(*The Takashi in this fan fic is based on the Manga as so are the rest of the characters in the previous chapters.*)
"To Be Happy...The Question Of The Secluded."
"The means of happiness can only be reached through the secluded or once secluded."-by me. It didn't take long surprisingly. Oh, and do not take my quote, nya~nya. No seriously don't take it.
"Ahhhhhh! What a quit morning…" said Takashi as he walked his regular path to school. Without the dog in the next yard ahead of him barking and growling at him Takashi was able to walk pass with ease. "Today's gonna be a great day! I can just feel it!" yelled Takashi enthusiastically.
Walking past the old lady walking her tiny rodent looking dog he was close to the quickimart. Thinking of buying a drink from there he made a pit stop. He went from isle to isle trying to at least find some apple juice. The only thing he found close to apple juice was some type of energy drink. Passing that up he started to wish he didn't forget his juice in the freezer at home. He went across the aisle and found some grape juice only to hear a familiar voice.
"Darn it how could I Hiroshi of the great Mitarai blood line forget my juice at home? Now I am to buy this peasant of a drink pink lemonade and strawberry mix…" said Hiroshi reading from the label the ingredients.
"So poops it looks like I wasn't the only one who forgot his juice at home huh."
"Ah! It's you! Humph, well I wouldn't blame you, following me and copying my exact moves to become a great being…how cunning. For you. But I must decline your plan for I Hiroshi am my own person; you may stop trying to be like mwah! "
"But I wasn't trying to be like you at all. Where are you getting all this anyways?"
"Huh…so now the little dog lies? Humph." And with that Hiroshi went to the register to pay for his drink.
"Wow…poops your crazy as ever." Remarked Takashi walking to counter.
Heading outside the quickimart he began to check his watch. He had left the house rather early today and was expecting at least 15 minutes to get to school. Wiping his forehead of sweat he peered at his watch.
"No way! I only have 6 minutes till school starts, and it takes from here to there 10 minutes! So much for a great day!"
Takashi was off in a bolt. He ran pass a few girls that were on their way to school and a few others that looked like they were planning on going to the mall instead. Within 6 minutes, luckily, he made it to the school. Making to his classroom with a forehead full of sweat he sat down with a slump. He then pulled out his comprehension and five star notebook and a few pencils to get his warm up done.
"Hey, Kotaru, Ten-chan looks exhausted ya know?" said Koboshi peering at the warm up on the board."
"Hmmm yeah he must've been running late or something. If Kao had five sticks of gum and gave his friends Ron, Ren, and Sai a stick…."
Noticing the sudden drop of conversation Koboshi realized she had not even grasped 20% of his attention. Koboshi rolled her eyes and started back on her work. On the other end was Hiroshi who had already finished his assignment. His eyes were fixed on Takashi. Squinting his eyes in disgust he snickered to himself and started writing on a piece of notebook paper.
"Pssst…hey Reinni pass this over and tell Kotaru to give this to Takashi."
"No." said Reinni as she turned around.
"Yes." Argued back Hiroshi.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"I said yes."
"I said no."
"Do it now!"
"NO!" she said turning around slapping Hiroshi in the face with her hardback math book.
"Youch!" screamed Hiroshi, rubbing his throbbing cheek.
"Excuse me what's going on back there?" asked the teacher.
"Nothing." They both said simuantlesly. Hirsohi was still rubbing his cheek when he made a new plan. Just have someone else deliver the note to Takashi at lunch. He could not just simply tell it to him and risk outside influence to ruin his chance of winning.
Time seemed to move along slowly for everyone. It was a dreaded Monday morning. It seemed that no matter where you are in the world Monday is a dreaded day. Koboshi was wishing that the weekday would start on Wednesday, but thought it wouldn't matter since she would always feel tired on a Monday.
Blinking his eyes furiously to keep the sensation of heavy eyes off his mind Kotaru yawned a bit. He put his chin on his palm and listened to his teacher drone on and on about word problems and how you could use just about any method to solve them.
From the back perspective of the room it looked like Kotaru wasn't the only one nearly falling asleep. The teacher looked like she could give everyone a detention but returned to her speech.
"Why did we have to get stuck with ? She never makes any of the lessons fun." Whispered a kid.
"Shhh you guys," said Koboshi.
Finally the bell had ringed for homeroom to arrive. The kids straightened up and let out bursts of yawns which annoyed the heck out of the teacher. Having math for two periods back to back put a strain on Takashi so he got up and asked to use the bathroom.
He walked passed some of the teachers going into the teachers' lounge. Making it into the bathroom, Kotaru, sleepy eyed, followed him in.
"What's up?" Takashi asked.
"*Yawning* Here, It's from uh…Hiroshi." Handing him the note Kotarou headed into the stalls to sit down for a bit.
"Ack…a series of challenges?" read Takashi aloud.
"That's right." Said Kotarou wiping his eyed, "What else could it be? I mean it is a letter from Hiroshi. What were you expecting a love letter?" joked Kotarou.
"Na nothing like that."
The two returned to the classroom. Takashi was going to ask Hirsoshi why he hadn't just told him bit canceled that notion. He didn't want a headache so early in the day. Returning to his seat he massaged his temples. Too late it looks like a headache had already crept up into his brain.
Afterschool had arrived and Hiroshi was challenging Takashi to his first challenge. They had to find all the items that Koboshi had hidden around the school area. Feeling this as a silly find the Easter egg and then you will find the bunny and its candy scenario Takashi sighed. But he was bored and was in need of some activity so he joined in on it.
It was well past 3:30 and Takashi had not found a thing. He was searching all the classrooms on his class's floor. But, alas he found only one thing that he thought matched the puzzle piece. Walking past a couple of desks he thought why he hadn't seen Hiroshi around.
Feeling tricked he dubiously strolled to the window. Outside he saw Hiroshi with half a basket full of eggs. Takashi counted 6. In total, there were 18. If he could find the other 12 eggs Hiroshi would lose.
"Hey! You told me all the eggs were inside not outside!" yelled Takashi outside the window.
"No, it's just your inability to fully comprehend. Look here, this is a tape recorder."
"Duh."
"Whatever just make sure you listen the whole time."
Hiroshi pushed the button on the tape recorder and smiled. "Okay here are the rules. Don't have anyone else find the eggs for you. Or have any communication wise of them telling you where they are hidden."
"Okay."
"The eggs will be hidden around the school."
"Yeah, okay."
"And no other forms of cheating."
"And why are we playing such a baby game?"
"Playing! Baby! Game? No, no, no, no, you have it all wrong. See, this is a strategy game. Usually I would have you fight me with a sword of some sort, but knowing how people act it would be too dangerous."
"It is dangerous."
"Silence!"
"Aye aye captain Poops!"
"Hey! Humph, fine have it your way. This 'game' will test your ability to think, strategize, and cunning abilities against my own. Got it?"
"Can I go now? I hid your stupid eggs." Said Koboshi.
"Very well. Guards! This woman is Takashi's friend! She can be of use to him take her away!"
"HUH? Hey!" yelled Koboshi.
"Come on Miss, let's go."
"Bye bye Koboshi."
"You're just gonna let them take me like this! Takashi I'll kill you!"
"At least they called you a woman. That's something that will never happen again."
"Ten-!"
"Ignoring her, do you agree with the terms?"
"Yeah whatever. What's up with the recorder poops? Hey, when were done can we cook the eggs. Oh and maybe make an omelet, or we ca-"
Hiroshi pressed the stop button and glared up at the window.
"Wow, I gotta listen more."
"Yes you do."
"Hey! You're opinions aren't welcome here!"
"There simply facts."
"Hey! You're 'facts' aren't welcome here!"
"Let's get on with it already!"
Takashi bolted down the steps and through the halls. He made it outside in a flash but only because he was on the first floor. If he had stayed on the third and then found out why he hadn't seen Hiroshi then Hirsohi would've found all the eggs by the time he had come. At least that's what he thought.
However, he knew Koboshi better than he did any day. Lucky for him he knew all her tricks. He knew Koboshi hid his bentos near obvious places just to mess him up. He also knew she hid them places that are not to be touched such as the garden around the schools back entrance. And because Hiroshi was too much of a 'gentleman' he knew Hiroshi hadn't touched those spots.
"Here we go." As he made his way to the garden he made sure not to bump into Hiroshi. Bending down he moved some grass and found two colorful eggs. He grabbed his basket and put the eggs inside. Feeling it was going to rain he put his red hoodie on. Walking past trees and more trees he started to feel a lot like red riding hood. And that Hiroshi was the big bad wolf. But who would be the granny?
"Koboshi would definitely hide the eggs off school grounds. She never played by the rules."
Just as Takashi had predicted it rained. It started to sprinkle and before he knew it there was a downpour. He splashed through mud and more mud. He found 3 mud covered eggs along the way. And then he found 6 more in some shrubs. To his amusement Koboshi had listened and hid the eggs around the school area. He counted his eggs. All 12 eggs were counted for.
Takashi turned around and made his way back to the front entrance. There he saw Hiroshi holding an egg in his hand.
"Here."
"Ah! But how!"
"Nothin to it poops."
"Grrr!"
"See ya later!" Takashi left the basket at Hiroshi's feet.
"I curse you for this!"
It was some time that Takashi had been walking. He couldn't take his usual route home because of a landslide. So he took the road next to it. Feeling a little uneasy for choosing a road he wasn't fully acquainted with he bonked his self on the head.
"Mmmm, now which way?"
He had come to a cross road. One way had a row of houses and the other was filled with well, hardly anything. He thought it best to go with the safe looking road. So he took the road but stopped at a house. A man opened the door and he asked for directions. Not knowing where Takashi's house was he generously said he could use the phone. Takashi was about to say he had his cellphone with him, but he realized that he had given it to Koboshi before the game started. If he hadn't Hiroshi would have been at his throat with a, "I knew it! You cheater!" And Takashi hated being called a cheater, and not just for academic reasons either.
"Thanks." Takashi followed the man into the hallway. The house was well furnished and smelled of apples. He picked up the phone and dialed the numbers. Ring, Ring, Ring, Beep,"You have reached the Ayonokoji residence; we aren't home so please leave a message."
"Great."
"No one home huh? Why don't I call the police, they can pick you up until your parents arrive."
"No thanks. I can just stay with a friend."
Leaving the house he rubbed his shoulders and left. Of course he had lied. He had no friends around here. He wouldn't want the realization that he had become lost and needed help from authorities. So he went on. He wished he could just have called his mothers' cell phone but it was most likely turned off. By now she would still be at work, so it was a pretty high chance.
"Just my luck. And it's still raining."
Reaching a turn he realized just how far from home he was. There was a sign that welcomed people to another school, and school district. He felt like he could go on. But he stopped and sat down on a boulder near the sign. It was clear as a glass of water why he refused the man's kind offer to call the police, and not even try to call his mothers' cell phone. It was simple.
He didn't want to go home.
He didn't want to see his jealous classmates.
…And he didn't want to see his father in the hospital anymore.
He didn't want any of it.
This was a turning point. A new district could lead to a new town. He very well knew what he was thinking and feeling. He knew what he wanted. Or did he?
"Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day." Takashi looked up at the sky and found droplets still coming down from the sky. He wondered why the clouds would listen to a simple rain dance and not a song. Everyone knows that a song is more soothing than a dance.
"Rain, rain go away. Come again some other day." He looked up again. Nothing. Nothing but rain still falling.
"Rain, rain go away…come again some other day. Rai..rain..rain go away come again some other day. Rain, rain go away! Go away! Away! Don't come again some other day!" Takashi pleaded for the rain to stop, but it didn't. It wouldn't.
"Rain, rain go away, come again some other day? Please? Go…" Takashi put his head into his arms and sat there. He didn't know why but the pelts of rain hitting solid had stopped. He looked up and saw some sunshine. But he peered through his eyes and saw nothing but water again. He started to sniffle a bit and felt some water on his face. He didn't feel any other parts of his body being pelted with water. He put his finger to his left eye and felt water droplets.
"*Sniffle* I asked for the rain to go away and it did. Now it's coming out of my eyes…it's not fair. Nothing's fair. So why am I doing this?"
He sat there and he cried until finally he stood up and looked up at the sign. He didn't like feeling like a whiny good for nothing baby. He liked seeing his friends. He wanted to be with his father and mother. He loved pestering Hiroshi. And he loved seeing Shia. He hated being a bother. But what he was going to do was a bother. He waited a moment and walked past the sign.
"Too late now."
He went onto another cross road so as not to trespass through school grounds. He was tired of walking and stopped. It was late. He was hungry and tired. Most of all he was thirsty. Takashi looked back and saw how far he had walked. He wasn't sure if he was ready to leave everything behind. He was a troubled child; he knew he was ready to leave that behind.
"I'm so hungry…" complained Takashi, "I wanna go home…can I go home?"
Takashi looked to his left again. He counted the distance he walked in his head. It felt like the distance would never stop. He wanted to see a car or maybe in a person on a bike. Someone he could talk to. Nothing ever came. It was silent and wet.
He walked again only to find that the farther he walked fewer houses he saw. This area was bought by some rich couple for farm development for the agriculture. He admired the thought that people stilled cared for farming the hard way and not the easy polluted way.
"Hey Kid! What are you doing out here? It's late, go on home. Or are you lost?" asked the man putting a few flower pots in a nearby shed.
"N-no. I live just over there. I came out to look for my pet cat…that's all." He felt disgusting lying like that. Especially after hoping to find a way back home. But it was too late the man had already tipped his hat, got in his truck, and drove off.
It started to rain again. And it was heavy just as before. He noticed the man and the shed no doubt. He picked up a rock and repeatedly hit the sheds' lock until it cracked open. He opened the door wide and went inside. It smelled pleasant. There were a lot of fruits in boxes ready for shipping in the shed. He found a case of stairs and walked till they stopped. He found at the top bundles upon bundles of huge bags full of seeds. He fell onto one of them near the window. It was soft. It was what he needed at the time. After a quick nap he went back down the steps and pulled an orange, apple, and some clementines from the boxes. He went outside and washed the apple off, and fearing pesticide still on the orange and clementine's he washed them off to in the rain.
Takashi closed the door and went back to his comfy seeds. He ate the fruit. He rummaged around his bag and found he had some of his bento left due to the challenge Hiroshi made. He also had some beef jerky he was planning to snack on.
"I'll save this. Let's see if I pass a store I can buy some things. Ah, only 23 yen. Too bad I was planning on buying some books after school today…school." Takashi felt tears coming to his eyes again but the window and seeds faded from his view.
Takashi woke up to the sound of birds. It was sunny and a little wet. He also heard a few trucks and cars coming from the hill. He packed a few fruit and vegetables and left the scene in a hurry.
"Hey, Shin, look at this. Someone broke in!" yelled the guy at the shed.
"Huh, isn't that something."
"It was probably some prankster! Come on let's go check the boxes." The man hurried inside.
"That kid. Now that I think of it, the school near hear doesn't have that uniform. The one he was wearing is from my niece's school. And that's another district; he wouldn't be able to live here."
"So what about that kid? You in love with him or something?" the man carrying a box of apples joked.
"No. I'm pretty sure that kid was here last night and he was lost. Here hold this; I gotta get to the phone."
"H-Hey! I can't carry two boxes of these apples! Come back here, I have a bad knee remember!" shouted the man.
The sound of boxes dropping and apples hitting the ground resonated to the employee room.
"911, what's the problem?"
"Well…"
It was clear that he was doing the wrong thing, and a stupid one at that. Takashi wasn't stupid he was just tired of being expected of and upset; he wanted to be carefree for once. He wanted to stop walking and turn back too.
"I know they're looking for me. I wanna go back. I really am stupid for this. Great now I'm talking to myself."
Takashi looked at the sky and a car came by. The car stopped and a couple came out with a picnic basket.
"They look happy. Why shouldn't I be happy? It's not my fault my father's in the hospital, or that my mom is busy. It's not my fault I hardly have to study…I should be happy. But going back won't guarantee that I will."
"Hey! Over there, you in the uniform you hungry?" asked the women in the pasture on the other side of the road.
That was a question he never thought he would hear.
"Thanks for inviting me."
"So what's your story?"
"I uh-wanted to visit the country a bit."
"But todays a school day isn't it?"
"Yeah. I just got out early. It was a half day."
"For a kid who just got out on a half day you don't sound so happy." Said the man passing Takashi some melon.
Takashi grinned and took a bite. The couple looked please that he was eating. They must have figured something was up.
"You're uniform is all wet and kind of dirty. You sure you just came from school?"
"Yeah, before I left I was playing with some of my friends and I fell into a puddle and got a little dirty."
"Ah. You look hungry, you want some Shabu Shabu?" asked the woman.
"I'm Eli, and this is my fiancée Saundra, were doing a little tour around the country."
"Oh, how do you like it?"
"It's wonderful." Exclaimed Saundra.
"Good, so are you from France?"
"You can tell? Yeah, I just met Saundra in Australia a year ago. We decided to go on vacation before getting married."
"Wow. How's France?"
"Eh, it's alright, but you might want to ask a tourist like Saundra and a resident like me."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, what if I asked you how is Japan. You would reply with 'it's alright' right?"
"Well yeah."
"And if I asked another person who was just for the first time coming to Japan, I would get a totally different more impressed answer right?"
"Oh I see. So how is it Saundra?"
"Wonderful, you can't get enough of it."
"And Australia is a sight for eyes to."
"Hahahah."
"So you came to see the country huh, where are your parents. Oh I get it, probably sightseeing just like you huh."
"I got a problem for you, could you answer it?"
"Sure."
"What if I asked how someones life seems to you?"
"Excuse me?"
"Here's the scenario. Let's say a kid has a great grade point average. He has to strive to keep up at the top. The father, let's say he's in the hospital. And the mother works hard to pay the bills, and has one full job and one part time job. And now the son has a part time job despite his age. Now, without knowing that, the kid goes to school gets top notch grades. Doesn't attend cram school, and he is very laid back. Without knowing how he really is how would you view his life?"
"I would think that he had it pretty darn easy."
"Correct. And if you asked his friend he would think the same. But what if you asked the parent?"
"Well..." Eli stumbled a bit, "I would think that the parent would think that the child is coping. But the parent is too busy to really see the child's feelings."
"Correct. So you think that the boy has it easy. And that the parent is too busy to see it all. And how do you think the boy is feeling?"
"I think you gave up to soon."
"A-"
"Don't worry, I figured it out after you used my 'Japan' theory. And the fact that you used 'how do you think the boy is feeling?' it sort of brought the whole thing together."
"He's a bit of an observer. That's why I fell for him, ya gotta love it."
"Yeah, you do. So I should go back home huh?"
"Yeah. Come on we'll help you get there. Just help us pack up and we'll give you a ride."
"Fair trade?" asked Saundra putting her short strawberry blonde hair into a pony tail.
"Fair enough for me." Agreed Takashi.
It took three hours till they passed his school. Takashi looked at his watch the whole time. He had no idea what he would tell his friends let alone his mother. "Sorry but I was tired of my life being so messed up." It was a pathetic excuse.
Since Saundra had reported a lost child to the police they were shocked that someone had reported him once before. Takashi knew it must have been the man back at the farm. They planned to meet his mother at the nearby park.
Eli pulled up in the parking lot. They got out and spotted his mother. Waving goodbye they made their way back to the car.
"Such nice people. I hope there trio goes well."
"Me too."
"Listen, I had to tell your father."
"Why?"
"Because he's your father regardless if he's bedridden or not. He deserves to know. Why did you run off?"
"I was just sick of feeling upset all the time."
"You shouldn't feel that way. You should have said something. Me and you talk about everything together, why not this?"
"I dunno, I guess I didn't want you to get upset."
"That's a stupid reason!" yelled Koboshi.
"Koboshi."
"Here, you left it with me. If you ever do that again, you'll be sorry."
"I'm already sorry."
"That was stupid of you dude, but I'm glad you're back."
"Matter of fact you're lucky your mom even called us to have us meet you hear!"
"Can it Koboshi!"
"What the! Hey!"
"Humph. What a pathetic thing to do! You think you can just go off and do whatever eh? I am way beyond you after all."
"Not for long poops."
"Ah! We missed you so muchies~su!"
"M-Misha, you're hugging to tight."
"Sorries~su!"
"Good thing you only gone for a day. Why don't you go see your father, how about it?"
Takashi blushed and coughed a bit before nodding. The group talked a bit more before dispersing. The next day everything resumed as usual. Except for that fact that Takashi was much more open about his feelings.
"Not again! I could I Hiroshi of the Mitarai house and bloodline fall second to Takashi yet again!"
"Sit down poops. You look constipated over there."
"What did you! A challenge! I challenge you!"
"Fine by me poops."