Akatsuki Reminiscences 2The next day I finished all my work early. I thought I should go to a salon to fix my face.I even bought new clothes. We are having casual dinner. So it doesn’t have to be too formal.I think where should we go.It’s still early in the morning. But I feel like I should go meet her. Yesterday I got her number.So I tried calling her.(Hello)“Yeah, it’s me, Akatsuki.” (Oh. Why did you call me this early?)“I was thinking where to go? A restaurant or a family diner?”(A diner is fine. I think a restaurant is suffocating.)“Are you busy right now?”(No. I am just visiting my mother in the hospital.)“Oh. Then how about we meet early? I reserved you for the day.”(I don’t have any problems.)“Then can you come to my house? It’s near Shinjuku. Paradise apartments.” (I am nearby. So I am coming.)“I’ll leave the door open. It’s on the top floor.”(Ok.)I hang up. She talked to me more freely today. I think making her a friend was worth it.About 20 minutes later
Akatsuki Reminisces 3I enter Bunny’s with Nadeshiko in tow.It’s currently 7:39 in the evening. Perfect for dinner.And a lot of students are sitting here and there in groups. They seem to be studying and some are seen eating.I take a seat and Nadeshiko sits as well.“What’ll you take?” I ask her.“Anything is fine.”“That won’t do. You have to properly order.”“Then I will go with a steak.”“I see. I’ll take a full course then.” I order and wait for the food.But sitting without doing anything was boring.“After today you are going back to that place, right?”“I…….have to. I need money. And that work pays the most and quickly.”“But it’s not without risks. And it might lead to other troubles as well. Tell me, why are you doing that?”“My father……..eloped with a girl. It had happened a few years back. Since then, I and my mother were living alone but peacefully. But she fell ill. And I need money to treat her. Our bank money was all gone and my father ran away most of our money. I
Mizuki POVI have a normal family. Or so I thought. But I have someone who I really don’t know.He is a boy about 2 years older than me. Lives in the same house and eats at the same table with us.But I have never seem him smile or talk.He never spoke to me. Occasionally I would see him talking to dad.He is special. He has no limbs. No arms to grab on and no legs to walk on.He always sat on a wheelchair and my dad would take care of him.I have never seen him talking to my mom though.It intrigued me. Who is that guy?Is he my family or some relative?I asked mom when I was twelve.“Mom who is that boy who lives with us?”“Why do you ask that?”“As long as I can remember, I have seen him. But I don’t know who he is.”“You don’t need to know. He is no one. Your dad is just pitying him.”Mom totally changed the subject. She never gave me a straight answer.But it increased my curiosity. So I asked dad one day.“He…..is my big brother?” I was shocked.My dad told me that he is my bro
Akatsuki Reminisces 4I am back home. I look at the clock. It’s a only 5 past 10. Not that late at night.But next week is morons wedding. I have to prepare as I am his groomsman.But who would ne the bridesmaid? Still don’t know.Anyway, tomorrow is also that. My heart is sad. It’s throbbing in pain.But what I have done, cannot be undone.I have to face it. Bear it in mind and always bear that stigma with me.I better sleep. I had my dinner with moron. Nadeshiko would be here tomorrow as well.I finally got to see my sister today. But she acted as usual.Nothing has changed. I stop all my monologuing.It’s about time I slept.With that I fell asleep and in the morning I woke up. Unusually.“Akatsuki-san wake up.” Someone calls.“Mmm…..five more minutes…” I say.“No. Wake up.” And my sheets were grabbed.I open my eyes and try to look.It’s Nadeshiko. She is already standing beside me with a ladle in her hand and wearing an apron.I wake up immediately. That sight was sacred. I shoul
The childhood friend POVHello. I am Momoko. I am a normal college student.A freshman who just became an adult.And I have been invited to a wedding.The wedding of my best friend.I am asked to become the bridesmaid.I have no problem but isn’t that too fast.You basically start dating seriously at this age.And she is already getting married.I look at the card.It clearly says that ‘Rihito weds Ririko.’Rihito is that guy. That obnoxious guy who always followed around another weird guy.What is he doing now?If I remember correctly, I used to play with him.But that’s when we were in elementary school.We went to the same school and lived just opposite to each other.So his father asked me to play with him.And I did. His name is Akatsuki.A gloomy boy with a big cut on his forehead.He fell down from the stairs and hit his head was what his father told me.He doesn’t have any arms or legs and is always strapped to his wheelchair.But weirdly enough, I have never seen him being p
The Childhood Friend POV 2I am caught by Ririka. Nadeshiko-san is also caught.Both Rihito and Akatsuki are thrown out of the room.Isn’t he your husband? And also, why did you throw them out?I wanted to ask that but before I could say anything Ririka was on the phone.And after a call, she said that she called Mizuki here.She arrived and saw all of us together.Maybe she was shocked.She smiled at me and Ririka but her smile stiffened after seeing Nadeshiko-san.“So let’s start. It’s a girls gathering.” Ririka said.“But why now? It’s still noon.” (Mo)“I have to go to Akatsuki-san.” (N)“No. I have sent Rihito to take care of him. Don’t worry. That man won’t die even if you try to kill him.” (R)“How are you so sure?” (Mo)“I have seen him do stuff. In second year of high school, he jumped from the school building.” Ririka said something terrifying.Jumping from a school building. Our school was 4 story high. It’s a height that can kill a human.Nadeshiko-san is speechless and Mi
Akatsuki Reminisces 5I wake up. Not wake up but gain consciousness.I was met with slight misfortune today.I fell down the stairs. Broke a few bones and tore my suit. My prosthetics broke and I was forced to sit in a wheelchair.Not just that, I even had an accident.A car ran over me when we got out.Moron quickly brought me to a hospital but I gained consciousness recently.I cannot feel my body.Must be because of the anesthetics.My mind is all hazy. But I can think. So I wait for the haze to clear out.I hear sounds beside me. Maybe someone is with me.Must be Rihito. He is the one who brought me here.A few moments later, I open my eyes.I could have opened them but I can see only darkness.“Rihito, are you there?” I ask.“Yeah. But why are you asking? Your eyes are open.” A voice said.Rihito is there.“I can’t see. Maybe because of the shock, I am suffering from temporary blindness.” I say.“I see.” His voice was sad as if he was grieving.But he should have seen me like thi
Akatsuki Reminisces 6I am currently at my home.It is night. When I was in the hospital, I was thinking.About the deal.I lied. I wasn’t born with this intelligence.I didn’t survive the fall with luck.I made a deal.I don’t remember it that well but, it was made.When I was pushed off and I rolled down, I was on the brink of death.But then he appeared. The devil. I was not ready to die.So he asked me if I wanted to live or not?I wanted to live. I didn’t want to be stupid.So I made a deal. I sold my soul to the devil.But he wouldn’t do something until I die.It was that. But when I was in the hospital, it suddenly hit me.My life is fulfilled.I have done everything and achieved everything.I have nothing left to do.And I thought,“Why not do this?”I smiled. It was a nasty smile.Even I am creeped out by that.I thought, why not make another deal.The first deal was to protect my life and become intelligent.And I have nothing more to offer.But I certainly can make a deal.