The morning of sixteenth day, Ash has become fifteen years old.
Ash and Eiji are almost same height. The skin of Ash has no age spots, and his neck and limbs are thin. He looks like a boyish girl.
(When I was fifteen years old, I had some acne and my body and face turned brown….I was a normal boy who was busy participating in a school club.) Eiji thought himself.
At noon, Ash was eating lunch Eiji made, then he said with smiling.
"I recalled the meal in the juvenile prison…That was so different from yours. I think that was the meal most people couldn't eat."
Ash was laughing brightly. Eiji looked at him and said.
"Wow, It was that terrible, right? Too bad….! Hey, lucky for you that you can eat my meals today."
"You`re probably right….You know, I met Shorter in juvenile prison. He is a little nosey but he is a nice person…hey, what does he do? "
When Ash mentioned the name of Shorter, Eiji was upset.
As the recover of his memory, he experiences twice his dark past.
Ash hasn`t recalled the sad fact yet that he shot Shorter to death because he was injected by the drug BANANAFISH and he tried to kill Eiji.
(Oh Ash….I am afraid you will recall about Shorter. If your memory recovered, what should I do?) Eiji thought himself.
Ash didn't notice the feeling of Eiji and continued to talk.
"You know, Shorter said to me I looked like an angel from Xmas cards…..I couldn't believe what he was saying"
Ash smiled. Eiji looked at him and he had a complicated thinking. And Ash noticed Eiji wasn't smiling and he seemed down.
"Hey, Eiji….What happened to you? …..Oh, you must have been shocked because I told you about juvenile prison. By the way, Don`t you know about Shorter? If you don`t know him, I will introduce him to you!" Ash said.
Eiji wanted to cry but he tried to control himself. Then he smiled with ambiguity and continued to eat , but he didn`t feel the taste of food.
"Actually I hoped his memory recall soon, In fact, he is almost recovering his body and memory. But I wonder how he feels if he recall the many deaths of friends and his brother….) Eiji thought himself and he was afraid of that.
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The morning of seventeenth day, Ash has become sixteen years old.
Finally, Ash gets taller than Eiji.
"I did it! Now, I am taller! …hehehe!'
Ash was smiled proudly but Eiji seemed to be frustrated about it.
He is little smaller than him who is seventeen years old,though. But his look has almost no difference, it is the same as Eiji met him.
If somebody will meet him, maybe they won`t notice the change of Ash.
At noon, the three guys, Alex, Bones and Kong came to the apartment.
"Ash! We could finally meet you ! …..But I thought you are okay, though. Where have you been lately?" Alex asked Ash.
"Hey Alex! Sorry, I had some problems and I was sick….but I am okay now." Ash replied a feint smiling.
"Hi, Boss! What`s up?"
"Boss, Long time no see! I wanted to talk you!"
Bones and Kong asked, too.
"You guys…. yeah, long time no see!"
Ash already seemed to recall his henchmen, he was smiling and they look happy.
Eiji looked at Ash who was talking joyfully and he was relieved a bit. While Eiji was making some coffee for them, Ash asked the new information and his other henchmen in downtown.
"You shouldn`t cause any trouble with the Chinese group anymore…. By the way, how has Shorter been?" Ash asked them.
They looked at Ash strangely, and Kong replied.
"…..Boss, why do you ask? He already died, huh?'
Ash became silent for a little while then he asked them.
"Does Eiji know about what to happened to Shorter?"
"Yeah, I am sure he knows. We don`t know too much, though. But I`ve heard Eiji was with you and shorter." Alex replied.
Upon hearing the story Ash was really shocked.
"….All right. I remembered. Sorry, I must have been tired ….." Ash said.
He obviously looks bad.
"Why did Eiji keep secret to me about Shorter?" Ash thought to himself.
His henchmen really thought he was sick and said.
"All right…Well, We are leaving. Take care, Ash."
After his henchmen left, Ash went to the kitchen where Eiji was.
Eiji noticed him and said.
"I almost finish making our coffee soon. Hold on."
Ash looked him sharply and he suddenly gripped Eiji`s wrist, then he asked him.
"Tell me, Eiji. What happened to me? How come he died…?"
Ash didn`t mention the name of Shorter, but Eiji quickly understand when he looked at him. Eiji`s body was shivering from head to foot.
Ash was surprised and stared the eyes of Eiji.
"Why are you so shivering? Are you really sure the death of Shorter? You, Tell me the truth! "
Eiji thought he can`t tell a lie while looking Ash who was asking him grievously.
"Shorter was shot and he died….''
Eiji replied hoarsely. Then Ash got furious and his face seemed to turn red with anger like fire.
"So who is? I never forgive the man! Eiji, Say his name!''
Eiji was too sad to answer the question. So he couldn`t reply and backed away from Ash`s hand which gripped his wrist, then he left from the kitchen.
"Hey, Eiji? Where are you going?"
Ash followed Eiji quickly. Eiji was in the porch and he tried to go out. But Ash gripped his wrist again. Ash pulled Eiji and made him face toward him, but Eiji avoided at Ash`s eyes.
Eiji looked like he was in pain and his eyes were almost teary. So Ash asked him gently.
"Eiji, I won`t absolutely forgive the man who made you cry. Tell me the name of the person who shot Shorter! Come on…"
"…"
He didn`t say anything for a little while.
"Forgive me, Ash." Eiji said.
"What? What do you mean?"
"It`s my fault! Because of me, Shorter died! If I were stronger like you, he might not have died…So sorry Ash. Forgive me…"
Eiji didn`t want to tell the truth but he needed to tell him about it. Then he held Ash.
Ash was really surprised by his words but he hold Eiji too.
He couldn`t understand what Eiji`s trying to say at all.
(Why does he think that he is responsible?) Ash thought to himself.
The word of Eiji made him puzzled, but he asked Eiji about that.
"Why do you think that`s your responsibility? Explain it to me."
Ash wanted to know the reason. But he didn`t reply.
(I won`t say anything! I`m sure he will recall it soon…)Eiji thought himself.
Eiji was in the helpless situation and he felt so down. He can`t stop crying.
Ash`s never seen Eiji who broke down and cried. He knows that Eiji rarely cries.
Anyway, He thought he should make Eiji calm down. So he took him to the bed room.
(I think it`s enough to ask him more questions. But, what happened to Eiji?) Ash thought to himself.
Eiji always encourages and make Ash relax, but he has a trauma like Ash. In addition Ash asked Eiji a lot of things. So he regrets about it.
Ash let Eiji lay on his bed.
"Are you okay, Eiji?"
"Yup…thanks"
Eiji replied but he`s still crying.
continue