Ryuto Yuya

"My name is Ryuto Yuya. I'm a Japanese high school student in my first year. I'm into music and I play the guitar. I also like books and different stories!

Today was a bright sunny day. I got out of bed and did some exercises to relieve the tension. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two books on the table that seemed unfloveamiliar to me.

- "Summoned Hero: Battle with the Demon King," "Shadows of Death"? - These books were unfamiliar to me. Although, maybe I bought them not so long ago and just forgot?

My room was crammed with books, both foreign and Japanese. After shrugging my shoulders and changing into black pants and what I thought was a stylish T-shirt, I pushed open my room door and went outside.

There was no one at home. To be honest, I don't even know my parents. But I didn't pay much attention to that.

Two hours later, I met up with my best friend, Yamamoto Haruto. He's kind of handsome and popular with the girls. Man, I'm jealous.

Haruto didn't seem like himself today. His speech was kind of... um, weird? Like a robot. Well, I don't care if that's the fashion these days.

An hour passed and we could barely find a picnic area. There were a lot of people, and many families came here. I was in the company of Haruto's family. Rio's father and Akiko's mother are very nice to me!

...Half an hour later, Haruto's gone somewhere. It looks strange. He usually lets me know if he's going somewhere, but now he's acting more abruptly. Maybe something's wrong.

...God, what am I seeing? Haruto meets the girl, damn it! But seriously, how does he even know her? She's Tanaka Sakura, the prettiest girl in our school!

But then again. Why do they talk so strangely? Even Tanaka-san seems to be following this new fashion. Maybe I should try it, too.

...The picnic went just fine. I said goodbye to Yamamoto's family and went home. Before I could cross the threshold, school started. Time flew by strangely, didn't it?

- Hey, Haruto! - I called out to my friend, and then they gagged me.

Someone pulled me around the corner with such force that I almost fell over! When I looked back, I could see the face of the man.

- Midori Aria?

It was a red-haired girl with bright green eyes. She was Tanaka-san's friend, but why did she grab me?

- Quiet! You're in the way!

She gagged me with a strange accent, and I finally saw what was going on. Damn, that bastard Haruto is with Tanaka-san again! No fair, I want a girl too!

But I didn't want to stop them. Or rather, I couldn't. It was as if something forbade me to do so. Conscience?

...It's been a week. I could swear that Haruto and Sakura are a real eyesore for single people. Ah, you're wondering why I called her by her first name. It's simple!

We became friends. You know what I mean? We were friends! They didn't believe me when I told them, calling me a liar. Well, the hell with them.

I was in a strange position right now, though. I just wanted to go home, but for some reason, I found myself in front of the classroom door. There I saw Haruto with red cheeks and Sakura, who seemed to be waiting for something.

- I want to! - Haruto suddenly shouted, but when he saw me, he shut up.

It took a second for the signals to reach my brain, and I held up my thumb, closing the door. Good luck, son!

I threw my bag over my shoulder, ignoring Haruto's "you've got it all wrong" cries, and laughed my way home. By the way, why did I come to class in the first place?

...A month later. I was dressed in strange clothes, similar to those worn by spies in American movies. Midori Aria called it a "disguise.

- Why are we here? - I inadvertently asked her, but she just looked at me with strangely empty eyes. I wondered what I was asking about.

Then Midori smiled and told her to plan vigorously. She seriously wanted to follow up on Haruto and Sakura's date, which they called a "meeting of friends.

To be honest, even the neighborhood rocks and ants nervously shook their heads at their love show. I wanted to grab a loudspeaker and yell, "Get married already!"

But something inside me told me that I didn't need to do that. Probably the last drops of calm?

With Midori, we walked to the movie theater and bought seats behind them. God, their sweet talk is hell for a diabetic!

By the way, it was a romantic movie that made me uncomfortable. At some points in particular, I was uncomfortable because someone's hand was trying to grab onto mine!

In the middle of the movie, I felt a burning pain in my palm and screamed, which attracted the attention of Haruto and Sakura. Fortunately, they didn't recognize us.

- Hey, you idiot?! You almost gave us away! - complained Midori.

- You burned my hand with something, didn't you? - I complained back.

Of course, we talked in whispers. However, after my answer, Midori looked at me perplexedly. And the look on her face told me that it wasn't her. So... what is it?

...Today was the worst day ever. I felt as if I had gone to the most romantic restaurant in Paris without a partner. I saw Midori off tiredly and returned home.

Over the weekend, I woke up to a strange creaking noise. It was as if someone was scratching something leather. There was a feather next to the pillow. Was it torn?

...Six months later. We were already in our second year of high school. Who would have thought?

And guess what? Sakura and Haruto became a couple. I'm so proud of them! But damn it, I'm jealous!

...Aria has recently changed her behavior. Whenever she sees me, she runs away. Did I do something to offend her? I tried to ask Sakura, but she just looked at me strangely. Haruto looked kind of haughty while muttering: "Now do you understand?" Why the hell do they make things so complicated?

...After school, I got a text message from Aria. She invited me to our class. I went there in bewilderment. Looking at Aria's red face, I had some strange thoughts.

- Yuya, I-I love you. Let's go out!

It was strange. I felt warm, but also strangely anxious and uncomfortable. Perhaps I was nervous? In any case, I accepted her confession, and we became a couple.

...A month later, Haruto and Sakura disagreed with some sort, and they quarreled. I can't understand the reason. Aria's puzzled too. What the hell?

...Another week later, they finally reconciled. When Aria and I found out why, we were shocked. It turned out that Haruto just couldn't pass a psychological test called "Who's prettier: me or this popular supermodel?

Naturally, Haruto chose a supermodel. I wonder if he's a fool or a genius.

Winter came. I closed the window and decided to clean my room. The wind seemed colder today than usual. On my shelf, I saw an old book with incomprehensible text in a foreign language.

- Strange, did I buy something like that?

Time flew by. I was graduating from high school. Watching Sakura and Haruto cuddle under the Sakura tree, I felt a strange sense of loneliness.

Why is this so?

The years went by. Time seemed to speed up. I went to college, graduated... and then I got a good job. And then, guess what? I proposed to Aria.

And-and... she said yes! Damn, I'm so happy. Excitement made my left arm sting. I guess I don't have nerves of steel.

...And so...

I turned sixty years old.