Chapter 1: is this Peace?.

The air was thick with tension as the echo of harsh, angry words filled a dimly lit room. On the wooden floor, a small boy no older than 10 years old, lay curled into a trembling ball. His frail arms clutched his sides, trying to shield himself from the relentless kicks of his father's antagonizing feet. 

The boy who's name was Hitoshi Mitsuki, trembled on the wooden floor, tears already soaking the dirty wooden boards beneath him. His frail arms tried their best to clutch at his ribs but, it did nothing to soften the brutal impact of his father's feet which struck relentlessly upon his feeble little body.

Thud!.

"Guahh" Hitoshi spat out some saliva when his father's feet landed squarely on his abdomen. His breath stolen by the searing pain that surged from his abdomen. 

" It hurts...it hurts..." He whimpered as his tears obstructed his vision, bitting down on his lips to keep his cries inside.

 Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the sting of humiliation and pain.

"You're nothing but bad luck!" his father roared, his voice hoarse from rage. "Since your mother died, all you've done is ruin my life! Useless brat—can't get good grades, can't do anything right!"

Hitoshi's vision blurred as fresh agony suddenly rippled from his legs. 

' Papa please stop...' 

' I'll be better Papa, I promise....'

' I promise I'll try harder Papa, please..' his mind screamed continuously, far more than his voice ever did. 

No matter how much his father beat him, no words ever escaped his lips. After living with his father for so long, he knew better than to beg him outright, All his past experiences led him to know that that was the worst thing he could ever do. To avoid feeling more pain than he should, he pitifully kept his mouth shut while enduring his father's heartless hits. 

Another viscous blow connected with his arm, numbing it instantly.

His chest heaved as he chocked on his sobs, the pain like a searing fire spreading across every inch of his fragile body. 

' Why.....: 

' Just why does Papa refuse to love me....' he thought to himself, the pain of the thought seemingly more hurtful than his father's merciless abusing.

' Just why can't Papa love me...' This thought had always plagued his mind for as long as he could remember, although his grades weren't the best, he had never failed to get anything below a B- , as for when it came to working, he couldn't remember a time when he hadn't worked as hard as possible to please his father.

Although he wasn't perfect nor best in everything he put his mind to, he was still always above average, so Why?.

Why couldn't his own blood father every truly accept and treat him like his own son?.

His thoughts spiralled as he endured hit after hit, each one a wicked remember that Love was a non-existent abstract in this household. 

The man's foot connected sharply with the boy's ribs, forcing a muffled cry to escape from his quivering lips. The child whimpered but remained silent, knowing that begging for mercy would only make it worse.

After what felt like an eternity, the father finally stopped. His chest heaved with exertion as he glared down at the boy. "I can't stand the sight of you," he spat, wiping sweat from his brow. "You're just like your mother—weak and worthless."

With that, the man stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him and continuing to curse under his breath as he staggered toward the living room. The sound of a beer bottle being opened echoed faintly through the house.

The boy remained on the floor, sobbing quietly. His entire body throbbed with pain, but the ache in his chest was far worse than any physical wound. "Why?" he whispered between sniffles. "Why does it always hurt so much?"

Curled into a trembling ball, the boy clung to the floor as though it might somehow soothe the agony wracking his body. Hot tears continuously streaming down his bruised face. 

Through sniffling and shallow breaths, he thought bitterly to himself. ' Why did I have to be born like this...., With Mama gone all he ever does is beat me....just why couldn't I have died with Mama... maybe then I wouldn't have to suffer so much.' 

The hours soon crept by as darkness swallowed the house. Shadows danced across the walls, but the boy didn't move from his spot until the moon hung high in the sky. Wincing with every step, he finally forced himself to stand. His small frame swayed slightly, but he bit his lip to keep from crying out.

Downstairs, his father lay sprawled on the living room couch, snoring loudly with an empty beer bottle dangling from his hand. The television flickered in the background, casting erratic lights over the mess of shattered bottles and crumpled cans littering the floor.

Despite his pain, the boy quietly set to work. He picked up the glass shards with trembling fingers, careful not to cut himself. He swept up the debris, gathered the empty bottles, and placed them in a large polythene bag. It was routine by now, cleaning up after his father, enduring the weight of a life he didn't ask for.

Dragging the heavy bag outside, he approached the garbage can by the street. The cold night air bit into his skin, but he barely noticed. As he stood in front of the garbage can, something caught his attention across the street, specifically a family of three.

A father, a mother, and a little girl about his age walked hand in hand, laughter floating through the air like music. The girl's eyes sparkled with joy as she skipped between her parents, her innocence a complete opposite to the boy's harsh reality.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched them. His chest tightened with a longing so intense it hurt. 

' Why couldn't that be me?.' he thought bitterly. 'Why did I have to be born into this life?'

Sniffling, he wiped his face with the back of his hand and turned to toss the bag into the garbage can. The bottles clinked loudly as they landed inside. Just as he was about to head back inside, a sudden, high-pitched scream of excitement pierced the night.

The boy spun around, his heart racing. On the other side of the street, He saw that the little girl had broken free from her parents' grasp. Her wide eyes were fixated on a small, fluffy cat sitting near the roadside.

"Come back!" her parents shouted in panic as she giggled and ran toward the animal.

Time seemed to slow as the boy noticed something the family hadn't, a truck speeding down the street, its headlights glaring like twin suns. The driver was honking frantically, but the girl was too focused on the cat to notice.

The boy's breath caught in his throat.

 'She's going to get hit!.'

Before he knew what he was doing, his legs were moving. Ignoring the searing pain in his body, he sprinted across the street. His mind raced with thoughts he couldn't control. 

Just why is she being so reckless?!!!!!.

Doesn't she know how lucky she is to have parents who love her?' he thought to himself, inwardly despising the young girl as he raced towards her.

The truck roared closer, its engine similar to deafening roar. The girl had finally caught the cat, cradling it in her arms, oblivious to the danger bearing down on her.

"No!" the boy shouted, pushing himself harder. His feet pounded against the asphalt as he closed the distance. At the last second, he reached the girl, grabbing her and the cat in one swift motion pulling them towards his chest.

In that moment, The world blurred as he twisted his body, shielding them both.

Then it hit him.

BAMMM!!!!

The impact caused his brain to turn blank, his eyes widening in disbelief while he felt a metallic taste rushing upwards out his mouth.

" Guahh!!" He forcefully spat out a mouthful of blood.

 In the blink of an eye, the boy's small frame was lifted into the air, pain exploding through every nerve as he clung tightly to the girl and the cat. He hit the ground hard tumbling round and round, the breath knocked from his lungs, but even then his hands refused to let go. 

Even while pain skyrocketed all over his body, he gnashed his teeth and held both young girl and cat close towards his chest to help shield them from most of the force behind the collision. 

When his tumbling body finally came to a stop, his hands trembled before letting go of the two of them.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as his vision wavered. The truck screeched to a halt several meters away, its tires smoking against the pavement.

The boy's ears rang, drowning out the panicked screams of the girl's parents as they rushed toward them. He forced his heavy eyelids open, glancing at the girl cradled beside his chest, body trembling in shock from the accident.

She had a few cuts and bruises, but besides that it looked like she was ok and alive. The cat, though unconscious, was still breathing, seeing this, a wave of relief washed over him like a warm wave.

As the girl's parents knelt beside them, their frantic voices blending into a blur, the boy felt a strange sense of peace. For the first time in his life, someone had looked at him with genuine concern.

' I'm going to die aren't I.....' he thought weakly. ' Well at least someone finally acknowledged me at the very end hehehe...' he chuckled lightly not daring to make it loud due to the nerve wracking pain he felt all over his body.

Before he knew it his eyelids grew heavier, the pain fading into numbness. The last thing he saw was the worried face of the girl's mother, tears streaming down her cheeks as she called for help while glancing at him and her daughter.

Hitoshi felt as if his heart was full of warmth, using the last remaining strength he had, he gave a thankful smile.

Then darkness claimed him.