Chapter 1- Do you know where your heart is?

"Here now, be careful, Makoto. That's it, hold her head gently. Ah, good. Don't worry if she starts crying, that's normal for a baby. Do you want to hold Ren after?"

"You're so good with the twins. They really look up to you."

"My, the storm was horrible, wasn't it? Don't worry, Makoto. Everything is okay. Calm down, calm down. You're safe."

"Makoto, what's wrong? Don't you want to have swimming lessons? N-No, no! Don't cry, sweetie! It's okay, it's okay! Maybe we'll sign you up for something else, yeah?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, we're moving, Makoto. You won't have to worry about seeing the ocean anymore. We'll get a place where you don't have to see it on your way to school anymore."

"You're pretty good at your literature class, Makoto. Want to be writer like your old man? Heh, but you can always pick what you want to be, son."

"You got in?! To the university you wanted?! Makoto, that is wonderful! We need to celebrate! Dear, get the twins! We need to tell them the wonderful news."

"How's your semester going, Makoto? Getting good grades? That's my boy! Always doing so well."

"Hey, Makoto, when will you be home for break?"

"Makoto, let's go get some lunch while the twins are at school. We'll have a nice meal, just the three of us!"

"Makoto, we're so proud of you. We love you very mu—"

Huh?

What?

I can't… I can't hear you.

Mom?

Dad?

Where…

Is that… an ambulance?

Ow, my head…

Everything is spinning.

Mom… Dad…

Makoto startled awake with a jolt, his eyes popping open to see the dark ceiling above his head.

It was… a dream?

His chest softly rose and fell as his mind finally dragged him out of the pit of his subconscious, the dream fading along with the echoing voices in his mind. While the dream did not happen often, it still brought terrible memories back like a fresh wound with hot salt jammed inside.

Glistening sweat trickled down Makoto's neck and onto the stiff couch cushion underneath of him. He lifted a hand to wipe his forehead and sighed, letting his arm cover his eyes.

This would be a long day.

He thought of his cell phone lying on the end table next to him, quietly connected to its charger.

He should call Sousuke. He knows he should. Sousuke had always told him to call if anything was wrong, no matter what.

Makoto sighed.

Sure, his pulse was racing and his body was drenched in sweat. And sure, his mind was in a fog, a haze, as thoughts raced endlessly before careening down into a dark abyss. And sure, he was sleeping on the couch in his one-bedroom apartment with an aching back and throbbing head.

But it was not an emergency. He could handle this without calling his friend.

And Sousuke would drop everything to come and help him, but Makoto did not want that. Sousuke worked too hard to get back onto his university team and he did not want to mess up that chance for him.

Makoto sighed and wiped his face again before reaching back behind his head to fumble around for his cell phone in the dark. Once his fingers felt the cool plastic, he grabbed it and pulled it to look at it, his eyes squinting at the light.

07:20.

Makoto's brow quirked and he cocked his head. Were those actual numbers? He read it again. What did that time say? He read it a third time, his mind starting to clear.

Then, Makoto jolted upright, fully awake and more alert than he would like.

"Uwah! We're late!" Makoto shouted.

He scrambled off of the couch and ran down the hallway to the bedroom, his hand throwing open the door and flicking on the light.

"Ran! Ren! Wake up, we're late!" Makoto shouted, running to his siblings' bedsides.

Ran groaned and pulled the covers over her head to shield her eyes from the light in the room. Ren did not even move, soft snores still coming from his nose.

Makoto sighed and grabbed Ran's shoulder, shaking her awake.

"Ran, come on, we need to get going or you'll be late to school. I still have to get to work on time!" Makoto said, trying to drag her up.

"Ugh… Onii-chan, can't we stay home today?" Ran said sluggishly.

"No," Makoto said sternly. He pulled the covers off of her completely, resulting in his sister giving a dramatic pout. "Hurry up and get ready!"

Ran huffed out a sigh and sat up, watching Makoto as he walked to Ren's bedside and started shaking him awake.

"Ren, come on, wake up!" Makoto urged.

"Mmm… five more minutes…" Ren mumbled sleepily.

"No! Not five more minutes! Now, now!"

Makoto pulled Ren up by his shoulders and yanked the covers off of him, making him squeak from the cold.

"Ah! Onii-chan!" Ren groaned, a few tears springing to his eyes.

"Stop crying, Ren! Didn't you hear Onii-chan?" Ran pestered as she grabbed her school clothes. "We have to get ready for school!"

"Eh? But I'm tired!" Ren complained.

"Guys," Makoto said, raising his voice. His patience was rapidly thinning into air. "Just get ready. We have to leave."

After giving them both an exasperated look, Makoto stomped out of the bedroom and quickly rushed to the hall closet to grab his too-tight work clothes. He waited for Ran to finish in the bathroom before he could fully secure himself inside.

Once he was safely in the bathroom, he quickly changed into the white button-up shirt and tie, giving himself a once-over in the mirror. The tie was crooked, but he would just have to fix it at work.

He gulped.

There would be no mercy today. Today would probably be his last day of living. His boss was going to kill him for being late.

Again.

Makoto shook his head and slapped his cheeks.

No, Makoto thought. I need to do my best today. Sousuke's father got me this job. And Sousuke would kill me if I ruined his father's good word that he put in for me. Do well for Sousuke, do well for his father, do well for Ran and Ren, and for our parents—

"Onii-chan, Ren's crying again!" Ran shouted from the hallway.

Makoto's brows pinched, his thoughts completely derailed, and he pulled open the bathroom door to see his younger sister standing with her arms crossed across her chest and a scowl on her face. Makoto blinked at her, his head tilting a little to the side. When had she gotten such an attitude?

There was a soft sniffle that drew Makoto's attention away from the brooding Ran and towards his brother, who was sitting down on the floor near the bedroom door. He had his knees curled up to his chest with his chin resting on his arms.

"Ren," Makoto called softly. He walked over to him and knelt down to meet Ren's watery eyes. "What's wrong?"

Ren sniffed and wiped his eyes on his sleeve, his fingers desperately clinging onto his uniform.

"I don't want to go," Ren said lowly.

Ran huffed and groaned from the hallway and Makoto turned his head to shoot her a look. Ran's brows lowered and she pursed her lips, immediately looking away.

Makoto turned back to his brother and ruffled his hair, offering a small smile that he knew did not quite reach his eyes. Ren glanced up at him with a pitiful look on his face.

"I know it's hard, Ren. But you need to go to school," Makoto said. "Hey, don't you have your club today?"

Ren sniffed and nodded, making Makoto's smile grew warmer. He wiped the remaining tears from Ren's face.

"You always look forward to that," Makoto said.

Ren hesitated before looking down at his bent knees. He nodded and hummed in agreement. Makoto nodded with him and grabbed his hand.

"We should get going then, okay?" Makoto said.

Ren sniffed one last time before allowing Makoto to pull him up from the floor.

"Can we go now?" Ran whined from the end of the hall.

Makoto sighed and nodded, pushing Ren down the hall.

"Yes, yes. Grab your backpacks so we can get you two to school," Makoto said.

Once their bags were secured over their shoulders, Makoto guided them to the front door and opened it, but then he froze.

"Oh, shoot! I forgot to get you guys breakfast!" Makoto said, turning on his heel to head back to the kitchen. He needed to try and find something for his siblings to eat.

"Onii-chan, I grabbed some already!" Ran shouted from the door.

Makoto whirled around, halfway towards kitchen, eyeing Ran with a curious stare.

"What?" Makoto asked.

Ran jerked a thumb towards her backpack and gave a cheeky smile.

"Leftovers!" Ran announced.

Makoto quirked a brow and tilted his head. "Leftovers? You mean from dinner last night?"

"Oh, the takeout was yummy!" Ren said from her side, finally showing the first smile that morning.

Ran nodded and grinned, looking quite proud of herself.

Makoto, on the other hand, ran a hand down his face and sighed. He really needed to start learning how to cook.

"Fine, fine, but tomorrow you need to have a proper breakfast, okay?" Makoto said, giving them both a gentle push to the hallway. He heard them squabbling in the hall and sighed as he tried to pull his shoes on.

He put his hand on the doorknob, ready to leave, when he looked back one last time. His eyes drifted over to the small wooden bookshelf in the corner, a single piece of an incense stick sitting in a shallow bowl. There were pictures above the shelves… pictures of smiling faces, happier times, and…

Makoto shook his head back and forth, finally noticing how tight his chest had gotten. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Have a good day," he whispered as he shut the door behind him.

"You don't need to walk us, Onii-chan!" Ran said as the three of them stopped at an intersection.

Makoto felt the corner of his lip tug to the side as he nervously looked from side to side, watching the traffic carefully. His palms felt sweaty and his heart was working a little faster than normal, but he glanced down at Ran and gave her a placating smile.

"But I like to," Makoto said. "It makes me feel better to know that you guys get there safely."

"But we're in middle school now, Onii-chan!" Ran protested, tugging on her uniform.

"You even walked to school by yourself in middle school, Onii-chan," Ren added, rather boldly if Makoto would say.

Makoto pouted. "I did not. Sousuke walked with me."

"Ah, but we won't be alone, Onii-chan!" Ran said, reaching to grab Ren's arm and shake it. "We have each other!"

"No," Makoto said. "It's too dark when you leave school from your clubs. It's dangerous to walk the streets at night."

Ran pursed her lips and dropped Ren's arm, releasing a loud sigh. Makoto winced at the sound, making a mental note to talk to her later.

The light at the intersection changed and a few people started to walk across.

But Makoto remained frozen in place, unable to move.

He could hear the car engines roaring as they sat idle.

The footfalls of the pedestrians started to get louder.

"Makoto, we're so proud of you."

Makoto's head was throbbing.

"We love you very mu—"

"Onii-chan!"

Makoto snapped out of his gaze, a forceful tug on his sleeve urging him away from the sidewalk. He glanced down to see Ran trying to pull him towards the crosswalk. Ren stood next to her with his lips parted and his brows knitted together, creating creases in his forehead.

"Are you okay, Onii-chan?" Ren asked. "The light changed. We can go now."

"You kind of spaced out there, Onii-chan," Ran said, her face now twisting in worry.

Makoto breathed softly and smiled, allowing Ran to pull him forward and take a shaky step forward onto the road.

"Ah, sorry," Makoto apologized. "Let's get going."

Ran and Ren exchanged worried glances before turning back to cross the street, Ran finally letting go of Makoto's sleeve.

Makoto's eyes darted back and forth as they crossed the street, counting each individual footstep, and then he released a breath when his foot finally touched the sidewalk. He turned back to glance at the road and watched the light change again, allowing the cars to continue on their way. Chills shot down his spine when one of the cars loudly zoomed by and he quickened his pace, retreating as far from the road as possible.

The three of them turned another corner, just a block away from the school. Makoto smiled to himself; they were almost there. Just a few more steps and then he can hurry to catch the next train to get to his job and—

"Onii-chan!"

Makoto stuttered to a stop, almost tripping over his own feet at the sounds of his siblings' outcry. He whirled around to see both of them stopped at a restaurant, their eyes peering up at the lights. There was a dazzling chalkboard display of the daily entrées and desserts, the special of the day, as well as the fish of the day. It was a high-scale restaurant that the three of them passed nearly every day, and nearly every day there was a chorus of—

"Please, Onii-chan?" Ran begged.

"Please?" Ren echoed.

They both folded their hands and looked up at Makoto with puppy-dog eyes. Makoto stared down at them, his eyes flitting back and forth from the restaurant, and he sighed, reaching up to massage the base of his neck where the headache had traveled.

"Sorry, guys," Makoto said. "We can't. Not until I get a promotion."

As his hand dropped down by his side he caught a glimpse of his watch. He sighed and shook his head again.

"Which will never happen at this rate," he added.

He grabbed them both by their shoulder and pushed them away from the pristine and expensive restaurant, fearing that even touching the spotless windows would cost them an arm and a leg.

"Now, let's go! Your morning class is about to start and I can't afford to miss work to attend another meeting with your teachers!"

"But, Onii-chan!" Ran protested, craning her neck to look back at the chalkboard display.

"I know, I know," Makoto mumbled as he pushed them forward.

His eyes scanned the window where his siblings had almost pressed their faces against, looking for any smudges. But instead, Makoto saw a sign.

Now Hiring, it read.

He blinked at the elegant design as he continued to push his siblings past the restaurant.

Who knew an elegant restaurant actually took interviews from the public? Makoto thought. His eyes flitted up to the restaurant name.

Nanase Rest House

Makoto wondered why in the world the owner came up with a plain name for such an elegant restaurant.

But Makoto tucked the thought away into the back of his mind and continued down the sidewalk, Ran and Ren's middle school in sight. He gave them one more firm push towards the school gate where several other stragglers were rushing to get inside.

"Okay, I will come and pick you up after work. Just wait inside the gate like you normally do. No fooling around, okay?" Makoto said, exasperated.

"Okay, Onii-chan," both Ran and Ren mumbled, catching on to their brother's plea.

Makoto patted them both on the head and offered a sincere, gentle smile.

"Have a good day," Makoto said to both of them.

"Bye, Onii-chan!" both of them chirped back, small smiles appearing on their faces.

"Hey, race you inside!" Ran challenged, and took off inside the gate.

Ren's smile immediately disappeared, a distressed frown replacing it.

"Wait, Ran! Don't run! Wait!" Ren shouted and chased after her, his legs almost buckling under him.

Makoto's hands clenched as he watched them head to the front doors of the building. The pitter-pattering of their feet softened and soon enough, both of them disappeared inside. The door clicked shut behind them and they were both inside the building.

He released a breath, his fist relaxing by his side. He could feel his heart hammering inside his chest just like it did every morning he walked them to school.

But it was okay now.

They were safe.

He could breathe and little more calmly now.

Suddenly, Makoto's arm was bumped, and a few middle-school boys passed by, shouting their apologies back to him. Makoto blinked back into consciousness, once again hearing the sounds of footsteps and passing cars along with the gentle fall wind brushing past his nose.

Makoto released a shaky sigh and lifted his arm to glance down at the watch on his wrist.

"Uwah! I'm late!" Makoto gasped. He whirled around and took off down the street where he had just come from.

His boss would surely kill him today.

Makoto took a sharp turn around the corner, past the bakery and little shop and heading back towards the train station.

Just one more block and I can catch the next train, Makoto thought as he headed towards that same restaurant from earlier. He was almost at the front door of the restaurant. Just have to make it before the train leaves and—

Suddenly, the front door of the restaurant opened right in front of Makoto's path, but he could not stop in time. He slammed into the door, knocking down the chalk display and completely bowling over whoever had the misfortune of stepping outside that day.

Makoto fell sideways, landing hard on his shoulder and bonking his head on the sidewalk. He shut his eyes tight as a piercing ring echoed in his ears and his splitting headache bloomed into a full-fledged migraine. He groaned as he held his head, fully embarrassed. He hoped that the sidewalk would just open up and swallow him whole.

He would have to apologize. He hoped that he had not broken that beautiful sign—someone had obviously worked hard on creating the elaborate drawings.

Oh, no. What if they had hired an artist to do all of that for them? Would Makoto be sued for ruining their artwork?!

"Are you okay?"

Makoto stilled at the sound of a smooth voice ringing from above him. He cracked one eye open, the light fighting against him as he tried to see the mysterious person standing above him. His vision finally cleared and the first thing Makoto saw was…

Blue.

The man had stunning deep blue eyes.

Then, jet black hair.

And he noticed a hand that was extended down to him.

Makoto's eyes widened as his brows climbed up his forehead. This was all so…

"Are you okay?"

…familiar.

"Um…"

Makoto jolted, his eyes glancing back up to meet the stranger's eyes. His brows were pulled together and slightly upturned in a worried gaze. That was when Makoto noticed his chef's uniform, now covered in dirt on one side.

"Uwah! I'm so sorry!" Makoto said as he scrambled to sit up. His headache protested every movement and pulsated sharply against his skull, making him groan and put a hand to his head.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" the man asked, now kneeling in front of Makoto with his hands hovering over his shoulders.

Makoto's lips wobbled and he grit his teeth, begging the pounding to stop. He glanced up at the man, whose eyes were now blown wide in almost a panic.

"A-Ah, yeah… sorry," Makoto mumbled. He clambered to his feet, his knees shaking under his weight. The man stood up with him, his face relaxing. "I'm sorry about that. I really wasn't watching where I was going."

The man blinked at him and his brows lowered, and Makoto could not tell if he was angry or confused. Makoto gulped and glanced down at the chalkboard display, wincing when he saw that one of the wooden legs had snapped.

"Oh, geez," Makoto muttered, eyeing the display. "I'm really, really sorry about—"

"It's fine," the man interrupted.

Makoto was thrown off at his bluntness, blinking rapidly at the man. He opened his mouth to ask about the cost for the display, but suddenly remembered why he was in such a hurry in the first place. His heart jumped into his throat as he pulled up his wrist to check the time.

"Um…" the man started again. "Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor or—"

"Oh, no, I'm really late!" Makoto exclaimed, cutting off the man's sentence. "Ah, sorry about running into you and breaking your sign! I'll buy you a new one! And a new chef's uniform!"

The man reached out his hand to stop him and he opened his mouth.

"Oh, you don't need to—"

"B-Bye!"

And with those parting words, Makoto took off down the street, feeling his heartbeat throb in his head with each pulse.

After rushing to catch the overcrowded train, Makoto made it to his office building, his lungs burning and head still thumping with a sharp ache. He forced himself to run up the stairs as opposed to taking the slow elevator. He finally reached the fifth floor of the tall building and entered through the doors of his place of employment: a small marketing company in Tokyo.

Makoto was one the only guy in charge of maintaining stock in the office— making sure each important sales rep had all of their supplies in order. From pens to desk chairs and computer screens, to even maintaining the organization of clients, Makoto had to make sure everything was in their perfect place.

Makoto sent a million thank-you notes to Sousuke's father—"Thank you, Uncle! Thank you so much! I owe you!"—for helping him to get this job, especially since he was so unqualified for the position.

For the most part, Makoto was average at his job. He got along with his coworkers and even tried to make light conversation with them from time to time.

But upon entering the office door that morning, the receptionist's eyes widened, almost in fear. For herself or Makoto's own life, Makoto was unsure, but she looked like she wanted to disappear.

"A-Ah, T-Tachibana-san…" the receptionist stuttered out. "G-Good morning."

Makoto tried giving a small smile. "Good morning," he greeted as he passed her.

He headed to his desk as quickly as possible, ignoring the stares he was receiving. He tried his best to give a smile, albeit strained, and walked to his desk, sitting down and going through his files and supply requests. There were already a ton of missed calls and a large stack of requests on his desk.

Makoto sighed, pushing the heels of his hands into his eyes to try and relieve the pressure of the headache. Then, he took a deep breath, and tried to get to work. He sifted through the files, thankful that he had not seen his boss, yet. So, maybe he was safe for now.

Makoto glanced up at his computer screen and blinked at the harsh light, making the pain in his head sharper, piercing and causing his ears to ring. Makoto held his head as the room lightly spun, and he leaned forward until his forehead rested on his desk.

This… pain… Makoto thought. It's worse…

Ugh, I just want this pain to stop.

"Makoto, we're so proud of you."

Makoto groaned softly and closed his eyes, feeling his chest constrict painfully.

"We love you very mu—"

"Stop it," Makoto muttered aloud. His eyes stayed closed, the dull pain in his chest fluttering and thudding with every heartbeat.

"Hey, Makoto, how are your classes going?"

Makoto's mother, who shared the same green eyes, smiled at him lightly as she sat down at the table.

"Oh, they're going great!" Makoto answered. "I'm enjoying the education program. I think it really fits with what I want to do."

His father laughed softly from across the table, adjusting his glasses on his nose and giving the same head-tilt smile that the Tachibana household shared.

"You always do well in everything you do, son," he said. "You're still set with being a teacher?"

Makoto nodded and hummed, picking up one of the books on the table and passing it to his father.

"There's a test I'd have to take to get certified once I finish the degree, but I think I'll be prepared for it," Makoto said, pointing to the requirements to get a teaching license. His father smiled and read over the requirements.

"Oh, these look like a lot of requirements, Makoto," he said. "Can you handle it?"

Makoto nodded, more enthusiastically this time.

"I think so! My professors are helping me a lot," Makoto said.

"Is Tokyo treating you okay?" his mother asked, leaning forward and pushing some of Makoto's bangs from his eyes. "Your apartment isn't too cold, is it? I hear it gets colder in the city."

"Mom, I'm fine," Makoto said with a gentle smile. "Tokyo is actually really nice. It's crowded, but I'm getting used to it. And my apartment is fine. It's small, but it's enough for me."

His mother hesitated, studying his face for any lies, and then put on a warm smile.

"Okay," she said. "As long as you're eating well and are safe."

"Of course I am," Makoto said.

His mother smiled and tilted her head. She stood to her feet and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, we should celebrate," she said. She looked at Makoto with kind eyes. "Makoto, let's go get some lunch while the twins are at school. We'll have a nice meal, just the three of us!"

Makoto smiled at her and nodded, standing to his feet.

"Okay!"

"Tachibana."

"Where would you like to go, Makoto?"

"Tachibana!"

"Oh! Why don't we go to—"

"Tachibana!"

Makoto startled awake, his whole body jumping when he heard a booming voice overhead. He shot up from his desk and glanced around. Had he fallen asleep? What time was it?

"Tachibana."

Makoto's heart seized and his shoulders tensed. He recognized that voice. Slowly, he glanced up to look at the man who hovered over him.

It was his boss.

He was glaring down at Makoto with a terrible scowl, his brows pushed together and his teeth bared. He looked incredibly more angry than usual.

"My office," his boss growled, making Makoto shiver. "Now."

Makoto gulped and mumbled out a feeble "yes, sir" as he sauntered away. He knew he was going to be in big trouble.

He got out of his seat carefully and passed by his coworkers with silent footsteps, keeping his eyes focused on the ground. Every step felt like an eternity.

After a few more steps, he reached the dreaded door at the end of the hall. His hands shook as he reached for the doorknob, the metal shaking in his grasp. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob, opening it slowly and entering with hunched shoulders.

"Y-You… wanted to see me, sir?" Makoto asked.

His boss sat down at his desk, his frustrated scowl still painted on his face. He took one look at Makoto and pointed to a chair in front of him.

"Sit," he sneered.

Makoto jumped at his tone, gingerly walking over to the chairs to sit. He held his knees tightly to prevent them form shaking.

"Do you realize that in the past month, you have been late eight times?" his boss started.

Makoto blinked at him, his heart leaping inside his chest. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat but realized that his mouth was dry. So instead, he tried to speak.

"Uh, I, um…"

Oh, and did his voice just crack?

"And this morning, when you finally decide to grace us with your presence, I find you asleep on your desk," his boss added.

"B-But, I—"

"Go gather up your things, Tachibana," his boss said, cutting Makoto's thoughts like a sharp knife. "You're fired."

Makoto's heart plummeted into his stomach and sat like a heavy rock. His hands gripped his knees even harder, making them numb.

"F-Fired?" Makoto echoed. "B-But…"

"I'll have Arima send your last paycheck directly to your address," his boss—former boss—said gruffly as he folded his arms across his chest.

Makoto licked his lips, still frozen in that uncomfortable chair. He shivered as his former boss stood up from behind his desk and walked over to the door, opening it wide.

"Now go," he said. "Get out of this office."

Makoto grimaced, squeezing his knees one last time before standing to his feet. Tingles danced down his calves and up his thighs as he passed by the boss, his head hanging low, and he took a silent walk of shame back to his desk to grab his things.

The walk back to the apartment was numbing and cold, the fall wind finally cutting into Makoto's skin and biting at his bones. Of course, he had forgotten his heavier coat today, just to add insult to injury.

On his way up, he checked the mail, seeing bills upon bills, and a letter from Social Services. Makoto felt his eye twitch at that and sighed, tucking the letters under his arm.

He entered his apartment and slipped off his shoes, setting down his sad box of desk items next to the couch. He placed the mail and the burning letter down inside the box. He would deal with that later.

But at the moment, Makoto needed to talk to someone.

He needed advice.

He needed help.

Makoto walked into the next room and turned on the single lamp in the corner. He saw the wooden shelves in the corner, his body shuddering, and walked over to kneel in front of it. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, and he clapped his hands together.

When he opened his eyes, Makoto saw the happy faces of his parents staring back at him.

But only in photographs.

Makoto was kneeling in front of their shrine.

"Hi, mom. Dad," Makoto mumbled. His clasped hands shook in front of him as he spoke. "I, uh… I wish you were still here. You could probably tell me what I could do now."

Makoto stared at the picture of his mom, smiling with a gentle beauty that could only belong to her. Then, he looked to his dad, where he knew he got his broad shoulders and bad eyesight from.

"I, uh…" Makoto said. "I lost my job today."

Makoto took another deep breath and tried for a smile, but it was strained and wobbly, easily breaking as a sob reached his throat. Tears sprang from his eyes and slid down his cheeks and he lowered his head to look at the ground, unable to look at his parent's faces any longer.

"You always do well in everything you do, son."

"Sorry," Makoto whispered through his tears. "But I didn't do well today."

Makoto hiccupped as more tears fell down his cheeks. He lifted his hand to cover his eyes as he lowered his head further until it touched the ground.

"I'm so sorry."