Zephyr
Gojyo walked down the wide street, eager to bring home the groceries Jien had asked him to get. His brother needed to buy vegetables they were out of, but seeing him do so many chores with mom. Gojyo insisted that he do it instead. A cool wind blew around, hardly affecting the people around him busily doing their jobs.
Breathing in the minty scent of the herbs in the one bag, Gojyo smiled a bit when he remembered how Jien kept telling him not to spend the money on anything not on the list. Some of the items he needed to buy were on sale, and he bought some candy for himself. Jien would never notice.
As he passed a corner, he heard laughter and saw some eight-year-olds like him. They were playing a game that looked interesting. Interesting enough to stop by and watch, which is what Gojyo did. He stood in a corner, watching several boys and girls play, laughing all the while.
"I wish I could play with them." He thought. A breeze brushed his face, stirring his red hair enough to fan in front of his eyes. He pushed it away. Looking at his own hair made him think of so many things, things he didn't want to think about or remember.
Like how mom pulled on it so often, crying hysterically as she did so. Or how people talk about it behind him, whispering things that hurt.
He watched a big, robust boy run circles around a girl.
How kids his own age avoided him, maybe because their parents told them so, or because they have their own opinions about people like him.
About the rejection and shame he'd always feel.
Disgusted by these thoughts, he started on his way again, driving them away with new thoughts of what would be for dinner.
All of a sudden, an uncomfortable silence crept behind him. Turning around, he was met by several cold stares and was rooted to the spot. The boy he saw earlier, obviously the leader, now walked up to him, and roughly pushed him down. Different vegetables and herbs tumbled across the ground.
"What's an misfit like you doing here?" he demanded, towering above him. Gojyo made no reply to the insult, but tried to get up. Once more he was pushed down.
"I'll be out of your hair if you let me go." He muttered quietly, glaring up at the boy. The boy began to back away, and several others began to pick up pebbles, small yet satisfactory. "Not without teaching you a lesson."
At that pebbles suddenly rained on Gojyo, while he gritted his teeth through it. He shut his eyes, trying to block out the sound of cruel laughter. A sharp pebble hit his face, making it bleed, while another cut through his arm.
All at once, he heard a voice demanding them to stop.
The pebbles stopped coming, and he looked from under his bruised arms to see a girl smaller than him tugging insistently at the arm of the leader.
"Stop it! Don't hurt him anymore Reno!" She yelled, hanging onto his wrist and keeping him from throwing anymore stones. "Let go Rae!" He flung her away, and picked up a new pebble. She saw him and quickly put herself between Gojyo and Reno, who stopped in mid-throw. Gojyo looked bewilderedly at her.
"You don't like him, do you?" A boy taunted, but she stood her ground.
"You guys disgust me! How could you hurt him when he hasn't even done a thing to you?!" She chided.
"He's just an outcast. Why should you care?" Another girl snootily said. Gojyo slowly stood up, feeling the full sting of the insult.
But the girl in front of him seemed undaunted. "So? Even if he is," she narrowed her eyes at the girl. "You guys shouldn't hurt him!"
"Get out of there or you'll get hit too." Reno threatened, stepping closer.
"I dare you." She hissed, equally threatening.
For a while Gojyo watched Reno just stand there, the others behind him waiting for their leader's answer. Heaving a disappointed sigh, he let the pebble drop. "Have it your way, Rae." He walked away, then added, "And since you like him so much, you can hang out with him instead. We don't need another outcast playing with us." With that he walked away, the rest gradually following. The girl waited until they left, then retrieved Gojyo's grocery bags, helping him put back what wasn't ruined or spoiled by Reno's gang.
"I'm really sorry they acted that way. Reno can be so bad sometimes it's hard to think he was my friend." She said apologetically, brushing the dust off one carrot and putting it back in. Her voice held no contempt at all. "Only a few of the smaller herbs were spoiled though." Gojyo stared at her, and she smiled back.
"Did they hurt you badly?" The girl looked at his arm, and saw the cut where the pebble had hit. "That looks nasty." She shoved her hand in her pocket and produced a blue handkerchief. Carefully, she wrapped and tied it around the cut. "Just so it won't get an infection."
"Thanks." Gojyo said, looking at the makeshift bandage. He read the embroidery on one side. "Rae... Lin."
The girl watched him curiously. "That's my name alright, but everybody calls me Rae." She smiled again. "What's yours?"
"Gojyo." he answered. "Sha Gojyo."
"Nice name." She gazed at his face, and Gojyo felt it heat up. "Hey," she went closer. "Your cheek's bleeding." delicately, she brushed his face cut with the tip of her tongue. Gojyo's cheek immediately flushed crimson. "Stop that!" he said, holding a hand up to his face. Rae giggled. "Sorry."
Gojyo still covered his cheek unbelievably when he thought he heard a worried voice calling.
"Rae! Rae! Where are you!"
Rae looked in the voice's direction. "That must be my sister. She always worries when I go out on my own." She explained. "Guess I have to be going now."
"Rae!!" the voice cried louder now.
"Coming!" she yelled back. "Bye-bye." She started to run.
"Hey!" Gojyo called. Rae stopped. "Hm?"
"Can I see you again.?" he asked sheepishly.
"Oh sure. Um..." she thought awhile. "I know! There's a meadow near here. Know the place?"
Gojyo nodded.
"Okay then!" she grinned, then broke into a run. "See you there!" waving, she disappeared into the crowd.
* * *
"Finally." Jien opened the door as Gojyo walked in, setting the bags on the table. "What took you so long?"
"The line."
"Really. Hey, where'd you get that?" he gestured to the blue handkerchief around Gojyo's arm.
"I got cut and a nice girl lent it to me because she didn't have a bandage."
"That's something. You should return it to her clean then. Give it to me and I'll have it spotless."
"No!" was Gojyo's immediate response. "I mean, I'll clean it myself."
"You sure? Blood stains are pretty hard to remove."
"I can manage. Where do you keep the soap?"
"Detergent's over there." Jien pointed the cabinet next to him. "You don't use soap for laundry."
"Thanks." Gojyo walked over to a drawer and took the silverware out to set the table. "I'll do it later."
"It would also be a good idea to share that candy you bought with her." Jien said, his back to Gojyo as he sliced the vegetables. "You seem to have a lot there in your pocket."
* * *
The next day, Gojyo made his way to the meadow, hoping to see Rae. Sure enough, he saw her with her back to him, crouching in front of something. As he neared her she suddenly leaped forward and exclaimed "Caught you!" Startled, Gojyo tripped backwards.
Rae heard him and smiled, her hands closed around whatever it was she caught. "Hello!" she said, grinning.
"Hi..." He stood up and dusted himself off.
Rae stood with him. "Take a look." She held out her closed hands, while Gojyo looked carefully. Slowly, she opened them and a blue and red butterfly fluttered out. "Nice, isn't it? I love catching butterflies here." She looked around. "The flowers must be the reason."
"Yeah." Gojyo agreed. "And," he fished her handkerchief from his pocket, totally clean. "Here. I cleaned it for you."
"Thanks!" she admired it before putting it in her own pocket. "Wanna help me catch more butterflies?"
"Sure!"
* * *
"You know, you're a really good friend." Rae said days later, eating the candy Gojyo gave her. They were waiting for the sunset. It became a part of their visits to the meadow.
"Glad you think so." He said, smiling. "You are too."
"I wish we could just stay like this..." She said softly, watching the sky slowly redden.
"Me too Rae..."
"You know, I just can't understand why people think red hair and eyes are bad." Rae murmured thoughtfully.
Gojyo gazed into the sky. "People say it's taboo." He found himself saying, an unwelcome hint of ruefulness in his voice. "Forbidden. It creeps them out."
"Don't believe them." Rae said firmly, stuffing the candy wrapper in her pocket. "If you ask me, they look beautiful." she leant against his shoulder, smiling and watching the sun sink slowly into the horizon. "Just like the sunset. I think so, so you don't have to believe them..."
"... Because I like it better when you smile."
Gojyo looked tenderly at her, giving her the smile she wanted. If only she knew how good she made him feel towards himself. Facing the sunset, he silently wished they'd never stop being friends.
* * *
Walking in town, Gojyo hastily turned around the corner and veered left. He and Rae hadn't met in three days. At first he thought she just had something else to do, but now he was worried. Maybe she caught a fever. Turning left again, he told himself that couldn't be the reason. What if something happened to her? He stopped at a road that split two ways, and tried to remember which way to go. Rae had told him where her house was one time, but he never really saw it. Guessing quickly, he turned right.
"Please be okay, Rae." he prayed, running faster.
He soon reached a small house, and ran without stopping until he found himself in front of the door. He looked around and saw wildflowers growing along the sides of the walls. "It's her house alright." Gasping slightly, Gojyo opened and stepped inside.
No one seemed to be home, but through the silence he heard a quiet crying. Following the sound, he opened another door and found a grown woman resembling Rae sitting on a small bed, sobbing as she held something. She looked up and saw him the moment the door creaked. It was then Gojyo saw what she held. It was Rae's blue handkerchief. Icy fear gripped his heart as he stood frozen in the doorway. He knew Rae never went anywhere without it.
"You must be Mae, right?" he said softly, addressing Rae's sister.
"Yes..." she answered, her voice choking and unclear. She must have been crying for a long time. "And you... you must be Gojyo."
"Where's Rae? What happened to her?" he asked, unable to control the note of panic in his voice as the questions tumbled out.
A tear slid down Mae's face, which she hastily wiped away. Her hold on the soiled handkerchief tightened. "You haven't heard...?"
"Heard... what?" he repeated, dreading what came next.
Looking away, Mae began to speak in a murmur. "Rae was going to the meadow to meet you, three days ago. She looked so excited... I even had to remind her to take this with her. I... I waited until nightfall, but she never came home. Then some people came here, saying. that they found her under a cliff... She's dead, Gojyo. We buried her in the meadow, three days ago. She loved that place so much..."
Gojyo barely heard her, while images of his only friend rushed through his head. His legs buckling under him, he leant on the wall for support. Now he'd never see her again.
"Where... where is she now...?" he rasped. After Mae told him, he staggered back, then ran out of the house, bitter tears falling behind him.
* * *
When Gojyo reached the meadow, he had slowed down to a walk, clutching his chest as he tried to ease the pain constricting his heart.
He saw the grave, and gazed at it, lost for words. He had stopped crying on the way, but seeing this... he knelt on the soft earth as new tears fell.
Then a soft zephyr flew by, gently stirring Gojyo's crimson hair. He stopped, and looked up. A single, red and blue butterfly flew and landed on the top of the little mound. He reached out to touch it. As the butterfly flew away, a voice whispered from memory, almost as if Rae had been there with him.
"...I like it better when you smile."
Wiping his tears, Gojyo stood up, finding his voice.
"I'll never forget you, Rae. I promise."
--End
Gojyo walked down the wide street, eager to bring home the groceries Jien had asked him to get. His brother needed to buy vegetables they were out of, but seeing him do so many chores with mom. Gojyo insisted that he do it instead. A cool wind blew around, hardly affecting the people around him busily doing their jobs.
Breathing in the minty scent of the herbs in the one bag, Gojyo smiled a bit when he remembered how Jien kept telling him not to spend the money on anything not on the list. Some of the items he needed to buy were on sale, and he bought some candy for himself. Jien would never notice.
As he passed a corner, he heard laughter and saw some eight-year-olds like him. They were playing a game that looked interesting. Interesting enough to stop by and watch, which is what Gojyo did. He stood in a corner, watching several boys and girls play, laughing all the while.
"I wish I could play with them." He thought. A breeze brushed his face, stirring his red hair enough to fan in front of his eyes. He pushed it away. Looking at his own hair made him think of so many things, things he didn't want to think about or remember.
Like how mom pulled on it so often, crying hysterically as she did so. Or how people talk about it behind him, whispering things that hurt.
He watched a big, robust boy run circles around a girl.
How kids his own age avoided him, maybe because their parents told them so, or because they have their own opinions about people like him.
About the rejection and shame he'd always feel.
Disgusted by these thoughts, he started on his way again, driving them away with new thoughts of what would be for dinner.
All of a sudden, an uncomfortable silence crept behind him. Turning around, he was met by several cold stares and was rooted to the spot. The boy he saw earlier, obviously the leader, now walked up to him, and roughly pushed him down. Different vegetables and herbs tumbled across the ground.
"What's an misfit like you doing here?" he demanded, towering above him. Gojyo made no reply to the insult, but tried to get up. Once more he was pushed down.
"I'll be out of your hair if you let me go." He muttered quietly, glaring up at the boy. The boy began to back away, and several others began to pick up pebbles, small yet satisfactory. "Not without teaching you a lesson."
At that pebbles suddenly rained on Gojyo, while he gritted his teeth through it. He shut his eyes, trying to block out the sound of cruel laughter. A sharp pebble hit his face, making it bleed, while another cut through his arm.
All at once, he heard a voice demanding them to stop.
The pebbles stopped coming, and he looked from under his bruised arms to see a girl smaller than him tugging insistently at the arm of the leader.
"Stop it! Don't hurt him anymore Reno!" She yelled, hanging onto his wrist and keeping him from throwing anymore stones. "Let go Rae!" He flung her away, and picked up a new pebble. She saw him and quickly put herself between Gojyo and Reno, who stopped in mid-throw. Gojyo looked bewilderedly at her.
"You don't like him, do you?" A boy taunted, but she stood her ground.
"You guys disgust me! How could you hurt him when he hasn't even done a thing to you?!" She chided.
"He's just an outcast. Why should you care?" Another girl snootily said. Gojyo slowly stood up, feeling the full sting of the insult.
But the girl in front of him seemed undaunted. "So? Even if he is," she narrowed her eyes at the girl. "You guys shouldn't hurt him!"
"Get out of there or you'll get hit too." Reno threatened, stepping closer.
"I dare you." She hissed, equally threatening.
For a while Gojyo watched Reno just stand there, the others behind him waiting for their leader's answer. Heaving a disappointed sigh, he let the pebble drop. "Have it your way, Rae." He walked away, then added, "And since you like him so much, you can hang out with him instead. We don't need another outcast playing with us." With that he walked away, the rest gradually following. The girl waited until they left, then retrieved Gojyo's grocery bags, helping him put back what wasn't ruined or spoiled by Reno's gang.
"I'm really sorry they acted that way. Reno can be so bad sometimes it's hard to think he was my friend." She said apologetically, brushing the dust off one carrot and putting it back in. Her voice held no contempt at all. "Only a few of the smaller herbs were spoiled though." Gojyo stared at her, and she smiled back.
"Did they hurt you badly?" The girl looked at his arm, and saw the cut where the pebble had hit. "That looks nasty." She shoved her hand in her pocket and produced a blue handkerchief. Carefully, she wrapped and tied it around the cut. "Just so it won't get an infection."
"Thanks." Gojyo said, looking at the makeshift bandage. He read the embroidery on one side. "Rae... Lin."
The girl watched him curiously. "That's my name alright, but everybody calls me Rae." She smiled again. "What's yours?"
"Gojyo." he answered. "Sha Gojyo."
"Nice name." She gazed at his face, and Gojyo felt it heat up. "Hey," she went closer. "Your cheek's bleeding." delicately, she brushed his face cut with the tip of her tongue. Gojyo's cheek immediately flushed crimson. "Stop that!" he said, holding a hand up to his face. Rae giggled. "Sorry."
Gojyo still covered his cheek unbelievably when he thought he heard a worried voice calling.
"Rae! Rae! Where are you!"
Rae looked in the voice's direction. "That must be my sister. She always worries when I go out on my own." She explained. "Guess I have to be going now."
"Rae!!" the voice cried louder now.
"Coming!" she yelled back. "Bye-bye." She started to run.
"Hey!" Gojyo called. Rae stopped. "Hm?"
"Can I see you again.?" he asked sheepishly.
"Oh sure. Um..." she thought awhile. "I know! There's a meadow near here. Know the place?"
Gojyo nodded.
"Okay then!" she grinned, then broke into a run. "See you there!" waving, she disappeared into the crowd.
* * *
"Finally." Jien opened the door as Gojyo walked in, setting the bags on the table. "What took you so long?"
"The line."
"Really. Hey, where'd you get that?" he gestured to the blue handkerchief around Gojyo's arm.
"I got cut and a nice girl lent it to me because she didn't have a bandage."
"That's something. You should return it to her clean then. Give it to me and I'll have it spotless."
"No!" was Gojyo's immediate response. "I mean, I'll clean it myself."
"You sure? Blood stains are pretty hard to remove."
"I can manage. Where do you keep the soap?"
"Detergent's over there." Jien pointed the cabinet next to him. "You don't use soap for laundry."
"Thanks." Gojyo walked over to a drawer and took the silverware out to set the table. "I'll do it later."
"It would also be a good idea to share that candy you bought with her." Jien said, his back to Gojyo as he sliced the vegetables. "You seem to have a lot there in your pocket."
* * *
The next day, Gojyo made his way to the meadow, hoping to see Rae. Sure enough, he saw her with her back to him, crouching in front of something. As he neared her she suddenly leaped forward and exclaimed "Caught you!" Startled, Gojyo tripped backwards.
Rae heard him and smiled, her hands closed around whatever it was she caught. "Hello!" she said, grinning.
"Hi..." He stood up and dusted himself off.
Rae stood with him. "Take a look." She held out her closed hands, while Gojyo looked carefully. Slowly, she opened them and a blue and red butterfly fluttered out. "Nice, isn't it? I love catching butterflies here." She looked around. "The flowers must be the reason."
"Yeah." Gojyo agreed. "And," he fished her handkerchief from his pocket, totally clean. "Here. I cleaned it for you."
"Thanks!" she admired it before putting it in her own pocket. "Wanna help me catch more butterflies?"
"Sure!"
* * *
"You know, you're a really good friend." Rae said days later, eating the candy Gojyo gave her. They were waiting for the sunset. It became a part of their visits to the meadow.
"Glad you think so." He said, smiling. "You are too."
"I wish we could just stay like this..." She said softly, watching the sky slowly redden.
"Me too Rae..."
"You know, I just can't understand why people think red hair and eyes are bad." Rae murmured thoughtfully.
Gojyo gazed into the sky. "People say it's taboo." He found himself saying, an unwelcome hint of ruefulness in his voice. "Forbidden. It creeps them out."
"Don't believe them." Rae said firmly, stuffing the candy wrapper in her pocket. "If you ask me, they look beautiful." she leant against his shoulder, smiling and watching the sun sink slowly into the horizon. "Just like the sunset. I think so, so you don't have to believe them..."
"... Because I like it better when you smile."
Gojyo looked tenderly at her, giving her the smile she wanted. If only she knew how good she made him feel towards himself. Facing the sunset, he silently wished they'd never stop being friends.
* * *
Walking in town, Gojyo hastily turned around the corner and veered left. He and Rae hadn't met in three days. At first he thought she just had something else to do, but now he was worried. Maybe she caught a fever. Turning left again, he told himself that couldn't be the reason. What if something happened to her? He stopped at a road that split two ways, and tried to remember which way to go. Rae had told him where her house was one time, but he never really saw it. Guessing quickly, he turned right.
"Please be okay, Rae." he prayed, running faster.
He soon reached a small house, and ran without stopping until he found himself in front of the door. He looked around and saw wildflowers growing along the sides of the walls. "It's her house alright." Gasping slightly, Gojyo opened and stepped inside.
No one seemed to be home, but through the silence he heard a quiet crying. Following the sound, he opened another door and found a grown woman resembling Rae sitting on a small bed, sobbing as she held something. She looked up and saw him the moment the door creaked. It was then Gojyo saw what she held. It was Rae's blue handkerchief. Icy fear gripped his heart as he stood frozen in the doorway. He knew Rae never went anywhere without it.
"You must be Mae, right?" he said softly, addressing Rae's sister.
"Yes..." she answered, her voice choking and unclear. She must have been crying for a long time. "And you... you must be Gojyo."
"Where's Rae? What happened to her?" he asked, unable to control the note of panic in his voice as the questions tumbled out.
A tear slid down Mae's face, which she hastily wiped away. Her hold on the soiled handkerchief tightened. "You haven't heard...?"
"Heard... what?" he repeated, dreading what came next.
Looking away, Mae began to speak in a murmur. "Rae was going to the meadow to meet you, three days ago. She looked so excited... I even had to remind her to take this with her. I... I waited until nightfall, but she never came home. Then some people came here, saying. that they found her under a cliff... She's dead, Gojyo. We buried her in the meadow, three days ago. She loved that place so much..."
Gojyo barely heard her, while images of his only friend rushed through his head. His legs buckling under him, he leant on the wall for support. Now he'd never see her again.
"Where... where is she now...?" he rasped. After Mae told him, he staggered back, then ran out of the house, bitter tears falling behind him.
* * *
When Gojyo reached the meadow, he had slowed down to a walk, clutching his chest as he tried to ease the pain constricting his heart.
He saw the grave, and gazed at it, lost for words. He had stopped crying on the way, but seeing this... he knelt on the soft earth as new tears fell.
Then a soft zephyr flew by, gently stirring Gojyo's crimson hair. He stopped, and looked up. A single, red and blue butterfly flew and landed on the top of the little mound. He reached out to touch it. As the butterfly flew away, a voice whispered from memory, almost as if Rae had been there with him.
"...I like it better when you smile."
Wiping his tears, Gojyo stood up, finding his voice.
"I'll never forget you, Rae. I promise."
--End