the disease that killed you

It was the fifth of May. The day you first fell. I was there. It was the day of the exam to get into Hiroshima academy. I was planning on bunking off school and missing the exam of my life. I was loitering on the small bridge right next to a bus stop and that's when you got off. You kept on tripping as you ran towards the school. You were late because you had fallen asleep on the public bus. You didn't see me at first. I watched you as you ran and ran through the now empty street. You ran and ran until finally you spotted me. You didn't know me but you recognised our uniform. You were still running. You were now 6 metres away from me. There was a big bin about a metre from you still you kept running. You ran straight into the bin and fell. Up until now you had managed not to fall right over but now you fell straight. You didn't bring your hand to break your fall instead you fell straight with your head. It was a mild fall but you didn't get up or move for a few moments. I ran up to you and to yelled at you to be more careful and you started to pick up your contents, which had spilled .n the floor from your bag not making eye contact. I spotted your examination card on the floor and picked it up for you. That's when it started to rain. I ran to get my bike that was parked on the other end of the street. I cycled up to you and you looked at me as though I was mad. 'Get on' I say and you do. I cycle you to school. I half carry you to the nurse where she tapes up your chin and your knees. You seem to be worried so I ask you what the matter is. 'The exam' is all you reply. I go to our exam room and the teacher agrees that we can do our exam but to be fair we only get the time left. You are overjoyed. You and I do our exams but we only get limited timing. You and I both only finish half of the paper. You and a girl who you later introduce as your best friend come up to me and say thank you. You insist that if it weren't for me you would have never gotten to do any of the exams.

A week later when we check the results it turns out that we both get in to Hiroshima academy. You come up to me and thank me again. And just as last time I ignore you when you thank me. My friends are goggling at you and your friend but I just ignore you. The next Monday the first day of high school you turn out to be in my class. You are friendly to everybody and for some reason this annoys me. You greet me again this time by my name. ' Hello Haruto', you say smiling. I nod and turn away to talk to my friends. From the corner of my eye though I am watching you very closely. I have no idea why but I seem to want to keep an eye on you. The teacher comes in and introduces himself. Mr. Jan. is our P.E teacher and our class teacher. He offers us all a position on the class monitor. One for a male and one for a female. Nobody volunteers and in the end he has to choose. He picks you and me. I relent and point out that I am not a enthusiastic person. He waves it off and says instead that you and I have to work on a class project. We are supposed to work on the class-decorating theme. You ask the class for ideas and get a load of who cares. I sit down and watch you. You want the whole class to put an effort in but no one wants to. The teacher leaves as it is our free study period and I get back to the book I'm reading on moths. You get up and ask the people about what they are interested in. the people throw you a look and get back to their studying as a mock exam is on the following week. You look at me and I look back. I don't want to help with this stupid project but I still chip in an idea about each of us bringing in a photo in and you decoration it. You seem to be pleased with this and tell the class to bring in a photo tomorrow. Everybody seems happy enough now that you aren't disturbing them. You sit back down and get back to your studying.

Over the following days I see you at the classroom during breaks with kumis your best friend you are putting a lot of effort into the board and it looks okay. I look at the board once and smile. You asked me to help but I didn't want to so you did it alone. I pass by the classroom as someone else enters. It's the sophomore in the year above us and he asks you out. You agree. I walk down the corridor faster and enter the aqua lab. I feed the fish for a while and that's when you come into the room. You smile at me and ask me why I am in here. I inform you that I am feeding the fish and tell you how interesting they are. You smile and nod. You are still at the door and after a few moments you walk towards the window on the other side. You trip again and I stop you just before you hit the floor. The band-aid on your knees is still there from the last time you fell. I tell you to be more careful. After that day you come to the aqua lab often. We talk about lots of things and I discover that I like being with you.

One day when I am sitting in the park it starts to rain. There is a small dog under a tree. I go up to the dog to stroke it. You turn up behind me and ask me if it is my dog. I tell you its not. We wait awhile for the owner to turn up the dog doesn't have a collar so I suggest one of us take the dog in for the night. I can't take the dog because my mother is allergic. In the end you decide to take it home for the night. You claim that you parents will be mad at you for bringing in a dog so I offer to go with you. Your house is warm from the torrential downpour. It smells homey too. It looks like its dinnertime at your house. Your family suggests that I stay for dinner after you introduce me as the boy who helped you. Your father gives me a rather long look. He keeps on piling tofu on my plate and your mom seems very kind. Your little sister is okay. You seem embarrassed by your family. Your little sister asks me if I am your boyfriend. We both deny it. In the end your parents give in and allow you to keep the dog if no one turns up for it. You seem ecstatic. It is now almost winter and the autumn air is very cold as I step out of your house. You and your family wave as I walk home. The pink orchids on the trees are finally looking good. The sky is still tinted blue but if you look closely its really purple. I walk home that night happy in a very strange way.