Shirou Yukimura − The (First) Day Everything Changed

Shirou Yukimura loved talking to his brother Kazuya. To him, there was no one else in the whole wide world whom he could talk to with such honesty and truth. It certainly didn't help that Dad was too busy to talk to because of work, and often still unwilling to talk to him whenever he came home. Mom did like to talk with Shirou, but she never understood him like Kazuya did. They conversed as if they were the only two people in the whole entire world who spoke their anime and game-centric language. Even then, what his parents saw as just talking about these games or cartoons, to Shirou, were the anchors by which he and his brother understood each other better. 

It's not like Shirou was particularly good or interested in much else besides these stories that gave him comfort. And it was always such good luck that Kazuya not only allowed his brother to convey his love for said stories, but that he also enjoyed them as much as Shirou. It can be lonely to have so few interests that society approves of, so Shirou was always thankful that his brother would always be there for him.

One day, after managing to defeat a rather difficult boss that both he and his brother had been struggling on, Shirou wanted to find his brother and share the good news. With his handheld game console in hand, he opened the door and started to walk towards the staircase. 
As he walked down the stairs he started hearing voices. Immediately, he recognized his father's tone, that same stern authority that Shirou was all too familiar with despite how little it seemed his father wanted to talk to him nowadays.

"Tell him I'm right honey. You know I'm right and he needs to start committing if he's gonna make anything of himself," his father spoke. Even as a child, Shirou could understand that his father was clearly talking about something important.
"I... I just think that this may be a bit far. Don't you think he should at least be allowed to play with him? They're brothers," mom said with hesitation. Shirou settled on top of the stairs as he started to pay attention and try to understand what his parents were saying.
"I'm not saying that he should stop interacting with Shirou, that would be ludicrous. What I am saying is that Kazuya has a gift, and I don't want Shirou's lack of interest in anything worthwhile to distract him from his potential." 

Shirou paused at his father's words. Kazuya was there, and they were talking about Shirou not knowing he was listening in.
"Look Kazuya. You enjoy baseball, right?" he asked. Shirou heard Kazuya's voice respond,
"Yes. I really like it." His answer was given more quietly than Shirou was expecting, given how loud and energetic his brother was.
"Good, and it seems like you've got a real talent for it too. Now, do you know what kids who are good at baseball can do that other kids can't?" his father asked. Kazuya answered faster, 
"They can get better and play at those big games."

Shirou heard his father chuckle, "That's right. Kids like you are special, because they can do great things if they work hard. Now, you're gonna start middle school soon, and I want you to join your schools baseball team and practice to get better okay."
"Okay dad." Kazuya replied.

His father sighed, "But I want you to start practicing soon. I know someone in the office who can connect us to some coaches for practice afterschool as well. Starting from today, you have to think about your future. You don't want to end up like your brother, do you?"
Shirou sat stunned for a second before his mother interjected,
"How can you say that about Shirou?"

"Say what? The truth?" his father answered, "We all know where he's going to end up. The kid's got nothing worth cultivating. But Kazuya, you can be someone son."
Son. Shirou couldn't remember the last time his father had even addressed him that directly, let alone like that.
"I can't believe what you're saying," his mother yelled, "Shirou is our son. He is just as special as Kazuya and this.."

"Oh give me a break!" Shirou flinched as his father raised his voice to cut off his mother, "Kazuya actually has the chance to be someone important. He has a gift that he can use and it's our purpose as parents to push him in the right direction. Meanwhile, everyday I walk into this house I see Shirou waste his time watching those cartoons or playing games. He has no interest in anything else and does nothing while I work hard to put food on the table! What purpose does he have that I should be proud of? Working at some convenience store for just enough to get by while he wastes all his money on videogames? I've had enough of it and the more Kazuya spends time with Shirou the more time he wastes. Quite frankly, the kid's a lost cause at this point."

Shirou waited to hear his mother's response, hoping she would defend him. He waited with baited breath for his mother to tell his father that he was being to harsh. That even if Shirou was not as talented or smart or... whatever as Kazuya that he wasn't a lost cause.
Shirou heard his mother sniffle before she slowly gave her answer, her last chance to defend him. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than his mother to rebuke his father's words.
"Your dad is right Kazuya, listen to him," she said.
Shirou's heart sank as he heard his mother's answer. He was so stunned that he felt like he could barely pick himself up. He let go of his game console as it softly dropped next to him on the staircase.

"Thank you. Now, I don't want to see you waste any more time with your brother, understand? Starting from tomorrow you are to prioritize two things, improving yourself as a student and improving at baseball. If I see you hanging out with your brother more than I see you committing to becoming someone respectable, there will be consequences. I mean, you don't want to just end up like Shirou, right?"
Shirou sat at the top of the staircase on the brink of tears before he heard Kazuya's response. 
"No. I don't dad." Kazuya replied.
"Good boy." 
Shirou quietly walked down the stairs and put his shoes on as he heard his father's words. He kept talking with mom, but Shirou couldn't bear to hear anymore of it.

As he quietly opened the door and walked out, he felt so small. Not just on the street, but in the world. Not just small, alone. He felt alone. He was gonna lose his best friend and his father sad he had basically already lost any kind of future worth merit. 
As he started to walk away from the house, he felt his eyes fill up with tears. His walk away from the house slowly broke into a run, then a sprint. His eyes starting to tear up, broke out into full sobbing as he ran without direction away from everything.
All he could think about was them, his family. His brother, who would willingly sacrifice the special connection they had for his future. His mother, who had backed down in the face of father's cold logic. His father, whom for so long he had hoped was just too busy for him. Now he saw how he really thought of him. To his father, he was worthless. A guaranteed failure in life, unlike his brother. 

"So why were you crying? Did someone beat you in a game?" the girl asked, "It's okay to lose those you know."
Shirou used the other side of the handkerchief to wipe his face, "I wasn't crying" he lied.
She let out a little laugh before continuing, "It's okay to cry. You should let your feelings out, especially if they make you feel sad." Shirou turned to face the girl. "
"I think it's a lot better than lying to yourself about how you feel," the girl remarked. Shirou paused at her words: better than lying to yourself about how you feel. 

"Do you want to talk about why you're so sad?" the girl said as she turned to fully face Shirou. Shirou fumbled for a response. "Umm, my mom says I shouldn't tell secrets to strangers," he said. 
The girl chuckled before jokingly composing herself and saying, "My name is Mayumi Aikawa. I just moved here with my mom and dad. It's nice to meet you, what's your name?"
Shirou looked at Mayumi before smiling a bit and replying, "I'm Shirou. Shirou Yukimura."
Mayumi smiled and held out her hand, "There we go. Now we're not strangers and you can tell me why you're sad."
Shirou shook her hand, "But, it's a secret. I'm not sure if I can tell you even if we're not strangers anymore," he said as he looked down and started fidgeting with his thumbs. 
Mayumi let out a big, comical sigh as she stood up from the bench in front of Shirou.
"Fine, how about this: If you tell me the secret of why you were crying, I'll tell you a secret of mine. Promise?" she said as she held out her hand for a pinkie promise. 
Shirou looked at her for a second before slowly extending his hand to make the pinkie promise with her. "Okay. It's a promise."
"Great," Mayumi said as she sat back down next to Shirou, "So why are you so sad?"

Shirou started telling Mayumi about the events of the past couple hours. How he had accidentally stumbled upon his parents' conversation with his brother. How he learned that his brother would no longer be able to be with him as much because of sports. How his father actively wanted them to stop being together because he viewed Shirou as a negative influence on Kazuya, dragging him down from his potential future. How his father hated how Shirou cared about almost nothing besides the anime and games he liked watching and playing.
Upon finishing recounting what had happened that day, Shirou didn't even realize he had become crying a little again. He quickly used the handkerchief to wipe away the tears before concluding his story, about how he couldn't bear to stay in the house and ran all the way to the park by himself.

"Wow, that's... awful," said Mayumi, the cheerfulness in her voice replaced with a tone of sympathy.
"So what are you going to do now? Will you go back?" she asked.
"I don't know," Shirou answered, "Maybe I'll give up on all that stuff. Maybe if I stop watching TV and playing games and start studying more, maybe my dad will... maybe he'll love me more."
Mayumi paused for a second,  "But will that make you happy? Giving up on all that stuff you love?"
Shirou didn't answer for a minute. He thought about his father and the chance that he could maybe make him happy if he found a respectable purpose.

Shirou couldn't muster a reply for Mayumi's question. Could he really give up the things that made him happy for his future. Before he could finish his though, Mayumi interjected,
"I think you should do what makes you happy."  Shirou was caught off by the conviction in Mayumi's voice, "I think being happy is way more important than any purpose any adult can give you" she continued.

Shirou looked at Mayumi as he started to tear up again. She was right, it's not fair to give up what he like doing just because his dad thinks it's a waste of time. But as he thought this, other ideas started flooding his mind and the tears started to roll down his face.

"But... but I don't know if I can go back home and do that. I'll be all alone. Kazuya left me, Mom won't even help me, and dad... dad..." he couldn't even finish the sentence before he started to quietly cry again. 

"Then let's run away."

Mayumi's words hit Shirou like a truck, immediately distracting him from his crying.
"Wha... what?" he asked looking at Mayumi, now with a more serious expression.
"Let's run away. If you really think that no one will be there for you at home, we can go someplace else." Mayumi hopped off the bench as she slowly paced in front of the bench.
"Haven't you ever wanted to see the rest of Japan, or even the rest of the world? This might be your chance. You might even find people who care about you being happy."
Shirou was stunned by her words. Run away? What was she saying?
"Why... why are you saying we should run away together?" It was the only question he could muster up in all the confusion. 
Mayumi shrugged at him, "You said your family won't be there for you, even your brother."
She sat back down next to him, "And my family has already made it clear to me they don't care what I think. I didn't even want to move here."
She turned to face Shirou. She stared at him, waiting for an answer. She was serious, Shirou thought to himself. This is serious.
Using her handkerchief, Shirou wiped away the rest of his tears. Could he run away with this girl he'd just met today?

"I... I can't. I'm too scared." Shirou stuttered. He turned away from Mayumi, thinking she would be disappointed by his cowardice.
"That's okay," Mayumi replied. Shirou looked back to her. Instead of disappointment, she offered a little smile. For the first time that day, Shirou felt like someone understood what he felt.
But her sympathy could only distract him for a little while. He would have to go back home. To the house filled with people who wouldn't stand up for him. He would go back to being alone again. 
"Then, how about this?" Mayumi said, interrupting Shirou's sad train of thought, "How about, I'll come visit you everyday to make sure you remember to be happy. And to be proud of what makes you happy."

Shirou was amazed at what Mayumi said. This girl, who had been a stranger only a couple minutes ago, who had offered to run away with him, was now offering to be a friend. To remind him that he was not alone and that his happiness mattered. Shirou smiled at his new friend,
"I would really like that. Thanks."
Mayumi smiled back at him, "Then it's settled. From now on, I'll be there to remind you to be happy!" 
Shirou felt much lighter upon listening to her declaration. He never was able to make much friends. It really was just him and Kazuya. Now, he not only had a new friend, but one who promised to be there for him. It was nice, and it made him feel better about the day.
"So, what games do you like?" Mayumi asked

Shirou and Mayumi continued to talk while sitting on the bench until it started getting to dark to stay out. As they got off the bench to head back home, Shirou remembered. 
"Wait, aren't you gonna tell me a secret of yours? We promised" he asked.
Mayumi turned to Shirou before grinning, "Don't worry. I'll tell you a secret, just not today. Pinkie Promise." 
"What? No fair!" Shirou yelled, "When will you tell me?"
"Soon. Soon. Don't worry about it too much. I'll keep my promise. Please don't cry because I won't tell you." she teased.
Shirou scoffed, "As if," before he remembered something. He pulled Mayumi's handkerchief from his pocket and held it out to her,
"You can have this back. I won't cry anymore. Promise."
Mayumi looked at the handkerchief for a second before turning around, 
"You can keep it. Think of it as a reminder. Or a gift" she chuckled.
Shirou pocketed the handkerchief and followed Mayumi out of the park,
"Can you at least give me a hint for your secret?"
"Nuh uh."

After arriving back home, Shirou opened the door and walked in. It seemed like his parents hadn't even noticed he had left. Makes sense, Shirou thought to himself. 
As he quietly walked up the stair case he heard someone from above. Looking up, he saw Kazuya waiting at the top. 
"Hey," he said, avoiding eye contact.
"Hey," Kazuya replied, "Where did you go?"
Shirou continued up the stairs, "I went to the park. I made a new friend."
"That's cool," Kazuya said as Shirou reached the top stair, "by the way, did you drop this?"
Kazuya held out Shirou's handheld game console to him. Shirou paused for a second before taking it, "Yeah. Thanks."
"No problem," his brother replied, "C'mon, let's go sleep."
"Okay," Shirou yawned. With everything that had happened today he didn't even notice how tired he was. As he walked with Kazuya to their room he couldn't help but feel like there was a new wall between them. After washing and changing into their pajamas, Kazuya climbed up onto his top bunk and Shirou sat down on his bed, thinking about everything that had happened. 
"Hey Shirou," he heard from the top bunk.
"Yeah?" he replied.
There was a pause before Kazuya said, "I love you. Goodnight." Shirou didn't hear another thing from Kazuya that night.
As he started falling asleep he couldn't stop thinking about those words. Shirou found a little smile grow across his face before he fell asleep. Whether it was because his brother told him he loved him or because of his new friend, he didn't mind either way.