Chapter 10 - Past Memories

What a long day today, it seemed like it drudged on forever. Now that I have someone to look into Kenji for me I feel a bit better about my chances. There’s no way that b*****d just sees Kurihara-san as a childhood friend I’m sure of it.

“Pit pit pat pit”. It starts to rain right as I walk inside from the walk home, I take off my shoes by the door and walk towards the stairs.

“Ah Yuta is that you? Welcome home”. I hear my Dad’s voice from the kitchen, why is he home at this time?

“You’re home already? Usually it’s late at night what happened?” I ask re-directing myself to the kitchen.

“The pharmacy gave me the evening off so I can sort out some new paperwork for a innovative drug we are getting soon, why want to know more?”

“Hehh, no thanks my brain is already fried enough for one day. Besides you already gave me the rundown on the medicine I have now.”

He takes his glasses off as he looks at me.” By the way how is that working for your migraines?”

“It’s fine I think…lately I’ve been getting them more often and worse as well. Just the other day I ran out of pills when I wanted to take one at school”.

Dad shifts in his char to face me better.”What do you mean more often and worse? Why didn’t you let me know? This could be really serious you know.”

“It’s not a big deal it was just one time I ran out. Luckily we have more at home so I took it right after school.” What’s the big deal all of a sudden? I only talk to him for a bit each day he can be more understanding y’know?

He starts tapping his fingers on the kitchen table while looking lost in thought. He finally sighs and puts his glasses back on.

“Yuta, you don’t know why we moved from Osaka do you?” He asks.

“No, you and Mom kept saying it was just a change of scenery, blah blah blah.”

“Well we weren’t lying, but…there was another big reason we moved. You keep saying you don’t remember your friends very well so you’re almost 17, I think it’s about time I tell you.”

What the hell is he talking about, another big reason we moved and why I don’t remember Osaka very well?

“A-Alright what is it?” I nervously ask as I sit down in a chair.

“There was no reason to tell you this when you were younger but, part of the reason was you, Yuta.”

“Me? I was only 9 when we moved here what could be so bad? Was I being bullied or something?”

“You have always had complaints about bad headaches but for a while we ignored it. We thought you were just trying to skip school, but then something happened.”

I feel my heart start to race a bit, what’s going on?

“The Summer before you turned 9…we found you…we found you in the woods behind the house torturing our neighbor’s two cats. It was like nothing we’ve ever seen and it wasn’t like you at all. We knew something was wrong when you kept mumbling words that didn’t make any sense”. He looks up at me from behind is glasses.

“I..Uh..I don’t know what you’re talking about that’s not me at all!”. What is this nonsense he is spouting? Torturing animals??

“It’s natural for you not to remember, after that we had to move away. As a pharmacist and close ties to  some specialists I had you undergo treatment to help you. We knew that was not the real Yuta, after that you were complaining about migraines constantly so it had to do with those. The treatment was a long process…that had some drawbacks of memory loss but helped you non the less�"!”

“Slam!” I put down my fist on the kitchen table, I’m not going to just accept this wild story.

“So I’m to believe I’m some psychopath and I had some magical experiments done on me to cure me? That’s some bullshit! We have a cat right now, what about Ikki?!” I feel my face getting hot from anger.

“We got Ikki right when we moved here, after the incident we wanted to see how you reacted to having a pet in the house. After a year or two we realized the treatment really did work, it was a massive relief to have our son back.”

“What? You got Ikki as some sick sacrifice for me?”

Dad put his arms up to try to calm me down, “Look I know this is a lot at once, we couldn’t keep it a secret forever. Please understand it was for your own good and the person you are would never actually do that. We found it to be something wrong wi�"

“Don’t care, thanks for the great story Dad. I’ll be up in my room if you need me for anything.”

“Wait Yuta..” I bolt up the stairs before I have time to listen to the rest.

I hear my Dad cursing at himself downstairs while I lay looking at my ceiling. “It was just some made up story to get me to keep taking my meds I’m sure. Hahh, I don’t even need those anymore”. I throw the bottle of pills across the room into the wall. I just need to get some sleep right now and worry about the problem at hand, Kurihara-san.

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The next day at school I’m thinking over what Dad told me last night, it doesn’t make any sense. How can I just forget these parts of my life and things I would never do to begin with!

“You aright? You seem out of it.” Kasuno looks to his side at me with both his palms resting under this chin.

“Mmm I’m alright, the one that looks out of it is you. Why are you sulking all of a sudden?” He sighs deeply and I immediately regret asking him.

“My parents gave me this whole rundown last night on picking a career choice. After I told them that I wanted to be psychologist they blew up on me insisting I pick a more needed career in society. Why does it bother them so much that I don’t want to rot in an office as a salaryman for the rest of my life!”

I didn’t even know Kasuno thought that far ahead, I’m impressed. “Oh a psychologist huh? I’ll tests you on that, what kind of person am I?” I start enjoying my little scheme.

“What kind of person? That doesn’t make any sense�"”

“Just do it alright!” Trying to convince him.

“..Fine, mhmm I seee, very nice.” He starts intently staring at me trying to read my soul or something.

“What is this some Jedi mind trick? Do you even know what a psychologist does? If not then it’s not too late to switch”.

“Ugh I have no clue, all I know is I want to help people in some way. What about you?”

“Me? I have no interests in helping people, I don’t have a career choice in mind I like to go with the flow most of the time”. This is true, picking a career choice is too nerve-wracking and stressful. My perfect career path would be minding my own business and as long as I have enough money to buy any snacks I want.

“Yeah that sounds about right, I assumed you didn’t have anything in mind�"oh yeah! Did you hear about the new transfer student? He’s Kurihara-san’s cousin so he’ll be all over her I’m sure!”.

My brow furrows in frustration. “Yeah I’ve heard of him..his name’s Kenji and he’s a childhood friend not a cousin. I swear if he wasn’t around this would be a golden opportunity”.

Kasuno looks surprised. “A childhood friend huh…those never end up well usually one of them has feelings about the other…or both of them�"”

I quickly squeeze his lips shut with my hands, he then quiets quickly. I need to get back with Tamaki-san to see what she found out about Kenji.

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“Ding dongg”. The school day ends and I walk out the class towards the lockers to meet with my spy. Kasuno had to go home right after so now I have no one to suspect anything. My head has been throbbing today, an ongoing occurrence recently. After the debacle with my Dad last night I decided not to take the meds anymore, not until I truly find out the truth.

I walk up towards the busy lockers and see Tamaki-san leaning against hers, when she notices me she gives me a wave and approaches.

“Reporting for duty Captain Hiragi!” She gives me as soldier’s salute.

“Please stop that you’ll make us look suspicious like master and slave or something dark like that. Anyway…” I lean in closer so no one can hear me. “Did you find out anything about Kenji?”

She gives me a grin. “Oh you bet, I found out some interesting things, he’s actually quite the talker”.

It’s after school hours and almost everyone has left the area going home or club activities for the day so we can talk more openly now.

“So it seems he moved here from another highschool in the city over, something about his Dad’s work. He was an ace on the soccer team there, so you know he gets a lot of attention, but that’s not all…” She clears her throat before continuing. ” He did say him and Kurihara-san were childhood friends and that he’s always been there for her. He didn’t outright say that he likes her but the way he was talking it’s a good possibility”.

That b*****d I knew there was something up�"

“S**t..” I put a hand to my head and lean against the lockers.

“Hey you okay Hiragi-kun you don’t look to good?” She asks me worriedly, I wave her signaling I’m fine.

“S-So now that I know what his probable intentions are I have to think of a way to counter them”.

“Counter him what for? Ooh don’t tell me you like Kurihara-san, I don’t really know her myself but she is a good looking girl!” I eye her telling her to talk no further.

“Look thanks for your help, I have no money or anything for you though”.

She starts laughing. “Haha money? Don’t worry about it, I like doing little favors like this. Besides it’s fun anyway, if you need anymore reconnaissance missions I’ll be there!” She gives me a salute again.

“Sigh, fine whatever. I’m going home now”. I turn to leave the building.

“Sure but one more thing, how do I put this…you know that boy that died here not too long ago? They still haven’t found out who did it, but right before the incident happened I was walking late to class and I saw you and him talking by the stairs. Did you maybe see…anything like an intruder around?”

I completely stop in my tracks, my blood is starting to freeze. So she is the one that saw Taki and I talking in the halls, that’s what the teacher said at least.

“…What were we talking about I can’t remember very well myself..” I reply in a low voice.

“Well it looked like a small bicker but I only passed by for a couple of seconds so I’m not sure. I just wish they would catch the person responsible, I-I mean it’s good you didn’t get hurt at least..” I can hear her heavy words behind me without turning around. I’m wondering myself what happened back there as well it still doesn’t make sense!

“Well that’s what I want to know too...well I’m heading home, later”. I continue walking again with her words ringing in my ears.