Asano's P.O.V.
It was the first day of first grade, and I set my bag into my cubby with great care and precision, making sure no straps were hanging out, like some other kids's cubbies.
My father always said I had to be neat and tidy, because I wasn't like those other kids. They were messy. I was better than them.
I took my seat just as class started. I had a table at the front all to myself. All the other kids had a buddy they were talking to, but I didn't want one. I worked better alone.
"Alright everybody," my teacher smiled warmly, "how about we start the day by drawing a picture about something fun we did over the summer?"
She passed out paper and crayons, and when she got to my desk, she stopped.
"Gaku-chan, don't you want a coloring buddy? Why don't you sit with Rina and Fumiya over at table three?"
I shook my head, hands clasped in my lap. "No thank you, I work better alone. That's what father says."
"O-oh..." She blinked. "Well...if you ever want to join them, feel free to do so."
"I will not." I said. I pointed to the black crayon. "May I use that please?"
She set it down in front of me along with a piece of paper. "Sure, do you want some other colors? Here's a pretty yellow, a nice blue and- oh! Here's a bright red!"
But I shook my head again. "No thank you, I don't like red. I like orange."
She took out an orange crayon and gave it to me. "Okay...well, draw something fun!"
I didn't know what fun was, but I knew how to draw a piano, and I had started piano lessons that week. That was fun, right?
A few minutes into drawing, the door opened and a little boy stepped in, a sucker in his mouth. He didn't have a parent with him.
I scowled at him for disrupting coloring time. I almost drew outside of the lines!
"Ah, hello there. Are you lost?" The teacher kneeled down in front of the boy.
He popped the sucker out of his mouth. "No. I'm Karma, I'm supposed to be here."
"Oh, right, Akabane right? Well, better late than never. We're just coloring something fun we did over the summer. How about you take a seat next to Gaku-chan over there and I'll get you some coloring supplies?"
"'Kay." The boy said. He dropped his backpack off on the floor and headed over.
I glared at him as he climbed onto the chair beside me.
"I work better alone." I announced to him.
"Then work alone, loser." He said, biting into his candy with a loud crack.
The teacher handed him some paper and a cup of crayons.
"Sensei, I can't work with him!" I cried, raising my hand. "He called me a loser! I'm not a loser, I'm a winner!"
"Karma, apologize to Gaku-chan please."
The red head sighed, facing me.
"I'm sorry, Gaku." He said, not even bowing.
The teacher, satisfied, headed back to her desk.
He lowered his voice, smirking. "I'm sorry you're a loser, Gaku-loser."
I glared at him. "My father will sue you."
I didn't know what sue meant, but I heard father say that a lot on the phone.
Karma chuckled and stuck his sucker back in his mouth. He grabbed a handful of crayons, knocking the cup over. Crayons spilled out, rolling across my paper.
"Hey!" I swiped them off.
He peered over at me drawing. "Why is it all black? That's not coloring, there's no color!"
"Black is a color, baka." I triumphantly told him.
"You need some red." He decided. He picked up the red crayon in his little fist and leaned over.
Before I could stop him, he scribbled the red in the top corner of my paper. Karma.
Horrified, I stared openmouthed at the intrusion.
"You ruined it!" I wailed, kicking my feet. "I don't want red! I hate red!"
"It looks better this way." He decided.
I continued crying, and he must have felt bad, because he slid his own picture over and handed me an orange crayon.
"Here, you can draw on mine. So we're even." He said.
I sniffed wiping my eye.
I grabbed the crayon from him and studied his paper.
It was very bright and colorful. He didn't stay inside the lines- he didn't even draw any lines!
"Where is the black outline?" I asked.
"Ain't one." He said, twirling the sucker.
"But...what if you color in the wrong place?" I frowned. This boy didn't make any sense!
"There's no such thing as the wrong place to color, you can put any color wherever you want!" He said. He picked up a blue and scribbled it across the page. "See, that's the sky, but I put it in the middle."
"The sky is supposed to be at the top." I said.
He sighed. He picked up the green and handed it to me.
I held it in my opposite hand, staring at it.
"Here, draw the ground, but don't put it on the ground." He instructed.
"The ground is supposed to be on the ground." I told him. Wow, he sure was dumb!
"Not in art." He shook his head, leaning closer. I could smell the sweet scent of his candy. Strawberry.
I looked at the crayon in my hand, then at the paper.
I raised my hand and poised the tip at the top of the paper.
As soon as it touched the paper, an image of my father sprang into my mind.
"Asano! You know better than to do something so childish! Act your age! You're better than that boy! Stop this absurdness instantly!"
I gasped and dropped the crayon. "No! I can't!"
He frowned at me for a moment, before shrugging. "Fine. Whatever."
He slid his paper back to his side, and for some reason it made me a little sad.
I turned back to my own paper. All black and white. So different from Karma's. I glanced at the orange crayon I still held.
When Karma was distracted, I quickly scribbled my name in the corner really small.
I threw the crayon away once I was done, feigning disgust and Karma snorted at me, but I smiled secretly at my drawing.
Now it was a drawing.
-
I looked at the list my father had given me to shop for, scanning the items a third time just to be sure I had everything. The last thing I wanted to do was piss him off.
After checking out, I headed out into the busy street. It was raining, and I quickly pulled on my hood.
I turned down an alley, knowing a shortcut and wanting to be out of this rain as soon as I could.
It wasn't long before I heard voices, and I slowed my pace in case it was trouble.
I knew how to defend myself, I was at the top of my class in karate, so I wasn't scared if some stupid criminals were being obnoxious, I could take care of them.
However, the situation changed when I saw the group of four boys ganging up on a small girl. They were teasing her and had stolen her umbrella, causing her to get all wet.
"Please stop, please just give that back." She was pleading. "It's my great grandmothers!"
"Sure we'll give it back," the leader sneered. "Fifty bucks."
She gasped. "Y-you can't do that!"
"Says who?"
"Says me."
A voice interrupted.
We all turned to see a new boy perched on top of a dumpster a few feet away. He had snuck up so quietly, not even I had heard him.
I recognized him immediately.
Karma Akabane,
He's been a pain in my ass since first grade. We attended the same middle school now too, and we were always competing against each other in sports and academics. We each won about half the time. I would rather die than admit how much fun I was having doing that with him.
"And who are you to say anything?" The leader faced him.
"Yeah, who is you anyways?" Another boy sneered, obviously a high school drop out. "And why shoulds we care?"
Karma hopped off the dumpster, landing perfectly on his feet. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to them slowly, a smile on his face.
I hung back, curious to see what he would do.
The girl made to run away, but a third boy grabbed her and she cried out.
"Let her go. And give her back the umbrella." Karma commanded.
The leader scoffed. "I said I would, for fifty fuckin bucks."
"For. Free." Karma stopped and narrowed his eyes.
The leader stepped forward, standing eye to eye with Karma.
"Fifty. Buc-"
Karma struck suddenly, so fast it took me a moment to process the fact the leader was now flat on his back, blood pouring out of his nose.
Karma was leaning back, his hands already back in his pockets, still smiling.
If I hadn't seen that, I would have thought the guy fell down on his own.
It took the others a few more moments to realize their leader was a moaning, bloody mess on the dirty ground.
"...Hey!" One of them pointed. "He punched him!"
"You're right, I did. And now I'm about to do much worse." Karma said, striking again so suddenly. He leapt in the air, kicking his foot out mid spin, catching two of them in the face, and they flew sideways, crashing into a pile of trash cans a few feet away.
The last guy stood frozen, hiding behind the girl like a coward.
"O-okay man, I'll let her go, s-swear! Just don't hurt me!" He cried.
"How about you let her go, and I still hurt you anyways?" Karma smirked, stepping closer.
The guy pushed the girl into Karma and took off running, leaving his buddies behind.
Karma caught her before she fell. "Are you alright?"
"Please don't hurt me!" She cried.
Karma let her go and stepped back, his expression unreadable. "I'm not going to hurt you...I would never harm an innocent person."
She wiped her eyes, sniffling. "I just want my umbrella...please."
He bent down and picked it up, handing it to her.
"Th-thanks." She mumbled, hurrying away.
He watched her leave, his back to me.
I wanted to say something, but I had no idea what.
"Did you enjoy the show, Shuu?"
I blinked, surprised. I was sure he hadn't seen me.
I stepped out of my hiding place in the shadows, face passive. "A bit too violent for my tastes."
He threw me a grin from over his shoulder. "Well, you sure didn't offer to step in and help."
"Like you needed any help." I scoffed.
"Aw, thanks Shuu." He gave me a mocking bow.
I blushed furiously. I hadn't meant it like that!
"Does your ego ever get a break?" I rolled my eyes, walking over.
"Do you ever get off your high horse?" He countered.
"Delinquent."
"Teachers pet."
"Criminal."
"Know it all."
We stared at each other for a moment, before I glanced away.
"So, see you at school tomorrow?" I asked.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled.
-
Snow drifted down in fat flakes, making me shiver as I walked to my destination.
The flowers I clutched in my hand shook as well, leaving a trail of red petals in my wake.
I looked at my feet the whole time, already knowing the path by heart, even if it was covered in snow.
Already, it was getting hard to keep my composure.
Something about this place always made me crack and break down, no matter how many walls my father made me build.
I arrived at my destination, and I sank to my knees in the deep snow in front of the headstone.
"Hey mom." I whispered.
I laid the flowers across the base of the stone and dragged my arm across it, brushing off the snow.
Sakura Asano, 1985-2013
"I...I miss you."
And then the tears came.
There was no one around, nobody wanted to be out in this weather, so I let myself go.
I cried my heart out, until nothing was left. No more tears to fall, no more voice to cry, no more energy to go on.
"I want you to come back, p-please! It's not the same without you! Father...he...Oh God please just come back!" I threw myself against the headstone, wrapping my arms around the cold figure. Ignoring the biting cold and the wetness seeping into my clothes. "I'll do anything! Please mom- I can't- I can't stand it anymore! I can't go on! I can't!"
I rested my forehead against the top of it. "It should have been me...I'm so sorry, please forgive me. It was all my fault..."
Finally, I sat back, regaining my composure before I left, in case I ran into anyone I knew.
I headed back to the main gates, my face cool and expressionless as always.
I stopped at a coffee shop on the way home, wanting to warm up before frostbite sank in.
"Hello, what can I get for you?" The barista asked me.
Before I could answer, a boy popped up out of nowhere. "He'll take a hot chocolate, two shots of peppermint and skim milk, please." Karma said with a grin.
The girl nodded and hurried off to make it before I could interject.
"Akabane." I snapped, facing him, arms crossed.
"Shuu." He smiled. "Missed you."
"I just left school early for a meeting," I lied, rolling my eyes.
"Mhm, I'm sure," He said, still smiling as he leaned against the counter. "Just like you're crossing your arms because you're mad at me, and not at all because you're trying to cover up the fact you're cold."
I just glared. "It's none of your business."
"I didn't say I was going to pry, just that I know when you're lying, Shuu." He said.
"No you don't," I scowled.
"So you're admitting you're lying?"
"Can't you tell?"
We stared at each other and despite the shop being crowded, I swear we were the only two people there. Maybe even in the whole universe.
"One hot chocolate," The barista placed a cup in between us, snapping me out of the trance his sunset eyes always seemed to put me in.
"That'll be three dollars even." She said, ringing it up on the register.
Karma handed her a five dollar bill before I could pull out my own money.
"Stop it, baka." I slapped his arm. "I can buy my own damn drink."
"Keep the change," Karma ignored me and grabbed the drink.
He picked up two straws and headed towards the door. He stopped to face me. "Coming?"
I glared, but followed.
We walked side by side, both of us holding the cup with one hand.
"So, you aren't even going to ask?" He asked.
"Ask what?" I took a sip, enjoying how the drink warmed me up from the inside and how Karma warmed my side.
"How I knew your favorite order."
"Because you're a stalker." I replied.
He laughed, and it caught me off guard. I wasn't trying to be funny, but it made me smile to know I had made him laugh. He had a nice laugh.
"Where were you today?" He asked.
"Like I said, none of your business." I retorted.
"Fine. Don't tell me." He shrugged. "Mind if we make a quick stop?"
"Where?" I asked.
He didn't answer, but lead the way.
I was focusing on not spilling the drink and how his fingers overlapped mine that I didn't see where we were until we arrived.
I stopped. My heart stopped.
"I just have to say hi to someone quick," Karma said, pausing outside the cemetery. "You can wait here if you want."
"Who...who do you have to see?" I asked.
"None of your business." He smiled, before letting go of the cup. I missed his warmth instantly.
I waited outside, not ready to go in again.
My mind raced, wondering who Karma had lost. As far as I knew, he didn't have any brothers or sisters, and I was pretty sure his parents were alive, since I heard they traveled a lot. Maybe a dog?
He returned a few minutes later.
"Ready to go home? You need a hot bath." He said.
"Don't tell me what I need," I snapped, holding my hand with the cup out for him to take again.
He just smiled and grabbed it.
The rest of the walk home was silent, both of us lost in our thoughts but still enjoying the others company.
He stopped when we got to my street.
"This is as far as I go." He said, nodding at the police car that patrolled the area. "Officer Uichi doesn't like me for some reason."
"I'm sure it's a lot of reasons." I said, letting his hand go.
He smiled. "Bye, Shuu."
He turned to leave, and got a few paces away, before I called out.
"Wait, Karma!"
He stopped, surprised I had called him anything other than baka or Akabane.
"Yes?"
Under his gaze, I felt stupid asking this, but I had to.
"How did you know my drink order?" I asked, blushing.
He grinned. "Have a good night, Shuu."
And with that, he was gone.
Unknown's P.O.V.
"Are the tests almost done?" He asked, walking up behind his partner.
"Yep, the boss is gunna love these results," the man in the lab coat said, handing him a clipboard of notes. "A 100% match!"
The man looked at the test subject in question.
The orange haired boy was still unconscious, kept under by the drugs that dripped into his system by the IV hooked into his arm.
His brain was being forced to recall his most visited memories, as those would come into play later for something very important, and the computer was recording the results.
The man looked at the notes again, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise at what the memories all had in common.
"Oh boy...the boss isn't going to like this."