Second Road

Episode 8: Stories of the past

Arriving at home...

Grandpa and I were in the living room, sitting on an old sofa. Grandpa was waiting for me to say everything. But I don't know where to start. It doesn't feel very pleasant.

When you have to reopen the pages of the past that you don't want to remember, then you will feel a little tightness in your chest. It's like your throat's narrowed and there's a valve blocking breathing air.

"So, Haru. You're gonna tell me everything, right? Slow down. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable either." Grandpa scolds me who keeps daydreaming about the floor.

"Ah, yes. But... Whatever I say, please don't leave me to them. I promise that I'm not a criminal. I'm..."

"I told you, right? Now you are my sweet grandson. Where could I give you to them. So, you don't have to be afraid. Just tell me everything."

Grandfather moved to sit next to me who he had previously sat opposite and was only limited to a table. He stroked my head, making me feel a little calmer. That way always manages to control me.

"Ah, okay. I'm not from here." I started to tell stories.

"I come from a far away place. I lived in an orphanage when I was about seven years old. I'm pretty happy there, not too bad. At least I can be a little free and meet another kid like me."

I exhaled slowly, taking a slight pause from the sentence I said. The sound of tick-tok from the wall clock was heard quite clearly in the now silent room.

"I'm happy there, but I still have no friends. They don't feel my existence. I'm getting lonely."

I put my sleeves up a little bit. The red shirt patterned on this box I still wear.

Yeah, we just got home and Grandpa immediately held me in the living room for questioning. Read: introductions.

"Then, there was an older brother who always approached me at that time. Her name is Hana. He's been very nice to me. He taught me many things and he also gave me a name." I continued my sentence.

A little smile bloomed as I remembered about him. He was the first to greet me and treat me as a human after all this time.

"So that Haru isn't your real name?"

Grandfather asked spontaneously, making me look up a little at his question mark-filled self. I nodded slowly. That's right, it's not my real name.

"I don't remember what my name is. So, he gave me a name. He always wanted to go to a four-season country. So he gave me the name Haru, which means spring. He always said in spring, flowers will bloom and everything will look beautiful like heaven."

Geck...Geck...Geck...

It seems like someone is knocking on the door from the outside. My grandfather and I immediately got up from the comfortable old sofa in the living room.

"We'll continue later. Now you can play first in your room. I'll be there."

So, I just followed Grandpa's words. I went to my room as my grandfather opened the door for guests. I don't know who's coming, but it looks like someone Grandpa knows. I can only see it at a glance.

I sat leaning on the bed while hugging my own feet. My hands couldn't stand still, my fingertips continued to play with the slightly tangled sheets.

I haven't told you the worst part of the story. That's what scares me a little. But I promised I'd say everything. About how I got caught up in that research center and about how it happened next.

What if he breaks his promise to me? I was still afraid that he would suddenly want to hand me over to the people at the research center. No matter how many times he says I'm his grandson, I'm still not sure.

This young me has often been tricked and played by adults.

They are good at giving sweet promises from their mouths. Then when they feel there is something more profitable, then at that time I will be discarded and used at will.

Maybe it wasn't their fault. Maybe just because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, then that's what happened.

But, I think.grandpa's a little different. He reminds me of Hana. She was very kind, though in the end.she hated me too.

My door opened slowly.

"You waiting for me?"

Grandfather appeared from behind the door, then walked up to me who was sitting on the bed. He sat next to me.

"Ah, not really. What came earlier was someone important?"

I'm a little body-forward, trying to relax a little more. If it's too tense, I'll look like I'm lying, right? And I don't want to look like that.

"It's not something that matters. So, how about we get on with your story?"

"To what extent have I said?"

"Till the girl named Hana, I guess there."

I nodded, thinking of a suitable opening sentence while staring at the plain white-painted wall.

"For a year and a half I lived there quietly. Every day I always help sister Hana do anything. Until one day, a bunch of people came to our parlor."

I exhaled a heavy breath, then shifted my body back to lean onto the bed.

"They want to evict our parlors because basically the land of the parlors is theirs. Our head of the parlour begged that the parlour not be evicted. Finally they agreed to put forward a condition."

"A condition?"

"Yes, they want a member of the parlour to be taken and will later be hired. At first they choose is sister Hana because she is old enough. Then, I foolishly begged that Brother Hana not be taken and in exchange, I offered myself."

A bit of laughter came out of my mouth when I remembered that. Yeah, sounds a little silly. I acted like I was a hero.

"Why do you want to file yourself?" Grandpa rubbed his chin. It seems he also thinks that I'm a fool for not thinking before saying something.

"I just don't want someone precious to me to go with them. But luckily they agreed to take me."

"Then they tricked you and took you to a research center called chincilla that you said earlier?"

Grandfather's hand touched my shoulder so I could see his facial gesture more clearly.

"No, at first they did hire me as a dishwasher, in a large office building. Maybe.about three months."

Ngii...

There was a voice. It seems to come from the kitchen. The small voice was quite clear.

"What's that sound, kek?"

I was the first to notice the voice directly asking grandfather.

"A sound? Oh, my God, I forgot. I was heating the water in the kettle to make tea. Haru, wait a minute, I'll be back."

Grandpa rushed towards the kitchen and left me alone in the room.

Hah...does he seriously want to listen to my story?