Takatsuki-Ouji 5.2

“Hey hey, why don’t you wanna go home?”

The young boy asked about the delicate topic straightforwardly. I don’t want to talk to someone with a screw loose in his head, and he isn’t able to even understand my circumstances.

Ryo stubbornly closed his mouth.

“Eh nevermind. If you don’t want to talk about it then you don’t have to.”

Surprisingly he’s an understanding human being, Ryo was a little bit surprised. He’d thought that the young boy would be the type of guy who’d persist more and more, but he didn’t ask any further. A young boy went past, he quietly watched other children hurry home and dogs being walked go past.

For some reason, it’s such a mysterious time. It’s not that he cared either, just that with both of them with their own thoughts, sitting beside each other, looking at the same scene, there were no words but there was also no boredom, and so time flowed.

What a weird fellow… but he’s not bad. Ryo embraced such a feeling as the young boy next to him looked at his own nails.

“I want to become stronger.”

The young boy moved his gaze from his hand to Ryo who spoke suddenly.

“You want to, become stronger?”

“Yeah, I think, I want to be someone who’s so strong that everyone will listen to what I say.”

“Is it not like that right now?”

“I can’t understand. The strength that that person talked about, I can’t understand.”

His father was strong. He had both brains and brawns. Even from Ryo’s eyes he could see that anyone would be defeated, overwhelmed by his strength. But even so, he died. He’d died so suddenly. Rather than feeling sad or lonely, the feeling as if he’d lost his goal and became an empty shell was probably greater.

“I, know about it.”

“Eh?”

“I don’t understand how to become stronger, but if I say that there is a way to get an ally by your side by making someone listen to you and in return you listen to their wish, would you like to know?”

The young boy looked at Ryo’s face with a slightly proud expression.

A way to get an ally? That said, “Listen to your words,” and, “In return listen to their wish,” have two different meanings, but they may be similar in which both desires would come true. But don’t that not necessarily need strength? Aren’t people attracted to strength, and thus would follow the strong?

“What is it, this so called way…”

“Hm? It’s very simple way.”

There is no simple reason. Ryo practically does not have even a single ally. To become stronger. At the age of 11, he already has enough strength and authority. But, right now, there is no one by Ryo’s side.

There is no simple reason.

“If you’re kind, then it’s fine.”

Hah, what’s this guy saying.

“If you do that then you’ll be underestimated.”

“Eh, that’s not true. Because I’m happy if I could be kind, and this time I’ll return the favour by listening to your wish, is what I think.”

“Well, even if your head is filled by flower gardens all year round, there should be a limit to it shouldn’t it.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s been decided so.”

“Well then, have you ever been kind to anyone before?”

“Of fking course not.”

“Then if you’ve never tried before then how are you supposed to know, right.”

He lived in a world where kindness is irrelevant. He’d learned from the people around him, that kindness and sweetness will (become a noose that) tightens around your neck. That’s why kindness is not necessary.

“Then, then, let’s try it now!”

“Haaah?”

“Kindness practice!”

“Hah? You’re joking right?”

“Because anyhow, we don’t really have anything to do right now, and if you don’t like it then we’ll just stop. Okay?”

Looking at the sparkling, glittering eyes, for some reason he looked like a child who was shaking from excitement from an exciting experiment. Well, he is but a child.

Ryo is not without any interest in kindness. Though scarce as it was, it’s true that whenever he felt his mother’s kindness, he’d feel happy and warm. However, that was only a wee bit, ever since she’d died, he never felt that warmth anymore.

“Well, we’re idle anyhow, so going along with you should be fine.”

Yay~! Seeing the young boy raised his hands in a happy manner, Ryo thought, I knew it, this guy’s got a screw loose in his head.

T/N: I’m in love with this arc, it’s cute and has shotas :Q and has short chapters and sentences and XD Aren’t they just freaking adorable… uwu. Though I admit some conversations are a bit weird :v I’m bad at tenses ;w;

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