Weird Feeling (Ichimatsu X Jyushimatsu)

Chapter 2

Ichimatsu's POV

-6 years ago-

"Jyushi!" I called out as I walked around town. Where the hell did hell did he go?

It was a hot fall afternoon and Jyushimatsu hasn't come home yet. Mom started to get worried so I told her I'd go look for him. But when I went to the places he'd usually be, he wasn't there. Weird.

Last time I saw him was when we were walking out of school and said he was going to the field and play baseball by himself. I asked him, "Do you want me to go with you?"

But he said, "Nah! I'll be fine!"

And now I'm starting to regret my decision.

Now that I think about it, he's been acting weird lately.

It might be nothing but ever since we have entered high school, he has always come home with bruises or some injury.

Whenever anyone asked him about them he'd laugh and say, "Oh, they're just from me playing baseball!"

At first I believed him but then I started to get suspicious when the injuries started to get worse.

I stopped when I saw a familiar figure against a trash can holding a beaten wooden bat across the street.

'Oh no.' I thought.

I ran as fast as I could. Running across the road, dodging cars and pedestrians. I just needed to know if he's ok.

When I finally reached him he was passed out, his school uniform all dirty and his face covered in bruises.

He looked like shit.

"Jyushi? Jyushimatsu?!" I called out his name as I gently shook him, trying to find any source of life in him.

"N-nii san?" he weakly asked.

"Can you get up?" I asked as he nodded. He got up but his legs were trembling so much that he almost fell.

I decided to just carry him on my back and gave him his bat and started to walk back home.

"Stop." he said.

"We're going home."

"No."

"We need to patch you up."

"NO!"

"Stop being stubborn Jyushi!"

"PLEASE!" he pleaded as he started to sob. "I don't want them to see me like this..."

I just sighed as I stopped in front of a store.

"Stay here. I'm going to get something for you," I told him as he just sat down in front of the store.

I came back out with a First Aid kit and a bag full of lollipops.

I continued carrying him on my back and saw the park. This place would be good to stop.

I walked to the nearest bench and sat him down, gave him the lollipops and let him eat them while I kneeled beside him tending to his wounds.

It was quiet. And awkward. I looked up at him to see he was starting at me. He smiled at me and I looked away, my cheeks getting red.

"You didn't have to do this you know," he said sadly.

"I'm not gonna let you walk around like this," I said as I rolled up his pants and put a bandaid on a small cut.

"You're not going to ask how I got like this?"

"Only if you're ok with it."

He looked down on his lap and said, " I think I'm being bullied."

I stopped and looked at him in surprise.

"Well, I didn't think I was being bullied at first. I was just playing baseball one day in the summer and a few upper classman saw me and told me I was good. It made me happy hearing that from them and they asked me if I wanted to play with them sometime. So I did. They were nice at first but if I made a mistake like not hitting the ball the first time or not making a homerun they'd beat me. And then it was to the point where if they ever saw me around town they'd just hurt me for fun."

His smile saddened.

"I finally told them I didn't want to be friends with them anymore and they laughed and said, 'You really thought we were friends? Who'd be friends with a creep like you?' I haven't seen them after that until school started."

I had just finished putting bandages on his injuries and sat next to him. I took out a wipe from the kit and started cleaning his face.

"Why didn't you tell me or the others?" I asked.

"I didn't want to worry anyone I-"

"That's a lame excuse!" I raised my voice. "You didn't think no one suspect something was wrong?" I looked down and got the last bandaid from the First Aid kit and put it on a scratch he had on his cheek. "You could at least told me..."

He didn't say anything. We just sat there, silently watching the sunset.

"Ichimatsu? Why does everyone hate me?" he said, looking away from me.

"Nobody hates you," I replied back.

"So why do they beat me? Why do I have all these bruises? If no one hates me, why do I get treated this way? Did I do something wrong?" he hiccuped as tears started to form, touching the bruise he had on his cheek.

"They're jerks to hurt an innocent person like you! You did nothing wrong!" I replied, holding his hand.

He turned towards me, the tears he was trying to hold back fell as as he grabbed me and burried himself in my chest. I kept him close to me, ignoring the people passing by.

After a long while he let go of my embrace and leaned against my shoulder.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"I get this weird feeling when I'm with you."

I was confused and asked, "Is it a good or bad feeling?"

"Good feeling," he smiled and I felt my heart beat faster than usual.

"Lets go home. It's getting dark."

"Ok!" he said as he got up, carry his bat.

"Ichimatsu! I forgot to ask. Where did you get the money to pay for the First Aid kit and lollipops?"

"Stole it from Shitymatsu," I grinned evily.

"Nii-san! That's bad!" he smiled, giggling a little.

I love it when he smiles.

We made it to the house and stopped and stared at him and said, "Promise me something."

"What?"

"Never stop smiling. For me at least."

He just hugged me and I hugged back. If only he knew how I felt for him. Nah, he'd never feel the same either way.

(A/N: I just wanted to point out that this chapter was going to be different so many times but after many changes here's the result! I'm going to release the next chapter tomorrow so look forward to it or not? Anyways, Bye Bye~!)