Guardian Angel | Toru

Chapter 1: Sorrow Tears

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Nothing can be better than walking in the middle of the night under a starry, moonlit sky with a sprinkle of Japan's signature lights that only turn on when the sun falls. With the summer night's breeze brushing against my skin and Japan's unique scenery surrounding me, I feel at ease.

....I take that back...

It turns out that I'm wrong.

Along the way, I start to hear a beautiful melody. Closing my eyes to listen, I hear the strumming of an acoustic guitar. Multiple notes that come out all at once blend together to create a soothing yet crisp sound. After a minute or two, I turn my head to find where the music is coming from and it comes from across the currently empty street and sidewalk.

A guy who looks a bit older than me is sitting on a stool, holding and strumming an acoustic guitar. There is also a guitar case that is laying out on the cement ground in front of him with only a few cash in it. It is midnight after all meaning, there are not that many people walking around to listen to his music, which is a bummer because the melody sounds absolutely beautiful. At least he doesn't think so.

The guy that I am now standing in front of looks like he is enjoying himself, plucking each of the guitar's strings so effortlessly while forming a small smirk from time to time.

Suddenly, he stops.

"Sorry. I'm done playing for the night."

"That song didn't sound familiar at all did you..?"

"It's mine. I put it together myself."

"Wow. That's incredible."

"Thanks."

The older teen who was just sitting down, playing his acoustic guitar is now standing on his two feet, putting his guitar down to let it rest against the stool and picking up the guitar case from the ground.

"Do you do this every night?"

"Do you walk around here every night?"

"Hah. Well, I do what I want."

"Same here. Except, I don't have a curfew," the guy says while putting away the money that sits inside his guitar case.

For a second, a tiny light catches his eye, making his head jerk to see exactly where it is coming from. Realizing it too, I see that it is coming from my phone. I see it shine through the side pocket of my canvas backpack that I have been wearing ever since school ended.

I know what the light coming from my phone means, so I don't bother to get it.

"Lucky you," I reply while looking out into the distance.

There is a hint of irritation in my voice as I speak my words.

"You don't look like the type who would do things like walk in the streets alone at this hour."

I scoff.

"It's true..It's all about school, studying, and obeying whatever my parents want me to do. Whatever they think is 'best for me'..I really don't know why I'm telling you these things. I'm just going to go..."

Before I awkwardly leave, I take out a few coins from my wallet and grab his free hand to open it and drop a few coins in.

"Thanks for the little performance," I say while taking my leave.

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Even though I, with no surprise, got in trouble for not going home until past midnight, I decide to do the same thing the next night-walk along the streets of Japan under a starry night sky like there is no tomorrow. Luckily, the weather is just as nice as last night's.

"You're here again?"

Bobbing my head up and turning to where the familiar voice is coming from, I see a familiar face.

"I didn't mean to come here, but then again, I pretty much am your only audience so..."

As I say my words, I shrug, showing that there really is no need for his sarcasm. Coming to an understanding as to what I mean, this causes the guy in front of me to chortle.

"Do you sing?"

"Sing..? I do, but-"

"Cool. Here. Sing these lyrics. Just sing along with the notes I'm going to play."

He only heard the words 'I do' didn't he? Because what I now have in my hands is a piece of paper with handwritten notes and lyrics. The song is titled "A new one for all, all for the new one".

"You know, my voice isn't that great-"

Aaand he starts to strum his guitar. This time, he holds an electric guitar that is connected to a small amplifier.

It takes me a few minutes to get the flow of how the lyrics are going to sound once I sing them.

I'm surprised.

The guy catches that and becomes patient with me, which causes him to continue playing the same notes over and over again until he knows that I got it.

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「この世に生を授かったモノ 。
この世で息絶えていったモノ 。
ふたつはひとつさ 。 」
("Konoyoninamaosazukattamono.
Konoyodeikitaeteittamono.
Futatsuwahitotsusa.")
("In this world, things are blessed with life.
In this world, things will cease to breathe.
We are one.")

「あなたは光となったの?
あなたの光を浴びているの?」
("Anata wa hikari to natta no?
Anata no hikari o abi te iru no?")
("You became the light?
I am basked in your light?")

「繰り返される出来事の中のひとつと思うには 。
まだまだ時間がかかりそう 。
そんなルールブックの上で僕らは生きてるから 。
どんな悲しみにも涙を流すんだね 。」
("Kurikaesareru dekigoto no naka no hitotsu to omou ni ha.
Madamada jikan ga kakari sou.
Sonna ruuru bukku no ue de bokura ha ikiteru kara.
Donna kanashimi ni mo namida o nagasun dane.")
("I always think of that moment.
It will still take time.
Such, because we are living by a rule book.
How do I escape these tears of sadness.")

"We all knew that you'd be nowhere when we are born
How can we see your face elsewhere? now we are torn
You will be waiting for us there?"

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"That's all I got so far. Thanks for singing though. By the way, you're a-a-are you crying?"

"S-Sorry I just-"

Hot tears escape the corners of my eyes like water from a broken dam. Every word I try to speak is not pleasant to the ears at all, so I end up not speaking another word until I calm down. I don't know why, but reading the lyrics of the song that the guy wrote is making me crumble into a million pieces. I guess it's because I can relate to the lyrics that it deeply pains me inside.

Tears just keep falling and falling and falling, making me stay in the same place for who knows how long next to this guy named Toru-the only name I saw written under the title on the single sheet of paper I still hold in my hand.

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