(July 04, 2017)

Dirty dishes and kitchen utensils were left onto a dirty sink as dripping water was coming from the faucet. Lots of garbage bags were piled around and even then, it still made the apartment a complete mess. There were porn magazines and an assortment of books and CDs were piled in another corner, and the person who owned this had no intentions of cleaning the mess up any time soon.

"Innocent civilians have fallen victim to the growing dispute between the Tokyo Manji Gang. Six were injured in the dispute, with one person in cardiopulmonary arrest has been taken to the hospital."

"No way. Seriously? That's scary..." The person only grabs the remote, turning up the volume to hear more as he was eating his chips. Somehow, the words "Tokyo Manji Gang" was ringing in his ears... but he paid no mind to it. Maybe it was a different gang or... something. 

"At the place of the incident, 25-year-old Tachibana Naoto, who lives in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo is confirmed dead..."

"Tachibana... Naoto?" Ah, now there was a name that sounded familiar. But he didn't know where he heard it from...

"...along with his older sister who also lives Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 26-year-old Tachibana Hinata."

He turns up the volume again, and there was realization as he heard the name "Tachibana Hinata". 

His thoughts flew away when he heard loud banging on the door. "HEY! Come on, I know you're in there!" 

With a groan, he stood up. He kicks away the empty cans before opening the door with the weakest and tired smile he could muster. "Yes?"

Outside the door was a middle-aged woman with hair curlers. "How many times do I have to tell you?!" She points at him now. "Your TV is too damn loud!"

"...I'm sorry." He apologizes, but the woman just scoffs and turns away while saying, "Sheesh, kids nowadays..."

He just closes the door, turning off the TV. And he was back alone in his thoughts. 'It seems like... like the only girlfriend I had in my life back during middle school... just died.'

A sigh escapes his lips. He'll probably think about it later in the day. Or he'll forget about it. Who knows?

But it was definitely a shock to him.

"How many times are you going to make me say the same thing, Hanagaki Takemitchi-kun?" A voice drawled as she was putting back the DVDs on the shelf. "When a DVD gets returned, put it back on display immediately. How many times have I said this?" She asks with a small glare.

Takemitchi looked pretty tired. "I'm sor---"

"Yes, all you do is apologize." She rolls her eyes at this, probably hearing this apology more than once. "And put the apron on the hanger before you leave."

Takemitchi scratches his head. "But I intended to put them back---"

"If you had planned to, please do it before someone else has to tell you." She tells him with a sigh. "Lately, things have been different. We've gotten some complaints about the DVDs being put back. Please do it properly before we get any more complaints."

"I'm sorry..."

"Yes, all you do is apologize. And before you leave, hang the apron at the back. With the hanger, this time."

By twelve in the afternoon, Takemitchi hangs the apron on the hanger at the back before grabbing his things and left the DVD rental store. He lets out a sigh, pulling out a coin from his pockets. He didn't even realize that he was absent-mindedly scratching a car, and when he heard a loud voice, he just made a run for it.

Takemitchi ended up hiding behind a corner for a while until he was sure that he lost the guy. He sighs in relief when he knew he was safe, and continued on. It wasn't long until he passes by the new hospital.

He stops to look over the entrance. And sure enough, there was an man that was much older than him on a wheelchair. A female nurse was the one accompanying him. Takemitchi would feel... a little bit of pity for the guy. His black hair looked messy and his skin was pale and bony. It didn't help that the man's eyes looked so... so hollow.

From what he heard from gossip, the man might die in a month or so.

"There's that guy again, hello!" The female nurse waves at him, and Takemitchi looked startled. Had they noticed him already? Well, he did always pass by and stare most of the time. But she wasn't calling him creepy or anything of the sort. "Err... hi." Takemitchi just awkwardly waves at them. 

"You've been coming here a lot," The female nurse says to him. Takemitchi eyes down on her nametag, which read "Kudou Fuyuka". At least he knew what to call the nurse now. "I hope you could stay a little longer this time, Kokuō likes seeing you."

"His name means king?" Takemitchi asks. 

The man, or now known as... as Kokuō, looks up at Takemitchi with his hollow eyes. "Ah, Kokuō's just a nickname. His brother requested that he'd be called that for the majority of his confinement." Fuyuka says to him. Takemitchi found that odd, to say the least. Maybe the reason for the nickname was because he acted like a king? He certainly didn't have the looks for it, but who was he to judge? 

"...hero...?"

Fuyuka's eyes widened a little. "Eh? Kokuō, what was that?"

Takemitchi blinked, then points at himself. "Are you referring to me?"

There was something about the man that seemed a little familiar, now that Takemitchi was close enough. It was like those black eyes held a little resemblance to someone he knew back then. But the back of his mind was empty. Plus, why would Kokuō just suddenly call him a hero? Takemitchi knew he wasn't one. If he was...

His thoughts were snapped away when he felt something hold his hand; It was Kokuō. Kokuō's pale and bony hand was enough for Takemitchi to feel both sorry and nervous. "Ah, Kokuō. You don't just suddenly grab someone like that." Fuyuka says sternly. To her own surprise, Kokuō let go of Takemitchi's hand. 

"I appreciate the gesture." Takemitchi says with a small laugh. "But you also mentioned that he likes seeing me? I only pass by and..."

Kokuō was still looking up at him, but this time, he was smiling a little. Fuyuka saw this, and she felt her heart warm up. "I think it's because you don't give him that look of judgement. You don't seem to mind it if I bring him out for his stroll." She says to him. "We pass by the DVD rental store once in a while too, and we always see you getting scolded most of the time."

Takemitchi let out a nervous laugh at that. "I think that's a little embarrassing..."

"Are you going somewhere?" Fuyuka then asks. 

"Yeah... I'm gonna clear my head for a bit." Takemitchi answered. "I'll come and pass by again tomorrow."

Kokuō weakly taps on Takemitchi's shoulder, and he was giving him a small box. "Ah, so that's why you were holding his hand. You were surprising him." Fuyuka says with a soft giggle. Takemitchi was surprised. That was unexpected, and he most certainly didn't deserve a gift from him. "Oh, thank you, but I don't really..." He trails off, noticing that Kokuō was still holding the small box. Not wanting to upset him, Takemitchi just takes the small box. "Well... thank you, Kokuō-san. I'll treasure this." He smiles a little, putting the small box in his pocket. "I'll come by again tomorrow."

"Thank you... uhm, I'm sorry, I never got your name." Fuyuka says, a little bit embarrassed.

"Oh, it's Hanagaki Takemitchi." Takemitchi says with a nod. "I'll see you."

"Bye-bye." Fuyuka looks at Kokuō. "Go and say goodbye to Takemitchi-kun, Kokuō."

"...see you..." Kokuō manages to say. 

Takemitchi just nods, waving goodbye at them as he was walking. Once out of sight from the hopsital, he pulls out the small box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a dog tag necklace. It had the letters "S & S" along with the word "Motors".

Hmm. Didn't Takemitchi pass by a shop like this with his mom a few years ago?

The train station was crowded that day. Takemitchi was in the crowds of people, waiting for the next train to stop. He was ignoring the noises of the people talking as he was drowning in his own thoughts. 

'I had never thought things would turn out like this...'

Takemitchi had a weak smile on his face.

'I live in a beat-up apartment with thin walls, my manager is six years younger than me and treats me like an idiot... Even kids made fun of me, and I had to apologize for them...'

His thoughts were drowning out the busy noises of the station.

'I've only ever had one girlfriend, and that was it middle school... I've never had anything perfect...'

Takemitchi puts a hand on his head. "Just where... where did I go wrong...?" He muttered quietly.

And then suddenly... someone pushed him.

Takemitchi found himself on the train tracks. The crowds that were blissfully unaware were now looking in complete shock. He looked over, seeing that a train was heading right towards him.

'At that moment when I thought I'm about to die...'

Flashes of memories started coming into his mind: His middle school days. Those heyday years. Those years where he was still Hinata. Those years in which he was the number two of a second year delinquent group.

Those years in which he was still... he was still there. Alive and living life to the fullest with his friends, family...

It was like Takemitchi was paralyzed. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a reflection of someone in a large black hood with chains, and a scythe in his hands.

"I'll come and pass by again tomorrow."

Ah, looks like he wouldn't be able to see Kokuō after all...

Takemitchi braces himself for the incoming impact. He didn't know what would be first, the train hitting his body or the scythe that was about to take his life in an instant.