ホタルは精霊のようなものですよね？

2. 友達？

"say, toru"
"yes"
"how about, you live with me?"
"impossible"
"no it's not!! i'm being serious toru!!"
"how"
"we have an empty room in my house! i'm sure my parents won't mind"
"no"
"whyyyy? toru cmon please!"
"can't happen"
"so you're just going to stay with your father?"
he nods "mmh"
"cmonnn toru! live a little!"
"i am alive"
"but you're not living!!"
"i'm breathing, so i am alive"
"toru! how are you meant to live a life full of colour when you're living in an environment like that?!"
"don't know"
"please! just for a week at least? pleasee?"
"no"
"five days!"
"no"
"three!!"
"..if i say yes.."
"if you say yes..!"
"will you stop shouting"
"yes!"
"okay"
"yes!!"
"voice..lower"
"oh, right, sorry"
it was the end of school and i found myself outside toru's class, once again.
a girl opened the classroom door, looking at me and then looking back
"toru! your girlfriend is here!"
"..she's not my girlfriend"
"oh? i thought you two were since you're together all the time"
"no! me and toru are friends! that's all"
"oh, okay"
"toru! let's go home together!"
he nodded "mmh"
. . .
"say, toru?"
"yes"
"we're friends right?"
"i don't know"
"ehh? i thought we were, that's made me a little sad"
"sorry"
"toru?"
"yes"
"we're friends now, okay?"
"friends?"
"yes friends toru"
"okay"
"good!"
"this is my house"
"ah okay! grab some stuff and let's go!"
he nodded "mmh"
walking into his house the street fell silent.
that was until a loud bang happened.
"toru, where have you been you're late!!"
"i stayed to do homework"
"you brat!!"
a series of things smashing could be heard in the house
"you've been drinking again"
"it's all your fault! your mothers dead because of you!"
glass shattered
"i'm sorry"
"you should have never been born"
"i'm going to go for a walk"
footsteps could be heard one was going upstairs, which was probably toru
the street fell silent again and then the door opened, toru walking out of it.
"i'm leaving"
his father didn't bother to respond and the door shut
"toru, you're face, it's cut"
"oh"
"oh? just oh? you're bleeding toru!"
"i'm okay"
"let's go, i'll clean your face up at my house"
"okay"
"is it always like that?"
"yes"
"oh..."
i unlock the door pushing it open
"come in!"
he nodded "mmh, sorry for the intrusion"
"i'll go get a wet cloth i'll be right back"
"okay"
"actually, come with me, i'll also show you to your room!"
"okay"
we walked upstairs into the empty bedroom as he sat down by the desk
"i found some disinfectant!"
i quickly cleaned the scratch on his face
"does it hurt?"
"no"
"good! okay, let's go!"
"go where"
"shopping! i want to make donuts!"
"i'll stay here"
"no! you're coming with me!"
"why"
"to help me carry the stuff silly!"
"okay"
. . .
"can you carry this for me?"
"okay"
"oh, and this too!"
"okay"
"toru?"
"yes"
"ask me a question!"
"what question"
"anything! ask me something i'm tired of asking all the questions!!"
"okay"
"go on!"
"i don't know"
"think!!"
"favourite colour"
"yellow!"
"why"
"because it makes me happy!"
"favourite food"
"cake! it reminds me of my childhood!"
"hobby"
"making friends, we live to make friends!"
"are we friends"
"yes, toru, we are friends"
"okay"
"let's go home!"
"okay"
. . .
"toru! you never told me you could cook!"
"i cook at home"
"oh i see"
"they should be done in five minutes"
"okay! pose!"
"why"
"i want to take a picture!"
"no"
"cmonnnn toru! l-i-v-e ! a little!!"
"why"
"because you look funny with all that flour on your face so pose"
"no"
"why!!"
"it's embarrassing"
"so you DO have emotions"
"what does that mean"
"you're so expressionless all the time it's hard to tell what you're feeling like ever!!"
"oh"
"say donuts!"
"...d...onuts.."
"that's as good as it's going to get!"
"the donuts should be ready now"
"oh my god i forgot!"
"donuts.."
"toru!! they came out so good!!"
"you're eating them already"
"i'm sorry!! they looked tasty!!"
"i want one"
"have one!!"
"are you sure"
"yes!! eat eat eat!!"
"okay"
"is it nice?"
"mmh, tasty"
"yay!! i'm glad"
"mmh, me too"
"say toru?"
"yes"
"are you having fun?"
"i think so"
"really?!"
"mmh, this is fun"
"toru?"
"yes"
"are you tired?"
"a little"
"let's call it a night then!"
he nodded "mmh, okay"
"goodnight, toru"
"goodnight"
it was the last day before summer break starts and the day was particularly warm, toru and akeno were sitting outside of the school underneath a tree
"say, toru?"
"yes"
"has your father said anything"
"not really"
"has he called?"
"once"
"that was it?"
"yes"
"i see.."
"akeno"
"hmm?"
"your parents"
"what about them?"
"not home"
"oh right, they work overseas a lot of the time so i'm usually on my own"
"oh"
"they do visit every once in a while though!"
"okay"
"why'd you ask?"
"curious"
"ehh? that's unusual for you"
he nodded "mmh"
"that made me happy!"
"why"
"because you never ask any questions! i finally feel like you're getting closer with me"
he nodded "mmh, friends"
"eh?!! what was that?!"
"friends, we're friends"
"yes!! we're friends"
"i think..i'm happy"
"that's the bell toru, let's go to class"
"mmh, okay"
while walking, toru, for the first time, smiled. wholeheartedly, it was a small smile, however, he felt at ease, he no longer felt an emptiness or aching in his heart. but he didn't know what this feeling was called. am i happy? he had concluded to himself that he was finally happy and with that, he saw the sky burst into colour, it was barely noticeable to other people, but his eyes sparkled with colour.
"you're smiling!"
"i'm happy"
"you're!! smiling!!"
he nodded "mmh"
"you should smile more often!! you look cute!"
"no"
"but whyy!"
"it feels weird"
"that's because you never smile silly!"
"is it good to smile"
"of course it is toru! why wouldn't it be?"
he stayed silent for a while
"i don't know, but i'm happy"
"this is my class!"
he nodded "mmh, okay"
"see you later, after class, toru!"
he nodded, akeno taking once last look at toru, watching him leave.
. . .
the wind was light, calming.
as both toru and akeno looked out of the window from their classroom.
toru was beginning to find a will to live, he was beginning to see life differently.
his world began to see colour.
his heart felt warm, and that's when he began to realise what he was never really living, he was just surviving.
he never felt like he had a purpose, he just did what was necessary.
he never knew.
the world could smile vibrantly.

akeno, was realising how dull and nasty the world could be.
how cruel, and horrible life was sometimes.
that within the world bursting with vibrant colours.
was a side of the world.
that was also tedious and sorrowful.
that there was a side of life...
that seemed almost..
soulless, perhaps.
it saddened her, to know..
that side of the world..
was the only world that toru knew.