PART ONE.
~
Haruki slouched in his seat, stretching his body as a surge of cheeriness enveloped him. The events of yesterday had been a rough patch, but now that they'd opened up to each other, he felt a lot closer with Ginger.
He was in very high spirits.
"Well, that was an interesting conversation," he chuckled. "It had me on the edge of my seat, like a blockbuster movie with you as the protagonist."
He had expected Ken to grumble about his playful mockery of his dreadful story, but to his surprise, the kid simply smiled and asked, "And what role does that make you?"
"Obviously, I'm the main character's best friend," Haruki replied with a smug grin. "The one who doesn't die, of course."
Kentaro also felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He no longer had to pretend or keep secrets. Haruki accepted him just the way he was. What more could he ask for?
Or maybe...
"I've finally decided which club to join," Ginger suddenly declared, capturing Haru's attention once again.
"Really? Which one?"
"Judo."
"Oh," Haru nodded, understanding dawning on him. But as something clicked in his mind, he jolted up from his seat in shock. "Wait, Judo? You mean martial arts Judo? My Judo?!"
Kentaro nodded, fidgeting with his hands in his lap. "I want to learn how to fight too."
"You suddenly want to fight?!" Haru felt like he had stepped into a whimsical dream; Kid, who do you want to take on in that household of yours?
"I want you to... teach me," Kentaro's confidence wavered at Haruki's reaction. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him for even bringing it up.
"You want me to teach you how to knock people out," Haru contemplated for a moment before bursting into invisible tears. "What kind of miracle is this? I never thought I'd witness the day. Our Ken-chan is truly growing."
"Uh..."
"But tell me, why do you suddenly want to fight?" Haru raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't interested."
Kentaro shifted his gaze evasively.
"Could it be that you really want to pummel those Haradas to a pulp?"
"It has nothing to do with those garbage," Ken muttered, flustered once again. "I just want to be able to protect the people who matter to me. Like my mother and y—people important to me." He tactfully ignored how he repeated the same phrase twice.
Haruki fell silent, feeling his heart constrict. It was all too overwhelming. So touching.
That was until Ginger spoke again, breaking the tender moment. "What's with that dumb expression? Aren't you going to respond?"
"Kentaro, you..." Haruki's voice carried a hint of sourness. "You know, you should be nicer. What happened to the adorable kid from yesterday and this morning? Just a moment ago, he was here, asking me to be his sensei."
"He's gone."
"Hah..."
"And I never asked you to be my sensei," Ken mumbled, though Haru caught his words.
"So, who do you think will teach you how to fight, brat?" Haru raised both eyebrows, daring the kid to make another snarky remark. Yet, Kentaro silently conceded defeat.
Haruki grinned, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. "Let me warn you now. Training with me will be hell. I'll teach you everything the old geezer taught me, but a hundred times more painful."
Ginger furrowed his brows in confusion. "Old geezer?"
"Yeah, my grandpa," Haruki boasted, lifting his chin proudly. "He's the reason I fight like a pro."
Kentaro's mind exploded with a barrage of bizarre scenarios before he mustered the courage to ask, his tone serious yet tinged with curiosity, "Wait, your grandfather taught you street-fighting?"
"He taught me martial arts."
Recalling Haruki's intense display from the previous day, the kid couldn't help but blurt out, "I never expected street-like combat in martial arts..."
Haruki's response came with a mix of exasperation and a hint of pride. "Well, I improvised, alright? But martial arts forms the foundation of my skills. Anyway, just know that I'm going to teach you how to fight. Whether it's about self-defense or going all-out offense, it's up to me."
Kentaro furrowed his brow, a perplexed expression on his face.
Raising an eyebrow, Haruki questioned, "What's the matter?"
Shrugging his shoulders petulantly, the kid puffed up his cheeks and turned away, muttering under his breath, "I'm sure your grandfather would have treated me differently."
"Trust me, Ginger, you wouldn't want that old geezer teaching you anything," Haruki warned, a shiver involuntarily running down his spine. "You'd wish you were dead."
"Is he really that tough?"
"It's not about toughness, but his smugness would drive you crazy," Haruki clenched his fist, a malicious smile playing on his lips. "But I'll show him who's superior, one day."
Kentaro felt a twinge of concern. What kind of relationship did Haruki share with that man? He seemed ready to kill.
Noticing the worry on Kentaro's face, Haruki chuckled and clarified, "Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. I just want to beat him to a bloody pulp in a one-on-one match, that's all."
So, in other words, you still want him dead; Kentaro deduced.
"Grandpa's an amazing person. For a while, he was like a father to me," Haruki confessed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Growing up, I spent most of my time with him."
Suddenly, Kentaro snickered.
"Eh? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Haruki asked, perplexed.
"It's nothing," the kid waved a dismissive hand, a lingering smile on his lips. "I just thought of some old guy for some reason."
"Old guy? What are you trying to say?" Haruki responded menacingly. "Who is this old guy?"
"I don't know, really," Ginger shook his head earnestly. "I can't remember his name or who he was. But I do know he took care of me once."
During the years when Kentaro's mother was bedridden due to illness, an old man had visited the Harada estate and taken care of both her and Ken for a few days. Ginger couldn't recall the man's face or his true identity, but he remembered the deep respect the Haradas had shown him.
Apparently, the old man had initially planned to stay for a short while but ended up extending his stay just to help Kentaro and his mother. What surprised Kentaro even more was that the Haradas hadn't objected to the idea.
"Wow, this old dude must have been someone important if even the Haradas couldn't do anything about him," Haruki commented. "Maybe he was your guardian angel?"
Kentaro rolled his eyes at Haruki's attempt at humor and continued, "All I know is that the Hardas know who he was. I don't think he had any family ties with them though."
"Are you sure? Have you asked them about him?"
Ginger averted his gaze. "I can hardly stand them. Of course, I wouldn't suddenly ask about it."
In other words, his pride mattered more to him. What a stubborn kid. Haruki shrugged and suggested, "Maybe he's already dead. You did mention he was an old man, and it's been years since then."
"Yeah, I guess so, but he wasn't so old that he was on his deathbed," Ginger didn't want to believe it.
"Alright, alright," Haru waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway, you said I reminded you of him. Why?"
"While I was with him, he always talked about someone he wanted to pummel."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, but deep down, he seemed to really care for that person," Kentaro concluded. "You did the same thing with your grandfather just now."
"Really? So that's why you compared me to an old man?!"
"And he just as terrible at giving names, just like you," Kentaro added, propping his hand under his chin, lost in thought. "He named his dogs based on their physical features."
Haruki couldn't help but feel the kid wasn't being serious. He was about to inquire about the "names" of those dogs when Kentaro abruptly changed the topic.
"Enough about me. You mentioned growing up with your grandparents," Kentaro interjected. "Was your life in Kyoto much better than it is here?"
Haruki's face lit up as he nodded, and he completely disregarded the question he had intended to ask next. "Absolutely. There were many kids my age, so it was really fun."
Growing up with his three cousins, all of them his uncle's children, Haruki's closest bond was with Hiromi Nakamura, a boy around the same age as Kentaro. But there were also Ryo Nakamura, Hiromi's older brother who was two years older than Ayame, and Hanako Nakamura, the middle child and only sister three years older than Haruki. During their stay in Kyoto, these three cousins were the constant companions for Haruki and his sister. And on top of that, there were thirteen other kids their age who frequented their grandfather's dojo, giving Haruki many opportunities for decent interaction.
"You said you had no friends," the fiery-haired boy muttered, a tinge of betrayal in his voice. "But that's not true. You had a whole bunch of them."
"Wait a sec, I only got to hang out with them during our joint lessons at the dojo on weekends," Haruki protested, trying to defend himself. "It wasn't like we were together all the time."
"That still counts," Kentaro scoffed, refusing to meet Haruki's gaze. "You always made it seem like you were all alone, like you were suffering there."
"Huh, really? I don't remember saying—"
"You must have had even more friends at school," Kentaro interrupted, his frustration simmering.
Haruki remained silent, leaving Kentaro to wait for a response. But when none came, the ginger-haired boy looked up and found himself met with Haruki's amused gaze.
Leaning forward, resting his head on both hands, Haruki stared intently at Kentaro, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Are you angry?"
"I'm... I'm not angry!" Kentaro stammered, trying to deny the accusation.
"Is it because you think I lied?" Haruki persisted, his voice laced with genuine concern.
"I'm didn't—"
"I don't know," Haruki sighed, his voice tinged with regret. "Maybe because I was as introverted as you back then, I never realized how fortunate I was."
Kentaro felt a pang of embarrassment for his earlier outburst.
~~~
PART TWO.
~
Haruki propped both his arms on the table, using them as support for his head.
"Listen, Ginger. The reason I said I had no friends before is so silly that I didn't think it was worth mentioning. Most of the kids thought I was intimidating because of my martial arts skills. And the few who admired me from afar at school... well, they never dared to approach me. That's all there is to it. It wasn't until I moved here that things changed. Nobody knew who I was or where I came from, so making friends became easy." His gaze shifted away from Kentaro. "But even then, in elementary school, I didn't feel the need. I didn't want to get too attached, in case we had to move again. But all those thoughts vanished once I reached middle school."
Kentaro understood the weight behind those words. Haruki had finally formed close friendships, himself included.
"Do you think you'll move again soon?"
Haruki could sense the unsettled tone in Kentaro's voice, and he answered honestly, "I don't know. But if we do move, I'll understand."
"If you move," the younger boy murmured softly, "can I come with you?"
Haruki chuckled, thinking Kentaro was merely teasing. "If that's what you want, why not?"
"Keep your word."
Haruki burst into laughter, unable to contain his amusement. "Okay, enough with the crazy-talk. Look at us, acting like I'm actually going somewhere. I highly doubt it's happening anytime soon, so don't worry."
However, Kentaro couldn't shake off the uneasiness that lingered. The conversation they just had left him with countless questions like 'What if?' and even 'when?'
"What about that other kid you mentioned, your only true friend in Kyoto?" Ginger suddenly chimed in. "Did you forget about him?"
"Not at all," Haruki beamed, launching into his casual explanation. "Kim Juwon was a year ahead of me, so he left kindergarten first. The next time I saw him, he was already in second grade at the elementary school I attended. You wouldn't believe how excited I was when it happened."
"Kim Juwon?" Kentaro thought to himself: That doesn't sound Japanese. "How long were you friends with him?"
"We were friends until the year I moved here," Haruki pondered for a moment. "That's around the time I completely lost touch with him."
Four years of friendship; Kentaro thought, suddenly feeling a competitive spark. He'd beat that record.
"I wonder how he's doing now," Haruki smiled as he reminisced. "It would be amazing if I could see him again and introduce you guys, don't you think?"
I don't 'think' I want to meet him; Ginger sulked, masking his displeasure. "Why don't you try looking him up on social media or something?"
"It's been a while since I've done that, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to pick up where I left off. I'll look him up now," Haruki stood up and left the room to retrieve his cellphone.
Kentaro was taken aback.
He immediately regretted making that suggestion.
Within seconds, Haruki returned holding his phone, a goofy expression lighting up his face as he searched for Kim Juwon on social media. Sure enough, there were several results about him, including his current location.
"Oh, it looks like he moved back to South Korea. That's cool," Haruki exclaimed in surprise.
Kentaro let out a sigh of relief.
"I wish I could have seen him again though. He's really grown up," Haru's voice carried a tinge of disappointment.
He's not here, so enough about him; Ken thought gloomily.
"That's a shame. I wonder if he even remembers me," Haruki placed his phone on the table and picked up Ken's half-eaten bowl. "Are you still eating this?"
The kid shook his head and pushed the bowl and spoon towards Haru, who took them and headed for the sink. "At least now we know why we can't talk and eat at the same time."
It was truly a waste. Their cereal had turned unappetizingly soggy as they lost track of time engrossed in conversation.
Kentaro leaned over and picked up Haruki's phone, scrolling through Kim Juwon's profile.
The guy was already in his senior year, attending one of Seoul's finest middle schools and ranked among the top three students in the entire metropolis. Kim Juwon had jet-black hair and captivating blue eyes, his flawless skin giving him the aura of a model.
Blue eyes...
"He looks foreign," Ken stated.
Haru nodded. "Yeah, his mom is American."
Tch, of course he had to be mixed-blooded; Ginger felt even more discontented and slightly jealous as he continued to scrutinize the person's profile.
With his slender and elegant physique, Kim Juwon appeared tall in the picture. He donned a perfectly ironed white and blue school uniform, his well-groomed undercut parted to the side without a hair out of place—a picture of a perfect student. Even the sky blue blazer casually draped over his shoulder didn't diminish his model-student demeanor.
Even his smile was sickeningly perfect.
"Can he fight too?" Kentaro casually remarked, a hint of curiosity lacing his words.
Haru, having finished tidying up the sink, held a dish towel to dry his hands, pondering for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "Yeah, but I'm way better."
This person could do anything, then?
"He's a better cook than me, though," Haruki added, a playful smile on his lips.
Damn it!
"So he's like the complete opposite of me," Kentaro surrendered, placing his phone back on the table, where the other person picked it up and studied the profile once more.
"Yup," Haruki confirmed without hesitation.
Ginger: Tch.
"But I still think you're perfect just the way you are," Haruki commented, his words carrying a touch of sincerity.
The red-haired kid narrowed his gaze, his eyes sharp and probing. "Whose character do you prefer?"
The other person visibly stiffened, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.
Patiently, Kentaro waited for a response.
Haruki avoided his gaze, stumbling over his words. "I-I think you both have unique characters."
Kentaro continued to stare at him, a silent challenge in his eyes. This guy hadn't given him a straight answer, and he somehow knew why. Finally, he sighed and looked away.
Fine, for now, he'd let that little 'friend' win. But Ginger swore he'd change just to prove he was better.
"Okay, now I'm starving for some real food," Haruki declared, striding towards the fridge. Suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind, causing his hand to pause on the handle and his lips to twitch.
That's right, Ginger's fridge was stocked with nothing but cup noodles. Not even a drop of cold water. Haruki had forgotten that just yesterday, he had cooked dinner back home and brought it over once he was done.
Sighing, he turned to face Kentaro. "Once I'm finished preparing your bath, I'll head to the store to buy some fresh ingredients. This house is in desperate need of supplies," Haruki announced, his voice tinged with a muttered realization. "But I'll have to check if Mom left the door open first."
"Just use one of my cards," Ken suggested.
Haruki nearly smacked his own forehead. He'd forgotten how loaded his friend was.
Kentaro rose to his feet, his movements slightly hindered by a faint limp, before straightening himself. "I'll come along."
"Come along where? You're staying," Haruki insisted.
"But I'm fine," Ken spoke with determination. "You even said it wasn't serious yesterday."
"And I also told you that you needed two full days of rest," Haruki said solemnly, approaching Ken to offer support as they made their way to his bedroom. "There's no room for debate concerning this."
Kentaro pressed his lips together, bitterness coating his words. He stayed silent until they reached his room, where he settled on the neatly made bed, courtesy of Haruki.
"Then I can take care of my own bath," he mumbled. "You go ahead and hurry back."
A sly smile curved Haruki's lips. "Oh, what's this? Is the little kid afraid that I won't return fast enough?"
Ignoring the teasing remark, Kentaro pointed to one of the shelves in his closet. "The cards are stacked in a corner up there. Buy whatever you want and come back."
***
A few minutes later, Haruki ventured out of the house on his shopping mission, still clad in his pajamas. He couldn't care less about the curious glances thrown his way. That was not his concern.
He held up the slip of paper containing the grocery list, scanning through it to ensure he hadn't missed anything crucial.
Meat, greens, bread, juice, more milk... No more cup noodles, Ginger. You've had enough. When did he even write this? Haru wondered.
Feeling a slight chill in the air, Haruki shivered and looked up at the sky, now overcast and threatening rain. The weather had changed faster than he had realized. The sun, which had been shining moments ago, had been usurped by dark clouds.
"Damn, that doesn't look good," he muttered to himself, tucking the list into his pocket and quickening his pace toward the nearest supermarket.
...
After what seemed like an eternity under the shower, Kentaro finally finished bathing and changed into something warm and comfortable. He settled on the bed, patiently waiting for Haruki's return. However, a glimpse out of his window made him realize that the sun had disappeared.
An uneasiness settled over him instantly.
Yesterday's forecast hadn't mentioned anything about this sudden change in weather. Why all of a sudden...
Before he could finish his train of thought, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, accompanied by a deafening clap of thunder.
Startled, Kentaro closed his eyes and covered his ears, his heart pounding in his chest. Familiar unease crept in as a tightness gripped his chest. Opening his eyes cautiously, he glanced out the window once more.
The sound of raindrops pelting against the glass filled the room, intensifying Kentaro's sinking feeling.
If there was anything he despised and feared more than the Harada family, it was the unsettling sound of thunder.
~~~~~~