Wandering the sunny and cheerful park hardly suited Kotsuzaka. He hated all the laughter and the children running around and the warm rays of the sun breaking through the trees. There just wasn't anywhere that suited him that he was allowed to go anymore. He'd been banned from just about every graveyard in walking distance. That's what he got for making trouble and scaring people half to death, but it didn't make it easier for him.
Now when he left his house, when his mom had had enough of his shenanigans, he had to go play in the park. Even the thought of it disgusted him. Birds chirping and squirrels playing tag. It was too much for him.
Today, at least, he found a small source of amusement. After trying to scare the children around the monkey bars he saw a lone stranger standing in the middle of the park path. People were parting around him. They hardly seemed bothered by his presence, simply because they came here every day and he was always here. Kotsuzaka had never seen him before, of course.
The teen was stringy and gangly, arms hanging limp by his sides. His face was hollowed out, looking like he hadn't eaten in days. There were deep, dark circles underneath his eyes that seemed to swallow them right up. Or was that makeup?
He had a row of piercing right up the side of his face. The boy could hardly understand why everyone was ignoring him and treating him like he was some normal part of the park. He was a sharp contrast to everyone that was bustling around this area.
Kotsuzaka approached him carefully, waving his hand in front of his face. There was absolutely no reaction. He grinned a little, finding some satisfaction all of a sudden. He disappeared from view.
When he was sure the other wasn't paying attention, which was hard to tell since his eyes were so soulless in the first place, he jumped out at him with a loud scream. The guy didn't even budge- the birds on top of his head, however, did.
The boy pursed his lips, finally getting the courage up to poke at the teen's sides. That did nothing either. At first Kotsuzaka had been sure this guy was faking or acting. But as he continued to poke at the other's ribs he wasn't sure that was the case. The guy seemed long gone.
As he thought back on it he was almost sure he'd seen this look on someone else's face a long time ago. It had to do with the gleam of those stupid items. He saw it in his mind's eyes, shuddering and backing away from the visibly dead teenager. He suddenly wanted no part in this.
And for the first time in his life, Kotsuzaka made a call to the police to report a problem. He realized finally what it was like to be so bothered. Perhaps this was the day he'd turn a new leaf. All thanks to the soulless Pantomimer.
