A piercing light hovered over his head, blinding him. Sluggishly, he brought his hand over his eyes as a shield. 'w-where am I...?'
Gradually gaining consciousness, he remembered. He remembered the sorrow, the pain and disappointment. He remembered the ugly reality, that he was now an outcast. Yet he felt happy. Somehow he was glad, that he was free from the unpleasant actuality.
'Now the question is, is this hell or heaven?' Kenji looked around at the cracked and damp walls.
"Hell if you ask me, but heaven to most," a male voice said.
Startled, Kenji sat-up, but almost instantly curled back into a ball and groaned. "Oye Oye! don't move. Your wounds will re-open". A Dark brown-haired kid with glasses approached him. "And believe me you don't want that." He continued, pointed at a lady leaning on a chair, clearly tired.
"uh- right...so.... What's happening again?". Kenji slowly sat up and faced the boy.
"Ah yes, there are some spare clothes in that cupboard, get changed and come outside. you'll know then." The anonymous guy then tapped on the lady's shoulder and practically dragged her outside.
Kenji sat there, confused as ever, staring at the door. "Right..."
He groaned standing up and as per instructions, opened the cupboard. His eye twitched as the door came off its hinges, "What the..."
"Oh yea I forgot, the cupboard is broken, be careful with it." Shouted someone from outside. "Figures...." muttered Kenji as he supported the door with the wall.
Inside were tons of clothes. However, none was according to the taste of Kenji. He picked one shirt after another and after a long-term thinking process, finally chose an orange hoodie with a Tiger logo and black Ankle-high pants.
After getting dressed up, he stepped out of the room. He stopped in his tracks as a scene unlike ever seen before unfolded in front of him.
On a small wooden table sat two men, drinking and laughing. One with a huge scar on his left eye, the other had no legs and was settled in a wheelchair made from scraps. behind them was a kitchen counter where the lady from before stood, a wooden spoon in her hand being waved around as she yelled at the teenagers sitting on the ground playing some video games. The boy from before stood against a wall beside them sighing in disappointment.
"oh! you're here." the boy in glasses came up to him.
"Uh, yeah..." Kenji replied, staring at the others.
"Sorry about them, gimme a second." The glasses-wearer turned around, cupped his lips and shouted. "SHUT UP!"
Instantly, silence fell. "hoho! the newbie is finally up." the handicapped man said. "I'm Sadao Osamu."
"Name's Toshi Takeo. You look like you have the strength of a two-year-old girl." the one-eyed man said.
"Hallo hallo! I'm Medoka Koemi. Whatcha wanna eat?" the lady said from the kitchen, with her hand on her hip.
From the ones playing the game, the girl turned around and stuck up a peace sign, "Izumi Hana at your service, and this doofus over here is Rin Michiyaki- OYE YOU! THAT'S CHEATING!!!"
"It was your idea to get distracted." the other gamer, supposedly Rin, snickered.
"Sorry for the late introductions, I'm Rei Yemon. And you are....?" Said the spectacle guy.
"oh right- Hello, I'm Kenji Torao. Nice to meet...you.... umm what's wrong" Kenji bowed but rather got surprised from their reaction.
They had all fallen silent. They looked as if they've seen a ghost. "d-did you say Torao?"
"Yea... i know. I'm a noble heir. Well I was supposed to be but... not anymore. I've been kicked out." Kenji scratched his neck and lowered his gaze.
"ouch. that's harsh. What did you do for that anyway?" asked Rin.
"Does being a failure at studies answer that?" replied the former-noble, to which rin shrugged.
Sadao sighed. "The problem isn't that... its Kira..."
"oh crap- she's gonna be back from patrol any minute now." said Izumi in great worry.
"If there's some problem then its alright. I'll find some other shelter." kenji said guiltily.
"No no, its alright. Just don't say your surname. If anyone asks....say...." Toshi said.
"Akihiko." said Izumi.
"AH yes! Akihiko, like a prince. Kenji Akihiko." Rin continued.
"Hmm, that's not bad. Nice one izumi." Medoka cheered.
"A-are you sure..?" Kenji stammered.
"About what?" Rei said. "If its about Kira, don't worry. Unless you don't bother her, she won't even care about your existence."
"if you say so-", Kenji was cut off by some commotion outside.
"Come on Kiki, Just one hug!!" "I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU AS MUCH AS COME NEAR ME AGAIN, I'M ENDING YOUR WHOLE LIFE."
"Looks like they're here." Rei stated fixing his glasses. And as if on queue, the door was slammed open and in came a dark haired girl and blonde.
The blonde immediately jumped on Kenji, "The new guy is uuuupppp! so whats your name? how old are you? what's your favourite colour?... hey are you even listening?"
"How can he answer if you'll keep interrupting him?" Rei pulled her off.
"oh right. so, Who are you?" she smiled at him.
"I'm Kenji A-Akihiko....and you are?" he bowed.
"I'm Reina Kiko. and that meanie over there is Kiki." she pouted as she pointed over the dark haired girl.
"Kiki...?" He looked over at the girl.
"Kira kazuno." she bluntly stated while drinking some water.
"K-Kazo-" Rei slammed his palm over Kenji mouth and whispered. 'never mention her surname or family. NEVER.'
"You were saying?" kira looked over.
"H-he was saying kazoo is a good instrument to play. right?" Rei glared at Kenji and indicated him to agree. "Y-yes...hehe"
"... whatever. I'm going to sleep." Kira said as she slammed a rooms door behind her. Just as she exited, everyone sighed.
"Wh-why did everyone sigh?" kenji asked confused.
"We prefer no bloodshed in here, so be careful with your mouth. And just what is that composure? we need to fix you if you're gonna stay here. After all, everything comes with a price" Toshi smirked.
"Eh?" a shiver ran down his back. "I'm not having a good feeling about this..."
Everyone else gave him a thumps up as Toshi dragged him outside.
_______________________
"Uh.... what is this.....?" Kenji questioned as he stood in front of a big storage room full of weapons and such.
"Oh right...." Toshi spun around holding a pocket knife and a smoke bomb in his hand. "You haven't been told yet, as we.... got distracted earlier..."
"Well, now I'm thinking it was a good thing. As I'm having double thoughts about it" said Sadao as he wheeled himself towards them. "No hard feelings but... one way or the other, you're a noble. And our work is..... not so noble-like. So yea... I'm not sure about involving you..."
"I'm quite sure about that..... and you don't have to tell me if you don't feel like it. I know I can't be trusted...." Kenji shit a sad smile towards them.
"..." Silence fell between them as the two adults looked at each other.
Sadao began but struggled with his words, "Well... it not about trust- actually it is.... so yea well what I mean is-"
"The thing is that as you guessed it, we don't trust you yet. So we would like you to prove it. Additionally, we need to give you a choice." Toshi continued. "Either you stay here by proving yourself, but know that your life would be at risk at all times. Or you can just move out and we will be total strangers from onwards."
"Things just went from zero to hundred...." Kenji said in bewilderment.
Sadao chuckled, "You haven't seen anything yet son."
"ABOUT THE CHOICES...." Toshi emphasised, "what do you choose?"
"Um... if I choose staying here, what do you mean that my life would be in danger?" Kenji wondered.
"As said, you'll have to prove your trust-worthiness to us. Only after that can we explain better. But for now know this that you'll have to work up some muscles to survive. Toshi here will help you with that." Sadao stated.
"You're not giving me much... but well, not like I have any better choice." He shrugged. "I guess I can use some exercise."
Just then Toshi smirked, making Kenji doubt his life choices. "You better be prepared to die then..." he crackled like a villain, dragging the black haired guy towards an empty field.
"Right now, you're training will include some basic exercises. But first, show me how much you can handle. Run a 100 meters." Toshi said as he fetched a stopwatch in his pocket.
"Wha-what?" Kenji's eyes grew wide.
"Start in 3 2 1. GO!"
'Oh boy- looks I have no choice here.....'
Kenji gave all his strength to run as fast as he can, but- after only 30 meters, he was panting on the ground.
"Okay I expected you to be bad but- not THAT bad..." Toshi sighed in perplexity.
"I knew it... I'm a total disappointment...." kenji looked down, as his mother's words came running to his mind.
'Disgrace, disappointment, brat, useless, loser, idiot, I hate you, a shame, I wish you were dead already-' "Oye!"
Kenji snapped out of his gaze as Toshi called him.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that... looks like you have.... quite a history in that regards. I'll try to watch it." He averted his gaze. "However, you'll need to get used to it. Firstly because this world is cruel. Secondly, even though I said I won't, I'll use these words the most if I deemed it necessary for your training because I am responsible for your mental and physical health both. And thirdly, which is also the most important factor, if you're living here you better get used to being called that cause Kira has no mercy....." a slight look or terror formed on his face.
"I am seriously intrigued by Kira's personality now. I know everyone is telling me to be careful, but I can't help it...." kenji stated, staring into space, a small smile on his face.
Toshi was surprised for a moment, but he instantly calmed down and smiled as well. "Actually, she can use someone close..."
"Eh?" Kenji looked at him.
"Well you see... she had quite a... difficult past.... I'm not in the right place to tell you everything, but basically she has closed her heart from every one. Even though she says nothing, we know she hurts a lot.... so.... if you can gain her trust.... I'm sure everyone else will come around too." Toshi gave him a fatherly look, that was new to kenji.
Although, he knew nothing of that look and didn't understand it, it calmed his soul and gave him peace. A sudden burst of determination was sparked in him as he gave a focused look. "I'll try my best. And a 100 meters was it? I'll start again."
"Ah yes" Toshi grabbed his stopwatch again and gave a tough look. 'and thank you....'
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