"Osomatsu," Todomatsu sighed after the two had been speaking together for awhile. "will things ever go back to how they used to be?"

The sun had begun to set, shades of pink and orange painting the sky as the sun began to hide behind an ominous cumulonimbus cloud. Waves crashed loudly onto the shore, broken shells gradually, lazily washing up, as many did each evening during high tide.

"With which soul?" Osomatsu sighed, pulling a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out from his formal pant's pocket. "Karamatsu has no memory of me, yet what he is doing reflects so much of our close past."

"What were things like back then?" Todomatsu whispered in awe. He had grown fully comfortable with the man, who he felt he could relate to quite a bit. They both just wanted to be loved, yet for some reason, it seemed as if they were hated and despised.

"The Eternal Kingdom and Hell were at a time of 'peace'. And it was during that time that I began to feel things angels weren't supposed to feel. In Heaven, sadness wasn't supposed to exist. Loneliness, too. But...I felt those things. That's when I was found out. Choromatsu, the God over everything cast me out without a second thought. I was rejected..." Osomatsu twisted bits of the truth, manipulating Todomatsu into finding pity for him. "I've been alone for years ever since...Karamatsu promised he would never leave me. He promised he would always love me, but now all he does is act against me..."

"How dare Karamatsu forget you..." Todomatsu began to tremble in anger. "That's just not right..."

Osomatsu chuckled sadly, holding his cigarette up to his lips as he lit it. Todomatsu coughed a little, but he didn't say anything. He was going to accept Osomatsu no matter what he did anyways.

"You want revenge, right?" Osomatsu grinned devilishly. "If you just...dedicate a small portion of your life to me, I'll help eliminate anyone in your life who makes you sad. Do we have a deal?"

"Anyone?" Todomatsu repeated, his eyes growing wide. "Even the Sisters who teach at the schools?"

"Oh especially the Sisters!" Osomatsu encouraged Todomatsu. "I'll gladly do anything for you, if you just...meet me here again tomorrow. I'm sure Karamatsu will be wondering where you're at. If you're not sure about the deal, we can discuss it again tomorrow, or...if you really are positive about this...I can teach you some neat tricks!"

"I'd love to learn from you, Osomatsu!" Todomatsu exclaimed excitedly, scrambling to his feet. The sun was nearly gone now, leaving the two in complete darkness.

"Now, hurry before we get caught down here. The police patrol these beaches at night," Osomatsu exhaled, holding his cigarette between his fingers. "I'll see you later, Todomatsu."

And just like that, Osomatsu vanished from the boy's sight. Todomatsu was unsure of what had just happened, but he was absolutely positive he had finally found someone in his life who truly cared.

Back at the church, Todomatsu crept inside the building, careful to not make the old floorboards creak. He could hear Karamatsu in his study, flipping through the thin pages of his Bible.

"Surely he hasn't noticed how long I've been gone..." Todomatsu thought, relief washing over his body. But suddenly, a calm, sharp voice called out.

"Todomatsu! I know you're there. Please...come here for a moment," Karamatsu spoke with authority, those his voice trembled with anxiety. There was no way he could have been worried about where the child had been, right?

Rolling his eyes, Todomatsu threw off his school backpack, keeping his head held high as he marched down the old hallway towards the priest's study room.

With only a single lamp on, Karamatsu sat there in the dark. He was keeping his face hidden from Todomatsu, hands folded together as if he were praying.

"I was worried," Karamatsu exhaled with relief, "that you actually ran away. I'm grateful that you've made it back safely."

"I wasn't doing anything wrong!" Todomatsu snapped. "You always think I'm up to no good! Why do you treat every other child as if they're so perfect and wonderful?! You never hug me like you hug them. You never tell me how much I matter. You never tell me anything! It's always just a, 'I'm too busy to make dinner tonight...' or a stupid excuse like, 'I'm tired, please see yourself to bed at a reasonable time this evening.' You really hate me don't you?! So why should you act so concerned all the time when I just want to have some alone time?!"

Todomatsu snatched Karamatsu's Bible off of the priest's desk and began to rip the pages out of it, one by one. He looked silly doing it, but his actions were painfully uncalled for.

Karamatsu slammed his hands on his desk, tears spilling down his cheeks as he did such. One would have only been able to describe his facial expression as...simply worn out, depressed, and disappointed.

"STOP THAT!" Karamatsu scolded Todomatsu, grabbing the little boy by his wrists, throwing him away from the sacred book. "DO NOT DO THAT...."

Karamatsu held his breath the entire time he jerked the boy out of his office, outside the church, and up into the small home they shared together.

Throwing Todomatsu into the attic, Karamatsu locked the door. Though, he made sure the child had a lantern, books to read, and a place to sleep comfortably.

"Please..." Karamatsu's voice trembled as he fought back tears. "If you are going to do such a sin...never do it in my Father's house again..."

The priest left it like that, muttering prayers to himself as he walked away from the attic, leaving the house, making his way back to the church.

The entire time, Todomatsu was nearly celebrating on the inside. He felt as if Osomatsu would be proud of him for destroying parts of Karamatsu's Bible. He had gone completely numb to the word 'love'. The one man in the village who was supposed to love, never showed it Todomatsu. Therefore, love no longer existed in the young boy's mind. Love was just another word people threw about carelessly to manipulate others.