Chapter 26: Angel of Courage

"When I was in middle school, I was in love with another student. A boy. Takaki, Eiji." Hinata smiled weakly. "He loved me."

A coughing fit overcame him.

Rocko rushed for some water near a pale by his side. He eased some into Hinata's mouth.

"Yah don't have to tell me." He reassured Hinata.

"No. I want to tell you," Hinata said when he felt well enough to speak. "I have to."

Rocko listened, with an uneasy heart, as Hinata recounted the problems he and his family had suffered.

It was before his time in the countryside. One particular part of Hinata's grief-stricken story was during his final year of middle school. He was fifteen years old.

"I wasn't able to finish middle school, because of the gang bullying," Hinata soberly said.

He had been an instant bully target when others found out about his love for a boy. Especially when this boy was popular and a highly respected person in the community.

Eiji wasn't seen as the problem. A lot of kids had believed Hinata was using his beauty to trick him into submission. Or that Hinata had somehow cast an enchantment over Eiji.

"Kids would wait around the back gates for me after school. They'd drag me into the back of the gym. Then they'd beat on me." Hinata sighed. "I'm no stranger to beatings."

Rocko sighed, having noticed a lot of faded scars all over Hinata's body. Especially his back and buttocks area. His heartfelt heavy with sorrow as he continued to listen.

Boys would string Hinata up on a pole, naked, with the pretense of punishing him as a beguiling witch. Repeatedly he was whipped, punched, and abused. The abusers never attacked Hinata's face, or visible areas of his body, to ensure questions wouldn't be raised with teachers.

"Every time, Eiji-san would rush in to save me." Hinata sighed. "That made matters worse."

Both Eiji and Hinata had dropped out of their schools. Unable to suffer the many times Eiji had to rush in to save Hinata from beatings. Especially when it had impacted his attendance to his new senior school life.

Eiji had begged Hinata's parents to let him live with them. So, he could help Hinata heal from the abuse. He had secured a job as a shipping junior clerk using the reputation of his parents. This caused a new problem for Hinata and his household. Having to deal with Eiji's family.

"Eiji-san's mother dedicated her gossip to spreading poisonous lies about my mother." Hinata gritted his teeth.

Gradually Hinata's family lost standing in the community, because of the slander Eiji's parents had stirred amongst wealthy social circles.

The final blow was when Eiji's father had secured a high position in the Minister of Commerce's office. His first misdeed was to place a legal ban on Hinata father's business. Falsifying the man's dealings with the Yakuza.

The Chikafuji family business went bankrupt in a span of a year. This caused Hinata's father to enlist for war. As a means to reclaim the family honor.

"We had to rely on the good nature of others. Other victims to Eiji-san's family." Hinata cried.

Despite their troubles. Hinata and Eiji clung to each other with the hope that their tribulations would lead to a better life.

Then a further call for soldiers, to fight the war, came. Eiji was forced to enlist. He was eighteen years old. He had struck a deal with his father. If he did a four-year term in the navy, his parents would leave Hinata and his family alone.

Eiji's father used his son's enlistment, as part of his political campaign, to secure his seat at the Diet. Eventually, his position of Tokyo Governor.

"They did leave us alone." Hinata scoffed. "I guess bomb drops on Tokyo gave them a different distraction."

Rocko smiled warmly at Hinata.

Despite the man's many scars, his skin was still smooth and beautiful. Made more obvious by his resilience to the dark side of human nature.

The man had suffered and yet, his soul remained pure. In fact, his soul had forged a steadfast light to be a beacon of strength and hope for others.

People could try with all their might to hurt Hinata, but his heart was too generous and strong to allow the damages to settle. No wonder this Eiji was drawn to him. Hinata was a courageous angel.

Rocko felt it was his duty to ensure Hinata was healed both in body and soul. This soul's light mustn't wane.

"Yah be a courageous angel, ya know." He tenderly acknowledged Hinata.

Hinata chuckled at the corny reference the man gave him. "Courageous angel. Please."

Rocko faced Hinata with all seriousness. "That's nothing to joke about. Yah an angel 'cause your suffering has given yah courage. Yah give hope and courage to others who need to find their way."

He reminded Hinata of the hope he gave those kids by taking them into his home. He was a good and honorable man.

"Are they safe?" Hinata's mind wandered to his makeshift family.

"Yeah. They be fine. Yuri's taken them to a cabin. It's somewhere safe." Rocko reassured him.

He finished redressing Hinata's wounds and dressed him a clean yukata.

Hinata felt his head heavy with pain and body aches. Rocko gave him some medicine that sent him into another dreamless sleep.