Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Eiji woke up to the sound of his alarm clock blaring. He groaned and slowly got out of bed, dreading the day to come. As he dragged himself to the bathroom, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His unkempt hair, thick glasses, and acne-ridden face stared back at him, the dark bruises that accompanied these features a constant reminder of the merciless abuse and bullying he endured both at school and home.
After a quick shower, Eiji headed downstairs to the kitchen. His step mother, Mrs. Tanaka, was already there, ready to unleash her wrath upon him. She had married his dad five years prior but as his dad was no longer in the picture and she was, in her words, “stuck with a ungrateful lowlife” she took every chance to berate him for both her failures and his poor grades, unfairly comparing him to his ‘no good father’ the entire way. Her words cut deep for Eiji, and his self-esteem seemed to plummet with each passing insult that slipped past her lips.
With a heavy heart, Eiji grabbed his usual piece of toast that he grabbed every morning and rushed out of the house, wanting to escape the toxic atmosphere. The walk to school was never easy as he debated if he even wanted to attend. His classmates never missed an opportunity to taunt him at school, calling him names and mocking his appearance. Eiji felt the weight of their words more than most, and his feeling of isolation only increased with each passing day of their mockery.
As the school day began, Eiji found solace in the quiet corners of the library, as he usually did before first period. He loved burying his head in books, seeking refuge in the worlds they offered. But even there, his tormentors found him. They snatched the book from his hands, laughing at his attempt to escape them. Eiji clenched his fists, holding back tears as he endured the humiliation and beating that they inflicted.
During lunch break, Eiji sat alone in the cafeteria, his lunchbox untouched. The fear of ridicule kept him from reaching out to others, and the thought of facing rejection made him retreat further into his shell. He watched enviously as his classmates chatted and laughed together, feeling like an outsider the entire lunch period.
The school day seemed to drag on forever, and Eiji couldn't wait for it to end. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of classes. He hurriedly packed his bag and made his way home, praying for a moment of respite despite the knowledge that he most likely wouldn’t receive one.
As he opened the door he couldn’t hear a thing, making the nervousness he felt to begin with only intensify tenfold. He walked into the shared kitchen and living room area, and found Mrs. Tanaka there slumped over on the ground drunk and out cold with multiple bottles of soju scattered around herself. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing that at least tonight he would escape the awful beating that he would surely receive tomorrow.
Eiji once again woke up to the sound of his alarm clock. He groaned, got out of bed, and yet again dreaded the day to come. As he made his way downstairs to the kitchen to grab his lunch that he had made the night previous, but he could already sense the tension in the air. His step mother was already waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs with a scowl on her face.
Without a word, she launched into a tirade, berating and beating Eiji for his poor performance in school and his appalling looks that only reminded her more of his father. Her words were like daggers, piercing through his already fragile self-esteem. As the abuse continued, Eiji's spirit withered even more, he was trapped in a toxic cycle of constant criticism.
With a heavy heart, Eiji grabbed his usual slice of bread and left for school not even bothering to grab the lunch he had made out of the fridge. The walk felt longer than usual, his footsteps dragging under the weight of his mother's harsh words, and the knowledge that the day would only get worse. Arriving at school, the bullying commenced. His classmates took every opportunity to make him their gopher while yet again mocking his appearance, his intellect, and his lack of social skills. Eiji felt the weight of their cruelty more than he did their fists, the feeling of being utterly alone in this world slowly seeping into his core.
During lunch break, since he didn’t bring his, Eiji once again found solace in the library, hoping to escape the harsh realities of his daily life. But as he buried his head in the pages, he still couldn't shake off the feelings of isolation and despair. The world within the books offered temporary respite, but reality always pulled him back into its cruel grasp. His tormentors tracked him down once again, this time getting them all kicked out of the library. His sanctuary had become meaningless thanks to their relentless torment.
The school day crawled by, each passing minute adding to Eiji's misery. He couldn't wait for it to end. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of classes. Eiji made his way home, filled with trepidation, unsure of what awaited him. As he stepped through the front door, his mother's anger only seemed to have escalated during the day that he was gone. The verbal abuse intensified, with each insult cutting deeper than the last. Mrs. Tanaka's disappointment consumed him, and she unleashed her frustration on Eiji, blaming him for her own failures in life once again.
Day after day, the abuse at home intensified, eventually showing enough to where even those at school would be blind to not know what was happening to him, and in the end leaving Eiji trapped in a nightmare. His step mother's words seeped into his soul, eroding his self-worth and leaving him feeling utterly defeated. The bruises, both physical and emotional, became a constant reminder of his suffering.
In school, the bullying took a darker turn. His classmates, emboldened by the knowledge of his home situation, grew even crueler. They used his vulnerability as ammunition, tormenting him with relentless taunts and physical attacks. Eiji's spirit was shattered, and he felt like a mere shell of his former self.
As the days turned into weeks, Eiji's situation grew increasingly unbearable. The weight of the abuse began to take a toll on his mental and physical health, and he withdrew further into himself, losing all hope of escape.
The school days crept by, each passing day adding to Eiji's misery. He couldn't bear the thought of enduring another day of abuse, both at home and at school. The weight of it all becoming too much to bear. The idea of running away eventually growing like a seed of desperation in his mind, offering a glimmer of freedom from his torment.
Then one afternoon, when the final bell rang, Eiji made a decision. He ran home, packed a small bag with a few essentials, and then slipped out of the house unnoticed. With a heavy heart, he began his journey to an unknown destination, propelled by the hope of finding a better life.
Eiji navigated the bustling streets of Japan, feeling a mix of fear and exhilaration. Every step brought him farther away from the pain and suffering he had endured for the last three years of his life. Yet, the road ahead was uncertain, and the reality of his situation soon settled in. Alone and vulnerable, he faced the harsh realities of life on the streets.
Days turned into weeks as Eiji struggled to survive. He relied on food scraps and slept in abandoned alleys or parks, always wary of his surroundings. The hardships he faced were immense, but he held onto a glimmer of hope, determined to create a better future for himself.
Then one fateful day starved and alone, but happy as he still found this life to be preferable to his last, Eiji laid down on the cold cement of a forgotten ally for one last night. Only to be found six days later dead and decaying by a tourist who had simply lost their way.