A True Friend

[Flashback]

"..Takashi!"

"..TAKASHI!"

"UWAAAA-"

Takashi woke up from a scary dream!

"Idiot! Don't you know we are supposed to go for a run during the morning?!"

"Huh? We do?"

"Do you even know anything?!"

"I know you-"

Sfx: stare

"Huh...?" He stared

Takashi kept staring at the face,

Until he realised who it was.

"Ray-?!"

"Yeah...what's wrong?" Ray looked upset and confused.

"Takashi, I knew your mental state's screws are loose somewhere! But to this extent, I did not know that!" Ray laughed!

"Not that but-" Takashi had no idea of what was going on.

"C'mon, we don't have time to think, let's go go go!"

Sfx: pick

Pull!

"AAA-"

"Don't act like a weak girl!" Ray laughed as he violently picked up Takashi

And so, they began running out of all the sudden!

"Takashi, catch me"

"Why are we running?!"

"What the hell is happening with me!" Takashi was confused.

Sfx: run

Haah..haah...

"Here are they are at their games again..." Aimi said while she flipped the pages of her book.

"Aimi, want to run with us?!"

"No, thanks for the offer though." Aimi said as she sighed and went back to be focusing on her book.

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.

.

And so, they kept running until they

Reached the ground.

At the orphanage ground

"Say, Ray, what are we doing here?!" Takashi began asking the questions that confused him the most first.

"Huh?! What do you mean? You asked me if we could always run together in the morning, so I came to help?" Ray said in an innocent voice.

"Not that, how are you alive, what am I witnessing infront me?"

Takashi went with his deep questions.

And as the tension continued to build, challenging Ray's intelligence

Sfx: breath

Breath...

A suspenseful yet sudden response came into action

.

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.

"Pfffffffft....!"

Sfx: laughter

"BAHAHAHAHAHAH...AAA!" Ray countinued laughing.

He thought, for Takashi had told him a joke.

"Are you serious... My guy, are you serious?!"

"Ray, please! Answer me!"

"Save these questions for my intelligent sister. I'm dumb, I'll manage the physical labour if you want!"

"Are you always like this?!" Takashi looked concerned.

"Oh c'mon! We are in an orphanage, my parents might not be, but I'm surely alive!" Ray sounded happy.

"Huh...? Is that so?"

Sfx: stare

Takashi looked around his body,

"This pen marks... It's a tattoo.."

"Yeah! It's still a little incomplete, do you like it?" Ray sounded curious,

He looked innocent. And yet so reliable.

[Takashi's Perspective]

All these memories that flood into me,

Are undeniably true.

Oh Ray, I'm glad I still remember you.

"Here- it's finished!" Ray looked over me as he finished his own drawing.

"Huh...? A flower? Why a flower?"

I was confused, not until Ray clarified it all for me.

"Because it's a sign of love, faith and hope!"

"I mean, isn't that what you are, to all of us?" Ray added.

"Wait... I am?"

"Yes! You are!"

As Ray countinued staring down my tattoo..

"And so-..." He countinued speaking...

I could still listen to him while I also had a beautiful field infront of me.

The list grasses, the green trees, greeneries that never end infront of my eyes, the blue sky met the grass with little clouds marching past the sun,

It was all so beautiful, Abstract and joyful.

Most importantly, the boy infront of me was the part of the scenery, no- he was the main element of this secenery I enjoyed.

"Takashi... Are you listening?!" Ray got a little mad

"Ahah... I am!"

"C'mon, let's move further!"

"To where?"

"Where, you ask? To there...beyond the sky, to happiness!" He said cheerfully.

Okay Ray, let's go to this field of yours then.

And as I giggled around with him, and running into the fields seeing him, I thought to myself

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.

.

Let's take a part into this fond memory of mine.

Chapter 53: A True Friend

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Outside the Orphanage, in the field

"So... Say, you wanna do some fun stuff with me?"

"Huh, fun stuff?" Takashi was confused.

What could this fun stuff be?

"Hmm, something like running?"

"Is that really fun for you?!" Takashi said furiously.

"UWAAAA- that's not fun for you?!?!" Ray was so confused that somebody didn't enjoy physical activities like him.

"I mean... It exhausts me, I feel all sweaty..."

"Let's do pushups then!"

"THATS STILL THE SAME!"

Takashi and Ray laughed with each other,

But then Ray countinued the conversation

"Hmm, then else could we do? I never feel sweaty and exhaustion from physical activities like you are telling me it does to you!" Ray said as he was confused.

To which, Takashi smiled and replied

"Hmm... Well, you always do go outside in the morning every day ever since you came here, and you come back all tired. Don't you brother and sister go all the time?"

"Eh-..."

Ray's eyes grew bold and wider, as he almost looked in the verge of insanity upon being asked THAT question.

Where did he go always with his sister? What did he do?

Was he a killer?

Suddenly, Takashi got concerned as he asked

"...Ray?"

To which, Ray suddenly replied with a change of face.

"Ah yeah! Maybe that could be the reason!"

"What was that face of yours-" Takashi indicated at something.

But Ray suddenly changed the topic

"Ah! Say, you're tired from running, which is basically using your energy over long distances isn't it?"

"Yeah... It is, I am quite sad."

"Well, how about you do something efficient?"

To which, Takashi looked and replied

"Poetry...? That's what I do"

"Nah! I am not into much of that philosophical stuff, you gotta learn it from my sister, not me!" Ray said proudly.

"Then... What else could I do?"

"Hmm, let's see... Something efficient, and yet serves the purpose of running, that is to travel over a longer distance..." Ray thought to himself very hard,

Until

Sfx: clap

Clap! Thump!

He jumped and thumped into his fists as he finally got th idea, to treat his firend with a way of doing something that he also does.

And with great joy and easier as he jolted from excitement, he said

"Hey, why don't you try cycling?!" Ray said while being excited.

"H-huh?!" Takashi blushed from embarassment.

And why wouldn't he?

"But...i-... I don't know how to cycle!"

Takashi said with embarassment

As he indeed had never even truly touched a cycle in his entire life.

He was an orphan.

After a few minutes, Ray came with a bike.

"Here, what do you call it, cycle or a bike?"

"I read about it in books, it's called a bicycle I think..." Takashi wasn't sure.

"Whatever, I call it a mechanical thing that moves when you step on a pedal!" Ray said with a happy voice.

"Huh? But I don't know how to ride one..."

"It's a waste..." Takashi sighs.

"..." Ray looked silent.

"Uh- s-sorry, did I make you mad?" Takashi looked scared for a moment.

But suddenly,

Smile...

"Hahah! No! It's never a waste! I'll teach, trust me!"

"Wait...what?"

"But...how will you teach me?" Takashi looked confused.

"Huh? It's simple, by simoli g holding the back and letting you ride free?" Ray said in a simple tone, as if it was a really normal thing for friends to do.

"Waa?! You'll do it...? For me...?"

"Yes dummy! For who else am I supposed to do it?"

"B-but...why?"

To this, Ray smiled as he took a sip of breath

He looked as if he was about to reply something that he had always wanted to say, but just got the right moment to do so

And so, he said

"It's because...you're my friend? What else could the reason be!"

"W-wha...? T-thats...so nice of you...!"

"Now, get on the cycle!"

And so, as Takashi sat...

"This is..."

Twitch...

"IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO BALANCE!"

WHAM! FALL!

"AAAAA-"

Takashi nearly accepted hsjf ate as he fell from the cycle

But within a few seconds as he was almost going to touch the ground and hit his head,

Thinking,

Damn, I could really never learn a cycle would I?

Grab!

"Saved ya...!"

Ray saved Takashi from falling!

"What?!"

"You didn't have to..." Takashi said while being embarassed.

"Now, don't just whine about it, start pedalling!"

"But you- ..."

"Why, you don't like me? Hahah ...!" Ray laughed.

"N;no! Not like that, it's just that I am very embarassed are you going to hold the cycle until I learn it fully?" Takashi said with a flustered voice.

"Yes, ofcourse I am going to hold it!"

"B-but...won't you be tired? You don't have to...."

"Stop it with your buts! Now get moving!"

Push!

"UWAAAAH-"

Ray had pushed Takashi

Due to which,

Takashi suddenly started moving!

"H-HELP! I REALLY CANT BALANCE THIS THING!"

"Stop getting so frustrated and panicking, and instead focus on pedalling the thing!" Ray said with a voice full of motivation and determination!

And as Takashi kept pedalling,

Ray thought to himself

Hmm, in order to reduce his stress and focus, I have dig and stab the idea of balancing and riding the cycle into the very subconscious mind of his, and I know HOW TO DO, JUST THAT! BY TALKING! He smiled as he thought through his master plan.

"So... Takashi, what is the first thing that you should always focus when driving, what do you think is it?"

"Umm...i- I..I don't know!" Takashi said as he was concentrating on the cycle, being not able to answer anything on the moment.

"Well, let me tell you. The first rule you learn learn as a driver, it's to always concentrate on everything. Including my voice, what you hear, what you see and what you feel to do at the moment. You have to take care of the passengers and prioritise everyone's safety at the moment."

"Passengers...?"

"Yeah, passengers! Don't you want to take someone on the ride when you finally learn this thing?"

"I mean, you are better than me at cycling obviously you will be the one giving me rides, how could I be-"

"Hahah! You really thought of nobody else but only me when it came to be giving someone a ride? Takashi, you're a sweet person!"

"Ah, well, why are you helping me today? Don't you have to go with your sister for the morning walk?" Takashi said with visible confusion

To this, Ray started sweating.

"Eh-"

He couldn't answer the question.

But still, he said

"Well, I won't go today. I wish to see what happens if I dont go one day." With anger in his voice.

"Huh? Happens what?" Takashi was confused.

"Oh! Did I say something? Never mind, anyways..." Ray quickly turned the topic

"Now, what's the second thing you must keep in mind?" Ray added.

"Uhh...I don't know?"

"Why don't you ever guess anything? Well, it's to always... GET IN SPEED!" Ray said

As he suddenly,

"huh...? UWAA-"

Ray pushed Takashi, as he Takashi went free without the help of Ray, now to balance the cycle on his own!

"HELP! I CANT DO THIS!" Takashi panicked

"are you stupid?! I'm still right behind you! Holding the cycle, you won't fall!" Ray lied to Takashi.

It was essential, only then would Takashi have the confidence, wouldn't he?

"Huh?! Is that so-" Takashi was about to turn.

"Wait! Don't turn back!"

"Huh?"

"Yeah! If you turn back, you'll fall immediately! Look in front!" Ray covered his lies.

"AHHH- OKAY" Takashi panicked.

And so, Takashi began cycling with a little confidence into him, but suddenly-

"He's starting to get better in just a few minutes...!" Ray was proud!

But then...

WHAM! CRASH!

"Oww!"

"Takashi!"

"Watch your steps, boy." Said another boy, he was tall, and had kicked Takashi which caused him to fall down

"I- I'm sorry!-"

"Tsk. A sorry won't just fix everything you just did, how about you lick my shoes?"

"I-...what?!" Takashi was confused.

"Huh? What is it man, what's seems to be the problem over here?" Ray stepped in front of Takashi, as he went to defend him.

"Oh wow, another little kid to be bullied? Takashi, you bring alot of kids for me to play with? Why, is my name that powerful, that they mistake me instead of you for it?" Said Takashi, while laughing.

The difference was, one Takashi was a bully, while the other was a victim.

"Hey, back off!" Said the bully.

"Back off from what huh?" Ray defended the victim, Takashi behind him.

"so you're not gonna listen to me, isn't it?" Takashi went infront of Ray.

Meanwhile the victim Takashi trembled behind their backs.

"G-guys..."

"So, you're sure whom you're going to take a fight with?" The bully flexed his biceps.

"Muscles don't work in a fight, did you know that?" Ray smiled.

"Huh?! Bastard-"

"I don't have parents to begin with." Ray replied to him being called a 'Bastard'

"UGHHH YOU-"

"ILL FUCKING KILL YOU-" The Bully added, as he raised his arms

To which, Ray smiled only a little, as he said with a calm voice

"You don't even have one percent of what it actually takes to kill somebody, do you know?"

"UGHHH YOU BASTARD-"

BULLY TAKASHI RAISED HIS HANDS TO GRAB RAY'S NECK, BUT THEN-

sfx: punch

"YOU DON'T REALISE YOU SHOULDN'T MURDER A MURDERER-"

PUNCH! POW!

"AGHHHH-" the bully fell to his ground

"Wh-whaa...?" The victim, Takashi, was confused.

What had just happened?

What had Ray just said?

"GUYS.... PLEASE STOOOOOPPPPPPPPP!!!!!"

TAKASHI, HAD WENT INTO INSANITY

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Now, At the Main Room

"STOOOOOOOOOPPPPP!!!!" Takashi said with a high voice.

"Oh my~ look who's the one to talk?" Aimi said in a controlled mannered voice.

She had crossed her arms, and entertained herself with whatever Takashi had to say.

For she thought, it were his last moments.

[Takashi's Perspective]

Ever since Ray died,

I had one goal in mind.

"Ahah...you know, ever thought how I knew where you wanted to go back there in Narita?" I smiled.

"Oh, someone was screaming a moment ago~" Aimi ignored the question.

"I'll take that as a yes. Even in the orphanage, you always ignored the questions you didn't want to answer."

"Eh-, don't ever talk about my past, bastard." Aimi said with a blank cold and an emotionless face.

"Well, I knew that Ray's fate is sealed the moment he was arrested for killing that man named Yuuki, and siding with you in the first place..."

"Yeah..and?"

"H-he...HE TRUSTED YOU! HE TRUSTED ME! HE KNEW YOU WERE HIS SISTER, AND YET YOU...DO THIS?!" I said with a look of disgust over my face

"I-... I knew that since I couldn't save Ray from dying, I had to atleast avenge his soul... And the reason he died, his biggest mistake, I had to fix it all for him..." I added.

"My brother, what has he even done for you?" Aimi looked curious.

"You ask that? Well, let's just say, he taught me how to 'cycle' through the world. And I went on his words to carry passengers, hence becoming the taxi driver."

"So he basically kept you a fool to never let anybody else know he was a drug addict and a killer, isn't it?"

"And so are you!"

"I don't do drugs, fufu~" Aimi said with a joyful expression.

It was clear she has no feelings of affection or even family for his own...dead brother!

"Well..t-that doesn't makes you any different to him! Truth is, i-...I knew he was a killer! But I kept it hidden, I wanted to believe in him... The love he showed for me, the friendship, whatever it was he had for me, I loved the days. And so, I never went my way to confront him..."

"And now that I'm here, it is because of him. As I knew Ray would be about to die, I also knew who is going to be killing him. It was you. I was sure of it. And why wouldn't I?..." I said with a little suspense to it.

"Hm?" Aimi seemed interested as she listened to me

"Because, I knew about the curse."

"W-what...?!"

Sfx: pull

"See my arm-"

"T-thats-" Aimi looked terrified, by what she saw.

And that was enough for me to traumatise her so that I can

"I still have a lot of things to talk about youj, unfortunately... IF YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, YOU'LL CAUSE MORE DAMAGE-"

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"AAAG-"

Sfx: twist, turn, punch!

Pow! Punch!

TAKASHI CROUCHED AS HE WENT FOR A HOOK PUNCH

"THAT SIGN-" AIMI WAS TERRIFIED, YET SHE DODGED IT

KICK!

Aimi spun around as she delivered a kick upto only Takashi's throat

"Kha!" Takashi coughed due to the kick he got as his neck

STRIKE!

Aimi quickly grabbed Takashi's neck in the moment as she striked it with her elbow

"NO MATTER HOW MUCH HIDE IT, YOU ARE ACTUALLY WEAK!" Said Takashi

Grab!

"Hyaah!" Despite the efforts, the adrenaline rushed Takashi grabbed Aimi's neck as he began choking her.

"MY LAST EFFORT, WAS TO DIE WHILE TAKING YOU DOWN!"

"Gaugh-...." Aimi said while she got comedy by Takashi.

"SO...TELL ME, HOW DOES IT FEEL?" Takashi said as he smiled menacingly.

Aimi was on the verge of passing out from choking, but suddenly she heard a noise

"Aimi!..." Said Ryou, at a distance, though he couldn't see what Aimi was doing.

Oh, who would tell Ryou, the end of a killer is finally here.

"With this Aimi...you'll...DIE!"

"GAUHH...N-NO..I WONT..." Said Aimi as he neck was all red.

And in the midst of this fight,

As Takashi thought Aimi's end was near. And surely it might be, Aimi was now coming to an end, with each second of her life at this point being pure hell for her... She must be at the verge of dying,

Or is it?

Sfx: laugh

"Gah...agh..ahah.." Aimi laughed a little

Despite being choked, she let out a small chuckle.

"Make those laughs all you want now, could it be your end words?" Takashi said as he countinued choking onto Aimi's neck.

"While you choked me, you didn't realise about Ray's ideology, did agh..you?" Said Aimi as she struggled a bit.

"Huh-" Takashi was taken aback by this

But then, suddenly

.

.

.

Poke!

"Wha...?"

"Stupid, aren't you one of them too?" Aimi smiled.

"What did you..."

AIMI HAD STABBED A 6 INCH LONG THICK NEEDLE, OR A NAIL INTO HIS THROAT.

"You couldn't realise what was going on, hm? You thought by having an adrenaline rush you would have the advantage, but turns out that chemical isn't always for your good~ fufu~" Aimi giggled...

"Ray... I couldn't ...do...your...wish.. sorry..."

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THUD!

and so, Takashi had lost his life.

The Taxi driver, the Real Takashi, or the Friend of Ray, is no longer here.

"Oh my, he touched my neck? Only Ryou deserves it." Aimi brushed off her neck.

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At the corridor

"We need to do something in order to stop Aimi!" Said Takashi, the others didn't knew

That he was a fake Takashi.

"Yes. Agreed, this fire will kill us!" Said Aoi.

"Well, I do have a plan." Minoru suggested.

"What is it?" Takashi and Aoi were curious.

"We have a secret that can be potentially used against Aimi, and this would distrupt her entire mind."

"What is it?"

"You see, her entire hatred is built on the fact that her father died on that massacre in her middle school, right?" Minoru said to the information he knew from Lee and Harold.

"Well, I have exactly a plan regarding that." He added.

"Tell us, about it, then." Aoi suggested.

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At the other side

"Thank you...for saving me..." Said Keiko.

"No problem pal, why the hell were you here?!" Lee said with a high voice.

"Cough! Cough!" Keiko coughed

"Well, I came here for the inspection...but I also knew I'd find you here..." Keiko said with a fulfilled voice.

"Huh? You knew I'd come here? For what reason?" Lee was concerned.

To which, Keiko replied with a dull voice he had

"Well, it's that I have something to tell you, Lee."

At the Corridor

"My plan is..." Minoru said.

"We are all ears" said Aoi.

"Let's send 'Lee', to confront Aimi."

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At the Front of The Main Room

"There will be more insects here..." Aimi indicated towards the team of accomplices against Aimi as she liked through the floor plan.

"Fufu~ they came here to take my Ryou and arrest me. So cute, isn't it?" She thought to herself.

"In order to defeat them..." She countinued.

"LET'S BEGIN MY MARCH~"