The next morning, Eiji woke up looking at a destroyed piece of paper on his bed. He picked up all the bits and pieces on his bed and stared at them.

This is what's best for me right…? Just what do I do?

Eiji began to feel as if a huge boulder was placed upon his shoulder. He began to see Hikari in front of him, as she turned around and began to walk away.

Where are you going…?

Eiji reached out to try and grab her, but he couldn’t reach her. As their distance grew further and further apart, Eiji tried moving towards her, but his body wouldn’t move. He tried talking, but nothing came out.

Wait… Wait! Where are you going!?

Hikari turned around and a man appeared behind her. As he walked forward Eiji’s eyes widened as he saw Takeshi with his arms around her laughing.

Why… Why is he there!?

They both turned and began to walk away.

Wait! Don’t go with him! You can’t trust him! Hikari!

Eiji was brought back to reality with his hands in the air on his bed.

Was that all a dream...? Eiji clenched his hands together and placed one over his face.

Just… What do I do?

Just then loud banging sounds occurred on his door. Unable to ignore the loud sounds, Eiji got out of bed and began walking slowly towards the door, Eiji opened it without checking who it was.

Immediately his collar was grabbed by the person who was on the other side. Eiji opened his eyes to see Ryo in front of him, an expression he never thought he could make, it seemed to look like hatred combined with anger.

“Why…?”

Eiji turned his head looking away from Ryo, unable to even answer his question.

“HOW COULD YOU IGNORE US!? WHY DON’T YOU CARE?”

Eiji remained silent, unable to look at Ryo’s face.

“Do you know... Just how you made Takaki and Morino feel!?”

Eiji looked towards Ryo, noticing his expression of hatred and anger shift to sadness when he mentioned both Kohaku and Hikari.

“What do you mean…?”

“When Takaki told us to leave you alone… She cried”

Eiji’s eyes widened and he stared right at Ryo

“Why…?”

“Not only that, but Morino began thinking it was her fault for bothering you so much”

“No… It wasn’t any of their faults…” Eiji replied as he began to look down once more on thinking what he had done.

“THEN WHY!?” Ryo tightened his grip on Eiji’s collar and looked right into Eiji’s eyes showing all the tears that he had shed.

“WHY DON’T YOU OPEN UP TO US!? WEREN’T WE FRIENDS!?”

Eiji remained silent unable to speak up

“I see… I guess you never thought of us as your friends…” Ryo let go of Eiji and turned his back on him.

“I’m sorry for bothering you so early in the morning, I’ll leave now…”

Why’re you leaving? Why can’t I talk? Nothing’s coming out!

Eiji stared at the back of Ryo as the distance between them grew further and further apart.

Why? Why can’t I stop him?

Eiji looked down once more and noticed the paper he crumpled before, still on the floor revealing a slight smile on it. Eiji clenched his fists together and looked right back at where Ryo was.

As Ryo walked past Eiji’s door, Eiji reached out and grabbed his hand.

“No… I liked hanging out with you guys…”

“Then why?” Ryo replied as he stopped in place

“I, I’ll tell you…Tell you why…”

Ryo turned to face Eiji as he was dragged back into the apartment.

Eiji prepared a cup of tea for Ryo and sat down across from him at his dining table.

He took a sip of his tea and took a deep breath.

“So why did you do it…?” Ryo asked Eiji with a straight forward and serious face, looking at him right in the eyes.

Eiji took a deep breath and sighed.

“You already met Takeshi… It all started with him ten years ago during school while we were friends… Or so I thought...”

“Eiji! Can you help clean the classroom for me again today?” Young Takeshi said to young Eiji with a smile on his face.

“Why can’t you do it? It’s the fifth time!”

“I’m busy again today! We are friends right?” Young Takeshi nugged Young Eiji’s shoulder a bit.

“Fine, fine! I’ll clean the classroom for you since we’re friends...” Young Eiji replied back with s smile

“Thanks!” Young Takeshi replied as he hurried out of the classroom and ran out the door.

Young Eiji began cleaning the entire classroom by himself as he didn’t know anyone in his class at all. He stayed in the classroom for hours trying to tidy everything up, until the classroom door was opened and came in the school principal.

“Eiji, why are you cleaning by yourself? Is it your turn to clean the classroom today?”

Young Eiji stopped everything he was doing and stared right at the principal and slightly looked away towards the windows, putting his hands together as he moved his fingers around

“I don’t know anyone in the class so I asked the teacher to clean the room myself…”

“Okay, if that was what you asked for then just finish up quickly.” The principal replied, leaving the classroom.

Young Eiji all alone continued to wipe down the tables as the sun set in front of him all alone.

At least I finally have a friend now… Right?

Walking home alone at night Young Eiji usually passes through a park since he found it to be a more peaceful way to get home. However this time, Eiji stopped in place for a moment and sped up a bit across the park after seeing the basketball court.

W, Was that Takeshi? I thought he had something important to do… He probably just finished it right? It is pretty late...

The next day Young EIji walked towards Young Takeshi, who was talking to his group of friends.

“H, hey Takeshi! I finished cleaning the classroom like you asked! Did you finish your business yesterday?”

“Uh, y, yeah! Thanks for the help, friend!”

Young Eiji gave off a kind smile and stared at Young Takeshi

“N, Now that we’re friends, do you want to come to my house and play? I don’t know anyone else…”

“S, sure! We can hang out I guess…”

That day after school, Young Takeshi went to Young Eiji’s house, when his parents were still with him.

“Mom, I’m home! I brought a friend over to play!”

Eiji’s mother took a peek at Young EIji and his friend through the kitchen.

“Eiji you finally made another friend! That’s great! I’ll cut up some fruit for you guys!”

Young Eiji and Young Takeshi went straight up to his room and shut the door.

“Hey Takeshi what do you want to play? I’ve got all sorts of games we can play!” Young EIji turned around to see Young Takeshi looking around his room and his shelves where he kept all his books and pictures. When Young Takeshi lifted up a small book in front of him, Young Eiji jumped a bit.

“W, what are you doing Takeshi!” Young Eiji ran up to Young Takeshi and snatched the book out of his hands.

“Oh, nothing! I was just wondering what you read!” Young Takeshi looked at Young Eiji flustered

“Ah, then it’s okay! I just read a lot of manga, nothing much!” Eiji placed the small book behind him and sat down.

“What was in that book that you didn’t want me to see anyways?” Young Takeshi hurriedly sat down next to Young Eiji.

“Oh, it’s just some writing and pictures my parents did of me when I was little, nothing much…”

Young Eiji turned on his T.V and turned on his game console.

“I see! Well let’s play now!” Young Takeshi yelled as he pushed Young EIji closer to his T.V.

After an hour of playing, Young Takeshi suddenly stood up by himself and began to head to the door.

“You have to go already?” Young Eiji said focusing on the game he is playing

“Y, yeah! My mom told me to come home early today!” Young Takeshi rushed out the door as quickly as possible

“A, alright! See you tomorrow!” Eiji smiled anticipating the next day having another friend for once.

The next day at school, Young Eiji noticed people snickering the moment he entered the school gate.

Why’re people laughing? Did something funny happen earlier?

As Young Eiji enters his class he notices everyone snickering as they look towards his direction.

Just what is happening?

Young EIji walked towards Young Takeshi to ask what was going on, but as he walked closer he noticed something in his hand.

“W, what are you holding Takeshi?” Young EIji asked staring right at Young Takeshi’s hands

“Oh, it’s just the book you told me about yesterday! Ha ha!” Young Takeshi put the book right in front of Young Eiji’s face and began laughing hysterically.

“W, why would you…?” Young EIji’s eyes began to tear up as everything and everyone began to seem blurry

“Because I wanted to!” Young Takeshi began to laugh even hard and he began to point at Young EIji

“I, I thought we were friends…!” Young Eiji stepped back away from Young Takeshi as everyone in the class began to surround him

“Who would be friends with a loner like you! You’re such a loser!” Young Takeshi screamed with laughter and slapped Young Eiji to the ground.

Everyone in the class walked in and began laughing, pointing at the man who got slapped, all alone.

Young Takeshi grabbed Young Eiji’s hair and lifted him up to look right at his face

“Remember, you deserve to be alone, and if you're not then I’ll make you alone!”

“After that experience, I was traumatized in meeting people to which my parents abandoned me to America and left me here alone.” Eiji teared up in front of Ryo and looked down on the floor

“I, I didn’t know… Did you really have no one back then?” Ryo asked looking at Eiji’s defeated face

“I, I think I had a female friend, but I forgot her name and how she looked. All I remember was that she had two dolls holding hands...”

“I see…” Ryo stood up and grabbed Eiji’s hand

“Where are you taking me?” Eiji asked as he followed Ryo

“We’re going to tell Morino and Takaki and solve your problem!” Ryo looked back towards Eiji and smiled.

Eiji remained silent and just followed Ryo, smiling a tiny bit as they left his house.

I, is this what it feels like to have friends? It feels nice…

Ryo took out his phone and called someone as he dragged Eiji along.

“Yo, Takaki! Where are you right now? You’re with Morino? That’s great I’m coming your way! Don’t move a muscle!”

Ryo looked towards Eiji and smiled once more and sped up

“Let’s go! I’m sure they’ll understand!”

Eiji gave a slight smile back to Ryo and nodded, unable to explain why, but he felt peace at mind after explaining everything to Ryo.

Can I really have friends? Can I trust people again?

Eiji began to frown a bit, but looked towards Ryo who kept dragging him non stop.

“Don’t worry, you’re no longer alone! Trust us!”

And with just a few words, Eiji let out a small smile and followed Ryo completely.

After a few minutes of being dragged around by Ryo, Eiji notices that he was at a park where both Hikari and Kohaku were waiting for them. As they get closer he notices Hikari and Kohaku look away from him and Ryo.

“W, why is he here?” Hikari asked crossing her arms as they came to a stop

“He’s here to explain himself! Right Hamasaki?” Ryo pulled Eiji in front of him and held him in front of Hikari and Kohaku

“Y, yeah…” Eiji turned to look, noticing how both Hikari and Kohaku looked sad when he arrived.

Eiji couldn’t stare at their face any longer and clenched his fists together

“I, I’m sorry! I’ll tell you everything!”

As Eiji slowly explained his situation, the expression Hikari and Kohaku gave off went from looking sad to looking angry.

Both Hikari and Kohaku raised their hands and slapped Eiji on his cheeks together with Hikari slapping his right cheek and Kohaku slapping his left causing him to fall down to the floor.

“Why didn't you tell us!” Kohaku walked up towards Eiji and yelled at the bruised up Eiji while looking down on him.

As Kohaku was on top of Eiji, Hikari came up to him from his right side and grabbed his collar lifting his face up towards her face. Shaking hi back and forth with all her might.

“You should have told me this happened again!”

“I, I’m sorry! Y, you’re killing me!” Eiji began to see the world go round and blurry

Hikari stopped shaking Eiji waiting for him to catch his breath putting his hand on his head trying to regain his visibility.

“W, what did you mean by again...?” Eiji looked towards Hikari

“Y, you see, the last time you didn’t come to school and ignored us remember?” Hikari replied fidgeting slightly

“Still, I can’t believe someone would do such a thing!” Kohaku jumped in raising her fists together

“I know right! We should confront him!” Hikari stood up pulling Eiji up with her

“That means we’re friends again! Right Hamasaki!?” Ryo came up behind Eiji leaning on him and Hikari was still lifting him up by his collar.

Eiji raised both hands towards his neck trying to get a grasp of air.

“Uhm… I think you guys should let him go… It kind of looks like he’s about to die…” Kohaku pointed at Eiji’s face as it began turning colors.

“Ah! Sorry Eiji! I forgot I was still holding you!” Hikari quickly let go of Eiji and watched him fall down to the floor with Ryo behind him.

Eiji began coughing, holding his neck on the ground gasping for air.

“I, It’s okay…!”

“Since everyone got to beat up Hamasaki, I guess it’s my turn now!” Ryo yelled as he jumped on Eiji who was still on the ground.

“Ahhh!!!”

Eiji cried a bit on the ground holding his clothes together as Ryo stood in front of him laughing.

“Now that everyone’s punished him, let’s get down to business.” Ryo clapped his hands together

“Yeah! Just how should we handle this Takeshi person!” Hikari and Kohaku stared towards Ryo and all three of them stood still thinking on what to do.

Hikari placed her fist on her palm “I’ll just beat him up! There's no way he can’t overpower me!”

“You would probably accidentally kill him... “ Ryo placed his hands on Hikari’s shoulder and shook his head.

“What about we talk to him about it?” Kohaku pointed out

“Why would he talk to us?” Hikari pointed out

“He won’t talk to us, but he’ll talk to Hamasaki!” Ryo pointed towards Eiji who was sitting on the ground.

“W, what? M, me?” EIji pointed towards himself with a worried face.

“Oh yeah! He’ll definitely talk to Eiji!” Hikari clapped her hands together and smiled, placing her hand on Eiji’s shoulders

“Don’t worry, we’ll follow you from behind the scenes and stop him if anything bad happens! It’s time for you to stand up for yourself!”

“Yeah! That seems like a pretty good plan!” Ryo and Kohaku replied walking to lift Eiji up from the ground

“We’ll be counting on you then!” The three of them smiled as Eiji got off the ground.

“Y,yeah…” Eiji replied looking towards the ground

Will this really work...?

Eiji clenched his fists and looked towards his friends once more.

I... I hope this works…