ACT I - Troubled Hearts II

Yuujin: Yooo, I'm here! I was just so surprised I couldn't say anything for a while lol

Ethan: Yuujin? who's that lol

Kim: it's just his name spelling in japanese u dumbass

Ethan: I know!! I was just joking sheesh

I chuckled, I had really missed their bickering. I felt sorry that I couldn't talk with the others after changing countries, but I didn't even know if they'd be interested in what I had to say. I felt relieved and extremely thankful, so I decided to put my feelings into text.

Yuujin: I'd like to apologize to everyone I couldn't chat with since coming here… Kinda was really busy and the timezone doesn't make things easier but I really, really missed you guys.. Please forgive me for not keeping in touch with all of you! Hope everyone is doing well and keeping good health

Ava: not you going off in an emotional speech right away

Len: I just came here and he's already exhibiting typical softie Eugene behavior lmao

Sarah: guys ok stop teasing fjfkfk he's sensitive yknow

Remy: I bet he's crying from happiness rn

Yuujin: Oi! Stop, okay??! I felt guilty about not being able to communicate that's all

Yuujin: I'm not the one who made an entire gc just because I missed a certain someone~ Who are the softies huh

Kim: oof! we got caught

Len: Jokes aside, it's ok man. dw about it, life happens and u had a huge change in your life

Kim: yea we can wait as much as needed! honestly i didn't even understand weeks passing by myself, i also changed cities for hs so

Ethan: Yo my class is about to start

sarah: same actually aaaaa.. eugene, when you feel like it, drop texts and pics here yeah? keep us updated

Remy: Yeah, we will see them when we can. Most of us probably are beginning class soon so we gtg but drop messages whenever

Ethan: Yea!! Keep us updated man

Yuijin: I got it! Have a nice day everyone, I think I will just make myself a light snack now. Will take pics to show of the school and stuff next time

sarah: show them your new glasses too hehe i saw them before bc of bestie privileges but they're so cool rly !!!

Everyone said their goodbyes and went on to their classes. It felt odd that I was in my room, closing the window because the evening wind was starting to get stronger, while they were rushing to their morning classes. Although we existed at the same time and planet, the fact that we had so much distance and lifestyle differences made me shiver. They were living their days while I was asleep, and the same was true for them as well.

I wondered when I'd get to see them in person again.

Probably not most of them… But I wished to at least see my two close friends sometime soon. My heart didn't know how to feel. Everything was too bittersweet. It felt so good to be remembered and cared for but our differences just felt more concrete now.

They were all such kind and fun people… They probably had made new friends at their high schools, and got to meet up with most of their old ones when the occasion allowed it. And here I was… Miles apart. Both in distance and current life situations.

Did this mean… It was me who just wasn't kind and fun enough?

I shook my head. It just wouldn't do to fall down the depressing thought hole, not when my dear friends had reminded me that I meant something to them! I decided to make myself a light snack as I had written in the group chat, grab my hoodie and go on the roof for some stargazing. That would set my worries aside for sure.

Stargazing always put my troubled heart to rest, and as I looked up to the nightsky, I scolded myself for not thinking of doing this sooner. After all, the sky I was looking at was the same sky I could see from Canada, why was I avoiding it until now?

It made my body feel a wave of relief. Same sky. Same stars. Same views. It felt so good to see something familiar, and the rooftops of our neighboring buildings were helping as well. After all, this was the house I had spent most of my childhood in, before leaving for Canada. In a way, this was my true Home. Thinking that made me smile and feel like a bit of a fool for acting up earlier in the evening.

But hey, my feelings were valid and expected. It wasn't easy coming back after getting used to life in Canada, nor was arriving there for the first time! Just like how the starry sky left place to a blue sky in the day time, life also went through cycles.

When it was nighttime, the right thing to do was to fill in your lungs with the cool air and gaze up to the beautiful stars. And when it was daytime, the best option was to make full use of the Sun and the blessings it shoots up to the Earth—well, with caution and plenty of sunscreen.

Just like that, I got inspired to make full use of my high school life in Japan. There were plenty of beautiful things about life here, and starting high school surrounded by the full bloom of the Sakura flowers was one of them. That had made my heart race a lot on the first day!

Thinking of Sakura trees reminded me of Reo. Such a mysterious guy was also 'special to Japan' and I wouldn't even get to know him if it weren't for me moving back here. Thinking of this made me excited to meet many more people, and deepen my bonds with the ones I already knew.

Suddenly, my mind decided to replay Ria's screams in my ears. I didn't know how many times I had ended up remembering that scene. It was almost as if… I sensed something familiar in her shouts. Were they shouts begging for help? Something told me that she was misunderstood, and she had a similar situation to me in the way that we couldn't set things straight during our first time in high school and now things felt… Too late to fix.

Was her heart troubled like mine?

—

As I went to bed, I was filled with thoughts of Ria and how I wanted to get to know her better. If anyone didn't give her a chance and listen to her heart, I was up to the challenge. I knew it'd be difficult, she probably had closed herself off from people. Why did that happen? What was the cause? Was there really a different girl inside her and not the 'demon president' everyone knew her by?

I put aside my glasses, placing them in their case and then inside the drawer of my nightstand (Never again, Mom!). I didn't know it that night, but actually something miraculous would happen to me real soon; one that would allow me to see the answers of my questions. If I knew it, I don't think I'd be able to get sleep even for a minute. The fact that…

The next day would bring The First Reveal.