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THUD.
. . .
Why him.
Out of all the people in Japan, why him?
He never did anything wrong. Why was he made this way? Why did he have to figure out what he was in front of an entire crowd? Why couldn’t he have crashed his bike in an alleyway and find out there, so he could learn how to keep it a secret?
His name was Kaito. He had just died.
He made a mistake in going outside today. He made a mistake in getting on his bike and not paying attention to the road in front of him. It was his stupid bodies fault he wasn't paying attention. He was hungry, and went out to get food from the market, but as fate would have it, he didn't get there. A fucking truck got in his way and cost him his life. Well, one of them? He wasn't sure how being an Ajin worked. There was no way he could go to school as a kid, so he never learned about them. Ironic.
Kaito started breathing again. He heard yelling; it was distant at first but then it became louder. He couldn't pinpoint the direction of where the noise was coming from. It took him a minute to figure out what was going on. There was a pool of blood around him when he opened his eyes and he had a headache. But he somehow felt refreshed? He tried to stand up, but his leg was caught under something. He looked behind him and saw his leg disappear under his bike.
Confusion and fear crossed his face as he heard loud gasps around him. He looked up and saw unrecognizable faces. Mumbled phrases like ‘oh my god’ and ‘I told you’ filled his ears. A hand popped into his line of vision. He looked up the arm and saw a face and a uniform. It was the police.
He grabbed the hand and they helped Kaito get up while another one pushed the bike off his leg. He knew what was going to happen when he got on his feet- they would tranquilize him. They did it to other Ajins, so why would he be special?
To the police's demise, Kaito, as soon as he got up, he started fighting. The officer that has an iron grip on his arm stumbled. A few more hits and he was down. Kaito took the chance to run; lucky for him running came easily. He was fast on his feet, he always was. Kaito ran where he knew he would be safe, at least for a while.
At the tree where Kei and him found that beetle.
It took him a while, but he finally got there. While he was running all he could think of was Kei. Kaito sat at the base of the tree and pulled out his phone. He dailed the number he had always looked forward to seeing pop up on the screen. But it never did anymore.
The phone rang. He knew Kei didn't like talking on the phone and he didn't even know if he was going to pick up. Either because it was him or because of that reason. The ringing stopped. He held his breath.
“. . . Kei?” Kaito’s voice echoed through the receiver.
“I saw you on the news,” Kaito’s breath hitched, “why are you calling me.”
“I-I don't know what to do. . . I thought, maybe, you could help-”
Kei cut him off. “And why would I help you? You're a freak,” Kaito’s heart pulled in pain, his eyes starting to water, “we’re not even friends. Why do you still have my number, anyways? You interrupted my study. Leave me alone.”
“I- Kei- wait, I-” his sentence was choked, and cut off by the sound of the phone indicating the end of a call. His hands were shaking and tears rolled down his face.
A light shined towards him with someone yelling into a radio. Kaito didn't move. Why bother? Everything he had was gone already. What more could he lose.