I am Not a Doll

I

Haruko sneered. Everything about Basho made her want to vomit. But his charm had strange effects on women.

Well, not all women.

Clare never was impressed with him. She would just give him a flat expression. Lucky her.

Basho snored and scratched himself on the couch. Haruko wrinkled her nose. He had to go.

II

Haruko’s phone buzzed in her pocket.

“Hello?” she whispered.

“Nee-san?” Kohaku asked on the other line. Haruko stood up straight.

“Kohaku?” she asked. She looked over at the couch. Basho turned over on his side. Haruko looked around for a moment. Then she disappeared down the hall.

“Where are you? Are you okay?” she asked. There was a pause on the other line.

“Hello? Are you still there? Kohaku? Speak to me. Hello? Hello?”

“I’m fine,” Kohaku said.

“But where are you?” Haruko asked.

“Goodbye,” her sister said. She hung up before Haruko could speak.

“Kohaku!” she shouted. The woman stared at her phone.

III

There’s the snoring again. Haruko clicked her tongue. How many years had it been?

Too damn long.

She clenched her fist. This was unacceptable. This wasn’t fair. Her life seemed to be doing well. She just got promoted. She got in contact with friends from high school Haruko had moved into a new place. Everything was going right.

Basho…

Haruka looked into the living room.

“Why are you still with him?” her friend, Yumi asked the other day. Haruko frowned. Why did she stay? It made no sense.

But she still didn’t leave. It didn’t make sense.

IV

No more of this shit! Haruko stiffened and marched back into the living room. Basho lay on his back asleep like a dog. Seeing him pissed her off.

Smack!

“Get up!” Haruko barked.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Basho finally woke up. He sat up and saw Haruko frowning at him.

“Wha?” Basho asked. She wasn’t going to back down.

“Get out. I’m leaving you,” she said. Basho blinked.

“Huh?” he asked. Haruko pulled him off the couch.

“What?!” Basho asked. Shoved him to the front door.

“Haruko-chan?” he asked. She started walking around the apartment. It didn’t take long to get his things. Haruko threw them at his feet.

“Don’t ever talk or call me again!” she said. She slammed the door in his face.

God, that felt good.

V

Now what?

Haruko pulled out her phone. No new calls or texts. She deleted Basho’s number. Next came his email address. There. That was easy.

Now what?

Her phone rang.

“Hello?” Haruko asked.

“This the Odaiba Police Department,” a man said on the other line. “Are you Tenshin Haruko?” Her face dropped.

“Oh…” she said.