The Dragon King’s favorite person Volume 3 – EXTRA 4 – And Kaito ? – FINAL

Translator/Editor : Léabyss

I have a person that I cannot forget … His name is Hoshina Riku. A boy who became my classmate when we went to second grade. He was hated by everyone, even the upper grades.

The outline of his chin is slim and looks like an inverted triangle. His bangs cover his fishy eyes. He has thin lips that spread out like a crack on a flat face. Pale, with such a strange hair color that he does not appear to be Japanese. Because his forehead and cheeks are covered, it is difficult to understand his expression. He is called the snake or reptile man. I have never heard anyone call him by his real name.

But, in addition to his rarity, there are other reasons why he is rejected. There are many rumors about him.

“The other time, I swear I saw him eat cockroaches.”

“In a park near his house, a cat was found dead. Everyone says it is thanks to the snake man.”

Creepy information of unknown origin is spread. He killed someone, he hit someone, he ate someone … Rumors reached my ears over and over again, but I didn’t really care. I hadn’t talked to him at the time and since he certainly had a dark aura, I thought the less I ran into him the better for me.

On the other hand, maybe I should say that I am quite a “sober” guy. I was wearing black frame glasses with quite thick lenses because my eyesight is not good. I don’t dye my hair and I dress according to high school rules. Although I am tall, I have no motor skills and I cannot hide the nerdy vibe that comes out of my pores … so I belong to a quiet group of the class.

During the second year of preparatory school, the women in the anime that I watched would wake up with psychic powers, fight evil organizations, and restore peace to the world. Why didn’t I go through the same thing? Why wasn’t I saving humanity instead of learning Spanish? However, I really thought that I had a calm and normal life that was going to end in a calm and normal way.

I was wrong, clearly.

One day, I won a contest on an anime forum dedicated to my favorite voice actress. It was a collectible figure, the most beautiful magical princess in the whole world, something that is not even for sale today. The day he arrived at my house, I was so happy that I suddenly yelled, “Yes! I am absolutely lucky!” I wanted to show it to my school’s manga club, so I took it with me.

That time, after finishing PE class in the morning, I went back to the classroom with my friends saying, “I’m hungry” “When can we go?”, And then I saw my classmates in the middle of the room, holding a dirty handkerchief … Like the handkerchief with which I had wrapped my figure.

“Wow, Kimo. And one. What happens?”

“When we came back from PE, we found this on the floor.”

“Looks like it fell out of someone’s backpack.”

“What is that? Is it from an anime? A girl…”

“A loli.”

“Who’d say? Looks like we have a pervert in the room.”

At that image, my blood drained. Yuna Adaichi is the prettiest girl in the whole class, no, she ‘s so cute that she’s the best girl in the whole school. So popular that she was always surrounded by a lot of people. My classmates may have brown hair and be very ordinary, but she is beautiful herself. Long and slim, with straight black hair and lopsided bangs. She has a pretty face and a clean environment around her.

And she has my treasure in her hands.

They will surely break it … But I can’t say it’s mine. I’m an Otaku that looks like an Otaku … But I’m also not at the point of wanting to confirm it and say that that anime character is mine. It’s autographed by the entire cast, I won it in a silly internet contest … I don’t want to own that. Even my friends, who spend their free time with me, are not close enough to me to tell them about my strange hobbies.

“Well, whose is it? Come out now, weirdo.”

Every classmate is paying attention and laughing. In my case, I couldn’t even lift a finger.

“Oh, that’s mine. Can you return it to me?” Riku appeared, walked over to them, and spread his hands. “Please.”

“What? What a joke. Isn’t it enough for you to have such a disgusting face? You also happen to be a geek?”

“Wow. When I thought that snake man couldn’t be more scary.”

“Actually, I like anime …”

“Why are they the only love stories you can know?”

“Then you must love Hentai!”

Both men and women look at him and laugh. But Yuna didn’t even smile.

“Give him the wrist.”

“What? What are you saying, Yuna?’

“It’s something important to Hoshina-kun. Please return it.”

The queen’s voice was absolute.

The boy who was playing with the figure was reluctant, but handed it to Hoshina anyway. When he received it, he bowed silently to them, walked away, and fled the classroom.

“Lolis-loving fucking Otaku.”

The bad words should have been for me, not for Riku

“We must have popped the doll on his head. Maybe this way his face improved a little.”

“What are you saying? Leave Hoshina alone and go!”

Yuna stared blankly at the classroom door where he had come out … No voice was heard after that. Not a single noise more.

In the end, when I was organizing my school bag, I found a neatly folded handkerchief in the pocket on the back. I looked around, but Hoshina wasn’t there. And he was gone? I hugged my backpack, left the classroom and ran away. I went into the bathroom, took out my handkerchief and spread it out … Although it was a bit twisted and dirty. It was definitely my treasure.

Hoshina knew this was mine. To save me, he picked it up and said it was his, then gave it back to its owner.

The blood rises to my head.

Why are you doing this? Sympathy? You … You shouldn’t be nice to us. My chest is tight and it hurts. My eyelids are hot. Instantly, a lot of tears were shed and the lenses of my glasses got wet.

Sorry. I’m really sorry, Riku.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

The next day at lunch, I wanted to personally thank Hoshina for being so nice to me in the living room … So I was looking for him.

I found myself on my back in the old school building, went through the main courtyard and the soccer field … Then after about five minutes, I saw him. Hoshina gave a small piece of bread to a little bird, on the emergency landing that nobody uses. I couldn’t understand his facial expression due to the hair that covered his eyes, but his mouth made a rather happy arc. From the mild atmosphere, I could hardly imagine this little human tearing apart insects and small animals.

“Ho … Hoshina!”

Riku Hoshina was surprised by the call. By the way, the little bird next to him flew away while screeching. I think I interrupted an interesting coexistence.

After opening my mouth and closing it a couple of times, I made up my mind. Said:

“Thank you … for getting my things back.”

“No, no …” Hoshina sits down and rejects my words. “It’s Okay, really. You do not have to worry.”

“How … did you know the figure was mine?”

“In the morning, I thought I saw Nakamura holding a cloth just like that.”

Right, Hoshina sits on the seat diagonally behind me.

“I see. I’m so sorry, it must have been very embarrassing for you.”

“Oh no. I do not know that anime, but it seems to me that it is a very cute doll.”

“Really?” I was very embarrassed, and I couldn’t do anything … I acted stupid. “Hoshina, thank you very much! I really appreciate it very much.”

Hoshina looked very sad.

“… I’m fine because I’m used to being annoyed and I’m used to hearing bad things about me. Sometimes we just have to lean on each other a little bit.”

His pale cheeks, his eyes narrowed, peering through the gaps in his long bangs. He smiled and covered his mouth with his hands … He seemed slightly optimistic, very innocent. Seeing that smile completely different from the expression of my other companions, at that moment, I finally discovered that it was all because of his appearance. Nobody spoke of his good heart. Surely no one had taken the time to meet him.

Since then, I have not had any particular contact with Hoshina… Although in reality my eyes were always searching for him.

Hoshina has relatively good grades. He’s kind, he reads a lot. The rumors that he ate insects or that he began to torture small animals were a lie. He spends his rest time in a place where no one can see him, feeding the birds and holding the cats. I like it. Actually, I would like to be around … It was only on the emergency stairs that we had a conversation, but I want to know more about him. Wouldn’t it be fun to talk to Hoshina about various other things?

He seems to be the son of a good family because sometimes I see him depart in a luxury car. He does not belong to any club and for two weeks, he rests due to “health problems.” It was rumored that his parents had made a large donation to the school and that Hoshina’s attendance was actually irrelevant. I do not know if it’s true. I would like … to have the courage to talk to him and ask him. Unexpectedly it seems that I have more time to think about Hoshina than the anime characters that were driving me so crazy! However, when we got to third year, before he could accomplish anything, I was separated from his class.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

In the spring, as we moved into our third year, there were exciting events on campus: In first grade, for example, there was talk of an incredibly handsome and incredibly intelligent man. The student’s name was Kaito Hoshina … who, apparently, was Riku Hoshina’s younger brother .

Excellent grades, good manners, good at sports and languages. Slim and long legs. Straight black hair, well-shaped eyes and nose. Gentle and with a good personality. Although he always rejected everyone who confessed to him, I never heard a bad word said to him. Nobody . Sadly, Riku was being compared and ridiculed all the time. I was angry when I heard the voice of a schoolgirl, coming down the hall, saying, “Kaito-kun, I’m so sorry that that thing is your brother. I don’t want to offend, but it’s disgusting. Is he really from your family?”

They are the only gross ones! What do they really know about Riku? But, as always, I can’t say anything after all. First of all, because it’s me. Because I’m a cowardly Otaku and because … Until my doll incident happened, I was also guided by his appearance. I thought he was scary.

The days went by … I never had the opportunity to go with him because our classes were different and our free times hardly matched.

“Riku-chan, so you’re a millionaire.”

“No … my parents …”

“What do you say? Aren’t you going to share your parents’ money with us?”

I was on my way home when I discovered that Hoshina was being bullied by three of my former classmates near the school building.

“You know? I’m also pretty mad that my girlfriend happens to be a fan of your fantastic brother.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s not …”

“Shouldn’t you fix your brother’s mistakes? Isn’t that what good older brothers do?”

“Can’t you even do that? Hey? Moron.”

Riku trembles, he has a terrible crying expression when he is grabbed by the shoulders by two pairs of hands.

“If you don’t have money and you don’t stand up for Kaito, can you at least become an acceptable punching bag?”

What are you talking about? What are they doing with Riku? Move on! Move on!! But my legs decided to become useless and stop obeying me. Although I really wanted to hurry up and do something for him.

“Please … Just, I just want to go home …”

“And for what? Be honest with us … Is there someone waiting for you at home?”

“If you die today. Would anyone care? I don’t know what you think, but I think they would even thank us.”

“Ah, come on little girl, don’t cry. I’m sure you’ve had enough time to get used to the idea that everyone gives a shit about you.” A big man grabs his bangs and lifts it … And then he bends over and holds it only to knee him hard in the middle of the abdomen. Hoshina groaned painfully, coughed. “And nobody will ever care.”

Soon after, Riku noticed that I was watching from a distance.

It was terrible.

He started crying so much that I thought he was going to drown. His little irises were trembling … But, he looked away. He fell and then turned away from them to go away.

“Riku …”

Sorry, Riku.

I’m trying to return the favor you did me, I swear… But it seems like I’m getting it wrong all the time. I wish I could get along with you, but…

But …

It’s terrifying when I think that the malice with which he hit him would be directed at me if I intervene. I really hate pain and I don’t know how to fight … But I want to help in some way. Two real intentions swirl in my mind, forcing me to decide what action to take. Would I abandon him like this? Even though I was clearly a witness … Doesn’t leaving make me bad too?

Hoshina is a good guy. He didn’t laugh at me, he didn’t feel sick of my anime doll and he said, “We must unite.” “I’m used to being bothered.”

Get used to this. Is it really possible?

I close my eyes tightly.

I’ve never had a fight so I was very weak. But I took my eight-inch figure from my plaster magic princess … and smashed it against the head of the man who had kicked him.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

As expected, I took the beating of my life. I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and hospitalized due to various bruises and a broken left leg. I came back to my consciousness a few times and told the teacher who accompanied me: “Hoshina was being bullied”, and also: “They beat Hoshina”, but the teacher only replied: “We will investigate everyone in the school, do not worry ” .

It was about a week after I was hospitalized that two detectives visited my room. Two days ago, Hoshina Riku and Hoshina Kaito, the brothers, had disappeared. In the process of investigating his whereabouts, my teacher told the detective what I had said and what had happened to me… So maybe those guys had been responsible too. It seems that they came to investigate the relationship between one thing and another. I honestly answered everything they asked me, but… I couldn’t say anything useful. The fight was on a different day than when they disappeared and the detectives seemed to have concluded that my problem was irrelevant.

After a few days of investigation, the case was changed to a public investigation and was reported on the national news, saying that the two children of a wealthy marriage were missing at the same time. As their photos have been published, they have talked about their notorious differences and have created online discussion forums. At the preparatory school and at the Hoshina brothers’ home, the media stayed every day as part of a special coverage. But there is never a rescue call. The bodies are not found. Both the press and the internet turmoil gradually diminished. Looks like the surveillance camera didn’t notice them leaving. The police have put in a police dog and conducted an exhaustive search, but nothing. Nothing really.

When I graduated from high school, the incident had not been resolved … I ended up entering a local university and was surprised one morning by the following news: Hoshina Kaito was found for the first time in 17 months. He was dressed differently from the way he disappeared and was also found on the school premises. His brother’s whereabouts are reportedly still unknown and the sole survivor has no recollection of the period when he disappeared. Furthermore, despite the fall season, Hoshina Kaito had snow and a completely frozen arm. How do you explain that? The disappearance, which was too inexplicable, was accused of being “the modern mystery”, and attention was focused on the whereabouts of his brother who disappeared but did not return.

I wanted to meet his brother and ask him various questions about Hoshina, but it was impossible to contact him because he was persecuted by the police and protected by his family. When I called the media to inquire about the situation, they told me that Kaito Hoshina had been held in a mental institution abroad. Apparently, the things he was saying were very crazy.

Rumors often reach my ears, because I had been added to a group of former students.

“Kaito Hoshina seems to have escaped from someone’s freezer.”

“He killed his brother and buried him somewhere. And now they let him go abroad like nothing. Damn murderer.”

“Did you see the video about him? He keeps hugging a mirror and saying Riku, Riku.”

“Spooky”.

“I think it was the parents.”

“The Hoshina house was a big western-style building. There was a room away from the garden, closed from the outside. With bars. They had Riku locked up there. I heard that he had to move only by car, they wouldn’t let him out and, when he wasn’t going to school, it was because his parents went abroad … Somehow, I feel sorry for the snake man. “

“They say they locked Kaito in the locker room because he always says he’s going to kill that man and that girl.”

“Lie”.

“See? He talks about his father and sister.”

Silly stuff. This is all ridiculous information and there is nothing to believe.

Hopefully, hopefully this is all false.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

I graduated from university and now I work very hard every day as an engineer in a small company … During the afternoons, every Friday, I go to the old high school. The doors are closed and it is a holiday, so there are no students. If you follow the fence, you will see the old school building … I tightened the fence and looked at the emergency stairs, where Riku used to be.

More than five years have passed since he disappeared.

It is being treated as one of the unsolved cases spilling over the world and it is not known if the investigation will continue. It’s a mysterious event that happened locally so it’s still a topic to talk about … But no one thinks he’s alive.

Riku, I still wait for you.

I remember his expression, when he smiled shyly while hiding his mouth. His way of speaking. The way it helped me. He was always frowned upon at school and was also frowned upon at home. “We can be friends?”. If I had said this word, could I have seen that smile more? Could I have protected him? Regret doesn’t go away, no matter how long it takes … It only manages to deeply erode my heart.

Hoshina, I feel like you’re still alive. Where and what do you do? I want to see you … I want to see you, and apologize and …

“I’m stupid, I am.”

The desire to apologize is simply a selfish desire to shake off the guilt. However, I hope Hoshina is safe … Do you hear me? I want you to be alive. I don’t know what environment you are in, but stay alive and be very happy. Be happier than anyone! For all those who said you could never be.

-END-