Hunters Of Reality

Chapter 1: The man from England

It's said that winter is the most beautiful season, especially in Japan. I couldn't agree more. It means I can wear gloves whenever and wherever I want, and I won't be questioned or judged. It's not like I like wearing them. It's just that I have this ability of 'looking' into the past of things I make physical contact with. These 'things' also include humans and animals. It may sound absurd, but it's true.

I stay away from people just to avoid prying. As such, making friends was, and still is, kind of hard for me. I do like the occasional karaoke meet-ups organised by our class, but in the end, it's just to look normal in the eyes of my peers.

But now, it's gotten cold, yet no snow. People are eagerly waiting for the first snowfall, though it's not like it'll just magically appear out of nowhere, especially not during November in Tokyo. Evidently, it's for the best, well, at least for me. Heh. Some privacy, to begin with.

For a 2nd year high school student like me, though, winter is just that. No romance, no fun. Nothing exciting, or amusing. We have studying to do during this time, and complete our homework before the holidays. Even right now, I'm thinking about my miserable life sitting in a classroom, while a lecture's going on.

"Yoshida...YOSHIDA RYOU!"

Mr. Matsuka, our homeroom teacher, started calling out to me. I spaced out again. Pretty sure he's going to yell at me again for daydreaming. It's become a daily thing.

"He's done it again..."

"...He sure has it easy..."

Ah, the usual whispers. Gotten used to them already, anyway.

"Yoshida! Will you please answer this question on the board?"

I'm surprised he didn't get angry. His usual reaction would be to humiliate me in front of the class.

"Psst! The answer is 53 radians."

It was a loud whisper, by my one and only friend, Keisuke Hiro. Almost everyone heard it. Naturally, so did Matsuka.

"Keisuke! Yoshida! Both of you will be on cleaning duty for today!"

Good grief. It is bad enough that they make us come to school during such cold days, and now work? Ugh.

"Let's do it together, Ryou!"

"You sure are happy about it."

"It's been such a long time since the two of us were assigned cleaning duty. It's going to be fun!"

His eyes kept glimmering while talking, like a hungry puppy. Ah, it's such a drag. Honestly. Cleaning was not the kind of thing I was expecting to be doing on this lazy Friday.

A few minutes later, the bell rang. This marked the commencement of the final week of school, before the winter break. Others have already started making plans about ways to spend the holidays. Nothing in it for me, anyway.

For an entire hour of proper cleaning, it was really quiet. But I knew sooner or later someone had to break the ice. And that wasn't going to be me.

"Say, Ryou, you got yourself a girlfriend yet?"

Ah, the most popular question among high schoolers. Why is like this everywhere around the world? It's obvious that I don't have one.

"No."

"Don't lie, you sly bastard. You were ogling at the class rep, right?"

He sure loved to pull my leg. But I can clearly see that he's trying to create a conversation, just to get me to talk to him more. Although it's a bit annoying, I appreciate that he's actually trying. Others normally just talk to me for borrowing my homework or so.