Before anyone complains and loses interest, 'Shou' isn't an OC. I did the same that I did in my story 'TAL: Incorrect', just with a different canon character. Don't think too much about the opening here. It's the thoughts and memories of two people mixed together!

Chapter 3 will take some weeks before I upload it.

Step forward: Move ahead (Part 2)

Sometimes I wonder, 'Could it have been different?'. But then again, being alone is my world, my desire, my path. Right now, I'm alone.

„I will wait for you"

„I do not need you to wait for me"

„Give my life to this child..."

„I do not need your life"

„Do you regret it?"

„I do not need regret"

„You're never going to change, are you? ...Just promise me you won't keep secrets

from me, because once you decide such, it will never be known"

„...Is that really a bad thing?"

Did it have to be me? This power, this position, I never sought it. God, what sin am I being punished for?

„Take it, it's yours"

Am I going to end like you? Sometimes I wonder, did your emotions really get pushed into the realm of knowledge? Or was there another reason? I... won't be like you. And I won't do what you want me to. Nobody will ever force me to anything, I am my own Master.

Soon, I realized, I began to be like him. Even before all this, I already lost most of them. Joy, love, awe, charity, anticipation, condolence; I became apathetic and something else changed inside, but I can't say what it is... And slowly, but surely, hope disappeared... That's why-

Three boys are relaxing on a park bench. The two boys with darker hair excitingly talking to each other. The third one with light coloured hair and crystal blue eyes is staring at the sky, lost in thought.

„-ou?"

„Huh?" The lighter-haired one flinches and looks at the other „Sorry, I didn't catch what you said"

The one with grey eyes sighs „Shou, our Shou~ Are you finally getting senile~?"

The blue eyed boy has a pitying smile on his lip and shakes his head „What are you talking about? He's not getting senile. He was just off in his thought world filled with butterflies and fairies~ Our little Shou has forgotten how to grow up~"

They chuckle and grin at the last boy with evil smiles. He sighs and stands up, moving before the two and hitting each one on the head.

„Please refrain from saying such useless things, they do not help anyone" Shou states matter-of-factly, allowing no objection.

„But what were you thinking about then?" Blue eyes questions hurt.

„I was thinking about a friend of mine" Is the instant reply.

Grey eyes hangs his arm around Shou's shoulder and he has a sly smirk on his lips „It's a girl, right? Right? Our Shou is growing up"

Shou glares at him „My friend is dead"

...

„Oh..." The boy removes his arm and puts hands up „I'm sorry, I didn't mean it"

Shou glares at him distasteful.

„Was your friend a nice person?" Blue eyes wonders.

Shou glances at him „..." Looking away, he squints his eyes „Can you call that nice...? I guess so..." He tilts his head „...But I don't want to talk about it"

„It really sucks though" Grey eyes sighs „That school will start again soon..."

„Yeah..." The other agrees defeated.

„Be grateful you're still in school" Shou comments „Once you get a job, life will become hell"

Eyebrows are raised „And how do you know that...? You're the same age as us and still in school yourself, remember?"

/I know people who have jobs.../ Shou smiles slightly, albeit a bit tired and shakes his head „You have no idea..."

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Minutes pass, hours even, however, the boy doesn't move. Shou's lying on his back, staring at the ceiling of his house, an arm draped over his forehead. Something inside him tells him that something is wrong, that something was kept from him. And that thought unsettled him.