Erwin was never happy. He always found himself some melancholic activity to occupy his mind. It was difficult to say it was always much his fault, some people simply fit into a loner category. And, there he was alongside his two friends Xi and Mochlan. It was a slightly humid, but pleasant day in an overall pleasant summer. The weather had played wonders for the outdoor life of a myriad of people, one such being Erwin's own father, who's fishing past time was elevated to the only thing he wanted to do; It wasn't too bad, as with his father's better mood Erwin was allowed to venture out into the forest, into a small abandoned cabin he and his friends used as a hideout.
He picked up his backpack after finishing his breakfast. The background noise of the morning news could be considered the background noise of this household, a morning routine of sorts. The occasional barks of their big white furred dog Ruff breaking the anchor's drab readings.
"Onto the recent reports of-" His father turned off the TV.
"Damn, I have to be early! My boss was in a good mood yesterday and told me to come early today. I'm definitely getting a promotion" He said as he hurriedly picked up his jacket.
"Darling, I don't in fact mind some quiet from the news." Erwin's mother smiled.
"He's been finally realizing the worth I bring to the company, soon we'll go on that trip to Korea you've been talking about."
"Maybe we will, someone certainly is not missing out on exotic fishing trips." She mockingly imitated throwing a fishing line.
"Hey, that was work!" He pointed at her "The big guys we closed the deal with were there too." He raised his hands shrugging comedic fashion, before opening the front door. "Bye honey!" he shouted.
"Bye darling, I'll have your dinner at eight." She shouted back.
"Bye Mom." Erwin said as he followed his father.
"Be careful at school!"
Erwin was dropped off at school, his father hurriedly departing for work after saying his goodbyes. A small wind blew taking with it a handful of leaves. Autumn was to come soon, though it would take another month. Various personalities rushed past Erwin, who stood motionless for a second after exiting his father's car. The glass and wood double doors that led into the main hallway of the school building were just a few dozen feet from him. Broad range of ages attended this school, Erwin himself at one of the last steps of this arduous process at fourteen years of age. He felt an uncomfortable sensation, he rubbed his fingers together; A small ritual he permitted himself, a vestige of weirdness he still hadn't ironed out. The air was fresh as he took a breath in and headed in.
Just a year ago this simple act would induce Erwin with annoyance, and a headache. An event that Erwin couldn't have ever imagined before had flipped his world around.
Suddenly he felt a slap on his back.
"Erwin! Lets go, don't want to miss your favourite class!" It was Xi, as chubby and energetic as ever.
Next to him was Mochlan, who was far more reserved. His very presence could be mistaken for a ghost- His very movements were timid. They all knew each other since kindergarten, and Mochlan was more energetic before but as they grew up his vigor seemed to fade away like the passing of seasons. Xi on the other hand seemed unnaturally rigid in his behaviour, as if he rejected the very notion of change- His forwardness and lack of consideration made for an uncountable number of troubling encounters. Mochlan to this day is weary of going to a basketball court with him ever since he almost got into a scuffle with kids from another school. Xi had an aura of a free flowing wind and yet never changing; It annoyed Erwin that he couldn't find a right observation for Xi, he was always the same- Stable as a mountain, but his lack of care made him unpredictable. This all in contrast to Mochlan who paved his way through life with the steady pace of a growing flower. Erwin always liked making these observations about people, a past-time he developed in the many hours he had spent alone. He didn't exactly know when this particular hobby began, or when he noticed it but he never rejected it nor found it weird. He was most intrigued with investigating his friend Mochlan, whose gradual change had fascinated him. Mochlan gave off an absentmindedness, but yet he often made very poignant remarks for his age. There are moments where Erwin found himself enamored by the noble like behaviour that he gave off, though that captivation that held onto Erwin also held within it a small jealousy, especially towards Mochlan being able to go through life like a leaf in the wind going wherever the wind carried it.
