The Subconscious of The Damn Mountain

Suddenly, A loud car horn could be heard followed by a bang! The source of the sound came from across the street. Shouichi quickly walked up to the nearest window to search for the source. As expected, it was an accident; the truck had crashed into an electric pole. Shouichi could easily see the entire scene from where he stood inside the store. A chubby truck driver came out of the car looking confused. 

"Is that an injured? Is he okay?" A female voice could be heard. Shouichi swiftly glanced at the girl who was peeking next to him. Apparently, Morimura Ayane still didn't acknowledge his existence.

"Someone doesn't know about personal space… Tsk!" He thought while following her line of sight. There was indeed an injured man lying on the ground not far from the crash site. It appeared one of his legs was broken and there was blood everywhere. "What a gory sight, it's not something you'd see every day. It's like in a movie." Shouichi thought and let out a quick grin out of thrill. 

"Weirdo…" The foxy Ayane-san finally recognised him and worse, called him out. She looked at him with disgust, frowned, and then continued to gaze out the window while adjusting her glasses. "There… it couldn't be worse timing…" Shouichi cried inside. 

The injured man got up and looked around in confusion. That's when his empty eyes met Shouichi. The man let out a bloody smile which sent a chill down Shouichi's spine. 

"Huh?" Shouichi was frightened and stumbled back. Simultaneously, Morimura was hiding behind his rear, grabbing onto his shirt tightly which obstructed him from reversing. "Damn it! This girl… why would she block me?" His thoughts screamed in terror. 

The bloody man was struggling and limping toward where Shouichi stood while letting out an inaudible noise. Shouichi's heart was pounding so fast but his body remained dazed in fear. "Eeeeeek!" Morimura let out a scream and held Shouichi tightly. The bloody man with a smile was so close that he reached out of his hands to touch the window, leaving a bloody handprint on the screen. "Is he crazy? Did he get hit by the head or something?" Shouichi's thoughts ran wild and his heart raced. 

"Catch him! What are you doing!?" The adults gathered around and held the injured down to prevent him from further self-harm. That was when he started to vomit bloody liquid everywhere. True horror could be seen in Ayane's eyes. 

Shortly after, the man calmed down and acted differently as if he was another person. A team of paramedics came to take him to a stretcher and secured him tightly before carrying him into an ambulance. Once they left the scene, everything was quiet, the pedestrians started returning to their daily lives. 

"Eek!..." Now one person was still clinging to Shouichi, and wouldn't let go. He noticed a tear gathered under her charming purple eyes.

"Would… would you please let go of my shirt?" Shouichi spoke up in a much gentler tone than usual. "She's scared to death… At least I should pretend to be more considerate." He thought. 

"Uh! I'm so sorry!" Ayane finally snapped back to her true self. "Boy, she did lose the fence then…" Shouichi agreed in his head.

"Oh my! Are you two alright? I miss the whole thing since I was focusing on cooking in the back. Is it a car crash or something?" Yoko's voice could be heard. Ayane quickly ran and hugged Yoko-san and started to sob softly. Yoko-san responded by consoling her with a soft voice and a gentle pat on the girl's back. 

"It was definitely something truly bizarre. Was the man trying to reach out to me or Morimura Ayane? It's difficult to tell." Shouichi contemplated the whole ruckus. 

When the dust eventually settled, the terrified girl had calmed down to some extent. The three of them started to natually chat again. 

"So…You are a long lost son of Yoko? Really?..." Ayane asked with disbelief in her eyes. She looked at Yoko-san then back at Shouichi and then back to Yoko-san again where Yoko-san simply smiled and winked.

"First of all… Ain't you too young to have a full-grown weirdo of a son?..." Ayane asked then paused to look at Shouichi carefully. "She's back for real… her mean facade was back again. " Shouichi commented in his mind. 

"...But when I really think about it… he looks just like you, Yoko-san" She continued flatly. 

"The eyes and the hair, they match perfectly!" Ayane continued to rationalise her thinking.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Shouichi responded in his head. 

"Even the faces. Yamamoto-kun's face looked femininely pretty just like you, Yoko-san!" Ayane concluded as she reached out her hands to grab his face firmly in disbelief.

"Hey… No touching! And it's Seito, not Yamamoto." Shouichi eventually spoke up with annoyance. In response, Ayane quickly retracted her hand while Yoko burst out giggling.

"Say… Did you come for a visit or something? You definitely don't sound like a native." Ayane was curious. 

"Hahaha… You are both right and wrong. See, Kurohashi is actually my hometown but I migrated to Australia with my dad and have lived there since." Shouichi explained, nonchalantly 

"What happened to that?" Ayane asked. 

"Well… My Dad passed… There was no one else to take care of me." Shouichi replied with a flat tone. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

"Sorry… Did I hit a sore spot?" Ayane added and reached out her hand to pat Shouichi's shoulder gently. 

"From now on, Mommy will take care of you, Shouichi-kun. Do not worry." Yoko cheered him up with a big smile. Her smile was so sweet, Shouichi couldn't feel any happier. 

"On the bright side! Will you also start school at Seihei next week, right?" Ayane's eyes lit up with a dark violet hue. 

"That's right. What about you?" Shouichi responded. 

"Same! Sorry for the late intro. I'm Morimura Ayane from Class 2-1!" Ayane finally opened up with a big smile. "Damn… When she's nice, she's so cute!" Shouichi blushed internally. 

"Oh dear! Isn't that also your class?" Yoko asked with excitement in her voice. Shouichi nodded in response. At the same time, Ayane was surprised that they were roughly the same age.

"Please take care of my son… Ayane-chan." Yoko pleaded with a slight bow out of the blue. 

"Mom!" Shouichi quickly retorted. 

"Please don't bow to me like that, Yoko-san… I guess I'll try my best…" Ayane responded with slight embarrassment. The cute foxy girl glanced into Shouichi's eyes for a few seconds then looked away. 

"Sorry about your book, the Lady Killer, that book is such an intensive and interesting one. I'll lend it to you when I've finished." Ayane confessed.

"Now, she's being nice to me because my Mom tells her." Shouichi reflected internally.

The three of them continued chatting for a while inside the closed Yoko Sweet Shop. Shouichi felt a stronger bond forming with both ladies.

***

When the sun began to set, Ayane bid them goodbye and left the store. Meanwhile, Shouichi was helping his mother, cleaning the store and stacking chairs on tables. 

"It's so nice to have a strong man to help around the store. Fufufu." Yoko complimented her son and chuckled, cupping her lips endearingly. 

"No worry, Mom. " Shouichi responded. 

"Now, now. Rest here for a bit, I'm gonna get my stuff in the back." Yoko said and disappeared for a long time. 

While Shouichi was standing idly, checking his smartphones, 'Eh?!" Suddenly, Yoko's arms reached out of both sides from the rear, startling him. 

"Tada!" Yoko exclaimed with excitement as she held out a measurement tape with a cunning grin. 

"Haha, did I startle you? Now stand still while I measure your size. Starting from the waist." Yoko added while wrapping a tape around her son gently before he could even reply.

"Oh! I remember what you said about the uniform this morning." Shouichi said with slight embarrassment in his voice as he was taken aback a little. Yoko was standing strangely close, he could feel her body pressed against him while she was working on her precise evaluation of his physique.

"Yoko-san really has no concept of personal boundaries. But who could blame her? To her, she probably thought I was still a 5-year-old." He thought to himself. 

It took Yoko a few tries to read out the measurements required for the uniform. 

"Woah! I didn't realise you are a fit young man. Fufufu," She giggled as she intrusively rubbed his refined abdominal muscles.

"Mom! Stop it! It's tickling! Haha!" Shouichi responded with a yelp and let out a soft laugh. 

"Say… Back in Australia, did you play sports or something?" Yoko questioned him curiously. 

"Oh right. I was in a footy club, umm, like rugby?" He explained while blushing slightly. 

"I see, I see. That explains why you're so energetic and athletic, Shouichi-kun," Yoko remarked with a gentle smile. Soon after, the mother and son filled the store with joyous chatter and laughter, making up for the moments they had lost during their time apart.