A Sad Day to Remember

Sam, Kenji, Iris and I were making our usual walk to the slums, except everything seemed gloomier as if everyone had a raincloud over their head. I turned to Iris and questioned her why since she was used to coming to the slums often. "Iris, why does everyone seem so depressed today?" Iris looked around and suddenly walked away. She began to talk to a store owner near the edge of the slums.

I turned to ask Sam or Kenji, but they had disappeared. Probably went off to do their own thing. I decided to continue to Lampton city, I wanted to see if they had any pretty teapot sets since I had missed drinking tea.

As I was walking on the muddy ground I decided to really look around the slums. There were not streets nor sidewalks just dirt, and the buildings were rarely more than one story tall. Most of them didn't even have walls just racks and a cash box for buyers. Though it was the slums it wasn't fully of that many shady people. A lot of them were very respectful.

I decided to continue on my way to Lampton city.

"Ivy!" I heard Iris call out to me so I turned to face her and I saw her running towards me. A wide smile on her face, her long blonde hair bounced as she ran and her long skirt flowed.

Regardless of Kenji's past how could he not see what others see in her? Iris caught up to me and stopped for a minute to catch her breath.

"I know why… huff! Why, everyone's so gloomy today." Iris stood back up looking down at me.

"Why is it then?" I was genuinely curious on why everyone seemed like someone had died.

"Today's November 15th, the anniversary of the death of a group of soldier academy students." Iris spoke a little softer when she mentioned that people had died. "A lot of peoples daughters and sons died today."

The day of the accident huh? Maybe that's why Kenji's so off today, wasn't he part of that accident? Iven looked towards Kenji who was buying a new pack of cigarettes.

Iris and Ivy continued into Lampton city, right across from the entrance was of the city was the clothing shop that she gave all her clothes away. Iris turned to the right and went into a furniture store.

Ivy walked forward looking into the window of the clothing store, they had a small table with overpriced jewelry and hairclips. Ivy's eyes saddened as she looked down at the hairclip with the small white flower and gold diamond on top. My mother's special hairclip…

"Do you think its pretty?" Kenji's voice creeped down Ivy's neck.

"Ah! Don't just sneak up on people like that!" Ivy jumped a little as she turned to face Kenji.

"Haha, sorry." Kenji seemed to have the slightest smile, and his laugh was so soft it almost sounded weak and forced. Ivy was shocked to see Kenji laugh or smile.

Ivy smiled back at Kenji while tilting her head slightly before turning back to the window. "Well actually when I ran away from the orphanage, I sold my clothes to get new ones, and she forced me to give away my hairclip to. I- I didn't want to though, it had belonged to my mother." 

Kenji leaned up and looked down at Iris. Seeing the hairclip in the window really seemed to bother her. Ivy looked up towards Kenji but he was gone. People can really just disappear huh?

I want to go to the flower shop, it always smells nice in there. And maybe some flowers would be nice for the dorm. Ivy tried to forget about the hairclip and skipped down the stone street towards the flower shop. It was the most popular store in Lampton.

Sam was standing in the trading center across from the flower shop. He watched as people from different kingdoms brought strange foods and items to trade.

Ivy turned into the flower shop looking at all the beautiful flowers, they seemed pretty low on flowers that day. Assuming a lot of people got them to put in the grave yard near the orphanage in the slums.

Man look at these roses! They are so colorful, and these dandelions are gorgeous. They even have lily of the valley, that's my favorite. Hm roses stand for "Royalty and beauty" dandelions mean "hope, growth and healing." Lily of the valleys are "purity and joy." Hm is that Kenji here?

Ivy walked up behind Kenji as he picked out a bouquet of flowers. Ivy creeped up behind him ready to scare him. "I know you're behind me Ivy." Kenji turned around holding a bouquet of purple heliotropes in his arms. He looked down at Ivy with the same plain expression.

"W- Wha! How the hell did you know I was behind you?!" Ivy freaked out as she took a step back.

Kenji sighed. "I have a 6th sense." He winked and smiled at Ivy.

"Haha!" Ivy giggled as she smiled back at Kenji.

Kenji stopped for a moment and reached into his pocket. "I almost forgot. I got this for you." Ivy opened her eyes and was surprised to see her hairclip in Kenji's hand as he handed it to her.

"But why?" Ivy questioned Kenji as she took the hairclip and held it in her hands.

"I just… I know what it's like to lose someone. And make sure not to lose it, you'll really regret it if you lose it for good." Kenji nodded as he looked down at Ivy.

Ivy smiled as her eyes teared up a little bit. "Ah! I wanted to ask who the flowers were for… does it have to do with what day it is today by any chance?" Ivy looked up towards Kenji who stood with the bouquet in his hands.

Kenji's expression changed back to his usual one, but he spoke up. "Yeah… it's for my roommate and friend who died in today's accident." Ivy felt bad for asking but was surprised that Kenji had even opened up to her about his roommate.

Kenji walked off to go pay for the flowers and Ivy walked towards the other bouquets. Let's see heliotrope stand for… huh?!

A few hours of shopping had passed, the time was 4:00 in the afternoon and Ivy had just arrived back at the dorm to eat and get ready for bed. Sam had already arrived and was just sweeping the dorm floors.

"Ivy you're back, did you get anything?" Smile looked up at Ivy smiling like usual.

"Nope, I saw some pretty teapot sets but I don't have any money." Ivy shook her head somberly.

Sam laughed a little. "Yeah I was looking at all the cool stuff at the trading center but realized I didn't have any money so I decided to come home an clean a bit." Sam put the broom in his hand against the wall and walked towards the kitchen. "You hungry?"

Before Ivy could respond the door swung open with a bam.

"How dare you!" Iris stormed into the dorm placing piles of bags on the floor. Kenji walked in behind her facing to the left while scratching his head. His once pale cheek now had a red mark on it.

With Iris's arguing it was obvious they had gotten into another fight.

"What's up with you two now? Always arguing." Sam questioned as he served me a plate from the kitchen.

Kenji rolled his eyes and walked towards the fridge bending over forward to get something out. Iris crossed her arms and began to go on a rant.

"While I was walking down the street I saw him buying a train ticket to Rasmeru kingdom. I called him out and he told me that he was after someone so he had to go over there to find them. He was going to go without us like usual and he was leaving tomorrow so I bought us tickets. We are all going everywhere together!"

Kenji ignored Iris, he took a beer out the fridge and left outside. Iris kept ranting on and on, as Sam handed Ivy's plate to her. Ivy took her plate and decided to follow Kenji outside.

Sam had made white rice with beans, Ivy quickly got another plate for Kenji before heading into the hallway. She went up the stairs of the dormitory assuming he went to the roof. Once reaching the 10th floor the door was already open and Ivy walked outside to see Kenji sitting on the roof smoking and drinking like usual.

"Hey… I brought you some food." Ivy slowly walked towards Kenji, there was a soft cold breeze in the air. Kenji turned to face Ivy.

"I'm not hungry." Kenji responded coldly.

"Hey, whoever this person your after I doubt you'll be strong enough to get them if you keep skipping meals!" Ivy sat down next to Kenji placing the plate in front of him. Kenji looked at her considering what she said.

"You know, what do you guys call it? Bulking I guess." Ivy sat crisscrossed with her plate in her lap. The end of Kenji's lips curled up slightly.

"Yes, it's called bulking. But I think I'm different, simply from doing light work I was able to grow stronger and faster than others. Almost as if I was a superhero." Kenji placed his beer down and picked up the plate.

Kenji and Ivy ate silently for a moment, but Ivy's eyes began to water up as she ate her food. Kenji looked at her his eyes a bit concerned as her nose became red.

"Ivy what's wrong, you look like you're going to cry." Kenji placed his plate down in front of himself and took a puff of his cigarette.

"This food tastes exactly like my mothers." Tears began to roll down Ivy's red cheeks and snot came out of her nose. "Back when I was a toddler my mother used to make this exact meal…

…back when I was 4 I lived in Caicam with my sister, 3 brothers, my mother and father. All my siblings were younger than me and we lived in a suburban neighborhood near the city where my parents worked. Life was good, I loved my parents, and my siblings, even school was still amazing.

Once I turned 7 my mom suddenly passed away from a heart attack, it was just a regular day when I came home with my brothers from school. The firefighters were running inside and out of the house. Apparently she died while cooking home alone with only my baby sister home who passed in the house fire.

Just like that we had lost everything, we had to move into a small house on the bad side of town. My father alone didn't have enough money to support me and my brothers. One day when I arrived home there was a strange man in our house.

My father asked me if I wanted to help my brothers and make sure they had a good life. I told him yes because of course I wanted to help out, but that's when he told me I had to start selling my body to the old man in our living room.

I felt myself begin to tremble and my legs felt weak but now was not the time to stand around. I turned around and ran out the door, my father chased after me but I was young and fast.

I ran without looking back, taking out the lunch money that I hadn't used. I had been saving up to buy myself a telescope, but right now my life was a priority.

Once I arrived to the train station I paid for my ticket and quickly got on board, the train was about to leave. As the train took off, I watched as my dad stared at me from outside the window, his face was angered. Eyebrows furrowed and frowning.

That day my life had changed for good; I had no idea where that train would end up. In the end I fell asleep on the train as I was exhausted.

When I awoke, I saw the huge walls of this kingdom, as I entered the kingdom I was walking around the slums. There were a lot of students hanging around for that time, and a boy with long black hair playing with the kids at the orphanage.

I went to the orphanage and they took me in with open arms, I liked it there though I had a hard time fitting in. However when I turned 9 they eventually classified me as a genius since I had gotten full marks in everything.

They sent me to the orphanage in the upper class. I never got along with any kids from that snobby place, they were all selfish and rude to each other. Not only was I not a snob but I was never rich either so I didn't fit in.

After three years I finally decided enough was enough and I took it upon myself to runaway and create my own life…

…So that's how I ended up here in your old dorm." Ivy was sobbing in her hands by this point and Kenji had smoked two whole cigarettes.

"Well… don't hope too much. It doesn't get any better." Kenji's voice was monotone, and he was expressionless as usual. Ivy looked up at Kenji pouting and she punched him in the shoulder.

"God, you have no sympathy!" Kenji was surprised at her response but tried to think. What would Iven or mom do in this situation?

"I- do you want a cigarette?" Kenji opened his pack of cigarettes offering Ivy one. Ivy looked stunned but at least she wasn't crying anymore. "You have no social awareness do you?" Kenji was stunned at Ivy's words but it reminded him of a time with Iven.

He had just been dumbed and was whining to Kenji, Kenji had never been in a relationship so he just responded to Iven with. "So what? Get a new girlfriend." And Iven cried while telling Kenji he had no social awareness.

Hm, I guess they are right. I never do react to others sob stories very well. Kenji let out a little chuckle with how similar Ivy and Iven were. They were both smart, happy, and full of energy, always thinking positively and quickly switched emotions.

Ivy looked at Kenji laugh a bit and it made her smiled as well also laughing a little. Ivy asked Kenji about his life before and he decided to tell her a few stories of Iven and Casy. Ivy and Kenji ended up talking for a few hours about life before heading back to the dorm to get some rest.

The next day Kenji woke up to Iris making a ruckus in the living room, he got out of the bed and left the room to see what she was doing.

"Toothbrush, check! Bra's, check!" Iris spoke to herself as she packed a suitcase.

"Why are you getting all packed?" Kenji questioned as he walked into the kitchen. Iris looked at him like it was supposed to be obvious. "Packing… duh."

Kenji rolled his eyes as he got a cup and turned on the tap to get some water. "I don't know what you plan on doing in Rasmeru but this isn't a vacation. It would be better if you would just stay here."

Iris got mad and stood up crossing her arms. "And where do you plan to sleep?"

"Streets." Kenji responded quickly.

"And eat?" Iris shot back.

"Stolen goods." Kenji turned to face Iris while leaning on the counter with his glass of water.

"What about clothes for the cold weather!" Iris shouted.

"Stolen goods." Kenji spoke calmly.

"What about transportation around the city!" Iris seemed to be running out of options.

"Walking." Kenji took a sip of his water.

"W- what about the language! Do you know Russian!" Iris said desperately.

"Привет" (Hello in Russian, Privet, pri – vuht) Kenji responded.

"Whatever! We're going and that's the end of it. You'd better get ready the train leaves at 9am." Iris turned around and went into the bedroom to wake the others.

Kenji washed his cup and set it in the drying rack to dry. Then he turned towards the bathroom and entered it closing the door and turning on the light. He looked around the bathroom for a pair of scissors, once he found some under Iven's sink.

A pair of highlight pink scissors that Iven used to use to cut Kenji's hair. Kenji took off his hood and lifted the scissors looking down at them.

Iris got Sam and Ivy up and out of bed to pack a few essential stuff into a bag. Kenji left the bathroom all dresses as usual. He wore blonde hair and blue, Ivy snickered when she saw Kenji, Sam was unbothered and Iris was shocked at Kenji's strange appearance.

"What's with the abnormal look?" Iris questioned.

"Rasmeru is full of blondes with blue eyes, I'm just trying to fit in." Kenji spoke as he walked towards the front door. "Are you all ready? Let's go." Kenji opened the door and left the dorm room, Sam and Ivy following close behind him.