Rainy Days

01

Riku

"That's officially the end of our thirteen years in hell." Ren grins as we join the students heading out of the school, taking our sweet time to enjoy the last of the schoolbell. I'm not sure the heat is worth the freedom, though. The sun beats down on the courtyard, squeezing every last drop of life out of the grass until it's like a giant, yellow sponge.

"And the beginning of an even worse hell," I joke. "Some people don't even get a break when they die."

He laughs and slaps me on the back, destroying my slouch. "Don't look so down. The festival's next week." He leans forward and looks at me with a hopeful gaze that I know will be destroyed in a moment, too. "You're coming this year, right?"

The summer festival: packed stands full of sweets and games, people, and fireworks above. What's the point, though? It's just a reminder of what I don't have.

What I used to have.

I cough up the usual excuse, turning away so that I don't see Ren's frown. "My schedule's pretty booked that day, so..."

"Yeah, it's fine." He sighs, his grin withering under my gaze. "But think about it, alright? The fireworks display is going to be insane this year."

I force a smile, flash a thumbs-up—whatever can end this conversation. After peering into my empty eyes for an eternity, he lets me go. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah," I mutter as he walks down the street, waving to a few classmates who are heading home, too. His parents must be waiting for him. Mine aren't, though. But it's not like I miss them in my cramped bedroom. Just the steaming bowls of rice. My sister, Miyu, too.

Maybe everything.

When I look back at who I was a year ago, I'm jealous. Jealous of the person who seemed so carefree then, like there was a shield protecting him from everything bad in the world. He's gone though, and whether I killed him or the car did, I'm not sure.

Maybe everything came falling apart after the shield crumbled.

Ping! I glance at my phone, and the feed shows my chauffeur is just around the corner. The sleek Mercedes-Benz pulls up next to me and with a sigh, I resign myself to the cushioned seats.

"Good evening, Riku," Goro says, his sharp eyes meeting mine through the rearview mirror. He's been part of our family since I was born, almost like an older brother. "How was school?"

Sometimes, though, I wish he wasn't as prying as an older brother. "Great. I learned that life just keeps getting worse as it goes on."

"You learned something today?" he chuckles. "I thought you hated school."

"Look, I don't want to talk right now. Just drive me home." I hear him sigh, then the screech of tires as the car accelerates. I press my cheek against the glass, staring at the world moving faster than I can.

Being the son of a successful CEO sounds like winning the genetic lottery, and on the outside, it is. You get world-class service in a luxurious mansion, your own fan club at school, and a personal butler. What's there to complain about?

The thing is, the moment I was born, I was placed on a towering pedestal and told not to fall off. But no one ever told me what to do when I landed face-first on rock bottom. You don't need therapy. My father spat. It was just a car accident.

Just an accident—is that all my life is?

"We're here," Goro says, and I lift my face off the window.

The wrought iron fences come into view, veiling an imposing marble mansion that stands stark in the dawning night. On either side of the driveway, manicured shrubs stand like vigilant soldiers guarding a sweeping courtyard.