I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Shihu has been acting strange lately.
Really strange.

When we’re not playing together, he always disappears somewhere.
And the drugs.
He gives me drugs I don’t know where he got them from.

Something feels off, but Shihu says nothing’s wrong.
Every time he smiles brightly, his face looks like he’s guilty.
I don’t really understand why he’s lost his smile.

It’s bedtime.
I’ve been sleeping a lot lately.
It’s strange.
But Shihu says nothing’s wrong.

"Shihu?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren’t you going to sleep with me?"

"Ah, yeah..."

I wonder if I've grown a bit since we slept together.
I don’t even know why I’ve changed.
But I’ve grown taller, apparently.
It’s a phenomenon I don’t understand.
I really don’t get it.

"Why?"

"I have something to do. Sleep well."

"Okay."

Shihu turns off the light and leaves.
Going outside again.
What’s he going to do?
Should I follow him?

"...Don’t follow me."

"Okay..."

I have to listen to Shihu.
I have to.
Otherwise, I feel like he’d be sad.

I pull the blanket over me and bury myself deep in it.
There was a bandage that used to cover my scars and wounds.
But at some point, it's gone.

I don’t understand.
Did the drug heal it?
But Shihu said everything was fine, so it must be that.

"...This is weird."

I feel like a leftover piece of cake.
Ah, I want cake.
I’ve had it once before.

It was a piece of birthday cake someone gave me when I was in the shelter.

It was so good that I said it was my birthday the next day to get more, but they said that was a lie.
Why?
It must’ve been someone’s birthday that day too.@@novelbin@@