Asura

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

but when i say that one little rick will be pickled
well then everyone loses their minds

---

Fate was a funny thing. Sometimes it could be cruel, orchestrating events so that on your very first day, with your very fresh start, things align to see you plastered all over some shitty school paper. Marked as a pariah for the rest of the year over one little outburst. But, then it could be hilarious. Like how it was right now. How in the hell did that little twerp think it was a good idea to approach them? He hadn't even had the chance to so much as say a word before Shiori went bounding over at the pint sized reporter, who he recalled as the little voyeur perched behind the dumpsters.

Perhaps it was best he said nothing; the redhead's yelling was sure to drown out whatever poison he wanted to spit the girl's way to begin with. He watched with vague interest as the delinquent drove her forehead into the other girl's face, reaching down with one arm to fish the yet unopened pack from Shiori's bag. He cracked the plastic surrounding it, peeling it off just enough to expose the box so he could fish out one of the cylinders within. Maybe not good manners to open a second before the first was done, but he was almost positive Shiori would finish both packs before next Friday anyway, so he felt little guilt as he stuck one of the cigarettes between his lips. He tossed the pack back into her bag, only then meandering over to where the two girls were grappled.

"I distinctly remember telling you not to do whatever the fuck it was you were doing," He piped as he came to a stop a few feet away, digging his lighter free from his other pocket. He cupped his hand over the tip of his evening vice as the flames sparked up and set it alight, pulling wisps of smoke through the filterless tube to help the ember stick. "But it looks like you didn't listen. You that eager to lose another arm?"

He exhaled as he spoke, a cloud of harsh vapor drifting about his field of view as he glanced down at the would-be reporter. His gaze then drifted to the much taller hoodlum who had been his companion for the day. He almost felt bad about watching them tussle. Almost. But when he remembered Nakano was the reason he'd spent the last four days busting his hump at the gym and at home, well, he suddenly felt that the welt between her eyes wasn't quite karma enough.

"You can keep hittin' her, you know. I think I'd flatten her if I took a swing, so get in a few for me."

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

i'm running out of things to say.
did i ever have anything worth saying to begin with?

---

"You're being surprisingly merciful for a violent delinquent. Shouldn't you be busting down their mailboxes or something?" Ryusei asked, although it was more of a rhetorical to stall for time while he fished his phone out of his back pocket. He hadn't had much use for the damn thing in times recent—aside from a few cordial texts to his mother and the odd phone call to gramps, there was virtually no reason for him to even have it. Sure, he could have tried keeping in touch with his friends back in Kobe, but he wasn't making the trip back there any time soon. It would just be awkward to exchange meaningless nothings in a vain attempt to maintain some kind of long distance friendship. It was almost funny, to have what barely passed as a good mood to be soured by something as simple as pulling out a phone, but that was just the state he found himself in.

Lost connections be damned, he raffled off his number shortly thereafter, and made sure to ask for Shiori's in return; he couldn't let her have all the power when it came to making contact, after all. Once he had received the required digits and punched them into his phone under the flattering title of 'Firecrotch', he slipped the device right back from whence it came. Maybe it was all the talking that was getting to him, but sitting around on a much too small swing in the middle of nowhere was making him stir crazy. He kicked up off the ground, putting himself back on two feet with one swift lunge. As he thrust his arms into the air and stretched them to void himself of tension, he spoke again.

"I'm gonna lose my mind if we sit here whining all day. You got anything left to do? Or should we start walking home?"

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

and then he turned himself into a pickle.
funniest shit i've ever seen.

---

"Fuck me, the Pick-Land's still around? I remember picking cherries there as a little kid. Well, I say little, I was already my gram's size by then, but still." There it was again. He could practically feel the corners of his lips curling at the mention, and he had to fight down the urge to grin like an idiot at the memory, lest he lose any and all cred he had managed to garner with the redhead. Still, the nostalgia of the few good summer he had, back when he wasn't as much of a hulking loser, they almost made things bearable. He'd need to go back at some point, pick some fruit and get some of that gelato he remembered liking. He didn't exactly have anyone to go with, unfortunately, but maybe that would change. He was sure Hattori would volunteer readily if he mentioned anything vaguely food related.

"You should bring me along to the cafe one of these days. Never had boba tea before. Always seemed kinda frilly," He offered, figuring it was a hell of a lot less embarrassing than bringing up how badly he wanted to go fucking apple picking. Plus, it would give him an excuse to leave the house, something he sorely needed, considering the grueling manual labor and silent brooding that had made up much of his stay in town.

"Unless you've got someone on your shit list and wanna go bust in some windows. That'd also be fun, I guess."

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

he didn't say it. not even once during the whole thing.
why would they lie about it like that? when will it be morbin' time?

---

As he listened to Shiori recount her family life, he couldn't help but feel a little bit bad. He supposed it did make sense she would have it rough at home—most people who bore the label delinquent didn't exactly come from good situations. God only knew what kind of person he himself would have turned out to be if his folks had been there for him more often. Hell, by compare, his home life was probably more bearable than hers; coming home to an empty house day after day beat coming home to someone screaming in your face for something you didn't even do. Usually when he got torn down, he definitely did something to deserve it. Regardless, her sad little tale managed to soften his expression just enough to render his scowl down to a melancholy frown.

"Sorry to hear that," He offered, as if his meaningless platitudes would make up for it, "Sounds like it's pretty rough around there."

At least she had managed to escape the situation, for however many fleeting months or years it would last. Her sudden confession of the future took him by surprise just a little. He couldn't honestly imagine the chain smoking, potty mouthed redhead being particularly nurturing, let alone being a nurse of all things. But he had already hit her pretty hard by bringing up her folks, and he didn't want to kick the poor girl while she was down. Plus, it wasn't like he had any plans at all, much less plans for an ill-fitting career. Luckily, she was quick to push them along to another topic. One which he had a positive spin to put on to boot.

"Yeah, I have. Used to go on day trips to Kagoshima with my grandparents, back when I'd come down here to visit. My grandma would make a habit of taking me to the aquarium whenever I came." He had to fight back the urge to smile while he reminisced. His grandmother had always made sure to make him comfortable during his little vacations, and growing up, the way she tried to make him feel special and wanted was something he sorely needed. Something he sorely missed even now—he could only wonder how much more tolerable her presence would make his current, lengthy stay in Utsubyo. But that trail of thought only led to wistfulness and gloom, and if there was one thing he didn't need more of, it was the fucking gloom.

"But enough about that. We aren't in Kagoshima, so waxing on about how fun it is there isn't gonna do us any damn good. What's there to do around here? It can't be all shitty conbinis and laundromats. What do you do for fun?"

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

how much longer need i suffer this hell?
i want out. i want out. i want out.

---

"Can't be helped. I've always liked redheads."

Another quip to add to the pile, although it was good to see his comments were at least worthy enough that Shiori cared to bring them up. She didn't give him much of a chance to revel in it, though. Her next inquiry was pretty sobering, as if he hadn't just been ruminating on his parents and the increasingly strained relationship he had with them. What was he supposed to tell her? That they didn't want him anymore? That the big, lumbering delinquent who had bashed some kid's face in on the first day of school had some whiny sob story to tell? That his tragic lack of familial love had led him down a dark path, and this was his chance at redemption? He'd never hear the fucking end of it if he admitted even a quarter of how he felt to this girl, and considering the year was just now beginning, he didn't know if he could stomach twenty-two months of her mockery. Well, more mockery than she was already wont to dispense.

"Folks got sick of me causing trouble, decided I needed to go live somewhere else," His eventual answer was short and nonchalant, figuring it was truthful enough to sate her curiosity without belying how much he actually cared, "I'm staying with my gramps at his place now. Probably gonna continue until I finish high school. After that, fuck knows what I'll do. Not staying, that's for damn sure."

Maybe it was his tendency to punish imagined slights, but she had cut him a little too close to the root on that one, so he decided to return fire with a question of his own. Plus, it'd help move the subject away from him and back onto her, where he preferred it.

"How about you? Got any kinfolk to keep you trapped here? You do seem like a good, wholesome, family oriented gal."

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

we're not alone. there's nothing and everything out there all at once.
i can hear them scratching. it's getting closer. i'm scared.

---

With little to do but watch the endless grey expanse above and listen, that was exactly what Ryusei did. What she said about the town certainly rang true—his folks had already sent him his first week's allowance, and even discounting the extra twenty five thousand in guilt money his mother had slipped in, he was punching a lot higher here than back in Kobe. Not that he had much to spend it on in the first place, discount rib tips and chips aside. He idly wondered if his pride would even allow him to spend it on something nice if he even found something; it wasn't the first time his family attempted to buy his love, and considering they had just condemned him to a year in proverbial hell, the envelopes that showed up every Monday sure felt like bribe money. Thankfully, Shiori gave him an out from the tempest of negativity whirling about in his mind.

"Yeah, can't imagine how a grass fire could have started around here. Maybe somebody dropped a cigarette or something."

Implications of accidental arson aside, he continued to listen as his... acquaintance? Continued her sad tale. It felt wrong to call her a friend, considering the briefness of their time together and the standoffish vibe that permeated pretty much every moment of it. Not that he had any right to complain about it, considering his own behavior. But it took two to tango, and he was sure Shiori would balk at the idea if he had so much as implied it. Maybe that was why she had no friends. At least his absentminded probing into her personal life blew open the doors of conversation, and she posed the same question back at him. He grimaced for a short moment, but eventually acquiesced, deciding it wasn't worth getting huffy over. It wasn't like his friends had ditched him—it was he who had to ditch them.

"Yeah, I had a few. Bunch of scumbags I'd hang out with after school. Or, more often than not, when we skipped. Used to get into a lot of bullshit with them, but they always had my back, so they were good enough guys," There was almost a hint of a smile on his lips as he thought back to all the trouble he'd gotten up to with his little gang of miscreants. One which only turned self-deprecating as thought about his love life.

"Shockingly enough, for as much as girls throw their legs open at the sight of me, I don't. Probably for the best. Poor girl would've been broken by the loss if I had—how can you go back to flank when you've had prime rib?" He joked, although he couldn't exactly let her get away with reminding him of his lack of fairer companionship, "Why're you askin'? Lookin' to try your luck?"

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

nothing matters any more. the darkness is all there is.
i try to count the seconds. i've forgotten what they are.

---

"Nah, I don't do it to all of them. Just the pretty ones."

It was easy enough to come up with some smart ass response to Shiori's seemingly boundless irritation. He supposed that was what he liked about their little verbal spars—for what she lacked in conversational motivation, she made up for by being fun to poke at. In the way it was fun to see how much you could poke a wasp's nest before you got stung, at least. Luckily enough, he hadn't been on the receiving end of much more than some angry buzzing, elbow to the ribs aside. Hopefully it would be at least a little while longer before she got fed up with him. Utsubyo sucked, but having somebody to fuck around with made the sucking a little less severe.

A sigh escaped Ryusei's lips as he kicked off the mulch littered turf below, rocking back and forth on his suspended seat, his legs too long to truly leave the ground with such little force. The gentle motion helped break up the monotony that was this little outing; he hadn't ever been all that social. People tended to steer clear of him once they picked up on his reputation, and aside from his fellow scumbags back home, he didn't go out of his way to correct that. The hell could he even talk about? He had known Himawari Shiori for all of five days, most of which were spent either snarking back and forth at one another or smoking in silence. Part of him felt the urge to just let her bear the burden of steering the conversation. They were here for her, after all. But the obstinate part of him didn't like ceding control that easily.

"Shitty park," He eventually declared, letting the first thought in his mind carry them forward, "How many people in this town even have kids? Certainly seems like a shit place to raise a family."

He was being a little harsh. It wasn't that bad, honestly. Sure, the equipment looked like shit, the grass needed to be taken care of, but there was a serenity to its emptiness. With the sky above nice and overcast and nobody around but his nicotine addled classmate, it was almost kind of relaxing. He caught himself before he got too relaxed though—he had come dangerously close to dropping the tension he had been carrying for most of the week while pondering how he enjoyed his chats with Shiori, and he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of thinking he was comfortable around her just because she picked a decent place to unwind.

"You come here often? Seems like a pretty lonely place, but you seem kinda lonely most of the time anyway, so I guess it'd fit. Don't have any friends?" Yeah, he was definitely being harsh. Hypocritical, too, considering his own lack of a social life, but at least he had an excuse. He hadn't seen the redhead hanging around anybody but himself and the other new transfer, and he had at least a working theory that the two of them had prior history, just based on the bouncy brunette's over familiarity. Not exactly indicative of Shiori's popularity with Utsubyo High's preexisting student body.

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

how long have i been here? how long will i be forced to stay?
i want to go home. i want to see my wife again. is she even still waiting for me?

---

Ryusei couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes as he was pelted by his own jacket. For all the shit he got for being moody, the redhead at his side certainly seemed sensitive. Maybe the lack of nicotine really was putting her on edge. Chemical withdraws or no, he couldn't just let her get away with that—even on his worst day, he was a remarkable smart ass.

"Yeah, yeah. Why don't you try keeping 'em to yourself? Just 'cause you bought me lunch doesn't mean you're allowed to get handsy with my assets."

Her choice of venue wasn't exactly scenic, but it was better than the decaying suburban hell that had featured for much of their journey. It could even have been mistaken for nice, if you locked your eyes on the treeline and pretended you weren't surrounded by decrepit play sets and wilting grass. Not like the quality of the scenery mattered anyway; he had finished his sandwich on the way. Still, it seemed Shiori wanted to hang around, and seeing as though he had little else to spend his afternoon on, he decided to tag along. Hisfirst instinct was to go fuck around on the swings, and creature of impulse that he was, that's exactly what he did. As he herded them towards the swingset, he couldn't help but snort at her comment.

"Yeah, and you feed his addiction to high school girls in return," He snarked, tossing his bag into the wood chips below along with his jacket. The teen claimed one of the swings, resting his weight on the cheap plastic seat even as the chains whined in protest. "Poor fucker looked like he saw a ghost when he spotted you with a boy. Probably seething over it. Not that I didn't see to making that easy."

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

the days blend infinitely in this hellish abyss
time no longer has meaning as we lose ourselves to the darkness

---

Ryusei probably should have expected the sharp pain that came to radiate through his ribs. But the few seconds of zero response from Shiori had lulled him into a false sense of security, and her inevitable retribution prefaced the soft 'oof' that forced its way through his otherwise infallible deadpan. He withdrew the offending arm, using it to rub at the spot she had hit him. He knew she was skinny, but just how bony were her fucking elbows?

"It was worth a try," He muttered in response as she stole all his fun by explaining away his presence. He supposed he'd have time to torture the poor fucker with implications later. Nothing threatened a pining loser like a college boyfriend from out of town. He didn't have much time to add on to his charade if he tried—Shiori was already shoving him out onto the street, and Sato had already beat a pathetic retreat deeper into the alleyway. Unwilling to risk dropping his precious sandwich, the teen simply trotted along until they were once again back on the main road, absentmindedly nibbling at his afternoon meal.

"You really ought to watch where you go sticking that thing. Might count as a weapon in some jurisdictions. Sure as shit pointy enough to be one."

Where It Always Rains

TOTSUKA RYUSEI
戸塚 竜星

---

a date where smartphones exist
half past morbin' time

---

"The hell is wrong with Bats?" Ryusei asked, almost baffled that someone would complain about his brand. Maybe she proved the stereotype right and really did want menthols. "Don't worry about the sandwich. Somebody has been monopolizing much lunch time, so I was hungry. Consider your favor repaid."

While Shiori's tough girl image crumbled before him and he savored his afternoon snack, the arrival of a third caught his obvious attention. The guy seemed friendly enough—until his eyes landed on Ryusei. Typical. He wasn't exactly a beam of shining fucking sunlight, but why was it that all he got were glares and suspicious glances no matter where he went? Not even transferring a new town was enough to free him of the eternal chagrin of Japan's population, it seemed. He hadn't even said two words to the guy when they briefly passed each other in the store and he was already getting looked at like he stole something.

It wasn't until the fellow spoke for a second time that the teen's pondering suddenly clicked. So that was it, huh? No wonder this Sato seemed so upset with him. He could certainly understand the worry. Unfortunately for him, however, understanding did not equate to sympathizing, and Ryusei was in just foul enough of a mood to take a jab at the guy's expense. His companion almost assuredly wouldn't appreciate it, but hey, it was her idea to drag him along. She'd have to accept the consequences of her actions. Meandering over to Shiori from his position nearer the alleyway's exit, he slung a casual arm around the redhead's shoulders.

"Hey," He greeted the older male, swallowing the mouthful of crispy fried bird and bun that had occupied his mouth prior, "I'm the snack."