Cherry Blossom Abyss

Flashback: Junya (age 12)

"I'm home..."

I sneak in the back door and chiaki looks back at me.

"Welcome home-" he halts mid-sentence,blinking at me and furrowing his brows like he's trying to focus.

I try rushing to my room but he grabs me,tilting my face to his.

He sighs at my black eye.

"Junya." He says in a low,stern voice.

"Look,it's not a big deal,okay??" I defend.

I turn away,shoving him off of me roughly to go outside and slam the door behind me,going to sit down against my favorite tree.

Uehara suddenly jumps down from above me and I shriek.

"What...what were you doing in a damn tree,uehara???"

He ignores me and examines my black eye.

"Geez,Jun. You're just as helpless as Ao when it comes to being bullied."

He yanks me up and takes some steps back.

He suddenly hits me upside the head.

"Ow!! Uehara??"

He does it again,but this time I block it.

He smiles at me.

He thrusts a kick at me suddenly but I duck,just in time.

"Uehar-"

He grabs my face to look at him.

"Focus."

He kicks again and I block,but fall off balance.

"Get up." He says.

I grunt,not moving.

"I said,get up."

I ignore him,looking at my feet.

He sighs,putting his hands into his pockets.

"This is where they'll take advantage and beat the shit out of you. You can't just give up."

I don't answer and refuse to look back up.

He tilts his head.

"You can't always avoid fights,Jun. You're smart,use that. Predict their moves,defend yourself."

I look up at him finally.

"Why are you telling me all this,uehara?"

He doesn't break eye contact.

"There's not a lot of people I like. But you're one of them. And if you're going to be my friend,you can't be weak. Even if I have to beat it out of you."

I look away and he heads to the fence.

"You're stronger than you think,Jun. It's a mindset thing." And with that,he hops the fence.

"Jun..."

I look over at the other side of the fence to see Vivian staring at me,peeking from above the fence.

"Are....you okay?" She asks me.

She was...worried about me?

Oh man,she saw me get beat up??

I look down.

"Yeah...I'm fine..."

"Stop being a coward,Jun....I believe in you,you know..."

I look up into her soft eyes.

So freaking cute.

That bare neck of hers...

My canine teeth begin to grow and I snatch my head away.

Why am I so thirsty for her blood??

Chiaki pops his head out the screen door.

"Hey,missy. You better get back inside before Naoki yells at you."

Vivian grunts and hops down,heading back into her house.

Chiaki looks at me.

"Your little girlfriends gone,so let me get some ice on that eye. C'mon."

He tussles my hair and I smile.

"She's not my girlfriend chiaki..."

"She's not? Then who's this Vivian you're always beating your meat to-"

I cover his mouth and he raises his brows.

I look away,blushing and he laughs.

"You love Vivian,don't you? Well...get in line. You have a lot of competition. She's a pretty girl."

"I....won't ever get her anyways. I'm a monster..."

He smiles at me.

"But you're a good guy,Jun. And lucky for you,she's not as shallow as the other pretty girls who let the attention get to their head. I'm sure Vivian was the first to see that in you,so don't act like you don't have a chance.

We're from the same seed and I get all the girls,even ones I don't want. And if I got rocking looks,you will too. Don't chase her but...don't let love go if you think she might love you one day. Take opportunities. Have confidence."

I look down and he nudges me towards the back door.

Whether I have girls come and go like chiaki has...or even if I get lucky enough to capture vi's heart.

Chiaki is the only real blood family I have,and he's always there to support me.

He's stupid sometimes.

But I love him.