have to worry about that. Things are just too crazy right now."
Mr. Fujioka chuckled lightly. "That's my point exactly. Things are too crazy right now! So you just stay safe, okay? Don't try anything foolish."
"Yes sir. I won't."
After saying goodbye to his parents, Yuuki went upstairs and into his bedroom. He threw his backpack onto the floor. He removed his jacket and placed it next to his bag. Then, he flopped down onto the bed and gazed at the ceiling. He had to admit, he was kind of nervous to open his mailbox. It was strange. Ever since he received the letter, his mind had been running wild with possibilities. Was what the letter said the truth? If it were true, then it meant his family actually cared about him. If not, then they had probably forgotten about him already.
As his mind wandered, he fell asleep.
The sound of knocking on his window woke him up. With bleary eyes, he blinked several times before realizing that the sound came from outside his room. Slowly, he got up and approached his window. Peaking through the curtains, he found himself looking at none other than Riku. The blond flashed him a friendly smile as he waved at him.Yuuki grinned in return.
He hurried downstairs to greet him. "Riku!" he called happily as he unlocked the door.
Riku stepped inside and gave him a quick hug. "Good morning." He murmured against Yuuki's hair. "You look tired. Are you feeling well?"
Yuuki sighed wistfully. He had been having nightmares most of the nights lately. But he kept reassuring himself that these dreams were just remnants of the trauma of losing his family. He just needed to rest. He hoped that they would finally stop plaguing his sleep. "No, I'm fine. Just haven't been sleeping too well, is all."
The blond furrowed his eyebrows worriedly. "Do you need any help getting ready for school?"
Yuuki shook his head quickly. "I'm fine. You don't need to bother yourself with that."
Riku frowned even more. "If you insist…" He trailed off. "Anyway, I came to deliver this." He gestured to the brown package in his hands. "Mom insisted that I give it to you. She didn't explain why she didn't say so herself."Yuuki's eyes widened slightly. He glanced at the package and then back up at Riku. He took it from the blond carefully and set it on the coffee table. He unzipped the bag and lifted out its contents.
Inside lay a pair of black sneakers. They were new, and brand new at that. There was also a note attached to the shoe, which read simply: 'To make sure you keep them.'
Yuuki smiled softly at the note and looked back at Riku, whose gaze seemed fixed on the ground. He opened his mouth, about to ask him what was bothering him, when someone knocked on the door, startling him.
A few moments later, Yumoto walked into the apartment. He stopped short when he noticed the two boys standing in the living room. "Oh, hello there."
Yuuki smiled nervously. "Hi."
"Who's this?" Yumoto asked curiously as he looked between the two of them.
"Ah, this is my roommate, Riku."
Yumoto looked confused, glancing at Riku briefly. "Nice to meet you. Yuuki has told us a lot about you." He paused, and th"Um, I know that he doesn't always tell us the truth, but he talks about you a lot."
Riku raised an eyebrow skeptically at Yuuki.
The brunet nodded. "Yeah. I do talk a lot about you guys."
Before anyone could respond, a loud bell rang from outside. All three boys froze. "What was that?" Yumoto exclaimed. "Are those gunshots?"
They all stared at each other wide eyed. Then, suddenly, they heard loud footsteps echoing in the hallway. A minute or two later, the door burst open. A man with long gray hair entered their apartment. His clothes were dirty and covered in dirt. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked absolutely exhausted. He grabbed a chair and collapsed into it with his back pressed against the wall.
"Dad…" Yuuki whispered under his breath.
Without warning, the man started talking hysterically. "She's dead! They killed her! She's dead!"
Yuuki was startled by his father's outburst. He looked at Riku who also seemed surprised. Neither of them had expected that kind of reaction.
"Who's dead?" Yumoto asked, trying to calm his father down.en added after a moment of hesitation, ""Um, I know that he doesn't always tell us the truth, but he talks about you a lot."
Riku raised an eyebrow skeptically at Yuuki.
The brunet nodded. "Yeah. I do talk a lot about you guys."
Before anyone could respond, a loud bell rang from outside. All three boys froze. "What was that?" Yumoto exclaimed. "Are those gunshots?"
They all stared at each other wide eyed. Then, suddenly, they heard loud footsteps echoing in the hallway. A minute or two later, the door burst open. A man with long gray hair entered their apartment. His clothes were dirty and covered in dirt. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked absolutely exhausted. He grabbed a chair and collapsed into it with his back pressed against the wall.
"Dad…" Yuuki whispered under his breath.
Without warning, the man started talking hysterically. "She's dead! They killed her! She's dead!"
Yuuki was startled by his father's outburst. He looked at Riku who also seemed surprised. Neither of them had expected that kind of reaction.
"Who's dead?" Yumoto asked, trying to calm his father down."Um, I know that he doesn't always tell us the truth, but he talks about you a lot."
Riku raised an eyebrow skeptically at Yuuki.
The brunet nodded. "Yeah. I do talk a lot about you guys."
Before anyone could respond, a loud bell rang from outside. All three boys froze. "What was that?" Yumoto exclaimed. "Are those gunshots?"
They all stared at each other wide eyed. Then, suddenly, they heard loud footsteps echoing in the hallway. A minute or two later, the door burst open. A man with long gray hair entered their apartment. His clothes were dirty and covered in dirt. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked absolutely exhausted. He grabbed a chair and collapsed into it with his back pressed against the wall.
"Dad…" Yuuki whispered under his breath.
Without warning, the man started talking hysterically. "She's dead! They killed her! She's dead!"
Yuuki was startled by his father's outburst. He looked at Riku who also seemed surprised. Neither of them had expected that kind of reaction.
"Who's dead?" Yumoto asked, trying to calm his father down.