The light filtered through the window in my room. It was a calm, quiet morning. Suddenly, my eyes open to the loud, piercing, irritating screeches of my alarm clock. Used to the alarm clock, I merely curled up my left fist and shut the alarm off, punching the button on the damn thing. The pleasant silence once again filled the room. Unable to fall back asleep and wanting to be awake at this time anyway, I got myself out of bed. Pushing the blankets off my body, I get up and out of bed. I checked the alarm clock. Nine in the morning in green, digital font on the black screen. Setting the alarm clock back on the bedside dresser, I rub my eyelids to remove the grogginess of having just awoken from my eyes. As I did that, I also yawned. I strolled over to the mirror closet door and slid the door to the right. I took my outfit out of the closet. Dark blue jeans, a dark gray T-shirt, and a gray zip-up hoodie. What can I say? I'm not exactly what one could call fashionable. Not at all. I'm more of the casual garb kind of guy. My messy hair doesn't exactly help out. Who cares though? It's not like I have anyone to impress anyway. I grab the clean change of clothes and head over to the bathroom to freshen up.
After brushing my teeth and a shave, I heard talking and sizzling noises from the kitchen. It was my parents who have already woken up and started making breakfast. The smell of food only confirmed my thoughts. I exited the door, having finished freshening up and headed back to my room. They'll call me to eat when it's done like they always do. I need to take out my stuff anyway. I walk on the polished wooden floor of the hallway and enter my room. I carry the suitcase, the laptop case, the box of school supplies, and the box of books outside my room through the hallway and put them near the step to the green, tile floor in front of our front door. My parents were speaking loudly in the kitchen of the apartment in Japanese. The aroma of the food smelled amazing now. My stomach then started grumbling. I look down at it and my cheeks turned red. Hungry, I head over to the kitchen to see if they are done with breakfast.
"Kaito, breakfast is ready!", they called aloud as I arrived in the kitchen. They must have thought I was still asleep in my room or something. I do sleep in sometimes, especially on weekends. Late night gaming or dicking around on the computer is detrimental to your sleep habits. Especially a long Civilizations V game. But… I'm getting off topic here so let's continue, now shall we? I approach, shouting back, "I'm here already."
Dad was sitting at the table in one of the three chairs, reading the newspaper as always. His hairline has receded a bit and was dotted with gray hairs, but he wasn't bald in any spot. The glasses he was wearing, accentuated his middle age. They are getting old now, approaching fifty. Mom was turning off the stove and bringing some food over. Meanwhile, on the table was three rice bowls, arranged in a triangle with sides of miso soup in the middle. She took a pan of fried chicken off the stove and scooped it onto a platter. While she was doing that, she said, "Go sit down and start eating. I'm just bringing the rest of breakfast over." Dad folded his newspaper and propped it down on the floor. Then, he said, "Itadakimasu!", and started eating his meal. I pulled out my chair and sat down. Mom brought the platter of fried chicken and put it in the middle of the triangle arrangement. She smiled at me, her face creasing up and emphasizing her wrinkles as she sat down on the vacant chair next to Dad. "Itadakimasu!", she said with great joy. She starts eating her food as well. I say, "Itadakimasu.", and grab my chopsticks.
The meal was hearty and good as always. Mom got up and headed to the stove to brew some oolong tea. Meanwhile, Dad and I sat at the table, having finished our bowls of rice. Now, we were sipping our bowls of miso soup, drinking the salty broth full of tofu and green onion. After a sip, I put my bowl back down. Dad finishes sipping his soup as well, leaving his bowl empty and on the table. He pushes up his glasses, using two fingers on the bridge.
"Kaito." He says this with great nervousness as if he was telling some sort of secret that he wasn't supposed to reveal.
"Yes Father?", I asked. I wasn't sure what he was going to talk about. Why is he speaking with such trepidation? I wait for him to continue.
"Your mother and I have been discussing it and we would like to talk to you about your future." Oh no. I already know where this is going to lead. They are against me going to school to learn how to be a computer programmer. My dream is to become a great game designer ever since I played on my cousin's Super Famicom when I was young. However, Mom and Dad want instead for me to become a civil servant or a doctor, a job that is to them, actually useful and makes money to put it in their terms. I've never told them about it though. I have gotten good grades on the exams, but the fact that I picked Kyodai or Kyoto University must have aroused their suspicions. They agreed to me enrolling there, but they must have realized that I wasn't respecting their wishes. Probably through my applications or mail. Let's see what they have to say though. I wait for them to speak.
"Kaito. Despite what your mom and I have said in the past, you insist on spending your life on these silly… games!", he spoke loudly, "Don't you think it's time to mature? Be a doctor! Or a civil servant!"
I felt insulted. Contrary to a popular belief among some adults that games are just violent, pointless media that have no other value besides pure entertainment, video games actually are beneficial. I used to draw fanart and designs for games. I wrote journals and pages about worlds, hoping to create them some day. I drew inspiration from games and I, driven by that passion, got good grades in the hope that they will bring me further to that goal. Somehow, my parents never understood that. Despite the numerous arguments we had over this topic, they have never once listened to what I had to say.
"Be someone useful! You got all these high exam scores! But you choose to throw these all away so you can make childish games!" I clench my fists as my dad yells, trying not to get upset at them. My anger boiling. My mom turns around and says in a gentle tone, "Your father wants you to be successful but you can't be that if you insist on making useless, cheap entertainment."
I turned away, trying not to look at them. My anger was starting to boil over. Dad, infuriated at my seemingly insolent behavior when I'm just trying not to get mad at them, started shouting, "Look at your mom when she is talking to you. She was being nice to you, trying to tell you something important and you are just sitting there being an ungrateful brat. How could yo-"
I shout, "Shut up! I've made my decision! I want to be a game designer and I will be one! I don't have to listen to you! Just shut up!" They stare at me with their eyes wide open and bulging. I gasp and put my hand over my mouth realizing what I just done. Wanting to just leave, I get up violently, scraping my chair's legs against the wooden floor. They turn their heads toward at me, looking on as I leave through the hallway.
Near the front door, I grab a handcart out of the nearby closet and put the boxes and luggage on it. Then, I opened the door and pulled the handcart out, carrying the stuff into the elevator. I hit the button for the underground parking garage. Suddenly, I feel a sensation of being pushed up, but just for an instant before feeling a push downwards. After a several seconds, the elevator doors slowly opened with a ding. I step out with the luggage into the parking garage. I locate my car and put the belongings inside the trunk along with the handcart. Luckily, I had the big stuff all moved in at the apartment. Otherwise, even though the full size sedan I own has a roomy trunk, it does not have room for everything. I slam the trunk closed after I put the last box inside. I head to the front of the car on the right side and open the door. Putting the keys into the ignition, I rev my car and drive off towards Kyodai.
Author's Note: I'm super glad that I'm rewriting this fanfiction due to the fact that most of the details of the previous version were inaccurate. Kyodai or the Kyoto University is an actual institution and I will use that instead of the bullshit Kyoto National University. I also got some facts about college life wrong, assuming it to be like college life here as well as possibly the age of adulthood. I will do more research from now on to ensure some degree of plausibility in this fanfic. Thanks for supporting me and my stories and please rate and review so I can improve my writing.
-Kaito Sekozawa