A ringing answer

It was the first day of school as a transfer student, im not affected as much

as i have transfered between school to school throughout my elementary to early highschool days.

Never made any friends throughout all those years, but there was one person that stuck out the most his name was "Hirase" something like.

That was back in 8th grade when i transfered to a different city years ago

When the teacher first introduced me in class no one seemed to care

Except for one.

Hirase said out loud

"Nice to meet you!"

Thus the teacher decided i sat next to him

As i sat on my arm chair Hirase bent over to me and whispered

"Hey did you know that guy over there masamune, yeah right there Oooover there

rumours say he's selling

His older brothers collection of Erotica manga in the restroom"

Hirase said in a very secretive cheerful way

I looked at him with the usual blank face i make and listened on to the teachers lesson

Since then throughout the whole day Hirasē

try's to spark up a conversation with me.

When lunch rang i went to the roof top to eat my lunch, Hirase followed me there

i then sat down to eat my lunch

Hirase as blonde headed as he is sat down as he looked at whats inside my bento.

"Holy crap is that Harmburger steak!"

He said out loudly in a surprised look

I then looked at him

He then begged

"Please please i would do anything to have some, Here we can trade lunches i have some delicious pork cutlets and some rice balls"

As annoying as he is we traded

"Thank you so much"

He proceeded to eat it like he was starving

He then ate my entire bento in a minute or two.

When i was outside the school going home after class got dismissed Hirasē ran quickly downstairs and yelled out

"HEY WHATS YOUR NAME AGAIN?"

everyone was looking at the two of us

I wasnt embarassed and all

I shouted out with a normal tone

"Kiroshi Taiko"

He then replied

"HIRASE DAICHI"

I then proceeded to walk home

This was the start of some kind of situation between a clingy dog and its owner

Since then hirase would come over

he got along with my parents

And my parents would also invite him for dinner sometimes.

Hirase was like that one guy who would accompany a person everyday

Whenever i go somewhere he'd tag along and follow me so and so on,

I went to his house one time

I'll just say he and his entire family have the same personalities

Cheerful,Energetic,determined and unusually happy all the time.

All of this lasted until the day i moved away

During summer break my dad got notified that he was being assigned to a different workplace in a different city or town whatever he's assigned to.

During the last day of living in this town

Which i have only stayed there for like 1 year and a few months.

Upon hearing the news hirase invited me to have dinner in his house.

As such i went there

As i got inside i was greeted with the entire family sitting on the dining table telling me to have a seat.

We ate and had a chat when hirase went to the bathroom his entire family explained that

Throughout his entire life i was the only person he considered a friend.

As unsurprised as i am

I pretended to be surprised

And so on his family explained some facts about him and how the enitre family would miss me living here

The evening continued as we ate on.

The next day as we are prepared to move

Hirase came running down screaming

"WAAAAIT DONT GO YEEET"

i looked at him from a far

When hirase ran up to me

He said

"I forgot to give you this"

He gave me a box

"Open this on the road"

I then said thank you

Hirase then said as he walked away in a smile

"Thank you for everything Kiroshi!"

And then raised his hand in a farewell matter as he walked into oblivion

That was the last i have seen of him before i went inside the car

As we were driving inside the car i opened the box he gave to me inside was a scrap book of all the things we did during my time here

[After looking at the scrap book

Kiroshi smiled as he closed the scrap book]

[Fast forward to the present day

Kiroshi now in his 2nd year of secondary school]

The teacher introduced me to the class

I was the last person to introduce myself

Nobody cared.

I sat down in my seat

I then overheard a conversation of two girls saying

"Look at the new guy he looks so gloomy"

"Yeah i know right"

"We better keep quiet or he might hear us,

Who knows what perverted things a person like him could do"

The class continued on like always

As lunch rang it was all but everyday normal

I sat down in the roof ate my lunch went back to the classroom and went my way.

During one of the teachers lectures

I accidentaly spilled ink from my pen into my hands, i then went to the restroom to wash my hands.

I then came back to class and the day went on as always.

I then went back home after school ate dinner with my parents go to my room to sleep and the cycle continues.

The next day class continued as always all of a sudden my pen spilled ink again.

I then went to the restroom to wash up

Upon being finished on washing my hands

I hear a telephone ring in one of the stalls

*Ring ring. Ring ring.*

I then when to the stall its coming from

And i then saw an old red telephone

Assumingly from the 60's.

I answer it without hesitation.

It was 5 seconds of silence until i heard the words

"10" "45" "P" "M" "Garden" "School"

The voice was a girls voice

It was said in a soft and calm and soothing way

I then hung up and continued on.

Later that day as night fell i prepared for

Whatevers in store for me at 10:45 pm

In the School Garden.

My dad had overtime so it was me and my mom, mom sleeps as early as 9:45

So i decided to sneak out at 10:30

I arrived at school it wasnt dark

The moon and the stars shined bright

Throught the cloudless night sky,

I climbed through the fence and headed my way.

The school was rather huge so i dont know my ways yet, but i knew where i was going considering the huge garden i saw through the windows as i was walking through the hallway.

As stepped infront of the garden

To me as i gazed at it

It looked like a huge maze as such

I went in as i traversed through the garden halls i saw all kinds of flowers in the bush walls.

Flowers like roses, daisies, carnations,

Bluebells and other varieties

I then found myself at the center of the garden gazebo.

As the air coldly flew petals throughout the air as i gazed upon in the well decorated gazebo sits a telephone in the center table

It was a red one from the 60's.

It rang so i answered, upon picking up i heard the voice of the same girl she said

"Water the flowers"

Until the phone hanged up

I grabbed a watering can

And watered the flowerbeds on the flowered bush walls.

I watered each one with care and precision

I watered each and everyone of them carefully. and with care as i finished.

As i just finished watering the phone rang inside the gazebo i answered it

The girl from the phone said

"You did well"

Knowing this i then lay down to rest in one of the sofa's gazing upon the ceiling through the glass dome roof staring upon the night sky i stared and stared until i closed my eyes.

I woke up in a white environment

To see Hirase infront of me

He smiled and said

"Hey Hey Kiro,whats up?"

I replied

"Just the usual"

Hirase replied

"I see. The usual blank you as always huh"

He then said

"Hey kiroshi remember the time in summer"

*scene transitions to Hirase and Kiroshi sitting on the riverbank*

"Kiro! Look at that"

I looked upon where hirase was pointing to,

It was a bird

"You see it right? A bird flying freely to wherever he wants"

I stared at the flowing water

"You know kiro you can tell me anything you have in mind, im always here to answer"

I looked at him and replied

"If you where a bird what would you do"

Hirase replied

"Lets see. Hhhmmmmm... I'd fly wherever i'd like, i could migrate to places like hawaii or something"

"I see"

"Well the more you know it, say kiro

Before you came here what did you do?"

I paused for a moment and said

"Transfering from school to school"

"Is that it?"

"Repeating the cycle i always do"

"That is?"

"You've seen it havent you?"

"Pretty mind blowing if you ask me,

You do this, do that and everyday without a single rest, its pretty confusing on whats going on in your mind"

We then both stared as the sun set on the river bank

"Well its time for me to go, See ya tomorrow

Kiro"

Hirase ran off with that hand raising goodbye gesture

Everything fades away as i awoke inside the gazebo laying down on the pink sofa,

I then stood up and walked out.

i exited the garden and exited the school

I couldnt tell what time it is as i dont own a watch or those fancy mobile phones.

I then sneaked back to my room through the window i then went on my bed and slept.

I then woke up in the morning went downstairs ate breakfast with mom and dad

And headed to school.

Class was normal as always

The teacher was doing his lectures

The other people in my class where bored and not listening as always.

As the lesson went on i went to the restroom to check if the telephone was there.

I check the exact same stall it was in before

As i opened the stall the phome wasnt there

I checked the other stalls and it wasnt there.

I then stopped searching and as i went my way out i heard ringing.

I searched for where it came from and there it was, it was at the same stall.

I answered.

It was silent for 5 seconds

Until i heard the words

"11" "45" "P" "M" "Classroom"

That night i sneaked out

Walking down the sidewalk to school

The neighborhood is unusually quiet

I then continue to head my way.

I snuck in, entered and headed to class

I open the door to see a telephone at my seat

It was a red 60s as it was but a little bit rusted.

It rang, i answered

The girl inside said

"Gym"

I head to the gym

As i went inside it was a huge gym, considering this school is quite the expensive one

I looked around to hear ringing coming from the storage room.

The voice said

"Ball" "hoop" "25"

It tasked me to shoot a basket ball through the hoop 25 times

I got a ball went to the center of the court

And started shooting, 1st shot it went in second miss 3rd missed 4th spinned around the hoop and went in.

21 shots later i fulfilled the task,

I then went to the phone but no ringing

I then turned to see the door open.

Was it the wind? Or was it someone?

I walked towards it to see a shadowy figure looking onto me from the school building,

I went inside to the classroom to find nothing.

For the first time in my life

I felt the feeling whether to believe in one side or the other.

I headed out the school building and headed

For the gate i snuck out and headed back home.

As i walked home suddenly

A nearby pay phone started ringing.

I answered it was her again

She said

"4th day" "None"

I assume that meant in the 4th day i will not receive any calls

I proceeded to sneak back home

The next day was the 3rd day so i know i dont have to do anything tomorrow.

I went to the restroom as usual,and heard ringing it wasnt usually in the same stall but from inside the ceiling, i stood up on one of the toilets to see a tiny open gap in one of the ceiling tiles, i opened it to grab the telephone out of there.

I answered. She said

"12... midnight" "rooftop"

At dinner i lied to my parents that i would be staying the night at a friends house

Dad replied

"A friend thats good, i still remember the time you slept at hirase's. you really had fun there"

"You should introduce us to this friend of your's kiroshi"

Mom replied

I then went off to school but this time i brought a watch specifically grand dad's

Watch.

It was 6 when i arrived

So in the mean time i decided to look around the place.

I had a place to go in mind

I went to the pool area, i sat on the floor staring at the pool as the night sky shines on the pool.

I reminisce the time i went swimming the first time, surprisingly enough hirase almost drowned, i was the one who saved him.

That afternoon the pool was all to us

Throughout my whole life and elementary years.

I wasnt allowed to go swimming, my parents didnt trust me to step foot on pools,

My parents were quite protective towards me

Considering my personality, my parents always think that i wasnt up for swimming.

So some of the times my gym classes had swimming lessons i usually sit out but atleast im still graded by doing nothing.

All i could do is watch as my classmates swam and had fun, for me the term fun didnt mean anything at all.

It just was a normal everyday word to use anyways.

By the time i reached 1st year my parents decided to trust me on swimming.

And so here i am about to swim with hirase,

As i was about to swim hirase went first, suddenly he slipts and landed head first

In the water, upon that happening some of the water went into his mouth he started choking and started to drown.

The pool was deep

I havent learned a thing about swimming yet

Since hirase was supposed to teach me how to.

Without hesitation i ran to the pool i jumoed in but started sinking, i moved and moved toward hirase. Grabbing him by the leg and bringing him to the nearest edge, i pushed him out of there full force, i started sinking more after that i kicked my legs harder to

Propel myself upper.

As i was struggling hirase was also struggling from the water, i used all my strength to reach up i quickly got out of the water to start doing the heimlicj manuever on hirase.

He puked out the water, i then collapsed out of exhaustion, hirase then stood up moved me to a chair and sat down tired from what just happened.

Hirase turned to me and said

"Say kiro, you did a pretty good job saving me back there"

*Kiro stares at Hirase*

"Maybe lets swim in a shallow one next time"

"Hah..."

After reminiscing i noticed it was now 8

I head out the pool area and settled on for the cafeteria it was ok, i sat there looking at the place it all looked nice and all but im not fond of eating here, i'd always eat my lunch on the roof's.

I cant imagine a school where i cant have a normal lunch on the roof, as a matter of that

I cant seem to remember why i do this but,

Thats that.

I sat there till 9

I decided to head out to take a look at the garden lastly, i looked at the flowers i watered they have grown with great grace i commented the gazebo was much appreciated as i look in patience.

I then head on to the roof i saw the telephone

But it wont ring until midnight, i lay down on the roof gazing upon the night sky as i looked a the stars and the bright moon.

I embraced myself as one with the stars

Flashing memories before my eyes as i stare upon the night sky, i lay down as i waited for the next task.

3 hours of laying down the phone suddenly rang i answered it, the voice

In it said

"Look"

I looked up to see someone standing on top of the stair entrance,

I couldnt see who it was as the clouds covered the bright moon.

The unknown individual said

"Do you wonder whats up there"

As i looked up i replied

"How so?"

"Do you ever wonder whats in the night sky"

"I see of only infinite darkness"

"Is that so"

"Have you ever wonder who i am?"

"Your voice is all i could assume of you"

"Tomorrow... you either have two choices"

"What do you mean?"

"Soon"

The unknown individual vanished

The conversation only lasted 20 minutes

I went back and snuck back home

Rethinking on what the individual said

Today is going to be interesting.

At school all was normal i did not went to the restroom nor did i try to find a telephone

I ate lunch, listened to sensei's lessons

And went home from dismissal.

As i was about to exit the school i suddenly heard

"Kiyo Wait for me!"

That sounded like hirase for sure

I turned back to see no one just students leaving.

I head home.

As i was about to open the door i heard my parents laughing conversationally

I opened to see my parents on the dining table with a girl who i dont know of

Wearing the same uniform from the school.

Mom said to me

"Kiyoshi your friend came to see you"

"Kiyoshi i didnt knew you had female friends too"

I sat with them the girl looked at me with a soothing smile on her face as mom and dad

Laugh in happiness.

I ate dinner and mom said to the girl

"Tomo-chan didnt you say you and kiyoshi would do a project here"

The supposed girl named tomo-chan replied

"Indeed miss"

Dad then said

"Kiyoshi dont let a girl be waiting for you cmon have some respect"

Dad's definetly drunk so as mom

Cant believe they would drink at a time like this.

Me and tomo-chan went to my room

It was the first time a girl went into my room but i wasnt the type of person to see it that way

As i entered she said

"Pretty cute room for a boy like you"

That soft soothing calm tone

I asked her

"Your the one calling me arent you?"

"Indeed"

Said with that smile

"Why have you come"

"To do our project of course"

She said that as she stucks her tongue out and winks her right eye

I replied

"Is this project about me?"

"Yes"

"Your parents told me about this hirase"

"He seems fun"

"I last saw him 3 years ago what about it"

"What about the time he stopped sending letters? About 2 years ago"

"Never recieved one since then, are you done now"

"Thats all i need for now.."

Tomo-chan pulled out a deck of cards

"Help me build a card castle"

I decided to do so

As we stacked the cards one by one i questioned

"By the looks of you, were about the same age, but i havent seen someone like you in class"

"Im actually in a different class"

"Is that so.."

"How about you? Arent you going to question why i giving you task's?

And how i know when your exactly finished?"

"Go ahead"

"You where never alone"

"I was always looking"

"The garden is as beutiful as ever, the determination to play one's sport without prior experience and facing the answer to one's disappearance.

"What do you mean by-

"Tomo-chan its getting late now"

"Oh wow you two made a card castle

When i was younger i mostly failed at trying that"

"Tomo-chan where do you live?"

"About 2 train stops away from here"

"Maybe its best if you stay the night here"

"Kiyoshi let tomo-chan sleep in your room

Go sleep in the sofa"

Dad said coming from downstairs

"Sure thing"

I said

"I'll go call my parents"

Tomo-chan said

She then called and told us they agreed

And so tomo-chan slept in my house