All of this explained why Misa found the behaviour of the lady across from her so disgraceful, and why she sympathized with the young woman who had moved on to the next carriage.
What a waste of a nice handbag, the woman had whispered to Misa as she sashayed off.
The university Misa attended was mediocre and her grades were nothing to write home about. Back when she’d been studying for her entrance exams, a friend who was a better student had helped her prepare and Misa had passed by the skin of her teeth.
She would probably have to wait until she graduated and got a job in order to afford any one of the designer handbags the older ladies balanced so casually on their knees. And even then, only if she scrimped and saved and used her bonus.
For now, Misa took small pride in the fact that she would never act in such a way that she would be lumped in with the likes of the bag-tosser.
Come to think of it, I owe a certain debt of gratitude to strangers.
She shuddered to recall, but that had also been the case with her ex-boyfriend Katsuya, whom she’d finally broken up with six months ago.
‘That good-for-nothing. Have you thought about getting rid of him? For all he puts you through.’
On that day, they’d been on their way to look for a place to move in together, but he’d got into a huff about something trivial, and when she’d tried to apologize and smooth things over (even though now, she still didn’t think she’d been in the wrong), he’d shaken her off and gone to the racetrack. He’d brushed her off with such force that she’d almost fallen over, and yet Katsuya hadn’t even turned round, he’d just headed straight for the ticket gate.
She’d been sick and tired of it.
She’d become so used to being treated like that all the time, she’d stopped feeling sad about it.
Disappointment. Despair. Futility.
The elderly lady who just happened to be on the train had gently pointed out to Misa that those things were all that was left in her relationship with Katsuya.
She’d been right. He was a good-for-nothing, wasn’t he? Misa had finally come to her senses and been able to admit it.
He’d started an argument with her over something trivial. That sort of thing used to happen all the time.
But despite his irritability and aggressive threats, kicking the train door in public was not typical behaviour. Definitely not.
And although she had grown accustomed to his moodiness, she had no longer questioned him about it. That would have only stoked his anger.
But when people looked disapprovingly at Katsuya, she too became the object of their reproachful glances.
He was a good-for-nothing.
Dodged that one, she sighed to herself with relief.
But even their breakup had been filled with drama. He’d stalked her at home repeatedly. Had he been the one to break up with Misa, things might have been fine, but apparently Katsuya couldn’t stand the idea that he’d been the one who got dumped (and by the likes of Misa, no less).
He’d show up late at night, ranting and raving at her front door, and Misa, concerned about her neighbours, would allow him in. And then he would hit her.
She would take the bare necessities with her and crash with various friends, avoiding her own apartment for days on end. This must have gone on for almost six months.
She hadn’t wanted her family to find out what she was dealing with. She already lived on her own and hadn’t wanted to cause them any more worry.
She’d even tried going to the police, but the male officer hadn’t shown much concern. Misa had gone to the station on her way home from university, but when she gave him her address, the officer had brushed her off, saying she was under another precinct’s jurisdiction.
He’d also told her there was nothing they could do without evidence. When she asked what kind of evidence, he’d said she needed a certificate from a doctor or something like that. Of course she hadn’t had the wherewithal to go to the hospital for a medical report every time Katsuya had hit her.
She had, in fact, taken photos of the aftermath with her mobile phone, but Katsuya had found them and deleted them all – and hit her once more. ‘Do that again and next time’ll be even worse.’
Misa had thought she could take care of this herself, but in the end she turned to Mayumi’s older brother for help. A strapping varsity guy, he was vice-captain of his university’s karate team and Misa had known him forever.
‘Misa-chan is my beloved little sister’s best friend.’
Katsuya had been summoned to a café in Umeda where the four of them were sitting – Mayumi’s brother Kengo, Mayumi and Misa – with Katsuya basically cornered.
Misa sat the furthest from Katsuya, and Mayumi took it upon herself to glare at him scathingly. Kengo sat directly opposite Katsuya, projecting a calm, fierce smile.
‘She’s also like a sister to me. So I don’t want you giving her a hard time – you get me?’
Katsuya was the type of guy who only picked on someone smaller than himself, so he was cowed by Kengo from the first move.
‘I … I wasn’t trying to give her a hard time … she’s my girlfriend and, this is just another one of our fights.’
‘Misa-chan already told you she wants to break up with you. Isn’t that right, Misa-chan?’
Misa nodded. ‘I want to break up. I’m done with him hitting me. And with him shouting and yelling in front of my apartment.’
Kengo’s arms had been crossed on the table, and he seemed to suddenly swell up even more in size. Katsuya, sensing how Kengo was filling with rage, trembled visibly.
‘So you’ll leave her alone, right?’ Kengo’s tone made it clear that this wasn’t a request. ‘If you have any objections, come see me on campus anytime. Stop by the karate dojo and ask for the vice-captain. Or I can give you my mobile number, if you like.’
Katsuya shook his head, looking panicked.
‘Well then, as proof that you’re now broken up, why don’t you delete Misa-chan from your phone contacts right here and now? You do the same, Misa-chan.’
‘Actually,’ Mayumi piped up, ‘it’s better for Misa to block his calls from her phone. Nowadays nobody remembers what anyone’s actual number is, so if he were to call her, she might accidentally answer, without realizing it’s him.’
‘If anything like that were to happen, I’d be there right away. But if it makes you feel safer, Misa …’
Katsuya, rendered practically speechless, proceeded to delete Misa’s contact from his phone.
After they’d sent Katsuya on his way, Mayumi turned to Misa with a savage look. ‘How could you let things get to this point without saying anything?!’
‘I’m so sorry! I didn’t want you to worry, and you still live at home … I was afraid my parents might find out about it. And to ask you to come – well, it’s far away and so much trouble …’
‘It’s only Sayama! Anyway, it wouldn’t matter how far, I’d come from anywhere! And don’t forget that the giant demon god Daimajin lives in Osaka – you could’ve used him to ward off that jerk!’
‘Hey, are you calling your beloved older brother a giant demon god? That’s gonna cost you.’
Mayumi blew a raspberry at her brother as she covered her forehead and swivelled away from him. ‘Don’t overreact – does that really merit a forehead flick?’
‘It’s not as if my forehead flicks are lethal – get real!’
Misa was an only child and had always been jealous of their big brother–little sister fights. It had been a long time since she’d seen these two together, and the sight of them at it again made her well up with laughter.
And then with tears.
‘I really have to thank you both so much for today. This has been such a mess, I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.’