Empathy was a curse, Takashi decided.
Whenever Takashi was around people, he could see and hear their voices in his head, crying and pleading for a relief from their pain. That was how Takashi found out his mother had left them; the burning supernova of his father's anguish ripped Takashi out of bed and he flew down the stairs, finding his father at the kitchen table, crying over a letter. Little Takashi tried to help his father, his Tou-chan, but if anything, he made it worse. Takashi went to bed that night with a heavy heart, and couldn't explain the tearstains on his pillow Tou-san found later. Thankfully, Tou-san didn't say anything, merely wrapping Takashi in a hug that wept while still being dry.
Tsuyoshi got better after that, re-opening his store and greeting worried regulars with a smile that was only a little bit strained. But Takashi knew better, knew the demons of loss and betrayal that lurked in his father's heart, and it pulled the cotton from Takashi's eyes. When Takashi went back to daycare, all the staff members (and quite a few of his friends as well) pulled him aside to ask him what was wrong.
Takashi eyed them dispassionately, noting the queasy terror balling in their stomachs, "I'm alright. You shouldn't worry about me." The teachers eyed him with disbelieving eyes, but left him alone. His friends stuck around a little longer, but they too soon left, citing how boring Takashi had become. Takashi was alone.
Just the way he wanted it.
"Who's that boy playing over there by the flowers?" Strangers would ask. His teachers would smile awkwardly, "He's a bit of a strange kid. His mother left him and his father." Then the old ladies and wives would crone in sympathy, their emotions flickering with shadowy pity and heavy sadness, while Takashi pretended he wasn't listening in. Carefully, he constructed his sand castle: he was making the ramparts big enough to block an invasion. Takashi eyed the walls critically. It needed more sand. Takashi went off to fetch some, ignoring the kids that scattered and the adults that hushed.
Word got back to Tsuyoshi about his son's lackluster performance, and he brought it up during dinner one evening. "I'm not saying you need to become friends with everyone," Tsuyoshi said evenly, "But one or two friends couldn't hurt." Takashi eyed his father's rice paddle critically. Any more patting on that bowl of rice, and it would be more of a squashed pie than a bowl of rice. Carefully, Takashi took the bowl out from under Tsuyoshi's paddle. He blinked up at Tsuyoshi, who looked at him expectantly. This was why Takashi liked spending time with his father: no fluctuating emotions. There was nary a ripple in Tsuyoshi's pond.
Takashi smiled, relieving the attention in his father's shoulders, "I'd try Tou-chan." Tsuyoshi nodded, and the meal following was peaceful.
Now, Takashi thought, who will do as a friend? Takashi eyed the chattering children around him. Nope, they would not do, Takashi decided. Their emotions were so vibrant, Takashi thought he was going to go blind if he stared too long. So that ruled out any children. Takashi turned slowly on his heel, considering. He could befriend an adult; they were much mature than his peers, not to mention Tou-chan never mentioned anything about ages, Takashi thought, smiling mischievously.
In the midst of preparing some sushi rice, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi sneezed violently. He sniffled, reaching for a tissue. "Damn this flu season," Tsuyoshi muttered, wiping his nose, "Need to remember to get Takashi a coat later… "
The question was, which adult to ask? Takashi continued to examine the room, analyzing the prospective friends. All around him, Takashi saw cheerfully smiling teachers, their happiness bubbling over and floating like a brightly-colored cloud around them. They were nauseatingly sweet. Takashi turned away, determined not to befriend such achingly sweet people. Plus, if Takashi befriended them, he would always be watching their aura. People typically didn't enjoy having someone casting their gaze about the other's face, making any such friendships unlikely to survive.
In the end, none of the children or adults in the nursery would do. In fact, Takashi continued to be friendless for quite some time, worrying his father and causing even more gossip to surrounding the now-kindergartner. Takashi ignored the bystanders in favor of books, now being able to read. Tsuyoshi supported Takashi in his academic pursuits, but still, the man worried.
When Takashi finally made his first real friend, he was walking along the river's edge, watching the water sparkle in the sunset's last rays. Tsuyoshi trusted Takashi to take care of himself, though it was often to the point of disbelief (seriously, there were bad people that Tsuyoshi was letting Takashi hang around), so Takashi went exploring. His usual spot was at the river's edge, reading or cloud-gazing or just plain thinking. It peaceful, and Takashi liked that. In all of his time by the river, he'd never seen another soul. So Takashi didn't pay any attention to where he was going. Takashi was lost in the water, lost in memory lane… until he met his soon-to-be first friend.
Takashi crashed into another body, tumbling over and electing an 'Oof!' from below. Takashi scrambled back, trying to find purchase, "I'm sorry- I wasn't looking-" Suddenly Takashi stopped, terrified. A pair of thick glasses glinted in the failing light, but that wasn't what made Takashi shudder ncontrollably. Deep, deep, deep misery; simmering, ancient anger; and soul-wrenching grief permeated this man's soul. Whoever you are, Takashi thought, what did you do?