Breaking the Shackles of the Past (Ren Tao) (ON HIATUS)

☯ Chapter Four: Unhinging Echo of the Past ☯

Take a deep breath. Breathe out. Inhale. Another exhale.

I was sitting in a park practicing breathing exercises after cram school to decompress, the stress of today weighing down on me.

As predicted, erroneous rumors of my potential 'involvement' with Umemiya spread like wildfire. And, as I feared might happen, the word continued to be passed around at my cram school to others not privy to the ever-worsening situation. Given the nature of the news, I wouldn't find it surprising if it snowballed to other schools tonight. By tomorrow morning, everyone would falsely believe I was in a gang.

That knowledge would have its own set of consequences. Either people would stay away, fearing me because I was a delinquent of a notorious group of thugs, or they'd search for me to pick a fight. Umemiya also might not appreciate the notion going around that he was taking orders from someone else. Likewise, my mother and her husband would be furious if they caught wind of it.

The world must love conspiring against me...

I sighed, laying down on the cool grass and staring up at the sky. Tonight, white, fluffy clouds covered the moon and stars.

"It's just as well," I muttered, rolling onto my side.

I didn't want to look at them, anyway.

After some time, the tension pervading my body dissipated, replaced by exhaustion. My eyelids grew heavy, but I persuaded myself to sit up with the knowledge sleeping out in public was too high a risk. Someone would do something to me. I had countless enemies and had become the chief topic of too many conversations; there were also multiple weirdoes prowling around.

I stood, about to head home, when a pulling feeling flooded my senses that was much stronger than I'd experienced before. Overwhelmed by it, my instincts took over and led me toward some unknown destination. Surroundings, vanishing while I walked forward in a trance-like state.

The tugging sensation came to an abrupt stop. I blinked, disoriented, but soon recognized my location.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I groaned.

Some sick twist of fate had led me right where I didn't want to be—the Funbari Hill Cemetery.

Choosing to ignore whatever drew me here, I went to walk away but halted as voices reached my ears. I knew by their boisterous conversation that it was a sizable group of people; one distinctive baritone voice stood out more than the others. I'd heard its unmistakable gruff overtones many times over the years. Ryunosuke Umemiya, known less formally as Ryu of the Wooden Sword, was heading in my direction. His gang with him.

My heartbeat sped up, and I felt panic set in.

I can't let anyone see me with or near them. It will only give everyone a reason to think their suspicions about me are true!

With nothing else on my mind but trying to make a quick escape, I threw open the small gate of the cemetery and rushed inside. Realization of what I'd done hit the moment my feet touched the hallowed grounds. I wanted to berate myself for the stupidity of my actions but stayed quiet and searched for a place to hide. There was nothing I could do now.

If I tried retracing my steps, the streetlight in front of the gate would only cause them to find me. They'd give chase and beat me to a pulp when they captured me; of that, I'm sure.

Umemiya and I weren't on the best of terms, despite what others may think. Our last parting wasn't under the most favorable of circumstances. And if he's heard the rumors, seeing me would only add fuel to the fire. I bet he and his friends were eager to do something to me. My appearance in their territory would grant them the ammunition they needed to do it.