Enter: Courage vs Fear

"Hey Akio!" Himari shouted as she jumped on his back.

"AHHHHH" Akio screamed.

"You can't just sneak up on people like that!" He said as he calmed himself down

"Yes I can, I just did!" Himari replied with her usual smile and cheery attitude.

"That's not what I mea-, you know what? Nevermind!" Akio said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Someones a bit salty." Himari teased.

"Am not!" Akio replied

"Are too!" Himari said.

"Shut up!" Akio shouted as he started to get truly irritated.

"I guess you really don't want that second gift huh?" Himari said as a threat.

**Awkwardly laughs** "Himari it was a joke. You know I'd never tell you to shut up for real!" Akio said trying to salvage any chance of him getting that gift.

Akio began showering Himari with compliments for a whole minute until a taxi finally pulled up in front of them

The window rolled down and the driver was surprisingly not Mr. Watanabe but a skinny man with red hair and green eyes. Akio had never seen him before in his life.

"Hey kid are you Akio Takahashi?" The man asked.

"Depends on who's asking." Akio replied.

"I'm an old friend of Reo, he asked me to pick you up today because he had urgent matters to attend to" The man said.

"Reo? You mean old man Watanabe?" Akio asked curiously.

"Haha that's what you call him? Can't wait to use that one on him the next time I see him!" The man said as he laughed.

The man looked trustworthy enough. He said he knew Mr. Watanabe, he spoke english and he also drives a taxi so Akio didn't have much reason not to trust him. The only thing that Akio found weird is that he said "Old friends" but this guy looked like he was in his late 20s while Mr. Watanabe is in his early 60s.

"Excuse me sir can I get your name?" Akio asked the man.

"Of course I probably should've started with that. My name is Kaito Yamamoto." The man replied.

"Do you already know where I live Mr. Yamamoto?" Akio asked.

"Yup and you can drop the Mr. Yamamoto crap. Call me Kaito." Kaito replied.

Akio smiled and opened the car door to let Himari get in first, he then got inside himself and shut the door behind him. They then left the school premises and began driving in the direction of Akio's apartment.

****5 minutes later****

"Hey Kaito I haven't been able to wrap my head around this." Akio said curiously.

"What is it?" Kaito replied.

"How is it possible that you and old man Watanabe are old friends even though you're way younger than him?" Akio asked.

"Well that's simple really. My deceased wife was his daughter." Kaito replied.

"Oh my god how did she die?' Himari asked?

"She had been dealing with lung cancer for 2 years and one day the cancer got the better of her." Kaito replied.

"Im really sorry I asked" Akio said apologetically.

"It's ok kid I've learned how to live with it" He replied with a grin.

"How?!" Akio asked aggressively.

"How what?" Kaito replied in a confused tone.

"How did you learn to live with it?" Akito asked feeling a small hint of excitement thinking he'd finally get the answer.

"Well it happened 5 years ago and I went to a lot of therapy sessions but I'd say time was the best medicine" Kaito replied.

"WHY THE HELL DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT HUH? TIME TAKES TO FUCKING LONG AND I CAN'T WASTE IT WAITING ON MYSELF TO START FEELING BETTER!" Akio said very angrily.

"Calm down Akio! You asked for an answer and he gave you one. You can't get mad because it's not the one you want to hear." Himari said.

"Listen kid, that pain is never going to go away. That's just the facts. It'll just get easier to live with overtime and that only happens if you let it. Ok?" Kaito said with a very gentle tone.

"Whatever!" Akio said with a very annoyed tone.

The car ride became a silent one from then on, to the point where you could hear a needle drop.

They soon made it to Akio's apartment and Himari got out the car first.

"Listen Kaito I know you were just trying to help so I'm sorry for snapping at you like that" Akio said sincerely.

"It's ok kid, no harm done. You just need to fight whatever demon is holding you back from moving forward" Kaito said wisely.

"I'll try, see ya later!" Akio replied as he walked away from the taxi.

Kaito drove away and the 2 teens entered the apartment complex. Akio hoped that aunt Yui was either at work or asleep. Too bad for him she was awake, sort of.

"AUNT YUI GET TOO BED NOW!" Akio yelled at his drunk aunt.

**Burp** "You don't get to tell me what to do kiddo" She said with her words slurred.

"It's really nice to meet you ma'am" Himari said with her usual smile.

Aunt Yui started staring idly with her dark brown eyes at Himari. By the looks of her messy black hair you could tell that she went all out on that alcohol.

"Don't worry Akio I see it too. It's just as warm as hers" Yui thought as she smiled.

"I'll leave you two to it I guess" She said as she looked over at Akio.

"Great!" Akio said as he took Himari's hand and ran in the direction of his room.

"Oh yea and Akio?" Aunt Yui said before they could make it to the stairs.

"Yea aunty?" Akio replied.

"Don't forget to use protection!" Aunt Yui said with a huge smile and a thumbs up.

Akio's face turned red and he ran upstairs with Himari as quick as possible. Once they made it to his room he locked the door so his aunt couldn't disturb them.

"Your aunt is a lively character" Himari said cracking an awkward smile.

"Sorry about her. I don't bring people home often." Akio explained.

They both started talking on the bed until Himari noticed the archery trophies near the window behind them and asked him about them.

"Yea, I won 7 years in a row. The one all the way to the right is the one I won earlier this year." He said with a smile while rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh wow, your parents must be so proud" Himari replied not knowing what happened earlier this year.

Akio started looking at the floor as his smile turned into a frown so sad that you could read the depression from his face. A worried Himari thought she said something wrong.

"I haven't told you yet have I?" Akio asked in a shaky soft voice.

"Told me what?" Himari asked in a curious tone.

"Well I guess if we're going to be friends I should tell you this sooner rather than later." Akio said while cracking a fake smile.

"Tell me what Akio?" Himari asked more curious than ever.

"The day a single man took everything away from me" Akio replied.