" Do you sense it, old man?"

" No. Your kind are the one one's that can sense others. Are they strong?"

" No. The level of one is of a Mamodo with only one spell and other is a Mamodo with three spells. Fighting them would be just a waste of my time."

" I don't know."

" What is it, old man?"

" It's nothing. I just have this sense about the Mamodo with the one spell. There might be more to him than we think."

XXX

Kousuke was fast even though he had a hunchback. It was a small hunchback, one that was hard to see, but it was one of the many birth defects that haunted him for the

rest of his life. Besides his ugly toad face and his shortness, the hunchback was something he hated to look at.

Kousuke and the boy on his shoulder's were in the middle of the street. They were alone. There were garbage cans out for the garbage truck tomorrow as well plastic

boxes, light bulbs shining over his head, and no noise but the sound of crows " kaw, kaw, kaw-ing".

" Now I'm going to let you go now, little boy," Kousuke said to the boy hanging on his shoulders. " When I let go I want you to run as fast as you can away from here.

Get away from me. Things are getting completely insane, and I don't want you hanging around me when those two psycho's show up."

" I can't leave you," the boy said in Kousuke's ears.

" I'm sorry, I thought you said you couldn't leave me," Kousuke laughed sarcastically. " You wouldn't be saying that, would you? Because what you should be doing is

getting off my back and leaving me."

" I can't. I need to stay close to you."

Kousuke threw the young boy off his back. He growled at the boy showing him his canine teeth and furious eyes. " Go on! Scram! Beat it! I don't want you company! My

life was fine until you showed up! Just get lost!"

The boy didn't seem to understand Kousuke's emotions. He crawled to him with his hands and knees touching the pavement, and then he hugged Kousuke's right leg.

Kousuke's chins both lit up at the touch of the boy's warm fingers. He could remember a memory."

" Congratulations, Mrs. Amai. You've given birth to a happy boy."

" Can I see my baby?"

" Of course."

" Aww. Hello there, Kousuke. I'm your mommy. Daddy is going to be so happy when he sees you."

But that happy memory didn't last long. Kousuke had another memory. In the memory his mother was dead, his father slapped him, and he was crying while his father just

yelled at him.

" You monster! How could you do this to her!? She's dead entirely because of you! You should've never been born, you monster!"

" Get off me!"

Kousuke kicked the boy with his free foot. The boy fell back. When the boy got back up a small bruise mark was on his left cheek. The boy rubbed his cheek. He almost

looked as if he was about to cry.

" Don't touch me! And don't look at me with those eyes! I hate them-everyone of my peers. They all resent me, they all mock me, and they all laugh at me. But you

know, it's people like you that try to show me compassion I hate the most! Stay away from me-"

The boy didn't give up on Kousuke. He had his arms wrapped Kousuke's leg, the leg that kicked him, and he hugged it. Just like before Kousuke's cheeks were burning

bright red. Another warm memory went through his mind.

" Dad? I'm a dad now."

" Yes. And I'm a mommy. Hey there, Kousuke, there's your dad. He's someone who wants to meet you."

His father held Kousuke with both hands over his head. He smiled at the face of his baby. " Hi there, Kousuke. I'm your dad." A bright yellow liquid dripped out

between baby Kousuke's legs and dripped on his father's head. The dad wiped his face and spat trying to wipe the yellow liquids off. " Ah! He peed on me!"

" Hehehe. Just like when you were born. You peed on your father. Like father like son."

Another memory was starting to form inside Kousuke's brain. It was an unhappy memory. Kousuke started getting fragments of the memory. The memory it's self was too

much for him to take. He covered his ears and screamed " NO!"

Kousuke kept holding his hands over his ears and shaked his head trying his hardest to forget. " No! No! No! NO! I will not let even a kid get the better of me.

Get..." Kousuke heard a noise moving towards him. He grabbed the garbage can top off the grabage can and turned around. " Get down!"

A laser beam of white light came at Kousuke. The laser beam hit the surface of the garbage can and reflected into the pavement. Out of the darkness Orshie and Rin-Shin appeared. Both Mamodo and human smiled together with perfect, dazzling sharp teeth.

" Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

" Yes. This could be their end. Kaboassra!"

A laser beam of white light was fired at Kousuke. Kousuke raised his garbage can container up and used it as a shield. The laser beam deflected off the can and hit theground.

" Shit," Kousuke thought. " I don't know how these guys keep doing this. But if I don't think of something I'll be like that cheese with holes in me."

Kousuke rolled while raising his garbage can up. The light deflected off the garbage can. Kousuke took his chance pulling the garbage can back and throwing it at Rin-Shin.,He had a thought how the cumulation of Orshie's attacks were coming from Rin-Shin's Rin-Shin and Orshie jumped over the garbage can.

" Kabosaka!"

A giant buzz saw was fired from Orshie's mouth. The buzz saw sliced through the

garbage can. Both Rin-Shin and Orshie both landed on their feet. Rin-Shin prepared to

use another spell.

" This is the end for you, freak!" Orshie laughed. " Rin-Shin, the spell!"

" KABOSAKA!"

Kousuke and the green haired boy both flinched at the fear of Orshie unleashing his

attack. However, nothing came out. Zip. Nada. Nothing. Orshie and Rin-Shin were both

caught in the moment but then they realized the pedigree of their problem.

" What?" Orshie gasped. " You idiot! You used up the rest of my energy within!"

" Don't blame me, brat!" Rin-Shin shouted. " Your the one with terrible aim!"

" Well your the one who wasted spells!"

" I'm a basketball and football star! It's your fault I'm in this mess!"

" And it's your fault all my spells are gone!"

" Good, a fight" Kousuke thought. " I can use this to grab the boy and getout of here. I should go while their-"

Suddenly the boy jumped up and punched Rin-Shin in his face. The sport star fell when the boy's solid fists connected against his nasal cavity. Blood dripped out Rin-Shin's nose.

" Stay away from my partner!"

Kousuke's lips were lisp. He only could shout " You idiot!" At the green haired boy.

Orshie reflected Kousuke's actions by jumping up and punching him in his torso.

" Your dead, loser!"

The boy slid with his legs scarping against the pavement, but then he fell. Luckily he

was caught by Kousuke. The boy breathed frantically from his mouth while Kousuke held

him in his arms.

" Are you okay?"

" Yes. It's just a scratch."

" Phew. That's a relief. Stupid kid." Kousuke was boiling with rage again. " Youidiot! What were you thinking just running in a battle without thinking?"

" They kept making fun of you. It's my role as your Mamodo to protect your honour at

all costs."

" Don't bother! I'm use to what people call me. And to hell with them! I'm ugly, I'm

hunched back, I stink, and I have anger problems. That's just the way I am. There's

nothing people call me I haven't already thought of myself."

" Do people see your benevolent side?"

" Benevolent side? What benevolent side?"

" You may not be able to see it but I can. It's so bright and elusive. If you look

deep inside yourself I'm sure you can find that part of you." The boy raised his book

to Kousuke's face. " Please read a spell."

" Go ahead," Orshie sneered. " Read a spell. Make my day."

Kousuke did what he was told. He pried the book out of the boys fingers and read the

first word he could read. Kousuke took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline coursing

through his head, shouted...

" REONTREE!"

The boy opened his mouth. His eyes and the inside of his mouth illuminated green. A

tree was then fired from the boy's mouth and headed straight towards Orshie.

Orshie couldn't use his spells to deflect the boy's attack. He however had a different

solution. His teeth all became razor sharp and shark-like. Orshie chomped on the

branches with his sharp teeth eating through the dark. Soon the tree became nothing

less but sawdust.

" Mmmmm. Bleh, bleh!" Orshie opened his sharp teeth up wide, reached his hand in, and

pulled out a small piece of bark. " Talk about untasteful."

" Impossible. This isn't anime. How did he do that?"

" I beat your wondering how I could eat that tree so fast," Orshie said to Kousuke.

Kousuke flinched at the thought of Orshie being able to read his mind. " That tree is

nothing. I once ate dozens of fish in a row. We Mamodo's have ravenous appetites. We

can eat anything."

" Great. A gluttonus senile boy. That's the last thing I'm looking for."

While Kousuke and Orshie were talking to themselves Rin-Shin started thinking about

his past. He was thinking of the time where he met Orshie. It was during his last Basketball game.

XXX

Rin-Shin was once a young, athletic high school kid. He was fast, strong, and most of all tall-able to drop a ball in a hoop without any effort.

Rin-Shin was in a Basketball game. His teammates new him as the star. He dribbled to the opposite hoop, bounce it back and forth from and to hand, and managing to keep it out of their reach. One of the Basketball players jumped out and swiped his hand at the bal. Rin- Shin grabbed the ball. He held it away from his reach using his elbow to keep it away from his reach.

Rin-Shin threw the Basketball to his friend Ryukito. Ryukito caught the Basketball. At the same time Rin-Shin managed to slip away from the other Basketball player. Rin-Shin ran to the other hoop. Ryukito passed the ball to Rin-Shin. Rin-Shin caught the ball. There were two Basketball players waving their arms trying to make Rin-Shin miss. Rin- Shin squeezed the ball, bounced it up and down, and then he passed it to Ryukito.

Ryukito caught the ball. He threw the ball towards the hoop. The ball bounced once on the hoop. Bounced twice against the hoop. It rolled around the ring. The ball rolled around the hoop and fell through the hoop.

The game was over. The score was 18-17. Rin-Shin's team were victorious. The whole crowd cheered for them. Rin-Shin and Ryukito celebrated their victory together. Both Rin-Shin and Ryukito ran together, grabbed each other's hands, and made a bow to the crowd.

" Great game, Rin-Shin," Ryukito smiled. His teeth were bedazzling in the eyes of his teammate. " For a moment there I thought you were going to try to sink the ball by yourself."

" Nope," Rin-Shin smiled. " I know how much winning means to you, Ryukito, and, well, I just wanted you to have the chance to savor it."

" Yeah. North Japanese High doesn't stand a chance against us."

" Rin-Shin!" Rin-Shin's girlfriend Mina shouted in joy. Rin-Shin and her had been going out for over a year; they meet in his first Basketball game. She clinged onto him like a wombat. She liked cool guys. She knew it. Rin-Shin knew it. Practically everyone in school knew it." You were so cool!"

" Heh heh, thanks. Let's get out of here. I'm starved."

" But don't you want to enjoy another moment of fame?" Ryukito asked.

" Nah. I'll let everyone else enjoy it. I just want something to eat."

" Well if your going then I'm going. That's what friends are for."

XXX

Rin-Shin, Ryukito, and Mina were all enjoying tasty hamburgers and salad. Rin-Shin was slurping on a frosty while Ryukito was munching on a hamburger and Mina was eating her salad. Rin-Shin was excited. The way people would describe him was a ten year old on sugar rush.

" Just think about it. One game. We only have to do one more game. And if we win it we'll get full scholarships to college. We should totally win that game."

" I don't know about that, Rin-Shin," Ryukito said. " We're against the North Japan Panda's. They've never lost a game. And their team captain...he's nearly eight feet tall. Their going to cream us if we're not careful."

" Don't worry. It's been prolong since we're faced tough opponents, but if we work together like we always do we can pull through and win this thing."

" Your so smart, Rin-Shin." Mina said. " After we both go to college, we should get married."

" Woah, marriage. That's a pretty big step, Mina. I think we should wait a few years before that happens."

" Okay. I'm flexible. You didn't even know how to kiss properly when we first started going out."

" Not able to kiss properly. What do you mean I didn't even know how to kiss properly?"

" Don't worry. I taught you well, hubby."

" I envy you two. I mean, I know I'm gay, but I at least would like someone I can cling too. It's no fair that your the only one in the team who has someone like that for you, Rin-Shin."

" Heh Heh." Rin-Shin rubbed his head as Mina squeezed his hand. " I guess I just got lucky I guess."

" Yeah, lucky."

XXX

Rin-Shin was eating dinner with his mother. Like most days his father would be working late. And like every night his mother would have nothing to say to him. Then the door would open and his father would walk inside. He made his way to the dinner table, fully dressed in his work clothes carrying a briefcase, walk beside Rin-Shin, not even giving his wife a kiss.

" Hey there, son. I understand you had a big game today. So how did you do?"

" I won. What do you care?"

" Come on, don't be like that. I'm your father. I'm curious about everything you do. So how did you win."

" Well I was cornered with nowhere to run so I passed it too Ryukito and he-"

" Ryukito? The poor boy? Isn't he a homosexual?"

" Yes, but-"

" I don't want to hear another word. Here's the problem. You let yourself be cornered. You never realized what was happening until it was too late. How could you let Ryukito score? What if he becomes a sport star, huh? He could tell people it's okay to be gay, queer, lesbian, or even bi. That's something I don't want kids to listen to. Besides, you need to be the one on top. Capeesh?"

" Yes, dad."

" Good. This game is all you have. With your terrible grades there will be no way you'll make it into college. Remember that. Strike while the iron is hot. Later."

Every time he finished saying something to Rin-Shin he'd walk away from him and go to his office, otherwise known as his Man Cave. And every time Rin-Shin had to look at the face of his mother while she tried holding back her tears. Rin-Shin could watch it no longer.

" I was good you know. You would have been proud of me. I was real good."

" Make sure you finish all your homework. You wouldn't want to get too far behind in class."

" Yes, mommy."

For the rest of the meal both Rin-Shin and his mother ate in silence. Tomorrow would be his big game. Tomorrow...his whole life was going to change.

XXX

On the day of the big day Rin-Shin was on the basketball court one hour before the game was suppose to start. He stood on the center circle, a single space in the court, and practiced throwing his ball towards the hoops. The ball sank through the hoop. He threw another one; it sank through the hoop. Rin-Shin could score a anywhere in the wing, high post, and base line. He was a god in basketball. There was no way his team would lose their scholarship's with him on their team.

" I'm thirsty," Rin-Shin laughed. Rin-Shinjokingly banged his right fist against his forehead continuing to laugh. " I'm such a noodle head. No wonder I get such bad grades. Oh well. It's like in that movie. There are people who are born smart and their are people who're born with talent. You just need to have the body for it."

Rin-Shin left the basketball court. He made his way into the hall. There was a water fountain on the second floor of his school. Rin-Shin liked to reserve water as if he was in the army. When he took a drink from a plastic bottle he would drink one-fourth of the plastic bottle and then squirt the rest over his body to keep himself hydrated.

Rin-Shin however noticed something when he walked through the halls. A shadow. He saw the shadow of someone stretching over some other students locker. Someone else was in the school. Rin-Shin rushed towards the shadow. But when he turned a corner he saw no one there.

" Is it possible that was my shadow. Shadows do extend when their hit with sunlight like seeds with water. What did they call that again? Photosynthesis. Is that what happened?"

Rin-Shin noticed something else on the floor tiles. It was the smudge of a footprint. The footprint looked too small to be his. Rin-Shin established that when he covered the footprint with his right leg. Just as he thought the footprint was at least a ten wide as Rin-Shinwas a nine wide.

" Does anyone know I'm still here? Are they trying to prank me?"

Rin-Shin saw another footprint atop the small flight of stairs. Rin-Shin walked up the stairs. He saw another footprint. It seemed silly to him at first. Like something out of a terrible horror movie. In the movies the main protagionist-whom he believed to be himself-they would follow the footprints to what would be a dead end. Then the killer would sneak behind him with a knife, chainsaw, axe, and other kinds of murder weapons, sometimes make-belief creatures with murderous powers, and kill the man.

These footprints lead him outside. Outside were the portable classrooms. The portables were small buildings with three doors, a triangular shaped red roof, and window frames on both ends of the building. Rin-Shin walked up the wheelchair ramp, the portable was mostly made for special 'needs' kids, and opened the door on the far right. The doorknob was cut in half from what Rin-Shin could only imagine to be a sharp weapon.

" Piece of shit!"

" You West High scumbag!"

" Eat the bottom of my boot!"

Rin-Shin couldn't believe his eyes. Inside one of his fellow basketball teammates was being assualted by three basketball players from North High. Rin-Shin recognized all three of them. There was Young, Naji, and Saskuketima. Each one were wearing their green North High basketball uniforms. Young was the handsome one, the one who followed his friends in a game called Cherry Pickin', a game where his friends would throw money in a hat, go out and have sex with virgins and who've did the most virgins would win. Naji wasn't as handsome as Young nor did he have muscles like Saskuketima but he had a boyish charm. No one would ever expect him of being a bully. And there was Saskuketima, the ace of North High. Underneath his shirt were high strung biceps, short ungreased black hair, and a smile that advertiser's would pay for.

" Hey, leave my friend alone!" Rin-Shin shouted at the North High bullies hurting his teammate.

" Shit! A witness!" Young shouted.

" What are we going to do, Saskuketima?" Naji asked. " Should we beat this one up?"

" No, it's too risky. He's in the West High team. Look at his shirt. If more than two end up missing from the big game everyone's going to suspect we had something to do with it. We already took out their ace Rin-Shin. We can get out of here."

All three of the bullies ran to the other end of the portable. They were mistaken. Saskuketima thought he wounded Rin-Shin, but they mistaken him for his Yuukuo, his fallback player. Rin-Shin was so enraged by their finatics. He tried running after them, but stopped when he saw the bruise's on Yuukuo's arms. Rin-Shin was filled with so much caring he grabbed Yuukuo and pulled him off the ground.

" Don't worry," Rin-Shin said. " I'm going to report those three. They'll get kicked off their basketball team for this."

" Don't," Yuukou pleaded. " If you report them then they'll council the big game. If you want to hurt them, Rin-Shin, you need to beat them on the basketball court."

" This isn't a game. Your really hurt. Those three should be expelled or go to prison for life for this. Look at you."

" I'm fine. Just promise me...promise me you'll win the game."

" I can't..."

" Please, you have to beat them. Karma says people who do bad things bad things happen to them; people who do good things good things happen to them. If you help me maybe karma will help you win this game."

" Okay, I promise. I'll beat them. Let's not forget I'm soon to be the greatest basketball player in the world."

What Rin-Shin didn't know at that time was someone was watching him. He was watching him on a tree branch. After the game both of them would meet. And when they meet, Rin-Shin would become semi-loyal to him.

XXX

Hours passed, the big game started, it trailed on until the final two minutes. The game was tied 32-32. The next hoop in would be the winner. To the parents and students in the stand it was staggering. And to the players it was spine-tingling.

All five players on both teams were arranged. Two players on Rin-Shin's team were standing on the Division Line with two players on the opposite team standing next to them. Over by the Three-Point Line Naji was standing in front of another player on Rin-Shin's team. At the Free Throw there was Saskuketima blocking another player. Last there were Young and Rin-Shin.

Rin-Shin was dribbling his ball around his legs. Rin-Shin dribbled the ball for four seconds, only allowed to keep the ball for five seconds, then passed it to his friend on the left side of the Division Line. He caught it. The team player moved the ball left, right, over his head trying not to have it swiped from the opposing player. He tossed the ball to the player next to him.

The player dribbled the ball with one hand, backing away from the opposing player swiping his hand at him. The player raised the ball to his neck, squeezed it with both his arms, and tossed it to Three-Point Line where Naji was standing. Incidentally Naji managed to grab the ball first. The player on Rin-Shin's team was unable to swipe it from his brawny fingers.

" Over here!" Saskuketima shouted. " Pass it here!"

Naji was compliant to Saskuketima's request. He passed the ball over to Saskuketima. Saskuketima caught the ball with his right hand, but Rin-Shin's teammate smacked the ball from under. He smacked it out of Saskuketima's hands and caught it. The teammate noticed Rin-Shin running up the line. He passed it to him. Rin-Shin caught the ball as he dribbled up the court.

Young was right behind him. Young was fast, but nearly as fast as Rin-Shin. Rin-Shin made it to the Free Throw. Rin-Shin saw one opposing player waving his hands up in front of the hoop, a teammate standing on the right of the hoop, and Young charging at him. Rin-Shin could smell his own sweat. Rin-Shin raised the ball above his head, moved it back, but instead of trying to throw it in the hoop he passed it to his teammate.

" Catch!"

Everything that went on happened in three seconds. In the first second the teammate caught the ball. By the second he threw the ball at the hope. In the last second the ball went through the neck. Rin-Shin couldn't believe his eyes. His team had won. Rin-Shin heard the buzzer go off and people scream with joy.

" What a breathtaking finale!" The referee shouted. " Who could ask for a better game? This was a white-hot game from beginning to end. Let's hear it for South High."

Rin-Shin could hear the parent's screaming for their kids. It would be the perfect moment if only his parents were there to see it. Nonetheless, Rin-Shin was happy. He showed those three jerks what his team could do. The next thing he knew his friend Ryukito poked his shoulder. Ryukito was also sweaty from playing.

" Great last play, Rin-shin. For a second there I thought you were going to try to take the shot."

" Nah. Basketball's just a sport. Everyone should have their moment in the spotlight. I've had mine so many times so I thought it be better to let someone else have it."

" Ha. You trying to quote from a movie? You'll never change, Rin-Shin. You'll never change."

XXX

Rin-Shin stayed after the game to practice shooting. Rin-Shin could feel the smell of his mother's desserts lingering inside of him. In his vivid imagination he imagined walking home and being served sweets for his scholarship. Rin-Shin had gone through fifty balls before he finally gave up.

Rin-Shin kept a cloth in his backpack. He opened the zipper and pulled his green cloth out. Rin-Shin folded the cloth to make it smaller. As he rubbed his face Rin-Shin pictured what could happen in his future. Even if he graduated college it would still be hard for him to find a job. Maybe he'd work for his dad as a janitor in his building. Then maybe after a few years he'd find a job as an environmental technician or a medic. When he turned thirty he wanted to get married. Then with his source of income he could provide good education and a bright future for his kids.

Funny thing about reality. It almost never works out the way you plan.

" H..He…Hel…" Rin-Shin could hear a small moan somewhere in the school. Rin-Shin walked out the basketball court and walked along the hallway. He could still hear the small moans in his ears. " H..Hel…"

" Hello."

" H…H-Hel…Help."

Rin-Shin reached a door. It was Rin-Shin's Math class. He could hear a small moan in the room. It sounded serious. It sounded like someone was being tortured. Rin-Shin could smell smoke inside the classroom. The door was locked. It was after school hours. Rin-Shin saw a small chair against the wall behind him. As far as Rin-Shin could tell, the metal legs and the plastic green seat, it was made of aluminum.

" If someone's in trouble I must help them."

Rin-Shin grabbed the chair by the legs and picked it up. He raised it above his head and smacked it against the door. Rin-Shin could see a small crack in the door. Rin-Shin took a deep breath. He felt the rush he needed. He banged his chair against the door making a large hole in the door. Rin-Shin put his head through the door. He then put his arms through the door. He jumped through the door frame. When Rin-Shin was inside the room he saw something atrocious. It was barbaric. Beastly. Rin-Shin saw fire. Rin-Shin saw Naji and Saskuketima burning pieces of paper. The fire excited them. When the fire got too large they threw it on the ground and threw a fire blanket over it. Their mouths were covered in scarfs. Rin-Shin didn't know what was going on. When the papers were nothing but tiny black flakes they picked them up with tweezers. Rin saw him. Rin-Shin saw Young holding Ryukito. Ryukito was tied up in rope and had mushed up piece of paper in his mouth. Naji and Saskuketima pressed the burning paper against Ryukito's arms. Ryukito cried when the hot metal touched him.

" You think you can make a fool of our team?" Saskuketima shouted. " Look at you. Look at you! Even if you told anyone what we did they'd never believe you. And do you know why? It's because our parents are rich. Nobody's ever going to listen to a poor boy like you."

Rin-Shin had no control. He blacked out. When he woke up he was standing outside the room. He could feel something sting on his fingers. When he pressed that finger a small drop of blood squirted out. It hurt. Rin-Shin looked down seeing Naji, Saskuketima, and Yuukou passed out. They were lying in a pool of blood. Rin-Shin saw Ryukito. He was leaning against the wall, staring at Rin-Shin, and trembled in fear when he gazed into Rin-Shin's eyes.

" Rin-Shin, what have you done?"

XXX

" You can't do this, coach! Those guys started it! You can't take my scholarship from me! If I didn't show up they were going to kill Ryukito Coach, why won't you look at me! Look at me! Coach, this is not fair!"

" Get back to class, Rin-Shin. This conversation is over."

XXX

" They can't do this. They can't do this to me. I was just doing the right thing. I was just helping a friend. Why am I being punished for saving his life? Why?"

Rin-Shin returned home. His home. The only place he could find solitude. Rin-Shin wanted to phone Mina. Wanted to tell her how he needed to cancel their date. Rin-Shin opened the door. Rin-Shin heard screaming.

It was arguing. His mother and father were having a fight. Rin-Shin didn't know what they were arguing about. He could only heard them inside his dad's office. Were they fighting about him? Did he do something to disrupt them. Rin-Shin smelled something. Something foul. He saw a woman's coat on the ground. The smell was coming from that coat. It wasn't from his mother's perfume. She couldn't handle the floral odor.

" What is going on? Are we having company? But dad never mentioned company. Who's coat is this—"

The door to his father's door opened. Rin-Shin didn't know who would walk out, but whoever did something told him they would be heart-broken. His mother. His mother was the person who stepped out of his dad's office. She was crying. Her tear-soaked eyes saw Rin-Shin.

" Mom? Mom, what's wrong? Mom."

His mother didn't say a thing. There were many hateful things she wanted to say, but she didn't want to say them to Rin-Shin. She never had anything hateful she wanted to say to her son. She walked behind him walking out the door. She didn't look back. Rin-Shin wanted to know what was going on.

Rin-Shin pushed his father's office doors open. He saw his father. His father was sitting behind his desk with a glass of brandy. Rin-Shin was disgusted by him. His wife just barged out of the door and he wasn't doing anything.

" You know what attracted me to your mom? It was her cleavage. I always thought of it as the exemplary thing about her. But after she had you that part of her went away. I-I just no longer found her attractive anymore. That spark in us has been dead for so long."

" Your shirts on backwards, asshole. "

" I've been so busy. All the pedigree. What does it even mean? Your mom, she just never wanted to be near me. My new intern, she was always smiling. Even with her petit body and whimsicalness I still found her to be adorable. So I…I invited her to dinner and we…we…"

Rin-Shin banged his fists against the desk. His father spilled his glass of scotch all over his pants. Rin-Shin was enraged. His father had an affair with his mother. He felt betrayed. All those things he ever did was to make him proud—a slime ball bastard who never cared about anyone but himself.

" I'm tired! I'm tired of all your excuse! I'm tired of your bickering! I'm tired of everything being about you! Every goddamn thing is about you! I'm tired, tired, tired of It ALL!"

Rin-Shin ran out his own house. He wanted to get as far away from his family as possible. Rin-Shin was halfway out his house when he saw a picture. A picture of his happy family. The picture had him on the ground, his mother with her arms around his neck standing over him, and his father sitting in a chair. Rin-Shin smashed that picture.

Rin-Shin's bike was lying in the grass. He would pick it up and pedal away from his house. Outside he saw something he wasn't expecting. Mina. Mina was standing in front of his house. There was a Compact MPV parked behind her. Rin-Shin ran towards her.

" Mina. Mina, my parents were in a fight. My mom left, I-I think my dad's drunk, I don't want to be here. Mina, can I stay over at your place tonigh—"

Mina was holding something. Rin-Shin couldn't see what at first. It was so dark. Rin-Shin finally saw what it was Mina was holding. His ring. The little ivory ring he gave to her on their one year dating anniversary. Rin-Shin looked into Mina's eyes. She was laughing at him.

" You really are a fool, Rin-Shin." Mina dropped Rin-Shin's ring. She kicked it in the grass. " Consider yourself dumped." Mina walked towards the car. The door opened for her. Inside Rin-Shin saw Saskuketima sitting by the wheel. Mina sat on the driver's side. " Sorry to keep you waiting, darling. Something's just had to be said."

Mina closed the door. The car engines turned on. Saskuketima drove away. Rin-Shin's whole world spiraled out of control. Rin-Shin fell on his knees. One thing Rin-Shin was thinking about was how his father kept telling him not to stand on the grass. But like all other things Rin-Shin didn't care.

" I'm…I'm alone. Where are my friends? Where is anyone? Where, where?"

It started to rain. A few raindrops fell on Rin-Shin's head. Then came the downpour. Rin-Shin's clothes, his arms and his legs, every part of his body became soaking wet. Rin-Shin picked himself up to walk away, but he tripped on something. It was like walking into a textbook. Rin-Shin saw something. It was a textbook. A gray covered textbook. Rin-Shin opened the book. The first page didn't make any sense to him. That wasn't the strangest thing. It was raining and yet the pages were not wet. Rin-Shin skimmed through page after page until he stopped at one page. Written in ivory color were the only words he could understand, yet the wording was still difficult to read.

" Ka…Kab…Kabo…Kabo…Kabosa…Kabosak-a. Kabosaka."

" I can't believe I have a crybaby like you for my partner."