French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 87: -Kazuya- Hope and Bullsh*t

"My god, I can't take this anymore." Hanako was massaging his temples in an irritated manner, interrupting Nikki for the millionth time. "You don't know that it was anyone from the hotel. You're too drunk for this. Clear your mind for a second. It could have been anyone. Give me one shred of evidence that it was them. Entertain me. I have no more capacity for drama. Do you see Chidori here? Do you? No. She went back to Hokkaido. She's with her mom. I had to deal with that. Who else's wife got so traumatized that she doesn't want to come back? Show of hands? Good."

His whole usual demeanor was gone. It's as if it had vanished. It was behind that wall of before, wisped away and not here in the after. 

"You need a drink," Nikki said. "Here, it-"

"I DO NOT NEED A DRINK," Hanako roared. "You kids think that'll take everything away! I know I'm barely four years older than you, but maybe that is a wide gap!"

"Tch, whatever." Nikki popped opened the can he'd been offering. 

Miyuki shook her head for probably the millionth time. She was younger like us, but clearly one of the more mature ones in the room. "We do have evidence. It's been building up. You weren't here for the beginning of it. You didn't see it. How do we know it was people from the hotel? From the people who've been doing this. They kept coming into our shops. Making trouble. Almost like it was on purpose. For what reason? There's no other reason that I can think of other than that we're LGBTQ."

"I can think of a reason," Hanako snapped. This was the most infuriated I'd ever seen him, and I was wisely keeping my mouth shut. What would I have to say, anyway? I had nothing to bring to this fight. I didn't want to fight. I was hoping we'd be able to be together in solidarity, gathering in Nikki's apartment like always, be a comfort to each other. How wrong I was. We were more divided than crooked politicians. He went on. "Maybe, I don't know, they're rich and self involved?! Did you both ever think of that? That they don't care about you or me, and they want to get what they want?! That all of these incidents aren't connected? I heard about them from everybody. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out!"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Miyuki shot back. "A self involved person would do this! Someone who doesn't like us! You were there for Zombie Walk! Chidori took that video! You showed it to us! People from the hotel were clearly going after people wearing rainbows! One of them took a Pride flag from someone's shoulders! That was an attack!"

"Oh my god, I don't want to be involved. This childish- I can't do this anymore. Chidori left. I should have gone with her. I can't do this. I just can't." His hands went over his face, his elbows on the counter. My hand found the place between his shoulder blades and he didn't shove me away. It was these words that let me know his hurt. Being vulnerable instead of angry. He breathed in, a long one. I felt it all. "Why does it matter if I side with you? What would that possibly help? You don't need to convince me. I was there. I was closer to the device than any of you. That's why Chidori freaked out. She wanted us to get out of there, but I couldn't protect her. I should have gone with her. She wanted us to leave. I should have left with her to Hokkaido. I don't need this bullshit."

"Damn, then why are you here? If you want to be a coward, then you can-" 

Miyuki hissed at Nikki to shut up. He really was too drunk. This was Hanako he was speaking to. Had he lost his senses? 

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, kiddo," Hanako growled. His hands slipped under the counter and went into fists, making my heart jump in his seriousness. A burning of fear. 

Look what this was doing to us. Turning us against one another. Weren't we supposed to be joining together? Where was our sense of community? I hadn't heard a single thing from anyone else in our community about this. It was as if they'd scattered to the wind. And it was true, at least one of us had. Chidori was in Hokkaido, but I didn't blame her. If I had that choice, would I take it? To be as far away from here as possible? Did she feel safe?