Short Story | A Shot

By Eddlynn Jennifer Mangaoang

Please do not repost or copy to another site. Thank you. Enjoy reading.

Trigger Warning! <Slut Shaming>

    "Remember when we were in a crunch and you suddenly shot and scored a three-pointer?" Kintaro did not remember. Instead of answering, he sipped his beer. Kintaro may not remember that particular shot, but he remembered that their team lost in his last season. Afterward, senior year was all about studying, eight p.m. cram school, and dozens of mock exams before taking the Sentā Shiken for college admission. 

    

    "Hey, hey," Niji bumped Kintaro's shoulder and leaned in with a whisper, "Did you know Fukuyama got Satou pregnant after she got admitted to Waseda?"

    "Fukuyama? Flower boy Fukuyama?" Kintaro met Fukuyama's eyes all the way from the other end of the four tables they put together for a class reunion, the first time after ten years of not talking to one another. He nodded at the man whose face the size of four palms, with a double chin, no neck, and sunken eyes. Fukuyama fell so low and he could see the shame behind his eyes.

    "Yeah, man," Niji gulped his own beer, took a handful of kaki-p nuts from the bowl in front of him, and shoved it in his mouth. "Like, not only Satou. He also got Tsukishima pregnant!"

    "How was your own daughter? Sayumi-chan, isn't it?" Kintaro shifted away from Niji. "She's already four years old, right?"

    "Right, right. My little lady! Sayumi-chan will attend kindergarten soon." Kintaro noticed his mood dropping. He met Sayumi-chan and Niji's wide, Nishijima-san, when the family made a trip to Tokyo last summer. Kintaro visited one of their company's outlets in Shibuya to get the bi-annual report from the outlet's manager and talk about the main HQ's changes in rules and regulations as well as funding. Niji called out to him with his right hand up in the air and a wide grin on his face when he saw Kintaro exited the manager's office, enthusiastically introducing his wife and daughter to him. Kintaro would have joined them in dinner, but he had to go back to the company and turn in the report and finish another report on sales and marketing strategies. He remembered buying a pink stylish backpack for Sayumi-chan and a faux crocodile skin purse for Nishijima-san, then hurriedly said goodbyes. That was when he learned about the class reunion from Niji who asked for his email address and added him in the class group chat without asking for his permission.

    So, he had to show up. "Aiya-," a woman's voice rang loudly across him. "Sayumi-chan has to go to kindergarten, ne. Ufufufufu. Niji-san, you're so lucky to have such a beautiful growing daughter."

    "Ah, shut up, Saionji-san. I'm not asking for your opinion," Niji had a pained expression on his face.

    "Well, who told you to marry a fisherman's daughter," she laughingly mocked. Her eyebrow almost touched her hairline and her nose up in the air. If Kintaro remembered correctly, Niji and Saionji-san were in an on-and-off relationship throughout their high school. Kintaro also raised his eyebrow. How curious. 

    "Saionji," Niji gritted his teeth. "At least Nishijima-san doesn't open her legs to anyone as long as they have bucks in them like you do!"

    Saionji-san threw the plate of kaki-p at Niji. "How dare you!" 

    "Oh, I dare, you slutty onna!" Niji abruptly stood while his right hand flew toward Saionji-san's face. Alarmed, Kintaro blocked the assault with his left hand, thankful that he had taken self-defense in college. "Don't stop me, Tanaka-san. That bitch wouldn't stop yapping since I came here. Let me at her!"

    "Calm down, Niji-san. Don't shout at her like this." Kintaro turned to Saionji-san. Other men came and helped Kintaro hold onto Niji, while several women stood next to Saionji trying to calm her down as well. "Saionji-san, please, stop egging Niji-san."

    "Ha! Egging him? How dare he call me a slut?" She glared at Niji. Her eyes were red and she looked pale. The hand pointing at Niji was trembling and the other fisted, her nails digging at her palm.

    "You're a hostess working at the back alley living lasciviously while parading different men in your posh car around our town in the middle of the day, all giggly and loud. Why won't I call you a slut, huh? Aren't you one for being a prostitute?" Niji hmphed and sat back down.

    "Saionji-san, please," but the girls couldn't stop Saionji-san from scratching Niji's face with her sharp slap and pointy fingernails.

    "You're just jealous because your wife is ugly and you're dirt poor. I bet you can't even provide Sayumi-chan new school materials for the upcoming kindergarten," Saionji smugly crossed her arms beneath her perky breasts, her sweet jasmine perfume overpowered the cigarette smoke in the restaurant for a second. "I'm right, arent's I? You wish you've chosen me then you wouldn't have to think about money problems."

    "I would've never chosen you under any circumstances," Niji gritted his teeth. "I'm not gonna choose someone who cheated on me under my nose!"

    "We're in an open relationship!"

    A waiter came in to tell them to "please keep quiet" and that they're "disturbing other guests."

    "Says who? You?" Niji abruptly stood and left, putting a couple of cash on the table. After doing the same, Kintaro snatched his jacket and walked after him.

    "Niji-san! Wait!" Niji was standing below the dim lamppost, eyes tightly closed and silent tears streaming down his chin.