And I Wondered Why It Burned ♣Part 5 'Interlude' ♣
11/25/11
It was morning when it had happened.
Mrs. Kida was making breakfast when none other than her friend Hiromi (Mrs. Ryuugamine) came bolting through her door with child in hand. Both guests were crying in front of her, but not out of sadness. For joy. The tears came out in Goliath proportions and the housewife in her apron offered tissues and pats on the back. What could have possibly brought this up?
Ryuugamine Mikado at the age of seven could see.
After subduing her emotions, Hiromi explained over a pile of pancakes what had happened. She was doing the laundry when her son had started running towards her. He pointed to his eyes and seemed frazzled. She didn't know what to make of it and continued to set more clothes with pins. This only made him hold on to his mother's long dress and begin pulling the hems. She was a little confused,and a little worried but she really just had no clue on what was going on with her son.
" Mikado..what is it?"
Mikado pointed to his eyes again.
" I don't understand...do they hurt?"
Mikado seemed frustrated and stared at his mother. As if in a bolt of lightning had struck her, his mother widened her eyes. Usually when her son would cling to her, he never looked at her face; he always looked away and nodded when asked questions(( but never in her direction)).
The basket of laundry fell on the floor.
"Mikado-kun...can you see?Oh, my gosh! Mikado-kun!"
Mikado nodded as his mother held him and started to sniffle a bit.
Mrs. Kida had tears forming at the corner of her eyes as she began to dab it with a piece of tissue paper. She had a smile on her face and beamed at her friend.
" I-I'm so happy...Mikado-kun's life will be so much easier now!" Mrs. Kida's tears started to pour out of her and she began to call out Masaomi . " Masaomi! Masaomi! Come quickly! Honestly, that boy always sleeps in late on Sundays."
"What is it Mom?" The boy had on his pajamas and bed hair. "Oh ,Mikado what's up?" At the sight of his friend, Masaomi immediately brightened and bounced toward the seat closest to him.
"Masaomi...Mikado-kun can see now!"
"What!" Masaomi's eyes were big as saucers. When did this happen? It all seemed so sudden, and why wasn't he there when this took place?He looked at Mikado with disbelief and noticed his eyes did seem different, they had a glimmer in them that wasn't there before.
"Can you talk now too?"
Mikado looked at the floor and shook his head. He seemed frightened(( and a little ashamed)). He noticed that the floor had small little designs and cracks in them, he wondered why no one looked at them since they were fascinating. Actually ,he thought that maybe they were all used to the beauty that was around them. That maybe they took their sight for granted. And that was sad.
" I guess...he has never seen other humans before...to anyone that would be frightening wouldn't it? Everything is new to him."
It felt like a dream.
Mikado now understood more clearly the colors that were explained to him that one time in recess, he understood everything much better. 'So this is how the world looks like.' he thought. He looked outside the window and saw the green fields sway through the soft breeze. ' It's pretty.'
Masaomi smiled at him and scooted closer.
"I'm Masaomi! Do you remember me?" Small hands were placed on the blond boy's face and soon placed on his hair as he was petted softly by the other.
Both women chuckled.
"He 's probably curious about your blond hair. I wonder what he'll do when he sees your father."
"Did someone call me?"
An elder blond man sat at the table greeting the two guests. He had a newspaper on his hands and sat down with a hearty chuckle. He smiled at everyone and ruffled Masaomi's hair.
"Dear, Mikado gained the gift of sight! Can you believe it?"
The man seemed to widen his eyes(( just like the others had)) , and stared at Mikado for a while. He proceeded to pat the child on his head.
" Atta, boy Mikado-kun. We all knew you can do it! Now we can teach you how to play catch with Masaomi!"
He didn't know what 'catch' was , or more than half of what the others were saying and the things around him. The only thing he did know was that the warmth around him seemed to glow, and the feelings he had for everyone around this table were genuine. Mikado knew that he never wished to be in that darkness again.
Hiromi felt like her son was reborn. She had to teach him from the start on how to do certain things on his own. Like how to bathe and how to eat correctly with chopsticks and knives and forks. She was relieved, that the boy didn't even once complain about housework and even asked to do them for her. She wondered if he liked to do so because the longest he couldn't do anything for himself. Maybe this was a way he thought to repay everyone for their kindness? If so, she was glad to have him as a son.
Usually, Masaomi would knock on the window near the kitchen. Why he never knocked on the front door was a mystery to her but she accepted it as one of his quirks. She decided that if anyone should protect her child, it should be Masaomi.
" Masaomi, take good care of him alright?"
Masaomi turned around as he held Mikado's hand.
" I promise!"
What a thing to say.
"That's a bike, and that's a sponge, and that's my favorite toy car and-"
Masaomi turned around to see his friend crying ,blinking repeatedly and straining his eyes outward.
" Mikado-kun! Mikado-kun! Do I need to get an adult?"
Mikado was terrified of blinking. He thought the moment he did so, he would return to the way he was before. That he would return to the nothingness that he saw before. It didn't bother him much when he had no sight, but that was only when he didn't know what he was missing. He even started to develop a severe case of insomnia for a few days, and worried his mother sick of what would become of him.
She didn't know what to do and she decided to invite Masaomi for a sleepover. Perhaps what her son needed was companionship and a nice long talk with someone his age to ease his worries. On a Friday, Masaomi arrived at their windowsill with his sleeping attire and a bag with some of his favorite toys.
The sleepover began like any normal one, games , snacks and late night television. The two boys decided to sleep on the couch((since it was right in front of the television and right near the kitchen)) but when it was time to go to bed, Mikado had began to cry. Tears spilled down his checks and even though no sound came out it bothered Masaomi to no end. He hated to see others cry and started to pat Mikado's head.
" C-come on Mikado, " Masaomi whispered through the darkness. "Only girls cry."
He didn't succeed in making Mikado stop crying, but he did succeed in realizing the true reason why his friend was acting so strange. He felt an incredible sadness not suitable for a child his age and he sat up straight facing Mikado.
"Hey, Mikado...nothing is going to happen to you...I'll protect you, ok? Your mom told me to. And if I can't your mom will, and If she can't Kasuka's there. I bet you that he's protecting you from far away and we can't even tell! I mean, remember that time that guy was beating you up after school? Fung something? That Chinese exchange student? I wasn't there after school cause I had to go to an dentist appointment but who was there?"
Silence.
" Kasuka , that's who! He came right after and chased those guys with his little brother, well that's what I heard anyway, but ...what I mean is... That you don't have to be scared of the darkness, I mean, we'll always be here. And..and.."
Masaomi didn't know what he was saying anymore.
" I can only hope you'll listen to me."
It was silent for a moment, and in a couple of minutes Mikado had fallen asleep next to Masaomi's side. The blond child was rubbing his watery eyes and glad he was able to sleep. He just needed a glass of water and tiptoed into the kitchen for it.
Mikado's mother was on the table, looking at him while she drank her coffee and said.
" Thanks for keeping the hope alive. We're going to need it."
He would soon find out what she would mean. He turned around ,walking sleepily toward the sofa as Mikado's mother began taking her capsule medication.
When Mikado saw Kasuka for the first time, he was timid at first but quickly became closer to him. In fact it was way quicker , and adjusted to him faster than he did with Masaomi. Kasuka was quiet and gentle , everything Mikado liked and admired. Kasuka was also music savvy, and had different records from all around the world, he also had many interesting picture books, in short, Kasuka was everything that the arts had to offer.
When asked when the trio could have a play date at his house, Kasuka always said 'no', when asked roughly by Masaomi he said that he had a little brother and he was very shy with strangers. He would wait until he was a bit older and then, they could come anytime they liked.
One day, Mikado pointed toward Kasuka's back pack that contained painting utensils at the moment.
"Do you want me to show you how to paint?"
Mikado nodded.
" What would you like to paint?"
Mikado pointed toward some flowers on the field.
At that gesture, Kasuka stood up and gave Mikado a hug and didn't let go for a long while.
Mikado no longer needed to be constantly cared for and he seemed joyed at the prospect of doing things for himself. He was also placed out of the special needs class, since his handicap was his only issue, not his mind. The children around him accepted him much easier than before, and was even asked to take part in some of the games. Of course some of the children still bullied him, but that was life. He was happy.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if the price to pay for getting his sight back was his mother's health. She was always tired and sick, and spent days on end without cleaning her home. It became so bad that Mrs. Kida offered to be her cleaning lady for a while.
(( Mrs. Kida seemed to know something and she always looked like she was about to cry whenever she was with Mikado.))
At school he learned how to read and write, and by the age of eight he was already proficient. He loved words, and he loved to appreciate a good book, so Japanese became his favorite subject quite quickly. His second favorite subject was History. Mikado had become infatuated with the commanders and tacticians , how they used their minds to make decisions, how everyone relied on them and asked them for guidance.
The mute boy sought a way to communicate besides sign language, so he began to voice his thoughts through paper.
'Mrs. Kida why am I sleeping over at your house today?'
" Your mother is sleeping at the hospital today, she was ill. She'll be better tomorrow."
It was lunch time and the trio ate their lunch quietly(( actually only two of them, the loud blond boy was too busy cat calling girls)). Mikado took out a small notepad from his white shirt's breast pocket and began to write.
'Kida-kun where is my mother?'
Masaomi stopped waving and turned unusually serious, he faced the other direction.
"I don't know..my mom said I wasn't supposed to tell you."
" Masaomi..." Kasuka spoke quietly. He turned to Mikado and looked at him with a bored expression, although Mikado knew, that his expressions could be told by merely looking at his friend's eyes. Kasuka squeezed Mikado's hand under the lunch table. "Mikado, she is in the hospital. We already told you."
' Can I visit her?'
Masaomi got in between them, tearing their hands away in the process.
" I'll ask my mom when we get back ,ok? Hey, look at Keiko !I'm gonna ask her to be my girlfriend! Just watch me! Yoo-hoo! Baby cakes! I have a song just for you!Let's get -PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL!"
Mikado and Kasuka both placed their heads on the table's surface in annoyance. Not again. They both groaned.
The first day he visited his mother at the hospital Mikado dressed to impress. He was wearing knickerbockers and a small suit jacket alongside some nice brown shoes, the young boy wanted to look nice for his mommy.
It was unusual, since he wasn't greeted by his mother, but by a stern looking doctor. The man was young((he looked to be around his early twenties)) and Mikado remembered him as the person who constantly took his blood tests.
" My name is Awakusu Shiki," The adult faced Mikado while the young boy looked at his shoes. "I'm the doctor in charge of your mother's health. If you don't mind, I'd like to give you a small check up. Your mother has already given me the confirmation."
Mikado followed the doctor to a small room. The room was surprisingly colorful, and had a hint of infancy to it. The pediatrics room smelled of clear rubbing alcohol, but the most interesting thing in the room was a young dark haired girl sitting on one of the available chairs. She had a bland expression and didn't seem to be interested in the room nor in Mikado.
" Anri-chan," Shiki called. " Please wait for a moment outside."
The young girl obediently walked out, closing the door with a small 'click'.
Weeks became months, and in due time his mother earned a permanent place in the hospital. Mikado was currently living with Masaomi's family and his visits to the hospital became more frequent. Whatever his mother had was hereditary ,Shiki explained to him. He told him that they had to be careful and make sure Mikado's was under control . Curiosity got the best of the young boy, and asked what the mystery illness was called; Shiki changed the conversation and called Anri to play with him.
The stern doctor and the dark haired girl soon became an important part of Mikado's life quickly. Even though Shiki 's face was stern Mikado knew better. Being blind as a child gave him a very insightful sixth sense about things. Shiki's voice gave it away that underneath his rough exterior was a person that was very respectful. He was fair, but strict.((Even though Mikado heard something rougher in his voice, he merely pushed those thoughts away.)) Anri was much quieter, but when she would talk she sounded so lonely and scared. A lonely but kind person. The two of them became close friends quickly, and even went out and played in the lobby or even to the corner store buying snacks and games.
Mikado never told Shiki, but he saw the elder man as a father.
Sometimes Mikado stayed after just to watch him. Shiki in his desk writing and reading papers. He would stand by the door way and always clench his fists near the doorknob. He wondered what would happen if one day he walked across the room and told Shiki to play with him, or even worse, tell him what was on his mind . Like how he got beat up at school today, or that the other kids picked on him, and why was his mother sick, and how he didn't want her to end up like father did.
He didn't want to die.
In the small crack of the door to Shiki's office the world seemed so small, that crack made him feel like God, peaking onto the earth through the clouds. Mikado had never seen god, and for some reason wondered what was his name. When he couldn't figure it out , he then wondered if the world could be this small, the size of an office room.
On a Wednesday Kasuka, asked Mikado to go with him to a school audition for a play.
" Mikado-kun, I would like for you to accompany me..." Kasuka looked at him with the same expression he always had. Bland. However, his eyes were watery at the moment. " I feel...that if you're by my side I can do anything."
Masaomi snickered at them.
" What are you guys doing? Confessing your love or something?"
Mikado smiled but Kasuka crossed his hands and turned away. He was red.
When Mikado arrived on Thursday to the Hospital, Shiki was waiting for him at the lobby with a wrapped gift.
" Where were you on Wednesday? You weren't spying on me that day, where you too busy?"
Mikado had never been so embarrassed. He didn't know what to do and he turned his head anywhere, everywhere but Shiki!
The elder man placed a hand on the boy's chin , titling his head up.
"Mikado-kun, look at me."
The child had started to cry.
" Boy's shouldn't cry..." Shiki sighed, and placed a hand on Mikado's hair, ruffling it affectionately. The man started to gain a light blush on his cheeks and coughed. " I missed your company yesterday. It's really no trouble for me if you want to watch me work. Next time, I'll have a seat for you."
It just so happened that Shiki viewed Mikado as a son as well.
Their bond grew and grew, and on the afternoons their time consisted of visiting Mikado's mother, and sitting together quietly as the blinds on the windows filled the room in an ethereal glow. It was the days Mikado could never go back to.
"Mikado-kun, on weekends I teach a class of Aikido. It's a type of martial arts. A boy your age would enjoy it. Care to try?"
The boy agreed and on the upcoming Saturday was in a car with his idol. Shiki didn't drive with music and kept looking at his phone.
Mikado noticed that Shiki had three phones, he didn't know why adults would need three and reasoned that maybe it was because Shiki was rich. After all Shiki was a doctor. Maybe he had a phone for each of his emergencies?
When Mikado arrived at the gym , he attempted to dress in his Hakama. He had a hard time tying it, and before he could try another strategy , Shiki came up to him and fastened it. As he did so, the elder man explained to him what Aikido was, kneeling, to give the talk a much more personal approach.
"In Aikido we teach how to defend oneself while also protecting their attacker from injury. To save your own life, you need to think about the well being of others. You must be kind to everyone Mikado, because everyone is fighting a battle. Even though we cannot see it."
Mikado looked at Shiki's eyes and thought about it for a while. The elder man stood his ground and waited for whatever the young boy was about to do.
Mikado hugged him.
Shiki understood Mikado better that day.
Much better, especially after he and Mikado arrived at the Hospital that day in a rush. Shiki even crossed red street lights, his cellphones all ringing at the same time. As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Shiki began barking orders. Mikado had never seen Shiki so strict ,commanding everyone in arms reach, he had a face mask and utensils ready. He then saw that his mother was on a mat being rushed to the emergency room.
Later on that day, he didn't need to write what he felt on paper because you could clearly see it on his face. The tears were enough. He was crying for his dead mother.
Mikado was now 10 years old, and he was currently living with a stern uncle who lived at the edge of town. He would have to bear it until his grandparent's house were renovated before he could move in with them. His Uncle worked as a construction worker around town and was a very stereo typical macho man. When he saw how sheltered and feminine Mikado was raised he sought to change that. He called it 'toughening him up', what Mikado called it was 'torture'. Sometimes when he didn't meet his uncle's expectations he hit him, other times he sent him upstairs with no supper. His uncle did have good intentions, he thought by doing so his nephew would have the strength to speak-but all it did was close him up further.
Growing up Masaomi had wished Mikado's uncle dead so often. He imagined him getting run over by a car, he imagined one day he came over with a match and set his house on fire while Mikado cheered him on . He imagined some guy coming out of the television to beat the crap out of him. It was practically a hobby.
Once when he passed by, he saw Mikado cowering near the stove crying while his uncle had the belt in hand. He told his mother what he saw and sadly she said she couldn't do anything about it. She even sent her husband to try to talk to the man but all he received was a slammed door in his face. Nothing was said to his grandparents, since Mikado came personally and asked them not to. He didn't want to worry his sweet grandparents and honestly, he said, it wasn't that bad.
" Why are you always getting bruised, Mikado?" Shiki asked as he applied bandages on the side of Mikado's arms. His arms had purple splotches mixed with blue, and he hissed when touched. Anri was at the door eavesdropping and worried quietly as Shiki tended to Mikado's wounds. Mikado looked at the floor.
"You're not going to tell me?"
Mikado took out his notepad and wrote furiously, he flipped the pages and continued to write and once he was finished he placed it in front of Shiki's hands.
Shiki began to read it out loud , but as he read it he stopped and dropped the notebook at the floor. He looked at the young boy in front of him and slowly walked closer to him and enveloped him in a soft embrace. He patted his head, and said-
" You're a good boy Mikado-kun. If only I had the courage to also follow my advice."
Anri felt like she intruded in something private, but when she was about to take her leave from the door she noticed the notebook on the ground. She read the words but did not understand. On the note it had said,
In Aikido we teach how to defend oneself while also protecting their attacker from injury. To save your own life, you need to think about the well being of others. You must be kind to everyone Mikado, because everyone is fighting a battle. Even though we cannot see it.
After a few minutes later, Shiki called Mikado out and asked to see his caretaker. When his Uncle stepped out of Shiki's office he looked a little jumpy and alarmed.
" Wh-who the hell are you making friends with, Mikado?" He asked as if he just saw a ghost.
He started to treat Mikado much nicer after that.
It was a warm sunny day , so Masaomi thought it to be a perfect day for bike riding and insect catching . He brought some lunch ((enough for three)) and went to Mikado's house. Kasuka was already waiting for them at the fields. Once he arrived, he had to fight the urge to go toward the windowsill and knock. He remembered he couldn't do that no more. So, he reluctantly walked toward the front and knocked on the door twice. No one answered. He knocked on it two more times and yet again no one answered. Strange. They were usually here at this time. When he was about to leave he heard small footsteps scurrying around the house. Mikado was in trouble. He just knew it. Masaomi gulped and he opened the door((it wasn't locked)) and walked around the house searching for Mikado.
He saw Mikado's uncle hitting his friend at the top of the stairs, a broken plate next to the boy. This was the last straw.
"Hey! Leave him alone!"
The elder man turned his head around and stared at Masaomi.
"What are you doing in here? Get out before I call your parents for trespassing!"
" Leave him alone! Leave him alone or I'll-"
Masaomi pictured Mikado's mother smiling at him.
"You'll what?"
Masaomi clenched his fists.
Masaomi, take good care of him, alright?
" I'll make you."
The man looked offended and screamed at him.
" Who do you think you are you little brat!"
Masaomi climbed further toward the top of the stairs and stood on the same ground as the taller man. Mikado mouthed words, probably telling Masaomi to leave or to drop it. He was ignored.
" Leave him alone! You're always hitting him for stupid crap! If you don't want him here then just let my family take care of him. You're only doing this because of the inheritance money his mom has, aren't you?"
"What does a brat like you know? Your not an adult. You should stick your nose out of other people's business. Your little friend here is a little pansy. You know what his problem is? His problem is how everyone babies him!He has to learn how to talk! If he doesn't learn then, I'll just beat it out of him, so help me!"
I promise.
"And your a hypocrite and a bully and a douche bag!" With this, Masaomi plunged on top of the elder man, accidentally causing him to fall from the top of the stairs. He tumbled down and with a 'thump' he laid on the floor motionless.
It was quiet for a split second, and when your young obviously in this situation there would be confusion. So Masaomi did what he could only do, he grabbed Mikado's hand and ran out the house. They ran out the door not even bothering to close it, they ran across the town ,never looking back at the people giving them questioning looks. They ran until they were tired and when Masaomi let go of Mikado's hand. They both were out of breath, breathing heavily looking at each other.
Masaomi knew that he had fucked up big time. He would go to jail for murder and his parents would be ashamed. He looked at the pond in front of him feeling a sense of dread fill his chest.
They were in front of the pond claiming to be that one young woman's grave. Kyoko. He stepped back a bit.
"Mikado I -"
A loud wailing was heard.
Oh shit. It's not real, it's not real.
Mikado's eyes were bloodshot, and he sniffled.
"Mikado don't make a sound." Masaomi whispered this ,he didn't know why. It's not like he could talk anyway.
He was scared. Then he heard small noises ,small little noises that sounded like someone weeping. He turned to Mikado's direction.
It occurred to him that Mikado was trying to form words.
The first words to sputter out of Mikado's mouth were-
"M-mmmasaomi- Masaomi -M-M-Masaomi..."
And Masaomi held him, like Mikado held him. And they had a good cry but they cried even harder because they didn't understand why they were crying in the first place.
In a way Mikado was Masaomi's first love. Nothing good had come of it , but it happened. They both grabbed on to each other as they walked quietly back to town, but not before Masaomi heard a small woman's voice.
" Keep hope alive."
He thought that he understood now, that maybe Kyoko wasn't actually Kyoko. Maybe it was all made up, and it just so happened that the only thing here was the dead's accumulated despair. Maybe what they wished for was for hope right after they died. Like Kyoko who lost all of her's right before she drowned herself . Masaomi promised to visit this same spot the next day to give her his thanks.
When they walked along the dirt rode they noticed a small figure holding something in it's hands. Up close they clarified that it was Kasuka , he was waiting for them with juice boxes.
He had on a straw hat that was too big for him ,and had a net in his backpack. For catching insects obviously.
" Welcome back ." He said.
That night Masaomi and Mikado returned to their homes like nothing had happened. No incarcerations took place, and no one cried. Mikado's Uncle just knocked out for a little while and accepted it as ' stupid kids playing'. But honestly, he was just a little scared of Masaomi, he had never known that a little kid was capable of doing something like that, and he was also scared of that doctor.
His warning still ringing in the man's ears.
" If I find out that you hurt Mikado again, I'll kill you."
" Listen, here. I don't care who it is, but no one threatens m-"
" Have you ever heard of the Awakusu-Kai?"
Mikado's uncle straightened in his seat. The Yakuza? He didn't like where this was going.
Shiki stood up and glared at the man.
" If you don't be careful they might just pay you a visit."
"Are you threatening me?"
Shiki looked at him lazily, but soon turned into a glare that rivaled the man's own.
" No, I'm warning you."
A week later Mikado was sent to his grandparent's house. They lived in the middle of town and it was where the shops were jumbled all in one place. His grandparents were kind people and they never became angry with him. The only downside to the move was that they were dirt poor. With this in mind , at age fourteen he decided to get a part time job at a bakery. Shiki was the one to refer Mikado, and assured him it was a safe and easy job. He didn't know how to repay this man's kindness, to the young boy, Shiki was a ray of hope.
Shiki and Anri were still there, and a very active part in his life. The doctor had even given Mikado's grandparents financial help, though they always politely declined. He bought them a new stove, a new refrigerator, a new washer and dryer. Mikado always wondered where Shiki got all that money, but as he grew older he now had an idea how. Shiki didn't tell him, but Mikado heard many rumors about the man.
Besides his profession as a doctor, he was also an active member of the Yakuza. He never once asked Shiki about it, and why should he? He had faith in Shiki.
Around this time, things became different and consistent all at the same time.
He was in his final year of Junior High and Masaomi no longer visited him. Sometime's they saw each other at school, but other than that he claimed that he was too busy. He always had an excuse. Mikado knew that that wasn't it.
Kasuka did visit him, and ate lunch together in between classes. At that time, Kasuka had became a popular student, he had a flock of fans all thanks to the school plays always choosing him as the main lead. He was also the president of the Drama club. If there was one thing that stayed the same, it was Kasuka , Mikado thought.
One thing that changed was that Anri joined their group. Shiki decided it would be best if he placed Anri in a public school, that she needed to socialize more. She was welcomed warmly to their group and became somewhat of a personal confident in Kasuka as well...if only Masaomi were here, Mikado thought.
The roof was empty ,so the trio decided to eat lunch there. Mikado sat in between his two friends Anri, and Kasuka, then, they began to talk. It was the same thing they asked each other every day. How was class? What did they bring today for lunch? The like.
Mikado opened his milk box, when out of no where a pair of chopsticks were raised to his lips.
"Say, 'ah'." Kasuka spoke. It was a piece of octopus sausage .
Mikado ate.
Anri smiled at the display of affection between the two boys and started to speak.
"I was wondering, if you knew him?"
The boys raised their heads and looked down as Anri pointed toward a blonde boy laughing along a group of other students.
Mikado smiled proudly." He's our friend Kida- kun. Why? Are you interested in him Sonohara-kun?"
" Oh, no reason..."
Kasuka looked at her.
" Is it because of the rumors?"
Rumors?
" What rumors?" Mikado turned to face the two teens.
" There's a rumor," Kasuka began as he undid his tie. He needed some air. "-that Masaomi-kun, is the leader of the Yellow gang. Yes, that yellow gang. The gang that has caused many riots in town recently."
" Kida-kun? But..he's harmless."
Anri's grip on her bento tightened.
"Mikado-kun...are you..seeing him right now? I mean...look at the people surrounding him."
Masaomi was dressed fashionably((as fashionable as a delinquent can get)) surrounding him where problem children, hair dyed, piercings. Dangerous looking.
" Long time no see, Mikado-kun!"
Mrs. Kida held on to Mikado's hands and welcomed him into the living room. He sat down on a random piece of furniture and smiled as the kind women offered him some tea.
" I'm glad your doing well, Mrs. Kida. My grandmother would like to give you her thanks for the wonderful pie you baked us the other day. It was delicious."
The woman's eyes shone at the compliment and placed a hand on top of Mikado's.
"How about you,dear? Are you alright?"
Mikado fidgeted a bit and looked at her.
"It seems that ...I have the same thing my mother has."
The clock that stood near them seemed to tick faster.
" Oh...O-Oh,no..." Mrs Kida's eyes started to swell up. " I...I didn't want that for you Mikado-kun, I didn't want for you to hurt like my Hiromi-chan did..." She grabbed a tissue from the table.
" I'm sorry.." Was all Mikado could say.
"Have you told Masaomi yet?"
" Kida-kun ? I haven't talked to him in a while..."
A puzzled expression.
" That's strange, he said he was having a sleepover with you today."
Mikado's lips twitched.
"Ah, silly me! I completely forgot about that! Yes, he told me about it in lunch,ah,-what a wonderful tea set-"
Masaomi...What are you doing? What's going on? Aren't we friends?
On the following Tuesday, someone was awaiting Mikado's departure from class.
It was Masaomi. The crowd of students surrounding the hall seemed to have vanished quickly at the sight of him, giving him passage.
" Hey ,Mikado-kun! Long time no see! Missed me?" Masaomi extended his arms out.
"Kida -kun!" Mikado eagerly walked toward the taller boy and gave him a hug. " How are things?"
Masaomi smiled and twirled dramatically. " Nothing much. I just came to walk you home today. I haven't seen your Gramps and Granny in a while."
The two talked about nothing for a short while, earning stares from the rest of the students. Mikado chose to ignore it, he was just happy he regained his friend after a long absence.
" I saw you with your friends the other day!" Mikado walked side by side Masaomi. They both walked through that same field in which they used to play together with Kasuka. "You guys were in front of that liquor store ,that one in front of the pawn shop. It was pretty late, so I wondered what you guys were up to."
Masaomi's demeanor changed and looked at Mikado . " What were you doing out so late? It's dangerous."
" I had to pick up something for my Grandmother..., hey. Kida-kun...what's wrong? Are you leaving?" Masaomi turned to face Mikado again and raised an arm to pat the shorter boy. " Yeah, I gotta split. I have plans with a friend today. I can't be late...and hey, Mikado?"
"Y-yes?"
Masaomi scooted near Mikado's face, and when he did so, the blue eyed boy realized something was wrong with his friend. He kept telling himself nothing was off, but this was just a confirmation.
" Stay just the way you are, ok?...If anyone messes with you just say the words, got it? I'll take care of them for you."
"Masaomi..you're not ok, are you?" Mikado pushed Masaomi away gently.
" You're doing something you shouldn't be doing...is that it? Are you really in a gang Masaomi? Your mother is worried about you, your father too!"
By this point Masaomi turned around, ignored his friend, and walked the opposite direction. He didn't want to hear Mikado, if he did, he would drop everything and listen to him without a single thought. Mikado was his weakness, just like he was his only rope to normalcy.
Mikado was a type of person that was quite, bashful, and extremely sympathetic. He devotes himself to others. But every now and then, something mysterious would occur in his persona-somethings so sharp and unexpected would come out of him. When Masaomi was in his teens he would try to analyze to the smallest bit of 'why' ? Why would he do that? He found it to be useless.
In real time, Mikado could only clench his fists and shout out-
" Why do you always run away! You're nothing but a coward!"
Masaomi was lost. He didn't know why he picked fights for no reason. He didn't know why he beat them up so badly that his victims spent weeks in the hospital recovering. He didn't even know when this small group of followers turned into more than six and more like forty. He now had a gang((Yellow Scarfs)), the nickname of 'Shogun', and a heavy weight on his shoulders.
He stood in front of his 'turf' with his lackeys daring anyone to even cross paths with him. Recently, there was a slight problem with his gang though. In this small town, there were now three gangs in existence. The Yellow Scarves , the Blue Squares and the Green Jets . Something had to be done, and today there was to be a meeting between two groups as to what to do. Of course this was all a disguise for a setup, which involved terminating the other group.
Obviously , the meeting ended with fist fighting and setting things on fire. But not before a bloodied, much smaller boy came screaming after him. It was a younger boy, who just so happened to be named Aoba. The leader of the Blue Squares. Sure, Masaomi thought, we'll go after the young kid. He's probably a flake. How wrong he was, in fact he didn't even know who the hell was he up against. Aoba was everything you shouldn't ever double cross , ever.
" Masaomi Kida! You just started a war! I'll get you! I'll get you , you son of a bitch!" Aoba scrambled on the ground as his face was getting kicked into the ground, and did Masaomi hear a bone crack just now? "Just you wait you bleached blond! I'll kill you!I'll kill you! I'll ruin your whole entire life!"
Masaomi had nothing much to say except a snarl and started to spit on the younger boys face.
"You're lost."
It was on.
The following day more acts of vandalism and delinquency occurred around the school, and near certain shops. The houses of the Yellow Scarves were attacked, and even their family members were targeted .It was one thing fighting each other, it was another making it so damn personal. Things were getting out of hand. But Masaomi just grinned. He was excited, playing fire with fire. Aoba was that kid's name right? Maybe he could attack one of his friends after school? He wondered what should his next battle phase was going to be , but then he stopped. And gaped.
Aoba was sitting next to Mikado on a bench, eating lunch animatedly. Mikado laughed lightly and bit into his sandwich. They looked like such good friends.
" Sempai, open wide!" Aoba raised his chopsticks and placed them near Mikado's lips.
Then Masaomi stopped thinking.
'This kid was only getting near Mikado because he wants to use him against me!' was what Masaomi thought. If only he knew that really wasn't the reason.
You see, Aoba used to be a nobody. A boy that hid his true self underneath an innocent exterior, he lived behind his sugar coated words, he lived for himself. At home , he was often abused by his elder brother, but when he entered middle school it started to get a lot worse. His brother also chose to pick on him at school, away from their parent's supervision. Needless to say Aoba dreaded his whole entire life. His self esteem was in the pits and when he had tried to tell his parents the only advice they gave him was ' Breath in and breath out.'
They just didn't realize the extremity of the situation he thought. If they knew how many times his elder brother would make him bleed, would make him cry, would make him feel like he was the most pathetic being on earth maybe they would do something about it.
Or maybe they just didn't care.
The first time, Aoba met Mikado was when he was sitting in a classroom by himself. Looking at the bruises on his arms and looking at the rain. It was his favorite type of weather and it reminded him of how beautiful some things could be. He was touching his arm lightly when a hanker chief was brought into his eyes.
" ..Are you alright?"
Aoba had never seen this meek boy before.
" Yes." he lied.
A moment of silence filled the two and Mikado began to speak.
" I can hear your brother beating you up in the restrooms..."
Aoba tightened his eyes.
" And sometimes I can hear you cry..."
This guy was here to make fun of me, heh.
" It makes me feel very sad."
Wait, what?
The elder boy began to wrap his handkerchief on the younger boy's hand . He tightened it and wrapped it just like Shiki had taught him.
" I..I'm not telling you what to do or anything..but..if he's hurting you I think you should talk it out. You should respond to his aggression with the best thing you can think of. He has no right to treat you like this."
"Why?"
The two boys stared at each other.
" Because...I am your upperclassman. And I am supposed to look after you."
Aoba ,from the bottom of his heart was thankful to his wonderful upperclassman. It was all thanks to his encouragement that he decided to set his brother's room on fire. Oh, the irony.
After that his brother was sent to rehabilitation, it just so happened that Aoba carefully made it seem that his brother was the one to set his own room on fire.
((I don't know what came over him father, mother.))
(( He even threatened to commit suicide!))
Now, Aoba had the whole house to himself, and seeing as his elder brother was the leader of his own gang, he thought of taking it as his own. This would be sure to piss Izumi off, the look on his face would be so delicious.
That was how he became a feared person throughout that small town. That was how he fell in love with a naive but kind upperclassman.
Mikado didn't know he had the protection of the Yellow Scarves and the Blue Squares. He didn't know that between the members he was an object worth protecting. Mikado thought the bullying had stopped since he had become an upperclassman because he was respected , but he was wrong. Very wrong.
Kasuka didn't fail to notice, and neither did Anri, but they both knew Mikado knew better than that and tried his best not to think so negatively. But it was impossible because how would anyone take it, if the reason you aren't treated badly was because everyone was too afraid to approach you? That you didn't have the power to help yourself because you were too weak, and the latter protected you because they were too strong.
"Hey, Masaomi."
Aoba was in front of the school with his hands in his jacket. It was 5pm , after school. Clubs were canceled because of the stormy weather. What a shame. Behind the feminine boy was his lackeys hovering above him with grins on their faces.
" What's up Aoba?" If this brat was using his first name, then he was too damn it.
Masaomi had his followers as well, both of the groups were drenched to the bone but none of them seemed to mind. It will all end anyways.
"I called you here today because I want a battle. I want a battle over my existence. Whoever of us wins gets to continue being here as a gang, but the loser has to split up for good. Their turf will become your turf. No weapons allowed. Deal?"
Masaomi looked at the shorter boy with cold eyes.
"Deal."
Fists were clenched, battle cries were heard, pipes were thrown away. It was a battle that raged on for more than two hours with none of the groups ready to give up. There were two young boys in the middle, no one coming near their leaders as the two fought each other unmercifully , kicking, biting and spitting. The fight looked so desperate, this wasn't a battle of men, it was a battle of children.
" Masaomi-kun? Aoba-kun?"
Mikado was underneath an umbrella as he looked toward them in shock. The two boys were stunned looking up at their friend with bruises and cuts.
"Mika...do?"
" S-sempai..."
They had never seen him so angry.
" What are you guys doing?Are you stupid!"
Masaomi regained his composure and glared. He had never seen that cold expression on Mikado's face and decided that it didn't suit him. I caused that look in his face...
" Get outta here Mikado, you're gonna get hurt. We're having a battle."
"What are you two even fighting for?"
This should have been an easy question, but before Masaomi could answer him Aoba said-
" I don't know."
Then Masaomi realized that Aoba and him were much alike because both of them were lost, and desperate, and vacant. Then Masaomi realized that that just pissed him off even more.
Before he could voice his opinion a metal bat was raised to the side of his skull.
Blood was pouring out of Masaomi's head as he clenched it tight. He screamed .
Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. His hands frantically searching for his metal pipe or a rock or anything- anything. Let me find anything! I don't want to die. I don't want to die. Fuck, did that asshole Aoba brought in an ambush or something? I should have known he would have lied! That fucker!
Masaomi tried to see past the blood on his eyelashes and squinted. The attackers didn't have on yellow, nor did they have on blue. In fact they didn't have any color at all, Aoba was trembling, which meant that he didn't know about these guys either...but who could they be?
" We're the Green Jets, and both of your gangs are going to be extinct by the end of this day."
Soon the Blue Squares were split, some outside the area, some scattered. Aoba took this as an opportunity to run, he had forgotten all about his Sempai and the beat in his heart was the only thing he could hear. The Green Jets didn't even launch a warning as they beat anyone near them into a bloody pulp. Even Mikado was dragged into it.
Mikado held his head between his hands, and curled himself into a little ball. Hoping that the blows would cause less damage, it really didn't help in the least.
What would happen next would haunt me all the way through my teen years. I was just a kid, a silly stupid brat. I was too scared to move as the rain engulfed me, the pavement, the whole city. I wished that the rain would turn into hail and cause destruction and pain to the whole town. But why did I wish that? Why was I so angry? And a loser? And a coward?
The group of guys that beat the crap out of Mikado soon grew tired of it, and decided to humiliate him in the worst way possible. Masaomi's head was on Mikado's lap and he could clearly see when they started to masturbate in front of them. He turned away looking at anywhere but Mikado's face, looking up at the sky because he was lost and scared.
"On the count of three,ok?"
The leader spoke as he beat his shaft in fast tempo.
" Hey, Shogun. Look at what we're gonna do to your friend. Aren't you going to get up and stop us? Or are you in pain?"
Masaomi didn't answer.
"You're a coward."
Masaomi agreed.
"At the same time alright?"
"1, 2-3!"
What Masomi always remembered was how calm Mikado looked, yet at the same pained. He was always a little emotionally absent . With schizophrenics they called it flat effect. So when Masaomi saw his friends face covered in semen he thought that he felt worse about it than Mikado did. But that's what he thought, that wasn't the truth.
A sudden rage consumed him, he felt angry at Mikado for not fighting back, he felt angry at Mikado because he arrived here in secret. He felt angry at himself for not fighting back when his friend was beat up and humiliated. He felt angry for the assholes that came and did this, but what he felt really angry about was how he still wanted to run away.
His thoughts came onto a halt as the gang of guys surrounding them dropped down on the floor blood gushing from their heads.
Aoba stood out of breath in front of the school gates , his lackeys running along with him helping the yellow gang members up. They had come to help.
" I'm not here to help you Kida-sempai. I'm here to help Ryuugamine-sempai. I owe him one for saving me."
Aoba's clothes were torn, and his face was bruised and bleeding. Masaomi wondered if the other gang attacked the Blue Squares too, he guessed they fought them off. Mikado stood up, and amidst the fighting he ran through the crowd running, and never turning back.
"Mikado!" Masaomi shrieked. In pain, he grabbed his side and ran feebly toward Mikado.
"Hey, guys! Where are you going! Guys! Ryuugamine-sempai!SEMPAI!" Aoba screamed after them, his yells turning into echos as Masaomi became further and further away from the school.
The two boys ran past the old shop owned by Mr. Simon , who they visited less and less, they passed by Mikado's old house who now had weeds growing in front of it, they passed the fork in the road that they never walked on anymore, they passed by the pond where that women had supposedly drowned herself , and at that pond where Mikado had said his first words. Keep hope alive? What hope!What was all that bullshit about. Hope doesn't exist! There's no way Masaomi could ever have a place to belong, there was no way the dread of knowing his best friend had a high chance of dying before the age of thirty would just go away by just having 'hope'. Masaomi only stopped when he saw the gate of the cemetery . Steel cold bars.
Why am I here?
He walked along the aisles of graves all aligned, he read each of the names impaled through the tombstones. It sunk through him that they were dead and he was alive. He thought that he should value what he had, that he shouldn't be stupid anymore and pick fights for no reason. No one was against him, no one hated him. The only person that caused problems and that hated him was himself.
The only reason he felt out of place was because he chose it to be.
He found Mikado in front of his mother's tombstone kneeling in front of it, looking at it as the rain fell on him.
" Mother... I'm tired. I know that the last time I visited you was last week, I hope you'll forgive me for coming so frequently. I never have anything important to say in my visits...well ,it's not that...it's not that at all...you know, you never did say good bye. I never...I never thought you'd leave me alone."
The rain hit his face, and his clothes were drenched to the bone. It showed Masaomi how frail, and small Mikado was, and how skinny he was. Why hadn't Masaomi ever noticed how sick his friend looked?
" I don't want to die," Mikado whispered. " I don't want to die, I'm only fourteen."
He gripped the dirt beneath him, and clenched it tightly.
After a while he stood up.
"Let's go Masaomi."
Masaomi was seated near a rock,and clenching his broken arm. Blood was pouring down his face and started to breath heavily. His eyes were dilated.
"Where?"
Then Mikado smiled so purely, like if he wasn't bruised and bleeding, like he wasn't just assaulted and humiliated. Like he just didn't show that he was still hurting inside because of his mother's death and his stupid illness.
Masaomi thought that it seemed as though there was no one in the world so sad. Mikado was that small piece of melancholic hope that dared you not to cry.
"Home."
The clouds seemed to disperse, leaving only a shining sun, a fresh clean earth, and a big,heavy weight on both of the teens shoulders. Their problems didn't go away but it didn't seem so bad anymore. Leaning on each other, they walked ,limping to the front of the grave yard.
When they walked toward the graveyard entrance they saw a figure .It's weight on the gate. On closer inspection they found Kasuka there ,leaning his frame on the bars. He looked at them and smiled standing underneath an umbrella protecting him from the rain. There was another unopened umbrella beside him.
" Welcome back." He said, as he opened the other umbrella.
Thank you.
♠TITLE♠ And I Wondered Why It Burned
♠RATING ♠PG-15
♠WORDCOUNT♠ 9,906
♠SUMMARY ♠In which Shizuo realizes he's a train wreck, Izaya knows that they can see him ,and where Mikado desperately wants to show two young boys just what trust really is.Alternative Reality
♦NOTES♦ Shizuo/Mikado/ Izaya and other pairings. These are all slightly hinted of course.