Chương 25: Doom Street

Before leaving, I close my window. Yeah. You heard me. Look, do you really think I just walk out of the front door like that? Well, I do, I always do, okay, maybe that wasn't the best of examples. Maybe I should have said. Do you really think I come back to my house in the middle of the night from the front door? While there's a risk to see him? Heeeeeellll nah, I'm dumb and young, not suicidal, that's different. But since my mom will be there.

It should be fine to pass through the front door today, should be fine, should be fine. In any case, I close my window. Usually, I leave it open. Then, when I want to come back home, I sneak around the house, and climb through the window. When the window is closed, I leave the house. Letting my exhausted mother some time to sleep off... whatever she's doing during the night. Look, I'm not dumb. But. Let's not think badly about the only person that's trying to keep me alive in this world alright?

I think that's a smart choice. Closing the door behind me, I figure out how to lock it too, pretty easy to do because I have a lifetime of experience. But if I were really a two years old child? Uh, well, maybe I would be dead if I really was a two years old child. Hoorah for reincarnation! Don't know why she just gave me the key like that though, didn't even taught me how to lock behind.

Maybe she heard or saw me coming back home in the middle of the night too many times and figured out that I can deal with this myself? Or maybe my father finally poisoned her brain and got her to think I'm the weirdest fucking kid this planet ever seen? Eh, probably not, mom's cool. And my dad is just... uh... He's just... Uh. Let's just move already. Locking the door behind me, I step in the street, the bill already in my pocket and hidden well, and my key follows it just after.

The biscuit is already deep in my guts. That hit the spot, but that's clearly not enough. Shaking my hair around like I'm some kind of dog, I ignore the rain and start walking to the right, keeping close to the sides of the street to be under the inclined roofs whenever possible. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It's always raining in this weird ass country.

Which is Japan Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm in japan, I wasn't always sure about it before but I'm pretty sure I'm in Japan now. First off the speech is clearly Asian, so. Yeah, even if I don't know the difference between the languages, the money in my pockets make it clear that I'm in Japan You know what it's called? Ryo. And do you know which ancient money is called ryo? Japan money of course. I still don't know which years I'm in yet, but considering the glass around. I'm probably in the 1700, or 1800.

Not sure yet, but probably. Also, it would make sense with all the books about samurais my father read to me when I was younger, I don't know much about history, but that makes sense to me. Seeing a woman at her door, just standing there and looking at the rain, I give her a look. And when I do, she notices me and frown at me. Barely hiding the disgusts she holds for me. I give her a wide smile, channeling all my childhood cuteness at her.

She stares at me for a second, and the second she sees my cute face smiling at her with pure -faked- innocence, her face mellows out. She sighs, turn around and close the door behind her. Leaving me... completly used to it. Not the first time something like this happened to be honest. Seeing my next turn, to the right, I look inside and see the men that usually laze around drinking in front of the weird building I now know is a restaurant. I keep up my walk and decide to do a small detour to avoid them.

As I do, I barely see anyone in the street. A year ago, there were way more people around, nowadays, there's barely anyone. I don't know why, no one really gave me any straight answers, and there's a fine line not to cross between spying on my mother and father disputes, and getting found out. Never been found out yet. But I don't want to risk it. Still, with the small snipets I managed to get, from the streets, and the house. It's again. Something about the economy.

I don't know what the FUCK is happening to the economy, but my history lessons don't talk about any economic crises in Japan at this time, but again, maybe I'm just bad at history. Which is kind of true. I'm bad at history. I take my turn left, and go in a wiiiiiide street that's more populated than most. There's a lot of shops around here. And there's a lot of mean looking villagers. Most shops here sell weapons. Which you could believe should make me wary. But really? The opposite happens.

I see a big man leaving a shop, he have a long beard that goes down to his belly, strong forearms holding a cigarette. When he sees me standing in the rain he gives me a big wave and start laughing"You fuckin brat! What are you doing outside again? I swear you're the only kid I've seen-" The last part of his sentence is said in a mumble, he even spits on the ground beside him.

"-since this piece of shit started pulling his weight around" Without ANY fucking hesitation I get closer to him, one hand in my hair, brushing the wet strands out of my eyes.

"Sorry Mr Hatomo, but..." I look behind me, and shrug "You know how it is at home" He lets out a long sad sigh and put his cigarette away from me as I get closer, making sure I get none of the smoke.

"I know, I know. For all it's worth, I'm happy you're still here brat, but maybe you would have had a better chance at life if you went with your grandpa, no matter his.... choices" I think he talks more to himself than anything whenever I'm here. But I'm glad he does, I learn a lot of things from him. Like.. for example, where Kiko is. The answer? With my grandpa. Like most of the oldest childrens. The others are... I don't know where the youngest childrens are.

From what I know, I'm one of the youngest, if not the youngest in all the village. Kiko was already pretty damn too young for my grandfather standards. Damn, I make him sound like a pedophile. Before I can answer to him, he shakes his hand off and push his door open "Come in brat, come in, got a gift for your birthday" And again. Without any fucking hesitation, I shake my hair off and enter behind him inside his shop.

Most people would call this fucking crazy, but Hatomo won't harm me, he'll be cut open by his wife before he even tries it. So as I enter, the only feeling I have is shock. Oh shit! Someone remembered my birthday!?