Push Forever: Chapter One

 

The long drive down to Okinawa was painfully boring. Though there were stops in Kyoto and Osaka, a Pass-through in Nara, Maruki was not the same. Maruki would not leave the car when his parents left for food or a photo. Holding his arm out the window, and feeling the cool yet humid air pass over his flesh quickly, tickling his arm.

It took a while to find the house when they reached Okinawa, but with GPS, they found it eventually. Saeko tried cheering Maruki up once they got to the house, giving him first choice of room.

Though the movers brought in most of the furniture, the unpacking still had to be done alone. It took days for Maruki to unpack his clothes and computer alone. With no motivation, it seemed longer. Within the mess of boxes stacked in the corner of the room, Maruki had lost his useless cellphone. No numbers, low service, and a broken camera, Maruki didn’t care at all that he lost it.

Having chose the master bedroom to get back at his parents for making him move, he had a lot more empty space than he did back at home. Four hundred square feet, master bathroom, small walk-in closet and a bay window, this was a magnificent room. There were countless, sleepless nights of just sitting there on his bed. Day in and Day out, Maruki sat in his pajamas, blanket wrapped around him, and a photo of him and Aiya in his hands. An obsession is what his father called it, a subtle change is what his mother called it, but to Maruki it was heartbreak.

Most of the summer was already over, there were only days left before Maruki would start his final year of middle school. In this city, there was only one Junior High school, with over one thousand students. Having come from a bigger city, Maruki was used to multiple small schools, not one big one.

Okinawa was a very successful city with its High Schools, and Junior High Schools when it came to Athletes and Academics. Some things already baffled Maruki about this city, like why they would only have one Junior High. And the amount of Host Clubs for such a small city, Tokyo itself had many, but it is also bigger.

Back to school, it was still a painful thing to be doing without Aiya, whom he could still not get in contact with, but yet, he still managed. With a light brown Uniform and a gold class pin again, Maruki did not look much different, it was only his aura that was holding him back. This was a rare mood for Maruki, it seemed that his Easy-going aura was stolen from him when he had to leave home, and his best friend. The school from the outside was clean and fresh looking, the students were the same, yet most of them seemed bored. Maruki sat quietly in the back seat of the black Mercedes, staring out at the crowds forming around in the field.

Saeko waited patiently with her hands on the wheel, waiting for her son to be prepared to leave the vehicle. Almost ten minutes past and he had not moved an inch nor said a word.

“Are you just going to sit there, Maruki? Or do you plan on going into class?” The worst pep talk Maruki had ever heard but it did get him moving. Staring forward at the back of the passenger seat, Maruki grabbed his bag from beside him and pushed himself through the door. Without saying a word to his mother he climbed out and closed the door behind him, not motivated at all to go to this new school. The passenger window rolled down, his mother leaning to the side to her son on the sidewalk.

“Good bye Maruki.” As a mother, she naturally teased her son on his first day of school.

Maruki looked down into the car and nodded, expressionless of course.

“See you later kaa-chan.” Maruki was not himself since the move, and his mother could see that perfectly in her son. The sudden disappointment of his tone hit her, but she smiled and pressed on. Maruki turned away and headed off to the school to go speak with the principle and homeroom teacher.

Carrying his bag slung over his shoulder, the young third year Junior-high student looked cool, was good looking, but the dark cloud over his head made others avoid him in the halls. It didn't take long for Maruki to find the teachers’ office. A couple of knocks on the door got at least one teacher’s attention.

“I am looking for Saki Sensei.” Maruki spoke a little nervously, something that even surprised himself.

A teacher in the middle of the room stood and looked over Maruki.

“I am he. You must be Kaore Maruki no?” he gave the teacher a small nod, his eyes soon dropping to the floor at his feet.

“Well class will be starting soon, would you like me to show you to our homeroom?” another nod, no eye contact, Maruki was getting nervous and he was not sure why.

“Well, come this way Kaore kun.” Saki Sensei lead the way to the classroom, there were a few students scattered around the classroom, most were keeping their distance until the bells rang. Saki Sensei left Maruki standing by the front door while he lead the class into their seats for the time being. Maruki gripped his bag tightly, not really knowing what to do.

The time went by slowly, what was a few minutes for the bell to ring, felt like hours. The students flooded in and quickly chose seats for themselves, leaving only one seat left for Maruki, at the very back. Peeking in through the sliding doors, Maruki saw where his seat was, a small breath of relief passed his nervous, quivering lips. The grip on his bag got stronger the closer Sensei got to introducing him.

“Now we have a new student joining our class, he is all the way from Tokyo, so lets give him a nice warm welcome okay everyone?” Sensei looked to the door and waved his arm for Maruki to come in. Being lead into the room, front and center, he looked up and nodded to his new classmates.
“This is our new student. Would you like to introduce yourself?”

Maruki was a little off, he was day-dreaming, talking to himself in his head. Those round Coffee coloured eyes peered up at the Sensei, like a deer caught in headlights.
Quickly he looked to the class,

“Hello. I am Kaore Maruki, I am from Tokyo.” Great one. There was no new information other then his name given to the class. Whether he thought so or not, Maruki was nervous to be in this class.

The Sensei paused a moment, waiting to see if he was going to continue.

“Well then, thank you Kaore kun, you may take your seat at the back there.”

Quickly and stiffly Maruki darted through one of the aisles and straight to the back of the class.
“Kaore kun here was the top of his school last year. Perfect grades and…” The Sensei leaned towards the Sports group of the class “And Top in athletics last year.” A sudden cheer came from the left side of the class, the athletic team knew now who they were going for, for their team this year in the school competition.

Maruki slumped into his seat quietly, his gaze sneaking over the cheering crowd. Sure he was good at the required class of ‘Physical Education’ but he did not consider himself an athlete. An athlete was passionate about sports, to him it was just another class. Maruki could tell that the half of the class that was all athletes would not stop pestering him, it was nothing but a feeling, but he felt that it would come true at some point.

Over time in the class, students would look back at Maruki hoping for a nod, a smile, or even just a word. Without Aiya around to talk to, Maruki would be as kind as he could be. Which in his favor, would mean not to speak at all. As his first classes went by, even though he was a transfer student, he was asked all the standard questions of a first day back to school. To him, intelligence was not a talent, nor a gift, but a matter of focus towards a subject. By the end of the first half of classes, just before lunch one boy that would look back at Maruki often, approached his desk, hovering over it eerily.

The boy was lean and slender, taller than Maruki, and seemed quiet like himself as well. Though shy and contained, something convinced this boy to approach Maruki and fill the need to talk to him.

“Ano, Kaore san?” The quiet boy muttered softly, and very shyly. “Would you like to eat lunch with me?” In his mind, two quiet people should get along better then others, he only hoped Maruki would accept. From how Maruki answered class questions, and didn't whisper to peers beside him to get to know them, the boy figured he was just like him.

His shy, bright, coffee eyes slowly gazed up to the boy’s shy hands. Closing his notebook, he took in a soft breath as he thought.

“Sure why not. Although I have no lunch.” Maruki remembered he had also forgotten his bento box in the car. “Who are you?” Though it was unintentional, Maruki was very rude.

The sudden rude outburst frightened the boy, making him cower back a step. It was obvious that he was like Maruki and Aiya were, but unlike them, he was trying to break from his shell.

“Ta, Tanaka Jikan. I am Tanaka Jikan. I am the lead of the Music club.” It was not much of an achievement for there were not many people in the music club, but to him it was a great achievement. Jikan took pride in his musical passion.

The shy cower in the boys eyes was obvious to Maruki, making him feel bad. He bowed his head slightly in apology to him.

“I’m sorry, I would love to join you Jikan.” The instant excitement in the boy’s eyes caused Maruki to stand solemnly. It was just a kind offer that would be a one-time thing. “Where do you normally eat?” Just like Aiya, Maruki spoke to this boy tenderly, in order not to scare him away. The boy reminded him much of his best friend, treating him softly was the only way to go about this.

“I, I sit on the stairs atop the gym, its quiet and there is nowhere else I can eat.” Just as Maruki thought, he was much like his best friend, timid and easily overtaken by emotions. Jikan would not replace Aiya but at least there was one person that could be in his life that reminded him of Aiya. Jikan hesitated slightly, he leaned forward to whisper to Maruki. Though uncomfortable, he remained hunched over his desk “the boys over there are mean to me if I eat in the cafeteria.” He whispered softly in Maruki’s ear.

Maruki’s brows furrowed at the boy’s words, even him and Aiya weren’t that bad. His lips parted for a moment before his gaze dropped to the floor.

“Uh, how about we eat in the music room?” having remembered the boy was lead of the music club it was the ideal place to eat. It was a quiet secluded room where no one would go to bother him. It took the boy a moment of thought and subconscious gnawing on his lower lip before he nodded silently. “Great. Shall we go then?” Only a few moments ago, Maruki was cocky with the boy, but after finding out he was like Aiya, he had a more calmed relaxed tone with him.

It took Jikan a moment to register what Maruki had said, he was still in shock and confusion that he had made a friend.

“R-right!” Jumping upright, stiffly positioned, Jikan stepped aside to allow Maruki to get out from his desk.

Seeing this boy more and more reminded him greatly of Aiya, but in moments like this it would be best to leave him out of it. The lunch they had shared together was quiet and uneventful. Jikan sat quietly on the piano bench, silently eating the bento box his mother had made for him. Anything but silent, Maruki sat at the full drum set, fooling around. Loudly banging on the bass and the snare with his fingers, Maruki liked the feeling that rumbled in his chest every time he tapped the bass. The silent Jikan caught his attention, distracting him from his loud play.

“Oi, you okei?” A blunt approach to small talk, but it got the boy to speak.

Jikan held his chopsticks between his teeth innocently as he looked to the upper level to where Maruki sat.

“Ano.” Nothing was really on his mind, but he knew Maruki would be waiting for an answer. “It’s nothing really.” An awkward yet honest thought rolled over Jikan’s mind, yet was not supposed to turn into words. “I have just never had a handsome friend like you.” In hearing his own words, Jikan darted his gaze back down to the piano keys, blushing in embarrassment.

Those sweet, round eyes widened at the boy’s thought, hearing him wrong would have been a miracle. His full bottom lip was sucked between his teeth firmly.

“Thank you. I think.” Maruki never thought himself as handsome. The only person who has ever said such words, made it an insult to him. The one person that Maruki would never forget, the one person he would never stop hating, Miyuki. Being an unpopular peer at his old school, not many people decided to even look at Maruki unless it was to insult him.

“Not something you hear from a new friend.” Though a blush came across his cheeks as well, he tried to act cool.

Maruki was a little unsure of Jikan now, but having known someone like him for so long, he brushed off his awkward comment quickly. He knew Jikan was nervous and possibly couldn't find anything else to say at the moment. Maruki stopped fooling around with the drums and silently spun on the round chair instead. With an awkward silence hanging in the room, and a blank white image in his mind, Maruki couldn't help but think of Aiya, hoping he was all right without him. Maruki subconsciously stared at Jikan, studying his fragility. In Maruki's mind, Jikan’s image changed to Aiya’s, sitting there innocently staring up at him.

Having noticed Maruki staring off in space, Jikan paused, his eyes darting from side to side nervously.

“Ka-Kaore kun? Why are you staring at me?” he didn't move for a moment, just stared back silently. “Kaore kun?” Jikan slid off the bench and hopped up to Maruki, tapping him on the shoulder. Though Jikan was no longer at the piano, Maruki's gaze remained locked over there.

He tapped his shoulder again, harder this time, nearly making Maruki jump off his seat.

“Kaore kun! I’m sorry! Are you all right?” it was an honest mistake in frightening Maruki, but he wasn't moving and that was frightening Jikan.

With wide eyes filled with surprise, Maruki stared up at the boy, panting slightly. He was completely lost in thought and the shock of being brought back down to earth had him breathing heavily.

“I, I’m sorry I was just thinking.” He took one final deep breath to calm his nerves, those sweet coffee eyes looked to the door where the clock was located. “We should go, the bell is going to ring soon.”