Awaited Petrichor

Chapter 1

Gentle hands caressed ryu's skin, a bit rough but tender and the touch was pleasant. Ryu jerked a little and opened his eyes at a leisurely pace. He could faintly discern the vague features yet the fondle felt yearned for.
"Ryu". Ryu's heart became obstreperous and his breathing ceased. His ears recognized this alluring and mellifluous voice. A voice he had longed for since as long as he can remember. "father..." Ryu murmured hesitantly. The lips of the man curved into a warm smile, his hands continuing on consoling ryu's fair, soft skin. "father..." Ryu closed his eyes overwhelmed with the pleasing stroke. "Say it again, son" the man spoke with a soothing voice. "father" Ryu obeyed rather loudly. "Again" "father". The man's hands, warm and mild, became one with ryu's raw-boned, pale body, "Again" "FATHER!". Ryu hurtled waking up, sweat covering his petite body. Breathing heavily, he got up from his kakebuton* and ran to the bathroom.
Ryu splashed water over his face aggressively to sober himself up. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and was sickened, he never took a liking to the person on the opposite side.
Ryu got back to his bedroom and wore his high school uniform, which was starting to get loose despite being a size 79 cm.
Walking to the living room he saw his father sitting on a tatami*, wearing a haori* over a kimono*, since it's cold in takayama*. He was, as always, moving his fudepen* on the washi* creating beautiful kanji*. Literature meant more than just ink on paper to him. He found peace and comfort in his characters, his fingertips took the shape of the fudepen and swayed with it in unity.
"There's 3 hours until it's dawn" the father said never removing his sight from his paper.
"I'm aware of this". The man gave no reply and continued his writing.
Ryu walked with steady footsteps to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, but was met with nothing but two grains of rice. "shit" he muttered, "your tongue was made to speak wise words not ill-chosen ones" the father stated softly, and the younger wondered how his words were heard.
Sighing, Ryu decided he needn't to eat.
He went back to his room, picked up a paper, a brush and an ink bottle from the tansu* and started doodling random shapes. His mind was occupied with the dream he had had , he's been having it more often lately.
After a couple of doodles, what he had drawn wasn't a masterpiece, not even close, it was merely wasted ink on a wasted paper. It was dawn when he was on his 10th doodle, and, just like the previous ones, it was a fail.
Ryu got up and had his randoseru*.
On his way to leave, he glanced at his father to see him in the same position. He opened the door and left their minka*

Although his school was distant, Ryu preferred using his fragile legs as a transport.

As he was walking, he felt some wet liquid on his cheeks. He tilted his head upwards and his sight got blurry for a rain drop fell in them. Ryu, however, didn't feel the slightest bit irritated, as he was a pluviophile. The sound of rain drops as they touch a surface was a melody embracing his ears. The feeling when the drops melt into him made him feel at ease. His favorite part, however, was the Petrichor. The fragrance of the mud after binding with the rainfall cherished his olfactory epithelium. A faint smile appeared at the end of his lips.

Moments later, he heard weak purring. Attempting to ignore it, he continued on walking. The purring got a bit louder, it was broken, it faintly escaped the creatures throat. Ryu clinched his fist and walked led by the poor sound.
What he saw startled him, the state of the creature committing the sound to be more specific. It was so unsanitary and smeared with dirt. He had never seen a creature so debilitated and scrawny. He can only feel pity for the kitten.
Ryu couldn't offer the frail kitten much, he himself doesn't have what it needs to fill his edacious stomach.
He took of his school jacket and tucked the tiny kitten in. Although not capable of communicating, Ryu understood from the now a bit steadier purring that it was satisfied.

By the time he reached the school's gate, he was soaking. He prepared himself for the sickness and the detention for arriving with the messy, incomplete uniform.
Ryu stepped in the building and was directly met with the school principal.
Her stare pierced through Ryu, her expressions drifted between disturbance and disapproval. The sight of Ryu without a complete uniform deranged her. In no time, the older woman sprinted hell for leather towards the smaller boy. She stood high like a rotund giant looking down on Ryu with frightening eyes. Sweat smudged her make up as she frowned until her eyebrows met. A displeasing combination of perfume and perspiration filled the atmosphere as she got closer.
Ryu gulped trying to keep his cool. Digging his nails into his pants, which ripped a bit. He squeezed his eyes shut as the woman separated her lips.
"Detention". That was all she said before Ryu opened his eyes hesitantly to see her back to whatever business she was doing previously. He sighed, relieved it ended at this. He ran his hands on his ripped pants and cringed, he's going to have to fix this later.

Ryu knocked on the door of his class and waited for approval.
"Kitekudasai*". He entered the class and every body's attention drifted to him. Their eyes only could say so much things "what a careless person" "he'll be an adult soon and he still isn't capable of wearing clothes properly" "such a weirdo", he could here all these sentences despite the class being deadly silent. "Ohayōgozaimasu" he said bowing. The teacher gave a rather sweet smile and a nod, hinting he can go to his seat.
Ryu walked to his seat trying to ignore the looks of disgust and murmurs.
Sitting on his seat, he searched through his randoseru for the supplies, but not much to his surprise, they were soaked and the words were unreadable. He looked around him in an attempt to find someone who accepts him enough to share a paper with him. He soon gave up seeing that no one looked his way any more. He decided to focus on what's on the board for the mean time.
Ryu's thoughts slowly wandered to the little kitten. How was it doing? Did anyone feed it? Was it already dea-. His thoughts were cut buy a gentle tap on the shoulder. Ryu lifted his gaze to see a classmate smiling warmly with a book in his hand.
"you can borrow it" the classmate said, his voice sweet and tender.
"what about you?" asked Ryu, curious to why would someone share his book with someone like himself. "I don't need the book, I'm capable of studying without it". Ryu's eyes widened as he stared at the boy. "AH, SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT A GOOD STUDENT I-I JUST.." the boy explained raising his hands defensively. A small chuckle escaped ryu's lips. "it's okay, thank you", he took the offered book smiling to which his classmate reacted excitedly and went back to his seat.

Hours went by like ages. And at last, it was break time. Ryu couldn't help but feel uneasy, for the real trouble will now begin.

As he entered the cafeteria, loud sounds of words, laughs, curse words, gossips and flirting filled the air. He took a deep breath and held tight into his pocket,plucking up the courage to take a vacant seat.

Ryu glanced at a table with 2 girls and a boy. One of the girls carresed the guy's thigh suggestivly. She gave a mischievous smirk and a small laugh.
"umm..." was all Ryu could say. Six eyes looked at him the way people would look at a mass murderer, with pure disrespect. He took the hint and went to stand by the wall.

Ryu's back ached him. His boney spine against the wall was extremely uncomfortable and displeasing. His hand reached out to his back and he hissed at the touch.
"Want a back massage from an expert?" said a calm voice slyly. Ryu turned to see the classmate from earlier. "oh, no thank you" he replied with a small smile. "hmm~you lost a great deal" the shorter male pouted.
"maybe a seat would do it" said Ryu.
"how about you sit beside me and my friend?" the classmate asked with a tender smile which Ryu couldn't say no to.

They walked to a table which only had 1 person, and now three. "hey, haru-kun" said the masculine, tough looking boy sitting on the seat. He wore a silver necklace which complimented his collarbone and thick neck. "Osamu-Chan, this is my classmate". The so called Osamu got up and stared at Ryu intensely. Ryu wondered if he had failed to make a good first impression,but the bigger male smiled and offered a hand shake. Ryu shaked his hand with trembling fingers, yet a bit relieved.

"By the way" said Haru interrupting the laughs.  "you haven't told us your name." he continued looking at Ryu.
"Ito Ryu, you may call me Ryu" replied Ryu. "Ryu-Chan then ~" Haru sang in a melodic tone.

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Kakebuton : traditional Japanese comforters

Tatami : traditional Japanese straw mat

Haori : traditional Japanese jacket

Kimono : traditional Japanese dress

Fudepen : Japanese brush pen

Washi : Japanese paper

Kanji : adopted logographic Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese writing system

Tansu : traditional Japanese drawers

Randoseru : is a firm-sided backpack made of stitched firm leather or leather-like synthetic material

Minka : are vernacular houses constructed in any one of several traditional Japanese building styles

Kitekudasai : welcome in

Ohayōgozaimasu : good morning formaly