Chapter 13 The Truth Hurt

It was in the first year of middle school, and Hajime was walking home from school. He heard someone calling him. He turned and looked for the sound.

"Hey, Hajime…" Keiji rushed towards Hajime.

Hajime asked, "What's the matter, Tsukumo?"

Keiji patted Hajime on the back and said, "I asked you to call me only Keiji many times, but you still refused. Do you want me to call you Hinode-kun?"

Hajime said, "You can call me whatever you want."

Keiji asked, "Are you going home?"

Hajime nodded.

Keiji said, "My brother will be coming home tomorrow. Tomorrow let's go pick him up at the airport together."

Hajime said, "I'm not familiar with your brother, I think..."

Keiji said, "He said he brought a lot of things, I want you to help me carry his luggage."

Hajime said, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Keiji smiled, "Okay, I will ask the driver to pick you up at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

The next day, Hajime and Keiji were eating and chatting while waiting, when suddenly a voice startled the two teenagers. The two stood up quickly and saw a young and handsome man smiling at them.

Keiji smiled happily and hugged the man. "How was the flight?" he asked.

Kenji smiled and said, "It's okay...the food is terrible."

Keiji smiled and said, "Oh, this is my friend, Hinode-kun."

Kenji smiled and stretched out his hand, "Hinode-kun, nice to meet you."

Hajime shook hands with Kenji, he stared at Kenji for a while before letting go. He just thought Kenji's smile was beautiful.

After the three of them left the airport, Hajime sat in the back seat, and Keiji and Kenji sat in the front seats. Hajime thought about himself while listening to the conversation of the two brothers. He looked at the widow and wondered if one day he would sit with someone and have a normal conversation with them without feeling worthless.

"Hinode-kun," Kenji said. "Hey, earth to Hinode-kun."

Hajime looked up and saw Kenji smiling at him. "Sorry," he said.

Kenji said, "I'm asking if you want to have lunch with us."

Hajime said, "No, I'll help move the suitcase, and I have to go home right away."

Kenji frowned sadly, "Oh, what a pity." He smiled brightly at Hajime. "There will be next time."

Ever since he got to know Kenji, whenever there is a gathering, Kenji will invite Hajime to the gathering. Hajime didn't like this kind of party, but he went anyway because he liked Kenji's smile when he talked to others.

Keiji sat beside Hajime, putting his hand on Hajime's shoulder. Keiji said, "Hajime, are we good friends?"

Hajime said, "Yes…"

Keiji said, "Since we are good friends, can I ask you something very personal."

Hajime said, "Go ahead."

Keiji said, "I heard that you don't like girls...is it true?"

Hajime used to get hurt when someone asked him this question, but now, when he is asked this question, it doesn't bother him anymore. He is used to it and has no emotion for such questions. Hajime said, "What you heard is true."

Keiji asked, "The reason why you want to be friends with me is because you have a crush on me, isn't it?"

Hajime said, "No, I've never had a crush on you. I like you as a friend."

Keiji exclaimed happily: "Oh... thank God... I don't want to lose a friend like you."

Hajime said, "You don't mind?"

Keiji "I don't mind..." He picked up his beer glass and drank it in one gulp.

Hajime said, "Keiji...don't drink too much...we're underage."

Keiji said, "I'm happy to have a load off my shoulders. Also, you don't have to worry...my brother will take care of it." He got up and walked to the dance floor and started dancing with the women.

Hajime sat there for a while watching the men and women dancing on the dance floor. Looking at the woman dancing in a tight miniskirt, he suddenly thought of his mother. This was the nightlife his mother couldn't leave behind after becoming a wife and a mother. Hajime couldn't understand how his mother would like this way of life. Go home drunk and sleep all day, then wake up at night and repeat the same thing. He felt that such a life was too boring, but he could understand why his mother liked it. Instead of facing her problems and reality, she chooses to drown her pain with alcohol and live out her fantasy. He stood up and walked out of the karaoke room.

Hajime walked out of the club and came to the street. He zipped up his jacket and started to walk away, thinking about himself, wondering if he, too, would develop bipolar later in life. He was lost in thought when Kenji called his name. He stopped and turned around to see Kenji running towards him.

Kenji asked, "Are you leaving?"

Hajime nodded.

Kenji asked, "You don't like it."

As an honest man, Hajime said, "This lifestyle is not for me. Kenji-san you can go back and enjoy it with Keiji. Please tell him, I'm leaving first."

Kenji said, "Last time you didn't complain, I thought you enjoyed it too."

Hajime said, "I don't like this, but I'm here for you and Keiji."

Kenji smiled and said, "Okay, next time when Keiji wants to go out to play, I must let him know that his best friend doesn't like this kind of party."

Hajime knew that since Keiji found out that he was gay, this would be the last time Keiji would ask him to hang out with Keiji. Hajime knew from experience that from now on, Keiji would slowly disappear from Hajime's life. So, instead of letting others take the first step, he has long decided to take the first step himself and not allow anyone to hurt his feelings.

Hajime looked at Kenji and said, "You don't need to invite me next time." He looked at Kenji. "Good night, Kenji-san." He turned to leave.

Kenji quickly grabbed Hajime's arm. "Hajime-kun, wait…" Hajime snorted in pain. Kenji noticed that Hajime's arms were softer than normal. He quickly lifted Hajime's sleeves, and he was startled. "Hajime-kun, who did this to you?"

Hajime quickly pulled his hand away and said, "No one did anything to me. I fell down."

Kenji grabbed Hajime's other arm and found a similar bruise. He said, "I'll take you home."

Hajime said, "I can go home by myself."

Kenji insisted, "I'll take you home."

Hajime didn't want to argue with Kenji, so he let Kenji drive him home.

Kenji parked the car on the side of the road, and Hajime got out of the car. "Thank you for taking me home," Hajime said as he closed the passenger's door, he noticed that Kenji had stepped out of the car. "What are you doing?"

Kenji said, "I will send you to your door."

Hajime said, "You don't have to send me off. I'm not a three-year-old. I've been walking this way since I was six."

Kenji said, "Is it because of those bruises on your body that you don't allow me to take you home?"

Hajime sighed and said, "Do whatever you want." He began walking away from Kenji.

As soon as Hajime returned to his mother's apartment, Chibi was standing at the door, smoking a cigarette. The moment Chibi saw Hajime walking with a man, Chibi extinguished the cigarette and stared at Hajime frantically.

Chibi shouted, "Hey... who the hell are you?" He stared at Kenji frantically.

Kenji said politely, "I'm Hajime's friend, Kenji Tsukumo."

Chibi said angrily, "I don't care who you are, but do you know that my Hajime is a minor. I will report you and let the police prosecute you for kidnapping."

Hajime said madly, "It's none of your business. I don't interfere with you and my mother's affairs, so you don't interfere with mine either."

Chibi rushed forward, raised his hand and slapped Hajime across the face. "How dare you talk back to me," he said frantically. He raised his hand again to slap Hajime, but this time Kenji grabbed Chibi's hand.

Kenji said, "If you dare to raise your hand to hit Hajime-kun again, I will report you for child abuse." He pushed Chibi away from Hajime.

Chibi gritted his teeth and said wildly, "He is my son... I can do whatever I want."

Hajime said, "You're not my father, you're just someone my mother dated." He turned to Kenji. "You can go now."

Kenji grabbed Hajime's hand. He took out his phone and put it in Hajime's hand. "If this person is harassing you or hitting you, call the police immediately," he said.

Hajime took Kenji's cell phone. He replied, "Mmm."

Kenji looked at Chibi and said, "I'll be back tomorrow morning. If I see Hajime has a new bruise on him, I will definitely call the police."

Chibi pushed Hajime into the apartment, and then slammed the door shut. He grabbed the picture from the shelf in his right hand. He said angrily, "Hajime…" Hajime turned around, and Chibi smashed the photo frame on Hajime's face, knocking Hajime to the ground. He jumped on top of Hajime and started to grab Hajime's throat with his hands. "How dare you talk back to me...huh? How dare you..."