-Vol 5: A New Life-

-Comparing their pasts-

The doctors made an intensive diagnosis of Kenshin after he woke up. And finally a long hour later, they gave a green signal. Despite their disbelief, they agreed that Kenshin was completely healed. They still insisted him to stay at the hospital under observation for a few more days. Kenshin would have refused if not for Yuki’s glare on the back of his head. Begrudgingly he agreed to stay for one more day.

Around 6 AM, Joy came in, bringing a cup of coffee with him. When he entered the room, he found Yuki, the lady, sleeping on the patient’s bed while the patient himself was sitting on a chair near the bed, looking out of the window with a serious face. As such, he coughed loudly to announce his presence.

Startled awake of his reverie, Kenshin turned his head to find Joy standing beside him, extending him a cup of coffee. Giving him a smile, he accepted the cup and drank a mouthful of it before setting it on the table near him. looking at Joy with a grateful smile, Kenshin started “Thank you and sorry for wasting so much of your precious time!”

Joy shook his head and said, “It’s me who should be saying those words. If not for you giving me that expensive potion, how can I be still alive? And due to that, when you suffered such grievous injuries, you could only wait patiently until they head naturally.”

“Haha! Hey man, don’t mind it. I did what I thought was right. That time, I didn’t care if I would be injured next or not. I simply couldn’t pretend like nothing happened when a person is dying near me, you know! So you shouldn’t mind it much.” Kenshin smiled after listening to Joy and consoled him. Coincidentally it was the same thing Yuki said. Hearing this, Joy couldn’t keep that smile from appearing on his face.

Leaning on the whitewashed walls behind Kenshin, he also continued to observe the rising sun in the distance with Kenshin. The silence was soon broken by later, “Say, Joy! Are you willing to form a party with me?”

“Huh!” unable to comprehend Kenshin’s meaning, he could only give that ‘intelligent’ reply.

“You know. I was thinking about this just now; my level is currently too low. Unless I challenge those high-level dungeons, I wouldn’t be able to level up. Raiding these low leveled ones are no longer effective.

You have already undergone your first awakening, but there is still a long distance for me to reach that stage. As it stands, unless I level up to become a level 100 hunter, I couldn’t even use my rapidly evolving skills.

So, what do you think? Will you form a party with me?” when he asked those, Kenshin turned around to look at Joy’s face.

After listening to him, Joy remained in a passive state for a few seconds before he started speaking, “In this life, I only have an old mother back in my home. Back in her younghood, she used to be a bar dancer. Even she doesn’t remember how man guys she had slept…” as Joy started on this, Kenshin interrupted “Oi! Joy, Is this really okay to tell me those things?”

To this question, Joy only smiled and continued, “You are my lifesaver, I already considered you to be my best friend. I don’t think it's bad to share my past a little.” Since Joy was determined, Kenshin didn’t stop him either, and calmly listened.

“During this period, she was pregnant with one of her client’s child. But she couldn’t remember who and she also didn’t care about that. After she gave birth to me, she didn’t spare any effort to make me the man I am now. Back in my childhood, I would always be bullied by others for her past, but I never hated her. To me, she is my hero.

So what if she was a prostitute? She did what she has to in order to fill her’s and her baby’s stomach! What’s wrong in that? At least in this cruel world, she could stand with her head high. At least she could face herself in the mirror every morning and smile proudly that despite all odds, she had achieved something!

Although she stopped doing those after I grew up and instead did menial works, her body couldn’t take it anymore. She soon fell ill. Back then, I was only 14 years old and was going to a local school to study. After that, I left school and started to do various odd jobs around the town to get enough money for her medicines and both of our necessities.

Haha! That old lady, she would always threaten me with suicide if I don’t go to school in the morning, so I have to pretend to go to school every day. Although now that I thought about it, I think she already knew I was laying to her about school…” suddenly Joy stopped and laughed at the memory of her mom’s threatening words.

“Yeah! Moms are like that, alright.” Kenshin also agreed as he remembered a few instances where his mom would catch his lies despite his careful plannings. Sometime, she would even understand his pains without him saying anything. Especially during his rebellious phase. Back then, he had spoken many hurtful words to her, and his father…now that they were gone forever from his life, he could only mourn in the loss as he recalls the memories.

“Anyway, during one of those days. After I got paid from a part-time job, I was about to go to the medicine store and buy some for my ill mom, but some hooligans surrounded me. They beat and threaten me, but I didn’t let my money go. If I remember correctly, one of them said something to insult me, so I snapped and awaken my skill, wiping the floor with them.

That was the turning point of my life. Due to my past, I could never trust anyone, and for that reason, I didn’t have a friend to fall back on during hard times. Back then, when you saved me, you actually saved two lives simultaneously. If I would have died that day, my old mom would also have soon followed me. In a way, your selfless actions not only saved me but also my mother. So, from that moment I decided, no matter what, this Joy would always be your friend…be it in good or bad times. Now that you have invited me to form a party, how can I say no? I will always be your friend and follower of this lifetime.” When he finished his speech, Joy gave a bright heroic smile which bedazzled Kenshin.

Kenshin couldn’t stop a smile appearing on his own face as he started to speak “Ha hah! What a coincidence. I couldn’t believe we are so similar in some aspect. You have someone to take care back home, I also have someone to take care. She is my little sister. Currently studying at Hunter’s Academy. My parents, they died in a beast riot in a dungeon. We didn’t even get to see their bodies… back then, I was only a normal high school student. My relatives, they tried to split us to siblings up…but my sister was only 8 that year. How can she live without me? Her mom dad?

That day I made up my mind, no matter what I would support her. We sold our house and moved into a rented apartment. I joined a dojo to train and later became a bottom feeder hunter. If you compare, we both had some nasty experiences with our lives and even now, we couldn’t give up on it as we wish.”

“Yeah!” Joy also agreed. Then they both looked at each other’s face and laughed out loud. After a few moments of silence, Kenshin looked at Joy and said: “I would like to meet your mom, the heroic lady one day and see if she was willing to accept one more son.”

“I doubt she would disagree. In her words, the more, the merrier. Hahaha!!”

“haha!!” not able to control themselves, they both started to laugh again. This time it was so loud that it woke up the sleeping lady.

“Shut up both of you!! I am trying to sleep here. Get out of the room if you want to crack jokes.” Yuki gnashed her teeth as she kicked the two guys out of the room. After shutting the door, she jumped into her bed and continued to sleep. But neither noticed, a wet spot on the pillow that looked too big to be caused by the drool.

“So, when will we form this party?” Joy asked as he plopped himself on a chair outside.

“As soon as I can get away from here. I also have another candidate in mind…her level is a little lower, but that’s nothing to worry about.” Kenshin said as he remembered a certain girl he met in a dungeon.