Author's Note: Arigatou gozaimasu for my first reviewer! This is for you! I
hope you like it! And for those who are reading this for the first time,
hope you all like it so far! Arigatou! Arigatou! Till next update! Ja! ^_^
--------------------------------
Chapter II: Lessons
Today I got off late from work. There was this funny incident actually. See, I was walking
home and I was about to turn when our neighbor next door bumped into me and started
screaming! I looked at her oddly before being able to stand up.
"Here! Take my bag! Take my money! Just don't hurt me!" She said with a very
frightened voice. She was an old, old lady. I mean, no offense but she really is! She had this
pair of thick glasses and I'm pretty sure that even though it is a bit shadowy, she recognized
me. I mean, the moonlight was pretty bright today. I think... I think she said that on purpose.
"Mrs. Yoshioka, it's me, Hiro." I said with a puzzled look in my face.
"O-oh... yes, I... noticed." I offered my hand to help her stand up but she just motioned
that she could do it by herself. Then she hurried up and ran off. For an old lady, she sure
moved fast. I wonder... did she really thought that I was going to mug her? I mean, I'm not
THAT bad... is that what the people around my neighborhood really think of me? I'd
understand if I'm one of those buff guys with tattered clothes or those gangster looking people
but I looked pretty normal looking to me. I was wearing my descent school uniform and all.
That thought stayed with me throughout my walk home.
I pushed our huge wooden gate open. It looks heavy from the outside but no, it's not
really that heavy. I stopped there for a while, examining our front yard. See, we have this
sakura tree by the gate. I remember when I was little, it was only this thin trunk with very
little leaves and no flowers at all. My grandpa used to always tell me that our sakura tree
grows with me. He told me that it first sprouted in our backyard a few months after I was
born. It was amazing really. My grandpa never misses
anything. He notices everything around him. His philosophy is that never take for granted
anything around you, people or any other things. He always tells me that. I try to- but
sometimes, I'm just so busy so today, I stopped for a while and looked around me. I realized,
I like our home. I like the way it's old fashioned and I like the trees surrounding it. I liked my
grandpa's little garden. I like our huge front gates. At first, things appeared to be so normal to
me. The usual boring things since I've seen for the past 16 years, you know? But today...
today I guess... I finally appreciated everything around me.
I took off my shoes before sliding open our front door. "Ojisan, I'm home!" I called out.
"Oh, Hiro, is that you?" I heard a frail response from the kitchen.
"Hai, Ojisan." I responded back, loud enough for him to hear. I entered the house and
slide the door closed behind be softly. I leaned my back against it lightly for a while, looking
around. Our walls were made of fine furnished wood. It seems as though they have never
aged even though many years have gone already.
"Come on here, Hiro. Dinner is ready." Granpa's frail voice cut through my thoughts.
"H-hai, Ojisan! I'm coming." I hurried to our kitchen where I found grandpa kneeling on
his cushion by the coffee table, where our feast awaits. My grandpa is a good cook. I quickly
kneeled across from him on my cushion and laid my backpack beside me. Both of us closed
our eyes and put our hands together as we said a small prayer of thanks to Kami-sama for the
food on our table today. After our prayer, I started to dig in. The food was very delicious just
like how it is everyday. Grandpa just sat there, smiling as he watched me eat.
"How was school and work today, Hiro?" he asked in a kind voice.
"Hm?" I stopped eating and looked up, blinking then followed a small smile. "Well, school
is the same today. We had a test in math though but I think I did well."
"Very good! That's good to hear, Hiro." he smiled back at me but, grandpa's smile is
different. It was soft and warm. It was kind and gentle. Maybe it's because he looks frail and
weak but... I think it's because he is kind and gentle inside.
"Oh, on my way home," I went on while grandpa listened with a nod. "I bumped into
Mrs. Yoshioka."
"Our neighbor?" he asked then I nodded quickly in response.
"Yeah, and she thought I was gonna mug her or something like that. She started
screaming and stuff! She was like 'here! Take my money just don't hurt me!'" I imitated the
old woman's voice and her reaction to the incident. Grandpa gave a warm, hearty laugh and I
joined him. We then continued eating in silence for a while then I could not help but ask,
"Grandpa, how come people think bad of me because I'm different?" The question stopped
grandpa from his meal. He looked at me with those sad-looking eyes of his. They always
appeared watery like he's going to cry or something. Like, he's suffering or something like
that.
"Why would you say that, Hiro?"
"Well, it is true though, grandpa. Since I was little... why else would I get the nickname
'little devil'?" I looked down sadly at the bowl of food in front of me.
"Now Hiro, everyone have different views on things." That statement of his made me
look up and to my surprise, he was smiling at me. "Some people may think other are bad and
some other people may think that those people were good. Everyone has different mentally
but, there are also those who see the good in people no matter what." he explained.
"Everyone have good qualities in them and everyone have something good in them. Some
people just can't see it but other can. For instance, to me, I see you as a great person... no, a
great son, Hiro." Those words were enough to erase all my doubts in
mind. After all, it's not so bad. I have grandpa and he has me, that's all that matters. At least
I have one person who would be there for me and love as... well, me. Throughout the dinner,
I had no more worries. Grandpa is really amazing, don't you think? He always have the
answers for everything and he is very wise. Everything he taught be since I was little stays
with me till today. I guess, those lessons shaped me up into a person I am today.
That night, I laid on my futon while staring up the ceiling. Today, I bumped into that girl.
Hm... What was her name... Miyako? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's her name. Well, I remember
when I was little, her and her little friend used to always try to join me and Tatsuya on our
games and such. Haha, it's funny when I think of it now. Dumb girls would follow whatever we
tell them just to be able to play with us. I used to always mess with her and make fun of her.
Demo, today is different. She's not Miyako-chan anymore from my childhood. Suddenly, she's
this really pretty girl. I mean, I've seen a lot of beauties and not to brag or anything... well,
alright, I'm going to brag a little but see, I'm popular among the girls. I guess some just like
that badboy kind of guy or something and they see me as a badboy or... something like that.
But you know, she really caught my eye. She have these big, bright eyes and this soft
features. Hm... maybe I'll see her tommorrow in school or something. I closed my eyes a
listened to the noisy crickets outside. The noises they made were somewhat relaxing... slowly,
I drifted to a deep slumber out of exhaustion of the day.
--------------------------------
Chapter II: Lessons
Today I got off late from work. There was this funny incident actually. See, I was walking
home and I was about to turn when our neighbor next door bumped into me and started
screaming! I looked at her oddly before being able to stand up.
"Here! Take my bag! Take my money! Just don't hurt me!" She said with a very
frightened voice. She was an old, old lady. I mean, no offense but she really is! She had this
pair of thick glasses and I'm pretty sure that even though it is a bit shadowy, she recognized
me. I mean, the moonlight was pretty bright today. I think... I think she said that on purpose.
"Mrs. Yoshioka, it's me, Hiro." I said with a puzzled look in my face.
"O-oh... yes, I... noticed." I offered my hand to help her stand up but she just motioned
that she could do it by herself. Then she hurried up and ran off. For an old lady, she sure
moved fast. I wonder... did she really thought that I was going to mug her? I mean, I'm not
THAT bad... is that what the people around my neighborhood really think of me? I'd
understand if I'm one of those buff guys with tattered clothes or those gangster looking people
but I looked pretty normal looking to me. I was wearing my descent school uniform and all.
That thought stayed with me throughout my walk home.
I pushed our huge wooden gate open. It looks heavy from the outside but no, it's not
really that heavy. I stopped there for a while, examining our front yard. See, we have this
sakura tree by the gate. I remember when I was little, it was only this thin trunk with very
little leaves and no flowers at all. My grandpa used to always tell me that our sakura tree
grows with me. He told me that it first sprouted in our backyard a few months after I was
born. It was amazing really. My grandpa never misses
anything. He notices everything around him. His philosophy is that never take for granted
anything around you, people or any other things. He always tells me that. I try to- but
sometimes, I'm just so busy so today, I stopped for a while and looked around me. I realized,
I like our home. I like the way it's old fashioned and I like the trees surrounding it. I liked my
grandpa's little garden. I like our huge front gates. At first, things appeared to be so normal to
me. The usual boring things since I've seen for the past 16 years, you know? But today...
today I guess... I finally appreciated everything around me.
I took off my shoes before sliding open our front door. "Ojisan, I'm home!" I called out.
"Oh, Hiro, is that you?" I heard a frail response from the kitchen.
"Hai, Ojisan." I responded back, loud enough for him to hear. I entered the house and
slide the door closed behind be softly. I leaned my back against it lightly for a while, looking
around. Our walls were made of fine furnished wood. It seems as though they have never
aged even though many years have gone already.
"Come on here, Hiro. Dinner is ready." Granpa's frail voice cut through my thoughts.
"H-hai, Ojisan! I'm coming." I hurried to our kitchen where I found grandpa kneeling on
his cushion by the coffee table, where our feast awaits. My grandpa is a good cook. I quickly
kneeled across from him on my cushion and laid my backpack beside me. Both of us closed
our eyes and put our hands together as we said a small prayer of thanks to Kami-sama for the
food on our table today. After our prayer, I started to dig in. The food was very delicious just
like how it is everyday. Grandpa just sat there, smiling as he watched me eat.
"How was school and work today, Hiro?" he asked in a kind voice.
"Hm?" I stopped eating and looked up, blinking then followed a small smile. "Well, school
is the same today. We had a test in math though but I think I did well."
"Very good! That's good to hear, Hiro." he smiled back at me but, grandpa's smile is
different. It was soft and warm. It was kind and gentle. Maybe it's because he looks frail and
weak but... I think it's because he is kind and gentle inside.
"Oh, on my way home," I went on while grandpa listened with a nod. "I bumped into
Mrs. Yoshioka."
"Our neighbor?" he asked then I nodded quickly in response.
"Yeah, and she thought I was gonna mug her or something like that. She started
screaming and stuff! She was like 'here! Take my money just don't hurt me!'" I imitated the
old woman's voice and her reaction to the incident. Grandpa gave a warm, hearty laugh and I
joined him. We then continued eating in silence for a while then I could not help but ask,
"Grandpa, how come people think bad of me because I'm different?" The question stopped
grandpa from his meal. He looked at me with those sad-looking eyes of his. They always
appeared watery like he's going to cry or something. Like, he's suffering or something like
that.
"Why would you say that, Hiro?"
"Well, it is true though, grandpa. Since I was little... why else would I get the nickname
'little devil'?" I looked down sadly at the bowl of food in front of me.
"Now Hiro, everyone have different views on things." That statement of his made me
look up and to my surprise, he was smiling at me. "Some people may think other are bad and
some other people may think that those people were good. Everyone has different mentally
but, there are also those who see the good in people no matter what." he explained.
"Everyone have good qualities in them and everyone have something good in them. Some
people just can't see it but other can. For instance, to me, I see you as a great person... no, a
great son, Hiro." Those words were enough to erase all my doubts in
mind. After all, it's not so bad. I have grandpa and he has me, that's all that matters. At least
I have one person who would be there for me and love as... well, me. Throughout the dinner,
I had no more worries. Grandpa is really amazing, don't you think? He always have the
answers for everything and he is very wise. Everything he taught be since I was little stays
with me till today. I guess, those lessons shaped me up into a person I am today.
That night, I laid on my futon while staring up the ceiling. Today, I bumped into that girl.
Hm... What was her name... Miyako? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's her name. Well, I remember
when I was little, her and her little friend used to always try to join me and Tatsuya on our
games and such. Haha, it's funny when I think of it now. Dumb girls would follow whatever we
tell them just to be able to play with us. I used to always mess with her and make fun of her.
Demo, today is different. She's not Miyako-chan anymore from my childhood. Suddenly, she's
this really pretty girl. I mean, I've seen a lot of beauties and not to brag or anything... well,
alright, I'm going to brag a little but see, I'm popular among the girls. I guess some just like
that badboy kind of guy or something and they see me as a badboy or... something like that.
But you know, she really caught my eye. She have these big, bright eyes and this soft
features. Hm... maybe I'll see her tommorrow in school or something. I closed my eyes a
listened to the noisy crickets outside. The noises they made were somewhat relaxing... slowly,
I drifted to a deep slumber out of exhaustion of the day.