Chapter 2: Prologue 2/3
The doorbell of the pet shop rang, drawing the attention of a girl hidden behind a huge tower of canned cat food. She had a can in both her hands and was about to carefully place them on the tower.
"You need to build a larger base, y'know? This thing will fall at the first and lightest wind blow", the voice of a male sounded, which brought out in her an urge to smile. For some reason, however, she struggled to keep a cool and relaxed countenance.
"Hm, is that so?" she distractedly murmured, only to realize something and nearly jump in surprise. "B-By the way, why didn't you come here yesterday afternoon? And why come here so early all of a sudden, Hayato?"
"I-Is it troublesome? I-I mean, I think you wouldn't want to be seen with me, right? It's busy in the morning, so... W-Well, I am going, then. Sorry."
"No", she sighed. "Don't be so insecure, please. I don't like when you act like this."
Hayato nodded. His cheeks burned hot and he lowered his head to hide his red face.
"Sorry, Tess."
She shook her head.
'You don't need to apologize, you know?' she thought as she looked to the side, staring at the side window of the store. She could see her reflex there. Her blond hair was tied in a poorly made bun, a few hair strands were loose which made it look worse. She wore no makeup and had the eyes of someone who had just woken up.
She also lowered her head once she felt her cheeks blushing. She fidgeted her fingers for a moment, trying to get rid of her embarrassment.
"Anyway, why are you here today?" her voice was strangely cute. It always was when she talked to him.
"I just want to buy some cat food. I forgot to buy it yesterday", he averted his eyes.
Tess squinted her eyes at him, giving a step in his direction and leaning forward. She had both hands behind her back and a severe look on her face.
"You sure?"
Hayato knew he would stutter if he tried to answer, so he shut his mouth and only nodded.
"Hmph. Liar! But I will let it pass, though you only hide crucial things from me", she gave her back to him, then walked to the cat food tower again, placing more cans on its base.
"They didn't beat you up again, did they?" she asked in a serious tone, but when she looked in his direction, he had disappeared in one of the corridors, searching for the food he always bought for Felix.
Tess sighed. She got up and walked to the cash register.
Hayato reappeared with two cans of cat food, a bowl, and a toy.
The girl looked at the items apprehensively.
"These are all for Felix?"
"Yes. I think he is missing to have something to play with. Besides, I don't like to give him food directly from the can. I guess he gets uncomfortable, too."
"Haha! To be honest with you, I doubt your cat has any problems with it. He was a street cat, you know? He had to eat from very strange places to survive."
"Doesn't mean that he has to do it now, though. He deserves a comfortable life."
Tess shut her mouth at his comeback. Her cheeks threatened to blush again, but she held her breath and pursed her lips as if to resist that urge.
She liked it when he acted like that, so assertively. After all, she was still a girl. Manly attitudes did draw her attention.
However, her face went from happy and proud to... sad, all of a sudden.
She did like the fact that her friend put so much thought into taking care of his cat, his companion. However...
"Isn't it a little unfair to yourself? Giving up on your desires and needs to give him, and only him, a comfortable life? I know you are not a weak and innocent little animal, but you are still flesh and bones."
"W-What are you saying? I don't really get what you mean", he averted his eyes and scratched his neck.
'So obvious...', she sighed, shaking her head.
"This money you are giving me... one-third is the money you take to school every morning to get your breakfast, right? Two-thirds is the money for your lunch. The last part is for your dinner and to buy something you want. That's how your parents distribute your daily allowance, right?"
He didn't answer so Tess only shook her head as she looked at the items on the counter.
"It doesn't matter, really. More than half of this money would lay in the hands of those bastards, anyway. I am spending it better with my cat than saving it to get food at school."
Her sad face shifted to one of agony and frustration. She closed her fingers one by one in tight fists, her eyes slightly teary.
"So, they are still beating you up. You lied just now, right?"
"I didn't say they beat me. I said they always take part of my allowance to buy their things", Hayato cautiously explained. He fidgeted his fingers as his eyes darted around. He looked like a little kid trying to get away with something wrong they did.
Before the silence of his one and only friend, Hayato gulped, then counted the cash quickly and put it on the counter.
"A-Anyway, even if they hurt me, you don't need to mind it. It's just the way it has always been since the start of high school, you know? Actually, even middle school was kind of hell. I am used to it."
He gave his back to her after taking all the items from the counter.
"I need to g-..." his phrase got interrupted once he heard hasty steps coming from behind. But before he could turn away to know what was going on, he felt two arms wrapping around his waist in a tender embrace.
"Of course I'd worry about you, even if I shouldn't. You are my friend and a very good person. Besides, my cousin is the one doing this to you. That's the more reason for me to feel responsible."
He felt her cold hand slipping under his shirt and raising it, revealing part of his trunk. As much as her touch was enticing to him, it also hurt a lot due to his now exposed bruises.
"You don't need to let it hurt and bear it alone, you know?" she whispered.
Hayato didn't know what to do. He got paralyzed, his mind was barely able to form a single word.
"Y-Yeah. I will make sure to remember this...", he awkwardly said.
Tess smiled as if she knew what the outcome would be in the end. She was accustomed to Hayato's naivety and slowness.
"Thank you, Tess", he put his hand on top of hers, caressing it. That was the most intimate contact he had with a female in his entire life, as sad as it sounds.
"I will visit you at six o'clock in the afternoon, ok? I want to see Felix and talk more with you", she said as she slowly withdrew, letting him go.
Hayato was still standing in the same place, not believing what he just experienced. He could only gather courage and energy to nod his head to her request (without really thinking about it, of course), then leave by the front door.
Once left alone, Tess let out a long sigh while rolling her eyes.
"Damn it, Tess. Why today of all days you decided to come in the morning with the worst look you have!? You should start getting the habit of wearing make-up every morning, just in case something like this happens!"
While Tess complained with herself and Hayato left the petshop, someone clinging onto the side window of the store left once he confirmed that the scene had ended.
The boy had a devilish smile on his face and was smoking a cigarette. He took a long drag, then tossed it on the side of the street, scaring a couple of two white pigeons.
"What interesting news, huh?"
****
"I think we've had enough of that bullshit, you know? Just lend us the money, jap", a boy too tall for his age shook his head as he took a sip from a bottle of an alcoholic drink. He seemed to be bored, his eyes were cold. Anybody who looked at him would guess right away that he was the apathetic type of kid.
"I don't have any with me today", Hayato, who had his knees on the ground and arms held by two other boys, said in a timid voice.
"But, that doesn't make sense, you know?" the tall boy calmly said. "How come you don't have any money? We stay the entire day inside this school and have two meals there: Breakfast and lunch. Some even buy something to eat in the middle of the afternoon. How come you don't have money with you when you need to eat like any other human being?"
The boy didn't wait for Hayato to answer, he crouched in front of him, spitting a bit of the liquid inside his mouth on Hayato's face.
"Do you think we are idiots or something? That's what you think?"
"No. I am just saying the truth", Hayato looked him in the eyes as he stated... which surprisingly convinced the boy.
"Well, you always scratch your neck and avert your eyes when you lie... But that's a hassle, you know. I don't seem like it, but I am really pissed. What will I do now? I spent all my allowance at the arcade and didn't bring any to buy food, expecting you would lend me some. How are you going to take responsibility for this, jap?"
Hayato barely opened his mouth but felt a hand lying heavily on his shoulder, which made the words get stuck in his throat.
"What are we gonna do if I cannot find any money to borrow today? Will I starve all day? Will you let me starve, jap?"
Hayato gulped, closing his eyes for a second. When he did so, he got slapped in the face.
"Look at me, jap."
"I am sorry."
"Ah... are you sorry?" the tall boy chuckled.
"Look, guys. He is sorry", he pointed at Hayato's miserable figure.
"You know, jap, I believe in you", he earnestly said.
"However, how are things going to be from now on, huh? I mean, what are you gonna do tomorrow or the next day? Today you leave me to starve, but afterward, you will... what? Piss on my shoes? Punch me in the face? Flirt with my mother? Kick me in the balls? Spit your food on my shirt? And then, all you gonna do is apologize, thus settling the problem?"
Hayato didn't even know what to say. There is no way in hell he would be able to do any of those things with that guy.
"I think we cannot leave things this way, right? What do you think? Huh? C'mon, answer me, don't be afraid. I truly want to know your opinion. I know I am an unre... unredimi... irrede..."
"Irredeemable, Trevor. Irredeemable", said a boy standing next to him while liting up a cigarette.
"Thanks. And blow this smoke in that direction. You are the only one here who likes this."
Trevor cleared his throat.
"So, I know I am an irredeemable son of a bitch that always messes with guys like you, but I am an earnest and calm person. I won't get upset by hearing your reply."
Hayato hesitated for a moment. Trevor eased his expression, inviting him to say whatever he wanted.
"I... I give you money every day. One day shouldn't hurt. Moreover, you have other people to rob... I mean, borrow money from."
"Were you going to say that I rob money?"
"N-No!"
"So, you are saying that I am deaf."
"No, I am not. Actually-"
"Then, are you saying that I lack basic English interpretation, that I cannot fully understand what you are implying? I am a clueless guy, is that so?"
Hayato stuttered so much that Trevor put his two fingers on his lips, demanding him to shut up.
"You don't need to be so tense, jap. Just be truthful. My job here is to make you grow some balls, be courageous, you know? I mean, I read somewhere that the japs have this thing called Kanji, right? Am I right, Wallace?"
"Y-Yes", Wallace coughed while blowing his smoke. "Kanji is the name."
"So, just by chance, I found that your name, Hay... Hay..."
"Hayato", Wallace helped him.
"Yes, Hayato. The kanji of this name means courage. It doesn't suit you, does it? But, hey, I am trying to make it so that your name actually represents a bit of yourself. I am a kind person, after all.
"See this guy here, releasing smoke like a chimney on a snowy December night? I used to beat him every single day. He had never gotten a bone broken until the day I knew him and broke his arm twice. He went through so much stress, that he began smoking daily.
"However, one day I burned an entire cigarette pack that he had just bought with his money for lunch. That was the last straw for him. So, do you know what he did?"
Hayato slowly shook his head negatively.
"He went into a frenzy and sent one of my friends to the hospital by hitting him with a chair right on his head. Then, he kicked another friend of mine in the face until he went unconscious. And, a second before the police came to stop our fistfight, he hit me with a lucky punch that broke one of my teeth. The next day, I began to hang out with him normally and he sticks with me to this day and is my most loyal partner. Funny, right?
"That's what I like about people, jap. They always have something inside them that they are not willing to show to the world. Some call it inner demons, I call it potential. And, you know what? I think you have a lot of potential inside you, and I like it."
For some reason, Hayato was trembling. He knew something was coming. He just knew it.
"You need to remember what I just revealed, jap. You need to carve it within your flesh, bone, and soul, to never forget it. Because the day will come, the day of the last straw, and that's when I will break you entirely, only for another human being to be born..."
Trevor walked toward his friend Wallace and took his cigarette from his mouth. Wallace pretended not to notice and took another cigarette, lighting it up.
Trevor crouched in front of Hayato again.
"I am a kind person, after all. That's what I do to people."
He passed his fingers on a curvy scar on Hayato's cheekbone that extended nearly to his jawline.
"I did this scar here for you to remember my name and know that you are now my toy, at least until I decide to promote you to a higher position... I did it because you are weak and had to be reminded of this fact every time you look in the mirror."
He took Hayato's left hand and exposed his wrist.
"This scar now is for you to remember what I just said, remember my true intentions."
He pressed the cigarette against Hayato's wrist, who tried to resist. However, the two guys holding him were way stronger and barely let him move, one of them even covered his mouth.
"Wallace, keep lighting up the cigarettes. I will aim to this same spot until the wound is bad enough to leave a permanent scar."
Hayato threatened to close his eyes, but got slapped once again. He didn't need to be told once more to know what he should do, so he stared at Trevor's eyes as a tear ran down from his own. He prepared himself for the pain.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone