Once Upon A Dream

Taro, so many things could be said about him and yet nothing could be said either. The young man was born and raised in Japan for much of his youth. He was an excellent student, he kept out of trouble, and was always trying to make his family proud. Like most boys, he had hobbies, likes, and dislikes. Taro had always been close to his family and, as the only child of his parents, he was often the center of their attention, but he also had much expected of him. He loved his life there, and he loved his friends. Things couldn't have been better for him. Or at least that is what could be said until the day when his childhood was forever changed. In a single moment, all that he knew had been shattered into pieces so small that they would never fit together again. The dark-haired young man's life was changed by the death of his parents. He had become distraught and depressed, torn by the grief which consumed his heart. With no family left, Taro had been sent to live with a relative in America. At first, things were awkward for him. So much to get used to, it had taken time. He made new friends, the death of his parents moved to the back of his mind. Taro managed to get back on track so that he was able to finish junior high school. Taro worked hard. His effort was rewarded when he not only got into an excellent senior high school but by how accepting the field and track team was of him. For the most part, he had always been an average student he got pretty decent grades, but most of all and much to his homeroom teachers dismay he was a distraction to the girls.   Taro was fit and athletic, his short brown hair had gotten a bit longer and a bit shaggy, making the young man look like he belonged in a band. Unlike what many thought his eyes were unlike the typical Japanese person's, his were hazel laced with green instead of brown. He worked hard not so as not to shame the relatives that had so generously taken him into their home. What started out as the darkest time of his life, had changed into something better. However, now it seemed every night for the last few weeks his dreams were constantly being troubled by a dream he had as a small child.   ~Dream~   Taro’s dream had been the same each night. He was an adolescent child playing out in the small yard which covered the space in front of his home. He was lonely that day as all of his friends had to spend time with their families and, while he understood, he also hated it. Taro's mother was always traveling with her work, leaving him in the hands of a babysitter who didn't pay any attention to him and this angered the small boy so much, he kicked his ball so hard it flew over the small fence and away from him.   Taro was always so lonely and sad. He became angry, angry that his friends got to spend time with their families and he was unable to spend time with his mom. Taro nearly missed the tiny voice coming from the other side of the gate, "Is this yours?"   He looked around, blinking. He didn't see any one in the yard with him. Taro frowned a little and before he realized it, he had climbed the gate and looked over before nearly falling off the fence in surprise. There on the other side was a boy who looked so much like himself he couldn't help but stare in awe, only being broken from this as the small voice spoke again, making it clear that Japanese was not the child's first language., " I-is this yours?"   The smaller boy looked back at the slightly older youth on the fence, not sure what to think of the fact that the kid could have passed for his brother and perhaps even his twin. The kid didn't let it bother him, smiling almost shyly. The child held out the ball that Taro had all but admittedly kicked over the fence in his anger. The smaller boy tossed it up toward Taro but he wasn't strong enough to make it and for a moment, a sad and embarrassed look spread across his face making him look down, " S-sorry... let me try that again."   Taro nearly smiled as the other boy tried to give him back the ball but failed in the attempt. However, he lost the smile at the look which crossed his new friends' features. Climbing down, Taro opened the gate, he walked out just as the boy was about to try and toss the ball back over the fence, "Thanks… for bringing it back."   "I'm Zene, who are you?" He asked, holding the ball out to the older boy who took it and threw it back in his yard. Taro was still staring at Zene, his manners shot all to hell. Far as he knew, he didn't have a brother because his mother would have told him. Instead, he offered his name. "I'm Taro, wanna play?"   Zene started to nod but stopped as he heard his grandfather calling for him. For a moment he looked crestfallen. Zene had been so bored and finally, when he found someone to play with, he had to go, "I can't, I'm sorry…"   Taro sighed as he nodded his understanding, hoping Zene would come back to play later, but he never did. Life went on and things changed. The young boy, Zene, eventually forgotten, pushed to the back of Taro’s mind. ~Dreams End~   It was early and dawn had approached. The sun started to rise in the distance, Taro was still in a twilight, the existence between being awake and deep slumber. The house was silent in this moment of quiet before the world awoke and life got busy. Taro was about to join them as the first rays of the sun peaked over the trees, lighting the world with a gentle light.   Warm, bright sunbeams slipped through the window and curtains cast the light across Taro’s face, making his bronzed skin glow. This lasted for only a moment as a soft groan could be heard in protest at having been woken early. His alarm hadn't even gone off yet but it was too late to go back to sleep now. "Uhh sun... too bright," he muttered as he got up and gathered his things to take a shower and ready himself for the first day of the new school year.   After cleaning up, he went down to find his aunt had left him breakfast and a note. The note was letting him know that she had to go to work early and that she would be home late. Taro knew the older woman cared for him, but it still wasn't the same. He missed his mother, his life now had to do. It could be worse… at least things there were quiet…   His aunt was his mother's sister and she had come to America while she was in college. Sighing softly, he dug into the traditional Japanese breakfast of okayu, natto, and tamagoyaki; he was grateful that school had started back up and his lonely break was over. The high school sophomore cleaned up after himself, something his aunt had always taught and enforced. Giving one last look, he locked up and headed for school. Taking the route he had memorized over the break, Taro found it only slightly strange that it took him right by Xanther's house. He and Taro were friends but he hesitated a moment before passing by, not feeling up to company right then due to the strange dream. Usually, the dream faded fast, but today it lingered at the back of his mind, almost frustrating him and at the same time, as if saying that it had some importance.   'It's just a dream…' He told himself, kicking a rock off the sidewalk as he turned the corner of the street and saw the school a couple of blocks up the road. The teen stopped at the gate and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, filling his lungs in a refreshing way before he let it out and entered the school, got his locker set up, and headed for the small outdoor lunch area as he wanted to relax before things got busy.   He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until he felt a hand on his shoulder shaking him and a familiar voice calling his name. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing as the sun's light nearly blinded him. Anyone that looked at him could tell he was still out of it, and his eyes were unfocused, "Xan?"