Chapter One

Japan

The sakura trees withering up for winter are beautiful. The icy breath I make when breathing is beautiful, the grass, the soil, the skies.. they're all so beautiful. 

This world is so beautiful and colourful, but it's hard to see that when there's scum.

Humans.. their faces.. their faces are so dark.

Mum's coughing echoed through the hallways, my bedroom door creaking open, as she walked in.

I was studying on my desk, when she asked, “Do you mind stepping out of the house for me, Miri?” She coughed between her palms, as I turned to her. “I need more cough medicine.”

I got out of my seat, walking to her, my hand out, “Money?”

She brought a thousand yen from her pocket, handing it to me.

I walked out the door.

“Be careful out there, it's late.” She coughed again.

“Okay!”

I walked along the sidewalks, the money in my jacket's pocket. 

The sidewalk went down like a slope, so my steps were clumsy from my limp.

I came down the slope, walking straight for a while, before turning to the zebra cross, walking again when…

Someone pushed me out of the way, a car zooming past us shortly after, way above the speed limit. 

It would have hit me.

“Thanks–” I was about to thank him, but he had already scurried away in a hurry.

I felt my jacket's pockets instinctively. The money, the money was gone.

I got up in a panic, chasing after the guy in a hood.

“Hey!” I yelled, running into a light pole but still running, “Get back here!”

He turned a corner, it was a pedestrian area with stairs and railings. 

He jumped down the stairs effortlessly, creating a dramatic gap between us as he continued running. 

“Hey–” Just as I rested on one of the rails, it gave way, making me fall painfully on my left arm.

I winced in pain on the ground, looking up.

He had come back, keeping a distance, returning the money, placing it on the ground, before running away again.

I got up clumsily, still in pain, my heart racing as I limped over, picking up the money with my right arm.

I put it in my pocket. 

I felt my left arm, wincing in pain.

“Yep, it's broken.” Mum sighed, coughing. 

I had already bought the medicine. 

“First your leg, and now..” She sighed, “Let's get to the hospital.”

It's all that good boy's fault. I sighed, walking into my classroom with a cast on.

I sat on my seat quietly, getting my notebook out, scribbling. 

A boy walked in, stopping, looking straight at me, locking eyes, before scurrying to his seat.

I followed him with my eyes, muttering under my breath. “That thief.”