Yukio’s skateboard clatters on the wet tiled floor.

“Ooo, almost…”

Kichiro gets up as he collects Yukio’s board for him.

“Come on, I wanna get home now. Thanks for this by the way.”, Kichiro says as the now soaked pair stroll down the path past the rickety bench which Yukio had attempted to grind on.

“No problem Kich'. Ever since Misha stopped getting the train with her crutches and all, I thought I would give you some company before and after school.” Says Yukio, hopping back onto his board.

“Yeah, I haven’t spoken to her since that day at the café...”. A saddened Kichiro kicks a small rock along the path.

Although Kichiro failed to hit it off with Misha, Tora had luck with Lucie. A nightmare pairing to be around, both Kichiro and Yukio think. But, Tora is their buddy so they’re happy for him.

“How do I even approach Misha after that? Your popular with the girls Yuki, got any tips for a brother?” Kichiro questions as he boots the rock down the path.

“Aha yeah I suppose I am…” Yukio uncomfortably displays a half blush, half smile in reaction. Should he tell Kichiro now? He shakes his head as he pops up his skateboard into his arms.

“Even if I get back on level terms with her, I don’t know anything about relationships, I’m literally 18 and I still haven’t had my first f*cking kiss…”

Yukio has a small smile to himself and blushes. “I… I can show you… if you wan-“

SCHREECH!!

Kichiro grabs onto Yukio’s small arms and yanks him backwards.

As a truck whizzes only slightly to the left of the two, Kichiro grabs a glimpse of the driver’s face that for some reason looks remarkably familiar to Kichiro…

He realises who it was. Was that wild truck driving an attempt to...? No surely not... right? Kichiro thinks to himself in confusion.

Yukio plants a kiss on Kichiro’s lips.

Kichiro stands stunned as his eyes slowly lower down to meet a Yukio who looks like he’s just been enlightened by God himself.

Kichiro lets go of Yukio. They continue walking towards the train station quietly. Yukio, embarrassed, halts.

“...Bye”, he quietly says as he runs away in the opposite direction with a gleaming smile.

Kichiro doesn’t look back. He powers on towards the station in silence and deep thought.

That face driving that truck… it was the rapist.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kichiro opens up his laptop as his train slows down, pulling into a station. He had to catch up on a History assignment that was due later in the day. So fun.

As the doors open he senses a presence. One that he recognized instantly. He looks up.

“Misha!”

Misha darts her eyes upwards in slight fear. The last time she was on this train, she was raped. Gotta stay on her toes. A warmth comes over her as she sees who is talking.

“If it isn’t my knight in shining armour!”, she giggles as she chucks her bags and herself onto the seats next to Kichiro.

Since that chat at the café, Misha had been planning how she would execute their next meeting. She realised, with persuasion from Lucie and her new boyfriend Tora, that she should give Kichiro another chance. After all, he is her saviour.

“Hey…how.. err how are you?”, Kichiro says, in his trademark awkward, grimacing tone that makes it seem that he is at gunpoint.

Misha ignores his awkwardness. “I’m mighty fine thankyou! Oh yeah I got something for you…as a thanks for you know the thing that happened.” Misha rumbles through her raggedy rucksack until she finds a packet of something.

“It’s not much but I love them so… here you go!”, she hands him a extra large bag of sour lollipops.

Kichiro’s overweight thoughts fill him with pure joy at the sight of that bag. His eyes gleam.

“Thanks… thanks so much”, Kichiro says as he slowly collects the bag, as if it was his newborn child, and gently places them into his bag.

Kichiro unwraps two lollipops. Misha, expecting one to be for her reaches out her han-

PLOP!

Kichiro buries them both deep into his gums and loudly sucks.

Kichiro looks at a taken-a-back Misha.

“Oh yeah here you go.” He says bluntly as he hands her one.

Yukio drops his chocolate bar that has a pastel yellow letter carefully taped onto it, with swirly pen writing reading, "Kichiro". The crowds of people flood out of the train and up the station stairs. His stare is locked onto Kichiro and Misha as he watches them share a moment. His stare becomes a frown.

She’s back.

An urgent patter coming down the stairs captures a heartbroken Yukio’s attention. The sound of a heavy bag jingling. The mass of people is being cut in half by someone. The patter turns into heavy thuds. The jingling intensifies.

A glint sparkles at Yukio. He sees the source. A knife. He looks up at the man’s eyes. They are fixed on Kichiro. Yukio watches. The man gets closer. Yukio does nothing. The man is now only a few people away from Kichiro and Misha. Yukio stares on.

Yukio moves.

A scream is let out as the sound of a kitchen knife plunging into flesh fills the station. Blood begins to leak out of the victim. The train station security pile into the platform, apprehending the perpetrator rapidly. He grunts as he is shoved to the floor, with a stray smile on his face.

Kichiro falls to his knees, tears welling in his bewildered eyes. Misha falls to her knees, screaming and sobbing in distress.

Yukio lays with a knife embedded in him. He feels numb as he watches his blood pour out of his body. He looks up at the spinning sky.

His gaze reaches a distraught and panicking Kichiro. He points at the chocolate with the attached letter that is resting calmly by his feet. Kichiro ignores as he rushes to treat Yukio’s wound.

Yukio’s eyes begin to fade.

“Kichiro…the letter…” Yukio feels the coldness of his tears stream down his face. The pain of speaking is too much.

"Kichiro... I..I think I love..."

His eyes close.

"...you."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------