Chapter 11: CHAPTER 10: “A look at the Shipper’s life”

- “Ok class, today's lecture will be a bit different.”

   It was English class, and it appears that our teacher was about to present us with a new project. John was sweating bullets, despite his parents being American, he barely knew any English, as he was born and raised in Japan, and his parents loved the Japanese language. I couldn’t help but smile, even his wavering nervous smile looks cute. Once I’m finished with my project, I’ll help him with his, in terms of langue, as I am not doing his work for him. I still don’t know what the project will be but, I hope I can help.

   Tsuki is glaring daggers at our teacher. With the school boxing tournament coming, I can see why a project is the last thing she would want to deal with. Miko is crouching on her chair instead of sitting, and people stopped questioning after a while. Her brown coat and blue hair are swaying with the wind, something that worries me, because she is nowhere close to the air conditioner, and no windows are open… So where is that wind coming from?! Utsukushi is just staring a John while he doesn’t look. I don’t know how she does it, but the irises of her eyes are forming hearts. And Chiru, as the class representative, is just standing next to the teacher with a bunch of objects in hand.

- “For this assignment, you will be given temporary, Private Investigator licenses.”

… Ummm… What?

- “Miss Mattari, please give one to each of your classmates.”

- “Yes ma’am.”

- “This is a project only for the third years. You are to investigate the life of one of our lists of willing participants, which include some of our students, and all of our teachers, and once you receive the consent form, and bring it back tomorrow signed by your parents, then you as well. Consent has been signed by the school, by willing student participants, and even by the police force, so there should be no problem.”

   If Nio were here, he would say that this is happening “as if by plot armor”. I never understood what he means by that, but he uses that phrase whenever something weird, out of the blue, and specific occurs. I mean, they are giving us legal chances to spy on people, that is messed up.

- “This is a social experiment, to see how much you can learn of the life of someone else, sometimes, things are not as clear or as simple, for those around you as you may think. Some of you have known each other since your first year of high school at Eagle High, but how much do you know each other?”

   This question by the teacher. It’s making me think about my thoughts from last night. ‘Nio… What was of your life before you met us?’

   Yesterday we had a pretty big argument. All my friends, except for John were present. Discussing what Nio had been doing for us, providing us chances to get closer to John. I still don’t understand why he willingly would put himself on the fire like that. But I couldn’t help but feel moved by the words he expressed, the importance of an honest relationship, about truly caring for those you love. I could truly see how much Nio values John’s happiness, and even if it didn’t seem like it, he values our own, so he advised us, and explained why he couldn’t be impartial. But there were some parts in what he said that were engraved in my head. “I’ve made the mistake of trusting people who held appearances before, jumping blindly, only to crash and burn at my mistake, taking someone down with me. I will not let John go through that…”

What did he mean by that?

   Chiru approaches me and hands me a temporary PI license, a consent document for my parents, and a list of willing participants. All of my class’s names are written there as well, this surprises me because… Didn’t she say that she needed our parent’s consent first? While I thought about this, a green-haired girl called Nanaimo, Mika decides to ask the teacher about it.

- “Umm… Miss. Why are all our names on the list? Shouldn’t you wait until our parents sign the consents?”

- “Miss Nanaimo, the reason we wrote your names there is because we already have your parent’s approval.”

Umm… What? … There seems to be a contradiction there somewhere.

- “We asked all of your parents in last week’s Graduation planning reunion. We just need the signed form to make it official.”

WHY DIDN’T MY PARENTS THINK TO CONSULT THIS WITH ME?!

Sigh

No use getting mad about it now. Let’s focus.

- “Now students, make an ‘x’ next to the participant you will investigate. They can be multiple people investigating one individual, just try not to mess with the person you are investigating, as that will alert them, ruining the objective. Once you have your data, you will write a journal in English, about your findings, that only the teacher will read.”

Chiru proceeds to sit down with her license and documents, and we all begin to focus on the list.

- “You will have up to two weeks to complete the assignment. Please investigate a minimum of one day of your choice’s life. When you are done choosing, pass the list to the front, you have until school is over to change your choice if you wish to do so. After that, your choice stays, unless a valid reason can be provided. You have to bring the signed consent tomorrow, otherwise, you lose five points.”

   I look at the list and then look at my surroundings. Miko, Chiru, Utsukushi, and Tsuki are already staring at John with their unique expressions. Some of the other girls around are also staring at John, while others look at each other, or intensely at their lists. Some of the boys are glaring at John, for having so many admirers, while others are focused on the list as well, some are red to the face.

   I look at John. That might be a good idea. I mean I know John pretty well, but there are many things I still don’t know about him. I’m sure Nio would be static at me showing some initiative. He would also appreciate me asking him for help. This morning I met with him, and although he had his trademark glee, I could see that he was hiding worry. He had been waiting since fourth grade for a chance to play matchmaker, and he is worried that yesterday's actions will make the girls not want his help, I’m sure he’ll appreciate me asking him for help… ‘Nio… What was of your life before you met us?’

   On the other hand. How much do I know about Nio? We met when I was still a second year, and he was looking around the school on a personal tour. We bonded over anime OSTS and music. He’s been to my house to play visual novels and watch rom-com anime. He’s helped me improve my social skills and has given me chances to hang with John. I could say I even hang with him more than with John. But all these things, they are stuff I do with him. What do I know about him perse? In retrospect, not much.

   Nio seems to hold a past I don’t know much about, he currently has no friends in his grade, and it seems like he is used to it. I’ve overheard that his classmates think he is weird as he spends his free time listening to anime music or reading anime-like rom-com stories online, but there is something that haunts him.

I think I know who I want to investigate.

…

   It was Saturday, and I woke up extra early today since I never really knew at what time he would wake up on weekends. I was awake at 5 AM, to get ready and prepare myself for the day. Nio couldn’t know I was investigating, because that could mess up the way he does things. I could, however, ask those he interacted with to know about him and what he does, that is what the PI license was for.

   I exit my house after saying goodbye to my parents, it was already 6 AM, and I was surprised by what I saw. Nio was already moving down the street. I thought I would have to sit down somewhere and wait for him to come out or use the secret entrance he told me about, to see what he was doing inside. (Yes, Nio told me about a secret entrance to his apartment that only her knew about, he told me I could use it whenever. How this apartment is so affordable is beyond my understanding).

   I was following close by, I took a page out of Tsuki’s book and wore a jacket, but I decided to leave the hood on. I listened to the music on my mp3 and tried to look inconspicuous as I followed him around. He took a right and so I followed, what surprised me was that he was going to the supermarket. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that he buys his supplies, considering his parents are back where he grew up and he lived here alone in Okinawa.

   Suddenly I see him opening his mouth. I stop my music to see if he is going to talk to himself or something, maybe revealing something that could aid my investigation. (Let it be known, I want a good grade, but if I find out something that is too personal, I will keep it under wraps, Nio is my friend first and foremost, and the sole reason I chose him as the subject for my investigation, is because it gave me a legal excuse to learn more about him, maybe even be prepared to help should he ever need it). But what I heard left me in shock, and cringing at the same time. I hadn’t noticed, but Nio was wearing one earphone on his ear, connected to his phone, and in mid. supermarket he was singing an anime intro he was listening to. He even walked in the beat of the song.

   I recognized the intro, the group that sings it is great, and I can tell Nio likes it, but the problem is Nio doesn’t know how to sing. He is so focused on the song he is listening to, that he doesn’t hear how off-tune his singing is. I feel secondhand embarrassment. People are staring at him as if he were weird as he is filling the cart with the stuff he is going to buy. I felt really bad for him, but that all changed when I saw his next interaction.

   An old lady was looking at him funny, he saw her looking at him, and then he closed his eyes and smiled at her and continued on his path singing. At that moment I realized. Nio was aware that he was singing, he probably knew his singing was off, he knew he was getting funny looks, but he didn’t care. That was who he was, that was what he liked, and he wasn’t doing anything wrong by doing it. That’s when it hit me, words he said at our last group meeting. “…I have learned to see the difference between people who change because they realize they need to improve for themselves without sacrificing who they are, and those who change just to impress and for the sake of others.”

   If Nio was going to change something about himself, it would be to improve himself or learn new things, it would be for himself, for his goals; but he refused to change who he was for the sake of impressing others, or making people like him. If he was not hurting others by what he did, and he wasn’t hurting himself, he was not going to stop being himself. I felt pride for my friend, I have no way of knowing if those looks others gave him, were wounding him behind his smile, but I could tell he was not going to stop.

…

   30 minutes later, Nio was at the register paying for what he bought. He was carrying a lot of bags. I know I was investigating, but I just didn’t want to let my friend carry all of those bags on his own. Giving him a hand was not going to mess things up, right? I get close to him, taking my jacket off and putting my earphones on, making it seem like I just happened to see him.

- “Hey Nio.”

He turns around, looks at me, and smiles.

- “Gita! What’s up? What are you doing here?”

- “I would normally make my morning jog, but I had something to do today, and then I ran into you.”

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either.

- “Ahh… ok. Need any help with something?”

- “I was wondering the same thing. Want me to help you carry some of the bags?’

- “Yes, thank you, Gita.”

   We begin to walk back in the direction of his apartment making casual small talk. I ask if he had seen any new rom-com amines that spiked his interest, but he said that there was nothing remarkable this season, that most of it felt somewhat repetitive. He asked if I had found any cool bands, and I decided to share a new song I found with him. He also asked about my guitar practice with Utsukushi’s music group in school, to which I responded by saying it was alright, but that I still had difficulty with fast transitioning in some of the chords.

- “So, what are you doing today?”

- “I’m going somewhere for a little exercise, maybe a little window shopping, and then I got to go to work. My community service traffic thing got canceled today because all personnel is busy fixing a road.”

- “I see.”

- “Why? Was there anything you need me to help you with?”

   I know what he was referring to with this question. He was asking me if I needed his shipping help with John, he had such hope in his eyes, but sadly today I had other things, plus, I now knew he had things to do, but I also knew that he would cancel everything (perhaps not his job), if it meant helping him with John, I couldn’t let his life be centered around that all the time, right?

- “No, not today. I have a school project I need to work on.”

- “I see.”

   His smile stayed, but it became that smile that hid his conflicting emotions. After his outburst in our meeting, none of the girls had asked for his help during the whole week, he was thinking that his journey was over.

- “Do you think I made a mistake? Do you think I was in the wrong, during our meeting?”

He was asking for my opinion.

- “Your tone of voice was a little rough, but then again, Tsuki was about to punch you, and Utsukushi was getting all threatening-like. And it’s not like what you said was wrong, it’s how you felt, and it was Chiru who asked you. You even apologized if you sounded harsh, but you don’t need to apologize for what you said if that is what you are asking.”

- “I didn’t want to hurt them, I just wanted them to realize. Do you think they’ll want my help after what I said? I really want to help give all of you chances to get close to John, because all of you like him so much, but I can’t force my help onto you… I’m just worried I ruined things.”

- “Look Nio, I’m sure it’ll work out. Tsuki is probably pissed off by what you said, but more pissed off at herself because she realizes you are right although she won't admit it. I don’t know how Utsukushi feels since I have never seen the expression she made after you told her off. Chiru is probably in deep thought about all this. Miko, well she is still her crazy self, she didn’t seem affected by what you said, rather she seemed to take it in stride, so I can see her coming for help pretty soon.”

- “…”

- “I’m sure they’ll come around to ask for your help regarding John… But even if they don’t, know that I want your help, and will keep coming for help until I win!”

- “…”

   Nio was looking at me flabbergasted. His pupils had shrunk. It took me a minute to realize what I had said, I had confidently admitted my strong desire to win John’s heart. I could feel my face getting warmer, so I lowered my head and hid my eyes under my blue highlighted bangs. I could feel Nio’s glee at what I said, and my confident response was so uncharacteristic of me.

- “I’ll be looking forward to it. Well, we are here, thanks for your help and words of encouragement Gita.”

   He takes the bags I was helping him carry, waves me goodbye, and then goes inside his apartment complex as I make my way to my home.

   Since it had been quite early when I woke up, I hadn’t eaten breakfast, so I proceeded to do, so. I constantly looked through the window to see if Nio left, but it appears he was like me. It was around noon that I saw him leave. So I put on my jacket and earphones and continued to follow.

…

   We were at a small plaza-like place, and Nio kept walking, he hadn’t entered any of the places, I was curious as to where he was going. He said he was going somewhere for exercise, and then window shopping, and then he was going to work. I wonder if he was just walking as a way of exercising. But then I see him stop. He froze mid-street (it was a walking area, so no cars), and he was staring at a person who surprisingly was smaller than him. I couldn’t make out his facial features, but he looked like a boy around Nio’s age. The boy turned to Nio, and for some reason began to walk away faster.

- “Hey wait!”

   Nio, called out for him, and this spiked my interest, he began to walk faster in the direction of the boy, he turned right, and Nio followed.

- “Is that you, man?”

   I followed as discreetly as possible, and when I turned right Nio stood there immobile, the boy had disappeared, it seemed Nio had lost him in the crowd.

- “I just wanted to say I was sorry…”

   This surprised me a lot. Whoever that was, I know he wasn’t from Eagle High, but it seemed Nio knew him, perhaps someone from his past? Whatever this was, it was not going on the essay, this seemed personal to Nio.

- “Maybe I was seeing things.”

Nope, I saw him too.

- “Or maybe I confused with someone else.”

You are reading story PROTAGONIST is A SHIPPER part 1 at novel35.com

It is a possibility.

- “Or maybe he doesn’t remember me. Or… Doesn’t want to remember me…”

…

   Nio went back to his original path and suddenly he took a left that made my jaw hang open. I didn’t see him go in, but the sign was very big. My perception of Nio had changed completely.

- “A MAID CAFÉ!”

   I whisper-screamed. I know that Nio loved rom-com anime, and I have seen enough of them with him to know, that it was a common trope, but I didn’t think he would go into one. Had he lied about going to exercise because he was embarrassed by this? I have many questions, but that is no reason to judge, right?

I took advantage of my disguise and turn let to take a closer look through the window. I can’t see Nio anywhere inside, that’s when I take a step back and see another building that is eclipsed by this one. It was a gym.

- “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions Nio.”

I didn’t know Nio went to the gym. Ok, lats take note of the name.

- “'So, you want to get taller? …'”

   I had to do everything in my power not to laugh. That was the most on-the-nose gym name I have ever read. I suspected Nio held some sort of complex regarding his height, but this was just too much. But I guess it’s good he wants to improve that for himself.

…

   Two hours later he comes out of the gym, sweating a lot and with a towel around his neck. He continues to walk, and I continue to follow until he enters an otaku shop, and I go in as well, I think we are at the window-shopping part of his journey.

…

   I thought he said window-shopping, but he ended up buying some stuff. A new visual novel dating sim, and two blue rays of his favorite rom-com anime. He also bought an anime backpack, which he used to store what he bought. Surprisingly the backpack wasn’t from a rom-com anime, but rather from a ‘shonen’ anime that John likes. It appears some of John’s tastes have been rubbing on Nio.

   He makes a pause to buy a rise ball at a stand and continues to walk.

   I thought he was going to head home to get ready for work, but I guess not as his next stop is a convenience store. As soon as he opens the door, a guy that I assume is the manager, greets him.

- “Nio, how’ve you been. It’s been a busy week for you here huh. Are you sure you didn’t need days off this week for your external activities?”

- “Nah, they didn’t need my help this week.”

   The manager knows what Nio does. I just hope he hasn’t spilled our names or John’s, cause that is a major deal-breaker. He wouldn’t… Would he?

- “So how many hours today?”

- “Eight hours, I’ll be back tomorrow and work more.”

- “Okey Dokey.”

   I was officially confused. Since when does the employee determine how many hours, he works a day? And, even more, since it’s 4 PM right now, it means Nio will be here until 12 AM!

- “They brought in a bunch of boxes in the back, help unload them, Nio.”

- “Got it.”

Once Nio disappeared in the back, I decided it was time to give the license some good use.

- “Hey…You…”

Dang, my nervousness… I wasn’t prepared…

- “Yes, how may I help you, young lady?”

I showed him my license, and he was surprised but kept smiling.

- “You go to Eagle High, don’t you? They always make the third years do the same thing. Even when I studied there. So, what do you want to ask?”

What is wrong with my school?!

- “Well, I am investigating one of your employees. Toyohama, Niokurinin.”

- “Ah, the boy that just went back. Should have guessed. Real hard worker that one.”

- “Yes, but I couldn’t help but notice, that you asked him how many hours he was going to work? Doesn’t he have a specific shift?”

- “Yeah, I guessed that could have seemed weird.”

   For some reason, I was losing my patience with this guy. I don’t like people who ramble on a lot when things are important. And I can’t help but worry for Nio, as the way this job works, makes me think it’s not fully legal.

- “He has shifts, but not specific ones. The motto of this store is that we are flexible with our employees, as long as they work hard. It doesn’t sound like a motto, but it’s how we operate here. Our employees have certain hours they need to cover during the month, if they cover them, we don’t worry when they show up. Of course, they need to be seen working hard, we don’t count if you cover the hours sporadically if you barely do a thing in that time.”

- “Do you know what he meant by ‘they didn’t need my help this week’?

- “Yeah, you see... He’s a shipper.”

My eyes widen. So, he did tell this guy.

- “But before you ask. I know teenagers like to gossip, but he hasn’t said names, of any kind. He has just asked for understanding when he needs to help set up a plan, and sometimes he has even asked for favors or advice.”

- “And why does he stay so late.”

- “The school knows he lives on his own, and needs the job so they understand, as long as he doesn’t stay this late on school nights. So, he can only pull this late Fridays and Saturdays, or on vacation days, etc. He is a great employee, make sure to write that. He isn’t the best, I have like five betters than him, but he is a real hard-working one, the definition of our motto. And as a once shipper myself, I kindda connect with him.”

- “So, you were one yourself. I don’t know if you have the answer, but… Do you know, why he willingly wants to play matchmaker?”

- “I don’t know the specifics of how it began, but I know he does it because he feels satisfaction when people who like each other come together.”

   This makes me smile involuntarily. Nio is such a great person, he is not perfect, and overbearing sometimes, but he is a good guy.

- “‘I guide others to a treasure I cannot possess.’ ”

- “What?”

- “It’s a quote from Red Skull, a Marvel character. That’s a quote that comes to mind when I think about Nio’s reason for shipping.”

   This makes me frown. What is that supposed to mean? Suddenly, I see the door from the back begin to open, so I thank the manager and walk out of the store as fast as I can.

- “That was close.”

- “I guess you and I decided to spy on the same person.”

- “WAAAH!... John… What are you doing here?”

- “As I said. I chose to investigate my best friend.”

   In the span of two seconds, my face heats up. I remember my conversation with Nio as we walked back from the store. “I’m sure they’ll come around to ask for your help regarding John… But even if they don’t, know that I want your help, and will keep coming for help until I win!” Did I reveal myself and all my friends by mistake?!

- “Umm… John… When did you start your investigation?”

- “After Noon… Why?”

   I sigh in relief, which confuses John, resulting in me waving my arms frantically to keep him from suspecting. My conversation with Nio was in the morning, so John didn’t hear a thing.

- “If you are worried about me hearing what you were asking the manager, don’t worry. I already work here with Nio, so I know how this place operates. I still need to spy on Nio tomorrow though, to get more data. I was actually waiting here for you to come out Chowa.”

- “Umm…Waiting for… Me?” (Blushes)

- “Yeah I never got to thank you properly for the invite to the movies that one time.”

- “Ahh…. Don’t mention it. It was no big deal.” (Bashful).

- “Don’t say that. I had fun. So, I was wondering. Next week I was planning to go fishing with Nio, the first time we’ve done that in years. But I’ve been seeing that he has been trying to make progress in making friends with my friends by getting them to hang out with me.”

   Hearing him now, I think that if he had listened to my morning conversation with Nio, he wouldn’t have gotten it.

- “So I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone. So, would you like to go fishing with me and Nio next week as a thank you?”

- “…”

- “…”

- “…”

- “…”

- “WHAT?!”

…

{Meanwhile inside the convenience store. A female figure was watching Nio work. She had a PI license with her, but only her silhouette was seen as Nio sang an anime intro while restoking the shelves.}

…

WHAT?! 

Gita was not the only one that picked Nio as the subject of her investigations. We learned a bit more about Nio’s life. But what is this? Did John invite Gita on an outing? Without the shipper’s intervention. What will she do, and what does it mean? But those are questions for another day.

Next time

How will the shipper handle being in an anime rom-com scenario that most commonly occurs to his best friend? Find out next on “PROTAGONIST is a SHIPPER.”

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