Hope I didn't ruin the characters for you. :P
===========================

     Birds chirped in the beautiful spring weather. The field outside of town where many of the children liked to play was especially lively that day. A young Reigen watched from the trail as other kids laughed and ran around, throwing a frisbee from one person to another as a dog ran between them chasing after it. He held the straps of his backpack a little tighter, taking a shortcut marching through a corner of tall grass to reach his house sooner.

     He stepped up to a house a little ways off from the rest of the town, a gravel driveway in the process of being taken over by weeds and hungry locks of grass.

C'reee...

     The door slid open, alerting the whole first floor to his presence.

     "Reigen, don't forget to check for ticks!" His mother's voice chimed from the kitchen. Immediately after followed the sound of her stool being scooted around. She must be cooking something.

     "Yes mam..." The boy slid off his shoes and left them in his cubby. But checking for ticks proved difficult at the time. His face was pale, unable to think of much as the joints in his hands locked up. Suddenly under the roof of his own house, his breathing grew more ragged, a million mile stare in his eyes.

     All he had to do was tell her.

     A ten year old Reigen stepped into the kitchen doorway while his mother cooked. She was busy. Good. Her attention wouldn't fully be on him. Good. Maybe, just maybe, he could say what was on his mind and she wouldn't care. Or, she wouldn't hear him at all.

     Still, opening his mouth was perhaps the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. His jaw clamped tightly, fists clenched and turning white. He stared at the floor, watching the tears drip from his eyes.

     "Mommy... I think I'm gay."

- - - - - - - - - - -

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

     My coworker Sanami leaned her hip against the counter, arms crossed and staring intently as I finished up the last order of my shift, which happened to be a really big one. I moved with efficient speed, bagging the items beside me and passing the bags back over the counter for the old lady to take. Something about the teen's studious expression was...annoyed.

     "...-Why do you try so hard? Hmf. You work so hard and for what? Barely minimum wage pay?"

     Ah, I knew what this was about now. "If I don't give something my all, I'll never know my limits." I said bluntly, attention remaining on the order. "If I don't know my own limits, I'll never improve. And if I never improve, I'll underestimate myself. I'll start to doubt my own abilities, which can lead to hating myself." Glancing at the girl, "So, in a way...I'm taking care of my mind." Sanami had nothing to say after my little speech. She was clearly full of conflicting emotions, those being admiration and jealousy. After finishing my order, I smiled politely to the old lady and bid her a fairwell, then turned to Sanami with the most tired eyes. "Ahhhh, I'm ready to go home now..."

     My little act pulled the girl out of her previous annoyed state. She smirked slightly, rolling her eyes. "Don't you have another job?"

     "Oh right.. I do.. ^_^'."

     "Hhhh, you're hopeless."

- - - - - - - - - - -

     Though it took a few weeks, my part time job at the store had turned into a full time gig that usually lasted from 9-5/9-17. Just the other day, I got a job at a local cat cafe, hoping it would be a good way to unwind before bed. It...was not as relaxing as I hoped.

     Cleaning the kitty litter was one thing I was fine with. Prying two fighting cats from one another was something else. As long as no one else was around to witness, I was free to use telekinesis to pull the two or three apart. But, since I didn't want to be treated as anything but a completely normal human this year..I got scratched a few times while under public eye. At least, until another coworker showed me the blanket technique.

     The cats were one thing. Another were the customers. Though most were polite, it was of course inevitable for a few sour saps to show themselves. Luckily, I had plenty of experience handling their kind from both my other job and my previous lifestyle as a supposed god.

     I liked cats, especially the lazy ones. I could relate to their calm, self assured attitudes. They didn't beg for attention like dogs did, at least not most of them, but they still welcomed affection when it came. At least...most of them. They were also just so CUTE! TvT I wish my apartment allowed petssss!

     "Hey, (L/n), we have a new one today. Mind acclimating her to pin five?" My manager called.

     I finished cleaning off a table to follow her. "Sure."

     I was handed a box with a wriggly creature inside. This cat cafe was known for taking in cats from the shelter and using this setting to help them find new homes. But, it was a whole process acclimating the cats to such a foreign environment. My manager showed me to pin five, which was basically a small closet with a cat tree, litter box, and some food and water. I took the box with me into the pin and shut the door behind me, opening the box. Judging by my manager's attitude, handing off the box so carelessly to a new employee, almost like she hated the idea of taking care of it herself, I worried what might be inside.

     She jumped out of the box as soon as it was opened, knocking into my chin. I fell back against the wall as the blur continued to spring around in the closet. When she finally settled, my eyes widened. It was a multicolored hairless cat with only her right eye in tact. We stared at each other for a moment, warily watching to see who would make the first move.

     I scooted back into the corner, showing that I was no threat at all. It took her a few minutes, but eventually she did calm down and start to explore the place, finally finding the food and water.

     I snickered after petting her for the first time. The kitty was quite literally skin and bone. Felt strange to the touch. And her tail made me think of a rat. But, she also had an adorably innocent look to her, prompting me to name her "Baby."

- - - - - - - - - - -

     Little Reigen didn't dare look up from the table, imagining his parents as massive, shadowy creatures looming over him. The two sat across from their son in the dining room, the large window behind them showing what a beautiful day it was. Any time Reigen lifted his head, it was to look outside. The kid sweat nervously, fidgeting with his hands and feet.

     Mr. Arataka wove his fingers together. "So... You...kissed a boy at cram school today..." He said, not to ask, but to let the reality sink in. His words filled the silence like water to a sponge, making everyone uncomfortable.

     Reigen squeezed his eyes shut, a few more tears falling. "Yes..."

     "Did you like it?" Mrs. Arataka asked.

     "No..."

     Mr. Arataka sounded relieved. "Then you're not-"

     "But I didn't NOT like it!" The boy's eyes sprouted open suddenly, staring directly across at his parents. He couldn't read their expressions. His vision was blurry. But he had a desire deep within him to not be looked down at like a child. He knew what he was feeling wasn't normal, and he wanted his parents to understand that.

...

     Their silence haunted the room like a ghost. Then, the two looked at each other and chuckled.

     "You're only ten." Mr. Arataka smiled warmly. As did Mrs. Arataka. "You're still learning about yourself, and that's okay."

     "Just don't shut one door because another one opened, okay?"

     Reigen dipped his head and nodded. "Okay..." That wasn't what he wanted. It was better than how things could have gone, but still.

     Yes, he was a kid. And yes he was still figuring things out.

     But every time he brought things like this up, they turned those ideas away like they were silly nothings. Thoughts and feelings that wouldn't matter in the future. Thoughts and feelings that would vanish in time.

     Well...they didn't. They simply evolved.

- - - - - - - - - - -

     Serizawa was taking the day off from work to focus on his upcoming finals, leaving this job up to Tome and Reigen. The two had equipped themselves with salt and other various doo-dads and gadgets, ready to take on this next, most likely imaginary spirit. Reigen had done his research ahead of time this time, and he was sure the issue was due to some faulty machinery, so he had a mechanic's number ready on speed dial.

     "Thank you so much for coming, Reigen!!" A man with white and red striped suit and a hat standing at the large gates ecstatically grabbed and shook Reigen's hand with both of his own. "We had to deny customers today until this problem was dealt with, so, please, every minute counts!"

     Reigen grinned slyly, pointing to himself with his newly freed hand. "Not to worry, my friend, my subordinate and I will have this issue swept up in no time!! Your business is our priority!" Tome made sure to stand dramatically beside him.

     "Thank you both so much!!!"

- - - - - - - - - - -

     The carnival was...creepier than they remembered. With most of the lights off and only staff wandering around, the usually lively place was reduced to a haunting wasteland.

     The man in extravagant attire led them to the mirror room, but he didn't point to it. Instead, he pointed with his cane to the bathroom directly beside it. "In there! We had some of our guests go missing in the men's bathroom there! They returned hours later, but...they were unable to speak and had to be taken to the hospital."

     "Oh my god..." Reigen gaped. This was different from the issue he heard about the mirror room. Could there be two hauntings in the same area at the same time? If so, who was taking care of the mirror room?? Reigen regained his cool and cleared his throat. "Tome, wait out here. I'll investigate it alone." He strode on ahead. Not only did he not want a teen girl in the men's bathroom, but he didn't want a repeat of last time's big mistake with Serizawa. If he suffered alone, that was fine. What he wouldn't do was invite another to suffer with him. He stopped at the men's bathroom door, shuffling back to Tome to hand her his phone. "If I go missing too, call Serizawa or Mob."

     "Got it!" The girl saluted, a comically seriously face about her. It lightened Reigen's mood a little. He entered the men's restroom without trouble.

     Reigen turned on the lights and stepped in, shutting the door behind himself. Other than the stink and absurd amount of graffiti, the bathroom was completely normal. Maybe even too normal.

     The longer Reigen searched, the longer he started to feel like this was all a hoax, which was a good thing in his case. Then, he could exit the bathroom pretending like he exorcised something and get a fat paycheck for doing nothing.

     But something about the story unnerved him, obviously... How can people just...disappear, then reappear in the same spot hours later?.. Sounded almost like a pocket dimension. Something he would have scoffed at a year prior, had he not been trapped in one himself and nearly died of hunger and thirst. He shivered. "Calm down, Reigen, this isn't going to play out like that other time..." He mumbled to himself, only half believing it. Anything could happen when an actual spirit is involved. Especially a spirit on the level of a god.

. . .

     Reigen stood straight after inspecting every nook and cranny. He slid his hands into his pockets. "Well, that's it I guess." He sauntered across the room and opened the door- huh? The door was locked? He tried again, and again and again, ready to smash the thing with a hammer when suddenly Tome's voice called out.

     "Master Reigen, Reigen where are you!!?!" Her voice wasn't coming from the door, though, it was coming from..the mirror?!

     His head swiveled, wide eyes staring not just at but through the mirror, which now acted as a window into another room. He ran up to and slapped his hands against the glass.

Whap
Whap
Whap
Whap
Whap
Whap
Whap
Whap

     "AAA!!" Tome shrieked. She was suddenly trapped in the middle of an octagon shaped room, each wall with a window showing eight identical Reigens staring at her in a panic. "What the Hell is going on?!"

     The Reigen's all looked at each other, realizing in unison the bizarre position they were in.

     A voice without physical form began to cackle, echoing around the room. "HAH HAH HAH HAH! I'm an honorable spirit, so I'll give my lovely contestants a choice! As you see before you, girl, there are EIGHT men identical to your boss! But only ONE of them is real! A hammer is at your feet. Smash the mirror with the REAL man behind it, and you two can escape scott free~ hmhmhm~ but~ smash the wrong mirror and I shall be set free in your stead~! Fail to choose within the next three hours and you both will be released...but you will be insane~" This didn't sound good.

     All the Reigens had different but similar reactions, making this difficult for the girl. It was getting loud as all the Reigens began to argue with each other, shouting their ideas at the girl in the center all at once.

     "SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" Tome HAD IT. The Reigens quieted, letting her think. Tome paced, checked the time on her phone, and paced some more. Finally, she pulled out a marker and wrote numbers on each of the mirrors in the bottom-right corner. "Okay! Now that that is sorted," closing her marker and sliding it back into her bag, "take turns talking."

     "Tome, you have my phone, right!!?" A few of them called out at once. Tome let it slide since they were saying the same thing. "Use the information on there to quiz me! Try to ask questions only I would know!"

     "Uh.. uhh..." Tome opened the man's phone. There wasn't much on here but some phone numbers to call and a few rudimentary apps like the calculator and calendar. Her thumb hovered over the photos app. "You don't have any spicy pictures on here, do you?"

     "Noooo, of course not!!"
     "Noooo, of course not!!"
     "Noooo, of course not!!"
     "Noooo, of course not!!"
     "Well maybe."
     "What kind of a weirdo do you take me for!?"

     Tome bit the bullet and opened his photos, calming down soon after seeing it was actually really tame. "Oh, I see..." She scrolled through what few pictures he had on there. "Um... What is... What's the name of the manga you just bought?!"

     "One punch Man!" 1
     "One Punch Man!" 2
     "One punch Man!" 3
     "One Piece!" 4
     "One Punch Man!" 5
     "Attack On Titan!" 6
     "Baku No Hero Academia!" 7
     "One Punch Man!" 8

     Tome walked around the room with her marker, marking an ex over the Reigens 4, 6, and 7.

     "WHAT?! NO WAY! I SWEAR I'M-"

     "-ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN CROSSED OUT, STOP TALKING!"

😭 😭 😞

     Tome sighed and closed her marker. She really felt bad for these lifelike Reigen clones, but she had to put the whole of the mission over their feelings.

     Reigen 3 was so sure HE was him. Each of the others looked equally certain, though, so it made him question if he was real or not. But- n-no, he had a deeper understanding of himself than any of these fakes, SURELY!

     "What is your mother's maiden name?" Tome suddenly asked, making all the Reigens stumble. No way... H-how could he FORGET?! But, he DID! Oh no!!

     "Yamada!" 1
     "Smith!" 2
     "...Florence?" 3
     "Semeioko!" 5
     "Semeioko?" 8

     Reigen 3's heart dropped as his window was crossed off. No-! It- it was a mistake anyone would make, right!? "WAIT!!" He slapped the glass.

     Tome turned and pointed at him harshly. "I said the crossed out ones shouldn't speak!"

     "Call my mom!! Let her ask the final question, please!!"

     "Huh!? There's no cell service here-! Oh, there's cell service now. Okay, sure." Tome called the phone number simply labeled "Mom" and held it to her ear. "...-Yeah hi! I'm at a party with your son and we need a question only he would know the answer to." She lied so smoothly, it made Reigen proud. "Put you on speaker? Yeah, sure." She covered the phone with her hand to gripe at the Reigens. "Raise your hand to speak!" She then put his mom on speaker.

     The wholesome giggles and laughs of an older woman cut through the tension in the room. All ears felt safer hearing it. Like an old comfort had returned. His mother talked best she could through her snickering. ""Reigen, baby, is it okay if I ask about that one time when you were ten? Snknksnk!"" It was immediately obvious that some of them had no idea what she was talking about. However about half of them were really good at pretending they did.

     Reigen 3 raised his hand, and Tome pointed at him, allowing him to answer. "Hhh, yes, you can ask!"

     ""Okay, okay!"" His mom clapped her hands together, humming while thinking of how best to word it. ""What did Reigen say to his father and I when he was ten?"" Everyone got to thinking. Tome covered the phone again and pointed to each mirror individually to get their answers. Answers which ranged from everything to wetting the bed to killing someone. One other Reigen guessed uncomfortably close, shouting "I'M GAY!" but he didn't word it right. Then it came to Reigen 3.

     All the attention on him, he ran a hand through his hair, face turning red. "I said I kissed a boy and didn't hate it.."

     Tome then fed all their answers into the phone. She knew who the winner was at once when Mrs. Arataka burst out laughing from Reigen 3's answer. ""Yyyep, that one sounds like him alright!"

     Tome immediately looked up with a devious smirk at Reigen 3, who was so embarrassed he slid out of view.

CRASH!

     Reigen helped pull Tome through the mirror into the real world. Just then, Serizawa forced his way through the bathroom door, dressed in casual attire. "Where's the spirit?!"

     "Woah, Serizawa, you came on your day off!" Reigen grinned.

     "Yeah, I couldn't just- ..I heard you needed backup!" The man's throat was tight, his eyes stinging from studying so long.

     Less than an hour prior, the man was about to go to bed when he received the call for help. Instead of going right away...he just stood there, holding the phone. His mind clouded with thoughts and wrestling emotions.

     'He's just using me. He needs my help! He's just using me. He needs my help! He's just using me. He needs my help!'

     In the end, though, he came. Even knowing Reigen had lied to Mob for years. Even knowing Reigen was presently lying to Tome, who are both dear friends of his as well.

     Serizawa didn't know what to make of Reigen anymore, honestly. The more he watched, the more he knew, the more he saw Reigen lie again and again and again and again, so naturally like it was second nature. The image of his best friend was steadily twisting, warping, shifting into something far less desirable. He let himself be used, he was used to being used, this was still an improvement from when he worked for Suzuki!

     But, even in the comfort of a friend, grew the discomfort of a growing thorn in his back.

     For some reason, this hurt even more than his last job. Being surrounded by people he loved rather than those he tolerated made him feel even more trapped.

...

     Serizawa strode forward, reached his hand through the mirror into the dark abyss, and yanked out a disgusting, squid-like spirit. It squirmed, trying to break from his grasp, but he held on firm. "Tome, my umbrella."

     "Yes sir!" Tome pranced back, grabbed his umbrella, and handed it to him. Serizawa aimed the tip of the umbrella, a ball of energy swirling and growing at the end. Then, he shot that energy at the squid, making it explode.

...

     "...Whew!" Covered in squid guts, Reigen stepped up to and patted Serizawa on the shoulder. "You did well today, bud! Good thing you were here! That pocket dimension suppressed my spiritual powers!" Reigen laughed. Serizawa flinched under the touch. He knew Reigen was only lying to him because Tome was here, but still...

     How long was he going to let this go on?

     Ignoring the truth and acting like nothing was wrong wasn't working.

     "Serizawa..?" Reigen noticed something was up. His heart clenched. Here it was. The moment where Serizawa turns his back on him, everyone finds out the truth, and everyone leaves him... "...You okay?" He sincerely hoped not. He too just wanted this act to continue, even if it came with discomfort. It was better than losing a dear friend.

     Serizawa turned his head, offering a tired, forced smile. "I'm fine... Just tired."

     Reigen sighed, pulling back. "Well good. You deserve a good night's rest! You can have tomorrow off as well!" Anything to keep him from snapping.

     "...-Thank youuu." Serizawa's smile was...terrifying. Even Tome couldn't ignore how frighteningly calm he looked, sensing there was a whirlwind of emotions pent up inside. Both Reigen and Tome backed away to give Serizawa easy access to the exit. The brunette happily took his chance to leave. The spirit guts eventually faded, but the discomfort hanging in the air never did.

     Reigen...felt terrible.

     But there's nothing he could do about it, since he's the problem.

- - - - - - - - - - -

     It was an uncomfortable ride on the tram that night. Serizawa was nowhere in sight, but he remained in their minds. Tome twisting all kinds of theories around trying to figure out what his problem was, Reigen knowing exactly what his problem was.

     The tram car jerked. Reigen jolted, fearfully ensuring he didn't fall asleep. Though the train car was pretty much empty, he stood upright holding onto the bar overhead. Tome followed his lead so he wouldn't look so awkward standing there alone.

     Even in here, it was kind of cold, especially the dirty metal they held onto.

     Deciding to be the one to lighten the mood, Tome elbowed Reigen. "Pretty bold of you to come out when you were ten~ I'm sixteen and I still-! Heheh, nevermind." Her cheeks turned red. "I have no idea where I was going with that."

     But Reigen didn't let her pass so quickly, especially not after she teased him. "Oh~? Have something to say, Tome~?"

     "N-nothing NO!" She elbowed him in the stomach. Reigen keeled over, clutching himself. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!!"

     "Hahah! You really are stronger than you look, Tome!"

     "What-what's THAT supposed to mean!?" She glared.

     Reigen stood straighter and tightened the tan trench coat around himself. "Nothing... I'll let this one slide."

     "Hmh. You'd better." Tome looked away, tucking her arms in close. A faint blush still stuck on her face. One which Reigen willfully ignored. "...If you don't mind me asking... Are you still.. well... you know?"

     "Hhhfff..." Reigen sighed, rubbing the back of his hair. "Sort of? But not really. It's...more complicated than that..." He didn't feel like explaining, so Tome didn't pester him about it.

- - - - - - - - - - -

     He knew he was going to regret having this conversation already, but, here he was ready to have it.

     It was just Reigen and his mother this time. Reigen was twelve and he'd finally made up his mind.

     "I think.. I'm not gay..." He admitted as the two of them stood in the kitchen. His mother was standing by a pot, making dinner, occasionally asking him to bring her ingredients to add to it. Reigen meanwhile mostly stared out the window.

     "It's because the other kids make fun of you, isn't it? Hhh, you need to stop letting those brats tell you who to be! Ya gotta be more stubborn!"

     "It isn't them!"

...

     "Would you bring me the crushed garlic over there?"

     "Yes ma'am..." Reigen fetched the garlic and watched her carefully add the correct amount. He bagged what little remained of it.

     "I don't think I like boys...OR girls... At least not in that kind of way..."

     "You're only saying that because you just found out what sex is." His mother sighed. Reigen's head swished around, cheeks turning a bright red.

     "It-it is so NOT! E-evelyn always knew she liked boys! I- I can't understand what she sees! I don't know what it feels like to like someone the way she likes her boyfriends!"

     "Psh." Mrs. Arataka rolled her eyes. "Ohhh, honey, trust me, Evelyn is not normal. What IS normal is YOU." She pointed her damp, wooden spoon at him, which steam rose from. "You're only twelve. MOST kids your age have no idea who they like! It's better not to get involved in love drama anyways... Better to leave that for when you're in your twenties."

     Reigen lowered his head. He hid the way her words made his blood boil. The way he could now feel his every heartbeat, the sensation clouding his ears. He scratched his nails into his arms, biting his lip.

     "...But everyone has a crush at school..." He stared down, vision blurring. As if still being bullied for something he did two years ago wasn't bad enough. He couldn't even relate to the few people who would accept him.

     His mother sighed again, reaching out to rub his shoulder with her small hand. "Someday, you will too... It's okay to not be like everyone else. Everyone has their quirks. Some are stronger than others, some are smarter, and some have intense body odor." She chuckled, then softly stroked his jaw, guiding him to look into her eyes. "And you, Reigen. You're the smartest, kindest boy I've ever known... Someday, when you're ready, you'll find a girl who truly loves you. Then, you'll understand."

     As nice as the gesture was, it never quite sank in. He wasn't looking for words of hope.

     He just wanted someone to understand him. At least treat his present state of mind like it was valid too.

     In a way, he wanted desperately for someone to tell him he was special, or different, so he could finally have something to blame for the way he was treated at school. He'd finally have a label to describe whatever it was that made him feel so out of place.

- - - - - - - - - - -

     He was sixteen. Four more years of thinking, but he never felt any different. Was it because he was always picked on at school? Who knows. Was it because he witnessed his sister getting beaten by her boyfriend a couple years back? Who knows. What he did know was that he'd grown numb. For a while there, he stopped even trying to make friends, or talking to people who weren't family. He shut himself into a tight little ball. He exceeded in school, but nothing else. Videogames, maybe, but not good enough to brag about it. Not like he had anyone to brag to...

     "Mom."

     "Hm?"

     "I think I finally know what I am."

     "Oh?" Already, he could see the immediate tiredness in her eyes, like she was already over having this conversation. Still, Reigen tried to articulate his thoughts best he could. He fidgeted with his long, messy hair, glancing out a window again.

     "Yeah-h. A-apparently, there are other people like me who don't want to do the... you know..." His hands fidgeted. His mother noticed and looked back up at his face with a sad sort of sympathy. "Asexuals is what I think they're called-! They-m they can still have romantic feelings, but they don't, you know, want to be intimate..."

     His mother dragged a hand down her face, groaning tiredly. "Hhm, oh sweetie, that's even worse than being gay."

     "Huh? Why?"

   "Because you're going to be alone forever if that's the case." He really caught her at a bad time. She had a lot on her plate at the moment, another teen pregnancy from Evelyn was one of them. Even as the words left her mouh, she knew her tone should have been a little gentler. But, she said what was on her mind.

     Reigen had to double-take, staring at her for a moment with clear pain in his eyes. "...Oh..." He looked down again, wiping his nose. "...But...I don't want to be alone..."

     "Well, I don't know how to help you." His mom dropped her arms at her sides. Her boy had grown so much in the past few years. He was so tall, yet he acted so young. "...You're only sixteen... Just...give it some time..."

     "Hm... Okay..."

     So, it was either somehow magically change who he was, or be alone forever.

     He decided to change.

     But, some things were harder to change than others.

- - - - - - - - - - -

     Six years passed. He was now twenty-two. He had a job, a driver's license, and lived in an apartment not too far from his parents' house. All things considered, he'd turned himself into a respectable member of society.

     But he had something eating away at his soul. And he needed to talk to someone about it.

. . .

     Mr. Arataka sat under the shade of an umbrella on that hot summer day, waving a fan at his face. He waited for his son, who'd called an emergency meeting of sorts. The man wondered what it might be to call on such short notice. Was he hurt? Sick? Surprise baby on the way? The aging man hadn't a clue.

     But ahhh, there was his son. He recognized that figure. The way his legs swung, the posture he'd adopted from his father. But, something was different. His movements were more sluggish. He'd put on a good act of being all cleaned up gifted college student turned successful businessman these past years, but today his outfit was a sweaty, disheveled mess. And a cigar hung between two fingers as he walked with a hand in his pocket. Mr. Arataka's brows knotted as he watched his son take a seat across from him. "You know smoking's bad for you-"

     "-I'm a smoker, Dad, just accept it." Reigen put the cigarette to his lips and intently watched the old man's face as he inhaled a long, drawn out breath, before releasing a puff of smoke. "...Where's Mom?"

     Mr. Arataka sat with his fingers woven together on the table. "She's...busy."

     "Hhhhh..." Reigen took another drag, eyes scanning over the busy sidewalk beside them. "Then I'll make this quick, since you two clearly don't care to listen to me vent."

     "Don't say that, we care." The elder's mouth twitched. Reigen was still so young and naive. He liked to overlook the fact that everyone has their own lives. At least, that was Mr. Arataka's opinion of his son. And Reigen knew this opinion well. He gave his dad a bored, 'tired of it' side glare, which communicated how he felt about that opinion rather well.

     "Just wanted to prepare you guys... I'm not giving you grandkids either."

     "What did you do?"

     "Nothing permanent... I just decided, okay? Thought I'd tell you upfront. I know Evelyn's been giving you two enough trouble."

     "Reigen- hhh... I don't understand..." He dragged his hands up and down his graying scalp, trying to comprehend how, not just one, but both of his children were being so rebellious right now.

     "Yeah, and you never did, and you never will. Ghh." He ground his cigar into the ash tray. "Forget it, that's all I had to say, so I may as well go-"

     "Wait!"

     "..."

     Mr. Arataka reached out, grabbing his son's hand with both of his own. There was a rare hint of desperation in his grip. "...I know I haven't been the best father to you. You know I didn't grow up with a father of my own, so I've had to learn all of this the hard way... So, please... Have some grace for your old man..."

     After all the chances he'd given the old man already, Reigen was surprised he had the willpower to let him try again. "...Hhf. Fine."

     Slowly releasing his son's larger hand, "Thank you... Now... Tell me whatever is on your mind... I promise I'll listen."

     Reigen felt awkward now, not quite sure how to talk about such a thing, especially with his dad. "Thing is... I know for a fact now that I'm Asexual." He stared off to the side at a random bush and some distant tables, watching a raven hunt for snacks. What very little hope remained immediately dropped the moment his father sighed.

     "Hhhh... This again?" He caught himself, clearing his throat. "Sorry, sorry. Continue."

     Reigen stared at the raven with soggy eyes, sincerely hoping there would be at least one sympathetic ear in this world willing to listen to his struggles. He sat here preparing to dump all his traumas and all he had for an audience was a brick wall of a human being.

     Reigen caged a hand over his mouth as tears sprinkled his eyes. He didn't care how he looked. He didn't care if anyone was listening anymore. He needed to tell someone.

     "A month ago I.. uhm... took some drugs, tried some things...and... Ih.." His mumbling was so quiet, Mr. Arataka had to really lean in and strain his hearing. What he heard... wasn't pleasant. "I hated it... All of it- everything.." A simple sniffle grew into the young man painfully fighting back a sob. His dad stared, dumbfounded, no idea what to do. "I had t' ...take a week off 'v work... Almost ended my own li-ife."

     Severely concerned, Mr. Arataka reached out and grabbed his son's sleeve. "You need help, son. I- I can pitch in to pay for your therapy. I ca-can do that now. I have the cash."

     Reigen's wet eyes stared across the table at his father, for a moment in...shock. Then, a laugh broke out from deep within his lungs. "HHAH! Hah!.. Hahahah!" The young man kicked his feet and leaned heavily on the armrest for support. His father pulled back, growing uncomfortable and concerned. "Ohhh this is RICH coming from you! And to ME?! I was the family therapist since before I could speak and the moment I try to open my mouth and say something, NOBODY CARES! Psh! Until of course I finally mention SUICIDE. NOW you FVCKING CARE!" The young man was hysterical. It drew many concerned eyes their way. Reigen slapped the table repeatedly as he laughed, slaps which grew heavier and heavier until his hand balled into a fist and smashed it into the table, creating a loud thud. He couldn't say anything. It was either laugh like a maniac or cry like a baby, and he chose to laugh.

     Mr. Arataka, in a panic, stood on his knees in the chair to better lean over the table. "Please, Reigen, calm down... I see now how much pain you're in. You're broken, but therapy can fix that hopefully. Your condition must be due to some trauma. Maybe, by resolving some of this trauma, you can live normally. You can grow out of this and have a family of your own-"

     "GHHHAH! Would you QUIT IT?!" Reigen sat up suddenly, a never before seen flare of unfiltered anger in his eyes. "Stop making everything about SEX, I don't WANT IT!"

     "Shh-shh! Quiet down!"

     "Oh, they can plug their ears!!" Regan stood, one hand bracing on the table and the other pointing down jaggedly at his father. "So what if I'm broken!? Nobody cared to fix me when I was young, why the crap would they care now that I'm old and boring and beyond repair!!?"

     A member of staff nervously approached the table, but his mumbling pleas for them to stop was drowned out by Reigen's continued rant.

     "I don't NEED to be fixed! I don't WANT to be fixed!! What I want is the godd#mn ability to down liquor, but I was given YOUR weak constitution, ya jacka$$!!"

     As much as it painted Mr. Arataka to see his son be pushed to a breaking point, he took the insult personally and immediately got defensive. He stood on his chair and shouted back at his son. "You will NOT speak to your father in such a manner! If you don't want my help, GET OUT!"

     "FINE!" Reigen spun on his heel and scampered away. Wasn't long before he disappeared into the shell-shocked crowd. And before long, everything was moving normally again, as though nothing had happened.

     Mr. Arataka sat back down, staring at his trembling hands. He bit his nails as the severity of what he just did and said sank in.

     He'd only seen his son twice since then. Both were but brief, passing moments. And, after Reigen finally cut ties with Evelyn and moved out of town entirely to who knows where... no one had seen him.

     They didn't even know what he was doing with his life until he made an appearance on TV...

- - - - - - - - - - -

     I caught him getting off the subway and decided to hover closer, hot cocoa in hand.

     Reigen didn't even notice me. His eyes were glossed over, shoulders tense, and he walked with a speed in his step uncharacteristic for him. I sped walked to keep up, but even then I was falling behind. Hhhh. D#mn my short legs and frickin 5'0/152 body! When we were alone, I hovered a couple inches off the ground to catch up.

     "Hey... Hey." Appearing next to him. So suddenly, I startled him. "You good? Did someone die?"

     "No..." Reigen grabbed at the edges of his thin coat and crossed his arms, shivering slightly. I stared ahead at the empty sidewalk where so few street lights lit the road. Took me a couple minutes of nervous silence before I finally decided to take off my own coat and drape it over his shoulders. I had no idea what was going on, but, clearly it was rough...

     Reigen slowed to his normal speed, so I settled onto my feet and walked beside him. He still seemed pretty out of it, so I remained villagent, watching out for any incoming cars or dangerous strangers.

     "...Why were you at the subway..?"

     "Just got off work."

     "This late...?" He held the edges of my coat close to his face, nose starting to drip.

     "Second job."

     "Ah..." ...sniff. sniffle.

     Reigen started to feverishly palm his eyes. I strode a few steps forward to peek at his face. "Are you crying?"

     "Noh- I! I-" His face turned red from more than the cold, eyes endlessly expelling water. "...Your coat didn't touch any cats recently, did it?"

     I gasped. "Are you allergic??"

     "Yeah-gh!" Sniff sniffle.

     Immediately, I tore my coat off of his shoulders and stepped back. "I just got a job at a cat cafe! Are you deathly allergic?? Do I need to take you to a-!?"

     "-No! I... It's just annoying... I won't die... But sh!t, I can't see at all now..."

     "I'll help. Grab my arm- wait. Cat hair... Um.." I bent near a tree and picked up a stick. "Hold onto this stick."

     "Psh... Don't you have a portal or something?"

     "Ah yeah.. him." I chuckled. "He's taking care of the business side of all the Power Broker stuff now while I'm living as a human... He's actually a really sweet spirit. I think you two would get along."

     "Pf... Well okay then. Weird tangent." He pointed out what was obviously just me making noise, reaching around in the air for said stick. I placed the other end of it in his palm and, once he grabbed it, began to lead him down the sidewalk back to our apartments.

     The trip was slow in the moment but felt like a breeze once we were done. Full of moments where I had to warn him about incoming curbs and step between him and the road as cars drove dangerously past. Reigen was mostly silent through all of it. Clearly, there were some things on his mind, but I didn't feel it my place to pry at him with questions about it.

     When we reached our apartments, Reigen had gotten so much snot on his sleeves that I, driven by sheer disgust, determined to wash the coat off immediately, even if that meant by hand. That resulted in me scrubbing the snot out of the man's sleeves in my own kitchen sink while he washed his face off in his apartment.

     I finally realized what I had done; the boundaries I had crossed by taking his coat without permission. So, I hurried with the damp thing to his apartment and knocked on the door. Reigen opened it, his face still a bit puffy, red and swollen. Seeing him in such a state made me flinch painfully. I shoved the coat into his arms, bowed, and hurried back to my place.

...

     Reigen hugged the damp coat close to his chest, burying his face in the cloth and letting a few more tears dampen it further.

     ...He wasn't quite as allergic as he made it seem.