"Kyrie! I'm up over here! " Gerdur called out my name from the hill once she sees me climbing up.
"I see you! "
I climbed the hill with the pink tree up on the top. It didn't even take me 10 seconds to jog up there. I am curious about one thing though, why is there a pink tree here? It doesn't look like a sakura tree either, since it's full of pink leaves instead of pink flowers, and it's long past early spring already so all sakuras would already stop blooming by now.
That was a pretty big tangent though, I didn't come all the way here to see a lame tree.
"Hey Gerd. Ya missed me so much that you yelled with passion like that upon seeing me? "
"No. You are just delusional. "
"Hahaha, can't even go along with the joke can't you? "
Before I noticed it, two weeks have passed. I had gotten a bit more close with Michael and Gerdur, and I had made acquaintance with everyone in the class since I'm the president of the class, I have to try to get along with all of my classmates.
Well, I got along with them all except 3. One of them is that rude kid called Richard. Apparently they became friends somehow, and hang out together alot, but they often seperated themselves from the rest of the class.
And since they are trying to distance themselves, I didn't push my luck to try and get along with them.
And then on the fourth day of the second week I planned with Michael and Gerdur to meet up and play on the fifth day, where there's no school because it's the weekend.
Well, I don't really know what to play when outdoors since even back on earth I played video games indoors more than I played outdoors. There's sports, but aside from them I don't know what else to play.
And so, I decided to let Michael and Gerdur come up with ideas instead. Right now, we are meeting up in the park during morning right after our breakfast. It seems that Gerdur arrived earlier, and then I was the second person to arrive.
I chatted with Gerdur a bit as we wait for Michael to arrive. He finally arrived after about 5 minutes.
"I'm here, Kyrie, Gerd. "
"Hi, Mike."
"Yo, Mikey." There's this game called Grand Theft Auto back on earth where a certain character's nickname is Mikey and so I gave it to Michael here.
"What's with that nickname? "
"You don't like it? I thought it sounded catchy. "
"I don't particularly mind it but it's kind of weird. "
"I see. Anyway, what will we be playing today? "
"Heh. Gerd, show her the racquet. "
"Okay! "
She ran to the back of the pink leaved tree and then took out a bag. Inside the bag she pulled out 3 racquets that resembled tennis racquet but it's smaller in size. What was it called again? It's badminton I think.
"Ooohh. What is this? How do we play this? " I asked them just to confirm.
"Its called a "Birdie game". We use this racquet and strike a feathered ball with it towards each other. The one who fails to return the ball loses. We stand about 4 meters away from each other and we can only hit the ball to the sides slightly, if it's too far away to the sides it's considered a foul. Hitting the ball to far to the back also counts as a foul. Also, the ball is actually called a birdie, so please remember that. "
Yes, this is indeed badminton from earth. It's odd that for an alternate universe this world bears quite a close resemblance to earth, with the school uniforms and even the buildings. The human language even sounded like so similar to some european language that I wouldn't be surprised if it existed back on earth. It's nothing similar to Japanese though, since I can speak a little English I can tell that it's closer to english.
"Hmm, this sounds fun. Shall we play it? But, one of us will have to play against 2 person... "
"I'll do it! " Gerdur took the place with enthusiasm.
"Alright then, let's go find a flatter area to play. "
We walked down the hill and found a flat place to play this badminton. And there, Mike taught me how to play badminton, aka the Birdie Game. He taught me how to serve the ball, and he taught me the basic ways to strike the ball.
After about half an hour, we stopped playing since these two had gotten really tired, unlike me who still can go another 10 rounds if I wanted to. I guess that while I'm physically weaker than them due to my younger age, my body still have better endurance from all the workout.
"Kyrie... For someone who never plays outside... Your stamina sure is good.... "
Gerdur with tired voice said that to me.
"Well I do practise swordsmanship after all. See? I even brought my wooden sword here. "
I pointed uphill towards the tree, where my wooden sword is put at.
"Normally, I practise with dad during the weekends. This is true even for last week. "
"I see... If you want to do your daily training then just go ahead. " Michael said that with a tired voice as well.
"Nah, I like playing with you two, I'm staying here."
"Well then... we should head back up the hill... and sit under the tree... cause this place here is a bit too hot.
"Let's go then. "
Together we walked back up the hill and we all lied down under the tree side by side and then stared at the sky.
"You know, I always see clouds becoming into the shape of objects in the sky." I started a conversation.
"Yeah, I see a lot of heart shaped ones. " Mike replied.
"I know right? It's like everytime I look up at the sky, I see a heart shaped cloud. "
We stared at the sky a while longer, about 3 minutes, until I started talking again.
"I'm really glad to have met you two. Back before this, I didn't go out and as such I have no play mates. So, getting to play with you lot is rather fun for me. "
"...."
No response?
I sat up and looked to my side. It seems that these two had fallen asleep. Napping under the tree... how peaceful. This is exactly what I wanted back on earth, someone whom I can nap with under the tree, someone whom I can stand on equal footing with, someone I can call a friend. In this short 2 weeks, we had already gotten very close as if we have known each other a lot.
...I don't like thinking about back on Earth since it's in the past, but this time it can't be helped. I really wondered what did I ever do to deserve a second chance at life like this, with loving family and friends. I was a bad person back on earth, that's for sure, but the people back on earth were far more rude as well.
I was a bully without self control and have something to prove. I was exactly like Richard, that rude kid. It doesn't help that the people there never forgave me even after I changed.
Sigh... If only I can tell Richard my experience and help him change into someone better before he makes a mistake like me. I really thought that he was cool, since he is indeed the only one in the school with a grade higher than mine. Though Gerdur, Michael and the other students are actually not that far behind, he was the only one to have surpassed me.
It was a nice change of pace to lose sometimes, since I was relatively gifted in terms of grades. I had two lifetime worth of preparations after all.
However, I can't worry about so many things. Richard can face his own consequences later on, I don't care...
...is what I would want to say, but somehow I can't bring myself to ignore it. I can't ignore someone who actually needs help. Back then, I became a bully because of my abusive parents.
Though I don't hate them, I don't particularly miss them either. I wonder if Richard have some sort of reason for his attitude as well, but now he has friends, 2 of them in fact, just like me. I just hope he won't push them away, like I did with my friend group back on Earth.
I really wondered that what if I had switched place with the me back on earth... if I was instead born as a girl back on earth, with the personality I have now. Would I still have the life like now, with two friends and a loving family? And would Taki Fukiwara have the miserable life that he had but it takes place in this world instead? What is the real difference between the boy me, and this girl me anyway?...
My answer is... inconclusive. It's likely that I will never be able to answer this question unless I can live another life that's exactly like my past life, but in this body instead. But I think it has more to do with the way I act since if anything, I would argue that a girl and a boy isn't much different from each other aside from their bodies.
As I was thinking of all those, my mind had started to grow tired as well and slowly dozed off with my two friends next to me.
_________________
Hmm? Why am I standing in the middle of a city? Weird... this one city is one that I know very well, so I must have just dozed off from being too tired. Tokyo sure is nice, if I was in the other world that I was in, I would have been kidnapped if I slept on the streets.
Being here really feels like home, since I was gone for a good 6 years I have missed it a lot. How nostalgic... I missed this car rustling street, the amount of people dressed in modern clothing, and all the convenient inventions of the modern era.
I turned back, and walked down the street behind me. It's dusk right now, where a lot of people would've just finished working. This road is one that I know really well, because it's right in front of my home. I walked into an apartment building, to the one where my apartment unit was located, where me, my father and mother lived together in.
I didn't have to take the stairs since there's an elevator, unlike the inconvenient middle aged world I was in just now. And hallways have electric lights to light up the path, so I didn't have to use a candle or a lamp, or use magic either.
In front of the door, I reached into my pocket for the key to open the door. I got the key out and inserted it into the door, and opened it.
Now that I pay a closer attention, I could hear talking inside. It's most likely mom and dad talking.
"That brat... If only he'll just grow up and stop with his rebellious attitude... "
"There's no use worrying about it. That boy will never change, you know how he is. "
Will never change? You must be blind then.
"Yea... But part of me wishes that he would just... apologises. He never did, not to us, not to that girl. He was never like that before elementary school. "
This conversation... I heard it before. What I meant is that this isn't just some unknown reality, but a real memory, I actually overheard them talking like this back then... I think it was the day that the girl I blinded changed schools.
Back at the time, I didn't really paid attention to this conversation. But now that I hear of this again, I finally realized it.
I was just too dumb to realise it back on earth. All I needed to do was to sincerely apologise. With my current personality and experience, it all seems like the most natural thing to do, why was I so hell bent on keeping my ego intact when I was the one in the wrong? Now that I remember this, I never even tried to talk to the girl, or even visited her in hospital. I don't think she would've liked to see me though, not that she could see well at all with one missing eye.
I waited for her to show up before I will apologise, this isn't sincere at all, it's just running away from my problem. Not just that, to outsiders it might even seem like I didn't care at all about what I did.
For years, I ran from this problem. For years, dad, mom, my former friends all grew distant from me because I held onto my stupid ego, refusing to just show up and actually admit I was wrong, even though I knew I was wrong. That's why, I disappointed them. That's why, dad and mom got less patient with me and even appears abusive towards me, that's because I did something wrong and I never made up for it.
In the end, what I faced was just a consequence of my own actions. Before this, the mentality that I had was that everyone was just a huge asshole about this incident, that I was the victim of this situation. But in the end that just proves that I'm a selfish person, playing the victim and all.
The reason why I changed now that I'm in this new world? It's also for a selfish reason. I changed into a good person because I was afraid of the consequences of my actions, rather than changing out of a genuinely good will for others. This is no morality, I am basically just a villain in disguise, a time bomb, waiting to blow up on the ones who trusts me.
A speckle of tear dripped down my cheek.
"Ah... " I subconsciously groaned in response.
I'm crying. Back on earth, when I was a boy, I was told that crying is weak, this gave me am artificial ego to never cry. But now that I'm a girl, I have never been told this by anyone, not even my parents. Before I knew it, this fake pride that I held onto had long disappeared, and I can finally be my true self.
Even though I didn't cry much at all in the parallel world, now I was just overwhelmed with anger, guilt, disappointment, sadness and disgust at myself. I'm angry at how stupid I was to not realize this simple thing back when I actually had the chance to apologize! I'm dead now! I will never have another chance to apologize, it is already too late!
Even so, I still held onto the small slimmer of hope that this isn't actually a dream, but a reality. I opened the door and entered.
"Welcome back, Taki- huh? Ta...ki? "
Mom sounds confused, most likely about why I'm crying.
"Dad... Mom... I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never apologised.... Sob... I'm sorry that all I did was just run away.... I'm sorry that I never tried to make up from my mistake! Sob...I'm sorry...! I'm sorry! "
"What are you...? " Dad sounded surprised and confused at the same time.
"In the end... All my friends was disappointed in me... And I made you two disappointed as well... I thought that you all were the ones at fault, but all of this is actually my fault instead... I'm just that stupid to not realize it when I had the chance to...!"
"Taki... "
"Son... "
Those two quietly went up to me and hugged me. Strange... just now I was in my old body, but now my body is no longer a teenage boy, but a 6 year old red haired girl.... How did they even recognized me when I'm no longer in my old body...?
This is the first time they had hugged me since I was 7, when I first started elementary school. That's when I started becoming a bully. I didn't become a bully because these two abused me. No, that was just an excuse. 'Changed person' my ass, I was just as selfish as I was before! I only treated others with fake kindness in this new world so that I won't be thrown away!
"Dad... Mom... "
I hadn't look at them in the face for a long long time now...
Dad, with a sharp face and a short but smart hairstyle, wearing a glasses that doesn't even exist in the other world.
Mom, with a slightly fatter than usual body, curly neck length hair and a face of kindness.
We were all black haired and brown eyed, unlike this other world where people had all kinds of colors in their hair and eyes without putting dyes or contact lenses on.
"Damn, how I missed you two...(sniff)"
"Mmmn. Welcome back, son... or daughter?" Dad was the first to accept my apology.
"Taki... " Mom only said my name, but I knew exactly what she meant.
"I'm doing really well right now... I made new friends, have new loving family... And I am trying my best in living my life to the fullest! I won't hurt others, or lock myself away, or run from my problems... Not again. Not when I was granted a second chance despite my selfishness..."
"That's good to hear but I don't get all your 'second life' or 'new family' thingies. Well, as long as you have learned your lesson, then all is good. Make sure you properly apologize alright? Even if she doesn't accept it, you have to apologize to her sincerely."
Dad said words of reassurance to me. These words are extremely kind when compared to his yellings.
"Mmm... But now I just don't want to let go of you two... " I hugged them even more tightly.
"That's not good, Taki. You mustn't cling on to the past. There's only one way you must go, and it's forward."
"Huh?... mom?..." She knew?...
I think she secretly knew that I'm now from another world... but just to be sure, I'll ask her.
"What do you mean? "
'What I meant is that, it's time to wake up, Kyrielle Buffet. "
"How did you-"
___________________
"-rie? "
I hear the calls of a young little girl...
"Kyrie? You are finally awake, we napped for a while already so it's time to wake up. And... You were crying in your sleep. "
"Oh... "
I sat up from the grass ground, and I touched my face. My face was indeed drenched with tears, so I wiped the tears off with my hand.
"What did you dream about to make you cry like that? I was woken up by you sobbing in your sleep. Was it a nightmare?" Mike elaborated.
"No... It was a good dream actually, though I had mostly forgotten the details from being so abruptly woken up. "
I lied. I would never forget that dream. Even if in the end I never apologized to mom and dad in reality, I could still have this nice ending from a dream, there's no way I would forget it.
And the thing where I said that I didn't miss my old parents much? Didn't miss them much my ass! I missed them so much that I dreamed about them and even cried.
After hearing my excuse, Gerd and Mike looked at each other with face of confusion, and then turned back to me with laughing face.
"Why would you cry if it was a good dream? You are such a bad liar Kyrie!"
Mike called out to my lies. Screw you, I'm not planning to tell you about my wholesome fake family reunion. Besides, I'm not lying when I said it was a good dream.
"Ehhh? But I was telling the truth! "
"Whatever you say. Anyway, it's almost noon now, it's time to head back. If we don't, our parents will start worrying. "
"You are right. "
I stood up from my position and then stretched my body a bit.
''Ah... that felt good... I'll head home first. See you two tomorrow at school! "
"Okay, goodbye Kyrie. "
"See ya. "
"Goodbye Gerd and Mike. "
I start to walk home by myself.... or so I thought. I had tried to act all cool when walking away but I had forgotten my wooden sword at the tree so I had to run back. The two laughed at me as I walked away in embarrassment.
But that dream.... It felt so real that it brought out my unresolved feelings despite me subconsciously knowing that it's fake the moment the dream started... I already knew that this parallel life isn't a joke, but a reality. There's no way that I would wake up in Japan one day.
Come to think of it, aside from when I was a baby, this is the second time I've actually cried for real. The first time was when I dropped the potions and then mom comforted me with love, which overwhelmed me.
This life... Having that dream made me hold this life even more so precious than before. Unlike my ramblings from when I was in a dream, my kindness here isn't fake at all, it's genuine. I'm genuinely happy that I get to have this life despite being a selfish person back on earth.
To honour my former parents, as well as to apologise to them for not properly apologizing before I passed away, I will live this life to its fullest!
"Hmm... Maybe becoming a Student Council member in the future doesn't sound so bad... "
I subconsciously muttered that under my breath. But what I suggested is just another story that should be left for the future few years. I still have 5 years in this school to pass after all, all the time I had to think about joining them.
_______________________________
(Back on a certain apartment in a city called Tokyo...)
"...Darling?" A woman with dark hair and brown eyes woke up her husband who fell asleep in the living room during one noon.
"Huh? Ah... I must have dozed off at the couch. It's the Sunday afterall, and everyone get tired on 11am. "
"Actually I have just woke up from a nap as well. You wouldn't believe what I saw in a dream..."
"Oh? I just had a strange dream as well but would you care to share yours first?"
"Yeah... I had dreamed that Taki came to visit us. He's apologetic and it seems like he has changed..."
"I see... no way... it's the same dream I just had!"
"Really? What's the other details then?"
"Our son... is no longer a son. She also has red hair... "
"That can't be... we just had the same dream?! Does that mean he just visited us in the afterlife to tell us all his regrets? "
"I think so... Somehow, from the moment I saw that red haired girl opening the door, I immediately knew that she was Taki.... Do you think...?"
"Yeah... She has most likely moved on to a new life. One that's far better than the one he had here... After that accident any way... "
".... She looked happier than when she was back here... "
"...I guess we really are failures as parents huh? hahaha.... "
"Well... since she already has a better life, it's time that we moved on from that incident as well right? Before I knew it, it has already been 6 years since he died... "
"Yeah. It was a shame that he didn't tell us that in person, but it's all good now. Shall we head out for breakfast? I haven't ate anything at all and I'm having cravings for Natto Rice. "
"Yea let's go, I'm hungry as well. "
"Hmm... maybe I should make an offering at the temple for Buddha... he must have blessed us with that dream... "
"Yea yea you are right... but let's just eat first alright? "
(Chapter 19 end)