Yuuji was a tender eight-year-old when fate led him to cross paths with Sakamoto at the orphanage they both called home. His world had been turned upside down when police and strangers invaded the small apartment he shared with his mother. With innocence in his heart, he bid farewell to his mother that morning, unaware that it would be their final goodbye.
In the first few weeks at the orphanage, Yuuji could often be found gazing wistfully at the front gate, as if hoping for someone to come and take him away. It was clear that he longed for his mother to return and bring him back to their home.
While everyone at the orphanage knew the painful truth—that his mother would never come back—none dared to reveal it to him.
Except for Sakamoto.
Sitting together on the veranda, Sakamoto offered Yuuji half of a butterfly-shaped popsicle. The scorching summer day made the refreshing treat irresistible, especially for a young boy like Yuuji, whose tears had left him somewhat dehydrated.
In the quietude of that moment, it seemed like a silent ritual—an unspoken understanding as Yuuji took the popsicle and then Sakamoto began to speak.
"Are you waiting for your mom? Everybody said you are," Sakamoto gently asked.
"Uhm… yes…," Yuuji replied with a hint of hope in his voice.
"But I heard she killed herself. That's why she won't be coming here."
The popsicle trembled in Yuuji's grasp, almost slipping from his fingers, but he held it tightly, much like he clenched his jaw to keep his emotions in check.
As the scorching weather mirrored the turmoil in his heart, Yuuji's emotions boiled over at Sakamoto's words—the same words he had heard whispered behind his back by others. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to believe them.
"Mama will be here! She will take me home!" Yuuji protested, attempting to persuade Sakamoto to share his optimistic belief.
But having grown up in the orphanage long before he could remember, Sakamoto understood the harsh realities they all faced. Neglect and loss were constants in their lives, and the only love and care they received were from the orphanage caretakers.
With a sad certainty, Sakamoto repeated, "She will not be coming."
"No! Mama won't leave me here because she loves me!"
The weight of reality was too heavy for Yuuji to bear, even though he knew deep down that the truth was painful. The grape-flavoured popsicle melted slowly, mirroring the slow realisation dawning on him.
"Mama will be here! Mama loves me…!"
"She won't leave you here if she loves you."
Abruptly, Yuuji's lips tightened, though his sobs still echoed in the air. He locked eyes with Sakamoto, finding both understanding and a certain callousness behind that gaze.
It was a moment of conflicting emotions—a heart-wrenching mix of denial, sorrow, and a bitter appreciation for Sakamoto's honesty. At that moment, Yuuji saw the harsh realities he had been avoiding, and the world around him seemed colder and darker than ever before.