They say fate always plays a crucial part in granting someone what they deserve. It can be either cruelty or mercy ; sadness or happiness, depends upon the karma of the person. Fate, thus always plays its role fairly. But even the rotation of all planet are not the same.
Indeed, fate is the key to unlock the path of one's ultimate destination. But, whether or not the person will be capable to reach where he is destined to be, is entirely upto him. The path can be scary; filled with obstacles and shackles.
In this world who always remains bounded by those shackles and gives up to face the obstacles are known as failure. On the other hand, whoever breaks the shackles and defeats the obstacles head on are the successful ones.
Likewise, Kawaragi Sayaki, a teenager around age eighteen, is bounded by various shackles and his path is full of only obstacles; even his own family. Yet, he refused to give up and persistently continues to break out of the shackles he has. His only dream is to create a good image for himself. So that the other people will acknowledge him.
Despite having the worst image which fate brought on him, he is still far from accepting despair; thanks to the very few people who supports him with honesty. That being said, there are only two person, one his younger sister Kawaragi Hatsune and his only friend Sengoku Haruki; though he had already graduated from high school.
Being lost in the dream, he faced, not clearly, a bunch of people abandoned by the very god they worshiped. Destructions all around, blood, dead bodies, wracks of houses and dark flames all around.
Witnessing those causalities fear, yet intense anger, ran through his entire body. Heart racing super fast, breathing abnormally rapidly, sweating like a fountain, Sayaki woke up in his bed. The alarm started ringing.
'Man! That crazy dream again. How much will it take me to overcome this dreadful scenario.' He thought as he stopped the alarm.
Walking downstairs slowly, he reached for washroom. Splashing the water on his face he looked at the mirror.
The small water drops remaining on his black hair sparkled like light particles. His dark purple eyes blazed looking himself in the mirror.
"Isn't it the time for you to disappear, you mongrel." The image in the mirror told him, "This world would be so much better if you were ceased to exist. You're not required here."
"You don't have to remind me. I know that, you damn me." Sayaki, unable to bear his own truth, punched hard on the mirror.
The glass shattered. Blood dropped from the wound he got. His biggest shackle is his own alternative personality. The personality always dominated him from advancing the development of his positive emotions. He had a positive attitude though.
"The poor mirror got broken again, eh?" a girl, blond hair and golden eyes age fifteen, appeared, "Now, let me see your hand again, Brother."
"Hatsu? When did you come in." startled Sayaki tried to hide his hands.
"Com'on brother, you do know that it's not rare to see you breaking mirrors like this. This is the eleventh times already in this month. And your wounds are getting worsen more and more." She held his and started to put some bandages.
"Sorry about all the troubles." He smiled gently, "Sometimes, I just can't hold myself back from happening it. Seeing my image mocking me, I just…"
"I know. I know. You need not to explain. I'm your sister after all. And I know one day or another the people will see you from my point of view."
"I hope so."
"Now then. It's done." She touched the bandaged wound gently, " And try to hold yourself back or use the washroom after I use it. Jeez! Now I have to use the broken one."
"Sorry again. I'll treat you some pudding latter."
"Apology accepted. Now go and get ready we have to left for school."
He nodded and went to prepare.
Even if his sister wants the world to see him from her point of view, Sayaki knew it's not possible.
Reality is always harsh. In his case, it's unthinkable. People never see him from the angle they should. If Sayaki helps someone, he might be the reason for that person's condition. If he tops in the class, he's looking down on everyone. If he don't, he doesn't care anyone's hard work and efforts or so his classmates think.
"It's hard to breath nowadays. I bet someone unnecessary is taking all the air." This much toxicities have his entire class.
After preparing for school, both Sayaki and his sister Hatsune joined their parents on the table for breakfast. It was the most awkward situation for him; joining on the table to eat together. Reason, anyone hardly speaks anything. Only Hatsune speaks something if there's any need. Otherwise she doesn't.
"Hay dad. Can you give me the pocket money of the next month tomorrow? I have somethings to take care of."
Her dad spoke nothing in front of Sayaki but nodded. So did Sayaki. He never ask anything from his father. Although the family is not in good terms with one another, yet they live quite the peaceful life; thoughts of their mother that is. Finishing breakfast They left for school.
"Jeez! Would it kill them to say at least something. Even the phone vibrates when it's mute. But those jerks are totally helpless."
Sayaki laughed at Hatsune's words. Wiping the laughing tear he said,
"Referring parents as jerks? You sure have courage to speak like that, Hatsu. I can't help myself but laugh. Haaaaa haaa…. Man! Really, you sure are something else, you know."
"Yeah, I heard that a lot form you." She laughed as well, "Really though, which parents hate to speak with their own child. I can't bear with it. Just wait for me, I'm gonna get graduate pretty soon and leave that damn house with you."
"Sure, why not. But that also means I have to wait for another two years. Besides, by the time you graduate I'll be living on my own. I have only some months left."
"Now that you mentioned it, how's your preparations going. I hope you'll top again this year. I want to see the faces of those fools in utter disappointment."
She referred to the upperclassmen who always disgust Sayaki. Seeing them disappointed, is the ultimate joy she could ever feel. After all, they refused to see the hard work of Sayaki that Hatsune admired.
"Umm.. Well, I've already covered most of the topics. The remaining topics are gonna covered in this month by our teachers. So, I guess there's no problem. I just need to attend the school daily."
"That's great. I hope for you to be victorious."
His sister was proud of him. And he tried to live upto her expectations. He might have let everyone down. But he never let her sister down no mater the cost.
'Yeah, I just need to keep my attendance clear to top again.' Or so he thought.
"I'm sorry Sayaki. But you've been suspended from school for a month." The principle told him in the faculty office after the first period.
"But why, I didn't do anything wrong, did I? then why're you suspending me."
"We just have been reported damaging of school property and violations of school discipline by you. You do know what you did right?"
"But Sir, those allegations are totally fake. I'm not engaged in those activities. They're just framing me. You can't just believe what they said, you should've ask them for proper evidences."
"Do you have any evidence that you didn't do that. If you have, I'm willing to invalid my decision. Eight windows were found broken just after you passed the hallway. Several training instruments were found damaged just after you locked the gym store. Even all the wooden swords were broken in the kendo club. We know about your conflict regarding kendo club. "
"That's a past and I never set my foot in that club again. As for the other , well ..…" he remained silent.
"Judging by your silence, I'm guessing you don't have anything to say." the principle smiled, "Now then you should be grateful that we didn't expelled you. Instead you're not allowed to enter school premises until thirty days from now on. And, by the way, we've already sent a notice to Mr Kawaragi for damage penalty."
'You've gotta be kidding me. Why informed him.' His eyes were about to pop out.
The cheerful face of the morning turned into dull by the evening as his father threw a glass at him holding the letter from his school. Blood flew from his forehead. They were on dining room while Hatsune and her mother were outside; leaving them alone to talk over the matter.
"What's the meaning of all these huh? Didn't you get the pleasure by destroying our reputation, now you're destroying the school's property. And how I'm supposed to pay the penalty of one million yen in one month? Do you even know how hard it's to carry all the expenses."
"I'm sorry dad." Sayaki grovelled on the floor, "You don't have to pay the penalty. I'll take care of that myself."
"Say what? Do you even have any idea how much time will it take you to collect one million yen by doing some part-time jobs or whatever."
Sayaki was well aware of that. He also know it'll be impossible to earn such a huge amount of money in just a month. But he never gave up on his words; he'll manage somehow.
"Tch, whatever." His father looked him with disgust, "Just get the hell out of my sight already. I don't want to argue with you anymore right now. And do keep in mind, I'm not going to pay that amount of money."
He left the room as her mother entered in the same time. She didn't even looked at him. Outside Hatsune was still waiting.
Seeing the blood she tried to stop with her handkerchief.
"Don't worry brother, I'll work too. Together we both can earn that much in no time." But she also knew deep down that it's impossible; unless a miracle were to happen out of the blue.
"Don't concern yourself too much with it Hatsu. You just keep focusing on your studies. I'll be fine. I have some ideas already in mind."
But he didn't have any. He just said that to clear the uneasiness of his sister. Sayaki didn't want his sister to ruin her carrier for earning some stupid one million yen.
"By the way, I'm going to the convenience store. Do you want me to grab anything for you."
"Pudding, if you may."
"Oh! Okay." He left the home.
In actual he went for a job hunting quest in the evening bearing a stupid idea that someone might pity him and give him a job. He tried several times before to get a part-time job. Each time he was turned down due to his bad image; the image of a 'Curse Inflictor'. That's ridicules anyway.
As he anticipated, the store manager refused to gave him any job. He bought the pudding for his sister and left the place.
While he was returning he witnessed an unimaginable scene. Under the full bright moon, a girl wearing a school uniform stood on the fence of the bridge he was about to cross.
Her skirt waved gently with the wind, the wind which also slightly touched her black long pony tail hair. Her undone hoodie was also waving with the rest of her cloths in the wind.
The moon light fell directly on her face as she looked straight towards the moon. Her face, was beyond the definition of beauty; more like a divine beauty that directly descended from heaven unable to hold her charms for very long.
Attractive as a world filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers, her appearance held an enigma beyond anyone's comprehension.
Yet sign of uneasiness covered her face in sadness as she looked at Sayaki. Sayaki looked at her. He couldn't bring himself to ask anything; thinking she might feel disgust talking to him.
She however, smiled seeing him. Jumped from the fence towards Sayaki with a intention of a flying kick. With a speed of rocket she hit Sayaki.
He was not weak enough to let himself get hit. He blocked holding the toe of that girl and threw her away from him.
"OMG! You still didn't forget the lessons you were taught during the club activities. I thought your skills got blunt after leaving the Kendo Club."
She stood up. Dusting off the dirt on her skirt she looked at Sayaki. Sayaki's mood changed seeing her. He thought she would be disgusted by him, but the opposite happened.
"And you're still as careless as usual. Attempting to kick random people out of nowhere. Are you satisfied now, Mizuwa." With a sign of irritation he replied.
Mizuwa Yuki, a third year student in the same class as his. She's the most beautiful girl in entire school. Everyone has already asked her out and faced rejection. For her attraction and charm she's famous and known as the 'Goddess Of Beauty'.
"I wasn't attacking random people. You are the one who was staring at me for quite some time. I thought you were trying to peek under my skirt."
"Like in hell I would. I don't have any slightest interest at your underwears or anything."
"Hay, that's mean thing to say to a lady on her face." She imitated to protect her body with a little red on her face.
"I was just curious to see you pose like a heroin on the fence of that bridge. It caught my attention that's all. I'm not a sneaky pervert, you know."
"Is that so." She smiled.
"By the way, what were you doing above there. That could dangerous if you were to fell in the river."
"I was thinking."
"Thinking?"
"Yes, thinking. I was thinking how beautiful this world and the bright full moon is. But you see, many times those dark clouds try to block the glow of the moon. But no matter how many time they did, in the end the moon still glows like it always does, like an ultimate example of eternal shine."
"You sounds like an author to me. You should try writing a novel or something." He laughed gently.
"It's nothing like that." She with a balloon face, "My dad told me something similar to it a very long time ago. That's why I admire the moon so much."
"Sorry, Sorry. Is that so, what did he said anyway."
"He said. The moon rises everyday to show the path during darkness. Sometime it's hard to find it in the sky as the obstacles block our sight. But eventually, it will show up. Only the right moment is needed for it to shine again. And thus, during that time, may the ….Ahem,,, nothing more. He told me that."
She was about to say more but halted. Maybe she didn't want to make him bore.
"That sure was a lovely speech you gave. But I highly doubt, the moon will always shine that way. One day or another it's bound to loose its glow."
"You're wrong. Even if that were to happen, the moon will always get back its glow. It just needs the right moment to show what it's capable of." She moved a bit towards him.
"Yeah right. The right moment, huh? I hope the moon also shows me the path through this darkness. But I'm certain that'll not gonna happen."
"Then let me be the moon for you." She held Sayaki's hands, "I'll guide you the path in making a better future. A future where no one will lookdown upon you. A future where everyone will admire you for what you do. A future where everyone will understand you. A future where everyone will love you. A future where I'll be always by your side no matter the cost and support you until my very death."
Sayaki got embarrassed to hear those words. He didn't anticipated she would propose him like this. Her words maybe twisted but her motive was clear.
'Crap! Is she proposing me. This experience is new to me. How should I react.' He thought
"Kawaragi Sayaki, just so you know, I've been in love with you ever since I saw you. But I didn't have the courage to pass those bustard and approach you to say this. Today is the right moment which was showed by the moon itself. So I'm gonna be frank. I, Mizuwa Yuki, love you, and will love you until my death....."
Someone was behind her. The next thing he notice, blood came out of Yuki's mouth and a pain across his own stomach.
The person in a hoodie with a long katana stabbed both of them at the same time, behind from Yuki. Their blood started to flow out of their bodies.
"You don't deserve to be here, boy. Be gone from this world." The person said and left.
'If you had business with me , settle that with only me. Why dragged Mizuwa in this.' But his voice didn't reach the killer.
Until a second ago who was giving an oath to be by his side till death, meet their death very soon. As if Sayaki was forsaken by his own fate; the fate that also engulfed Yuki along with him.
"Don't worry, Sayaki." She was using his given name in time of death, "If we were to get a next life. I'll find you. I will find you and fulfil the promise I just…. Made.."
Her voice slowed down unimaginably. She did not have much life force left. Yet she used the remaining to convey a last message.
"Just promise me. In our next life I ….. I'll be the only one….. whom you'll love and no one else." She tried to look in his face.
"I promise." He smiled.
In the brink of death, Sayaki's whole life flashed back. How he was treated by others, how he was treated by his own family and how he was treated everywhere he had gone.
Everything was not like they way they were. When he was child pretty much everyone loved him for his kindness. Other children always played with him.
It was the time when Sayaki was seven and his sister was five. They were playing tag-tag with the other kids in the park.
Hatsune, meanwhile, ran towards the road in confusion. She didn't see the upcoming car on the way. Being a big brother it was his responsibility to protect his sister. But he was not fast enough to save her as the car was about to hit her.
But he tried. At least managed to save his sister. But in cost of his own life. He sustained sever injury on his head. His skull was fractured and his blood leaked in brain.
The doctors had no choice but to declare him as dead as he took his last breath. Back then his whole family including his parents and sister cried for him.
That was when a miracle had occurred. The blond hair of Sayaki turned pitch black. The golden glaze of his eyes turned dark purple.
This is the reason why he and his family members don't resemble in current situation.
After that death reborn and the sudden transformation of Sayaki, everyone thought that he might have changed. But he was still the same kind hearted Sayaki once everyone knew; Sayaki who can give his own life to protect his beloved ones. Not to mention the doctors were stunned to witness such a phenomena.
Several days gone by peacefully. Some days later, someone teased him while coming back from school.
"Sayaki, you're like a phoenix. Getting reborn after your death. That's awesome."
"Man! What're you trying to say. If I'm a phoenix, then I'll burn you in my majestic flames."
He teased back as usual; laughed as usual. But that night, a blast occurred in that boy's house. Everyone including Sayaki's friend was burned to death.
Apparently it was negligence of the households for not checking their gas line. But instead of talk about that, a different topic spread around as Sayaki's other friends discussed what he said that day.
"Do you think that it's his fault for saying he'll burn them in his majestic flames."
"It can be. After all he's abnormal and came back to life after his dead with no injury. He can do supernatural phenomena like that."
Hearing those words the neighbours agreed with each other. They started back beating too, went on and on about how much threat he might possess. They were the worst.
Sometime human only seeks to blame other for their mistakes or anyone else's. they forget to be reasoning. And find the most illogical way to put all the blames on someone else's shoulder despite thinking of the consequences.
That happened to Sayaki too. All the blame for the dead family went straight to his shoulder. He was condemned for the crime he never did. Yet no one's there to listen to him. His own parents started to doubt him too.
Hatsune, however, didn't believe that crap and rubbish people were spreading around. Even a five year's old little girl was more intelligent than those overgrown adults.
'I didn't do anything.' That thought made him hollow from inside. Ever since he felt that way.
Whether it was grade school, middle school or high school, he always faced the burden. Got bullied all the times. Yet smiled like that doesn't hurt any more. He abandoned the misery he was about to face. And carried on to make a good image.
Yet he failed countless numbers of times. No matter what he did, he was the one to blame. thus he also gain the bad name 'Curse Inflictor'.
His family did tried to abandon him as well. But they fear their daughter whom the thought to be their only child, might leave along with him. So they supported him; only financially not emotionally.
Neglected by his own parents, forsaken by the fate and bound by thousands of shackles he was a living dead. If it weren't for Hatsune he might not be able to keep up and might have given up a long time ago.
He worked hard. Studied hard. Made a name among the toppers. Yet he never tasted the sweet fruit he deserved.
Now that he had reached his limit and was about to die, all the previous things felt like a joke to him.
Yuki died already. He still had some life left inside him. He pated gently on her head and apologize for dragging her into this. Although, he didn't know why and by whom he was killed.
And a final thing came to his mind as he slowly lost his consciousness.
"Be always proud Sa*** One day yo* *** Desti*** ** ru** **** **** world. And you'll make us pr*** also."
A lady with a blur appearance and sound told him while patting on his head with motherly affection. He couldn't understand it entirely as he don't remember anything like that.
In the dying time, he wished that Yuki's words may become true and he gets a new life where he can make a good image for himself. A new life where he can fall in love with only Yuki. A new life where no one will discriminate him.
But getting new life after dead is only possible in Fantasy world which does not exist to begin with.
The blood made the ground red as it stopped coming out of their bodies. One the blood the box of pudding remained soaked. His sister who was waiting from him in his house had no idea about the situation.
Under the golden light of full moon, on the bridge two bodies lie holding each other tightly as a katana had pierced through both of them.
[Changing of View Point]
What happened to me? My mind is in void, an eternal dark where nothing exist. I can neither hear nor see anything. Trying get all the senses of my body, I failed. There's nothing left.
"That's right, I died. It's a shame that I didn't get the chance to reply her." I spoke to myself.
To be honest I liked her for quite a some time. To be accurate ever since she joined the kendo club. But I never spoke to her. Now that I think about it, she was afraid to talked to me. But she never looked down on me. Maybe I guessed her wrong too.
I was slowly moving towards more darkness. But suddenly a ray of light came. I saw my entire body in that light. Maybe I'm a soul out of my body. I tried to go towards my body; But was pulled away into darkness, far from my body. My comprehension ability fainted as I lost my consciousness again.