Song playlist: Home by Phillip Phillips

Chapter 2

Friendship

/ˈfrɛn(d)ʃɪp/

1. the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends

[a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard]

"Everyone here at the orphanage is paired up by age and shares a bedroom together. That way you have a new friend already when you first arrive. Isn't that lovely?"

The director of the Hyakuya Orphanage was a kindly woman with the chubby cheeks and stomach that inevitably came with middle age. She wore a homely apron tied in a bow and an equally homely smile. Her hand was a large warm presence on Yuu's back as she guided him along the upstairs corridor.

Yuu didn't reply, too occupied in his internal conflict over whether he liked the comforting touch or whether he wanted to knock it away.

"Yuu, you're quite the daydreamer aren't you?"

"Ah, um," Yuu snapped to attention, eyes flickering to those good-natured eyes before averting them quickly. "Sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine. Everyone is a bit shaken up when they come here, but you'll feel at home straight away. Isn't that right Mika?"

"Yup!"

Yuu jumped in surprise at the voice from behind him. "Wait, what is he doing here?"

Mikaela. The jerk who he'd gotten in a fight with and lost- that disarming smile of his didn't match his strength at all. What the hell?

And then he went and said Yuu would have a big family too now. Why did everyone keep saying that? His family had abused him and then abandoned him without speaking a single word to him. What was so great about having a family anyway?

"Silly Yuu, I've been following you from the start! You're such an airhead, honestly."

"Oi!"

"No fighting allowed, boys."

"We're not fighting, we're becoming friends!"

"…Are you seriously still using that excuse?" Yuu muttered lowly in disbelief. This guy was a real piece of work. Was he dropped on his head as a baby or something?

"Well Yuu, here's your room! The youngest children have the rooms closest to the stairs so we can reach them easier if they need diaper changing or milk, so as one of the oldest children your room is right at the end of the corridor. But don't worry, it's all fair because the furthest rooms have the best view of the back garden.

The director stopped to turn the doorknob and opened the door wide.

Yuu couldn't stop staring. This was where he got to stay?

To anyone else, they would have seen a fairly normal sized bedroom but to Yuu, who had lived all his life hiding in a cramped dusty room, it looked huge.

The walls were a peaceful sky blue with wide striped wallpaper patterned with stars and clouds. All the furniture was made from cherry wood, giving a warm and inviting atmosphere. Two single beds were piled with fluffy pillows and blankets, and a few plush toys. Opposite them were two matching desks with one already stacked with books, two wardrobes and a full bookcase.

But what really entranced Yuu was the french windows pouring sunshine inside and revealing a beautiful garden outside. He found himself magnetised over to the sill to get a better look at the swings and playground sitting in the grass, the green swaying trees, the blooming flowers and the floating clouds.

"Yuu, your jaw is dropped wideee open."

"S-shut up!" A fierce blush flushed over Yuu as he dragged his gaze away from the window and back to the director and Mika.

"You two need to get along now," the director said warmly. "After all, Mika is the one you'll be spending the most time with Yuu."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Like I said earlier, roommates are paired by age," the director explained patiently.

"Yeah."

"Mika only arrived a week ago so he's new like you. All the other children already have a partner and he was the oldest, so we decided to let him have his own room until someone new came."

"Uh huh."

"So it's such good luck that you're the same age as him! It's harder when roommates have a big age gap but you don't have to worry about that at all."

"Wait…so you mean…?"

"That's right!" Mika beamed. "I'm your new roommate! We're going to have so much fun together!"

Yuu wanted to groan.

"Come sit next to me!"

Yuu's hand was grabbed tightly and he was pulled by Mika into the seat next to him. He had unpacked his few belongings away leading to the director fussing over him and promising to take him clothes shopping that weekend. He had never felt so embarrassed before, but at the same time…it was kind of…nice.

Was this what it was like to have a proper mother? Someone who wore an apron and nagged you and gave you kisses? Yuu's mother at home had never kissed him, but the director had gently pulled him into a hug and kissed his head before she left to prepare dinner.

It had felt warm, like a chocolate truffle melting in your mouth.

Now dusk had settled bathing the horizon in its violet hues. A strange magical atmosphere swept over Yuu as he sat at the dinner table. Here he was, at a table laden heavy with food and camaraderie in the air.

"What's wrong, Yuu? You're not eating," Mika noticed immediately from his side.

"You have to eat! It's the number one rule!" one of the younger girls declared loudly.

"That's right Yuu. Here you have lots of freedom and we don't like being strict, but one of our few rules is that you have to eat dinner. Looking after your health is important after all," the director explained with a smile. She was sitting at the head of the table, with the youngest toddlers being fed under her supervision.

"Oh, okay…" Yuu began to pile rice onto his dinner plate. "It's just that…I've never seen so much food before. Is it like this every day?"

"Of course," the director smile turned sympathetically understanding. On anyone else Yuu would have felt irritated but the director somehow made it look soothing. "You'll never go hungry here Yuuichiro. We look after our family with all our heart."

"Isn't it expensive though? How can you pay for all of this, looking after all these children and everything?"

"We're a privately funded organisation so don't worry about it. There are a lot of rich people who are interested in poor children like you with nowhere else to go. So don't be shy in asking for whatever you need Yuu. "

"Enough talking! More eating!" a toddler yelled, striking his spoon royally in the air. Everyone burst into laughter and a smile began to tug at the corner of Yuu's lips.

"What's this?" Mika latched sneakily onto Yuu's back with his arms wrapped around his neck. "Is that a smile I see? Is it?"

"You…" Yuu trembled silently, his body vibrating in his seat.

"Yes?"

"GET OFF ME!"

"I can't believe you got me into trouble," Yuu grumbled. "I had to clear up all the dishes with you…so the director can be strict after all. 'Get along with your roommate punishment' my ass."

"Don't you feel we're getting along better now?"

"You little shit… Your personality doesn't match your face at all."

Both of them were tucked in their beds in their pajamas, and thick blankets drawn to their chins. It turned out bedtime at eight pm was another one of the few rules of the Hyakuya Orphanage, since breakfast was served early at eight am on weekdays.

Sleep hadn't fully lulled either of the boys yet so both of them were lying on their backs gazing at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.

"Why did the director take those pills at the end of dinner? Is she sick? It looked like she didn't want the other kids to notice."

"Oh, so you noticed," Mika murmured. "I noticed too the first day I came here. I asked her and she said they're vitamins to help keep her body healthy. The older you are, the more at risk you are to health problems if you don't eat properly and exercise. I learnt that in school you know."

"You go to school?"

"Yup, all the kids older than six have to go to our local elementary school. The director will probably arrange for you to start there soon."

Yuu made a vague noise of interest at the back of his throat. A comfortable silence descended between them while the stars glowed their lazy neon light.

"…Hey, Mika…"

"Mm?"

"Why are you trying so hard to be friends with me? You haven't stopped bothering me all day. I'm not cheerful or kind or sociable like you… all the other kids run to you whenever you enter a room. Why don't you find someone better from them?"

"Yuu…" Their eyes met as they had turned in unison to face each other, one face uncertain and the other uncharacteristically serious. "I want you. They're my precious family, but you're something even more special…Didn't you feel it when we first shook hands? Don't you feel it now?"

"Yeah…"

It was that hot feeling in his heart, that spark that had ignited like two elements being let loose from their constraints and leaping to react together. Mika could be annoying and infuriating and drive him crazy, but at the same time he made Yuu feel right.

"It's like we're long lost brothers, or soul mates," Mika whispered. "Maybe we are. But whatever we are, we're friends now. I'm not letting you go."

"…Friends, huh? I've never had a friend before."

"It's decided then!"

Yuu couldn't stop smiling then, the first full smile in his new life at the orphanage. Mika had already decided that by himself from the moment they had met. It felt inevitable that Yuu would be dragged along into this friendship-Mika was like a force of nature unto himself.

And he found that deep inside, he didn't mind. He didn't mind at all.

Closing his eyes, Yuu settled deeper in his bed and mumbled, "Good night, Mika."

"Good night, Yuu."

He was finally pulled him into a deep, restful sleep.