The summer holidays were coming to an end for Daichi. Only a week left until he started at university. He couldn't wait but at the same time, he was nervous. All he knew how to do is street art. Random things. He regretted not practising for university because he spent most of the summer holidays locked in his room lazing around and feeling constant feelings of sorrow, unlike his peers who spent most of their days at the beach. He had one week left to redeem himself and he knew who could help him.

The problem is that he didn't want help from the certain artist's he had in mind. The first he had on his mind was his little sister, Ayako who was an expert at drawing but he was afraid of being ridiculed for asking his little sister for help. It would shatter his already bruised ego and he would have to quit university because of his depression.

The other artist to ask was his friend Kalonji. But he was afraid to talk to Kalonji after nearly getting him killed and scarring him for life. It would just ruin their already strained relationship. He hadn't spoken to him ever since that traumatic incident. He was aware that Kalonji was still suffering from nightmares. What was even worse was that Kalonji had to lie about the incident to his parents to avoid getting into trouble for sneaking out.

He had a feeling both of them had a grudge on him for leading them to danger. If so he had lost both his only friends. Friends that shared the same interests as him.

Daichi didn't even know what to do know. He slammed his head to his desk and closed his eyes slowly the light fading into darkness as he did so.

A whole week passed by and Daichi's hopelessness only increased. After having a shower and getting his clothes ready he got himself dressed.

He was wearing black trousers and a long-sleeved black top. He thought he looked like a total nerd. His mother had forced him to wear those clothes. She said wearing bright clothes to art will only distract the viewers and attract attention to themselves away from their art. On his desk was a beret hat that his uncle had brought him but he didn't like the look of it so he didn't bother to touch it.

His heart pounded in his chest as he put on his shoes. He thought deeply about it. He was actually starting at university. No more high school. No more bullies. He had the chance to renew himself completely so he had to make a good impression. He had to use his hidden charm.

Good morning. What is your name? How are you

Things like that he repeated constantly in his head fearful of failure. After tying his shoelaces and putting on his empty bag he hurried down the stairs. He could hear his mother near the front door talking on the phone. The moment she saw him she stared in shock. Whatever she was saying she had stopped saying it.

"My son has finally grown up. I can't believe it" she said with a broad smile on her face. She held her arms out to hug him but Daichi pulled himself away.

"I'm going now, bye" He waved behind him before swinging open the door and glanced at the silver watch on his wrist ticking on his right arm.

"Sh--"

"Come here Daichi! Let me take a picture of you before you go! Your first day at university!"

"N-No. I'm late. Cya!"

Daichi dashed out of the house slamming the door behind him and pulled the gate open and continued his dash.

Did I take too long showering? he wondered.

After running through the alleyway he turned the street corner and sprinted past his neighbours who glared at him expecting him to be up to no good. His spiky hair bounced up and down as he ran. He waited at the bus stop relieved and grateful that it was nearby to his house. Behind the bus stop was a row of shops that ended at the alleyway that led directly to his house. Another alleyway behind the shops separated the shops and the houses that were on his street.

Daichi was happy he didn't have to see his moody neighbours at the bus stop. He was the only one sitting there.

"Kogo! Stop bouncing that football near the road!" A woman cried out.

Approaching the bus stop Daichi sat at was a young brown-haired, wide-eyed boy wearing school uniform and his mother who was wearing a grey fur hooded coat. When Daichi glanced at them again the boy was attempting to run in the road to catch the ball he had dropped. The ball was rolling in front of the halted traffic waiting at the intersection traffic lights. His mother held him back.

"Mummy! My football is gonna get run over!"

"So will you if you go in the road. Do you know what happens? You don't pop like the ball. You die!"

Daichi sighed and stood up from his seat.

"He,y Taya. Do you need me to get it?" He asked as politely as he could only to receive a frown from her.

"You're Daichi. The troublemaker. What the hell do you want anyways idiot?"

"You're welcome" Daichi said smiling, unfazed by her impertinence.

He walked into the road as cars drove towards him and waved his arms in the air frantically like a crazy person. He then put his arm out showing them his palm forcing the car to stop. He was acting as if he was a crossing guard holding a stop sign to halt the traffic.

"Wait!" He shouted.

He bent down and grabbed the football holding it between his arm and his chest.

"Get the hell outta the way!" The driver yelled.

Daichi's face twitched. He was trying not to lose his composure and get worked up. He walked over to the boy whose eyes watered and held the football out in front of him smiling.

"Take it" he said in a pleasant voice.

Kogo took it and smiled at Daichi.

"Thank you very much big man" he squeaked.

"You're welcome"

Taya couldn't help but stand there wide-mouthed.

"Daichi!" She called out when he turned. Daichi looked over his shoulder.

"Hm?"

"Thank you" She thanked him with a smile on her face.

"Pft, don't thank me. I did it for your son. If it was your football I would happily let it get popped under those tyres"

When he said that the woman's smile had turned into a frown again. The white and blue bus pulled over at the bus stop. Daichi took out his bus pass and scanned it as he boarded the bus. He made his way to the back of the bus where the seats were empty. He tapped his glasses again with his finger.

"So that was you Daichi. The crazy guy waving his arms in the air"

Daichi raised his head to look. He sighed and shook his head in an attempt to deter Chieko from sitting near him. He didn't want to be tormented by her once again. She was one of the many people to cause him to fall into a depression over the summer holidays and made him quit art. She was his neighbour, of course, she would board the same bus as him. Daichi was more worried that Kalonji and Rento might board the bus too at the next few stops. The bus engine roared as it began to drive.

"So you're going to Kanrei university huh"

"Kanrei university? It's in Kanrei?!" The panic quavered his voice.

"Wow, you don't even know what your own university is called? Well I'm going there too"

Daichi distracted his thoughts from what she had just said.

"So what are you doing? I see you're wearing black clothes too"

"I'm doing art as well. Didn't I tell you?"

"No"

Daichi tried to shake away the worrisome thoughts he had. He hit his fist against his forehead.

"What are you doing? You've been acting weird ever since you left school. First, you've been in a deep depression this whole holiday and just now you leapt dramatically to rescue the football in the road for a neighbour who doesn't even like you"

"I didn't do it for her. I did it for the boy"

"That's strange for you to say. This coming from the guy who enjoys messing with people's lives"

"I don't enjoy messing with people. In fact, I don't mess with anyone anyways. And what's wrong with me? Just 'cause I'm being nice for once doesn't mean I've lost my sanity. Damn"

Chieko chuckled.

"If anything I'd say you enjoy messing with people's lives. You and my mum and several others. The whole damn neighbourhood. You all criticize my art. Who cares if it's on-street? It doesn't look so bad and if so why haven't you all rubbed it off already instead of wasting your time leering at it?"

Even after Daichi's rant, Chieko was still smiling.

"Awww, Daichi's going to cry. Don't worry, maybe you should let that tear fall out while no one is looking. There are only three others on this bus but we're the only ones at the back" she said before laughing mockingly.

"Everyone says that to me. Let that tear fall outta that eye. I can't. My tears dried up long ago"

Chieko stopped her from laughing and listened to him more seriously dropping her smile.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

"What do you mean?"

"The last time I cried was....right after hearing about my father's death"

Chieko's eyebrows pulled up and she looked down towards her shoes.

"Daichi, they always say this. The class clown is always the one that suffers. From the outside, they look happy but inside they are hurt. Maybe I misunderstood you, I'm--"

"Bus stopping at Kanrei road!"

Chieko was interrupted by the speakers that made an announcement. Chieko watched Daichi as he dozed off, concern in her eyes. When the bus stopped she got up and tapped Daichi on his shoulder waking him up from his short nap.

"Open your eyes, we're here"

"I...fell asleep so quickly? I was so nervous I didn't get much sleep last night. Thanks"

Daichi got up and followed Chieko out of the bus adjusting his crooked glasses on his face. After adjusting them Daichi looked ahead assessing the area.

At the other side of the road was a row of shops. Behind him was....the train station he had graffitied on a month ago. The sight of the decaying station sent chills down his spine.

"Are you ok Daichi?"

Daichi nodded his head and walked beside Chieko.

"So the university is on the other side of this train station?"

Daichi nodded once again staying silent. Chieko glanced at him as he looked around the streets cautiously watching as everyone passed by. A man in a suit walked around the corner. Daichi's heart jumped in his chest and he stumbled back hitting against a bin. He trembled as he watched the unbothered man walk past Chieko.

After the man passed by Daichi hurried back to Chieko watching as the man left his view.

"What's wrong with you? You scared of men in black suits?"

"No"

"You're not gonna die yet Daichi. They won't need to arrange your funeral anytime soon"

"I hope not"

They crossed the road at the crossing when the crossing light turned green. Opposite the train station was the university building.

The modern, glass, rectangular-shaped building with two other campus's towering over it. In front of the building near the entrance were two large areas of fresh, green grass. In between the two areas of grass was a path that lead to the entrance, two big glass doors. Growing out of the grass was several cherry blossom trees that swayed side to side in the gentle breeze.

Daichi was impressed by the architecture.

Just the view of it brought back his smile. The two of them followed the path and approached the opened doors. There stood a woman holding a clipboard. She was wearing a black tailored dress and glasses over her narrow eyes. She smiled at the sight of Daichi and Chieko.

"Hello Daichi, Chieko. Call me professor Soseki. Nice to meet you" she beamed.

"Nice to meet you too" Chieko said shaking her hand.

When she held her hand out in Daichi's direction he gripped her hand and shook it tightly.

"Nice to meet you professor Soseki" he said trying his best to make a good first impression.

A corner of his mouth lifted the longer he shook her soft hand.

"You can go in and relax if you want. Your lessons don't start until nine. You have thirty minutes to walk around, explore the campus and meet new people. Or you can go wander around or buy yourself some lunch if you'd prefer to have your own. Today's lunch is chicken noodles"

"Chicken noodles are the best" Chieko stated.

Daichi turned his back to them and looked ahead at the derelict.

"I'd rather go to the shop. I didn't even have breakfast yet. Also, I was craving a chicken sandwich. I had the best one the other day"

Chieko froze up for a moment after realising what he had just said.

"A chicken sandwich?! Are you kidding me?! That's sooo boring!!!" Chieko snickered at him.

"Cya in a bit Chieko"

Daichi walked the path ignoring Chieko's ridiculous laughter. He walked past another student who walked with his hands in his pockets. He was about six-foot and had spiky, red hair with a pronounced jawline like Daichi's. Daichi could tell that he was going to be popular amongst the girls. Daichi stopped and looked behind him watching as Chieko walked into the building.

He crossed the road and walked beside the station. Under the little roof that the concrete pillars held up was a homeless man sitting on a cardboard box with his legs crossed. In front of him was a wooden sign that read...

"Please give me food I'm starving"

His whole face was covered with hair. He was looking ahead at the expensive university building. Probably comparing his life to the privileged students. Daichi reached into his pocket taking out his wallet and opened it up. The desperate eyes of the old man locked onto the wallet.

"Here" Daichi held the coins in his palm and reached over to him smiling. The old man took the coins from his hand and tucked them away behind him.

"Thank you so much. Bless you, young man. Now I can buy food" His voice was croaky.

"Hey, don't worry about that. I will buy you food with my remaining money"

"Aw thank you. God bless you. It seems like there are still angels left in this world"

"Wait here, I'll come back"

The old man nodded and watched Daichi walk grateful for his help. Daichi crossed the road and walked to the shops. There were loads of shops to choose from but he chose to go into the supermarket. He walked the aisles looking at every shelf.

"Sandwiches. I forgot to ask the old man if he wants some too" Daichi muttered.

He spotted the price label but was disappointed to find out that his favourite sandwich was out of stock.

"Oh well, I'll just eat some noodles. But I gotta buy grey head some food though"

Daichi reached to grab the ham and cheese sandwich until he heard yelling coming from the counter.

"Ahh! He's got a gun!"

Daichi's heartbeat became rapid all of a sudden after hearing that. His mind overflowed with all the bad experiences he had at the train station. The scene of the woman carrying the dead boy over her shoulders replayed in his head. Even with the commotion going on at the front of the store Daichi snatched the sandwich off the shelf to keep his promise to the old man even if he had to steal it. When he grabbed it he ran through the aisle and headed for the exit until...

"Hands up!!!"

Swarms of masked people wearing sunglasses stormed the store blocking the exit and pointing guns at everyone they set their eyes upon. They had AK-47s in hand. Big guns. Daichi felt as if he was about to relive a scene from his favourite action movie. Except this was all real. Anyone could die at any moment.

Daichi's breathing accelerated and shivers were sent through his flesh. He felt breathless as his heart whacked his chest bone. Goosebumps formed on his skin. His hands were shaking so much that he struggled to grip the sandwich box properly dropping it when his fingers gave in. The sweat that beaded out of his skin felt hot. The realisation of the situation made his heart drop. There was no escape. No university. Only death was the escape. He was so fearful that he could foresee his own funeral. His wide eyes gaped towards them as they marched to his aisle.

"Fuck fuck!!!" He whispered.

"Get the cash out of it!!!" He heard one of them shout. Then there was loud banging.

"Put your hands up bitch!!!"

The thug's aggressive tone automatically made Daichi submit to him and do as he demanded. Daichi slowly lifted both arms.

"Get on your knees like everyone else in this store!"

Daichi slowly lowered himself down. His natural reaction to orders he was forced to follow was to rebel against them. He hated being told what to do. The moment his knee hit the floor a sharp pain stung across the side of his face. He let out a shriek of pain as he fell to the floor laying on his side. His eyesight blurred as he heard nothing but ringing in his head. He felt a warm, metallic taste in his mouth. The stinging pain in the side of his face was too unbearable, the warm, wet feeling on his face burned his skin.

"You took too long bitch!"

He sat up and got on his knees as the man raised his gun and rested it on his shoulders, laughing like a maniac.

Blood spilt down Daichi's face dripping onto his trousers as he looked down. His glasses were twisted on his face. Behind the shelf, in the aisle next to him he heard a baby crying after gaining his senses back. But his head was still ringing.

"Sir! This baby is not cooperating with us!"

"Ok! I'll just--"

"Don't hurt him! He's just a baby. I gave birth to him only a month ago!" A woman yelled out.

"Do me a favour and shut the fuck up"

THWACK

The crying of the baby had stopped. Daichi heard the last squeak it made. A deep wave of anger spilt out of his heart. Why? Why the baby? Why an innocent baby? Did he even know what's going on? Why the baby? he asked himself. The woman began to wail loudly.

"It's better he doesn't grow up seeing guns to his mother's head. Or else he'll turn into another version of me and that wouldn't be good to see. He's a threat to us so I had to"

Despite his battered face Daichi stood up slowly dangling his arms.

"You bastards!!!" he shouted attracting the attention of the gunman that hit him.

"What are you smoking? Crack? I dare you to repeat that"

"Shut up!!!"

The man marched towards Daichi and pressed the gun against his chest.

"This goes straight through your heart"

His sinister voice was enough to send the chills down Daichi's spine but Daichi's rage was unstoppable. The man pulled his arm back and then thrust the tip of the gun into his stomach pushing him to the ground. Daichi gasped for air desperately after being winded.

"Bye-bye bitch!"

"Wait!!!" A man shouted.

The same man who hit a baby stood at the end of the aisle. He walked up to Daichi who struggled to get up and pressed his pointy shoe on Daichi's forehead. The blood on Daichi's head spilt down on his ear.

The man's eyes were covered with his sunglasses. He had a jagged grin on his face. His black hair was tied back into a shoulder-length ponytail. He was pale as a ghost and had rough, wrinkly skin on his face. Unlike the other gunmen, he was wearing a black suit and black gloves. Daichi figured out that he was the leader of this robbery.

"You're the young man who has been spraying all that shit in our station. It's so hideous I don't think you could get through university with that"

"Shut up!!!"

The man stomped Daichi's face bruising his forehead and breaking his glasses. Daichi's eye's shut automatically. All of his memories and thoughts were fading.

Darkness.

Death.

After forcing his battered body to stay awake after the beating he had finally given in to his pain.

Eternal darkness.

Chieko was sitting in the art room on a wooden table facing a purple-haired girl opposite her. Both of them were drawing sketches.

"Oh my. You remind me of someone. I think you will get along with my friend. His name is Daichi. He's a pretty funny guy when you get to know him"

"Where is he?" The soft-spoken girl asked directing her curious eyes at Chieko.

"Good question. I wonder where he is. He went to go to the shop to get his boring sandwich but he hasn't come back yet. It's nearly been an hour"

"An hour? That sounds concerning"

Chieko scoffed and sat up in her chair.

"That guy never fails to amuse me. Knowing him he probably got lost. Or he's just bunking like an idiot. That nerdy-looking fool will end up in a grave in no time if he hangs around here"

"He looks nerdy?"

The girl inquired pushing up her glasses.

"Uh, he's just weird-looking"

"Is he handsome?"

"Pft, when you see him you will find out"

"So is he good at art then?"

Chieko nodded her head at her question.

"Then I can't wait to meet him"

Chieko stopped sketching for a moment and stared blankly. This time she was really concerned about him.

The engine was revving loudly. That's the first sound Daichi heard since waking up. When he opened his eyes(his right one swollen) all he saw was darkness. He had lost his glasses and his bad eyesight made the darkness blurry. He moved his hand slightly and reached up. A rubbery surface touched the skin on his fingers. He could feel the dried blood on his face and his head was aching.

"Did you call master Ichiro to tell him the robbery was successful?"

"Yes, don't worry master Kawazu. I told him that we have a hostage with us too"

"Hey, don't you think that boy looked a lot like the traitor?"

"What traitor?"

"You remember? The bastard who thought it was a good idea to abandon us and flee the country after escaping prison"

"Soma Saito?"

"Yes"

"Then why don't you just say his name Kawazu?"

"I don't want him to be remembered in this world. I don't want to give him relevance. He's the one who shot me in the back. I'm so lucky I escaped. He would've murdered me like the rest of them"

"Yeah, I heard you, Motoko and Ichiro were the only survivors"

"Yeah, if that is his son we will kill him"

Daichi gulped.

The car stopped suddenly launching him into the door and hitting his head once more. Again. His eyes forcibly closed.

Darkness again.

"Why won't this boy just wake the fuck up!!! Has he really been sleeping all this time?"

The first words Daichi heard clearly was..."Sleeping all this time?" the rest sounded like gibberish.

He opened his eyes to see a group of men glaring at him. The one that stood out the most to him was the man in the suit. The man who kicked him unconscious. The same man who killed the baby. Daichi glared at the man and attempted to move his arms and legs until he was pulled back down. His wrists were

strapped to the chair along with his ankles.

"What the fuck do you want me for?!" Daichi screeched.

"I heard about you. The boy who's been doing graffiti on our tracks but that's not the only reason why we choose to bring you here out of all the hostages in the store. The reason is that you resemble a certain someone. That certain someone is...Soma Saito. That little shit really thought he could escape us. Ichiro made sure to slice him up like pepperoni"

The man's taunts only made Daichi twist and turn in his chair, snarling at him like a savage, chained dog desperate to be released so it could attack its target. Daichi's eyes were wide open.

"Are you his son?"

"Yes" Daichi admitted it confidently with a grin on his face.

Daichi knew that even if he lied he would be killed. He thought that maybe he might be given a chance if he told them the truth.

His overconfidence brought a wicked smile to the man's face.

"I've been hunting for his family ever since he died. It seems like you moved out of Kanrei and somewhere else. But somehow you found yourself in Kanrei again. Your hometown. How unfortunate. Your mother thought you were finally safe but nooo, we still exist. The

Samawura Clan will rise again and we will--"

"Shut up the fuck up! I'll kick your brain out!!!" Daichi vociferated.

A dark presence consumed Daichi. He twisted and turned his body and was still grinning. He was acting as if he was possessed by a demon entity.

"You're a brave boy aren't you? We'll see how brave you are without any teeth in your mouth"

The man reached into his suit jacket and whipped out his handgun.

"A pistol? Do you think that's enough to kill me?! Well, shoot me then you little bitch!!! I'll skin you all alive, bite the shit out of your fucking flesh and burn your flesh to smithereens in my oven and I'll flush your ashes down the toilet you baby-killing assholes, fuck you!!!" Daichi kept jerking his body forwards whilst shouting so loud his voice cracked.

At this moment Daichi had lost his way completely. His soul had been consumed by the devilish energy that surrounded him.

"You talk too much"

One bullet burst out of the handgun deafening everyone surrounding it.