After the last class was over, the pair of boys met again. With light steps they walked down the corridor in the opposite direction to the other students.
"That was some news from you, Tomoyuki-kun. You could give me a heart attack with news like that."
Ryou scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty. His athletic feet were literally floating on the ground — that was his gait.
"I was kidding," Tomoyuki turned right down the hall. "Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to stop you."
"It's hard to call it a joke, who jokes like that anyway? Surely you confused me, so much so that I've been blaming myself all day."
"And why did you become so interested in finding out who I like?" Tomoyuki put his hands in his pocket.
"You started the subject, so I was curious about who my friend was in love with. So you don't want to reveal your secret?"
"I don't. Let's go into the library."
They entered a quietly peaceful library, with a dozen shelves arranged in several rows with lots of books. Whatever books you want, take them, but be kind enough to sign a sheet and notify the librarian.
On his way to an empty table, Ryou decided to grab one literary book. Sitting down, he opened it and began to read to himself its synopsis, which was on the first page.
"What did you decide to read?"
"Ambition and Nonchalance, seems to be a love novel about a family of six daughters and how they get married. Ambition and nonchalance… are antonyms, totally incongruent with each other. Obviously, all people possess one of these two qualities, since one cannot be ambitious and nonchalant at the same time. Maybe it's a story about specific two personalities, a man and a woman, about how their story develops?"
"Wow, I'm sorry, but I haven't read that book…"
"I haven't read literature at all," Ryou relaxed his shoulders. "Not once. What's it like to read them?"
"Well, you fantasize what's going on in your mind and empathize with the characters. Of course, if there's a reason to have empathy for them and if the author has made them interesting."
"Oh, I don't know at all if I should start, but I realize I'm missing something in life. Something important that might help me in the future — that's what books are for, to capture human events, even if they are fictional."
"Ryou-kun, I want to talk to you about one thing that tears at my soul. I don't want anyone else present in our conversation."
Tomoyuki suddenly seemed serious, and his worried eyes were directed at his friend. That was why they came here instead of going to the circle's room. Tomoyuki didn't care about the books at all — he wanted to find a place where he would feel comfortable talking.
"I want to redeem myself. Understand that you assured me not to worry about it, but I will not cease to insist that my actions are unforgivable. Nor will I stop until I realize that I have forgiven myself. By causing tremendous trouble to those around them, one becomes hostage to their own negative opinions. Once they're completely mired in a lie, nothing can save them. But you…saved me."
saved me."
"Ah, that's what you wanted to talk about," Ryou put the book on the table. "Nonsense. Human feelings simply cannot be explained in any words. There are an infinite number of factors that allow us all to forgive you, and the simplest of them all is…"
Ryou aimed his index finger at Tomoyuki and closed one eye.
"Closeness."
"But why…?"
"You are close, to us. We don't need nothing more."
Ryou, looking at the students who approached the librarian with a pile of literary books, rested the back of his head against the wall and rocked back in his chair.
"But you won't listen to us, as usual. I can't stop you, for it's your choice, and to deprive you of your freedom of option is to disrespect an intimate friend. And anyway, why are you so worried about Yumiko-chan?"
He returned to his reverse posture and uttered: "Of course I understand how you feel, because by your actions you almost destroyed our psyche. So you wanted to shoot two birds at the same time: die as expected and ruin us mentally."
"Ryou-kun… sorry…"
"Just accept the fact that for both Yumiko-chan and all of us, you and your health are more important. Don't tear yourself up inside."
"Thank you… Oh, thank you for everything — for the advice and for everything you try to help me. I appreciate it above all else."
Ryou looked back at the book in front of him on the table and, with a sigh, decided to take it with him before he left.
'I think I could use it.'
***
As they missed the club class, Tomoyuki decided to walk him to the bus stop, having bought chips at a convenience store shortly before. They moved along the pedestrian road, and without really thinking about anything.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Ryou wondered, seeing that Tomoyuki hadn't even opened the package. He was nibbling on his crunchy chips.
"No at all, I'll save them for later."
As Ryou took another bite, three tall, young guys who had come out of the intersection arrived at their doorstep. It was obvious from their walking and foxy grin that their attitude was unfriendly. They were clearly thinking of chatting up a couple of schoolboys.
"Hey-hey, youngsters, where are you going in such a hurry?" a rebellious tone of voice issued from the mouth of one of them walking in the middle. They stopped, blocking their way.
Ryou and Tomoyuki immediately seemed serious.
"Now that's what I mean, getting right to the point. Anyway, we have one problem here. We wanted to eat after classes, but the money is quite scarce. Would you mind sharing your chips… or your change? Or maybe a phone, too?"
"No," a straight-faced Ryou pulled out another chip and ate it in front of their eyes.
"You have no conscience at all, I see? We're hungry, don't you see, friend?"
"He's the only one of you that can call me friend," Ryou said, and lightly tapped Tomoyuki's strong stomach.
"How impolite. Then I ask: do you realize where you are now?"
"Not far from downtown."
"That's right. You don't know what our county is like, my friend. These places are strictly under the supervision of you know what people."
Bully stood opposite Ryou and added:
"So we have every right to take what you've bought right now, and the money too, and you won't get in the way, I guess, if life is dear."
"Hey, why are you being so snarky?" the second bully said restlessly, drilling Ryou with a disgusted look. Their careless attitude embarrassed the guy, who apparently didn't want to get his hands dirty and waste power.
"Because I can afford to," Ryou lifted his chin as if to look down on them. "That's the only way to talk to people like you."
Tomoyuki, whose eyes were closed behind his hair, stared grimly at one point. He recalled a similar incident from his past, causing him to lose his temper. All he wanted to do now was to protect his friend even if it took brute force.
His patience was about to explode.
The bully, forgetting to distance himself, stood face to face with Ryou.
"That's fine. Then I won't waste any time talking."
The showdown began with a quick side kick from the bully, which Ryou reflexively dodged backwards.
Suddenly for all to see, Tomoyuki laughed hysterically at full voice, arching his back and gripping his stomach with his hands. The laughter was unusual for guys' ears, reeking of something confusing.
"And you call that a punch? Don't make me laugh, you should be playing in the playground!"
Bully flinched, but soon answered indignantly, "Really? You teach me."
Tomoyuki stood up straight and looked at him with a nervous and contemptuous look that alerted them. He didn't need to get into a stance as, in a split second, he turned around and kicked the brawler right in the face. It was a tornado kick, delivered with such speed that no one had time to really see what happened.
The guy fell to the sidewalk without a chance to recover. Tomoyuki raised his sharp blue eyes to the other two and lunged at them.
The outcome of the battle was predetermined from the start and throughout the entire battle Ryou didn't swing his fist once, or rather didn't bother, staring intently at Tomoyuki, who single-handedly besieged his opponents, executing roundhouse kicks time after time. It was impossible to block his blows without getting a sharp pain, and Tomoyuki didn't think twice about the fact that they would soon be able to adjust to his roundhouse kick.
Once finished, both bullies lay powerless, while the last one sat beaten. Tomoyuki lifted a stack of lightly trampled chips and heard the last brawler declare that he was finished.
"I'm going to announce th-this to Yamada! Y-your life is over!"
A couple of guys came to the realization that Yamada owned the area and clearly might be familiar with the bullies in question. But they didn't even flinch, which made the bully look scared.
Tomoyuki measured him with his gaze, then approached him and held out his palm.
"A pack of cigarettes. Give it to me, otherwise why did I go to all this trouble?"
The guy, however, didn't resent it and splurged on a whole pack of cigarettes, adding matches to it. Finished his business, the schoolboy walked on, toward the bus stop. Ryou followed him, speeding up a bit.
After buttoning up his jacket and dusting it off, the blue-eyed man looked hopelessly at his pack of chips and sighed sadly. Ryou silently handed him his unfinished packet. He thought he probably shouldn't ask him anything.
All because Ryou didn't know about Tomoyuki's abilities. It dawned on him that no matter how close they were as friends, Ryou knew very little about Tomoyuki. Maybe that was for the best? Still, secrets must be kept.
Ryou was pleased to be accompanied by his faithful friend.
"Thanks, yours is much tastier."
"But you didn't even eat yours."
***
The next morning began with a game of volleyball. The formidable players from both teams mesmerized the students who watched the match at their leisure. Tomoyuki and Ryou were late for the start of the match and changed in a hurry with two tired high school players.
Ryou was good at serving — his sweeps and high strikes on the ball drew the eyes of everyone in the gymnasium. Such perfectly honed serves required strength and aim, which a beginner would need steel nerves to perfect.
After the match, which ended in a tie, Yamada ran up to Ryou and Tomoyuki, calling them by their last names. Tomoyuki was a little wary, because after yesterday's event, he couldn't get the consequences out of his mind.
"Once again I will not tire of repeating your abilities in volleyball, Hayashi-kun. Maybe you should play volleyball with us all the time. Our team participates in city tournaments."
"I'm flattered to hear you say that, but I'm a regular amateur."
"Still, think about my offer. With you we'll reach heights — you're like Yuji Nishida, a pitch from the sky!"
The topic of conversation shifted to what had happened yesterday and Yamada was enlightened about everything. He apologized for the inconvenience caused and for his acquaintances being in the dark about who they were talking to. Tomoyuki said that one of the hooligans had a pack of cigarettes bought and half-smoked in his pockets, whereupon Yamada thanked him and added that he criticized smoking less than the legal age.
Ryou was not surprised by this fact, as Yamada's athletic body made him aware of his healthy lifestyle, and his height perfectly matched his entire body muscles.
As a result of the conversation, Yamada again suggested that they both join them, since they were spending their morning time here anyway.
Ryou quipped: "We should think about it."
Yamada, whose dark grassy hair color reflected brightly in the light of the gymnasium, was surprised by the serious looks of the schoolchildren. He clapped them on the shoulders amicably and chuckled.
"No need to worry. We're all pals."
Ryou himself had noticed how he had begun to seem more testy when the subject came up with his relationship to the members of the literary club he was addicted to. But now, more than anything, he was embarrassed by Yamada's kindness in giving the green light to choose. Ryou admired him.
Tomoyuki was also impressed by Yamada, but for the better, and in his eyes the teenager took on an entirely different appearance. He became convinced that Yamada was not a harmful person, and was relieved that he wouldn't have to be eliminated for the sake of friendship.
The young man had no idea what his excessive caring would eventually lead to.