No one liked me at school. Everyone knew my parents gamble and is considered "bad". So I wasn't surprised when the other kids blamed me on stealing.
"Teacher! It was Hayate! Hayate's parents are bad so it has to be him! He stole my lunch money!" My classmates shouted. I was taken aback. Why would they say those mean things to me? Tears started to form in my eyes and threatened to spill.
"NO! Not me! I wouldn't do such a bad thing!" I said desperately. But I knew that no one would believe me. The teacher unmistakably reassured the others that she would talk to me about it. Not only did the teacher point her witch-like fingers at me, she threatened to expel me, whatever that meant. After school, I walked quietly home, tears flowing freely. I sniffed. The other kids were so cruel to me, but that wasn't unusual for me these days. All the adults at school knew about my parents and my background. It's not surprising. So I actually didn't really mind.
"Hayate-kun!" A familiar voice shouted. I looked around to see father come up from behind me.
"Father…" I whimpered.
"What's wrong Hayate? Why are you crying? Who would make you cry like that?" My father patted my head and smiled. I told him what the other kids accused me of while my father listened attentively.
"Don't worry Hayate. I believe you wouldn't steal the other kids' lunch money." Father said.
"Really Father? You really think so?" I sniffed
"Of course. Because…" He pulled out my school's lunch tickets. "I was the one who stole them!" I stared unbelievably at Father as I clutched my hands together, forming a fist.
"If only they transferred the lunch money to the bank, they won't be stolen as easily. How careless children could be." Father laughed and pocketed the money again.
"Hm? What's wrong Hayate-kun?" Father acted like stealing people's things were not important. I haven't uttered a single word since my father announced that he was the one who stole my class's money. Without another word, I ran away from that horrible father of mine. I didn't know where I was going, but at this rate, everything in my life was terrible! My family is poor, my dad is a thief, no one would believe me, and I have no friends! There's really…there's really nothing good in my life! I ran with all my might. Without looking around my surroundings, I just kept running. I could hardly feel my lungs breathe and my heart was torn into a million pieces. But this way, I don't have to think about anything, just keep running until, hopefully, I die. Because I don't want to live another second in this world. Gosh, I'm only six and I'm already thinking about death! Anyway, living painfully like this, I don't care if I die this very minute! As I ran my heart out, I tripped on something and fell facedown into a flower garden somewhere. Perhaps this place was heaven. But it couldn't be I died because I couldn't move my body. If I did die, I would be moving freely now. There was only the smell of soft flower, and the sound of the wind.
Such a nice smell. I thought. That's it. I've had enough of this. I won't go back home. That guy is NOT my dad. But…I don't have anywhere I could go. I don't have any more energy to move, so I just lay there, unmoving. Because it's better this way right? That's right. At this rate, I could die then and it'll be fine.
"Don't say that. Don't say those sorrowful words." A beautiful singing voice rung through my ears. Am I dreaming that voice?
"I can see your heart is torn up and you can't stand up. However, your body can still move, can it not? So hurry up and stand." The voice coaxed. I didn't know what to do. I gripped the ground tightly.
"What's with you? You don't know anything about me so don't act like you do!" I screamed.
"That's right. It's true I don't know anything. But, your heart is always calling out "save me" as I'm hearing right now." The voice mused. I was lost for words. For a second, my tears stopped spilling, but they started to flow freely again.
"Now then, use the last of your courage, and stand up on your own feet. If it's almost impossible for you to do, I'll lend you my left hand." Something shifted above me and I looked up and saw a face like a doll's. She had golden blonde curls at her side, curled in ringlets, resting on her shoulders. The rest of her hair was in a long ponytail. She was wearing an expensive-looking yellow gown and holding a similar umbrella. Her hand was out in front, waiting for mine. When my hand touched hers, my tears disappeared. Her hand was warm and gentle.
"Thank you." I managed to choke out. She smiled at me and my heart beat sped up.
"Don't mention it. Oh, and what's your name?" But it didn't seem like she wanted to know the answer because she turns around without me and started to walk away from me. Not wanting to be alone again, I ran after her.
"Eh? Um… my name is Ayasaki Hayate."
"Hmm, that's not a very good name." The girl remarked. I was stared at the ground and blushed. Something about this girl made me want to impress her.
"Then what's your name?"
"Athena. Tennousu Athena." She whipped around gave me a sunny smile filled with pride and eyes screaming self-confidence.
"A…Athena?"
"Yes." The sun began to set behind Athena and it made her face glow.
"It's the name of the greatest goddess in this world."
