A child's separation

My name is Rono Takayama, I used to live in Japan my in my childhood until I was 7. I lived with my Mom and Dad in a 2 story house, it was fairly new so it was good enough to keep us safe along with the gate at the entrance. My Dad was a police officer, he is a very successful officer unlike other officers that barely know when to use the gun and other materials when necessary. My Mom is the nicest in the world to my eyes, she always makes the best food, she also makes sure that we're okay in our daily routine. Back then I didn't have any friends at school,I was always the quiet one in the school. But when I got home from school, I would always go straight to my room and finish my homework. If there was a test the next day then I would ask my parents to help me study. When I finished with that, I would go to the park and play on the playground.

A part of me always told me that there was something missing, something that even I had never thought of having before…it...was.. friendship. I didn't know what having a friend would feel like. I'd never thought of it because I spent most of my time in the alleyway by my house where there were cats. Ah, cats... They were my second favorite things in the world (under my first favorite thing which was playing in the park), I remember at one point that I asked my parents for a cat. But as every child would fear for an answer, was no. They told me that they would give a cat when I was responsible enough. It was going to be a long time until I get a cat for my own. But then an unexpected moment appeared.

My friendship with Sakaki.

She is a girl that I always saw whenever I went to the park. The first time i saw her was in the winter where snow had accumulated on the slides, the swings and everything. I saw her on one of the swings that day. She had long black hair, black eyes, a tall physique, she would always wear a white scarf, a big jacket and the one trait I noticed about her the most is that she seemed to have an expressionless face as if she was mad. We were the same age but unfortunately, she was the tallest than most kids. At first I thought she would be mean enough to hit you if you tried to talk to her, which kind of explains why I mostly saw her by herself on the swings. I felt sorry for her everytime I saw at the park by herself. I felt the need to help, but I was shy and I didn't know how to start a basic conversation. That was when my mom saw me standing looking like I was staring into space. She walked up to me and said this:

"Rono, why don't you try being friends with her, she seems like a nice girl. Why don't you talk her?."

That's when I realized that it was about time to get at least one friend, I was mostly alone on my birthdays and vacations, sometimes my cousins visit too. I finally got the courage to get to know this mysterious girl. I slowly walked up to her and sat on the swings next to her. A few minutes of silence occurred, then I asked:

"So...what's your name?" I asked

Instead she didn't say anything. I assumed that I creeped her out a bit out of no where.

"Ok, I'll start first."

"My name is Rono Takayama, but you can call me Rono. Nice to meet you!" as I said while pulling out my hand from my pocket so I can shake her hand.

At that moment, she finally said something to me:

"My..name is..Sa...kaki." She said

"Sakaki. That's a pretty name!" I said

Suddenly she blushed right when I said that, at the time I didn't get why people blushed.

"Th-thank you" she said

"Would..you like to be my friend? I don't have many, I always see you here everyday by yourself. So..I figured if you wanted to play with me?"

Her eyes widened up and her eyes watered up. My heart started racing and I immediately asked

"Ah! Did I say something bad?!"

She wiped up her tears and then a smiled started to form on her.

"No, I just... never expected to have someone nice to ask me if I wanted to be their friend. But..you're not lying to me, right?"

"No, of course not." Rono said

"Ok, I never had a...friend before." Sakaki said

"Me too, but I know that we'll figure it out later!" Rono said while he rubs the back of his head.

"Wanna play on the swings?"

"Sure." She said

After that, she accepted my friendship and we played on the swings for the rest of the day. We had the best time of our lives, it also lead us to visit each other's houses anytime we wanted. I then learned that if you meet someone, the nicer she gets when you get to know them. That was the only time when I...truly.. felt happy.

After a year, my dad wanted to tell us some "good news". My dad had a big job offer from the police station they also told him that he got promoted to a new rank, but it turns out that the place the job ranked my dad was that he is required to move to the United States of America. I was shocked and surprised when my dad told my mom and I. My dream was to go to America someday when I was old enough to go by myself but it turns out that I would have to leave Japan with my Mom and Dad to America. I knew that I would leave a lot behind from Japan. I realized that I would have to leave my school,my family and the cats from my neighborhood. I went to the park as soon as possible where I always met Sakaki at, I had to tell her the bad news. When I told her, I could see tears forming up in her eyes. It felt as in I was in a nightmare. I was going to lose my one and only friend all because I have to go to America with my parents. Out of no where I broke down in tears, but then Sakaki came up to me and told me:

"Don't worry Rono, someday we'll see each other again." As she forced a smile on her face. She then gave me a hug, it calmed me down a little. We then told eachother our final goodbyes. After that we never saw each other. Never again will I ever get that pure happiness again.

-8 years later-

During the 8 years I've spent living in America, I slowly began to lose my childhood memories. Because of that I forgot what living in Japan felt like, my true home. At first, it was hard for me speaking English during my youthful years. I got used to the life I lived in on America, which I called it my so called "home". When I finally finished elementary and middle school, I was off to Highschool. That's when my parents called me in to have a discussion with them. I wondered if I did something wrong, were they mad at me, are my grades bad? When I got inside the room, they told me something that I never knew they would say to me after all theses years. I thought I was in a dream when they told me that I could go to Highschool in Japan! I decided to go back because I missed home SO much.

Since my dad has been doing an amazing job on his job, he gave me $1000! My parents later converted the US dollars to Yen that way I can spend it on items that I need to get me going. At the day I went to the airport, I gave my goodbyes to them. I saw my mom cry a bit.

"My son is finally becoming a man, hehe!" Rono's dad said

Then I saw my mom hit dad

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Why are you suddenly so happy for Rono? Aren't you upset that he's leaving us?"she said.

"I'm happy on the outside, and sad in the inside. But we DO owe him for dragging him with us all these years. Imagine how Rono felt when he had to leave all those dear to him back from Japan!"

Rono's mom's eyes went wide open and gasped

"The least we can do for him is get him an apartment in Japan and let live there on his own. But you know..we could always visit him someday."

"Really!?" She said

"Yep and besides, if I were to make a prediction. Then I think Rono might hook up with that girl he always hung out with when he was just a kid."

After that Rono's mom hit his dad again trying not face the fact that Rono might get a girlfriend on his way back to Japan.

"Ow! Damn it!"

Now we will see how this will all go for Rono, hopefully he'll get his past back. -Rono's subconscious