To the Stars And Back

Chapter 1

Tired from school and wanting nothing more to do than to get home and sleep in his comfortable bed, an eighteen year old boy named Gakushuu Asano walks home with his head down and an armful of books.

He soon arrived at his house. He breathed in the air of the roses his mother loved for years, growing on the side of their house. He walked inside, curious why the door was unlocked.

"I'm home!" he called.

No one greeted him back. Feeling hungry, Gakushuu went to the kitchen, where he could hear soft music. Gakushuu stopped when he saw his father dancing with his girlfriend, the two were locked im a sweet loving embrace, which reminded Gakushuu of when his father used to dance with his mother.

"Oh! Gakushuu-kun" his dad's girlfriend, Mito, noticed him and pulled away from Gakuho, Gakushuu's father. She reached to hug him but he avoided her.

He noticed the table was set with delicious food, all were his favorite.

"Welcome home son" his father said. Gakushuu didn't respond.

Later, the three of them were eating in silence. Gakushuu refused to look at either of them

Mito cleared her throat "Umm, Gakushuu-kun, we have an announcement" she said. Gakuho reached for her hand "Mito is pregnant, you're going to be a big brother soon". This announcement caused Gakushuu to freeze, then, he started eating faster, barely chewing. "Gakushuu-kun" Mito started hesitantly. "I'm going to my room" Gakushuu said, getting up and gathering his things

"Mom's cooking is still better" he added coldly, ignoring the hurt look on Mito's face.

Once inside the safety of his room, Gakushuu locked the door and started ripping out pages from random books, flipped his desk, and kicked his laundry bin. He wished to express his anger and distress, but this wasn't good enough. After fifteen minutes the boy fell backwards onto his bed, his eyes were on his ceiling, tracing the glow in the dark stars and planets he and his mom glued years ago.

"Honey, I feel like I'll be taken by the aliens soon" she told him.

"Don't say weird stuff like that mom" he responded tensely. His mom just laughed and pulled him into a hug. "Don't be upset baby, if a human is taken by aliens, it just mean they're destined for a better life in the stars" she said. "So if whenever you start missing me just look up, at the stars, I'll be there honey, taken by aliens"

Six months after telling him that. She died in the hospital on his seventeenth birthday.

"Taken by aliens.." he repeated. Gakushuu jumped out of bed and opened his closet.

He grabbed random clothes and stuffed them in his bag, then he reached under his bed and pulled out various boxes where he's been hiding his savings. He dumped all of the money from the boxes in a smaller bag before also dumping said small bag in his knapsack.

Then, he shimmied open his window, climbed out, and down from his bedroom in the second floor.

Half an hour later he is at a convenient store buying snacks, and several bottles of soda pop and alcohol.

The cashier eyed him strangely. "Sir..are you an alcoholic?" She asked him. Gakushuu gave her a deadpan stare "no, just going through shit" he spat

After paying for everything, he rushed to his father's car, which he stole, and started the engine. His eyes momentarily went to the picture taped on the mirror of the three of them together, before his mom got taken by the aliens and left them. Gakushuu ignored his cellphone vibrating in his pocket, and just started driving.

[9:30am]

Gakushuu put on his father's aviator glasses, leaned back in a relaxed manner, and turned the radio's volume to the max. "Finally, freedom" he chuckled. His phone had been put to silent mode so he wouldn't have to hear his father's constant calling.

Suddenly he felt a tingling sensation in his lower section. "Oh" he mouthed, pulling over. Luckily for him the surrounding was just an endless green field. He unbuckled his belt and rushed to find a spot to relieve himself. "Ahhh..." He breathed with relief when he finally managed to pee.

Three seconds later though, he started smelling something. Gakushuu frowned "What's that..."

"Success!" He heard someone cheer.

Gakushuu stood up and hurriedly fixed his pants. He saw, standing just a few steps away from him was a red haired boy who, like him, was pulling up his pants. "Hey! Were you spying on me?!" Gakushuu demanded angrily. The redhead was so startled he slipped and fell back

Gakushuu ran back to his car. "No! No no wait I wasn't spying on you!" The redhead ran after him.

"Get away from me! And your shit smelled awful!" Gakushuu hissed

"Oh does yours smell like roses?!" The redhead demanded.

Gakushuu locked his door, turned on the engine and backed up before driving forward. Accidentally, he hit the redhead who had followed him. "Ahh!" The redhead exclaimed when his stomach was hit by the trunk of the car.

The car sped away leaving him on the floor. "Ahh...ouch" he groaned, rubbing his stomach.

Gakushuu looked at his mirror and saw the redhead on the floor, looking to be in pain. He stopped the car, and contemplated what to do. He looked back again, and saw the redhead looking at him too. Then, he sighed and made up his mind. He turned the car around and went back to him

"Hey uhh, are you alright?" He asked, opening the door and getting out. "Is it alright to get run over?" The redhead remarked. Gakushuu frowned "I didn't run you over, I was running away from you but you chased after me so I freaked out even more and..." He trailed awkwardly.

Gakushuu offered the redhead his hand. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital, see if anything's broken"

The redhead took his offered hand. Gakushuu helped the redhead inside his car

"Ahh wait, my bike's back there" he pointed at the field. Gakushuu sighed but went back anyway, and after a few minutes, he returned carrying a large white mountain bike. He pushed the back in the backseat, before going to the driver's seat. "Buckle up" he told the redhead.