Jotakak Week 2020

Reincarnation (A River of Red and a Sorrowful Ocean)

As the late evening sun began to set, Jotaro caressed Kakyoin's lifeless body as it lay limp in his arms.

"I promise...if in a next life we're both reborn as humans, I won't let you die."

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"No good. You're no good."

That's usually what Kakyoin would hear the teachers say to his classmate, Jotaro Kujo. They were in their third year of elementary school, both 9 years old.

As far as Kakyoin knew, Jotaro had always been troublesome. They had originally met at a park the Summer before the current school year. To say the least, he didn't get the best first impression. The matter wasn't helped when August rolled around and they found out they were in the same class together, and with just his luck, he was assigned to share the same locker with Jotaro.

For the most part, they didn't pay attention to each other aside from the occasional comment about not writing on the locker door or leaving enough room for both their things. While Kakyoin wasn't particularly one to hold a grudge, and he didn't have one against his classmate, he also didn't feel compelled to try knowing more about him. It was a mix of their rather negative past experience, the two being naturally introverted, and Kakyoin's "imaginary" friend, or at least that's what the adults in his life had called it.

No one but him could see it, yet it had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember. At times, he had begun to doubt whether it was even real or not, whether it really was just an illusion, but it's effects on the real world were as real as they could get. Instead, he simply stopped talking about it, and never associated himself with those who couldn't see it. His lack of friends worried his parents to an extent, but as long as he kept his grades up in school and stayed out of trouble he got by just fine.

The drama of that particular day seemed to be something about defiling the school supplies of another student, or at least that was what Kakyoin could make out as he heard a teacher in the hallway loudly scolding his classmate. On occasion, his class would switch to another room to have lessons from a different teacher, therefore having them sit at other desks with the things belonging to other students.

"You know you're going to have to pay for new supplies for her? No, your parents will, actually. Don't you ever feel guilty?"

What does it cost him to just stay out of trouble Kakyoin thought to himself tiredly.

Every day at school felt the same. He would do his work, try to distract himself during free periods and lunch, go home, study, play video games, and repeat the process the next day. He didn't exactly mind not having friends, or at least that's what he told himself. He had never been good at making them, and even if he was, there was no point if they couldn't see his "friend."

That's right. No one could see it but him, so there was no point. Perhaps it was irrational, but for a reason unknown, he felt like it had some sort of significance not even he could understand.

Once he arrived home, it was the same as usual.

"Oh, Noriaki, you're home. Things were a bit hectic in the office so I couldn't get home earlier to make you dinner. Do you mind waiting a bit longer?" His mother asked from her seat in the dining room. She appeared to have been busy filling out papers when she saw him come in.

"It's fine, thanks."

Everything seemed to be fine on that particular day. She seemed to be in a good mood, Kakyoin could only hope it would stay that way when his father arrived home.

Climbing up the stairs to his room, Kakyoin immediately shrugged off his school bag upon entering his room and threw himself onto the bed. As Kakyoin lay on his stomach, cheek pressed against the sheets, he slowly manifested his "friend," Green. Perhaps not the most unique name, but he had always called it such ever since he could remember so it stuck. In its humanoid form, it mimicked Kakyoin's position, pressing its chest onto his back. The slight weight was always comforting.