CONFLICT MXM

Treat Me Harshly (MxM) Volume 1 Takano Masamune Chapter 1: Reminisce *** “Why… would you do this?” As I stared up, my drenched in cold sweat body couldn’t move an inch. “No one knows anyone anything, right? I’m not doing this because I hope you’ll save me…” He said as the knife that was pressed against his abdomen was slowly being pulled out. Blood gushed out of him and dripped onto the concrete ground. The perpetrator that struck him while aiming for me, was now panicked and soon enough ran off… Just why is this happening to me?! * * * * I’ve lived in a small village my whole life… a small and quite frankly meaningless place, but it was a happy place sometimes… Before the world was faced with a war that forced even our small village to take part in it. The world began to re-militarize itself and each side wanted to win more than they desired world peace. Thus all the men and mostly boys in our village became part of the generation raised for war, I in particular was an exception because of my physical inability. I was born with my legs being less capable than others thus I walk with a walking stick even if it is small distances. The rest of the village went to train for way. Only for about a year and a half later their efforts to no longer be needed, when a peace treaty was signed, it was the end of the war and also the end of the military service… However those people that went to war and came back were never the same, among them was my childhood best friend Jonny… Jonny was a kind boy, by the age of 17 when he was taken in, now he’s come back older looking, he has a beard and the eyes that glimmered with hope now look like they seep with rage… Jonny was the first boy I had a crush on… but now… I don’t have the strength to admit these feelings to him, not when he’s changed so much… “What happened to you?” I asked my voice was a bit trembling, even I didn’t know what to do or say to him. Because Jonny no longer looked like himself. I moved closer with my walking stick towards this stiff person who’d grown heads taller, I guess he’d gotten to puberty slower than most, since I was definitely the same height as him before he left… “I don’t want to talk about it Daniel… Leave me alone.” Jonny who used to be cheerful and full of vigor, was now actively avoiding me. He slowly stepped away and I rushed to walk after him. My legs couldn’t keep up even with his leisurely pace… Why was I born like this? If I wasn’t like this then maybe I could have been there for him… I could have helped in the war efforts, I wouldn’t be an embarrassment for my country… And I could have stayed by your side… All these thoughts that wouldn’t let me sleep at night caused me to have insomnia. There wasn’t a single day I didn’t think about him…. There wasn’t a single minute I didn’t regret not going with him… but it was no use, I couldn’t do anything for him then, I need to make a difference now but… how when he continues to avoid me?! “Jonny, could you please just sit with me for lunch?” I begged him, barely managing to keep him from walking past me. “Sure.” Jonny finally agreed, he looked somehow exhausted from school. Although he paid perfect attention in class somehow he just looked like the world’s weight was crushing him. As we sat together at the same lunch table we always sat before he left… why did it feel so different all of a sudden? We sat in silence for the entire time, there wasn’t much either of us wanted to talk about… I was happy we at least sat at the same table… although he refused to look me in my eyes all the while… Just one inch closer is good enough for me… even if he’s changed, I want to get to know him all over again, if that’s what it will take to get back our friendship… then I’m willing to do anything… “Let’s go home together.” I suggested, standing in front of his locker. We were in our last year of high school, soon enough we’d separate ways… I have to confess to him before that… or else we might never see each other again and I will live with the regret for the rest of my life. Just the thought of it makes me want to hurl… I know I love him but… I don’t want him to hate me, I don’t want him to think our friendship was only based on my feelings for him romantically, I- “Fine.” Jonny agreed, his expression as stern as ever. Since he got back he continued to have this blank expression, I couldn’t read him at all. It was like he was completely indifferent to the world around him… and I hated that… Because I needed him. “Sergeant Dickens…” A well dressed man stopped us on our way home from school. He looked to be much older than us, his expression no less stern than the one on Jonny’s face and yet it seemed to soften at the very least when their eyes met. “Sir.” Jonny stood straight, nothing like the rascal he used to be before. He used to slouch his back and not follow orders… this person in front of me is completely different… He has a dignified air about him almost… “I hope we could meet sometime for a beer.” The man that stopped us walked past us while placing his hand onto Jonny’s shoulder, he whispered something ineligible into his ear. I didn’t understand what had happened. “Of course, sir…” Jonny’s response was as proper as ever, however… When the man left I could see it, Jonny’s hands were trembling… “Jonny… are you alright?” I asked him while holding his hand. By the time he had the courage to respond to me, Jonny pulled back his arm harshly and ran off into the distance. He was fast… The following days at school he avoided me, but we ate lunch together, it seemed like he wanted to keep his promise to me no matter what… that was the only thing that didn’t seem to change about him. He was a man of his word…