Chapter 3: Trapped Memories

I went back home. I really couldn’t get anything about the past. Moreover that old man had to go for a check up .’well guess I’ll sleep now...

Ohhh! I totally forgot that I had to go to dr. Ichiri's clinic, but it’s too late right now. I’ll go tomorrow'. And then I slept.

The next day..

30 March , Tuesday

I went straight to his clinic only to find that it was closed. ‘its closed? Weird..’ I decided to go to the hospital again to look up for more information.

As I was in the garden, I saw the nurse who was quite good to me yesterday. I decided to ask her about the incident.

Nurse:- “ aren’t u the kid who was asking around things ? “

She laughed.

Me: “ yes yes, well I actually wanted to ask u about an incident that took place years ago”

“ohh that incident. Hmm. What do u wanna know about?”

“ but u look busy , is it a good time to talk?”

“ yes yes. I just finished my work and was heading home anyway. So what do u wanna ask?”

“ tell me every---”

Just then ,a boy around my age with a light brown hair quite taller than me, came up and was surprised to see me.

The boy :-“ hold on a second!!! Aren’t u Haruto!! “

Me :” y-yea?”

“ longgg timmmee man! It’s been how much? 7 no 8 years!. How have u been?”

I was still confused..

The nurse said “ well looks like ur friend has arrived. I’ll get going then. See ya later”

Me:- “ yea sure”

The boy :- “ y do u look confused?”

Me:- “ umm sorry I don’t remember u..”

Boy:- “… whattttt!!!? For real??”

“ Yes. It’s like my memories from those time has been lost. I’m really sorry.”

“Are u serious?”

“y-yea”

“ ohh”

“ Umm may ask ur name? And I assume we were friends?”

“ … “

“ Sorry but I really don’t remember anything”

“ Ahh no problem it’s alright!. My name is Riku. Riku Imaaki. And yes we’ve played here a lot, when we were kids..”

“ Ohh!! Thank god I’ve been looking up for someone who  was here from around 7 years. I had no luck. Can u tell me about the past?”

“ Yes of course! Well before that . Let’s have a quick bite shall we?”

“ yea sure “

And then we went up near the canteen.

Riku: “ so what do u wanna know?”

Me: “ it’s that I made a promise to someone. I just want to know where and who it was”

“ Well I still need more clue”

“ I think her name was Aoi. But I don’t remember much about her?”

“ohh so u remember Aoi? “

“ not really. I don’t know anything”

“ Well then it must be her whom u made promise to.. since u guys were close so..”

“ does she lives in this town?”

“… well.. I don’t know much about it. I left the town quite before too”

“ Did u move out bcus of that incident?”

“ no no. I moved before that happened.”

“ I see.. well.. do u know why I was admit---”

“ wait Haruto. I want to ask u few things too.. like where have u been and where do u stay?”

“ I live with my parents in Tokyo. I was adopted by them and I came here as I had spring breaks.”

“ adopted? Since when?”

“ I really don’t know.. I don’t remember”

“ and where do ur parents stay? Their occupation? Names?”

“ well they are originally from this town but anyways what with this y are u asking these anyways?”

“U really don’t remember anything?”

“ no man I’m serious”

“ I see … well it’s alright .. follow me.”

And so I followed him inside the building 2.

He went up to the staff.

Riku : “ it’s Riku Imaaki..”

Riku went to enter the sign-in register.

And then, I had this familiar smell again.

‘ what’s this? It’s nostalgic' is what I thought… I closed my eyes again..

I saw a younger version of me and riku.

Riku:- “…. I told that to Kakeru as well “

Me:- “ well? What did he say?”

“ He told not to worry about me and to do what I want”

“I see”

“ Haruto. That’s y I decided to go. Keep being good friends with my brother. Would u?”

“of course! Leave him to me. But are u really gonna be ok , moving to a new school?”

“ I might be a little bit scared..”

“ now look who’s worried haha..but u’ll have a new dad huh?”

“don’t mention them, my mom, my dad and my new dad aren’t my family… and if I was an adult. I would have taken Kakeru with me. And of course u too”

“Well lately there have been may tests.. it’s been the same with Aoi and others too”

“Yea.. “

“ Well I’m a tag along now? Haha . Anyways Riku, are u sure u’ll be alright. U won’t be seeing certain someone .”

“H-huh? .w-what are talking about?”

“ Riku. Don’t play dumb”

“S-shut up! I’ll be fine”

“ Anyways I’ll be a bit lonely here. “

“ don’t worry I’ll come back.”

“ and when u do. Don’t forget about the fried rice “

“Ohh yes ofcourse. It’s a promise then.”

“ Wait are we promising about ur return? Or is the food?”

“ Of course it’s the food dumb Haruto”

We bust in laughter

I opened up my eyes. And saw Riku returning back from the desk.

Riku: “ well let’s go “

I followed him. We went upstairs to room inside. I saw a young boy. With the same hair color as mine, was sleeping on the bed.

Riku:” Hey u asleep?... Looks like he is sleeping.. he is my little brother.”

Me:” ohh u mean kakeru?”

“ Yeaa u remember him?”

“ Yea I mean jus now I had a flashback”

“I see….well he is asleep . Lately, he has been sleeping a lot. It’s the early symptoms of a disease called LMD”.

“ LMD? “ I asked

“ yea . Once the LMD actually shows up. Then he would have 2 years or so”

“ whaattt??! Isn’t there any treatment?”

“ there is none”

I was speechless. I didn’t say anything. But I saw Riku was tolerating his pain. It’s been hard for him.

Riku:- ” let’s go out”

I followed him. Just as we got down, he spoke.

Riku:- “ U know what.. we’ve played here a lot!. There are still drawings that were made by u, me and kakeru.”

Me:- “ sorry Riku. I don’t remember anything.”

He said nothing about it.

Riku :” u always went out in the garden saying u wanted fresh air”

Me:-“I did?”

“ yes..”

There was a moment of silence again.. to break it.. I asked him

Me:- “ hey Riku.. do ---”

He interrupted me ..

“ hey Haruto!.. u’ve asked about Aoi right?”

“ yea?”

“ Well… she died 7 years ago.. "

“… what?!”

I was surprised. Shocked to hear the word 'died', that too, someone whom I made a promise with.

Riku:- “ and …. Who exactly..

are u??”

To be continued…

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