On the topic of dreams, something like that were brought up by our teacher when we were just like in 5th grade. She said that we will draw our dream jobs on a piece of paper with pencil and bunch of crayons. Of course in topic of dream jobs, there's many occured out of our classmates mouth talking to each other. The popular kids taking about wanting to be doctor, lawyer, politician, while others dreamed to be actors and actresses. Rich and bourgeoise kids have their popular rant of inheriting their parent's businesses. While those who were just so-so which made up the rest of the class just talk out their dream jobs randomly like those who you often hear of. And I'm just one of those kids but the bad thing is I haven't thought of any though. I leaned back and forth from my seat trying to ponder what to draw as to not disappoint the teacher.
"Would you please stop that?", someone said next to me. She sound like irritated but not someone cold towards me, she has a long, black hair which I'm quite fond of, and a sharp and pretty eyes. Hino Yumeko is also looking hard to her paper on what would she draw or so what I thought.
"Oh, my bad, not meant to," I nodded off to her. The two of us known each for a long time, for a long time I mean ever since we were 3 years old. We went to the same kindergarten as that our house just overlooking from each other. So you could say that we are a childhood friend from each other. Few moments have passed, just as that I'm trying to balance pencil with my mouth under my nose, Yumeko leaned towards me and starts to speak something.
"Hey, Nomura-kun, what do you want to be in the future?"
"In the future? Like what?"
"Like what job would you want to have when you're adult."
"Oh, I haven't thought that really. How about you?"
"Me? I think I'll just follow my parent's job."
"So you like to be a teacher or something someday?"
"No, I didn't mean to."
"Then why did you say that you want to be like your parents?"
"Did I said something wrong, Nomura-kun?"
"I mean no, but..."
"What I mean is..."
"Mean is?"
"Is that I want to be something that will help people achieve their dreams."
"Help people achieve their dreams? But isn't being a teacher would suppose that?"
"Being a teacher would be one thing. But there's still more to be pave to what will come."
"I don't get what you're getting at."
"Now, Nomura-kun, what do you want to become?"
"Back to me again, huh? I haven't really have think of anything, but..."
"Would you mind telling me, Nomura-kun?"
"I thought of many things and I'm certain that..."
"Hmm?"
"For the next 15 years, I want to-"
5 years have passed, many have happened. I've grown over 5 foot 5 inches, I've met friends, good and bad, I have experienced my first heartbreak out of confession. I'm also graduating from junior Highschool and about to choose which school would I go next in where you know I haven't thought of any yet. It had been a huge weakness of mine the indecision whom the reason I haven't done many exciting things when I'm in Junior High. Probably would spend the rest of the school break trying to figure out what would I take. I have a bit of mine to just choose the nearest Highschool from our house and choose a fitting track for me. But, but, I can rather pick to stay and rug in this hometown or I will follow my life long promise with someone and move there.
5 years have already passed, time flows by my head. I still remembered that day in fifth grade where we talk about dreams, probably should have drawn a better one. All those stuff and I could think of is to be an engineer in a local construction company. It's not that I'm hating on one or not actually dreamed of it but at least I should have drawn a good one. Not to humble brag my artistic skills, would like to draw a big business empire though since it could be convenient.
Speaking of which, it's still fresh in my head what have came out of my mouth when I talked with Yumeko that day. It's been long way then, haven't seen her after sixth grade after they move with her family to Kanagawa. She probably have also recently graduated from Junior High since of course, we're the same age.
"She's still haven't given up with that promise she had, right?", I said to myself.
As I walk through the street, just a crossing away from our house, the idea of moving away to Kanagawa prefecture to reunionize with Yumeko there and go to the same High school would be a good thing. It buggled me up, with my school uniform on and a school certification at my hand, I'm letting it a beat. The green lights have signaled and then the pedestrians starts to cross the street so as I did while chipping some potato chips.
It has been a week since the graduation but that habit of indecision still creeps me out. Would I go out of the town to attend Highschool or will play safe and stay with my current friends at the local Highschool. I tried to weigh the benefits of the two and here's what I got:
"Staying here would be indeed good since I could feel safe with my current companions and perhaps snatch a good standings with the nearest Highschool's standards. Academic fees and tuition wouldn't be a thing since it's a public school as much that I could also grab part time jobs here with my relatives. Hmm, this is one is a good of chip," I said while counting up numbers with few of my fingers.
"As for the latter, hmm... I couldn't think of any aside from fulfilling my promise with Yumeko. Besides, how could I find her there if it's been 3 years since we have kept in contact."
That's right. I don't know but why, I think it's on between my seventh grade years that suddenly Yumeko stopped contacting me, neither did I found another way to talk to her. I don't what actually have happened, and I still don't know why.
Several moments have passed then and I found myself in front of our apartments door. It's already 6 in the evening so probably dad have gone home. Mom would most likely have cooked hot pot since the simmering smell have been rooting out from the apartment. Maybe should also asked some advice from them for my academic decisions. I'm sure it would be a good talk over a good and hot meal. Just thinking of it gives me comfort inside my innards. Later then I opened the door knob to barge in.
"You're late, brat!" A loud and angry voice sounded out from inside the room.
"Where's the booze I have ordered you!?"
"Huh!"
"Huh!? Don't 'Huh?' me, you useless piece of trash!"
And there a huge fist hit my face that throw me out for a few a meters.
This is bad, I actually forgot to buy alcohol in the convenience store when I'm on my way.
Forget the happy family I have been talking a short while ago, that would be just a dream for me though. Ever since my parents have died from a car accident 8 years ago, I'm forced to live off my relatives. I'm bouncing from one relative to another just to live off my way since I lost my parents. It's been just a year since I move with my uncle and here's what my situation now.
"There's nothing could be expected from the like of you, you useless piece of shit! I guess that's why old geezer have given up and passed away because having the thought of you!", my uncle fiercely said as if he's high of himself. An unemployed, in his mid forties, living just off the pension from my late grandparents, what a big talk from a guy like him. All he could have think is gambling the money and the rest for his booze, that how he spend his life.
"I... I apologize," I talked back while regaining my stance after that unexpected blow.
"Apologise, my ass! You were good for nothing! If only those useless siblings have taken you off, I wouldn't have been lose my money! It's all your fault! Your fault!", he ranted while smacking me with his hands.
I could feel the run down of sweat from my skin trying to cover from his blows. As if I'm being stoned by the crowds of ancient of people, that's what I felt after the unnecessary smacking from my uncle.
"Huh? What's this?", he said in a huge voice after stepping on my school certification paper. He holds it upright. And not just sparing a second to skim on what's on it, he crumbled it right in front of my beaten eyes, a horrifying sight to the kids like I am.
"In the end, it's just you and your useless dream!", he said with a final kick right through my stomach.
"Uwah!" I don't know the expression of being hurt now, I thought I've gone numb from this.
"W-...wait," I slowly uttered. I raised my eyes upon his, while screaming "as if you're the one to talk" without any word.
"What the hell's with you, you piece of a crap! Do you think you're better than every other kids? In the end you're just a trash," he said while landing few kicks back my to my face. "Psst*" spitting up directly to the ground, he turned away his attention from me and started to continue his unfinished drunking out, what an utter failure he is.
"Surely, this won't end just like this," I said to myself after regaining my stature. I hugged off dusts and dirts from my clothing while brushing off blood spots from my swollen chin.
Carrying up myself, I accidentally hit the flower vase sitting on the table in the leaving room. "What the!? Just what the hell are you doing, damn brat!?"
Once again, I woken up the ugly beast from its numbing out, and then I could see a huge fist flying straight through my face. "You damn good for nothing!"
Crap! I need to get out of here if I still wanna see something like tommorow. My face have swollen, few bones likely to be broken in my arms as well as my ribs, I have been coughing blood since he punched me right my abdomen. I need to get out of here now, but,... But, what else could I do?
Without a ponder for a second, I picked up my bag and hastily rashed to meet the front door. There's no thought going up in my mind aside from getting out alive from this living hell.
"*panting heavily!! I..- I need to get out of here!"
"Shit! Come on you goddamn thing!", I said after the doorknob not responding the time I twisted it. "Get back here, Nomura!", the devil have greatly shouted following after me. I don't have any more resemblance of that guy other than a real demonic entity.
On his way he picked up a baseball bat, carrying it to finish me for real.
"Just open, damn it!", I uttered. Maybe it is just a fluke or right up mercy, but the door opened and finally I am outside the apartment.
"Don't you dare run away, Nomura!", I think that's the last thing I heard from him after I quickly runned out of the apartment to save my life.
Tears in my eyes mixed with buckets of sweat flowing through my bruised cheeks. Probably it's just adrenaline rush that kept me going on running for my life that led me to stop on the small park. "I think I'm safe here," I affirmed myself, "I actually runned 500 meters away from the apartment, huh?"
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I kicked it out of my frustration. Nobody's around so might be no one would spot me here ranting out my anger.
"How did it end up like this?", I muttered with my frail voice, weared out from the blows of some abusive relative. I sat over the wooden bench at the park to think it all off, maybe probably also spend a night here.
"If only I've chosen aunt Shiba than that shitty uncle, it wouldn't have turned out like this. I would have probably gotten out from this town if not Grandpa told me to look unto that guy. Why? Why should I be the one to suffer it all!"
"You're blaming people again, aren't you"
Suddenly a strange voice came out of the dark of the night and tried to approach me. It's still pitch dark despite the light from the lamp post that's why I could not discern who might it be.
"Who are you!?", I asked in an alerted manner. I heightened my senses since I don't know who might it be trying to approach me with such a random question.
"Crap! It could be the police or rather a burglar. Or worse it would be that guy," I said to myself.
"Yo! Don't be scared," the person said with a salutation sign over his forehead, the light have illuminated his figure now. He has a messy, bleached white hair. He's wearing a thick, brown coat despite being it's now spring break. He's probably standing above 5 foot 10 inches and have a lousy posture.
Once again, I asked, "Who are you?"
He opened his lips very wide and said some words that is a complete nonsense.
"I came back from the future, 10 years later probably."