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it was a bright day, the sun was a glowing hot orb floating in the sky, sounds of laughter and chattering all around as students made their way home, saying goodbye to their friends.
But inside, there was a boundary , basically everywhere and nowhere , sounds muffled in the air. A brown-haired boy buries his face into the pillow, letting his tears run down as they soak through the fabric.
Unwanted thoughts spun in his head, rising, getting bigger and bigger, the negativity getting stronger, the words he said repeating in his head:
" I hate you, Tsukasa ..."
Maybe this was all his fault.
maybe if it weren't for him, his brother could have lived the happy life he deserved.
Maybe if it weren't for his sickness,
his brother could have grown up in the life he should have had.
Either way, it was his fault . He was the reason they all got stuck in the Clockkeeper's boundary, just for it to end up with them on the ground, a knife stabbing Tsukasa 's sleeve, an inch away from touching his dead skin.
Before he could form more thoughts to repeat over and over again , there was a knock on the door . Hanako didn't bother to get up to open it; he prayed for whoever was behind the door to just quit and leave.
Another knock echoed through the room, a somewhat deep voice came out,
" Hey kid, I know you're in there." Hanako sighed heavily as he sat up from his bed, wiping his tears with the collar of his shirt , which had a picture of an astronaut floating among the stars .
He got up and opened the door. A tall man with short half white, half purple hair, wearing yellow circle-shaped glasses, stood there with a bag filled with containers of food . Tsuchigomori came to check on him, more commonly known as Number 5 of the Seven Wonders.
The man sighed as he stood in front of Hanako, seeing his tear-stained cheeks . Tsuchigomori broke the silence and muttered, " So, how are you doing, buddy? Want to talk?"
" No ."
Hanako tried to close the door as soon as he could before the conversation could go any further, but Tsuchigomori held the door just in time. " I'm not letting you bottle things up . I don't want to force you to talk about something if you're uncomfortable, but you can't just stay in your room all day and not eat anything."
" Fine, "
Hanako blurted, opening the door fully this time for him.
Tsuchigomori pulled out a container of teishoku. " Number Two made this for you, you better thank her for this."
Hanako just nodded as he sat down on the ground and started eating.
After a few bites, Hanako looked at Number 5 and said aloud, " Stop watching me like an animal!" Tsuchigomori laughed and raised both of his hands, his palms outwards to calm him down.
Minutes passed Hanako finished his food while Tsuchigomori was waiting. He decided to get through some test papers he had to grade.
He put the papers back in the folder and sat on the bed, which was covered with a blanket full of stars . He patted the open space next to him.
" Come here, sit down."
" Okay. " Number 7 knew better than to argue with him.
Tsuchigomori put a hand on his shoulder. " Now tell me what's bothering you," he stated.
Hanako couldn't take it anymore he was irritated , annoyed, pissed, emotions hard to describe in words,
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK, JUST STOP IT!"
The man blinked in surprise , lifting his hand from the boy's shoulder.
" Okay ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to talk; that's on me."
A few silent minutes passed , the room filled with awkwardness. Hanako shifted on the bed, not knowing what to do or say.
Tsuchigomori looked at the ground, a faint tugging at his lips . " I'll be right back." He left the room before Hanako realized it.
Hanako considered leaving the room before Number 5 came back, but he was still curious about what Tsuchigomori was up to . Before he could take that thought into action, Tsuchigomori returned with something in his hand and sat down next to the leader of the Wonders. He blinked excitedly to see what was in his hand.
Tsuchigomori placed a rock in Number Seven's hand. " Is this...?" the boy said in shock,
" It's a lunar rock , " he said before the excited boy could finish his sentence. He smiled, looking ahead, letting out a good chuckle as he explained, " It was hard trying to get my hands on this dumb rock, but I really wanted to see that smile on your face."
Suddenly, Hanako rushed Tsuchigomori into his chest for a hug, tears soaking his coat. " T -thank you, Tsuchi ..."
Tsuchigomori chortled, putting a hand on the boy's head.
" You're welcome ; I'm glad you like it." Hanako backed away from the hug, glancing at the rock.
His eyes lit up knowing that this same rock was a part of the moon -the giant rock up in the sky. He got up and put the rock on his shelf next to all the books he had about space.
" I should get a stand for this." Hanako replied excited, Tsuchigomori chuckled again, glad he was feeling better. Hanako ran to his window and opened it, laughing happily.
" Look ! The moon is out!"
He looked at Tsuchigomori with a smile and sparkling eyes.
Tsuchigomori zoned out for a bit ; this was around 40 years ago... 1969, the year Tsuchigomori received that rock. Before he could relive those moments , Hanako blurted out,
" Hey, Sensei, have you ever felt... so guilty before? The guilt that never goes away?"
before he could reply the boy continued,
" Well .. I am... right now."
He continued , sitting back next to Tsuchigomori , gripping his pajama pants like his life depended on it, even though he was dead.
Heavy tears dripped onto his pants, sobs echoing in the room . Before Tsuchigomori could comfort him... " I'm so tired, Sensei ... this is all my fault . Why did all of this happen? Why did it have to be like this? Well -it doesn't matter; in the end, nothing's goint to change"
tsuchigomori sighs . He replies, " Don't say that about yourself! Stop blaming yourself ; this is not your fault!" He stands up angrily, his hands on the boy's shoulders.
He sighs and sits back down. hanako rushes for a hug , his head on his teacher's chest. He bursts into tears again, his voice cracking, his hands gripping him.
tsuchigomori chuckles softly, " It's okay, kid..."
" I love you, Dad. "
Before he could even process what he heard or what he should say, he plays with hanako's back hair and replies,
" I love you too, son."