It has been 4 years since Hiro started attending the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, and he will be attending his graduation ceremony tomorrow. He is not particularly excited about it, however. Many unfortunate events have unfolded in the countless months that have passed by.
18-year old Hiro Hamada sat on an ash-colored chair next to a burnt table and turned on the television elevated high on the wall. He saw nothing but death and destruction being bragged about in the news. On the flickering screen, the expressionless man that many categorize as the news anchor appeared to be in a hypnotic daze that showed no signs of emotion, compassion, or empathy for anyone, including himself.
Hiro puts his elbows on the table and put his hands on his forehead, pushing back his hair. Over the years, his physical height clearly showed signs of growth, but the reverse can be said about his optimistic outlook. An invisible rain cloud hovered over him with acid rain trickling down his skin: sweat.
Television News:
Statistics say that criminal activity and violence in this city have risen tenfold in the last four years and there does not seem to be any sign of improvement any time soon. Once-popular destinations like Aunt Cass's Café, the San Fransokyo Mall, and the San Fransokyo Park have long been burned to the ground through widespread criminal arson over the years, and the building costs associated would prove to be almost impossible to pay off.
If that's not enough, hidden bombs and bomb threats have been on the rise, causing wealthy industries and businesses to face constant fear. Indeed, San Fransokyo has been under what seems to be a societal apocalypse, dismantling each and every single landmark of hope until there is no hope left.
We would advise everyone to stay in their homes, for there is a high likelihood of being shot if anyone attempts to exit their only mode of protection. The only thing anyone can really do at this stage is wait for everything to die down. Previous efforts of alleviating the current situation have all proven to be in vain.
The depressed Hiro slowly stood up from the chair, walked to the shattered café window, and fearfully watched as the rest of the world tore itself apart with the gang wars, hellish fires, and suffocating explosions that seemed to darken the already-gray clouds that loomed above.
Mankind's sins have manifested in the most graphic of ways. The bloods of rape, murder, lust, jealousy, and greed have splattered and gushed over the black asphalt roads and grey cement sidewalks of the town. Man has killed man for food, man has killed man for territory, man has killed man for money, and man has killed man for rage.
Hiro's emotionless eyes started tearing up with disappointment. The positive visions he once held for the future have become nothing more but artifacts of a once-thriving empire. His dreams of a better world have been wounded, but deep down in his heart, he knew that things can still get better.
"Sigh... I know that things may look bleak right now, but I can't give up. There has to be something I can still do to change the situation..." Hiro wiped a couple of tears from his eyes and heard a familiar motherly voice coming from behind him. "Are you okay, Hiro?"
Those four compassionate words were still not powerful enough to heal Hiro's fractured heart. He looked back and replied, "Yeah, Aunt Cass… I've just been thinking about the way things have been lately… It seems to me that as time goes by, life just gets worse and worse."
Aunt Cass walked out of the darkness with a slight aura of empathy emanating from her. She walked towards Hiro and gave him a tight hug that for a moment seemed to shatter the shadows of the world. Hiro broke down crying, for the minute-long hug seemed to last for an eternity and all his problems and stresses have become trivial when compared to the brilliant glory of love he experienced.
As Hiro sobbed, he heart-wrenchingly asked his aunt, "Why can't things go back to the way they were before?! Why does the world have to go down in suffering, Aunt Cass? Why?!" Hiro's tears were straming down his cheeks and his heart was beating fast. He couldn't stop asking the one question that every person has asked at one point in their lives. "Why..?" Hiro's cries grew silent.
Aunt Cass released Hiro from the hug to let him wipe off his tears. After Hiro dried up his face, she put his hands on his shoulders and told him, "Everything will be alright, Hiro. You just have to make sure that you never lose your last glimmer of hope, okay? I have always been so proud of you and your brother and I feel so blessed to still have you. We can get through this, I promise."
Aunt Cass looked at Hiro and smiled. Hiro looked at Aunt Cass and tearfully smiled back. He found solace in the thought that he doesn't have to walk this arduous journey alone. Although he no longer has his brother, he still has his aunt, and Hiro knew all too well the precious value of a loved one.
To be continued...