Chapter Two

A Night Begotten

Tsukuda Kiyomi’s Point of View

            I closed the front door behind me. I was now in my simple gray sweatpants and long-sleeved maroon tee shirt with the words of “Takahashi Swim Team” written in bold white upon it.

            It was now night and the stars sparkled like scatter glitter upon the darkness casted overhead. The air was chilly and crisp as leaves rustled about with the wind, moving gracefully like a blade of grass against a light breeze.

            I sat down on the beige and slightly torn porch swing that hung by the side railing of the veranda and the ceiling roof above it. I brought my right leg up and wrapped my arms around it, clasping my left hand over my other wrist. My left leg hung loosely as I slowly swung the porch swing.

            A cool breeze grazed my cheek as it suddenly felt as if I was in the Arctic, but only for a brief second . . . just . . . a brief second . . .

Flashback

            An entire pile of leaves was thrown at me as my brother was laughing literally hysterically.

            “Ugh, Katsuo,” I grunted. “I hate you for all eternity. You now got leaves tangled in my hair.”

            He was still guffawing, before speaking between his laughter, “You . . . look . . . like . . . Medusa!”

            At this point in time, he was on the floor laughing his head off.

            I deadpanned, smacking my forehead with the palm of my hand, “You suck.”

            He then turned his “puppy eyes” at me and I practically died.

            “Aw,” his hands then clasped together like in a prayer, as his puppy eyes were still apparent. “You don’t mean that.”

            I shuddered at his adorable actions, “Ugh, you are. Nothing’s changing my mind, baka.”

            “You’re so cruel!” he cried “tears” as he was not on his knees, his hands still entwined.

            I smacked my forehead with my wrist once again, “Oh, stop it, Katsuo.”

End of Flashback

            I smiled faintly at the small memory of me and Katsuo before the facial expression soured and became a saddened one.

            “Oh, Katuo,” I exhaled a breath, attempting to contain my rising tears from falling once again. “Why did you have to die?”

Matsuoka Rin’s Point of View

            Pant. Pant. Pant.

            My nightly jogs were a new addition to my daily routine as I aspired to fulfill the dream Katuo never had the chance to finish.

            As I continued running, I glanced at the radiant stars cast overhead against the black curtain of darkness. The moon glistened against the trees and grass, coating them in a silvery veil.

            Before long, I was too tired to continue and took a small break to have a sip of the cold water I brought with me and wipe the sweat off my brow with the small white towel that draped around my neck.

            However, even that couldn’t keep my mind off the passing.

Flashback

            Ring.

            Buzz.

            Ring.

            Buzz.

            Ring.

            Buzz.

            After three rings and buzzes from my phone, I finally forced myself out of my sleep under the warm and toasty covers and reached for my phone by the nightstand.

            I rubbed my eyes slightly with one hand before pressing the “Accept Call” button on the touchscreen—which was labeled with the caller’s ID: Mikoshiba Seijuro—the captain of Samezuka Academy.

            I replied drearily, “What do you want at this hour, man? It’s . . .”

            I glanced at the digital clock at my nightstand.

            “It’s 2:49 A.M.,” I deadpanned drowsily. “What could you possibly need from me? Reports? I already emailed them to you earlier.”

            “N-no,” Seijuro answered shakily.

            By now, if not already, I was on full alert. Seijuro never stuttered no matter what time of day it was. Something was wrong. Really wrong. The feeling crept up my spine as I awaited the horrible news.

            “What’s wrong, Seijuro?” I nearly shouted over the phone as I jumped out of bed, revealing my black tank along with my three white-stripes at the side of my black sport slacks.

            “H-he’s dead,” I heard him quiver as it sounded like Seijuro was shedding tears over the phone.

            My eyes widened, now completely wide awake, “What! Who? Tell me! Now!”

            He didn’t answer. He kept on sobbing.

            “Seijuro! I swear! Tell me this instant! Who!” I shouted, almost screaming.

            After a moment or two, he finally answered, shouting back at me, “Rin! It’s Katsuo! He’s gone! Dead!”

            At that, I felt a piece of me die inside as the phone, now forgotten, was dropped, clattered on the floor.

End of Flashback

            Sitting on a stone bench, my back hunched. My hair shadowed my eyes as I closed the cap of my water container. I wiped my brow with my towel once again before standing up, jog in place, and then finally restart running around the city once again.

            The streets were empty, and a slow, quiet breeze rustled past me as I was up running against it. The setting was perfect for me to clear my mind from all the stress I had contained inside me. Katsuo . . . Why did you have to leave?

            I glanced nervously at the sky as I was panting. The cardio exercise was starting to get to me, and that was a problem. If Katsuo could run twenty kilometers a day—five in the morning, five at noon, five after school, and five at night—and he was not as physically able as I was, why couldn’t I do the same?

            I rolled up the sleeves of my long-sleeved t-shirt in an attempt for my sweat to evaporate the heat swelled up under the covers of my shirt.

            Taking several deep breaths as I continued to run, another memory came past me although I was putting all my efforts . . . to keep them away.

Flashback

Rin: Twelve Years Old

Katsuo: Thirteen Years Old

            “And the winner of today’s fifty meter freestyle today is none other than Tsukuda Katsuo!” the announcer boomed through the speakers as Katsuo pumped his fist in the air in joy.

            In the lane beside him, I pouted, saying, “You always win, Katsuo. Let someone else win for once!”

            “What’s the fun in not trying your best, Rin?” Katsuo laughed. “It challenges me a lot.”

            “But you always win,” I whined as I drew in a sharp breath. “It’s no fair to the rest of the population.”

            “Hahaha!” Katsuo continued laughing. “I’d rather lose trying than win not, Rin.”

            With that being said, he scrunched up my hair with his fist as he said so in a teasing manner.

End of Flashback

            I ran another kilometer before almost passing out. By the time I reached the Samezuka dormitories, I was done with my list for that day . . . though it still wasn’t as much as Katsuo completed day to day.

Tsukuda Kiyomi’s Point of View

            A light breeze drifted past me as I, even at this time, was staring at the beautiful, radiant skies. The moon shone full and its glittering rays glistened the dew-filled grass, grounds, trees, plants, and flowers everywhere my eye touched until the horizon.

            I glanced at my watch upon my wrist. It read 11:46. Fourteen minutes until midnight.

            Fourteen minutes until the same exact time I found out about the death of my brother . . .

Flashback

            I was humming and drumming my fingers against the deep-beige wooden desk as I was completing my algebra homework. It was just like any ordinary day, but little did I know what would happen soon thereafter.

            “La, da, di, dum, dum,” I continued to hum the song as my fingers were tapping the rhythm.

            Crash.

            A loud thunder boomed from downstairs.

            I immediately ripped the earplugs out of my ears, shut the laptop, and dashed down the stairs.

            “Mother, are you all right?” I asked, full of concern, as I noticed the shattered screen of her slide cell phone in bits of glass upon the varnished wooden floor beside her.

            She slowly turned towards me so that she was facing me. She was shaking violently.

            I ran up to her and shook her shoulders before asking, “What’s wrong? Why are you trembling? Mother, tell me! What’s wrong?”

            She covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes widened before she managed to whisper, “He’s gone.”

            Her words were barely audible, but I replied as calmly as possible to keep the tense atmosphere in the room to a certain level, “Okay, Mother, who is gone?”

            Her lips quivered, and she didn’t reply.

            My gradual frustration started to pent up, but, before long, my mother breathed the words she had been meaning to say.

            I let the information sink in as my hands lifted from her shoulders and fell down by my sides. My eyes widened as my breath was caught in my throat. A single tear then slid down my cheek before it descended to the floor.

End of Flashback

            I closed my eyes to stop the tears from brimming over again.

            “No more mourning,” I swore to myself in a whisper. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll go swimming again, take the normal route home, and visit Samezuka Academy like I used to again. And, if they’ll let me, become their manager to live on the legacy of my brother.”

            With that being said, I stood up from the porch swing, opened the front door, entered, and returned upstairs to bed.