Otou-san's Hofuku

Sho rested his arm against the train window as the train departed from Shizuoka to Kamagasaki. He slowly closed his eyes, clutching his backpack on his lap and slept for most of the long ride.

The announcer for the local Kamagasaki train station sounded as he said

Announcer: "Train 115 has arrived in Kamagasaki, Osaka from Suruga, Shizuoka at exactly 6:30 in the morning."

Sho urgently got up, gathered his belongings and took off, out of the train station and preparing himself for the long day ahead.

As he made his way out of the train station he almost immediately remembered the distinct putrid smell in the Kamagasaki air. The sun slowly rose from beneath the surface, making itself known to the world.

Sho roamed the old streets he used to call home. Making his way through the sea of homeless people crowding the streets, all the while being mindful of the ever present potholes littering the concrete ground.

(FLASHBACK)

Right after leaving school, Sho approached Yoruichi and kindly said

Sho: "It's been a few years since I've last seen my father so I was wondering if I could go over to Kamagasaki tomorrow and see how he's doing.

Yoruichi: "Your father never cared for you Sho. Why do you want to see him so bad? I feel like your not telling me everything"

Sho: "Alright alright you got me. I do want to see my dad but I wanted to check up on Ryuu. You remember him right?"

Yoruichi: "Ohh right Ryuu. Alright I'll let you go but only under 2 conditions. You have to be home by the end of the day, and you can't cause any trouble."

Sho: "Deal!"

Sho stuck out his pinky and pinky promised Yoruichi. He packed his bags almost as soon as he finished their conversation and set out for the nearest train station, that's going to Kamagasaki.

(FLASHBACK END)

This old apartment building loomed over the nearby buildings and gave off an almost repulsive energy. The apartment building he used to call home.

Walking inside Sho spotted the same graffiti sprayed against the wall. He went to the receptionist desk, and quietly said

Sho: "Do you know if Hanamichi Akihiko still lives here?"

The receptionist brought out a large notepad, on it said

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=--=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=--=-

CURRENT RESIDENTS

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=--=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=--=-

The receptionist flipped through all of the names until she found Hanamichi Akihiko.

Receptionist: "Yeah he still lives here but he hasn't left his apartment in a week."

Sho thanked the receptionist and slowly walked up the steps. Sho began fiddling his fingers through his pockets, finding the spare key he had to the apartment. Multiple thoughts went through his head as he got closer and closer to where his dad lives.

As soon as he made it to the atrocious front door of his dad's apartment a putrid smell invaded his nose. Sho gagged and nearly threw up but braced himself for whatever was in his dad's apartment. He clenched his spare key and unlocked the door. A wave of death overwhelmed his nose as the door slowly creaked open.

There he was. A sight Sho would never forget as long as he lived. His dad's lifeless body, hung by the neck, with slit wrists. Dad's once white shirt now stained by his own blood, now crusted over.

Sho was in a daze for some time with his dad's lifeless body in front of him. Sho's body shivered, not from sadness that he hadn't spent enough time with his dad but from utter relief. All the other emotions that came from seeing a dead body, Sho kept sealed in his heart.

Without hesitation Sho got on the phone with Yoruichi and said

Sho: "Yoruichi, my dad isn't around so I'm gonna go talk to Ryuu then head back home. I should be home by 10:30pm.

While he skillfully lied to Yoruichi, Sho stared deeply into his father's lifeless eyes. Etching this moment deep within his heart.

After their conversation, Sho was about to close the door behind him and leave, but a notebook caught his eye. He looked around the hallway and made sure no one was walking on this floor. Sho took one deep breath, pinched his nose shut, and ran for the notebook.

After eagerly grabbing the notebook, he ran out of the room and locked the door behind him. He read through the notebook before ripping it into little pieces, scattering it across the hallway. With disgust on Sho's face, he walked down the stairs from the room and nonchalantly walked away from the apartment building in hopes of never coming back here.

He aimlessly walked around Kamagasaki, with thoughts of his dad on his mind before he unknowingly landed himself in a local grocery store. Sho kept on looking at his feet until the floor of this store caught his eye. It seemed so recognizable, he tried to think back to why this store seemed so familiar, until an older woman forcefully grabbed Sho's arm and said

Old Woman: "I caught you."

Sho looked at the lady and immediately remembered where he was. He took the best course of action and said

Sho: "Excuse me ma'am, why are you grabbing me? Do I know you?"

The older woman dragged Sho by his arm out of the store and got on the phone with the police.

Old Woman: "Can I get a cop here, I caught a thief that stole from th..."

Sho swiftly kicked her ankles and booked it. Using his vast knowledge of Kamagasaki, he took every shortcut possible to get to the local train station. For a moment while running to the train station he thought

Sho: 'Maybe I should go see Ryuu before I leave.'

On second thought he knew he didn't have time to talk to Ryuu, he cunningly went into an alley and changed into new clothes, stuffing the old ones in his backpack. He made his way back to the train station and vigilantly watched out for local police.

While staying vigilant he looked up at the screen showing all of the train's schedules and noticed that he was 5 minutes late for the last ride from Kamagasaki to Suruga, Shizuoka. The closest ward from Suruga that was on the screen was Shimizu, Shizuoka which was a 6 hour run to Suruga. He got on the train and waited for it to depart.

A sigh of relief escaped Sho as the train departed from Kamagasaki. Sho tranquilly gazed at Kamagasaki and said his goodbyes one last time to the slums he once called home. Behind Sho's tranquil gaze rested a dreadful emotion waiting to erupt.

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Next chapter: Release