Chapter 4:

I hardly saw Sou-chan after Seimei's death. He stayed in our apartment for weeks, refusing to come out. After he missed class for six days, I decided that he needed the care of Nurse Kio! Okay, so I'm embellishing. Truth be told, Sou-chan looked like a zombie when I saw him after Seimei's murder.

His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. He smelled like he hadn't bathed for a couple days, but it wasn't too bad. His hair remained a tangled mess, but it still shone. (How does he manage to keep it that shiny!) When he did talk, his words tumbled out like gibberish. Like I said, he was a zombie.

"Sou-chan," I smiled, trying to rid his room of the grim aura hanging above his head, "I made you something to eat." Sou-chan sat up. I guess he did it out of curiosity. Although, the dumplings I brought smelled good. Thank god for instant cooking shows.

"Kio," he mumbled. His eyes were red, probably from crying. But, Sou-chan didn't seem like one to cry, even if someone died. Maybe he hadn't slept well for a while. I offered him a little food, but he didn't take any. I set the plate aside and sat with him on his bed. It was more comfortable than mine! How'd I end up with the rock-hard mattress?

"Maybe you should go to Seimei's funeral," I suggested. "Get to know his family a little more." Sou-chan nodded, but I knew that he wasn't listening. Seimei's funeral was held a few weeks after, and Sou-chan still hadn't left his room.

This routine went on for almost two years. I think I was drunk the entire time, because when I reflect on it now, I don't sound like my usual Kio-self.

After a while, though, I could coax him out of his room to go to the park or to go to class. He looked better than he had at first. He finally combed his hair and washed his face. No one could tell he had been grieving for so long. Of course, a female student with no ears was out of school while Sou-chan, who also has no ears, was absent, so a lot of people assumed the worst. What a bunch of perverts.

Sou-chan hardly painted anything after Seimei died. His canvases crowded less and less space in our apartment. Only my art took the space on the wall by the front door. Sou-chan, who is a really good chef and a health nut sometimes, ate nothing but instant foods and candy. Sometimes he ate so little or so much that I'd hear him at night in the bathroom, throwing up whatever food he had eaten earlier. A couple times I'd find myself sitting beside him all night, just talking to him until he fell asleep or puked again. My poor Sou-chan…

About six months after Seimei died, I bought a couple new ink sticks and paintbrushes for Sou-chan. He needed to get to painting again. There was an exhibition coming up that the professor wanted Sou-chan to show his art in. But, Sou-chan hadn't painted anything new for six months! I thought if he had a few new supplies, he would have been inspired to paint up a storm of art to show. Sadly, my plan didn't work. Sou-chan didn't enter the exhibition, and the professor chewed him out for it.

"You promised me, Soubi!" the professor scolded. "You had more than enough time. Why did you not submit at least one piece?" I pressed my ear against the professor's office door to listen for Sou-chan's answer. After a long silence, I finally heard him speak.

"I lost someone special," he said quietly. "It was unexpected. I'm sorry, sir." Who was this prick who took away my Sou-chan? Sou-chan never talked like that. He was like a zombie echoing words fed to him piece by piece.

"You've been falling behind, Soubi," the professor continued. "You aren't coming to class as often as you should, and one of your classmates has been covering for you the entire time." Hee, that was me. "If you don't show up tonight, I'm flunking you for the semester." Flunk! Sou-chan was his best student! He wouldn't ever think about flunking Sou-chan! I heard foot steps coming toward the door, and I quickly hopped out of the way. It was Sou-chan. He came back from the professor's scathing lecture, but he didn't appear to be happy. His face seemed hollow, like a stock mannequin's face. Thanks to the professor, though, Sou-chan actually came with me to class. He painted, but it wasn't his best. All his paintings seemed to be the same: a limp butterfly surrounded by a dull red aura, what appeared to be blood.

Two years had nearly passed since Soubi found out about Seimei's death.. I hadn't brought up the subject of visiting the Aoyagi family since I did the first time. I decided, since Sou-chan was feeling better, that it was time to get him out of his room again.

"You know, you could at least go visit Seimei's family," I said bluntly. Instead of frowning and growing sad at the mention of his dead happiness, Sou-chan smiled! He smiled a genuine smile for the first time in two years!

"Actually, I have to go to the elementary school," he said. "So, I won't be at class tonight."

That was the strangest thing I had ever heard Sou-chan say, at least then. What could he possibly want at the elementary school? There's nothing there but a bunch of kids! Damn, that means I have to cover for him again!