He tells himself every day he's nothing like him, no matter how much his mother says he doesn't. 'You're nothing like your father.' She says. 'You're a good, sweet boy, Ryuji.' But he knew better, he knew just how much trouble he caused for her. He could hear her cries in the middle of the night, and the soft 'I'm so sorry, He won't do it again.' she would give to his teachers at every conference. It was all too familiar from when that bastard was around, and it drove him crazy. The boy tried to be good, but he just couldn't help himself. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. An argument, a fight, failing grades, detention. All those problems kept piling higher and higher over his head. Every time he was called into the office, he'd sit on that bench staring at the other end of the hallway.

Ryuji could see those glass shelves with those old trophies sitting there in catching the light. He saw all those athletes whose names earned their place upon a golden plaque. His name used to be there too, but now, it was gone..

He and his whole team were tossed away like garbage. The days he spent practicing and laughing with his friends had been replaced with bitter stares, heartbroken cries, and losing the team they loved. That's where it all started, wasn't it? The more he thought about that, the more he could feel the anger burning inside of him, his hands curled into a tight fist. This wasn't going to help him right now, but he couldn't stop it-

That's when he saw something from the corner of his eye. For a moment he saw his eyes reflected something different, eyes that were painfully familiar. Those dark, cruel eyes that threw bottles across the room, and slapped him across the face. Cruel hands that left bruises all over his mother's body, and left him cowering in a corner. A worthless man who did nothing but spew profanity at the both of them. Those eyes, his hair, the smell...

His hands shook, his knuckles turning white as he grew closer. He saw him, standing across the hallway, that goddamn bastard was here. He was standing right there...He had the nerve to come here, come near him, after everything he's done?!

"What the hell are you doing here?!" He'd yell, trying desperately to hide the shakiness of his voice. His mind was in a flurry of questions, he didn't understand why he was here, who called him? How did he get here? His father gave no answer, instead, he just looked at him, with the same hatred in his eyes.

"Didn't you already screw us over before?! Why are you here?!" More nothing, just those dark, ugly eyes. "Why aren't you saying anything?!" Somehow that was worse, the older man's silence struck his heart with fear. Another step forward. He couldn't back down now. "Common you old bastard-!"

That's when it hit him, all at once. Those eyes... was it preview of the future, or was his mind playing tricks on him? Regardless of what it was, he grits his teeth, and his fist crashed against the glass, and the image of his father was gone. Seeing the shards scattered across the floor, he looked nervously toward the door, someone was coming out to see what happened. No, he couldn't stay here, He had to get out of this school, away from whatever the hell that was.

Calm down, he told thought to himself, it wasn't anything, it wasn't him. It wasn't you!

Repeatedly, he had to try to reassure that voice in his head that it was just his eyes playing tricks on him. He couldn't accept that, it was real. Even if his legs were burning, and his hand was bleeding, he couldn't stop running.

It wasn't until he had gotten a far distance from the school that he had come to a stop. He was out of breath, and sore. Every part of his body wanted to just collapse there on the street, but he didn't need to cause any more problems for his mom. Instead, he'd duck into the nearest convenience store bathroom to clean himself up. He was sure he'd be in even more trouble now after breaking the trophy case and his mother was going to get more lecturing from the teachers.

"Ugh..I'm such an idiot.." He'd sigh as he looked over the damage he'd done on his hand. It didn't seem too bad but, it was going to hurt. Turning the faucet on, he'd start rinsing the blood off. "ngh-Damn it-!" He'd say through grit teeth, just as he started to pluck the pieces of glass that were sticking out of his skin. He just couldn't get the image out of his head. He really did look like his old man, didn't he? That must have made things even worse on his mom...Maybe it was time to do something about that...

"Ugh, this stuff stinks.." Ryuji would groan, leaning back against his chair. "are you sure it's working-?"

"Of course, your hair is already changing-"His mother let out a soft laugh. "oh it's looking really nice so far Ryuji!"

"...you think so?"

"Yes, you look so handsome!"

A sheepish smile found it's way on his face.

"Thanks Mom..sorry for asking you to help me with this-"

She'll shake her head and give his hand a little pat.

"It's alright, I don't mind at all...it's almost ready, I think you can take a look now-"

"Are you sure-what if it looks weird?"

"Oh it'll be fine, just look!"

He'd push himself off the chair with a huff and walk to the bathroom mirror.

"Ah-" A hand moved to touch the newly colored hair. "...I like it!"

It was something new..something different. Something he had a choice in. Something, in the smallest way, to keep him far away from the image of his father. It wasn't a lot, but it felt like more.

It was a step in a new direction.