Takahiro - His Story

❥Story 1: Origins

It was break on a morning day within a cafe in a Japanese city as a man sat in the work room in front of the computer going through the files. The keyboard of the computer clicked as a male was behind the screen typing quickly. The typing then stopped as the door to the room opened.

Peering through the door was a woman with lime green hair as she smiled softly looking at the guy,"It's already break, Takahiro."

The male sitting behind the computer looked up as he nodded,"Okay."

Standing up from the computer seat, he walked to the main area of the cafe as he sat down on a chair near the wall towards the bar area.

A cup of coffee was placed in front of him as the bitter aroma steamed from the cup. A black roast. The blinds of the shop were closed as the sign was flipped as he looked around.

"Where are the other employees, boss?" Takahiro asked.

The lime haired green looked over,"Most of them went out for lunch," she says as she wiped the empty washed tea cups and dishes as she peered over at him,"And what'd I say about when we were alone together?"

"Okay," he says sipping the cup,"It's better to be cautious just in case others are still around."

"Well no one is!"

The owner of the shop and Takahiro had begun dating after a certain event as they had stayed in the same hotel room together, but it turned out she had developed feelings for him ever since he had first started working at the shop. Until then, so far, no one has found out about their relationship due to many reasons. One, many customers of the shop have actually flirted or asked out the owner before, and two, it would cause employees to believe there would be favoritism towards Takahiro. Not would Takahiro would care.

"I think it's time to tell everyone," the owner said as she looked down smiling softly.

"Why?"

"Well. It's not like you would care..." Lyme muttered softly.

"I would, Lyme."

The owner, Lyme, looked at as she walked up to behind his chair. Him calling her by her real name meant only one thing. He was serious. He would always call her boss whenever they had a lax conversation, but in-depth meant that he's resonating his emotions.

"Why would you though?" She asks,"Well... I don't know much about you anyways so-"

"Then," Takahiro interrupted as Lyme wrapped her arms around his shoulders,"It's time for me to tell you about my past.."

Darkness covered his face...

Ever since I have remembered my past, it was very normal as I have lived with blood relatives, mostly my grandparents in the countryside.

Going to elementary and middle school was pretty harsh for me within my perspective as it actually traumatized me. How? I can't interact with people anymore.

"Oh so that's why you don't interact with others most of the time."

"Mm."

Everyday during school, I was left out on a lot of things: activities, sports, gatherings, and group work. Many rumors had spread throughout the school about me about how I am strange and different even though it wasn't my fault I was like this.

Whenever I was alone, would sit underneath this tree and usually just cry. I would just cry everyday thinking about how life wasn't really fair to me. It wasn't fair that I didn't have friends and how my social skills lacked. My grandparents did their best trying to support me as I had to do well on my studies as I did, but their views on my situation was different.

My grandma's view was to do my best on my studies and try not to worry about what those who hurt me feel about. My grandpa had a realistic view. Within in society, he believed, there are many people like that and it is best to work hard and one day, they will regret doing those things to you. Friends are not needed, but hard work.

"So which one did you live by?"

"Both."

"Huh?"

Anyways, my life was basically a tragedy at an early stage where I wasn't really able to socialize. Eventually, as middle school came around, it got worst.

During middle school, it turned into not just mental or emotional bullying, but physical. I was robbed of my money, my lockers smashed, and my homework flushed down the toilet. I was called fat and everything. I sound like a wuss, which I was, but yeah, I was sensitive. The physical bullying then became harmful as during gym class, a kid had the audacity to smack me with a wooden baseball bat as it shattered my glasses and almost broke my nose. Luckily, no glass got into my eye.

"Wow..." Lyme says biting her lip as tightened her grip on her arms that were wrapped around Takahiro,"I mean..."

"It's fine."

Threw the fat shaming, I had starved myself everyday due to multiple reasons. My money got stolen so I couldn't afford anything to eat for lunch or for after school. If I brought breakfast or lunch to school, kids would smack it out of my hand or off the table while I was eating it or even steal it to eat it. Eventually, the only meal I had eaten was dinner which was bad for kids my age.

"Checking your records, you still managed to get good grades even through those tough times."

"Yeah."

"I mean, you do show hard work, especially when working here."

"Yeah."

"Stop giving me those simple answers!" Lyme complains as she puffs her cheeks,"So? How did you even cope with all of that stress?

"I discovered games I guess, but that's for another time," he says looking at the clock as Lyme looked up also.

"OH CRAP!" Lyme exclaimed as she let go of Takahiro noticing tears in her eyes as she ran off to the door to unlock it as she wiped tears in her eyes so no one notices.

Standing up, Takahiro walked into the lone empty room within the back of the cafe and looked at Lyme as she happily greeted back the employees.

Her warm smile was the smile that he could've had sooner, but good things come later they say.