His POV

Her eyes, her eyes, her eyes.

The sweetest girl with eyes as bright as diamonds had sent hot electric shivers into my heart. Why was such a beautiful girl crying? Especially in a place like this. The moment I saw her it felt like time had stopped for a single moment and I was drawn to help this poor girl.

How can this possibly be?

I've never believed in fate.

Kise Ryouta. Say my name anywhere and countless girls will gather around me, dazzled by my presence. Honestly, it's tiring. I grew up in Tokyo, around the border of Shinjuku and Shibuya. My family had never been present in my life and had always been distant. I was the only child of a bitterly divorced family. My mother had cared more about her business meetings at Canon printing company than her own wedding anniversary. My father was the head of a stock market research company that tracked trends and prices. Caught between the rich and wealthy lifestyles, they eventually drifted apart. I was left alone, in the shadow of my family's darkest secrets. The appearance they gave was quite deceitful to the public eye, having posed for several prominent business magazines with glamorous fake smiles.

Even when I was first born, I lacked the basic attention that should have been given to an infant. The countless nannies that came in and out of our penthouse were constant. I had never really obtained a true connection to anyone or anything. I was a child that longed to be loved and was denied of that simple affection. Whenever I asked if my mother or father could spend time with me they simply said, "Later" or "Another day." It seemed as if time was against me and that I was born into a life of loneliness. My parents had this idea that if they gave me everything a child could dream of: toys, candy, and money; that I would simply be satisfied.

I was never content. It was never enough.

When I reached the age of six I had realised the harsh reality; they never cared in the first place. I was only a product on display to improve their image, just like their marriage. Was I also a fake child? I grew accustomed to this thinking and lifestyle during this period of my life. I didn't need a nanny anymore and I didn't need their literally 'paid' attention. I was independent; I was a soldier. The only person who needs me is me. The only person who cares about me is me. Everyone else is only after my money, and I learnt that the hard way.

I was ten years old when I met Ishida Suzuki, a small brown haired boy with slightly tan skin and a wide grin; my first friend. We both attended the same elementary school and he was the first person to ever show interest in my life. None of the other boys had liked me in elementary school, I had always seemed to best them in everything. They made it seem like I intentionally made girls fall at my feet and studied exceptionally hard for my grades. Everywhere I went I never had a male friend who didn't stare with hate.

Their eyes burning into my searing flesh.

After I had helped my soccer team to defeat the opposing team in Physical Education class, he had approached me. I can remember his exact facial expression, his gap toothed grin and cheeky eye-smile. He came running and stuck his thumb up in the air in front of my face.

"Wow you're amazing! Nice work Kise-kun!" he cheerfully spoke.

My eyes grew wide and my mouth slightly opened in awe. He had complimented me? Over time we became closer and closer, Ishida and I had become inseparable. For the first time in my life it felt like I had a true bond that would last forever, never had I felt such warmth radiating from another person. Why did it have to end? I had to know, I deserved to know. Ishida-kun… Why did you have to be there with them?

It was a quiet Friday afternoon when I realised I had forgot my exercise book for my Math class, so I returned to school to retrieve it. For some strange reason, the school seemed eerie. It was as if it were waiting for me, luring me in. It'd be too cliché to say that my destiny awaited me, that this segment of time would alter my universe or some other dodgy movie rip-off line like that. Instead, let's talk about the facts; my reality.

I had begun to approach Ishida when I noticed him also at school at this hour, but quickly hid behind a locker when I hear other voices.

"Oi, Ishida! Come here," called Ryuuzaki, a loud and obnoxious red haired boy in my class called.

"Eh? What?" Ishida replied.

"Why're you always hanging out with that Ryouta kid? He's such an annoying spoilt brat, come play with us afterschool sometime," Ryuuzaki whined in his prepubescent voice.

"Aha sorry, but I already told you guys how it was. Remember? It's just for a little longer," Ishida giggled back.

"Eeeeeh, make it quick then. Don't tell me you've become actual friends with that idiot. All we need is some more stuff from his family and I guess I and the other guys will be done. His crap isn't worth losing ya' to that bastard ha," Ryuuzaki snickered.

Ishida glanced at the boy and revealed a devious smirk, one that I had never experienced before. His eyes slanted in like a snake's and his face grew dark.

What the fuck was going on?

All this time I had been played by my only friend. His words were merciless missiles that shot through my ears with a harsh sting. I had been betrayed and used for my money. I recounted the days of our friendship through my head as I silently walked home, deep in my own miserable thoughts. Tall yellow street lights lit the path home with the slightest buzzing sound echoing from mosquitos that swarmed on summer nights. Memories please leave me now. I can't handle this. Maybe I'll never be accepted for who I am?

They replayed over and over again. The day he first came over to play. Our first sleepover. The long afternoons spent on the soccer field. His meaningful smile that ignited a sentiment of warmth in my gut. By now, it was long gone.

Along with my faith.

For the next few weeks I began to avoid Ishida. We weren't the same anymore; he wasn't the person I thought he was. I had always thought that Ishida was just like me and that was the reason we got along. I could never understand why the other boys would always ridicule me and not him when they saw us. I think I finally get it, what a joke I am. All this time I had thought that they also rejected him too because he was poor, and that he was in the same case I was. They had been using Ishida to extract luxuries out of me for two years. Ishida had told me that his family was broke and that he had no money to buy toys like I had. I thought that maybe if I gave him gifts and presents, his family wouldn't have to and that they could concentrate on paying their rent. Over and over I gave him everything with no questions asked. I wanted to fulfil his happiness.

I wanted to be his happiness.

We didn't walk home together anymore as I stayed later afterschool to do my homework. We didn't play together on the soccer fields as usual. Instead I spent my lunch times reading in the library. During this time, I became a major fan of English literature and poetry. This one novel had caught my attention and I had re-read it over 3 times. To this day I still adore the words written in this book, The Outsiders by SE Hinton. The friendship portrayed in the novel had spoken to me on an unconscious level. It was as if I formed a bond with the characters in the story.

This text is about a group of teenagers who grew up in the disadvantaged part of Tulsa in Oklahoma in 1956. Their gang was known as the "Greasers" and were segregated from the privileged "Socs" group (pronounced soh-shs not socks). Throughout the novel the characters face many coming-of-age hardships and manage to deal with their issues. Two of the main characters, Ponyboy and Johnny had really touched me with their loyalty and incredible friendship. I took valuable meaning from the scene where Johnny had rushed in to save children trapped in a flaming church building. He risked his life to help the innocent, alongside his true comrade which I admire deeply.

Their connection dug deep and I couldn't help but feel a longing for that same emotion. I would have done that for Ishida, but would he have done the same for me? I guess I'll never know.

He had confronted me about our distancing one chilly evening when I was returning from the convenience store. The moon was a sickly crescent amidst in the sky and dark clouds shrouded its glow. It looked down on me in pity and illuminated my loneliness in this cruel world. I lacked hope. He held a strong grip on my small shoulder and spun me around to face his serious expression before I could walk away. Had I sensed real concern or was I mistaken again?

"Hey, what's going on Kise-kun? You haven't been around lately… What's wrong?" he questioned.

I remained silent and we stood metres apart. My blonde bangs covered my eyes and hid the swirling rage that loomed on the border of my control. Minutes went by and no words were uttered in the calm of the night. It felt like hours, because by the time I had reacted I had already relived all of the moments in our friendship where I actually believed in him.

"Why're you here Ishida? Why do you have to face me with those plastic emotions?" I managed to speak out softly.

"What're you talking about? You don't invite me to play anymore, we don't hang out, we don't do anything anymore! You're so fucking annoying for making me chase you," the brunette boy angrily shouted.

"YOU'RE THE FUCKING ANNOYING ONE! All this time everything was a shitload of lies! You took my money, you took my time and you took my heart!" I screamed out in hot raging sobs.

My tears gushed down my steaming red cheeks and I wiped them away across my arm. My chest hurts so much that I can't breathe, my voice was fading away. I gripped my shirt where my heart was and clutched it in a fist.

"YOU WERE MY BROTHER!" I yelled at him.

Ishida's eyes grew wide as he stared at this blonde haired boy before him cry his soul out. The boy was leaking not only tears, but also pouring out his pain and suffering. Ishida made tight fists in both hands and looked down in an emotionless face.

"I'm done with you," he spoke as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned away.

And then I watched him walk away, never to be seen again.

I carried on with my life in solitary. I was a lone soldier; no one looked out for me. When I entered Teiko Middle School I began modelling as a career. As usual, girls gaped at my appearance and ensured my career to be completely successful. Honestly, I didn't need the money. I had assets waiting for me from my loving parents. Life was a bore, everything was tedious.

The only thing that kept me going was my drive to succeed in basketball, which I had never bested Aomine Daiki in. But that's another story.

Her eyes looked so familiar, so similar. I thought I'd never see those beautiful hazel eyes again.

"Please, take my hand," I smiled at the girl.

She was leaking with sadness, something I had known for too long.

And with those words, she embraced my hand in hers and I had lifted her out of her hole.