The Accompanist

Chapter 3: New Friends and Old Memories

One week later, Boutarou came home from hanging out with Shiki to find an envelope on his desk. A sly smile spread across his face. His index finger slid through the stuck down fold to find a notice containing his admittance to Happari University.

I made it. After texting his best friend, he hovered over Sayaka's name, but quickly dismissed the idea. She probably wouldn't care anyway... She'll just have to find out after I become famous.

Flopping back onto his bed, his phone vibrated in his hand. A smile on his face, he expected it to be some sort of congratulatory message from Shiki. But instead, it was a message from Sayaka.

Yo. Stupid Boutarou. I passed auditions and played successfully with someone else. He even agreed to be my accompanist when I move in. Looks like I really don't need you after all.

The message made his right eyelid twitch. He opened it, and then closed right back out of the messaging app. It was common for him to leave her on read. Especially when she went out of his way to brag to him. Good for her. Heck, shouldn't I be happy? Now she won't come crawling back to me. I really can do whatever I want...

And so, he decided to do just that.

. . .

Move-in day contained lots of tearful goodbyes from his mother, a quick hug from his sister, and nothing from his dad. He was too busy with work to even see him off. Just like he was too busy to come to his graduation ceremony. At this point, he no longer expected to see his father at anything other than his mother's birthday.

Just as he finished folding the last t-shirt in his suitcase, the presence of someone else crept up behind him.

"Yo."

Goosebumps ravaged his skin from his neck down to his wrists. "Hello?!" He turned around to come face to face with blue fabric. And then he looked up. Nearly white hair that was practically glowing. Yellow eyes. A snakelike grin.

"G...G-G-G..GHOST!"

"Nice to meet you," said the ghost, "I'm your roommate, Mitsuo Sadowski."

"S... Sadowski?"

"I'm half Russian, but I was born and raised in Japan." Mitsuo held out his hand for Boutarou to shake.

Boutarou bowed awkwardly, not being able to help himself since Mitsuo was so tall... and wearing a blue yukata. "I'm Utsushima Boutarou..." And then he caught himself. "Wait, why is your hair white?! And why are your eyes yellow? Cosplaying outside of conventions isn't allowed, you know!"

Mitsuo withdrew his extended hand and with a chuckle, smiled, and stared straight into Boutarou's blue eyes. "I'm albino. But I like wearing yellow contacts."

He gulped. "...Those are... Contacts?"

"My parent picked them out for me. Don't you think they look nice?"

Boutarou wasn't sure what to think. Mitsuo was staring at him like he was expecting something. "Cool... I guess... But why the yukata?"

"...This is what you wear in Japan, is it not?"

He really was a foreigner. "Maybe during the Edo era or a summer festival... You might want to go shopping for some casual wear. It'll help you fit in."

"I see." Mitsuo only turned, the same smile on his face, and began unpacking on the other side of the room.

How am I supposed to share a room with this guy? We're definitely not going to get along.

The moment Mitsuo finished taking out all of his belongings, he sat on his bed. Boutarou could practically feel his yellow eyes on the back of his neck.