Soukoku One Shots

From 10 to 18 to Eternity

"Hey, did you know? Life is beautiful because death exists."

A brunette boy of only 10 said absentmindly to the sky. No he wasn't alone there. Another boy, the same age, with ginger colored hair was there. Listening to the brunette's nonsensical nonsense. And answering from time to time.

"Hah? Ain't that stupid? Death exists because life isn't beautiful right?"

The ginger head said titling his head to the side. The brunette looked surprised at him, his redish brown eye widening open to the other's statement. Surely his other eye, that was hidden under the bandages was widening too.

"Do you truly think so?" The bandaged boy asked surprised but in a hopeful tone.

They were sitting on the railing of a small bridge over the river of Yokohama looking up at the night sky, full of stars.

"Aren't you a strange one? I have no reason to lie to you whatsoever! I don't even know you, dude!" The gingered head replied jokingly.

It was true though. The two boys had never met before. Nor had they found anything common and begun talking. It was a chance meeting...

The brunette was sitting on the railing looking ready to jump down. The ginger just happened to pass by and while drinking his juice he asked with no deep meaning or anything, in a lighthearted tone.

"Are you gonna jump?"

That was the trigger for their meeting and their conversation. The brunette was captivated by the tone of the other's voice. It was not the usual tone he heard. The one who tried to stop him, or laughed at him for being silly and weak. It was just that. A mere question of a young boy's curiosity. No more and no less.

That indifference the ginger showed captivated the boy deeply. He suddenly felt like he knew this person since long ago and that this person was one that understood him and wouldn't judge him for his choice. For just an instant, he felt happy. Happy enough to give up on his suicide attempt for now. He turned around trying to hide his excitement.

"Nope. Not yet. Do you want to see it?"

"Not really. I just felt intrigued to ask."

A long silence befell them. Soon the brunette begun speaking of nonsense about human life, depression, death, suicide and other things. The ginger asked carefully but never with tension. He wasn't triggered by anything the brunette said despite the absurdness of some of his statements.

It could only be seen as a chitchat on the outside but both of the young boys felt relaxed during the whole conversation.

"Was talking to a stranger always this calming before~?" The brunette asked without a reason again.

"How should I know? You are really a strange one! That's something you should figure out yourself."

The ginger had sat down next to the other on the bridge's railing. He was staring up amidst the stars too. Never really looking the other in the eye nor adding emotion to his words.

Was it because he was completely indifferent towards the other, or because he wanted to prevent him from jumping was a question that will be left unanswered as not even the ginger boy himself didn't quite understand. This indifferent tone had subsided on its own.

"I see... I guess I should try that out, huh..."

The brunette looked up to the sky again, sceptical.

"Well I guess it's time to go back home." The ginger said and stood up on top of the railing.

"You are gonna fall." The brunette said nonchalantly too.