Life living with Mae and Alfred was difficult to say the least. Realization had finally kicked in, and Ken finally realized what he was doing. No parents...He was never going back home...And he missed it so...
'But I don't belong there. Mother and father never loved me for me. They only started loving me, because I started to act like Sam. They never loved me...only Sam...' mused Ken.
Mae knew Ken was finding things difficult to cope with, so she let the boy cry himself asleep on the couch whenever he felt it necessary, and Ken did do it often. He couldn't help himself.
Ken was currently on the couch, depressed. He was laying out of the couch, trying to attract as little attention as possible, but Mae made that completely impossible.
"Would you like something to drink dear?" asked after a while, tilting her head at ken.
Ken slowly nodded. His throat was dry and badly needed liquid of some kind. Within minutes Mae returned with a beverage.
"Here you go. This is strawberry Kool-Aid" she soothed, handing the cup to ken. She sat down on the couch next to ken, which had been rolled back up and was no longer a bed as Ken sat up to take a drink.
She waited until ken drank a few gulps before speaking. "So tell me Lennie...What happened..." Ken looked at her behind his cup as he drank, he tried to look as though he didn't know what she was talking about. "What happened to them...and how long have you been on your own..."
Ken mentally sighed. "he was beginning to think that she was onto him, but she wasn't. Ken swallowed and looked at his shoes.
"Well, they..." He pictured what happened to Sam all those years ago. "They...past away in a car accident..." He whispered. Mae looked at him with pity.
"You poor thing" she crooned, running a hand through his hair.
ken closed his eyes as he mentally kicked himself. This was so hard!
Alfred suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs and walked in.
"Afternoon Mae. Lennie" he greeted.
"Oh! Here's the remote!" Mae squeaked, handing the remote control for the television to Alfred. Alfred smiled his thanks and flipped on the TV.
"Just want to check the news before I go on back to work..." he mumbled as he fiddled with the remote. Ken's whole body tensed up.
Mae looked at him. "Everything all right dear?" she asked, brushing the bangs out of Ken's face. Ken nodded slowly, his eyes glued to the television.
The news came on. " We still have not yet found the murderer, but we will update you if anymore details come through. Now back to the famous case of the missing boy, Ken Ichijouji" spoke the news lady on the screen. Ken began to tremble in fear.
'Don't show a picture...Don't show a picture...Don't show a picture...'he begged internally.
They showed a picture of him. "This boy has been missing for two weeks now since the last they've seen him at his home. Now a week ago a boy by the name of Davis Motomiya spotted him near Southern Kyoto, yet he hasn't been seen since. More details as six."
The news went on, talking about other matters, but none of that mattered to anyone in the room. The damage had already been done.
Mae and Alfred slowly turned their heads to look at Ken. Ken looked up at them, filled with guilt.
"Y-You're that genius marvel from Tamachi!" cried Alfred in shock as he pointed to Ken.
Mae wasn't as shocked, only concerned. "You said your name was Lennie, sweetie. Why did you lie to us? Don't you want to go home? You're parents must be beside themselves with worry about you."
"I can't go back" croaked Ken, trying to hide his tears of shame. Mae made a move to hug him, making ken bolt up from his spot. They looked at Ken as he stood at the stairway. "You can just forget I was here! Please! I can't go back and I never will! I've appreciated my stay with you both and thank you very much for letting me stay here last night, but I can't stay here any longer. Goodbye and thank you again!" With that speech over Ken fled down the creaky old stairs, grabbed a few loafs of bread from the kitchen, grabbed his cloak and threw it on, and ran out the front door, making sure to hide his face from the world. Too many people would recognize it. He hated being famous...
Davis was startled awake by his older sister Jun about an hour later. He had fallen asleep on the couch when she had so rudely slapped across the top of his spiky haired head.
"Wha- Wha-?' he cried. he looked up and saw Jun. He glared at her. "What did you do that for?" he demanded.
"Your friend's on TV again. They've spotted him" she replied and went about her way to the kitchen. Davis jumped off the couch and fell in front of the television, watching it intently. A couple were on the screen being interviewed at the moment.
"He-He was knocked out in the alley way! I had no idea it was him! All these teenagers dress so alike these days!" sobbed a curly red headed woman.
The man beside her spoke next. "We saw him head North when he ran from our store. We have no idea where he is now."
Davis' heart sank. He was still lost. They've only seen him.
"He-" continued the woman who had been introduced as Mae. "He told us that he didn't want to be found..." Davis froze as he listened intently. "He doesn't want to come back home."
Davis shook his head. "Ken...what are you doing to yourself?"