Chapter 2

It was the spring of his 10th birthday. His mother said he needed to get a part time job to help earn income for their small 2-person family . There were not many jobs he could apply for being so young, and every one of them turned him away as soon as he came in for an interview. He was just...strange. He was not good with people, and was always staring off into space. However, it was especially his hair; that unearthly red-orange color, combined with his lanky almost sickly look - that warded them off.

Some thought him the child of a Hyōsube (hair covered kappa), a Shōjō (red-haired sea sprite) or worse an Oni. Not to mention he was born just a week after the attack on Hiroshima, and seemed fascinated with the ocean, thus making such superstitious beliefs all the more fueled. It was the main vehicle for his out casting in school; all the kids would throw things at him and call him various kaiju names. Now it was keeping him from getting work, in that the employers thought he might bring bad spirits or a curse upon their workplace.

Without his mother's knowledge he sent a letter to a place advertising for young workers – a cleanup service at the beachfront.

He was delighted when they called back…

…however it was his mother who picked up the phone.

"WHAT? No - there must be a mistake my son can't work at the beach. You see he can't swim and would be nothing but a bother to you."

Fujimoto called out so the man on the other end of the phone could hear, but his mother picked him up forcefully and threw him into the other room - locking the door. He pounded on the door, continuing to yell.

"As you can see he is completely unstable."

When his mom let him out after hanging up, Fujimoto ran by her and up to his room - slamming the door. Why are people so cruel...? He sobbed into his bed.

Little did she know he had overhead the voice on the other end before he had been unceremoniously tossed. The voice had said for him to come in for an interview that weekend at 5:00 pm.

He snuck out and took the train to the beach so he could make the meeting, using some money he'd saved. He tried to sink into the background of all the hollow eyed, soulless looking people on the train. His heart raced with anticipation.

A tall, sun burnt man with a toothpick in his mouth greeted him as he walked onto the windswept wooden boardwalk that led to the beach. He introduced himself as Kashi, not that Fujimoto was making eye contact with him. As he was giving a funny look to Fujimoto's hair, the boy was busy looking at the ocean behind him.

"Tch you look like you've never seen the ocean before," the man joked.

"I…I haven't!" The boy said back.

"N…never? And you live so close to shore?" Kashi looked so shocked his toothpick nearly fell from his mouth.

"It's so…big!"

"Well…yea," the man laughed.

Fujimoto took another minute of staring then he looked up right into the man's eyes before bowing deeply, "Please sir - take me for this job!"

I've never seen someone so eager to pick up trash before… Kashi thought with a nervous look.

"I'll work harder than anyone else!"

"…If you are that keyed up then sure, I need another kid. The pay isn't very good but-"

"I'll work after hours for free!"

"I already said you had the job..." Kashi gave a funny look.

...

Despite all her anger at him when Fujimoto came in later that night, they DID need the money. No one else would hire him at that point in time.

So his mother let him keep the job.