Shamer

It has been about a year since I stopped going to school. I graduated from middle school to high school.

During the last year of middle school, I almost didn’t apply to high school, but I studied at least a little by myself.

To be honest, I was wondering whether I should take the entrance examination or not, but I decided to take the examination so that I would not cause trouble to my parents.

…But I still couldn’t bring myself to go to school, so I didn’t go even once, and I ended up bothering my parents anyway.

“Let’s go! I got 20 kills!”

I exclaimed happily as I sat in my room playing a shooting battle royale game that had recently become popular.

Ever since I started staying at home, I have been completely addicted to games.

I now devote most of my time a day to gaming.

“You are too happy for a mere 20 kill game”

I hear a cocky person’s voice through my headphones.

“Shut up. I’m not as good as you.”

“No, no, I think you’re good too, Kinu. …Just, I’m better than you.”

“What a way to talk. Now I’m mad.”

The man laughed when I said that.

The man’s name was Marumaru. We met through a game. Of course, Marumaru was not his real name, but a player name used in the game.

I also play the game under the player name “KN,” but it’s hard to call me “Keenu,” so I asked Marmaru to call me “Kinu.”

“Well, I think it’s time for me to go.”

“Eh, you’re done already?”

“Well… We’ve been playing for about five hours.”

“Because Marimaru, you always keep me company for short periods of time, but you only play games with me for long periods of time once in a while. With you, I can go another five hours.”

“That’s honestly nice of you to say that, but give me a break.”

I can picture Marumaru smiling bitterly. I’ll give him a break for today.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Oh, let’s play ranked tomorrow.”

“Ok, see you later.”

After I heard those words, I didn’t hear Marmaru’s voice anymore.

I turned off the game and lay down on the bed.

“Is it time for club activities now…?’

It was past four in the afternoon. If nothing had happened to me in middle school, I would have been practicing for the soccer team at high school right now. …But now I haven’t even touched a soccer ball.

…Well, video games are fun and I don’t have to play soccer.

I was thinking about that when there was a knock at the door.

Oh, I guess my mom was off work today.

But no matter how long it took, I didn’t hear my mom’s voice. …Eh, what?

I wondered, and finally, I heard a voice through the door.

“Kenji-kun. I’m the homeroom teacher for your class, my name is Kiritani Kakeru.”

It was the weak voice of a man I did not know.

To be honest, I couldn’t see his face, but I thought he must have been a terrible person.

—But I didn’t know at that time.

I didn’t know that he would save me from this disaster.