Kibou’s Chronicle – First Resolve – I

Sometimes it really is important to forget about your past to move forward. To achieve something new, one must let go off the past that is holding him back. But there is a limit to how much one can forget, to how much one can let go. There are certain memories, certain experiences that cling to one's mind, refusing to be forgotten. These are the phantoms of the past that continue to haunt, their whispers echoing in the quiet moments of solitude.

Kibou was a college student who had long since lost the fondness for life. It was obvious to anyone paying attention that he hated himself more than anyone else in the world. Regrets? Certainly. His life was full of them. Every step, every decision, seemed to be a misstep. Even now, those memories crept up on him from time to time, like unwelcome guests refusing to leave. He yearned to leave his past behind and take steps toward a new chapter of his life. But reality was cruel, forcing him to mourn it again and again.

“Hey, Kibou! Wake up. The truck is here. I’m all set. Get your things ready or we’ll be late for Tokyo.”

Half-awake, he mumbled, “Yeah… getting ready.”

Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled to the bathroom to freshen up. Splashing cold water onto his face snapped him awake instantly. In the mirror, his half-asleep reflection stared back at him. He sighed, knowing today marked the start of something new. He felt no excitement, though—perhaps the notion of excitement had become a distant echo, lost in the labyrinth of haunted memories.

He went through his belongings—clothes, books, and items he thought he might need for a fresh start. Among them, he found an old storybook, the very one his grandmother had read to him as a child. Flipping through its pages, a small picture slipped out and fell to the floor. Bending to pick it up, he saw a photo of himself and his grandmother, both laughing. Warmth flickered through him at the memory, but it was heavy with sorrow. Tears slid down his cheeks without his conscious knowledge. Lost in the echoes of her stories, he felt as if he were drifting through the past, like pages torn from an old book.

Reiji’s shout broke the spell. “Kibou! The truck’s waiting. We need to go!”

“Yeah, almost finished,” Kibou replied, brushing away a few stray tears and slipping the photo into his pocket.

Outside, the truck’s engine rumbled, reminding him it was time to leave. Reiji’s smiling face met his gaze, and he forced a small smile back, letting him know he was okay.

Tokyo—the city of dreams, they said. For Kibou, it was a city of bitter memories.

Loading his belongings onto the truck, Reiji cracked a joke to lighten the mood.

“You’re going to be a city boy now, Kibou. No more fresh air and green fields. Ready for the Tokyo hustle?”

Kibou managed a weak smile. “Yeah… as ready as I’ll ever be.”

As they drove toward the city, the scenery shifted from countryside to urban sprawl.

Reiji, always chatty, tried to keep the conversation light.

“So, any big plans for Tokyo, Kibou? Going to conquer the city?”

Kibou chuckled faintly. “Conquer? More like survive. I just hope I can find my place there.”

Reiji patted his shoulder. “You’ve got this, man. New adventures await!”

“New adventures… huh?” Kibou murmured, his thoughts drifting back to the somber memories of his grandmother.

He looked at Reiji and forced a small smile through the weight pressing down on him. Retrieving the photo from his pocket, he said quietly, “You know, Reiji, my grandma was special. Always so kind and caring. I remember one time she took me to the village festival. Everything was colorful, it felt sad so amazing. We tried all the snacks, tried different types of games. but now, they don’t taste like they used to. Now, It’s like chasing shadows of happiness.”

Reiji nodded, sensing the somber tone. “And what else?”

Kibou sighed, the memories heavy on his heart. “She loved telling stories. Every night, she’d sit by my bedside, talking about magical worlds and brave heroes. There was a story about an entity that could grant wishes. We pretended we’d meet it someday—but that feeling slowly faded.”

The truck’s engine hummed as a backdrop to his quiet storytelling.

“In the summer, she’d take me to the riverbank. Hours spent skipping stones, watching the sunset… The river seemed to carry away not just the stones but also the happiness we once had. Those simple moments felt like treasures.”

Reiji listened in silence, understanding the weight in Kibou’s words.

“Your grandma sounds amazing, Kibou, even in those bittersweet memories. They’re a part of you, wherever you go.”

Kibou sighed. “And… yet… I didn’t go.”

Reiji looked at him, puzzled. “Didn’t go… where?”

A deeper, regretful exhale escaped him. “When I was in middle school, my grandmother was hospitalized. One night, she wanted to see me. But I lived so far from Tokyo, and the next day was my high school entrance exam. I couldn’t go, and she… she passed away that night.”

Reiji said nothing, simply offering his quiet presence as Kibou let the weight of regret settle, tears welling as the pain of that choice resurfaced.

Kibou muttered, “I wish I had been there for her that night…”

Reiji said nothing. He didn’t know what to say—sometimes, silence was the only offering he could give.

They reached Tokyo in the afternoon, but by the time Kibou finished settling into his new apartment, dusk was already setting in. His place was conveniently located about two kilometers from Tokyo University, making the commute roughly twenty minutes—a definite advantage. Unfortunately, Kurosaki hadn’t secured a spot in the same building, so he ended up renting another apartment just half a kilometer away.

“Hey, Kibou. You around?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Come on, buddy. We’re in Tokyo. Don’t you want to check it out?”

Kibou hesitated. “Hmm… I’m a bit exhausted. You go ahead without me.”

“Come on, Kibou. Tokyo’s waiting for us! We can’t waste our first night here being tired.”

He had a point. The vibrant city lights were beginning to twinkle outside the windows. Or maybe Kibou just wanted an escape from his past, even if it was only for a night.

“Oh, damn. You’re so stubborn. Alright, I’m coming. But let’s make it a quick one.”

Reiji grinned. “Yeah. Now that’s the spirit!”

Since it was cold outside, Kibou wore a hoodie. Coming downstairs, he found Reiji waiting.

“So, where are we going? Got a place in mind?”

“Yeah, let’s go to a ramen shop.”

They stepped into the chilly Tokyo night. The city was alive with energy. Neon lights lit up the streets in dazzling colors. Reiji and Kibou walked through the bustling scene, feeling the cool breeze under their hoodies.

“Look, Kibou! That’s the shop, ” Reiji said, pointing.

“That one? Oh, man… that’s just a yatai. I was hoping for something more like a kaedama-ya.”

“Come on, buddy. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Give it a shot first. The aunt here makes ramen that could compete with high-end shops.”

“Yeah, yeah… we’ll see about that,” Kibou replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.

A while later…

“Another bowl, please.”

“Here you go.”

“Another one.”

Kibou kept asking for more bowls. It was like a constant chant: “Another… another… another…”

“Mm, Reiji, why didn’t you tell me about this place earlier?”

“Shh, who’s talking? You were the one resisting. You came after I convinced you a little.”

“I guess you’re right. Anyway, just eat up. And ma’am, another bowl, please.”

“Also, another for me,” Reiji added.

“You two, wait a bit,” the shop owner replied.

After a few minutes, she finished preparing two more bowls.

“Listen, both of you, I’m currently short on some ingredients. I’ll be gone just for a moment. Can you watch the shop while I step out? I’ll give these two bowls as a bonus. So, what do you say?”

“Of course, we will. You just go shopping. Leave the shop to us,” Kibou said without hesitation.

“Okay, I’ll be back in less than twenty minutes.”

“So, Reiji, what are we waiting for? Just pass the bowls,” Kibou said, eager.

“Sure, sure,” Reiji replied with a grin, handing him a bowl.

As Kibou reached out to grab the bowl from Reiji, out of nowhere, a girl darted in, snatched it from his hands, and bolted down the street.
“Hey, give it back! What do you think you’re doing?!” Kibou yelled after her.

Watching her flee, he instantly sprang to his feet and began to pursue her. While chasing, he heard the faint voice of Reiji calling out behind him.
“Wait, Kibou! That’s just a bowl of ramen. Let it go!”

Ignoring his friend’s words, Kibou kept running. After a while, he realized he had gone quite a distance from the shop, and the girl was no longer in sight.

Damn it! Where did she run off to? More importantly, where even am I? No—damn it! Am I lost?!

Looking around, Kibou noticed he was in a dirty, polluted part of the city. The air was thick with smog, and the bright neon lights were dimmed by a lingering haze. As he walked through the dimly lit streets, an uneasiness settled over him.

Oh, it’s so nasty here. Who knew there was a place like this in Tokyo? And what’s this chilly feeling? I really don’t like it.

As he continued down the dark, cold streets, the chill in the air only intensified. Kibou couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling crawling under his skin. Suddenly, he spotted the girl again. She was standing in a narrow alley, nervously looking around. She looked scared, trapped between the filthy walls, her face showing a mix of fear and desperation.

“Hey, you! Why’d you take my ramen?” Kibou demanded, stepping toward her.

She looked at him with wide eyes, startled.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just… I had to,” she stammered.

Before Kibou could press her further, a group of threatening figures appeared from the shadows. They were a rough-looking bunch of boys and girls, their unfriendly glares making it clear they were up to no good.

“Well, well, well. Look who decided to follow our little thief,” one of the boys mocked.

“She stole from us, you know. We’re not ones to let that slide,” added a girl with a nasty smirk.

The girl who had stolen the ramen looked terrified. It became apparent to Kibou that she had taken the food on the orders of these intimidating figures.

“Please, I didn’t have a choice. They said they’d hurt me if I didn’t bring them food,” she begged, her voice trembling.

They must have demanded her to bring them something to eat, and with no money, stealing seemed like her only option.

“Okay, buddies, I get it. I have no intention of getting in your ways,” Kibou said cautiously.

“You’re quite clever, aren’t ya?” one of the older ones said, stepping forward from the shadows.
“But can I have that girl? I intend to teach her a lesson for what she did.”

The same older guy who spoke earlier chuckled a little at Kibou. The girl looked at Kibou with a frightened face.

“Well, you see, we usually make trades with strangers. If you want this girl, you’ll have to make a deal with us.”

“What kind of deal?” Kibou asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Join us.”

“Join what?”

“Join our gang. I have been searching for fresh blood just like you for a while.”

Join these delinquents?! No way! But now what? Just what kind of mess had he gotten himself into? What should he do now?

“… But… isn’t that a bit too sudden?” Kibou muttered, heart pounding as the reality of the situation pressed in on him.

But he had to do what was needed to survive. He wasn’t even sure what he truly wanted anymore. He only listened to his instincts, doing everything as directed by his gut.

“Listen, bruh. We don’t have all day dealing with you. Just tell me one thing. You wanna join or not?”

Oh crap! How am I supposed to respond to that? This wasn’t in my list…

A thought then hit Kibou’s head.

Hold on, just hold on… Who is this girl again I’m so desperate to save? I don’t even know her name. So, what am I doing here? Not like I’m some kind of Justice Man from Dead Tube, am I?

After a short moment of silence…

“So, what’s your answer? Yes or not?” the older boy asked again.

“No, thanks. I’ll pass that offer,” Kibou said firmly.

“You are quite an interesting one. But what about the girl? Don’t you need her anymore?”

“Nope. You guys keep her. I don’t have time for this. I have other businesses to attend to. So, goodbye.”

He took a step back. Looking at the girl’s frightened eyes, Kibou turned and started walking away. He felt as if her blue eyes were begging him to take her with him, but he kept walking, ignoring it.

It’s okay. It’s none of my concern. And I shouldn’t bother in other people’s business.

Kibou kept walking without looking back even once. After walking a few paces, he heard a scream behind him. But he pretended not to hear it.

“HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!”

Again a scream, even louder this time. Kibou couldn’t hold himself any longer. He spun around and ran back.

I may not be the hero of Justice. But I am still a HUMAN.

That’s what Kibou thought when he changed his mind to save that girl, even though he didn’t know her name. Yes, he didn’t know her name. But…

But… this time… he didn’t know why… but…

He didn’t just wish; he acted upon it.