Generation 11

Chapter 10

Ten

"I need some lunch." Harashi said, pulling on his luggage and trying to get Izan to stop being so uptight. Izan followed right at his heels, he didn't reply. Harashi fidgeted with the handle. "Izan, you can just walk beside me, you know. We're out of the house now, you're not under me anymore. So let's just be friends, okay? It'll make things more at ease."

Izan nodded politely, then hurried his footsteps up beside Harashi. Stiff, unnatural.

"It's really okay. Don't bring that feeling of being all rich and in charge to me... we left and... well, this way you seem to be following me instead of coming with me." Harashi tried again. This seemed to have brought Izan's attention fully on him. Harashi narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Yes, sir!" Izan said, eyes wide. Obviously, he didn't want Harashi to think that. He also noticed the narrow of eyes. Harashi's mind raced. What if his father sent Izan to track him and prevent him from running away- made Izan go with him so that they could always find him. After all, Izan is paid very well and is under his dad's rule instead of his. With an irritated shake of his head, Harashi pushed the thoughts away. He knew Izan would never agree to do such a thing. Sure, he works under his father, but Harashi knew Izan was more loyal to him and would never betray him. Izan was the only one who understood him, the only one he allowed himself to truly tell his feelings to. Harashi reassembled his expressions to a smile, with a light frown.

"And cut it out with the 'sir' already! We've known each other since what, since I was five!" Harashi chuckled. Izan was only five years older than him.

Izan joined to help his family when he was ten. His family was poor, and his parents worked under Harashi's family when his father was just a boy. However, with all the pay they get, Izan is currently in the middle class. Because he worked with one of the richest families in Tokyo, Izan enjoyed the rights of an upper-class man.

"Y-yes..." Izan paused, clearly unsure what to call Harashi now.

"Harashi is fine. I've told you before to call me that." Harashi responded, giving off a hard grin. His stomach growled. "Come on, let's go to that fast food restaurant before I die." Harashi said, full of sarcasm. He had never tried fast food before due to it's apparent 'unhealthiness'. But he was sure a few meals won't hurt.

.....

"Mama...?" Yuriko said, her voice trembling. Her brown eyes began to fill with tears, and panic coursed through her as she turned her head left then right, searching. Yuri started to run, her buns bouncing behind her. Not able to look where she was going through all the water in her eyes, she tripped over the edge of a carpet. Thankfully, the red carpet cushioned her fall, but Yuriko still ended up with a great red bump on her forehead. Not bothering to get up, she began to cry, wailing loudly. Why was there a red carpet outdoors anyway?

"Are you okay?" a boy's voice. Gentle and warm. Yuri lifted her head off of the floor, and saw a boy crouching down in front of her. Kind hazel eyes, ruffled brown hair. There was this aura coming off of him that made Yuriko feel safe.

"Noooo," she sniffled, covering her bright red forehead. "I tripped and fell and hurt myself!"

"I can see that," the boy replied, slight amusement showing in his hazel eyes. "What's your name?"

"I'm Yuri-ko. And I can't find my brother or mama!" Yuri responded, stretching out the vowel 'i'. "Or Kari-nee."

"Well, hello, Yuri-chan," the boy said, smiling. He offered her a hand, and pulled her up to her feet. "Are you okay? Why don't I help you find your family?"

Yuri nodded before asking, "Are you in the contest?" She fixed her light brown hair and smoothed out her pink dress. Always pay attention to what you look like, no matter what. That was a sentence she lived by.