I surrendered my mind to these thoughts as I walked on, and eventually I found myself in front of the university’s Data Processing Center. I felt a sudden, sharp gaze from the shadows, and the words evil eye floated to mind.
As mentioned earlier, I’ll occasionally become aware of intense scrutiny focused upon me when I’m lost in thought. This time, I boldly glared back at the darkness, my own eyes blazing. I wouldn’t stand to have my contemplations interrupted any further.
After a few moments spent scanning the darkness, I noticed several youths were loitering near the entrance of the dark building. All were staring at me.
I felt a wave of panic. I’d only intended to repulse the evil eye with my own storm of fury, but it seemed the youths believed I’d given them the stink eye. I began to blink rapidly as I walked by, feigning innocence.
But as I passed, the youths came toward me. They followed, wordless, fanning out and catching pace until they lined both my sides.
They just happen to be headed in the same direction, I reassured myself.
By nature, I prefer to walk alone. I certainly find no joy in leisurely sauntering abreast men I do not know. Hoping to shake them off and return to my beloved solitude, I hastened my gait. But for some inexplicable reason, they, too, began to walk faster, such that the relative distance between us remained unchanged.
I briefly considered turning and demanding that they state their intentions, but I suspected they would likely reply in the nonchalant fashion of a yakuza or other social miscreant. Something along the lines of, Hey, man. We’re just walking! So I held my tongue. Demanding that they state their intentions would most likely bring the situation to a head.
Lips tight, I further quickened my pace. The strategy continued to fail. I began to feel suffocated, as if a great black garbage bag had descended over my head. There were four of them, and they appeared to be of high school or perhaps college age. I hadn’t had a chance to observe their faces closely, so I had no detailed impression. Either way, the feel of their four huge, shadowy bodies lurking closely at my sides was most unpleasant.
I passed through the campus gate and into the surrounding residential neighborhood, my unwanted entourage still in tow. I concluded that these four must be some of the fabled Kyoto University student hunters. In recent years, I’d heard tell of students attacked on campus late at night. I’d assumed those were nothing more than rumors.
In the city, there had been sprees of assaults on the homeless or on middle-aged men. Apparently, the waves of this fad had finally made their way into the university.
Honestly, I would think there are many other, better forms of entertainment. But I suppose I only thought so because I was the prey. Protesting their actions would be akin to a zebra admonishing a lion in hot pursuit to eat more vegetables instead.
To the hunters, my qualms were irrelevant. If anything, the injustice of the situation only heightened their thrill. Only in the worlds of boys’ comics and a select few competitive sports do people still rejoice in challenging those stronger than themselves. In the real world, humans toy with the weak and derive unparalleled delight from the process.
Still, swallowing that harsh pill did little to ease my agony in the present, hunted as I was. I needed to come up with a plan.
Technically speaking, I wasn’t even a current student. I was on hiatus! The least these fellows could do was wait until I’d formally resumed my studies. Unfortunately, they didn’t seem the type to be swayed by logic.
Worse yet, I knew the present contents of my wallet added up to five hundred and fifty yen, a sum unlikely to secure my safe passage. In fact, if the ruffians were willing to leave me be for a measly five hundred and fifty yen, I would’ve refused for the sake of my pride. But that was beside the point. No amount of money was going to convince them to abandon the hunt. Once they caught me, they’d be free to empty my pockets anyway. I suppose there’s a lesson in that: If you’re going to be hunted, it’s better to be broke than loaded.
At any rate, this meant that plotting an escape was a far more productive use of my time.
Once we reached the quiet of Shiga Pass, I executed my well-honed sidestepping technique, slipped free of their encirclement, and vanished into an alleyway stretching off to my right.
It was a very narrow alley, eaves pressing in on both sides. Consequently, it was difficult to surmise exactly where it might lead. But logically, I knew it had to connect to the vast network of tiny alleys that permeated the area. There was a chance I’d lose my pursuers if I ran for all I was worth—so I did.
As I fled, I kicked over several potted plants decorating the entryways of houses. A sudden guilt flooded me—what if it was a coincidence, and the idea that these four men were out to get me was just another product of my excitable imagination? I flicked a quick glance over my shoulder and was relieved to find all four barreling down the alley, a black whirlwind hot on my heels.
One of my pursuers tripped on a potted plant. He went crashing to the ground, causing the others behind him to stumble and crash as well. They lay in a heap, and I heard a series of growls and curses accompany the unmistakable clatter of broken pottery.
Without thinking, I voiced my exultation. This was met with more enraged curses and threats on my life. Celebration was clearly premature.
I doubted the men would actually kill me, but then again, anything was possible in the heat of the moment. If they got caught up and murdered me, no amount of complaint or criticism would bring me back to life.
I grabbed another nearby potted plant and hurled it in their general direction, then sprinted off again. Do mind, dear readers, that my flight wasn’t fueled by cowardice. If anything, I was thinking of my assailants’ welfare. I didn’t want them to commit unintentional murder and have to suffer the attending consequences. That was why I was fleeing. This was not cowardice; it was mercy.
I hadn’t exercised so vigorously in quite some time, and already I was sweating profusely. I glanced up at the thin ribbon of night sky visible above the narrow alleyway. It was clear and filled with stars. My breath pulsed in hot, concentrated bursts. I wondered why the residents here kept so many damn pots outside.