Raito looked out the window of the airplane. Wondering about the type of person his cousins and aunt were. His memories about them have faded and it was going to be like meeting them for the first time. As he looked out the window he would occasionally glance down towards his phone. He took in a deep breath before finally opening up a text message that was a week old from Morph. As he read the message tears fell down his face. He wanted to text back but didn’t know what to say. Eventually, he put the phone back into his pocket and just glanced out the window.

He could hear the glee and giggles from other people on the airplane. They were excited about visiting Japan and being surrounded by the culture. Wanting to visit manga bookstores, eat ramen at a small restaurant, watch people in cosplay walking around like it’s normal, and seeing everything nerdy. Raito tried to smile but just couldn’t bring himself to do it. His reflection just frowned right back at him. As if it was telling him that now was not the time to be happy.

As he got off the plane, he looked around the area to look for his cousins. Raito wasn’t sure what he was looking for but eventually spotted a sign that had his name written on it.  

He made his way towards the two me holding up the sign. Raito wasn’t feeling very confident as he approached them. “Keito? Reo?”

One of his cousins then yelled out in excitement as he wrapped his arms around Raito. Giving him the biggest hug he had ever had.

“Alright, calm down now so people don’t think we’re a bunch of drunk idiots,” Reo said. Reo wore glasses and clothes that looked like he had a meeting to attain.

“Aaaah, you’re off the clock. This is how Americans are, loud! Isn’t that right Raito?” Keito shouted while letting go of Raito. Keito was the complete opposite of Reo. Keito wore more casual clothes that you expected a teenager to wear.

A slight grin appeared on Raito’s face. “Compare to how people are in Japan. Us Americans probably sound like we’re constantly yelling.”

That made Keito laugh while Reo tried to hide his embarrassment from the situation. They then made their way to the train station. Neither one of them had a car but in Japan, most people choose to use public transportation as a way to get around. Within seconds they were off the train and were now on their way home.

The walk to their house was an awkward one. Raito didn’t know what to say or how to act. He kept on being very fidgety as if he forgot how to walk. He kept putting his hands in and out of his pockets. Walked slowly and then fast. Would be in the middle and then be behind one of his cousins. Looked straight and then down. It was obvious to his cousins that Raito felt like he didn’t belong.

Raito then felt an arm wrapped around his shoulder. It made him think of Flight before noticing it was Keito. “Your mom said you were a giant otaku. That you are big into anime, manga, and video games.”

The tension went from awkward to embarrassment as Raito was caught off guard. “Um, I mean. Yah. I want to make my own comic book one day.”

“Don’t expect that otaku crap in Nagoya.” Reo charmed in.

“Hey! He is our cousin. Don’t be so rude.” Keito barked.

Raito did notice that he didn’t see much of what he envisioned Japan to be like. It looked completely normal and so did all the people. The only difference was that everything had a Japanese aesthetic to it.

“Stuff like that is mostly in Tokyo and other cities that are popular with tourists. I hate tourists who think Japan is some fantasy world where anime is real. Japan is a real country just like everywhere else.” Reo continued.

Raito could hear in Reo’s tone that this was something that really made his blood boil. He wanted to speak out but wasn’t sure what he could say. He did have assumptions of Japan that were no different than the people he could hear on the airplane. It was both a reality check and a feeling of anger about himself.

“Don’t listen to him. Besides our cousin isn’t a tourist!” Keito shouted, “He’s here to be with family!”

Raito picked his head up and straighten out his back after hearing Keito defend him. Keito’s kindness and openness really sparked with Raito. He could feel his face trying to smile. He didn’t feel as awkward outside of Keito calling him an otaku. As Raito turned to face Keito. An image of Flight smiling back at him flashed in front of Raito’s eyes.

“Is there something on my face?” Keito questioned.

The image of Flight quickly vanished to reveal a very confused Keito. “Sorry. I just spaced out for a second.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

As they made it home, Raito was greeted by his aunt Yori. She was living with Reo and looked like a typical housewife. She wore an apron, modest clothes, and had her hair up in a bun.

“Oh my! Little Raito! I haven’t seen you since you were two-years-old!” Yori gleed as she gave him a big hug. “I have prepared a giant meal together for us as a family!”

Raito’s eyes widen as he was not expecting such a big greeting for his aunt. “I see where Keito gets his energy from.”

“And Reo has our dad’s no fun personality,” Keito teased.

“Don’t speak ill of the dead,” Reo snapped back as he sat himself down.

“Don’t mind him,” Yori said, “Reo had to grow up fast and forgets to not be so serious all the time.”

Yori did not hold back when it came to food. There were dumplings, rice, grilled fish, grilled meat, and noodles. Raito couldn’t help but laugh from the site.

“What’s so funny?” Keito asked.

“I thought this only happened on TV shows but I guess I was wrong.”

Keito started gabbing a little bit of everything. “Let’s get to know you more! Your dad is an American right?”

“Technically he’s German but was born and raised in America. I’ve lived in Germany, London, Texas, and Arizona where we live now.”

“So why did you guys move so much?” Reo asked.

“I can answer that. His dad is in the military. That’s how Ringo and he met. It was so romantic. He barely knew the language, but I could see that they really fell for each other. Ringo even started to learn English for him,” Yori explained.

“Her English has gotten a lot better. The constant moving made it hard for her to learn but she does her best,” Raito continued.

“You’re Japanese is impressive. I don’t even hear an accent when you talk. How long have you been practicing?” Keito asked.

“Since I was ten. But it wasn’t till this year I got really good at it,” said Raito, “I always loved my culture even though I had never really been to Japan-”

“And why is that?” Reo interrupted.

“Reo!” Yori yelled.

“It’s okay. He is just curious since mom and I have never really visited. My mom always wanted me to see her side of the family. My dad has none which is why he joined the military when my grandparents passed away. At least that’s what he told me.” Raito stopped eating and took a short pause as he stared into his bowl of rice. “Moving was hard on me and my mom. Just when we got comfortable, we had to leave. I purposely avoided getting attached to people and making friends because of it. Comic books were my escape from the real world. They were my friends that got to come with me when we had to leave our new home. My mom saw how unhappy I was. So, they made the decision that the next move would be the last one for me and her. She wanted me to be happy first, even if it meant her happiness. We never came to visit because as she put it. I needed to first have a place I could call home so when I left it, I knew where home was.”

Despite the one asking the questions. Reo was paying more attention to his food then to Raito. Not even bothering to look up at Raito as he ate. “So why now then?”  

“Dude, seriously?” Keito asked. “Why does it matter?”

“I want to know if he has a place he calls home or if there is some other reason why.” The tone in Reo’s voice sounded as if he was a cop interrogating a thief he had just caught.

Raito took out his phone and began to read the message from Morph. “I’m sorry you couldn’t come to the funeral. I know you two were close but you have to understand why we can’t have you come. I hope the next time I’m in town we can meet up again. I hope you don’t hate us.” Raito put his phone down and glared at Reo. Hoping that Reo would finally make actual eye contact while Raito spoke. “I couldn’t go to my best friend's funeral because of crappy reasons that I can’t say. My mom thought being around family would help my depression. Any more questions?” Raito’s hands were struggling to not make a fist. His lips quiver as he did not want to show his pain. He fought back his tears while his eyes shined a red color.

Reo finished his bowl of food, stood up, and stared back into Raito with no clear expression on his face. “Welcome to the real world then. Now you know what it feels like to be an adult.” He then left the room.

Raito didn’t know what to feel except that maybe this was a mistake.

“That guy can be such an asshole,” Keito chimed in, “ever since dad passed away. It’s like he forgot what being kind meant”

“He wasn’t always like that,” Yori joined in. “At one point he used to be the one everyone came to if they had a problem because of how sweet he was.”

“Now he’s always on my back for how I dress and that I should look for a better job. That running an arcade isn’t a grown-up job. It’s like he thinks you have to be miserable to be an adult.”

“Will I turn into him?” Raito thought to himself, “If I can’t move on from Flight’s death. Will I forget how to smile too?”

Raito, Keito, and Yukio finished eating before heading off to bed. Raito had to sleep in the living room while Yori went to her room and Keito leaving to go to his house.

It made Raito excited that at least one of his cousins wanted to show him a good time. But it wasn’t easy for him to fall asleep. For he couldn’t help staring at his suite case…which contained his new superhero outfit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leech stared into a black hole that acted as a mirror. Inside this mirror were six people gathered around outside in a graveyard. There was Morph, Soul, Doctor, and three unknowns. Leech could hear as each one gave a story about how Flight had touched their life. Tears were everywhere as everyone tried to hold themselves together but found it difficult to do so.

As they finished, the casket was lowered, and dirt was thrown on top until the hole was filled.

Leech did not cry, did not weep, nor did he frown. Only one expression was stuck on his face. Happiness. His smile did not waver and instead only grew bigger as the service came to a close. He moved his hands to feel his smile. He tried to change his smile to a frown with his fingers, but it didn’t work. The black hole then showed his own face to himself.

His reflection then spoke to him, “As long as we smile. Everything will be okay. Just smile. Just smile…Spencer. This is who we are.”