Chapter Text
On a random cold winter morning. Yuuji knew that things would never be the same.
Since age 4, Yuuji had lived with his grandfather. Weekly face-times with his parents slowly morphed into once-a-month audio calls and then one day at age 10, his grandfather got a long letter and package from his parents. And the following week, Yuuji was attending their funeral.
Before they had died, they always had set expectations for Yuuji. Ones that he had been trying to honor since he was born.
He was an active kid, so they kept him on a regular workout routine. Leaving his muscle growth in the hands of his grandfather, who was once a taekwondo instructor. Yuuji was also taught about first Aid, gardening, chores, and the art of poetry. He was told to attend school, and would learn his own separate curriculum on his grandfathers’ whims.
And every night, Yuuji was to read a story from a book his parents had left him. The book was about the size of an encyclopedia, and it contained fairytales of a tyrannical ruler with four arms and a mouth for a stomach. Stories of an albino blue-eyed child deemed a god in the eyes of mortals. Stories of wolves and creatures, formed by the power of sorcery to defeat curses. And strong family bloodlines, ruling over the accursed world.
Yuuji had read and finished the book over 20 times by the time he turned 13, and he often dreamed of the stories and their characters.
As he grew up, his grandfather had told him to stop investing so much time in a book full of nonsense. But Yuuji would sneak to stay up, just to skim through those familiar pages. The paper worn out under the pads of his fingers, and his parents’ neat scrawl wrote out in side margins to explain in further detail some of the stories and myths in the fiction.
The stories were interesting, but Yuuji mostly read the book to feel closer to his parents. Considering it was the last thing they ever gave him.
He didn’t know his parents well, only few memories had stayed with him as he grew up. And if it wasn’t for their pictures framed from the funeral, Yuuji doubts he would have remembered what they looked like.
His grandpa didn’t like speaking of his son, or his daughter-in-law for that matter. He never spoke ill of them, just refused to speak of their existence entirely after the funeral. And for a long time, Yuuji had accepted that.
If he ever saw his grandfather, staring listlessly out into the sky during Cherry blossom season. No doubt, reminiscing of familiar pink hair. Yuuji would pretend he hadn’t. Consoling his inner curiosity at night by reading his parents fables.
Weeks building up to the eventful day, Yuujis grandfather had gotten sick.
“A mere cold.”
He insisted. But as it continued on, Yuuji grew more fearful. Day’s slowly bleeding into weeks of illness.
His time not spent at school or doing his service work for the town, he was sat beside his grandfather. Taking care of him, and writing poetry while he slept.
Yuuji had just turned fourteen, and he was a spirited child. With unique cherry blossom colored hair and a matching set of pink colored eyes, Yuuji stood at around 5’6 with a lean figure. His muscles defined and shaped, but not large or ‘buff’. His looks were accompanied with soft pale skin and delicate facial features that had garnered the interest of many. As well as some jealousy.
But the most important thing, was that Yuuji was kind.
He was very helpful. Not lazy like other children, or withdrawn. He was popular with his peers and he enjoyed visiting with adults. Choosing to volunteer to help the neighborhood aunties manage their gardens. Sometimes even running chores for the older folk in his town. And he made his grandfather proud. Which meant the most to him.
Two nights before, Yuuji was curled up in a blanket next to his sick Grandfather. Finishing his school work, before his grandpa set off in a fit of coughs. Wheezing to sit up.
Yuuji hurriedly sets his assignments aside. Getting up to help the elder man.
Bracing his grandfather’s back, Yuuji reaches out to grab the half-filled glass of water from the small coffee table beside the man’s futon. Bringing the cold drink to the elder man’s lips.
“I must speak to you, boy.” His grandpa mutters. His mouth chapped and wrinkly around the glass lip from where he drinks. And his hand, tremoring as he moves to wipe his mouth. Coughing deeply as his sunken dark brown irises reflect in Yuujis own pink ones.
“I am to go to the hospital tomorrow, and you are to move in with a family friend come the weekend.” Yuujis brow furrows, and he sets the glass cup down. Back beside the futon.
The candle light flickering in the corner, casting a dim shine over their forms.
Shadows dancing on the walls.
“What do you mean? If I leave, who’s going to take care of you?”
Yuuji had never thought much of separation. He had accepted moving in with his grandfather at a young age, and he hadn’t cried during his parents’ funeral. Neither when the old man from his favorite snack store, Cho, had passed. Or when his foreign best friend, Hannigan Murray, had moved away in the 6th grade.
To yuuji, he understood that nothing was ever permanent. And there were things he could control, and things he couldn’t.
But he had never taken the time to consider a life without his grandfather. Especially one so soon.
“I am far too grown to depend on a child just starting to embark on his journey in life. It is not fair for this old man to hold you back from growth, my boy.” His Grandpa coughs, loud and disruptive. And when he inhales, there’s a concerning sound that emits from his chest. Similar to that when you squeeze a squeaky toy and it wheezes painfully as it fills back up.
“You’re not holding me back, Grandpa. I’m passing in school and I still do my chores and stuff. I help out the older Aunties with gardening, and I cook and do poetry. Just like you taught me to.” Yuuji argues. His mind is young, and his body is no doubt tired from the long day. But he can’t seem to shake the feeling that if he stays silent and accepts the conditions. He might never see his grandfather again.
His grandpa shakes his head, clearing his throat in-between chuckles as he shakily lays back down. His eyes closing.
“Jin would be proud to see what a good boy you’ve grown up to be, Yuuji.” He mumbles, a thin smile on his lips. And Yuuji stays quiet, the mention of his father catching him off guard.
“I am too old now, boy. My body is too weak to keep up with the spirit of youth. I promised your father and mother that I would care for you to the best of my ability, and that when you outgrow my teachings. I’ll set you off on your path.”
Yuuji stares down at his lap, his legs folded underneath him as he clenches his hands tightly against his thighs. His vision blurring from the sting of what felt like rejection, coming from his grandfather.
“I’m not done learning from you. I still have much to grow in.” Yuuji insists. And his grandpa tsks. Shaking his head.
“Don’t cry boy. You can cry at my funeral.” Yuuji clenches his jaw together tight. His pink bangs covering his face as he looks down at his lap.
“For now, read me your poetry. And pack your things after school tomorrow.”
His Grandfather speaks in such an authoritative tone, that Yuuji can do nothing but sit there. Breathing in deeply as he silently cries. Steeling his mind before nodding, and wiping his cheeks.
“Yes, grandfather.”
“Good boy, Yuuji.” The older man lifts his shaking hand, gently patting the boy’s soft pink hair. Before he turns his head to the side to cough once more.
Yuuji stands quickly to leave the room, closing the sliding doors shut softly. His socks pad quietly against the wooden tiled ground. Tears streaming from his eyes as he grabs his poetry book from the study, and brings it back to his grandfather’s room.
Moving to settle down next to the old man, Yuuji holds his grandpa’s hand tightly. Like he could disappear at any moment.
“Pink;
For the color of cherry blossoms in spring.
Soft tuffs of hair blow in the seasoned wind.
I see in my hazy gaze,
A matching color of pink. A similar matching face.
For in spring all types of flowers bloom,
The once purple orchids now decide to sprout blue.
During the night, on a full moon lit pasture.
Two wolves’ howl.
The yin and yang barks,
And the hill starts to growl.
The flowers that I love,
Shall wither and die to the ground split at my feet.
A chasm wide open, devouring my spring.”
The next morning, Yuuji receives a kiss from his grandfather on his head. And they hold a small conversation about Yuuji being well-mannered in his new home. And that when his grandfather feels better, Yuuji may come visit after he settles in his new home. And Yuuji only moves back from the hug when the older man makes mention of Yuuji being permitted to come and visit him.
They share meaningful words before they embrace once more. Yuuji’s face buried into his grandfather’s shoulder as too soon for Yuujis liking, do they have to part ways.
The boys’ feet fighting against his inner turmoil as he forces himself to walk to school. Quiet and distracted, he does his best despite knowing it might be his last time here.
Friday, which means it’s the day before he leaves. And when the bell signals the end of school, his classmates all hug him and whisper sad goodbyes. Even his favorite teacher promises to cherish the art works Yuuji gifted her throughout the school year.
After school, Yuuji helps the Aunties out with the garden. Sharing whatever bit of Gardening knowledge he can with them, and in gratitude for his continued help. They let him take a pot and a flower of his choosing.
His walk home accompanied by a pale blue baby Orchid in a tiny brown pot.
He greets as many people as he can. Even buying a piece of candy from one of the kind shop-keeps near his home to end his day.
And just as he feared, when he returns home, the house is silent. No coughs, or music playing from his grandfather’s favorite record. The house lights turned off, instead of brightly lit while his grandfather complains that the upcoming winter means dusting season. And when Yuuji pulls off his tennis shoes, he makes note that his grandpa’s loafers are missing from the rack at the front door. The only type of shoe his grandpa enjoyed wearing.
Yuuji quickly walks to his room, closing his door tightly before shrugging off his backpack and setting his new plant friend down at his desk. He stares at it for a few moments, remembering the poem he had read his grandpa only a few nights ago. (Maybe that’s why he chose it.) Before he turns around towards his closet and begins packing.
His mind blank as he tries to be good, tries to listen to his grandfather’s words of not crying while he packs away years of memories made with the old man.
When the sunsets, there’s a knock on the door. And the neighbors announce that they brought dinner. No doubt made aware by his grandfather that Yuuji was alone tonight. But Yuuji doesn’t mind.
The family next door has young children, so for once that day, the house wasn’t as quiet. Yuuji eats slower than normal, wanting to preserve the moment and the company. But he finds himself scrapping the lasts from his plate all too soon, and he thanks his neighbors for the shared meal. He even lets them wash the dishes, despite how he was raised and knowing it wasn’t proper manners. In hopes of keeping them for even a moment longer. He packs them some pickled items from the fridge to go home with.
And before they leave out the door, once again, Yuuji is given a hug. His neighbors promising to check in on his grandpa, and telling him to study well in school.
“I will.” Yuuji promises. And he bows in front of them deeply,
“Please take care of my grandfather in my absence.”
That night, Yuuji decides to lay in his grandpa’s bed. Distracting himself from reality as he reads his book. Mentions of sorcerers, curing ailments made by evil energy.
And yuuji briefly wonders, if he had such abilities too, could he kill the curse making his grandpa sick?