1 Chapter 1. NIGHTMARES

Early morning on the outskirts of Oshima Island,

Squirrels running and monkeys jumping on the trees. Kaori and Akio, climbing a mountain with sacks on their shoulders. Forcing their feets on the stones, breathing

heavily but with a smile on their faces.

Akio - ( Breathing heavily) are you sure this is a good plan ?

Kaori - (Exhales deeply) as far I know, plans made with you are worth struggling for.

Akio - (smiling) okay buddy, now climb fast or else we'll miss the sunrise for which we've been climbing for an hour.After climbing for sometime, Kaori and Akio reached at peak. The sun rising in between two volcanos from a huge distance. Birds chirping and slow sounds of wind

striking the grass, Kaori was in awe of the view.

Kaori - (happily) what is this place Akio?

Akio- our tiny paradise.

Kaori - it's so beautiful.

Akio- come and sit here with me.

Kaori - (holding Akio's hand) why didn't you bring me here before.

Akio - there has to be a perfect timing for everything

Kaori - So you think that this is the perfect time.

Akio - mm hmm, Now that I have you with me, I can watch many sunrises and sunsets here with you, forever.

Kaori - and what if this forever doesn't last for a long time.

Everything seems to be dark suddenly, the sun, trees, monkeys, squirrels, Kaori , the entire beautiful moment started fading. Everthing turned into black. Akio wakes up

abruptly. Arata was sleeping near Akio and he tried to handle him.

Arata - (worried) hey, are you okay?

Akio - (exhales deeply) It was her.

Arata - oh god! Not again.

Akio - it has to be her, it was always about her. We were so happy with whatever we had but..

Arata ( cutting akio's words) - hey hey hey, listen buddy, it's already been an year and you are all the same since day one. You have to stop this Akio. For how long you wannabe like this.

Akio - (heavy voice) I don't know, all those beautiful moments shared with her have started becoming my worst nightmares. It's all my fault..

(starts crying)

Arata - Akio, Akio listen to me. You are strong enough to avenge your parents murder, you can be strong enough to get rid with these nightmares which doesn't let you sleep.

Akio (sobbing) - I don't have any sort of control over this.

Arata - then what do you want.

Akio - I want Kaori back in my life.

Arata - Don't act stupid, she ain't coming back buddy

Akio (pulls Arata away) - leave me alone.

Akio starts walking out of the room and Arata didn't stop him. He steps out of the house, picks up the axe and starts cutting giant woods in anger. Although grandpa Eito is out somewhere so that he may shouldn't cause any trouble for Akio, so Akio should manage the business. Akio works day and night making chairs and other stuff.

Other morning when Arata woke up, he saw Akio was still working on the chairs and hitting the woods. He didn't go and stop him, he knew Akio wouldn't listen to him at all. Sitting near Akio for sometime, Arata saw a fat man entering the premises of Akio's house. He seemed to be pissed and pretty much drunk, he stopped near Akio. He looked like an old customer of a chair.

Customer - Hey, you are Eito's grandson right.Don't you know how to make a fucking chair? I was reading newspaper early morning and i just rested myself on the chair and suddenly two of its legs got broken and I fell down and my back is hurting now.

Akio (hitting the wood in anger) - I told you to take the stronger chair sir.

Customer (pissed) - hey don't you fucking argue with me okay. Just cutting the woods with a lot of strength doesn't make you a good carpenter.Your grandpa is one of the most respected persons in the town that is why I'm

talking to you or else I'd have slapped you right away when I entered the premise of your house.

Arata knew Akio's patience was at peak and he may end up doing anything wrong with that guy he went to the man and tried to stop him.

Arata - sir, aren't you Shinoki aunt's husband? I live beside your house.

Customer- what does it has to do with the chair goddamn it come to the point asshole.

Arata (pissed) - now that you've been cussing me, let me tell you what you do you steal your wife's money and spend it completely on your booze, you get home and abuse your wife. What kind of a man you are and just not that, I know shinoki aunt gave you pretty much amount of money that you could've easily bought a stronger chair. But you chose to buy a weaker chair and drink alcohol with the rest of the money.

Customer - how the fuck did you know that.

Arata - sir, you only step out of house to get drunk and tou barely know any of your neighbours but your wife struggles hard to maintain a good image in the town and you just dominate her without any purpose to show how manly you are.

Customer - she is my wife, I can do whatever the fuck I want with her. Who are you to point a finger at my personal matters.

Arata - sir now that you have said that it's your personal matter, let me tell you that whenever you got drunk and kicked your wife out of the house, she used to stay with

my mom. But still she used to ask me to peek through the window of your house to see whether you had the food or not despite aware of the matter of fact that you bring women and kick your own wife out of the house. You are no longer a man.

Akio - Arata take this money and give it back to him.

Arata - but Akio...

Akio - just do it please. I'm not in a state of mind to argue with anyone.

Arata - okay, fine.

Arata took the money and handed over to the customer. But he refused to take it.

Arata - what, don't you want the money back.?

Customer- nope ...

Customer seemed to be embarrassed and he started walking away. Arata went to Akio and pulled the axe from his hand and threw it on the ground.

Arata - enough now, take some rest.

Akio - let me do some work Arata. I don't want to live just under the name of my grandfather.

Arata - You won't accept the fact but you need grandpa Eito in this tough time.

Akio - I can do everything myself. I don't need anyone to pamper me. I'm not a fucking kid.

Arata - you've been saying this to yourself for last twelve months.

(Akio turned his head opposite Arata and wiped his tears)

Arata - Hey, I saw that. Take a break for a couple of days and we will go out in search for grandpa Eito. Now for god's sake come and have the rice balls.

Akio - when did you make it.

Arata - when you were busy hitting the woods.

Arata and Akio stepped into the house and Arata serve himself and Akio.

Akio - when is Asaha coming?

Arata - oh glad you remember him.

Akio - stop being an ass. Tell me when that idiot is coming back to Oshima.

Arata - He'll be coming next week.

Akio - Another pain in ass is coming huhh

Arata (pointing finger at rice balls) - How's it? I'm sure it's better than grandpa Eito's recipe.

Akio (chuckles) - asshole!

They kept on talking for sometime and Arata made Akio smile after so many days. Arata saw a hope of good times coming in future.