CHAPTER III
Why do we feel jealousy? Therapists often regard the demon as a scar of childhood trauma or a symptom of a psychological problem. And it's true that people who feel inadequate, insecure, or overly dependent tend to be more jealous than others. But this really got nothing to do with Jurina. Childhood trauma? The only thing she has a trauma is drinking the milk right from the bottle. Jurina had experience countless time of drinking spoilt milk and you don’t wanna know how it tasted like. Is she secure with her life? Umm yeah…because she just don’t give a what or anything sometimes, so what is it to be insecure about. Overly dependent? No. Jurina is a very independent person and everyone in her family knows that. Pfft.
=
Jurina tied the black plastic bag in a knot before lifting it up from the bin. Shards of broken pieces of glass could be heard as Jurina headed out of the apartment. Holy crap it’s still raining, thought Jurina as she pressed the down button on the elevator. Yes, the elevator has already been repaired. The huge dustbin where the trash lorry comes and collect is located not that far from the apartment. Around 100 metres. But the thing is, it’s raining like crazy. Ah, whatever, I could just sprint there, thought Jurina. Back when Jurina was in high school, she’s also known as the fast sprinter, so…yeah.
=
Their apartment door opened once again, but this time, a soaking wet Jurina enters the house followed by drips of water falling down from her hair and clothes. Rena who was at the couch with that sketchbook girl stood up as they see Jurina in that wet condition. Not to mention that grim expression plastered on Jurina’s face as she walked to the apartment with her shoes soggy wet, plus the annoying squeaky sound.
“You’re soaked!” the sketchbook girl said
“Yeah yeah….. don’t mind me. Chat along with her will you,” Jurina shoo-ed her hand before entering her room.
“……..she’s a little grumpy huh, Rena-chan…..”
Grumpy? Yeah right, thought Jurina as she rolled her eyes. Who’s that girl anyway? And why is she in their apartment, thought Jurina as she undressed herself from her wet clothes and put it in a bucket. Jurina changed into her brown color sweater before tucking in her bed. It’s still noon but the sky out there looks like it’s almost nighttime already. Ah, this rain and the temperature around her makes her feel more drowsy and sleepy. She did feel a little hungry, and she could just cooked ramen at the kitchen, but Jurina doesn’t have the mood to have a conversation with the sketchbook girl nor Rena. And that is bound to happen if Jurina goes out from the room, because sketchbook girl looks like the talkative type. Whatever it is, all Jurina could remember before she slips away to dreamland, is the slight twinge of annoyance she felt as she saw Rena’s huge smile as she was giving the coffee to the sketchbook girl. Weird….
Jurina’s eyes flutters open as she heard some movements in her room. Turns out Mayu was back and she just came in to their room while holding Jurina’s bucket.
“What are you doing with my buc-- *a-a-achuuuu* bucket?” asked Jurina while she searched for some tissues to blow her nose.
“I took it to the washing machine. And I also mopped the small puddle you made on the floor. Seriously Jurina, am I your maid or something?” Mayu joked
“Ah….thank you for your kindness. How could I ever repay you?”
“Ha Ha Ha,” Mayu said as she lay down in her bed while staring at her phone, “By the way, did you throw the rubbish just now?”
“Yup.”
“Why? I thought we replaced with a new one yesterday?”
“There was something that I throw in there that needs to be thrown away to the big bin as soon as possible.”
“Like what?”
“Horse poop”
“What???”
=
Basically, it was almost 5pm and Jurina haven’t even had lunch and she’s almost at that point where she could turn into a cannibal or something. Plus, the irritating sneezing every once in a while, just makes things worst. She went out from her room to find Paruru eating a bag of chips on the couch, while her eyes plastered on her phone screen. Paruru seems to be indulged with her phone lately though. But whatever it is, Jurina headed to the kitchen and took out the instant chicken soup ramen flavor from the cupboard, pour some hot water, and waited a few minutes before slurping the whole thing off.
=
It was around 8.30pm that night and Jurina suddenly remembered, right after she and her colleagues found the note sticking on their cancelled literature class, she was too un-excited to read the other details besides their lecturer says he isn’t going to come. But Jurina’s quite sure he did added something in the notes that are related with small assignments to do. Maybe she should just text Nao-chan, thought Jurina. As she sees the dark screen on her phone, holy crap….I forgot to charge my phone. Screw this smart phone with this dying A.S.A.P battery!
Jurina walked outside in the chilly night. Passing door by door. Howling winds coud be heard. Wait, it’s not scary as you might think. There were a few passer bys here and there and sounds of slamming doors and sudden burst laugh coming out from several rooms. Mostly, that would be the seniors room, because, well, the seniors are the pharaoh here. I mean , not the evil pharaoh. The reason Jurina is out here is because, she’s heading to Nao-chan’s room to ask the goddamn assignment and luckily Nao-chan stays just one floor below, so Jurina just went down by the stairs.
Knock knock
The door swing open and a girl with deep dimples stood at the door. If Jurina isn’t mistaken, the girl’s name is Kanon or something. Jurina could hear loud music coming from the room somehow.
“Yes??”
“Uh….can I speak with Nao-chan?”
“Ah……chotto matte ne,” The girl went back in while leaving her door open wide before running off to one of the room. Later, Nao came out from her room, wearing a white comfy shorts with a pink shirt.
“Jurina…? What do you wanna talk about?” Nao asked with her twinkling, bright eyes. It shines more as they were talking under the door light.
“Umm……is there any assignment that Tsubaki sensei gave to us earlier? I took off kinda fast earlier.”
Nao chuckled a little before answering, “Yeah, there is. Sensei told us to write the full poem of Sonnets in our notebook and interpret the first and second stanza.”
“Ah I see…” Jurina heaved a sigh as she imagined the long stanzas that she needs to write, “Thank you very much Nao-chan. By the way, your room is really lively.”
“Lively? Well you can drop off here anytime you want,” Nao winked at her. Luckily Jurina has her heart shield with an armour so that she doesn’t fall for people easily. Because Nao is considered as one of the prettiest girl and pretty much the wink effect will hit you hard after 3 seconds and you’ll completely fall for her. But not Jurina. Although she has to admit, Nao really is pretty.
“Haha thanks again. See you tomorrow. Goodnight,”Jurina bid goodbye before turning away.
Jurina head back to the stairs again but she almost halted in her step as the girl who just came out from the room nearby was.
“Thanks for the manga. I will read it as soon as possible!” said Rena cheerfully as she got out from the room. “Matane. Goodnight..”
As Rena turned around, she froze at the spot as she saw Jurina walking at her direction. Its because the stairs were near the room Rena was standing infront with. Jurina doesn’t know why but she just didn’t even greet Rena and just walk off and climb the stairs but—
“J-Jurina…!” Rena suddenly call out from behind.
Jurina turned around and look at Rena with a puzzled look on her face.
“Let’s w-walk together….”
Their room is just one floor above and Rena called her just to walk with her. Well, Jurina did seem to be a little cold. Jurina doesn’t even know why she’s been acting a little cold to Rena since the broken glass incident earlier. “Sure..”
Somehow, they climbed the stairs in a more slower pace. Technically, if Jurina did her fast sprint, they’ll be there in not more than 10 seconds. But this time, as Jurina walked side by side with Rena aka Cute Clumsy Girl, her feet seems to be a bit heavy somehow as she dragged her feet on the stairs. Jurina doesn’t know why, but she just wanted to break the awkward silence between both of them as they climb the seemingly never ending stairs.
“You like to read mangas?”
“Un. Do you?” Rena asked in a curious tone.
“I prefer watching anime more than reading mangas…”
“I like to watch anime too.”
“Cool. Guess we have a mutual likings…..”
Rena blushed and bit her lips before saying, “If you have any anime you wanted to see b-but you’ve never seen it yet, y-you can tell me. My friend likes to download a lot of animes and if…if…”
“You mean the friend earlier? The one in our room?”
Rena nodded. “Her name is Airin…”
“Oh…..”
And there goes that silence again but this time they’ve reached their apartment and as Jurina open the door, she could hear Paruru talking on her phone in the kitchen.
“…..How long are you gonna work there? You rarely have time for me now….”
Paruru ended her conversation abruptly as she heard the apartment door close. Jurina and Rena entered together and turned to look at the kitchen to find Paruru staring at them with a cover up blank expression kind of face.
“Where did you two go?”
“Friend’s room” both Jurina and Rena answered in unison
“You mean the same person for both of you?”
“N—“
“Why don’t you just continue your conversation with the person who rarely have time for you, ne?” Jurina winked at Paruru and caught a heavy blush creeping in her face right before Jurina walks away. Jurina also caught Rena covering her snicker as she said that towards Paruru.
=
As usual, Jurina’s stomach was playing that Linkin Park song kind of tune as she made her way, to the cafeteria, once again. She passed by the veterinary room but the door was close shut, either they’re having classes, or they’re not. Jurina took her tray from the cafeteria lady and sat at an empty table, alone. As she was ‘inhaling’ her rice, she heard that not-so-unfamiliar laugh once again, and turned around to see, not that far from her table, that ‘sketchbook’ girl or so called Airin, laughing to Jurina-don’t-even-know-what with this bird looking girl and…..Rena.
Rena has a huge smiling face at that time. She also laughed till her gums could be seen while clapping her hands. This is definitely a rare sight of Rena that Jurina has never seen. How can she be so free and happy over there laughing at that sketchbook Airin girl jokes, maybe (?). For the past 1 month they had been roommates, Jurina never saw that kind of laugh and carefree Rena before. Maybe Paruru and Mayu did, but not her. Why can’t she laugh and smile like that in front of me? Wait……..why do I actually care? Jurina, this is so not you. Don’t get sidetrack Jurina, she reminded to herself in her mind.
“Jurina-chan~~,” a melodious voice suddenly calls her, earning head turns from Rena and her friends. Turnsout it was Nao with her dimple roommate, Kanon. *KABOOMMM canon sound effect*
“Oh…hey…”
“Can we sit with you?” Jurina haven’t even answered but both of them had already settled down.
“Um…you already did.” Jurina point out.
And later after that, for some odd reasons, Jurina keep cracking up some of her genius puns and earning laughters from both girls. Take that, sketchbook girl, you think you’re the only group who can laugh, Jurina thought in the back of her mind. Wait……..since when has Jurina been so competitive? But oh well, she shrugged off the thought in her mind. Jurina took a slight glance at Rena’s table and Rena seems to be stealing glances at her too at the same time, and their eyes met. Jurina just blankly stare at that dark brown orbs from afar while Rena shyly stared back. Jurina pulled away from the unofficial staring battle as she felt someone patted her shoulders.
“Nee nee, see that girl.” Kanon nod off at the girl who just walked in inside the cafeteria. If Jurina wasn’t mistaken, isn’t that—
“Yui-han?” said Nao
“You know her name?” Kanon asked in a disbelief tone.
“Duh, she’s the part-timer librarian at our college,”
“Part-timer? I thought she’s always working there in the library..” Jurina asked as she eyed the librarian.
“Nope, she works only on Saturday and Sunday. She’s a student here too. Majoring the same thing as us, except that she’s a senior,” Nao explained.
“Oh I see….”
“She looks kinda cool and cute at the same time,” Kanon clasped her hands together in a dreamy kind of look.
“Cut your imaginations. She’s taken,” said Nao as she unwrap her onigiri.
“Really??” Kanon and Jurina said in unison.
“Wait….Jurina, don’t tell me you don’t know. She is dating your friend. Your roommate? Paruru?”
[inserts gossip girl’s narrator voice] Some secrets couldn’t be kept forever. Not even from your closest friend. What will happen as Jurina found out about her friend’s secret lover? And what will Jurina’s sudden competitive feelings turn upon to towards Airin the sketchbook girl? Tune in on “The Everyday Life Chapter III” coming soon. XOXO.