The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 8

Satoru, however, found himself standing in front of the manga section, his eyes scanning the colorful covers. It wasn’t that he’d never read manga before—it was just that he’d never really had the time. His life had always been a whirlwind of training, missions, and responsibilities. Manga had always seemed like something other people enjoyed, something he’d never really connected with.

Suguru joined him, noticing the way Satoru was eyeing the shelves with curiosity. “Looking for something specific?” he asked, his voice light.

“Not really,” Satoru admitted, “I’ve never really gotten into manga before. I don’t know where to start.”

Suguru chuckled softly. “Well, there’s a first time for everything," he said, "Why don’t we pick one out and get into it together?”

Satoru considered the idea, a small smile on his face. He thought back to the future he’d seen, the fragments of memories where certain manga had become cultural phenomena. One title in particular stood out—One Piece. He remembered how it had become insanely popular, spanning decades. It was still going even in 2018, which was crazy. It probably would have ended soon by then, right?

“Alright,” Satoru said, his decision made. “How about this one?” He reached for the first volume of One Piece, holding it up for Suguru to see.

Suguru’s eyes lit up with interest as he took the volume from Satoru, flipping through the pages. “This looks fun,” he said with a grin, “Let’s do it.”

They paid for the manga and left the bookstore, their new purchase in hand. The evening had grown cooler, the city lights casting long shadows on the pavement as they made their way to a nearby burger joint. Inside, they found a booth by the window, the warm light from the street lamps spilling in as they settled into their seats.

They ordered burgers and fries, and while they waited, they cracked open the manga, both of them leaning in to read together. The story quickly drew them in, the adventures of Luffy and his crew unfolding on the pages before them. Satoru found himself laughing and genuinely enjoying the experience. But more than that, he was happy—really, truly happy—to be sharing this moment with Suguru.

For a while, all the worries that had plagued him, all the fears of what the future might bring, faded into the background. There was only this moment, this simple joy of being with his best friend, discovering something new together.

Suguru looked up from the manga, his eyes shining with excitement. “This is great,” he said, his smile wide and genuine, “We should keep reading it. Make it a thing.”

Satoru nodded, his own smile mirroring Suguru’s. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

They spent the rest of the evening in that booth, laughing and talking as they ate their burgers and read more of the manga. Satoru couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so at ease, so content. For once, he allowed himself to just enjoy the present, to forget about the responsibilities and dangers that awaited them.

The next day, Satoru and Suguru walked out of class, still buzzing from the previous night’s impromptu manga session. Satoru stretched his arms over his head, glancing sideways at Suguru. "So, what do you think? Should we buy the rest of the One Piece volumes and keep going?" He suggested.

Suguru grinned, nodding. "Absolutely. It’s actually pretty good," he chuckled, "I didn't expect to get hooked so fast."

Just as they rounded the corner, Sarah, who had been trailing a few steps behind them, overheard their conversation. Her ears perked up, and she practically skipped forward to catch up with them, her eyes wide with excitement. "Did you guys say One Piece? I love One Piece!"