The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 8

Satoru and Suguru exchanged a surprised look before turning their attention to her. Satoru raised an eyebrow, an amused smile tugging at his lips. "You’re into it too, huh?" He asked.

Sarah nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing on her toes. "I have all of the current volumes, and I watch the anime too! I’ve been following it for years!" She said excitedly.

Suguru chuckled, clearly pleased. "Looks like we picked a good one, then," he said, placing his hand on her head.

"Definitely," Sarah agreed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she swatted his hand off, "If you guys want, I can bring the other volumes so you can read them. We could even do a marathon of the anime!"

Satoru’s eyes lit up at the idea. "That sounds perfect. Let’s do it this weekend!" He said, already getting wound up.

They all agreed, and the excitement lingered as they walked through the school halls. The rest of the week passed in a blur as Suguru and Satoru dove deeper into the world of One Piece, each night filled with late-night reading sessions. By the time the weekend rolled around, they were fully caught up and ready for the marathon.

Saturday morning, the three of them gathered in Shoko’s room, which they had commandeered as their makeshift hangout spot. Sarah had brought all her One Piece volumes, neatly stacked on the desk, and a VCR hooked up to the TV to watch the anime. The room was cozy, filled with snacks, and the sunlight streaming in through the windows made it feel like the perfect setting for a day-long binge.

As the first episode started, they settled in, comfortable in each other’s company. Satoru found himself relaxing with his head tipped back. There was something so normal about this—sitting here with his friends, getting excited over a shared love of a story. Certainly something he wasn't used to, but really wanted to.

As the episodes rolled on, they laughed, debated plot points, and shared their favorite moments. Satoru couldn’t help but steal glances at Suguru, who looked so carefree, so genuinely happy. It was a rare sight, and it filled him with a warm sense of contentment.

Hours passed, and by the time they took a break for food, they were already deep into the story. They ordered some burgers and continued watching, each of them fully invested. Satoru felt a pang of nostalgia for something he hadn’t even experienced yet—the memories they were making right now.

By the end of the day, as the sun set and they wrapped up their marathon for the moment. Satoru leaned back with a satisfied sigh, "That was awesome."

Sarah grinned, stretching her arms above her head. "I’m glad you guys liked it. We should do this more often," she said.

Suguru nodded in agreement, his expression soft with contentment. "Yeah, we really should."

Satoru laughed, "Oh, we're definitely doing this again."

“So,” Sarah chimed in from behind them, leaning casually over the end of the bed with a mischievous smile on her face, “What other manga do you guys like?”

Satoru glanced over his shoulder, chuckling softly. “I haven’t really read a lot, to be honest," he admitted, "One Piece is the first one I’ve really gotten into.”

Sarah’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ of surprise. “Are you serious?!" She nearly shouted, "You’ve missed out on so much! I’m definitely bringing you some more to read. You too, Suguru.”

Suguru smiled, nodding gratefully. “I wouldn’t mind. It’s been fun so far," he said with a little shrug.

True to her word, the next day, Sarah showed up at the window to the classroom, grinning from ear to ear with a small stack of manga in her arms. The class was in full swing, the teacher droning on about some historical event, but Satoru and Suguru’s attention was quickly diverted when Sarah tapped on the glass. Satoru raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to hand them over, while Suguru discreetly glanced toward the teacher to ensure they weren’t being watched.