Sitting on the ground, Haruto plucked off wooden splinters deep within his hands and fingers one by one. No matter how excruciating it was, he never responded. Haruto instinctively walked to the principal’s office. As he did, everyone near looked away. He saw his foster parents. Shōmei hugged him, crying. Haruto was suspended for another week, serving now as a final warning.

Back home, they never shouted at him. After dinner, they had another long conversation. Nisemono and Shōmei revealed to Haruto that they knew he would act this way in school all along. They knew all along just how much he loved them.

Shōmei embraced him tightly and sobbed. “Come here…. I know that we are not your mom and dad… but we can try. We can always try, right? We can be your loving family, too. I believe in it….”

Tears rolled out in all of their faces. Haruto continued the waterworks even in bed. He now felt even lonelier, staring blankly at the ceiling.

One day before Haruto returned to school, he had an unexpected visitor in his household. In the living room, Maki hugged him, smiling, “So… how are you feeling?” she let go.

“Why…?” Haruto spoke softly, “Why are you like this…? Being so nice to me… even after what I did. No one in the right mind would ever forgive something like that….” he looked away.

Maki turned his cheek to her, “I never asked for forgiveness, Haruto. If you’re really worried about this—don’t be,” she presented a cast on her left upper arm, “It will fully heal tomorrow….” Then slowly lifted her right arm. “Sorry—I’m going to have to do this….”

Feeling the sting, he was confused rather than angry.

“I’m not mad at you. Not at all,” Maki shook her head, “I’m just disappointed…. I’m very disappointed in you, Haruto. Not because you hit me—but because you still believe everyone’s looking down at you. The truth is—they’re scared….”

Haruto’s eyes narrowed. “Scared? I don’t give a damn how they feel….” He stood up, clutching his chest tightly. “Do you… have any idea… what I’ve been through?!” he teared up lightly.

Maki stood up as well, holding Haruto’s shoulders with both hands, “No… of course not. I’m not here to be your therapist. I just wanted to tell you what I always knew. I knew a lot of people, Haruto. Some were very troubled… like my drunk deadbeat dad and my workaholic mother

“They’re no longer with me for six years. I was never close to them, but I still empathized with your loss. Because even when I didn’t have great ties with them—I still felt lonely….” Maki let go.

Haruto’s narrowed eyes faded; he noticed her tearing up as well.

She sniffled and dried one eye with a finger. “I had no one to turn to other than my godparents. From then on… I saw myself in you. Lost and confused. But becoming a horrible person isn’t the answer, Haruto. I’ve known people like that, too. There was one… vicious man… I could never reason with. But I know all of them can change. And so can you….”

His narrowed eyes returned, but only a little, “You talk about this and that… but you’re missing the point. So you know how I feel, but do they? What should I do—go up on stage and lecture them?! This is why I don’t care how they feel, Maki! They would never do the same! All of it would be a waste of their time! Mine as well!” He turned away.

Maki walked in front of him, “I’m not saying you should tell the whole world about your misery…! I’m saying that no matter what people do in life—they never stay the same. All of us can do better….” she clutched her chest.

“WELL, THEN I DON’T SEE THAT!!! I FAIL TO SEE THAT!!!” he pointed.

“YOU CAN!!! People change, Haruto! They always do…!” Maki pointed at him back. “And if they don’t… that means they’re not human.” Unexpectedly, she hugged Haruto before he could retort. “I know you’re human, too. I know—that you always were.” She let go, sniffling while drying her eyes. She walked toward the door, only to stop herself as she opened it. “Don’t try anything funny tomorrow—or something I will regret forever….” It closed.

In the dining room, Haruto’s foster mother called him in for lunch. Later that night, he stared blankly at the ceiling once more. “I’m not trying to be funny, Maki….” He clutched his chest again, “My heart… it hurts….”

The next day was more of the same for Haruto. Very few looked at him. As was with the day after and after, and after, and after, until winter came. In math class, he was asked by his classmate for an eraser.

Haruto still heard negative voices whispering when he walked in the hallway. “Look… it’s the White Delinquent….”, “I heard he wanted to buy a pocketknife….”, “Ew, turn away…. He’s dangerous, gurl….” He could never care less about the scorn. However, he realized more of the students just minded their own business. Even when Haruto witnessed all of it, he still felt not much had changed.

In the cafeteria, five students did not mind sitting next to Haruto. Two mentioned his name, and one even his epithet. In the end, they never went away. Continuing his meal, he was greeted by Maki’s friend—the one who pushed him away. She gave him a wrapped bento box. “I… I really don’t wanna say this. Believe me…. But for her—and only for her—I-I forgive you.” she walked away quickly.

Haruto put it inside his backpack. While eating, he noticed three students walking inside the cafeteria. It was three of the bullies before. They comforted their bawling friend as they sat down together. No matter what they did, he would refuse to eat.

Haruto looked toward the students beside him, “Hey… what’s up with them…?”

One student gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh yeah… you haven’t heard. You see, um… their leader was transferred to Minato. His father failed to abide by probation and was arrested again for mass shoplifting, with no chance for parole. Custody was won by his aunt.”

Another student hummed with his mouth full and swallowed. “The last time I saw him… he was carrying this—reaaaaally huge brown package upstairs.” he did an arm gesture. “Dunno what it was—but I bet it was his last meal here in Shibuya. Hahahahaha!”

The student before squinted her eyes. “What…?! No way. If it was food, it would be smaller. I bet it was…” as they talked to each other, Haruto noticed the two bullies walking out with their still bawling friend. He walked out as well, having a hunch where the gang leader might have gone before the transfer.

Haruto proved himself correct, walking to the snow-covered rooftop.

There, a new set of shinai laid in place. He also saw a see-through human target dummy made of ballistic gel. He saw a complete figurine collection of the Straw Hat Pirates and more gold Zacian-Crowned cards placed on the table. He pulled out a letter taped on the Zoro figurine—now doing his Santōryū stance. It read: “I’M SORRY. I SAW WHAT YOU DID.”

At that moment, Haruto looked at his surroundings again. It was as if he missed out on witnessing St. Nicholas himself placing his presents that very Winter morning. Moments later, tears rolled down his cheeks, standing in complete disarray. Then, Haruto fell on his knees, feeling a sharp pain in his chest—but it was not a heart attack. Tears flowed more from his ducts, “Wha…? Wha? Wha? Wha? Wha? Wha? Wha…?” He repeated the unfinished words more times than ever.

So many thoughts fired throughout Haruto’s brain. It all came to one conclusion; Maki was right. The crying stopped, and he smiled intimately. “Not enough. Not enough….” He picked up the shinai and threw it to the ledge, along with the target dummy and figurines. Now all left was to stand at the edge. He found the snow very beautiful and mesmerizing to look at.

“Mom…. Dad…. I’m finally home….”

The snow covered more and more of its surroundings—and covered more and more of Haruto’s smiling face. Only a matter of time when he would close his eyes in relief, inching closer and closer to the fall. His deep breath billowed out of the winter cold like smoke.

Haruto felt like leaning diagonally headfirst as if coming home from a tiring day of work. Sleepless nights would be no more, for he could already feel his parents’ warm embrace even before the ultimatum. At that moment, it finally began. The chilling breeze pierced his moving skin as he descended. Unfortunately, something else warm grasping his right wrist interrupted him. The warmth of the same hand that hugged him before made him turn around briefly.

Now snapped out of his flowery fantasies, Maki halted Haruto’s fall. He dangled beyond the ledge as she held unto him with both hands. Seeing her face once more made Haruto’s annoyance spike. Even when repeatedly hitting both arms that caught him, she never let go no matter the pain. Grunting as she exerted all her might, the rescue was successful. They both sat in complete exhaustion, panting while looking at each other.

Maki moved closer to him for another slap with her right hand. “I told you…. Don’t do anything funny! Doing it the next day or after that doesn’t make it okay!”

Haruto grunted, stood up, clenched his teeth, and narrowed his gaze. He flung snow at her, making her shield herself. “Stop doing this! Stop meddling with my life! That was my once chance for peace, and you ruined it!”

Maki stood up as well. “That wasn’t peace! Is this what your parents would have wanted?! Ending it all just because you want them back?! The world’s finally making up for the suffering it gave you. Ask yourself, Haruto…! How would your loved ones react to all of this?!” she pointed.

Haruto did not respond. His narrowed gaze did not fade, and if anything, it worsened. Flinging more snow at Maki, he ran back to the ledge. She sprinted as fast as she could, managing to hug he from behind as he tried to jump. She restrained his arms down, hugging him even tighter. They both struggled in place.

Haruto grunted again. “LET GO!!!”

Maki uttered no word, grunting as well and fearing she would lose her grip again. Meanwhile, he uttered the words once more like a broken record. Unfortunately, she inevitably lost her grip as Haruto turned around.

“I SAID LET GO!!!” Unlike before, however, he restrained himself just an inch away from punching her left arm.

It allowed Maki to counter by swiping his hand away and hitting him straight into his left jaw. Staggering, Haruto felt dizzy and inevitably fell down on his back when he tripped over. She panted and saw him slowly getting up.

Haruto walked back to the same place. Maki ran for again but was surprised he did not jump down.

Instead, Haruto rested his back on the walled ledge. He lowered his head down, sobbing. Maki walked to sit in front of him. She tried to hold his right cheek but was swiped away. “Don’t touch me!” He lowered his head. “It doesn’t matter now, anyway…. You’ll just stop me over and over again—even when I’m at the ends of the earth….”

Maki moved closer and held his left shoulder. “Of course, I will. Always….”

Haruto shrugged her hand away again. “I take it all back…. You don’t know how I feel at all. I just want to hold them again. I just want to say hello again. Is it too much to ask—even when I have nothing left for me here?” he looked at Maki, teeth clenched as he continued sobbing.

Maki shook her head, “That’s not true. I’ve been to your home. You have a new family who would shower you with love every single day, and they’ll never question it.”

Haruto dried his eyes with his forearm and looked at Maki again. “It’s not the same! It never was!” he glared once more, but it had a pitiful demeanor.

She quickly held both of his shoulders, “I know it isn’t! But I’m not asking whether it’s the same for you or not, Haruto. I’m just telling you—that this is what you need. A new, happy life without your mom and dad. Don’t tell me it’s impossible. Love stays—forever till the end.”

Haruto’s glare disappeared, but his tears did not.

Maki moved even closer and held both of his hands. “Right now… I know what you need…. You need this—far more than anyone else here in this world….” she spoke to Haruto softly, closed her eyes, and neared herself.

Maki’s unwarranted action made Haruto sit in complete utter perplexion. He struggled a bit, still not knowing why she did this. Eventually, it dawned on him clearly; she made the first move.

Even in this situation, Haruto briefly realized in his mind that his father always knew of the warm, slippery softness of lips. He wondered if this was how it truly felt like. It was absolute, unadulterated bliss.

Feeling like he could fly at any moment, Haruto closed his eyes, too.

Pulling out as they looked at each other, Maki gave him another hug—the warmest he had ever felt. “Please… live longer…. And I promise you—you won’t regret it….” she spoke to him softly again.

For the first time in years, Haruto’s happy-go-lucky glow came back. Thinking of his family beside him, he hugged Maki back and shut his eyes again.

“Okay…”