Chapitre 1 : Ryo and Joy

It was spring, early March. The cherry blossoms were already in bloom, their beautiful petals swirling from the trees, carried by the wind. This radiant weather marked the end of the school year and the beginning of the holidays.

My name is Ryouma Kirishima, and I had just finished my third year of high school, which meant the end of my high school life.

At that moment, I was walking through the bustling streets of downtown Tokyo. I could already hear the students celebrating the arrival of the holidays. I would have liked to do the same thing... but for me, it wasn't quite finished yet.

I wouldn't say I'm the type of guy who plans every detail of his life from A to Z, like "5-year goal, plan B, plan C, dream career, house, dog, and early retirement." With a super clear vision of his future and decisions all ready in advance.

Honestly, I didn't even know what job I wanted to do later.

On the other hand, as far as my academic career was concerned, I had done my best to prepare myself. College was part of the plan. As soon as I finished high school, I had to think about the entrance exams.

I'm not a genius (at best, I'm average), and even less a workaholic. But if you want to aim high, you have to get your fingers out. No choice. For those who already knew what they wanted to do, it was probably easier to focus. It might be easier because they know where to go. But for someone like me, who had no idea... it was a different story. So I tried to put all the odds in my favor. Applying to the best universities ensured a good education and more choices for the future.

"Hey! Are you listening to me, asshole? Don't ignore me!"

As I was deep in thought, a man's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

He was a young man with dark skin and black hair. The sides of his head were shaved, and the top strands were sticking out. With his earring on his left, he looked like a real thug.

Right now, he was giving me one of his trademark dark looks.

We had been walking together since leaving school, but for some reason I had completely ignored him the whole way, as if he wasn't there. No wonder he got angry.

But I'm not a snob or cold. I didn't ignore him for no reason.

"You said?" I asked, finally turning my head towards him to give him the attention he demanded.

"Are you serious, Ryo?!" he growled. "I've been talking to you for half an hour and you're acting like you didn't hear anything. Admit it."

He had beaten me. It's no surprise, considering he's my best friend. He knows me only too well.

His name was Joyce Decker. But he preferred to be called "Joy" because he liked short names, especially one-syllable ones. That's also why he gave everyone nicknames. So my first name, "Ryouma," became "Ryo." He was from the United States and had moved to Japan because of his parents' job. Despite his scampish exterior, he was a good guy. We met in middle school. At the time, I was more of an introvert and rarely talked to people my own age. But I got along well with Joy. We liked the same things: anime, movies, music. As for books, Joy limited herself to comics and manga. I also liked fantasy novels. Our characters were also opposites. On one side was me, the quiet loner, and on the other was Joy, the extrovert who talked to everyone. I guess the law of polarity did its work. 

I remember Joy was the one who approached me first and then he got her involved in all sorts of things. We'd gotten into all sorts of trouble together. And thanks to that, I'd changed a little. He's truly a great guy.

So why ignore such a friend until he exists?

Well... sometimes he could also be really annoying with his lame jokes and repeated digs. I knew that.

“Dude, seriously! When your best friend/brother asks you to help him go out with your sister, the least you can do is listen and support him. What’s your problem exactly?”

And there you go, what am I saying? He started again.

He'd been pestering me for months to help him go out with my older sister.

It all started the day he went through my phone, supposedly to listen to an album, and came across an old photo from a vacation in Okinawa.

"Hey, Ryo. Who's that girl in the swimsuit? She's cute and sexier." He asked, pointing at my sister in the background.

It was a family photo, taken at the beach. Joy had clearly had a crush on my big sister... and I guess the swimsuit had something to do with it. Since that day, he had been pestering me to introduce myself. Of course, I always refused. But he never gave up.

"You need to rethink your complex, man. It's getting worrying."

"Huh? Where did you get that from? I don't have any delusions about my sister."

I blushed with embarrassment at this shameless statement. I don't know where he got his stupid ideas from, but it was nonsense.

"Oh yeah, that's it! "Tell me you're a siscon without telling me that 

"Do you really believe your bullshit theories?" I asked rhetorically.

Her complex sister delusions were far-fetched.

"So tell me why else a guy wouldn't let his friend go out with his sister... except that he's already into her?" he replied spontaneously.

Nonsense...

Yeah, I love my sister. I loved my sister a lot, but with a flat, familial love. Like a normal brother loves his sister. Nothing weird. No weird thoughts. Unlike what Joy was implying.

"It's not that I don't want you to go out with her. It's just... impossible."

I admit, imagining my best friend with my sister... it was weird.

"You're not credible. You just want to keep your onee-san all to yourself. And technically, you're not related by blood. Exactly the kind of weird pseudo-incest story you find in manga."

"W-WHAT?! But you smoked! It's true, I was adopted, so what? She's my sister, period!" I exclaimed.

That damn Joy... Always talking nonsense.

This incest story was completely made up, I swear, on my ancestors' heads. He only said it out of spite because I refused to help him.

I had to shut him up urgently before he started spreading weird rumors about me, the asshole.

I often say that Joy makes friends easily, but I forget to mention that he also makes enemies at the same speed. He made as many enemies as he did friends. Perfect ratio: 50/50. Some of his detractors, with whom he fought, even nicknamed him "the African-American Yankee."

"Seriously, even if I introduced you, it wouldn't work. She's serious, ambitious, committed. You are… you. Lazy, irresponsible and allergic to effort."

“Wait… Are you saying I’m not good enough for her?” he asked, stopping in his tracks.

I stopped too, a few steps ahead of him, and looked at him.

"Well... I was trying to say that nicely, but yeah, you get it."

"You deserve a beating, you fake brother!" he protested, fist raised.

"Pfff..." I stifled a laugh as I watched him get annoyed with his experience.

"Hey oh! You're not kidding me! Do you think you're safe because Mister knows how to do self-defense? I'm warning you, I've already beaten up 10th dan black belts in I-don't-know-what! So don't get too smart!"

Unable to contain myself, I burst out laughing, much to Joy's dismay, and quickened my pace to put some distance between us. In case he actually takes action. And apparently, that happens more often than you think.

Joy leaped up to me, still with her fist raised, ready to strike.

"And besides trying to seduce my sister... do you have any other plans for the holidays?" I asked, trying to change the subject. The threat was becoming too serious.

Joy lowered his fist and sighed, looking dejected.

"I've got work to do... But other than that, nothing planned," he said in a tired voice.

Just mentioning his job seemed to drain all his energy. I imagine it's a pretty tough job. He often spoke to me about it as if it were hell, in a completely fed-up mode. Sometimes he would cancel outings or plans with friends because of work, which I always found a bit suspicious.

The Joy I knew quickly grew tired of boring or restrictive things. The fact that he continued to work there didn't make much sense... unless...

"You can complain about your job all the time, but you stay because it pays well, right?"

Only money can keep someone working in an unbearable job. And Joy was a pure capitalist. He never hid it. A true, pure American.

He shrugged.

“Yeah, it pays decently… except it’s super dangerous, and we don’t even get hazard pay or overtime pay,” he sighed.

" Eh…!? "

I really wondered what his job was. He never told me exactly what it was. What kind of job could be risky without good overtime pay?

"What about you, old man? Got anything planned?" he asked back.

“Me…” He caught me off guard. I was still lost in thought. “…Nothing special. I’m planning on studying for my university entrance exams—”

I broke off when I saw Joy's bored expression. He was looking at me half asleep, his eyes half closed, a look of deep despair.

"Fucking nerd..." he muttered. "Dude, stop talking. We barely graduated high school and you're already thinking about college? Take some time for yourself or you'll freak out."

“I have to revise, it’s important. I want to give myself every chance of—”

"NAN! Nanananan! Stop right now!" He cut in, waving his hand like a "STOP" sign. "Looks like you have zero life outside of studying, Ryo."

He didn't even let me finish my sentence. He waved his hand in front of my face as if he were exorcising me.

"I understand that it's stressful with family expectations, pressure and all that... And then you Japanese, failure is almost a national shame."

"You're being a bit overdramatic, and I don't have any family pressure on my shoulders."

I rolled my eyes. He was exaggerating everything. And no, it's not "socially fatal" to fail your exams in Japan. You don't commit seppuku for a 9/20.

“Yeah yeah…” he said sarcastically, as if reading my thoughts.

I sighed in resignation. No point in trying to explain. Once this guy has an idea in mind, it's mission impossible to change his mind. Honestly, I can't tell if he's really that stupid, or if he's just doing it to piss people off. Knowing him, I'd bet on the latter.

Joy put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards him. He leaned in slightly so we were face to face.

“You know what? You really should take a step back,” he said with a big smile. “Listen.” After the ceremony, we take a real break. A whole week. No revision, no books (except manga), nothing intellectual. Just you, me, my friends, and a trip with the guys."

"A trip with the guys?"

“Something fun. We go out, we have fun, we visit cool places, we do activities like bowling, amusement parks, maybe even camping. What do you think?”

I took a moment to think. I couldn't just ignore my studies... but Joy wasn't wrong. I needed a break. And turning down his invitation, just after we'd finished high school together... that would be hard.

Joy wasn't planning on going to college. He was going straight to a full-time job. While I continued my studies, our paths would diverge.

Once I got to university, I was probably going to be overloaded. I wouldn't have much time for him. And he would be the same with his job. It's often after high school, when adult life begins, that even best friends end up drifting apart.

In other words... it was perhaps our last real vacation together. The last spring of our youth. And for all these reasons, I decided to make the most of it.

And then, seven days of break isn't the end of the world. I still have twenty-four days to revise, I told myself.

After a moment of reflection, I smiled and replied,

"Why not..."

“Cool!” Joy exclaimed, her smile even wider. “Perfect,” he added, removing his arm from my shoulders.

He quickened his pace and passed me. Arriving at the intersection where we usually parted, he turned around as if to wait for me.

"So, stay tuned tonight! I'll call you with the details!" he shouted from across the street.

"Okay!" I shouted back.

Joy raised her hand, a big smile on her face.

Seeing that, he didn't even need to speak. No words needed between us. I immediately understood what he meant.

With a brisk stride, I closed the distance between us and slapped his palm hard. Clap. A high five that said "see you later."

And then we each went our separate ways. While Joy turned left, I continued straight ahead.

And even though there was still tomorrow's ceremony, I could say it...

"I'm officially on vacation!"