knowing that his management of his locks is standard procedure.  I respond without turning to him.

Hisao
"Alright, I'm sorry about that.  I won't forget again."

My eyes are currently fixed on the locks in question.  A few simple hinge fasteners, one with a chain, a couple of them with a loose padlock attached to them.  Without trying to make any sense of the pattern, I proceed to close and secure each one carefully.

Ayako
"So, what's in the bags?"

Kenji
"Just general stuff.  Food, packing materials, you know."

"This might be a rough night, I gotta be prepared for anything."

Ayako's eyes widen.

Ayako
"You got snacks?"

"Can I have a snack?"

Kenji
"Yeah, sure."

As I turn back to face them, it strikes me as interesting that Kenji has someone else he can be honest to, albeit his seemingly aloof little sister.  I'm not sure how close they are, but there's definitely some sort of bond there.

In a way, that's how I feel about Kenji, as well.

I watch as Kenji reaches into a bag and pulls out a box, opening it and taking out a wrapped sweet roll, tossing it to her.  It hits her in the side and falls to the floor.  She hops off the bed and picks it up.

Ayako
"Thanks."

"You're late though, Kenji."

"I need to go back home."

Kenji pulls back the sleeve on his shirt and glances at his watch.  I amusedly notice the alarm clock on the nightstand half a foot away from him.  Just a few minutes past 4 in the afternoon.

Kenji
"Oh, yeah.  Alright Hisao, I'm gonna go escort her.  Hang out in here for a bit."

Hisao
"Should I come along?  My legs could use some stretching."

Kenji
"No, I should do it myself.  Go take a walk on your own if you need a stretch."

I nod, and then look to Ayako, who's placing her game device into her backpack and zipping it up.

Hisao
"Alright then, it was nice to meet you, Ayako."

Ayako cocks her head to me, then gets up and walks towards me.  She wraps an arm around my waist.

Ayako
"Okay, see ya, Hisao."

She relinquishes the partial hug quickly and returns to her backpack, picking it up.  Maybe she's a little friendlier than I thought.  She's nothing like Kenji, that's for sure, despite them being siblings.

After another minute, I end up undoing all the locks that I just closed a minute ago, signaling the padlocks to Kenji.  He quickly comes over and takes a ring of keys out of his pocket, deftly unlocking each padlock.

The three of us file out.  I wave to Kenji, but he's already walking briskly down the hall, his sister's hand in his.  I guess even Kenji doesn't like to be late for something.

With nothing else to do, I stretch my arms wide and walk down the hall as well, at a relaxed pace.

I exit the dorm hall and walk down the stairs, taking in the warmth of the afternoon sun, the smell of fresh-cut grass pervading amongst the fresh air.

I'm not the only one taking it in.  Throughout the wide lawn situated in the middle of all the buildings, students of all types are resting, relaxing, enjoying a picnic or simply chatting amongst their group of friends.

This Sunday afternoon seems a lot different from the one in the previous week, but in the end, it looks like I'll be doing the same thing anyway.

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After about another half an hour of uneventfully walking around the campus, I spot Kenji coming around a corner of the school hall, presumably from a back entrance.

I approach him and wave.

Hisao
"Hey, Kenji."

He looks in my direction, nods, and strolls over.

Kenji
"Still walkin', eh?"

"Well, come on, let's get back to the room.  This night is ours."

Without argument, I walk with him back to the dorm rooms, and back to the room that he calls his, set at the end of the hallway.

We enter, and he immediately goes toward the corner of the room, pulling the bottle of liquor up and proceeding to his bed, sitting down near the corner."

As he works the top open, he looks up at me.

Kenji
"You comin'?"

I nod, and take my place on the bed, as well.

Hisao
"So, what are we drinking this time?  More whiskey?"

Kenji
"Nah man, it's vodka this time.  Imported straight from Russia."

"I hear it's even harsher than whiskey.  Should be good, right?"

I'm already doubting the notion of actually doing this, but instead, I shrug.

Hisao
"I guess so.  You got first sip?"

Kenji
"You know it."

With that, he lifts and tilts the bottle, letting the deceptively clear liquid pour into his mouth.

A second later, he sputters and gags, spraying alcohol in a wide radius in front of him.

He wipes his mouth with his sleeve, and looks at me, motioning the bottle to my lap.

Kenji
"Dude, you gotta try this."

-----------------------------------------------------

Drinking, getting drunk, time forgetting your very presence.  Drink after drink.  An hour or two, or six, consisting of Kenji rambling, my own self complaining about the vodka, it doesn't matter.

The bottle's now a little more than half empty.

Hisao
"Ugh... Isn't that enough?"

Kenji
"Enough?  Enough!?  You don't know the meaning, man.  This continues until the bottle is empty."

There goes my attempts to hold myself back tonight.

But, how much stronger can Kenji be than I?  I grab the bottle from him and take another swig.

Hisao
"Here, then."

Kenji
"Damn, dude, it's not a competition, shit."

Hisao
"Didn't mean it like that, I'm just takin' my turn."

Kenji
"Alright alright."

"So, you've been around for a while, how're you fightin' the feminists?"

Hisao
"What made you think I was?"

Kenji
"Well shit man, you seem pretty in support for the cause."

Hisao
"I guess I still don't understand, I'll admit."

Kenji
"Shit.  Well, I don't blame you, Hisao, man.  There's a lot to keep track of."

"Hell, even I don't want to recall anything right now."

A week of fair devotion to school, followed by drinking my face off, followed by another week, followed by drinking my face off.  That's what I've has to keep track of.

Hisao
"We have a happy night tonight, then?"

Kenji
"No.  Not happy.  Always on-guard, Hisao.  But uh, yeah, do celebrate the night."

"Neither of us are dead, we can celebrate to that."

A fair compromise.  Soon after he says that, Kenji takes the bottle from me and drinks a swig of his own.

Hisao
"So uh, what was that about hell?  With your sister?"

Kenji
"Oh, yeah, man.  Good on you for enduring that."

Hisao
"She didn't seem so bad."

Kenji starts to laugh aloud.

Kenji
"Really?  She got you, man."

Hisao
"What?"

Kenji rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Kenji
"Hmm... you got your wallet?"

I shrug and reach into my pocket, not sure what he's getting at.

It's not there.

Hiaso
"What!?  Where'd it go!?"

Kenji
"Ahahahaha!  I knew it!  The old wallet trick.  I told you man, she got you."

I suddenly recall her awkward hug.

Hisao
"She stole it?"

"What the hell.  I kind of need that."

"Could you ask her to give it back?"

Kenji
"Maybe.  All the money will be gone though."

Hisao
"Shouldn't she get in trouble for this sort of thing?"

Kenji
"Not really.  It's not important, man.  Shit, just take another drink already."

He's already nudging the bottle against my side.  I take it and drink more down.  The alcohol goes down a little easier now, the burning in my throat almost soothing in it's own way.

The passage of time continues unmarked, eventually I'm drawn to another statement that comes out of Kenji.

Kenji
"This shit's boring.  We need to go somewhere."

I'm reminded again of his sister, for a moment.

Hisao
"What do you mean?  Where could we go?"

Kenji
"I dunno man.  Something more than this, though.  Let's go."

Kenji proceeds to quickly re-cap the half-empty bottle and gets up, stumbling to a backpack, placing the bottle into it.

I get up, almost losing my balance.

I can feel my heartbeat against my chest, apparently my little friend doesn't appreciate my plans for the evening.

Before I know it, Kenji and I are wandering the school grounds, the sun long since fallen and the surrounding cloaked in a bluish darkness.

We end up at a gate somewhere behind the school grounds.  Kenji opens the moss-laden door and we walk through.

Dirt paths, trees, fallen leaves, various growth on the ground around me.  We're wandering around wilderness, my mind not bothering to trace the path.  Kenji seems to know where he's going, or maybe he's just going for the sake of going.

Soon enough, he sits down in front of a tree.

Kenji
"Alright, this should be cool for hangin' out."

I take a seat next to him on the dirt.

Hisao
"What, no trolling women this time?"

Kenji
"Nah, man.  I think this is cool enough.  Just us two bros, drinkin' and spittin' the shit."

He's already gotten the bottle out of his backpack, opening it and dumping another portion out of it.

Hisao
"That sounds good.  Yeah, I think I li-"

I'm interrupted by a rustling sound coming from further up the path.  Kenji frantically puts the bottle back into the backpack.

The rustling draws closer.  Eventually, I make out auburn red hair.  A couple of steps later, I fully recognize the figure.  Rin.

Rin
"Huh...?  Is that you, Hisao?"

Hisao
"Oh, uh... hi, Rin."

Rin
"Am I dreaming?"

"How are you here?"

Hisao
"Huh?"

Rin's eyelids lower.

Rin
"Seems unusual, is all."

Hisao
"I could say the same.  Why are you out here?"

Rin's mouth thins, she pauses for a few moments before answering.

Rin
"No reason.  I guess."

Kenji
"Uhh... Rin?  I've seen you.  You were the one painting the mural in front of the dorms, right?"

Rin suddenly looks over at Kenji, unmoved by his presence.

Rin
"Yeah, that was me.  Mostly."

Kenji
"That shit was awesome.  It's like, the struggle of mankind against a vile force.  A force that submits all men into contortion and discoloring."

Rin
"Uh... yeah.  I guess that's kind of what it is."

"I'm glad you like it."

Kenji
"Shit, I wish it'd stay up for the whole year.  Damn feminists might have something to say about it, though."

Rin tilts her head, her expression still unchanged.

Rin
"What?  Feminists?"

Kenji
"Ah, uh, never mind."

Rin
"Alright, my mind is never, then."

An awkward silence, the type that could only be the result of a conversation with Rin, hangs for a few moments.

Kenji
"Hey, wanna sit down?"

Kenji pats the dirt next to him.  Rin just shrugs in a 'why not' sort of way and sits down.

Hisao
"Well, there goes our manliness."

Kenji
"It's fine, man."

Kenji pats me once on the shoulder and makes a shrug himself.

I pass the whole thing off as another possible 'trolling women' attempt by him.

Kenji
"Rin, was it?  The name's Kenji."

"You got a thing for nature?  Or are you just crazy?"

Rin
"Umm..."

"Both."

Kenji
"Good answer."

Kenji fingers at his backpack zipper for a moment, and then pulls out the bottle.  Rin's eyes open wide.

Rin
"That's... alcohol?"

Kenji
"That's right.  Only the best for Hisao and I.  Want some?"

Rin
"Yeah... sure."

Kenji shoves the bottle to her front.

Rin
"Umm..."

Kenji
"Oh, shit, sorry."

Kenji motions the bottle up slowly.  Rin takes the hint and opens her mouth.  Kenji proceeds to pour what looks like a significant amount of alcohol past her lips.

Surprisingly, she doesn't cough and sputter.  She simply closes her mouth and makes a loud gulp.  She closes her eyes.

Rin
"Hmmm... burns like fire."

The hours proceed on, Kenji doing his usual drill of ranting to a new person, the alcohol in him no doubt magnifying it.  Rin doesn't respond for the most part, simply sitting still and listening, either being a willing audience or a completely aloof one.

That doesn't last forever.  It would seem that even Rin isn't unchanged by the effects of alcohol."

Kenji
"When you fight, you just watch your back.  That's the way."

Rin
"But you can't watch your own back!  It's not possible.  I tried."

Rin contorts herself to the side in demonstration.

Rin
"You speak a lot, Kenji, and it's confusing.  I can't figure you out."

Hisao
"It's probably best not to try."

Kenji
"See, Hisao's got the right idea."

Rin
"It's okay, then.  You're a mystery.  I like mysteries."

Rin flashes a large, uncharacteristic smile to Kenji

Rin
"Like uhh..."

"Uhh..."

"... I can't think of it.  It's another mystery!"

Rin laughs aloud, as if she had said some sort of joke.

Another hour or two pass.

The bottle's almost empty.  Kenji passes it to Rin and she immediately grabs the top of the bottle with her teeth, tilting her head back and letting most of the bottle's remaining contents flow down her throat.

Rin
"Thanks, Kenji."

"I feel good."

"Insatiably good.  Like I should do something but there's nothing.  There's nothing."

Rin's face looks a bit distraught for a moment, but her drunken giddiness still shows.

Kenji holds the neck of the bottle in his hand, taking the final drink.  He fumbles it, simply spilling the vodka over his chin and neck.

Rin
"Kenji, can I kiss you?"

Kenji
"Wh-WHAT?"

Both me and Kenji almost fall backwards in reaction.

Rin
"Vodka's good."

Without giving Kenji a chance to respond, Rin swings her body around, her face put in front of Kenji's, her lips awkwardly crossing his.  She moves to his chin and neck, licking wherever she tastes the alcohol.

As soon as it happened, it ends, Rin returning to her normal sitting position.

Rin
"I was right.  That was interesting."

"No good though.  The alcohol.  Not enough."

Kenji remains unmoving, almost literally paralyzed.

Rin places a foot on the dirt and hoists herself up with a grunt.

Rin
"I should go to bed.  I feel lost in time.  A dream.  Maybe.  Maybe it'll be better when I wake up."

Hisao
"Sure, Rin, see ya."

Rin nods at me, and then looks towards Kenji, noticing his state of stillness.

Rin
"Definitely interesting.  That reaction."

With that, she turns and starts to walk down the path.  I consider helping her find her way, but Kenji probably needs attending to, as well.

Kenji finally comes to, shaking his head slowly and rubbing his right temple.  After a moment, he turns his head to me.

Kenji
"Did that just happen?"

Hisao
"The 'kiss'?  Yeah."

I open my mouth to continue, but I'm not certain what to think of the situation.

Hisao
"Hope you're still manly."

Kenji
"Shit yeah, you know it."

"...that was pretty nice, though."

"The soft lips of a girl.  Man, there's nothing like it."

"It reminds me of that girl I was with."

Hisao
"The one who sucked your life out?"

Kenji
"Yeah, that one."

"Shit man."

"SHIT."

Kenji quickly brings his hands up and his face down, pressing them together, fingers crawling behind the frames of his glasses.

Kenji
"She was so damn perfect.  What the hell, man.  Why?"

I can tell by his voice that he's sobbing now.

Kenji's manic.  He's unpredictable.  Unstable.  Highly emotional about whatever he's thinking about, but never like this.  This is the first time I've ever seen Kenji cry.  It makes me feel like everything is less of a joke now, all of his rants and ramblings and mannerisms of his.

I gently put a hand on his shoulder.

Hisao
"Damn, Kenji."

"Just..."

"Damn..."

Before I know it, I'm leaning over and sinking against Kenji's side.  My head is spinning, my heart is beating as hard as ever, surely, due to the alcohol.

I just need to rest.

This is a fine place to rest.