First

The sound of shouting and slamming doors woke Shinji up from his restless sleep. He groaned and buried his head under his pillow, trying to block out the noise. He knew what was going on. His stepfather had found out that his stepmother had cheated on him with one of her students. Again.

Shinji hated his life. He hated his stepparents, who treated him like a burden and a nuisance. He hated his school, where he had no friends and was constantly bullied. He hated his crush, Lisa, who ignored him and flirted with every guy she saw. He hated himself, for being weak and pathetic.

The only thing that gave him some comfort was reading manga, especially the adult ones. He had a stash of them hidden under his bed, along with some tissues and lotion. He would often escape into the fantasy world of the manga, where he could imagine being with beautiful girls who loved him and cared for him. But he was always afraid that his stepparents would find his secret collection and kick him out of the house. He had nowhere else to go.

He got up from his bed and put on his uniform. He brushed his teeth and comb his hair. He didn't care about his appearance. He grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs, hoping to avoid his stepparents.

But he was out of luck. As soon as he reached the living room, he saw his stepfather sitting on the couch, holding a bottle of whiskey and a cigarette. His stepmother was nowhere to be seen. Shinji guessed she had left with her lover.

"Hey, you little shit. Where do you think you're going?" his stepfather growled, as he saw Shinji trying to sneak out of the door.

"School," Shinji muttered, without looking at him.

"School? What's the point of going to school? You're a failure, just like your mother. You'll never amount to anything. You're just a waste of space and money," his stepfather spat, as he threw the bottle at Shinji.

Shinji dodged the bottle, which smashed against the wall. He felt a surge of anger and fear, but he didn't say anything. He knew it was useless to argue with his stepfather. He would only get more violent and abusive.

He ran out of the door, hoping his stepfather wouldn't follow him. He didn't want to cause a scene in front of the neighbors. He hated being pitied and looked down upon.

He walked to the bus stop, where he waited for the bus that would take him to school. He put on his headphones and played some music, trying to drown out the noise of the world. He wished he could disappear. He wished he could be someone else. He wished he could be happy.

Shinji's school life was a nightmare. He walked through the corridors with a heavy heart, feeling the stares and whispers of his classmates. Tatsuo and his gang of bullies never missed a chance to humiliate him, pushing him around and calling him names. Shinji endured their abuse in silence, hoping for a way out.

In the courtyard, Shinji's gaze fell on Lisa, the girl of his dreams. She was like an angel, with her sparkling blue eyes and silky blonde hair. She was always smiling and laughing, surrounded by friends and admirers. Shinji wished he could be one of them, but he knew he had no chance.

Lisa was with another boy today, a handsome and popular senior. He was wearing a varsity jacket, a symbol of his status and achievement. He whispered something in Lisa's ear, and she giggled softly. Shinji felt a pang of jealousy and sadness. Lisa belonged to a different world, a world that Shinji could never reach.

Shinji's home was no better. His mother was having an affair with a young man, a student from her college. They met in secret, in Shinji's own room, where he used to feel safe and comfortable. They didn't care about Shinji or his stepfather, who was too busy with his work and hobbies to notice anything. Shinji's family was a lie, a facade that hid the truth.

One day, Shinji's mother found his stash of adult manga, hidden under his bed. She was furious, and confronted him with a scornful look. She threw the manga at him, exposing the lewd and graphic images. She accused him of being a pervert, a loser, a disgrace.

Shinji felt a surge of anger and shame. He tried to defend himself, to explain his hobbies and interests, but his mother wouldn't listen. She looked at him with disgust and hatred. She said the words that broke his heart.

"You're not my son," she said, coldly and cruelly. "Get out of my house."

She slammed the door in his face, leaving him alone and homeless. Shinji grabbed his backpack and ran away, tears streaming down his face. He wandered the streets, aimlessly and hopelessly. The city lights mocked him, reminding him of his loneliness and despair. He had no one, nothing, nowhere to go.