Chapter 6: The Girl With the Comforting Smile

While trying to bow down to the men to be excused, he looked over to the girl and slowly began collecting memories of her blonde and long hair. Then, shocked, Suzuki looked at her, and as she turned around to face and kiss the other man, he suddenly noticed the back of her head. "It's her! Emiko?" He murmured as his focus drew in on the back of her head.

Kids were screaming, running, laughing, and crying. Yet, Suzuki hid behind a swing's pole. The pole was too skinny to hide anything, yet she was focused and didn't seem to bother with him. Playing in the sandpit, the girl was happy, laughing while digging through the sand with her friend. Still, Suzuki stood there, unable to attach himself to society and other kids.

He watched on as they laughed, and he stayed quiet. For him, it felt as if he was standing in the circle of a dark street, unable to move or speak. Unable to smile or cry. A blank note with nothing interesting to it.

He watched on as his world dimmed by the darkness. Then, standing there, he uttered. "I'm sick," but none seemed to care, he reached out to the girl, but seemingly she didn't bother to look back into the darkness.

In her lit circle, she remained, laughing and enjoying herself.

Suzuki lost all hope. "I'm lonely," he uttered with his chapped lips.

Finally, he managed to break free of the pole. Stepping over a stick, the girl heard the noise and looked back.

Suzuki, embarrassed, froze and stared into her eyes. Then, she smiled, and he felt a jolt of joy for the first time in his life.

The day after this incident, he became concentrated on the girl. He fancied being like her, learning her name, age, and hobbies from the darkness of his world.

Emiko was free and joyful. Content with her life, she was full of dreams. He spied on her for days on end, but all in an innocent attempt to befriend her.

Finally, amassing courage in his third year of Elementary school, he walked over to the girl. Seemingly smiling, he introduced himself. "Hello," he softly spoke behind the girl. She looked up and smiled at him. Then, courageous, he said, "How do you do?" Not giving enough time for the girl to answer, he continued. "Would like to be my frien..." but was unable to finish his sentence, pushed away by another boy. Suzuki watched from the ground. Emiko glanced at him while being lifted off the ground by her hand.

Separated from one another, the two stared at one another until she was out of sight. Crying on the ground, Suzuki called, "I was sure this would've worked. I read it in the book. The book was wrong?" He clenched his fist.

From this day, Suzuki's thawed-out heart started to freeze again, cold and distant the girl never again looked at him.

Lonely, Suzuki grew up unattached from reality. His soul ran hard but warm in a small dot. His mind harbored no joyful memories. Yet, his frozen heart contained kindness and humanity. Nothing like the others, hopeful for the future, is what kept that little part of his heart lit up and warm.

His motto was soon adopted "If I become rich, I will have friends."

His dreams of becoming rich sparked his thirst for knowledge. Then, finding a hobby, a job, and finally, a place to call home, he felt a pinch in his heart open up and thaw out. But all of this was not enough. All of this was only a part of the happiness he had set out to achieve.

Determined and hard-working, Suzuki tackled life head-on with a cold heart that never shattered. A heart that is in the process of healing from its injuries, he always prays for the best.

***

"Please get me out of this situation, God." He said as he looked at the two men.