Banana Fish short stories | ✔

Little Aslan

   "Ibe-san is right. Many places in America aren't hectic. I can already see the article will be a success and the pictures will be beutiful." The boy beamed while his hand was shielding his eyes from intense rays of sunlight. The field around him was green. Miles and miles of nothing but nature and rare houses scattered here and there. Cape Cod. The place was small but seemingly serene and peaceful. Greenfields stretching out till' your gaze followed, clear blue sky with white clouds sailing away, Eiji felt himself grinning goofily when he imagined the night sky filled with stars sprinkled on it. After bringing his camera down, from the corner of his eyes, he noticed a yellow blur. His mind first registered it as little sunflowers, like the ones he saw on his way here, the whole field of them, but this one was different. It was a short boy with blond hair, looking at him with his baby green eyes curiously. "Hello," Eiji smiled awkwardly, the boy tilted his head, now looking at him more fearfully, slowly backing away. "Ei-chan!" He spun around to see his mentor with short, shaggy brown hair waving for his assistant to hurry along. "Coming!" He shouted back, when he turned back, the boy was already dashing through grass, Eiji watched him until he was out of view, while Shunuichi Ibe walked upfront.

Meanwhile, the short boy followed the two with his eyes, curiously watching them from a safe distance.

* * *

   "He's here again." Eiji continued working, carefully taking photos and comparing them, aware - but not making any sign of acknowledgment towards baby-big shiny green eyes staring at him.

This became routine already, for the past week, whenever Eiji would leave their rent house, he would notice the little boy watching him, he even tried to talk to him - unfortunately, other firmly refused and rapidly ran away before Eiji could. Why? Eiji wondered the same thing. He pouted. It's not like he was scary. He looks like a child although he's almost 17, he was mistaken for 14-year-old children more than once when coming to America. Damm his soft, chubby cheeks and round black eyes.

   "My name is Eiji, yours?" He asked slowly in thickly accented English. "Aslan." He didn't expect a reply so when it came he whipped around to make sure he heard it correctly.

   "Aslan?" the pronunciation and his voicing were terrible but the boy nodded - he didn't feel like correcting him, and Eiji felt himself smiling. "Nice to meet you." He crunched down, deciding it's time for a short break with some company. The other nodded and Eiji briefly wondered if he doesn't like speaking. "I'm 17, how old are you?" Aslan fidgeted with the hem of his worn-out white shirt "6,"

Eiji chuckled "well Aslan, would you like to try and take some pictures with me?" The little boy blinked with furrowed brows "You seem to like watching me do it." Eiji added. The buy nodded sheepishly. "You seem to like it." Whisper rang out.  

   "I do! Especially beautiful things." Eiji said. "But you take pictures of everything here." Ash tried wrapping his mind about it. Does he find Cape Cod beautiful? But everything here is just grass and sea. Sea is nice, but Eiji already took many photos of crystal blue these past few days.

Eiji closed his eyes "yes, it's nice here." 

Aslan turned to look at the field unconvinced.

* * *

   "Good morning Ash!" Eiji chirped once the boy was close enough. "Good morning Eiji!" Aslan smiled back and ran to the older boy. "Careful Aslan, you're gonna trip." Griffin chided half-heartedly. Blond boy looked back at his older brother and nodded determinedly, with an earnest face he walked to Eiji and sat on the chair with little help of a black-haired boy.