Flaming Hearts ~Dying Spark ~Book1 {REWRITE}

~2~

The teen just kept on his serious face before covering it with the ball. When he brought it down, the expression morphed into a face of a monkey grin.

That gained the child's interest.

Yusuke lifted the ball once again. As he lowered it, his face contorted into yet another comical expression. Suddenly, he let that expression fall and began dancing around, pulling off the goofiest face he could muster up.

People passed by, and some gave him strange looks.

"HAHAHA! Yeah, monster!" The little boy laughed as he clapped his hands with joy.

It was great while it lasted.

Well, if all else fails, I can still make kids happy. Let's see Miss Cold-Shoulders do that!

Yusuke looked down at the child and felt an odd sensation in his chest. For once, someone wasn't judging him.

And the more he stared, the more he remembered his friend. He might as well be staring at him now. 

That nice kid with the cool phoenix bandana.

"Alright, now go ahead and get lost." He knelt to his level and passed the ball back. "It's not safe playing ball around here, you understand?"

Yusuke got up and began to walk across the street. He eventually made it to the other side right when the traffic light turned red.

Then he heard the ball bouncing again and turned back on pure instinct.

I don't believe it! That little kid was actually playing near the road again. Had he not listened to a word of Yusuke's warning?!

"Damn it, what's the use? Tsk, the kid can get smashed by a car for all I care." Suddenly, he recalled Miyuki's words.

"You would understand it once if you'd just stop and open your eyes instead of your damn mouth."

And that's when he saw the boy kicking his ball into the street. Without looking, he barely missed the passing car while he toddled over to retrieve it.

"Whoa, watch out kid! Don't go into the road!" Yusuke yelled out, but the boy didn't seem to hear him.

And at that same moment, Yusuke saw another car speeding from the other direction. Right towards the boy who hadn't seen it. "HEY!"

Pure instinct took over his very being and in a second he found himself leaping forward, directly in front of the car, and shoving the little boy out of the way just in time...