Chapter 2: The Dojimas

The car ride to the Dojima household had a bit of an awkward air to it. I wasn't quire sure if it was because of me, or because it was simply normally like this. Overall the ride was rather silent, and although normally I would have liked it that way, this time, I wanted to get to know my extended family a bit better. I was almost silently hoping that someone would strike up a conversation to clear the air. I desperately wanted to, but just like always, my voice just disappeared.

I opened my mouth with the intent to speak, and no words came out. I closed my eyes, annoyed that my voice had to act up now of all times. For the longest time I could remember, it had been this way. Sometimes it would work, and sometimes, no, scratch that. The important moments, were when my voice went into full stop.

I hated it.

But... perhaps this was for the better. After all, I was leaving Inaba after only a year, so I would eventually have to say goodbye to everyone here. Maybe... My stammer, my inability to talk in moments like these.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

"So... Yu! What's it like where you're from? You know... the city. Heh, I bet you'll be bored here in Inaba." Dojima said with a small smile on his face. The man chuckled.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my vocal chords were stuck again.

'No! Not already!'

I closed my eyes and willed the sound to come out in desperation. I started to unconsciously shiver, my neck muscles tensing with effort.

'Come on! SPEAK! SPEAK!'

"I- I- I- I a- actually k- k- kinda like it here. It's so much more peaceful." I finally stuttered out, sighing in relief afterwards.

"Huh, really? I suppose you're different than most then. Even the locals here complain about how there's nothing to do. By the way, why'd you respond so late?" Dojima asked with curiosity.

"H- Huh? I- It was nothing." I quickly said, glad that my voice worked properly this time around.

I didn't want to explain to my uncle how my stammer and my stutter worked, because frankly, I had no clue either. I had always passed it off as a part of my quiet nature. I had even visited a therapist a few times, with no success whatsoever. According to him, it had to do with both lack of self confidence, and built up stress.

To be frank, he was probably right. But both of those were problems I had no freaking idea how to solve.

The car stopped at a gas station, and Dojima and Nanako both left. My uncle went to fill up the gas, and Nanako presumably went to the toilet.

'Might as well take a look around myself.'

I opened the car door and exited the vehicle, taking a good look at my surroundings. It seemed that the gas station was right next to a shopping district, and directly right of it was a bookstore.

I decided to head towards its direction, after asking uncle Dojima. I walked over towards my uncle.

"D- D- Dojima-san? W- While you are filling the gas, may I check the bookstore next to here?" In response, Dojima gave me a curious look but nodded anyways. Smiling, I made my way over towards the bookstore. For some reason, I had always preferred books and texts over movies and videos. I didn't know explicitly why. I even speculated at one point that it had to do with my lack of a working voice, but that was a stupid explanation for a preference. In the end, I simply preferred reading over watching. I suppose it had to do with the fact that books gave me more leeway for imagining things.

I made my way over towards the bookstore building, and wasn't surprised to see it nearly empty, with almost no customers. Inaba was a small town after all. Inside, there was only a store clerk, a middle aged man with really wierd teeth, and a slender teenage boy with a blue cap.

I shrugged and browsed the sci fi category, and grinned when I found a book I had been meaning to read for a long time. It was Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. I had always had it somewhere in my head, but never got around to actually reading it.

I grabbed it along with a book about the town and its 'places to see.'

After I paid for my books, I mindlessly walked over to the exit and slammed into something. My eyes widened and I took a brief moment to recover my senses. In front of me, was the boy with the blue cap from before.

Fuck. So much for having a quiet day.

My eyes widened and I quickly apologized.

Or at least, I tried to.

Instead, I simply stood there with my hands raised and my eyes bulging out and my mouth slightly open.

I must have looked like I was high on drugs.

The boy blinked in confusion.

"Um, are you... ok?" He carefully said.

"I- I- I'm s- sorry for bumping into you!" The sound came a good 3 seconds after the question was asked. I mentally groaned. My voice turned off at the worst possible moments.

And so, like the genius I was, I booked it and sprinted out of the bookstore and back towards the gas station.

...

Naoto Shirogane was confused. Really confused.

First, she accidentally slammed into a silver haired boy who looked like a gang member while looking at mystery books. Ok, maybe that was stretching it. But his height and his expression made him look intimidating.

She would probably beat him in a fight, but she didn't want to cause any trouble. Especially in a bookstore. So naturally, she started to apologize to the boy. But, before she could mutter an apology, the boy's expression suddenly turned into one that looked like a mixture between fright and guilt, and he raised his hands and leaned backwards, his mouth slightly open.

He stood that way for a good 5 seconds. Was he shivering?

Confused, Naoto blinked.

"Um, are you... ok?" She asked carefully. Despite being hailed as the supposed detective prince, no amount of deductions could give Naoto a clue on what in the world was happening with this boy.

A good 3 second passed before he stuttered out, "I- I- I'm s- sorry for bumping into you!"

And then, he sprinted out of the bookstore.

Naoto blinked in confusion.

'What a strange boy...'

...

That was a complete and utter disaster.

I slouched inside the car and slammed my head into the seat in front of me. I sighed. If luck would be on my side, I would never ever bump into that boy again. Ever. I put my hands on top of the back of my head and mentally groaned.

"Something wrong?"

Scratch that. Mentally and physically groaned.

'Why the hell does my voice work in moments like this, and goes into a freaking coma when I actually need it?'

"E- Eh? N- Nothing... Nothing at all..." I stuttered out, making Dojima frown.

I slouched even more.

Inaba was a small town, so if the boy was a local, chances were I would see him again.

I was not going to enjoy my year here. I was absolutely, positively, flippedy floppedy sure that I was not gonna enjoy my time here. At best, I was going to be that one quiet kid that nobody really noticed.

Someone tapped my shoulder. I went wide eyed and jumped, instantly jumping up from my slouching position.

"E- E- Eh?" I looked around and saw Nanako right in front of me with a curious and innocent expression on her face.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

How the hell was I supposed to deal with that innocent of a face? I rubbed the back of my neck, putting on a sheepish smile and nodded.

Anything that could be solved without my voice, I was going to solve without my voice.

The car halted to a stop.

"We're here!" Dojima exclaimed. Quickly, I opened the car door, Nanako doing the same on her side. When I got out, I took my first good look at the place where I would be living for the next year of my life. In short, the Dojima Residence was a 2 story building that looked like any other house I had ever seen. Plain windows, gate, door, everything. There was literally nothing quite out of the ordinary about it.

Frankly, I quite liked it.

When Dojima opened the opened the door, I found myself in a rather spacious living room with the basic nessecities. There was a carpet and a couch next to a low dining table meant for sitting on the floor. I also caught a kitchen with a fridge and all the basic cooking materials. As soon as the sight found me, I grinned like an idiot. Since my parents were never here, I had to deal with my own laundry and food. At first, I was eating a diet of Instant noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but that was long ago. Now, I was more confident in the kitchen than I was anywhere else. I silently promised to cook them breakfast and at times, dinner to make up for my being here. I wasn't even paying rent after all.

I followed Dojima upstairs, where my room was. It had a basic table for studying, which I felt I would come to use a lot. It also had a few shelves for books and displays, and a couch, table and TV.

Of course, there was also a futon. I had to sleep, after all.

"Well, this is your room. I know it's not much, but I hope you enjoy yourself here."

I grinned. It was actually much better than I expected.

"T- T- Thank you, Dojima-san."

2 seconds. Eh, it was better than what had happened in the bookstore.

"Now, let's go eat dinner."

...

Dinner was delicious. Dojima had ordered something special for my arrival, and it tasted great. Now I really wanted to pay them back by cooking dinner for them.

"Let's have a toast. For Yu!" Dojima said, and I took my can of soda and clanked it with the others before I took a drink. The atmosphere felt lively, and I genuinely enjoyed myself more than I had in a while.

Maybe Inaba wouldn't be too bad.

The telephone started ringing. Suddenly, Dojima's eyes widened and he instantly bolted up to get it.

"Dojima speaking... Yes... Huh? Wait, you're sure that this happened?" Dojima's eyes were practically bulging out of his sockets. "Um, yeah. I'll... Be there in a second..."

Dojima's mouth was hanging agape and his eyes were still wide when he quit the call.

"Jesus christ..." He muttered. "I'm... Gonna have to go to the police station. Something... Urgent happened. Sorry to ditch out like this..." Without waiting for an answer, my uncle put on his coat and was out of the house.

Nanako looked downtrodden.

"Dad's a detective, so this happens pretty often." She said, her eyes looking downwards.

My appetite suddenly disappeared, along with the lively atmosphere.

Right now, I could technically use my voice, but that was way too risky. So instead, I played it safe, and simply walked up to my little cousin and sat down next to her without her noticing me. Her eyes were too busy looking at the floor. Sighing, I put my hand on her shoulder, and gave my little cousin the best reassuring smile I could manage.

After all, they say an action speaks a thousand words.

Thankfully, Nanako turned towards me and gave me a warm smile, making it hard for me not to grin.

"Thanks, Yu!" She said.

I only kept smiling. It had been a while since someone had said that to me. The words gave me a warm feeling in my heart.

"N- N- Now... Nanako, I'm going to sleep, alright? Tomorrow school's gonna start, and I don't wanna be late."

3 seconds. Not too bad.

"Alright! Good night!"

I waved at my cousin and went upstairs to my room.

That night, I dreamed of a blue limousine and an old man with a crooked nose...