Kazoku Futarikiri had never placed much value in labels - fat, skinny, loud, quiet, nice, mean. All they were good for was dehumanizing someone, trimming their existence down to a few adjectives.
But she was pretty sure she was a bad person.
Steal...
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Another day passed and my mind kept wandering back to the fact that I go to the same school as the guy I pick pocketed. The real question was how I didn't know that before. We were in the same year after all and I'd gone to that school my whole life.
It was true I was never too interested in people outside of my class, hardly even the people in my class. It was just harder to avoid them.
My thoughts may have been the reason I was getting my ass kicked more than usual. Nikko was winning easily in today's choice of board game, Chess. Not his usual pick where he could screw over the other person, but still one of his favorites because he could show how smart and strategic he is.
I was never much of a Chess player, Nikko kept having to remind me what each piece did. He wouldn't give me any more advice than that, however. I could tell when I was about to make a bad move, though, because a devious chuckle would escape his lips each time without fail.
"The horse...." I trailed off, my eyes traveling up to Nikko who raised an unamused eyebrow.
"I've told you like ten times," he reminded. "Is it really that hard to remember?"
"Yeah," I answered, glancing around the board. "I know the queen can move pretty much every way. I know the castle-"
"Rook," Nikko corrected, "And the horse can be moved in an L shape. Just like an L should be on your forehead."
"Because I'm a loser?" It was my turn to raise an eyebrow as I looked at Nikko who had a shit-eating grin on his face.
"No, because you're lovable," he corrected, a warm feeling spread across my chest. "You clearly have some low expectations for me."
"Sorry, Bud-" I began my apology but his bellow cut me off.
"Just kidding!" He yelled before toning down his voice a bit to deliver his next sentence. "It's because you're lame."
A knock sounded at the door, "I'll go get that," I told him.
"I know you're in there!" A shrill voice sounded as the knocks only grew louder. "I can hear both of you!"
"I'm coming, Mrs. Suzuki!" I promised as annoyance grew in my gut. I turned to Nikko before I opened the door, "Hopefully she'll invite you over for dinner."
