Is this love?

Chapter 4

The school day soon ended and it was time for students to go back home. Yet Poe had his own plans for the rest of the day, went he arrived in japan he searched for a library near to where he was and find one not too far from the school. He decided to go there and read books or study. He always done that back in America. The reason why he didn't want to go back home was that there was nothing to do and his father was probably still at work.

He arrived at the library and went inside, it was smaller compared to the one he usually went to but he didnt mind. He sat at one of the table and started to study, he still had to improve his japanese after all.

"What are you doing?" Wispered a voice in his ear.

"Ah-!?" He screamed as he turned around a little scared. He imediatly saw Ranpo's smiling face.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Poe surprised.

"Well you didnt wait for me at the end of school so i followed you" said Ranpo with a little disappointed expression.

"Waited for you? W-Was i suposed to? Im sorry..." he said embarrassed.

"Of course you were suposed to! We are friends now and we live next to each other so we could go back home togheter its more fun" said Ranpo and now Poe felt really guilty, he wasn't used to have this things that friends do.

"But how do you know we live next to each other ?" Asked Poe a little surprised by what his new friend just said.

"I saw you this morning going out of the house in front of mine!" Said Ranpo with a smile.

"Oh i see" said Poe not knowing what else to say. Ranpo sat next to him and looked at the book in Poe's hands.

"Need help?" Asked Ranpo and the young boy nodded. They then started to study with Ranpo helping Poe to understand what was in the book. After two hours it started to get darker outside and the two students decided to go back home.

"Uh it's already so late? We should hurry back before your parents start to worry" said Ranpo and Poe looked away. 'Is if there was anyone to worry about me at home...' thought Poe.

"Yours as well" replied Poe and Ranpo smiled.

"I usualy go back late so mister Fukuzawa don't get so worried anymore" explained Ranpo.

"Mister Fukuzawa ? Is that how you call your father?" Asked Poe a little confused.

"Well he isn't my father but a good friend of his! I live with him since my fater went to another country for an emergency five years ago. I wonder what he's doing, he's on a new case for sure!" said Ranpo.

'Five years ago? And he has no news  from him? Could it be possible that his father abandoned him? Or maybe did he- uh i hope he's not dead...' thought Poe while shaking his head at the absurde thoughts he has.

"What about your mother then?" Asked Poe d Ranpo's smile faded away.

"Ah- Sorry for asking ! I didnt mean to ask something so-" Poe panicked as he understood too late that this question must be really personal and might not be something Ranpo want to talk about.

"She's alright, well i dont know if i can really say that since she's in the hospital but she's doing better" said Ranpo with a little smile. Poe didn't expect his new friend to tell him so much about his parents even tho he only met him today.

"Anyway i've been telling you about my family but now its your turn to tell me about your! Unless your not confortable talking about it" said Ranpo looking toward Poe.

"Oh- no its fine there is nothing much to say anyway. My father is a businessman so he isn't often at home as for my mother she also has her own line of business like my father" explained Poe.
'Both of them never had time for me since work was more important...' he thought as he looked down.

"You lived in America right? Why did you decide to come here?" Asked Ranpo curiously and Poe freaked out. What was he suposed to answer to that? He couldn't just say "i was bullied so i runned away to another country" it seemed so stupid to him.

"W-Well i w-wanted to a change a-and my fa-ther went to japan f-for a buisness tripe so i-i came with him!" Said Poe trying his best to explain.

"I see. So well your father is done with his buisness here you will leave with him?" Asked Ranpo with an uncertain expression.

"Yes i guess i will go back with him then" replied Poe with no hesitation.

"I see..." said Ranpo looking somehow disappointed about something but Poe was damn blind and didnt understand shit.

"Ah we are here!" Said Ranpo and Poe looked up to see that they had arrived.

"Well then see you tomorrow morning, i hope you'll wait for me so we can go to school together !" Said Ranpo with a smile as he started to walk toward his house that really was just in front of his.

"Oh right, i will" replied Poe watching him leave and also went to his house.

"Im back" he said as he walked in even if he knew there will be no one to answer him. He was just so used to say it hoping that maybe this time someone would greet him and ask him about his day. Poe smiled at his stupid wish that would never come true.