豹 (leopard) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 3. Dejection

Chapter 3

(Dejection)

"The night was cold, the earth wet. A man in a white lab coat was passing by, as if I haven't had enough of those... he was just there reading a book, but then he suddenly stopped and turned around to see me. He was walking under the heavy rain without even carrying an umbrella, he seemed pretty weird. To be honest I didn't expect for him to actually walk towards me, I thought he was just going to continue reading that red book and walk away. Just like everybody else...."

- Mom, can we get some ice cream?

- But it's freezing cold!

- It's ok!

- Alright. We'll get some from the convenience store and you can eat it when we get home. - Yan watched the boy and his mother walk by. Suddenly an immense loneliness flowed all over his body.

- 'Okasan...' - Yan looked up, hugged his knees and put his head down as he trembled. He was wearing nothing but a piece of clothe covering his legs.

A man in a white lab coat walked by him in that very moment, then paused abruptly. Closing his book he looked at the side to find a little boy in the side of the path. The man put his book in his pocket and walked towards the boy.

- You ok, buddy?

"I always had a negative experience with doctors, so I backed away as much as I could."

The man got closer and closer to the boy who backed off after every step the man took. When the little boy bumped into the wall the man bent down and hugged his knees.

- It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you. - The man said as reached his hand to the kid. Yan put his arms against the wall and tried to back off even more. - It's ok...Won't you trust me? - The boy didn't move an inch. The man in the white coat took back his hand and hugged his knees again. He sighed, took off his lab coat, took of his jacket and put the jacket around the boy. - It's a little wet, but I guess it's better than not wearing anything. - The boy hugged the jacket, but continued trembling.

"The guy earned my trust somehow and took me home. As if I was an abandoned kitten or a lost puppy. I stayed with him for about a month...after that he sat down with me while he was giving me a meal and finally introduced himself. Akira Matsumoto sensei.... Call me crazy but his name sounded familiar. Can you believe that? A whole month and he never once told me his name. Neither did he ask me for mine... ever..."

- Chibi-tan? Where are you kiddo?- the child came out of the living room, after turning off the TV, and stood in the middle of the hallway. -there you are, I'm going it work. Will you be alright until the evening? - The boy nodded-very well. - Matsumoto walked to the door in a hurry until he suddenly stopped and turned to the boy- Chibi-tan? - The boy looked up and shook his head as if asking "what?"- well, would you...- the man walked to the boy, kneed in front of him and put his hands on the kid's shoulders.- would you... like to be part of my family? I mean... - the boy looked up with a special light in his eyes and smiled. - it's not a big family... it'll be only you and me, but if you... - the boy nodded and hugged the man tight, - alright!- the man chuckled- alright kid, alright!- the boy stopped hugging but his hands where still around Matsumoto's neck.- from today on, we're a family. - The man's smile was a kind of grin the boy never saw before; it was a very kind smile that showed pure happiness. He looked at the kid for a while, but the smile suddenly disappeared and the man seemed rather worried. - Kid? - The boy stopped smiling and retreated his arms back up to his chest. - What about... what about your former family? - The boy opened his eyes and looked to the side. After a few seconds he looked back at the man and shrugged his shoulders while shaking his head. - You don't remember...- the man closed his eyes and sighed. - Alright... I'll take my leave now. I'll see you tomorrow.