7 Years From Now

Chapter 3 :- Trapped Memories

I went back home. I really couldn’t get anything about the past. Moreover that old man had to go for a check up .’well guess I’ll sleep now...
Ohhh! I totally forgot that I had to go to dr. Ichiri's clinic, but it’s too late right now. I’ll go tomorrow'. And then I slept.

The next day..
30 March , Tuesday

I went straight to his clinic only to find that it was closed. ‘its closed? Weird..’ I decided to go to the hospital again to look up for more information.

As I was in the garden, I saw the nurse who was quite good to me yesterday. I decided to ask her about the incident.

Nurse:- “ aren’t u the kid who was asking around things ? “
She laughed.
Me: “ yes yes, well I actually wanted to ask u about an incident that took place years ago”
“ohh that incident. Hmm. What do u wanna know about?”
“ but u look busy , is it a good time to talk?”
“ yes yes. I just finished my work and was heading home anyway. So what do u wanna ask?”
“ tell me every---”

Just then ,a boy around my age with a light brown hair quite taller than me, came up and was surprised to see me.

The boy :-“ hold on a second!!! Aren’t u Haruto!! “
Me :” y-yea?”
“ longgg timmmee man! It’s been how much? 7 no 8 years!. How have u been?”

I was still confused..
The nurse said “ well looks like ur friend has arrived. I’ll get going then. See ya later”
Me:- “ yea sure”

The boy :- “ y do u look confused?”
Me:- “ umm sorry I don’t remember u..”
Boy:- “… whattttt!!!? For real??”
“ Yes. It’s like my memories from those time has been lost. I’m really sorry.”
“Are u serious?”
“y-yea”
“ ohh”
“ Umm may ask ur name? And I assume we were friends?”
“ … “
“ Sorry but I really don’t remember anything”
“ Ahh no problem it’s alright!. My name is Riku. Riku Imaaki. And yes we’ve played here a lot, when we were kids..”
“ Ohh!! Thank god I’ve been looking up for someone who  was here from around 7 years. I had no luck. Can u tell me about the past?”
“ Yes of course! Well before that . Let’s have a quick bite shall we?”
“ yea sure “

And then we went up near the canteen.
Riku: “ so what do u wanna know?”
Me: “ it’s that I made a promise to someone. I just want to know where and who it was”
“ Well I still need more clue”
“ I think her name was Aoi. But I don’t remember much about her?”
“ohh so u remember Aoi? “
“ not really. I don’t know anything”
“ Well then it must be her whom u made promise to.. since u guys were close so..”
“ does she lives in this town?”
“… well.. I don’t know much about it. I left the town quite before too”
“ Did u move out bcus of that incident?”
“ no no. I moved before that happened.”
“ I see.. well.. do u know why I was admit---”
“ wait Haruto. I want to ask u few things too.. like where have u been and where do u stay?”
“ I live with my parents in Tokyo. I was adopted by them and I came here as I had spring breaks.”
“ adopted? Since when?”
“ I really don’t know.. I don’t remember”
“ and where do ur parents stay? Their occupation? Names?”
“ well they are originally from this town but anyways what with this y are u asking these anyways?”
“U really don’t remember anything?”
“ no man I’m serious”
“ I see … well it’s alright .. follow me.”
And so I followed him inside the building 2.
He went up to the staff.
Riku : “ it’s Riku Imaaki..”
Riku went to enter the sign-in register.
And then, I had this familiar smell again.
‘ what’s this? It’s nostalgic' is what I thought… I closed my eyes again..
I saw a younger version of me and riku.

Riku:- “…. I told that to Kakeru as well “
Me:- “ well? What did he say?”
“ He told not to worry about me and to do what I want”
“I see”
“ Haruto. That’s y I decided to go. Keep being good friends with my brother. Would u?”
“of course! Leave him to me. But are u really gonna be ok , moving to a new school?”
“ I might be a little bit scared..”
“ now look who’s worried haha..but u’ll have a new dad huh?”
“don’t mention them, my mom, my dad and my new dad aren’t my family… and if I was an adult. I would have taken Kakeru with me. And of course u too”
“Well lately there have been may tests.. it’s been the same with Aoi and others too”
“Yea.. “
“ Well I’m a tag along now? Haha . Anyways Riku, are u sure u’ll be alright. U won’t be seeing certain someone .”
“H-huh? .w-what are talking about?”
“ Riku. Don’t play dumb”
“S-shut up! I’ll be fine”
“ Anyways I’ll be a bit lonely here. “
“ don’t worry I’ll come back.”
“ and when u do. Don’t forget about the fried rice “
“Ohh yes ofcourse. It’s a promise then.”
“ Wait are we promising about ur return? Or is the food?”
“ Of course it’s the food dumb Haruto”

We bust in laughter

I opened up my eyes. And saw Riku returning back from the desk.
Riku: “ well let’s go “
I followed him. We went upstairs to room inside. I saw a young boy. With the same hair color as mine, was sleeping on the bed.

Riku:” Hey u asleep?... Looks like he is sleeping.. he is my little brother.”
Me:” ohh u mean kakeru?”
“ Yeaa u remember him?”
“ Yea I mean jus now I had a flashback”
“I see….well he is asleep . Lately, he has been sleeping a lot. It’s the early symptoms of a disease called LMD”.
“ LMD? “ I asked
“ yea . Once the LMD actually shows up. Then he would have 2 years or so”
“ whaattt??! Isn’t there any treatment?”
“ there is none”

I was speechless. I didn’t say anything. But I saw Riku was tolerating his pain. It’s been hard for him.

Riku:- ” let’s go out”

I followed him. Just as we got down, he spoke.

Riku:- “ U know what.. we’ve played here a lot!. There are still drawings that were made by u, me and kakeru.”
Me:- “ sorry Riku. I don’t remember anything.”

He said nothing about it.

Riku :” u always went out in the garden saying u wanted fresh air”
Me:-“I did?”
“ yes..”

There was a moment of silence again.. to break it.. I asked him

Me:- “ hey Riku.. do ---”
He interrupted me ..
“ hey Haruto!.. u’ve asked about Aoi right?”
“ yea?”
“ Well… she died 7 years ago.. "
“… what?!”
I was surprised. Shocked to hear the word 'died', that too, someone whom I made a promise with.
Riku:- “ and …. Who exactly..

are u??”

To be continued…