Chapter9. A change

The morning of twelfth day, Ash had become eleven years old.

He is growing up. His face was childish cute, but now it's changing to be cool, sharp, and fine. Eiji noticed his face changed, and then while he was drinking his coffee he looked at Ash because he realized a little boy was changing into a teenager.

Ash was reading a book and looked at Eiji and said.

"Hey, Eiji. You give me the creeps."

"Huh? What?" Eiji asked him.

The words of Ash made Eiji be upset.

"You were staring at my face…You're gay, aren't you? "

"Of course not!"

Eiji disagreed with him, shaking his both hands. Then Ash laughed and read his book again.

He's reading books since this morning.

"Ash is interested in reading... Wow, they are economics book, aren't they? Well…If I take him to the library, he might be glad." Eiji thought so.

And he suggested to Ash about it.

"Why don't we go to the library?"

"Library？ …That's okay" He replied and said, "OK".

＊＊＊

Eiji took Ash to the library. Ash borrowed different kinds of books, for example economics, politics, novels…. They carried many books and returned home.

"Ash, Have you started to read various books since you were eleven years old?" Eiji asked him.

"Yup. I just want to know what's going on in the world. That's why I read books."

Ash replied but he didn't try to say anymore and became silent. There are awkward moments, so Eiji asked him a different topic.

"By the way, are you hungry? Let's eat hotdogs or something! "

"Good. But I want to eat it without mustard." Ash replied.

"Really? But I know you ate hotdogs with a lot of mustard when you grow up! You still have childish taste! " Eiji said unthoughtfully.

"Well…I'll eat it with mustard! "

Ash got a bit angry. So Eiji laughed

"You! Oh…why are you smiling with that stupid face?" Ash got angrier, stopped to walk and complained to Eiji.

"No….I just said you are still a little child." Eiji said calmly.

"A child? Oh, I think you are childish, too！ Cause you have a baby face!" Ash looked sharply at Eiji.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I know… We are hungry, so hurry up!" Eiji said in soothing tone of voice and walked again.

"Hmph! " Ash is still angry but he followed to Eiji because he wants to eat a hotdog.

（He is growing but still a child.） Eiji thought himself. He was relieved that Ash has a childish heart.

＊＊＊

Ash has been reading since they came home. He read different kinds of books. Some books are martial arts, for example Karate, a Shaolin temple and so on.

"Wow…you are learning martial arts, aren't you? " Eiji asked Ash.

"Yup. I want to be much stronger!"Ash replied.

"Good! Hey, Why don't we train our body? Well, I'm a sport athlete and doing muscle training every day!" Eiji said with full confidence.

"With you? …OK. Let's have a muscle training! "Ash laughed and said.

Actually Eiji doesn't train every day and he thought Ash might refuse it. But Ash agreed with him. That's why he was upset a bit.

(Really? I've never said I wanted to have a match, thought. Oh, he really wants to fight with me… But maybe I'll win) Eiji thought himself.

Suddenly Ash looked fresh-looking, Eiji didn't worry about it and started to stretch soon. He didn't want to lose this match because he was a good pole vault.

That rule is so simple; they just do sit ups and count how many times they can do for a minute.

"Okay! Ready…Go! One, two…!" They started to do sit ups quickly.

Eiji won to Ash in the first match. He really doesn't want to lose the match because he is proud that he is a sports athlete.

Then, Ash hates losing the match and he tried to have a match again. At all, Eiji did sit ups many times, because Ash has quick wits and he didn't allow Eiji to get lazy about the match. Ash got angry and said, "Hey, you lost the game purposely!"or "you need to have much fighting spirit!

(He has an angry spirit and hates losing games since he was a child…)

Eiji didn't have much exercise and he was tired out completely. Then he had a muscle ache and he felt asleep quickly.

＊＊＊

At night, Ash had a nightmare again.

"-Help! "he shouted.

He woke up and jumped out of his bed. Finally he noticed that was night mare and looked at Eiji's bed without thinking. He was afraid of Eiji might have woken up.

Ash stood up, left his bed and went to Eiji's bed, and then he looked at Eiji. But Eiji was having a good sleep. Strangely, his peaceful sleeping face made Ash calm down. Ash laughed and said.

"Why,I had a bad dream. I wonder if I would wake him up and cry in front of him on purpose…"

Ash wanted to prank on Eiji but he didn't. Because he realized Eiji had a good sleep.

(I know…Thanks to my nightmare, he hadn't sleep very well. But he had taken care of me and trained muscle with me.) Ash thought himself.

Ash regretted a bit and looked at Eiji for a short while, he returned his bed quietly.

＊＊＊

The morning of thirteenth day, Ash had become twelve years old.

He was going to somewhere by himself this morning but Eiji found him when he was gripping the doorknob at the entrance.

"Hey, Where are you going? I'll go out with you" Eiji told Ash.

"I'm not a kid anymore. So I can go out by myself without a babysitter." Ash applied complainingly with knitted brows.

（Oh…He is still child!）Eiji thought so but he didn't say it.

"I don't want to treat you as a child. I just worry about your health…"

Eiji obediently told him to worry about Ash, Then Ash asked him without chin up.

"Why...Why do you leave me at this home, Eiji?"

Ash asked Eiji but he didn't look at Eiji's eye. He seems to be afraid of hearing Eiji's answer.

"Well･･･I know you don't remember your old memory yet. Actually you bought this place, so this apartment is yours."

"Even though it's fact that what you are saying, why don't you let me boot out of the house instead? Why are you worrying about me?" Ash asked Eiji.

"I don't understand why you said such a thing… How come?" Eiji replied but he was a little confused.

He just thought that Ash might hesitate because he didn't remember his old memory perfectly.

"Eiji, You never force me that I should pay money and work as a prostitute. Other adults always requested me anything...always! Are you feeling compassionate that I am a really poor kid? Or… I'm not attractive for you, huh? " Ash said with a touch of self-derision.

He can't have a confidence and think of himself because of his terrible past memories.

"Don't be silly! Never say it again! " Eiji was too angry and thundered out.

His eyes were opened widely and his shoulder was shivering, then he felt really angry.

Ash was surprised and stared to Eiji because he couldn't imagine that Eiji was really furious.

After a while, Eiji took a long breath and he gently spoken to Ash as normally.

"Ash…Even if it is a joke, you shouldn't say something like that…Okay? You're my best friend. I never desire to you any returns and expectations."

「…」

"…" Ash didn't say anything anymore.

"I just want to help you." Eiji smiled.

His pure and clear eyes made Ash put into silent. He felt awkward and mumbled, "Sorry, Eiji. I've said too much."

Then he went the study room.

＊＊＊

Kong and Bonze came to the apartment at afternoon.

"We can't meet our boss, huh?"

"You bet. We haven't met him for a long time."

They seem sad because they didn't meet their boss for quite some time.

Eiji said. "That's bad timing. Ash left and went to meet Max for a little while..."

While Eiji told a lie in a cold sweat, Ash who grew up twelve years old appeared to the hall. Ash is staring Kong and Bonze without speaking anything.

Then they noticed him and said.

"We know that kid… Who is he? I don't remember."

"Hey Eiji. Are you taking care of a child in your neighbor again? Umm, Is there a day-care center for children here?"

"Let me see…Well…" Eiji is upset.

Eiji tried to explain this situation but Ash interrupted him and looked sharply at them.

"Shit! You two...Never treat me as a kid! Son of a bitch! "

"W-what…?"

Kong and Bonze got angry and tried to get him, but Eiji shouted loudly first.

"No! You shouldn't say that!"

Eiji pinched the ear of Ash strongly.

"Ouch…! Stop it, Eiji. Leave me alone!" Ash complained.

"You need to apologize to them…"

"Really? …Well…Sorry"

Ash hesitantly apologized. Then Eiji didn't pinch Ash's ear anymore.

"Okay. Wait in the study room, and be a good boy. I'll give you a cold beverage later."

Eiji pointed to Ash the study room.

Ash was annoyed but he couldn't say anything because Eiji was smiling.

"Oh, Man…"

Ash returned to the study room calmly.

"Eiji…." Kong and Bonze were surprised at him.

"What's the matter?" Eiji asked.

"You look strong…No, You became an expert at taking care of children. "

They were impressed with Eiji.

"Sure"

Eiji replied and laughed proudly.

(continue)