Many thoughts are running through Yuuto mind. Deep down inside he is panicking. Shouta is running from him. He can see it in his words, his body language. Yuuto wishes to grab Shouta wrist to stop him from leaving. Make him stay, make him listen. He knows better than to touch Shouta without his permission. He should have known it wouldn’t be this easy trying to continue their friendship. Many years have passed. They both changed in many ways. If Yuuto had to say so himself, they changed for the better. Yuuto sighs inwardly before taking a deep breath.
“Please keep it,” he replies.
“It is yours.” He closes his eyes not believing he is going to do this but what other choice does he have. Shouta needs to hear his side of the story. Just maybe he will understand. Thankfully campus is empty allowing Yuuto to speak freely.
“Do you know I was almost homeless?” Yuuto opens his eyes seeing he captured Shouta attention. That curious gleam in his eye.
“My step parents were going to throw me out on the streets. Strip me of everything.” Yuuto makes sure he is looking Shouta in the eyes at his next statement.
“If I didn’t stop talking to you, they were going to abandon me.” He sighs in annoyance at the pain of the memory. He swallows down the shame he feels.
“I was a coward back then. I am not going to use my age as an excuse. At that moment in time, I was terrified. I was going to lose everything. I had nowhere to go. My father…..he couldn’t take me. I had no ties to my family in America. My mother’s family act like I don’t exist.” Yuuto eyes begin to water as all the emotions he felt that day come back.
“I thought about what my father would have done,” he continues.
“He would have stayed, done as asked. He would have plotted, waited until the right moment to get away.” Yuuto runs his hand through his hair to ease his anger.
“I was foolish. I thought I could make a deal with my step parents. My step father loved my mother once. They agreed to what I requested but that changed. Soon as I cut things off with you, they did nothing we agreed on. There was nothing I could do about it.” Yuuto rises to his feet.
“I’m taking my life back. I’m not going to allow my step parents to control my life anymore,” Yuuto stares down at the comics picking them up.
“I’m only helping with the family business until I can get into my career. After that I have no problem cutting them off. They don’t even love me. Many times I ask myself why I am even here in this world. Remembering our friendship is the main thing that kept me going. Akimoto, you are the main part of how I came to be who I am today. You were the first friend I truly had until I allowed my step parents to take that away from me. Now I am my own man.” Yuuto hands Shouta the comic books.
“These are yours. Every year on your birthday I had to wonder what you were doing. This year I can show my appreciation. Please, accept them.”Yuuto has never explained to anyone what he went through. How he feels about his step parents. It’s not something he would call a happy or casual conversation. He is counting down the days he doesn’t have to bother with them anymore. He stares at Shouta knowing if he was to walk away now. At least he spoke his peace.