Chapter 2: Kumagorou
*****
With no other family except for his grandmother, it was necessary for Sakuma Ryuuichi to live with her. She wasn't as well off as his parents were but she was certainly part of the upper middle class people of Tokyo. She wasn't that old either as she has not avail of a retirement. However, just like his parents, she hardly had time with the 13-year-old boy. Her husband died of an illness a long time ago-- now she was in charge of what he had left.
His grandmother was not rich enough to hire him a tutor so he was forced to go to a private school nearby. She also thought that it was time for the boy to have an experience of the real world.
It was late in the afternoon when he went home after choir practice. He had joined the club because he found the love for singing at such an age already. Ryuuichi was walking alone unlike his other club mates. It wasn't that he was mean or that he was being bullied. He just chose to be distant. He didn't know how to make friends and he would just talk to them if he needed anything or if the needed something from them... nothing more.
He stopped when he heard his name being called. "Oi!
Sakuma!"
Ryuuichi glanced back. Four of his classmates came to him. They too were in the
choir club.
"Hey wanna join us? We're going to Mashiba-kun's house to play on his
computer." One of them, who seemed to be the leader, asked.
"Really? Are you sure its okay with you?" he asked timidly.
"Haha! Of course, why would we be asking you then?" he said and they
laughed. "Oh yeah, I'm Himizu Hikaru. Those are Mashiba Shinji, Kobe
Hiroshi and Suzuki Ken."
He smiled. "I'm Sakuma Ryuuichi!"
*****
"B-but..." Ryuuichi choked up a reply. It was just a month since Himizu invited him to join their group. Every after choir practice they would hang out his house since it was nearest the school, not to mention the biggest. They would always play computer games since Mashiba could afford all of them.
Himizu looked at him with expressionless eyes. "My mother knows all about
you Sakuma. Your mother was my father's slut. Your father was a depressed
businessman and he committed suicide."
"So does ours." Suzuki closed his eyes and shoved him to the ground.
It was the exact same spot where they all began to hang out together.
"You're not allowed to be with us anymore Sakuma." He gave them a
signal that they should leave. One by one they gave him pitiful looks and
turned away.
The last one was Himizu. He honestly liked Ryuuichi a lot because he was always so full of inexhaustible energy and happiness. He also wasn't as arrogant as his other three friends. But like them, his parents didn't agree with them hanging out with Sakuma Ryuuichi the orphan. "I'm sorry Ryuuchi-kun..." That was the last time he called him that. He bit his lip and run away.
"I'm sorry Ryuuichi-kun..." Mashiba's words rang on his head over and over again. No matter how much he tried to plug them out, they would run in his head ceaselessly that it almost drove him insane.
'So you're gone too... just like that man and woman on the photograph. I didn't even know them.' He instinctively opened his backpack and took out a pink stuffed toy. "Kumagorou..." he murmured and snuggled it close to his body. He then got up, dusted his pants and walked home.
Ryuuichi was moved into a new class the next semester. Instead of class 3 he was moved to class 2. He avoided the choir club from now on. He was back to square one. He knew everybody and at the same time he didn't. He was known as everybody and nobody's friend. His classmates loved him because he brought the sun right into their classroom. He was even more sociable than the class representative herself.
Was sociable the right word for Sakuma Ryuuichi? In their eyes yes, he was the friend of everyone. He was kind and very affectionate. He has hugged everyone in the class at least once or twice. Some find it cute, but there were other who thought him as irksome. Still, in their eyes he was their friend.
Were you really a
friend to them Ryuuichi?
'Of course! Of course I am!'
What is a friend Ryuuichi?
'A friend...' He stopped short 'I am a friend. I am their friend.'
Who are you?
'I am Sakuma Ryuuichi. Fourteen years old'
Who. Are. You?
'I told you... I am Sakuma Ryuuichi!'
Is Sakuma Ryuuichi their friend?
'Of course!'
Really? That's not what I think so.
'???'
You merely need them.
'Need?'
Those people, you merely act kind to them because you need them. You don't
really have friends Sakuma Ryuuichi. You don't let them close to you because
you are afraid of them. You only show them as side that you want them to see.
Because if you let them see the other side of you, they won't need you anymore.
They will all leave you...alone. Again. That man and woman who died. The young
boys... and even your classmates. Just like them, they will all leave you...
They will all leave you...
'THAT'S NOT TRUE!!' he yelled 'I have friends! They won't leave me alone!'
Ryuuichi opened his eyes and came face to face with the ceiling above him. The sun was pouring itself through the blinds that covered his windows. His cheeks were damp-- he had been crying while asleep. He knew that it was just a dream. But then there were no images replaying in his head... only voices. Strangely, those voices were all his own.
"That's not true..." He repeated
slowly to himself. He glanced beside him to check up on Kumagorou. He took him
on his arms and placed him on his lap. "...Because I have Kumagorou and he
will never leave me." He stared at its beady eyes and smiled.
*****
Author's notes: ANGST! Told you it was Eva-like ___ Of course, Ryuuichi
isn't mine *weeps* while all the other character names are made up. C'mon
everyone! Give poor Ryuuichi a hug! (because I torture him too much...) XO
