Chapter One
"Ichimutsu, wake up," I heard my brother, Hogosha, say as he opened the curtains to let sun light in my room.
Pulling the bed sheet over my head, I mumbled, "Five more minutes, bro."
Hogosha tugged the bed sheet off, saying, "Get up right now! Breakfast is set on the table, and your school uniform is ironed and ready to go."
Sitting up and yawning, I asked, "Has mom and dad been out all night again last night?"
Nodding, he told me, "Sadly, yeah. Oh, by the way, Harin called not too long ago. Said she'll be here in about 10 minutes to walk with us to the middle school before I get to my high school." Walking out of my room, he added, "I put all your clothes, along with your socks and your shoes, by your desk. Hurry up and get dressed. Your eggs will get cold. As well as your pancakes."
When he got out of my room, I quickly got changed before I went down to the dining room with my school bag swung over my shoulder. Just before I entered the dining room, inside. I heard my mom's voice sheepishly say, "Hogosha, you're doing well taking care of your sister by yourself! You don't need me and your father to help you!"
"Ichimutsu needs more than just a male role model! Don't you get that she needs parental love as well? And don't give me the bullshit that you already have when she and I were born!" Hogosha yelled. To tell the truth, I never have seen or heard Hogosha like this before in my entire life.
Without warning, I heard my dad yell back, "Don't talk to your mother that way, young man!"
I quickly walked in as I asked, "Hogosha, can you just give me my karate clothes? I'll just walk to my karate class to see if I'll pass out of black belt today. You don't have to stop by my school, any ways." When Hogosha looked as though he was about to argue back, I quickly said, "If it's about me not eating, don't worry. Harin and I will stop by somewhere to get a quick bite. I'm pretty sure she won't mind." When I held out my hand, Hogosha slowly handed over my martial arts clothes to me and I told him with a weak smile, "Gomen! Love you, Hogosha-san!"
When I got outside, Harin, a girl with black hair and blue eyes, asked, "Is Hogosha-dono coming? Or no?"
"He had an argument with my mom and dad," I quickly told her. "Best if he walked over to the high school by himself to clear his head." Stuffing my martial arts uniform into the bag, I asked, "Is it alright if we stopped by a store to get myself a quick breakfast? I didn't get to eat anything before leaving." Harin nodded slightly as I closed my bag and we began to walk.
When we arrived at a bagel shop right by our school, the store owner laughed as he called, "Well! This is unusual! We have one of the two Karaguwa children as a customer! What would you like, Ichimutsu? This one's on the house!"
I smiled weakly as I quickly said, "A plain bagel would do, sir."
As the owner went off to get a bagel for me, Harin asked, "What did your parents and Hogosha-dono get into a fight about this time? I mean, you did say you remember them fighting when you were younger, but not after a certain point in our elementary years."
When the owner gave me the bagel, I told him, "Thank you." Turning to look at Harin, I replied, "Truth be told, I don't know. I've never seen Hogosha-san like this before in my life."
We walked towards the school building as I started to eat my bagel. All of a sudden, I felt a hand on my behind as one of the guys' voice whispered, "Hey, since it seems like your brother is out, how about we say we go out and then make out when school's over?"
Handing the half finished bagel over to Harin and grabbing the guy's wrist in a flash, I spun towards Harin, where the guy wasn't standing, and quickly stepped behind him with his wrist still in my grip. Throwing him down the ground, face flat on the ground, I whispered to him, "My brother may not be here, but both my karate teacher and Hogosha-san sure did a great job in teaching me martial arts, huh? Touch my behind ever again, I'll break your arm. And that goes for touching me anywhere inappropriately. Understood?"
When I let him go, he cried out with terror, "I'm so sorry, Karaguwa-dono!"
He ran away as fast as he could and everyone laughed hysterically as they all pointed at him. I took my bagel back as Harin told me, "You really gotta soften up, Ichimutsu."
Taking a big bite out of the bagel, I replied, "Sorry. Don't know the meaning of 'softening up' unless if it's Hogosha-san and our friends we're talking about, mate."
It seemed forever in order to get our mid-day break.
The second the break started, I got up and went up to my teacher. He just stared at me for awhile before he asked, "What is it, Karaguwa?"
"Would it be alright if I left about thirty minutes after the break is over, Chang sensei?" I asked quickly. "It's just I have a martial arts test today to see if I pass out of black belt and I'm the first one to go, which is the second the school's out. Both my teacher and Hogosha-san suggested that I get there after break is over."
Sighing, he said, "Okay, but since you'll be here until thirty minutes after break is over, why don't you just go on and change now so you won't have to worry about changing later?"
I bowed as I cried out, "Thank you!" When I went back to my desk to get my martial arts clothes, I realized that Harin wasn't in her seat. After getting the outfit, I passed by the desk and there was a note that read:
"Goodbye, world. Forever this world behind, as well
as pain and scarred life and worries.
Ichimutsu, if you're reading this, please don't try
to stop me."
Looking suspiciously at the note, I walked out of the classroom and towards the bathroom to get changed. On the way to the bathroom, the P.A. system went off and my school's principal was heard saying, "Everyone, please report to the nearest classroom immediately! Everyone report to the nearest classroom immediately! Harin Wong is armed with a gun at the West Wing Hall! Everyone report to the nearest room!"
I felt panic and fear starting to rise as I started to run towards the West Wing Hall. All I could think was, Harin! Please don't shoot anyone! Why didn't you tell me at the very least, you moron? We've told each other everything! What happened?
When I reached the West Wing Hall, I found the hall completely empty. The only ones in the hall were two teachers, Harin, one other student and myself. Harin was swinging her arm that held the gun wildly around as she cried, "Get away from me! I swear I'll shoot!"
Stepping slowly towards Harin after dropping my karate clothes on the ground, I tried to say as calmly as possible, "Harin, put the gun down. Let's talk this out."
Harin pointed the gun at me as she screamed, "Stay away from me! I'll shoot you! Stay away!"
I started to panic even more as I hurriedly said with fear, "Harin! Put the gun down! I just want to talk friend to friend!" I continued to walk towards her as I said, "Please! I just want to talk this out with - !" Before I finished, I heard the gun go off. There was split moment of pain in my chest before everything around me went black. All felt dark and cold, and I was at some place lonely.