Chapter 1: A New Beginning
Issei Hyodo walked out of his high school, shoulders slumped, head down. His short brown hair was blowing a little in the wind, and the expression he wore was emotionless, hazel eyes lifeless. Issei looked up at the pale blue sky, wondering what he'd done to deserve the life he'd gotten.
Why is my life like this? Why am I stuck with the things that I am? Why did that have to happen?
Issei began the walk home, knowing that only his grandfather was waiting for him, and a tear formed in his left eye. It was always his left eye, never his right, that teared up. His left eye could have a river flowing out of it, but his right never shed a drop. He had only just gotten out of the school gate when he heard a voice behind him say,
"Wait up!" Issei turned to look, hoping it was him that the words were directed at, but saw a girl with long, flowing crimson hair he knew was Rias Gremory running towards a blond boy Issei recognized as Yuuto Kiba, the so-called "prince" of the school.
Issei saw the attractiveness in Yuuto's face, but knew that Yuuto would never look twice at him, since Issei's features were nowhere near as attractive as Yuuto's; Issei, in fact, had been informed on multiple occasions that he looked as if he'd fallen from heaven - since his face was so ugly, he must have broken it on the way down.
Issei didn't understand why children were so cruel; he never remembered wanting to hurt someone that badly, except God, for giving him the life he had. Yet, it always seemed as though someone was out to get him. Issei knew that wasn't true, since few would have anything personal against him - but sometimes he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something trying to make his life miserable.
Issei now had multiple tears in his left eye, seeing Yuuto turn around behind Issei and begin to talk to Rias. Jealousy and sadness were becoming overwhelming emotions in Issei's mind, so he turned around and began to run, a mantra running through his thoughts.
They can be happy. You're not good enough. They can be happy. You're not good enough. They can be happy. You're not good enough. Issei reached his house, out of breath, and opened the door.
"I'm home," he mumbled, taking off his shoes and going up to his room. Then he realized that his grandfather was not at the kitchen table like he normally was when Issei came home from school.
Is he taking a nap? Issei wondered, slightly curious as to why his grandfather was not in his usual spot, reading the paper. He walked up the stairs to his grandpa's bedroom, looking in there, but not seeing his grandpa. He then heard the phone ring, and thought,
That must be him, knowing that I'd miss him. He's probably out somewhere for groceries or something. He picked up, not bothering to look at the caller ID, and then heard an unfamiliar voice.
"Hello, is this Issei Hyodo?"
"Um, yes?"
"I see. This is Tokyo General Hospital, calling to inform you that your grandfather, Yoshida Hyodo, I believe, has been admitted here for a heart attack, earlier today. He requested that you be notified that he was here as soon as possible." Issei almost dropped the phone.
No, he couldn't have - he's healthy! I can't lose him too!
"Is it possible for me to see him?"
"Yes, he requested that a method of transportation be arranged so that you could see him. A cab has been sent to your residence, you won't need to pay, since it's been pre-paid."
"I... see."
"It should arrive shortly, so thank you for your time, and goodbye." The person hung up and Issei muttered into the phone,
"...Bye."
On the exterior, as Issei went outside, he supposed he might look calm, or emotionless. But, on the inside, Issei felt a torrent of emotions rising up inside him.
How could this happen? Disbelief. Why me? Why not someone else? Anger. I'll give up anything just to get him back, so please, God, give him back! Sadness. I should have talked to him more, appreciated him more! Regret. I'm not good enough. Hurt. Issei wanted to simply disappear, so that he wouldn't have to confront his emotions as he sat on the steps.
Eventually the cab came, and took him away from his home, to go and see his grandfather.
###
Issei was brought in to see his grandpa, the man who had raised him since his parents had died in a car crash. He was surrounded by medical equipment, and Issei heard his grandfather's breathing, quick and shortened, and saw the rises and falls of his grandfather's chest to confirm it.
"Issei, come here," Issei heard from his grandpa, a weak and raspy voice, and obeyed. "If I die, which I very well might, I need you to look in The Box that I've kept from you. The key is under my pillow, and my will should keep you stable financially, at least until after high school. However, I can't do anything about your emotional stability, but I will suggest that you try to make friends either way, whether I live or die, so that you can share your life with other people than me."
"Grandpa, I -" Issei began, tears welling up in his left eye, as usual when he cried.
"Issei! You must stay strong. The document in The Box should explain enough of it, so you should be able to get by."
"Enough of what? Grandpa, I don't understand -"
"You will soon enough." Issei's grandfather's voice took on a new urgency. "Issei, it is not fair by any stretch of the word that you might lose me, your last living family member, but it might be soon be reality. You need to find others to take care of you, to support you, so that you can live, not just survive, in this world."
"I love you, Issei, but others can too, and they just haven't met you. That's what you need to do - get to know others, so that you can learn to love them and they you."
"Grandpa, I wish I'd -"
"Do not tell me what you regret, Issei, and do not even focus on it in your thoughts. Focus on the good times you had with me, the fun you had, the positives! Do not get lost in the nothingness of not caring. I -" Issei's grandfather coughed violently, then spoke two words, very quickly and softly, but Issei knew he heard them correctly. "Stay strong." Issei looked at the person who had raised him for half of his life who had stopped moving, and felt his body go into a state of panic, and got dragged out of the room by a pair of nurses.
