Chapter Text
A boy stared at himself in a mirror. His eyes were red and puffy at the edges indicating that he'd been crying not too long ago. He spoke his name and age to his reflection. Haruka Sakura, only ten at the time. He spoke of his life. How he lived with his uncle who didn't like him much. How his mother abandoned him and his father despised him.
For a while after he just stared at himself. His black and white hair and his heterochromic eyes stood out. They always did, and it always lead him to being bullied. Standing out was always wrong, that's what he'd been taught when he was younger.
Be the same or get picked on and discriminated against. And if you fight back, you're the one in the wrong. You're the violent one. Haruka didn't want that "I want to be normal." he'd think as he runs his hand through his hair. He tried dying it once, but it didn't look right or feel right. He tried color contacts and sunglasses, but the contacts itched his eyes and the sunglasses had to be removed eventually.
It's his fault he was like this. It's his fault he was picked on. It's only ever his fault...
He took in a sharp breath of air.
"I'm not a good kid."
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It was an average spring evening with the sun shining brightly and the birds singing their songs. Haruka had turned ten just a few days prior and his elementary school life had started up again too. It was nothing interesting, in fact, it was the same as always. He'd been mistreated since his first year in that school and he was already going on his fifth one by now. He'd long since given up on the possibility of fitting in or being accepted.
He lived in a town located in the Kanto region of Japan not too far from Tokyo. Thanks to it being in an area that contained people with a more traditional mindset, Haruka faced much discrimination. He didn't mind it much anymore, it was his normal, he couldn't stop it even if he tried. And trust him, he did try.
He fought back but that just backfired and he was instead just called violent. Adults scorned him for it, never even taking his side of the situation into consideration. So, he only resolved to use his fists when provoked first... Which turned out to be often. It didn't even matter at that point if he started the fights or not, the people kept coming after him with a forever growing vendata.
No matter what he did, he'd get picked on. He was quiet? People talked behind his back. He was loud? People still kept talking behind his back but also called him aggressive. He fought back? He was still talked about behind his back and got called violent to boot.
So he gave up. He let them talk, he didn't get hurt. No, he never got hurt. He didn't care about their words. He doesn't care. He'll never ca-
God, it's the freak again...
Stop-
He's so violent
Please stop-
So disgusting, he really is just a walking curse.
What did I ever do to you?
He should just die.
And what if I did? Would you finally regret your words then?
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Haruka stood at the bridge. He stared down, it was a long fall, he'd probably suffer before dying if he jumped form where he stood. He deserved it though, didn't he? For being born as something so disgusting and repulsive. For stepping out of line, for not dying his hair or hiding his eyes? For not conforming?
He deserved it. He knows he does. It's what he'd been told all his life.
The sound of the flowing water was calming. It was nice, as if the world was trying to comfort him. The wind a gentle breeze too, much like the one Haruka adored when lonely. As for the sky, it was a mixture of a few lovely shades of yellows, oranges and reds. It was his favorite time of day, it was quiet, and calm and most importantly, no one would bothered him!
"Holy shit, it's the freakshow!"
Or so he though...
Haruka's peace was cut short as he heard those words. The voice sounded familiar, probably one of the many people who often picked fights with him.
"Hey! Come over here ya freak!" the person exclaimed with a laugh, he wasn't alone, that much became evident as the sound of other people's laugher reached Haruka's ears. He wished he could ignore them. That if he did, they'd actually leave him alone. He knew better than that though. He knew full well that they'd just approach him and get the first hit on him again.
So he turned around to look at the group of guys. There were three of them in total, each looking as plain as the next. They looked different, Haruka knew that, but he couldn't really be bothered to differentiate them by looks. Each seemed like a bigger scumbag than the next to him. So instead, he told the difference between them by their voices.
"Hey now, you trynna ignore us?" the loudest one asked with a smirk. Loud mouth it is. He was also the one who'd called out to Haruka.
"Wow, kid's grown balls then?" another snickered, he seemed a little nervous though. Wimp was probably the right word to describe him, he'd probably run away at the first sign of being hurt.
"Sheesh, I know right? He's totally trying to ignore you" the third and final one said with a snicker. A yes man if Haruka had ever met one.
They all irritated Haruka to no end... Always acting tough despite getting so easily beat up by Haruka each and every time. It never changes, they were always so weak that he can't help but think that it's pathetic. They don't even have the courage to not run away.
It left a sour taste in his mouth.
As Haruka didn't respond to them, they kept escalating. They went from name calling to light pushing around to eventually, hitting him.
The boy internally sighed. They never change, do they?
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It was comically easy to beat them up to the point that they were so weak it disappointed Haruka. "If you're gonna talk big, at least have the strength to back it up" he said with a click on his tongue as the three aggressors laid on the ground, all different degrees of bloody and bruised.
Like Haruka had predicted earlier, the wimp tried running away. So he was the first to receive a punch from the dual-haired boy. The wimp ended up writhing on the ground before being able to take even a single step away.
As for loud mouth and yes man, they both fell to the ground as soon as he hit them a little. It's not like he was trying to punch hard, he was holding back actually.
"Damn freak-" loud mouth mumbled out before trying to attack Haruka again. The target of the attack sighed deeply and dodged before kicking him in the face, effectively knocking his aggressor out.
Just as Haruka was about to leave the scene, an impressed whistle rung in the air. "Waah! Look at that, you really knocked him out." a voice laughed out.
Haruka turned to the source, a guy with short wavy hair approached, a wide grin on his face. He was older than Haruka, that much was for sure, though he wasn't exactly sure by how much.
"Who are you?" the younger asked, his voice venomous, his body ready to attack.
The other turned his gaze to him, piercing electric blue eyes staring back at Haruka's heterochromatic ones.
"What? Wanna pick a fight?" he asked, his tone... giddy?
Haruka's frown deeped as he took a fighting stance. The other seemed like bad news.
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Well, that fight was one colossal waste of Haruka's time. But, for once, he wasn't the winner. No, he lost. It wasn't even close. The blue eyed boy managed to over power him in less than five minutes.
"Damn it!..." he spat out as he grit his teeth and slammed his fist on the concrete. "I'm still too damn weak." he grumbled as he sat up to see the boy looking at him with a calculative glint in his eyes. Haruka shuddered, not liking that look in the slightest.
"Yamato Endo, and you?" the other suddenly introduced himself as he kicked the loud mouth's head.
Haruka stared at the other with surprise. He was beyond confused by him. But can you really blame Haruka when the usual reaction to him is contempt? Meanwhile this complete stranger, who literally just beat his ass, just seemed amused by him! He didn't even comment a single thing about Haruka's appearance.
"You still here? Shit, did I give him a concussion?" the boy questioned with the last one seemingly directed at himself.
The boy walked over and squinted his eyes at Haruka. "You alive?" he asked slowly as he kept his hands in his pockets.
Haruka contemplated whether to act like he did have a concussion or not for quite a while before just sighing and giving up. "I'm alive" he confirmed, his tone having a tinge of irritation in it.
The other let out an almost dramatic relieved sigh. "Haah! That's good, dunno what I'd do with a concussed kid" he laughed as he sat down on the ground next to Haruka. "So, what's you're name kid?" he asked again, his tone expectant.
"... Haruka.... Haruka Sakura..." Haruka eventually replied albeit hesitantly.
Endo's eyes lit up as he answered. "Your parents seriously gave you a name meaning 'far away' and 'distant'?" he cackled and Haruka felt the urge to punch him. He knew he'd probably just get thrown to the ground again if he did try, but that punch would've been so satisfying, if only he could just land it...
"You know ya kinda remind me of this one guy I follow around. He's a real piece of work!" the black haired male began to talk all animatedly. "the way you fight is so similar! Ah, he's like a forest fire while you're... Oh! it's like you're a spark that needs to be set ablaze" his face contorted to a grin as pink flushed his cheeks.
"Ah, he has some screws loose." Haruka thought as he contemplated just bolting out of there. "the hell's that supposed to mean?" he decided against it, questioning the older male instead.
"Oh, just that ya managed to mesmerize me" he replied so naturally as if his words were all true. He was truly the sweet talker kind. It wasn't Haruka's first time dealing with the sort. They tried getting close to him only to dump him as soon they got bored.
A scowl formed on his face as he thought about it. "Mesmerized? What a load of bullshit. You're just trynna cozy up to me to leave me later on." he scoffed, irritation filling his veins. He glared at the other, not taking his gaze away from Endo's for even a split second. He wouldn't show weakness, no, he couldn't. He was weaker physically, so he had to at least persevere in psy-
He was surprised to see the other's expression light up further. "That's it! You're just like him!" laugher erupted from Endo's mouth as he took Haruka's hand. "Your piercing gaze and demeanor, it's perfect" he spoke as he looked... excited?
It only manged to creep Haruka out further. "You- let go of me damn it!" he yelled as he tried pulling his arm away, but as stated before, he was weaker than Endo so it didn't really work.
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In the end, Haruka ended up being dragged off to some random spot where a kid with black hair was beating up adults. Wait. ADULTS?! How damn strong was that guy? And why the hell did Endo drag
Haruka here?
"Takiishi! You seem to be having fun." Endo said with a giddy laugh as he walked over, subjugantly dragging Haruka along.
The boy, Takiishi, didn't stop his beat down. Well, he kind of did, but that's just because he was piling up the bodies. As he finished that, his gaze finally turned to the two. "Did you bring what I wanted?" he asked Endo, his tone cold and flat.
Endo hummed affirmatively as he raised the plastic bag he'd been carrying this entire time before handing it over to the Takiishi guy.
The sky was already dark by now, the sun long gone by the time Endo had managed to drag Haruka there. The younger thought that maybe this is where he'd die. By the hands of two strangers he'd just met for seemingly no rhyme or reason.
Yet no such thing occurred. In fact, he was ushered to sit down on the ground by Endo who gave an excited expression. Haruka stared at him incredulously before turning to see what Takiishi was doing.
The guy was climbing the pile of human bodies, not caring where he stepped and Haruka swears he spotted the guy stepping on a crotch or two. The guy dug through the bag and pulled out... Fireworks?
"Takiishi adores fireworks! We have this thing where we meet up to set some off together. Guess today he decided to pile up randos for it" Endo filled in, if Haruka had to guess, as an attempt of trying to be helpful.
"... Isn't this... Illegal?" Haruka asked as he watched Takiishi place the firework carefully on the very top fo the pile. Endo huffed out. "so what? What're the cops gonna do?" he asked with a smirk as Takiishi lit the fireworks. Haruka was about to argue back to Endo, but the whistling of the firework going through the air and up into the sky before eventually exploding caught his attention.
They exploded into an array of colors and shapes. The fire in the air a truly beautiful sight. Haruka's eyes sparkled as he stared at the view, he'd never experienced fireworks with such a clear view before...
As the show came to an end, Takiishi made his way down the pile and shoved the trash into Endo's arms. He glanced at Haruka for just a split second before moving away and towards the direction he had been walking.
"Takiishi come on, at least let me introduce you two before you leave" Endo complained though he didn't seem even the least bit annoyed. His grin, as wide as ever, still upon his face.
Takiishi didn't stop, he just kept walking as if he couldn't hear Endo. The wavy haired male sighed and shook his head, an amused smile still upon his face. "Oh well, maybe next time." he said with a shrug before turning his gaze over to Haruka again. "Hey so, how old are you anyways?"
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Haruka never expected that his encounter with Endo would lead to anything more than a fight. Honestly, he still thinks it'll lead to that, but odly enough for the past week or so he's just been hanging out with him like how friends do.
Endo would find him at the gates of his school as the school day came to an end. He would say hi and then he'd drag Haruka off to wherever the Takiishi guy wanted to go that day. Today it turned out to be a McDonald's for a meal.
Currently Haruka was seated on the opposite side of the table. Endo had gone to take his and Takiishi's orders leaving the two alone. Haruka had actually never been alone with Takiishi before, mostly because Endo stuck to the guy like glue whenever they hung out.
Haruka wasn't sure what to say to the other. Should he compliment Takiishi's newly dyed hair? That's what people normally do to start conversations right?
He went to open his mouth but shut it as soon as he noticed that Takiishi's intense gaze turned to him. His amber eyes pierced through Haruka's soul. They always did creep him out a little, how they lacked life and genuine interest in them. He stared at Haruka for who knows how long before finally opening his mouth. "Your hair is interesting to me." he said catching Haruka completely off guard.
He was expecting an insult or something along the lines of that but... no, what he got was a... Compliment? It seemed like a compliment at least with how Takiishi's voice lacked any contempt. Well it lacked everything honestly, it was so monotone it was hard to tell what the other was truly thinking.
"A-ah uh... T-thanks?" Haruka replied a blush appearing on his cheeks at the comment, he'd never been complimented, let alone for his looks. "I uh... I think your hair is cool too...the red is pretty" he added on, his voice a little quieter than before.
Takiishi stared at him yet again, his gaze unmoving. "It is" he replied flatly before Endo came back with the food. "You sure ya don't wanna eat?" the black haired boy asked Haruka with a grin before pausing and looking at the younger with a raised brow. "did ya catch a cold or something Sakura?" he asked, noticing the blush on the other's face.
"No! What's it to you anyways?!" he turned his head away from Endo's view, not wanting anyone to see his embarrased expression for any longer than necessary.
To his surprise, it was Takiishi who grabbed him by the face and turned it back to face him. "Red is a pretty color." was all he said before letting go of Haruka's face and going back to his food. "What???" Haruka stared at the other with confusion clear in his tone and expression, not at all having expected that reaction from him. Endo seemed bemused by the situation but just rolled with it.
"Oh look at that, Takiishi doesn't see you as a pain! Lucky you" he said his tone a little teasing. Haruka looked at Endo and then at Takiishi and then at Endo again. He repeated this a few times before groaning and giving up, slumping in his seat. "I really don't get either of you..." he mumbled as he watched the two eat.
His stomach churned in hunger, but he couldn't afford to buy fast food right now so he just grit his teeth and dealt with the pain.
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"Where have you been!?" she yelled feigning her worry. Haruka knew it was nothing more than an act for the social workers. "Outside with-" What were Endo and Takiishi to Haruka? Strangers? Acquaintances? Friends?... He wasn't sure. "-my upperclassmen." he went with that, it was true after all. Sure, they weren't from his school, they were actually in their first year of middle school while Haruka was still in his fifth of elementary. But alas, they were older than him and that's all that mattered at the moment.
"Upperclassmen? Don't tell me you're still being picked on" she said with a deep sigh and shake of her head. This act always felt so nauseating to Haruka. How one moment the woman in front of him could act so loving and caring and then as soon as the workers left, she'd be as cold as ice. He knew they only kept him around for the money. It wasn't that much, but it was enough for them to consider having him around even if they were disgusted by him.
"they weren't picking on me, they just wanted to spend time with me" he replied, his head held low as he bit down the urge to blow up at her.
"Haah, are you being honest with me Haruka?" she asked as her husband, Haruka's uncle from his mother's side, walked into the hallway too. "Haruka! You're back, you worried us." he said with a gentle smile. "Worried?" the boy mumbled, his face twisting into a scowl. "Yes, but it seems that you're okay. You should really come back home before curfew. We'll have to ground you for breaking the rules, you know?" he said with a shake of his head, acting as if he cared just like his wife.
"I'm sorry... I got carried away, I should've been home already" he replied quietly, he knew the workers were listening. He could yell at them for how they treat him and how they don't care at all, but honestly, even the workers didn't care. All they'd do is throw him in the system again and call it a day. They probably found his appearance freakish too.
Everyone did- "Your hair is interesting to me"
Haruka tensed as Takiishi's words came to his mind. Now that he thinks about it, neither he nor Endo have looked at him with contempt or disgust. They haven't commented anything negative about his appearance either.
They're just pretending to be nice
Haruka knows from experience that it must be that, it can't be that they actually want him around. "-Takiishi doesn't see you as a pain!" Endo's words forced their way into his mind.
It's not true. Endo's just saying it to get him to trust them.
"Oh, just that ya managed to mesmerize me"
Stop giving me hope, no one ever liked me for me. So quit the act already
Haruka's guardians eventually let him go with one or two more words scolding him. They brought him upstairs into the guest bedroom instead of the shack outside. They did this every time. It would never change. The way he's treated would never change. The way he lived would always be like this, he should just suck it up and deal with it. They always said that adulthood isn't a walk in the park either so he should just learn to suck it up already.
Haruka sat down onto the floor, knowing full well he'd be yelled at if he messed up the bed. He stared at a corner of the room as he waited for the workers to go away. He just wanted to curl up in bed and cry at that very moment....