Beginning Beyond The Horizon

One arm was broken, two ribs were broken, and he was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed. The door opened slowly, and Mrs. Ikari walked into the room. She smiled at Hajime and said, "Hindoe-kun, good morning. How are you this morning?"

Hajime said, "Good."

Hajime put the phone on the table and greeted Mrs. Ikari.

Mrs. Ikari smiled and asked, " Hinode -kun, how are the staff treating you?"

"The staff here are very nice to me," Hajime said.

Mrs. Ikari said, " I like General Medical, the staff here are very nice to the patients."

Hajime asked, "Mrs. Ikari, did you get a hold of my father?"

Mrs. Ikari stood by the bed and said, "Hindoe-kun, I talked to your father."

Hajime asked, "What did he say? Will he come to pick me up?"

Mrs. Ikari shook her head and said, "Your father said he has given up his parental rights, so he won't be coming." She sighed and looked at Hajime. "He also said it would be inconvenient for him to come to visit you."

Hajime looked down at his broken arm, although there were no tears in his eyes. His heart is bleeding. He said disappointedly, "I see…"

Mrs. Ikari said, "Your mother said that it was a misunderstanding. Mr. Myoga was trying to protect himself because you assaulted him first. Mr. Myoga will not press charge. Do you want to press charge."

Hajime shook his head without looking at the social worker. He held back his tears and said, "No..."

Mrs. Ikari said, "If that's the case, then I'll close the case. Are you willing?"

Hajime nodded.

Mrs. Ikari sighed and said, "Have a speedy recover."

Hajime said, "Thank you."

As soon as Mrs. Ikari left, Aimi and Chibi walked into the room. Aimi stared at Hajime who was not looking at them. She said, "Get your ass off that bed and let's go home. I don't have time to watch you sleep in bed. I have better things to do." She turned to Chibi. "This is the last time... If there is another time, I will..."

Chibi grabbed Aimi by the shirt and asked madly, "You will what? Hmm? What else can you do besides drinking and sleeping." He pushed Aimi away from him. "No wonder your ex-husband left you. I'm the one who makes money. If you dump me, you'll have nothing." He turned to Hajime and smile wickedly. "Hajime-kun, although your mother told you so, as your dear father, I will continue to support you with all my strength."

Hajime said, "Please get out. If you two want to quarrel, then go somewhere else." He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

Aimi said, "Chibi-san, drag his ass off the bed or are you going to watch him." She rolled her eyes at Chibi. "I'm not babysitting him. Tonight, I'm going out regardless."

Chibi picked up Hajime's coat and threw it at him. "Get up!" Chibi demanded. "We have plans tonight with our friends."

Hajime, who was still lying down, said, "I don't need anyone to accompany me, you go and enjoy your night."

Chibi got angry because Hajime talked back. He rushed to the bed and lifted Hajime's blanket. He grabbed Hajime's broken arm and said, "Get the fuck up!"

Hajime shouted in angry, "Let go of me."

The door opened, and Kenji rushed forward with a punch, and hit Chibi on the side of the jaw, causing Chibi to fall to the floor. Kenji said madly, "I told you, if you hurt Hajime-kun again, I will report you." He quickly gave way to the other side. "Hajime-kun, are you alright."

For the first time in his life, someone cared about him, stood by his side, and defended his dignity. His emotions were rolling like a roller coaster. He could no longer control his emotions. He fell into Kenji's arms. He sobbed softly. "Kenji-san... Kenji-san..."

Kenji said softly, "With me here, you don't have to be afraid of anyone."

Seeing Kenji holding Hajime in his arms, Chibi became angry immediately. He raised Hajime for many years, and he waited to take Hajime's virginity when he turns sixteen, but everything did not go according to his plan because of Kenji who stood between him and his Hajime. His lips were bleeding when he got up. "Hajime, stay away from him...you." Chibi said, pointing at Kenji, trying to pull Hajime's arm away, but Kenji knocked his hand away.

A nurse quickly rushed into the room. "What's wrong?" she exclaimed.

Kenji looked at the nurse and said, "Nurse, I like to report these two child abusers. This man..." He pointed at Chibi. "He is the one who assault Hajime-kun and broke his arm."

The nurse looked at Kenji. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Kenji said, "I'm sure... I witnessed him hit Hajime-kun with my own eyes."

Chibi said, "Don't believe him, I am his father."

Hajime roared angrily, "I have told you many times, you are not my father." He looked angrily at Chibi.

Chibi tried again to pull Hajime away from Kenji's arms, but Kenji grabbed his hand and pushed him away from Kenji and Hajime. Kenji's actions angered Chibi, and he rushed forward with a punch, aiming at Kenji's face.

The nursed screamed and said, "Please don't fight... please stop fighting." She rushed out of the room and called 110.

Since the police station was only two blocks from the hospital, the police arrived within three minutes.

Tonight, luck was not on Chibi's side, the two officers who showed up in the hospital were the same two officers who showed up earlier at his home.

The younger police officer said sarcastically, "Sir, it's you again, who hit you first this time?"

Chibi pointed to Kenji and said, "He did it first." He pointed to his chin. "Look, he punched me right here."

The older police officer looked at Kenji and asked, "Is that true?"

Kenji said, "Yes, I hit him first, but that was because he harassed Hajime-kun; I hit him to keep him away from Hajime-kun." Kenji looked at Chibi angrily. "Last time, he slapped Hajime-kun in front of me. At that time, I went to his house to confront him about the bruises and swelling of Hajime-kun's arms." He grabbed Hajime's unbroken arm and lifted Hajime's sleeve up. "Look, these bruises, they are still visible."

The two police officers looked at Chibi, then at Hajime. The older policeman said, "Hindone-kun, we need to take a picture of your injury."

Hajime said, "I do not wish to press charge."

The older police officer said, "Now it's not up to you anymore."

Kenji held Hajime's hand and said, "If you want a better life, you must fight for it. If you want freedom, you must take the first step." He patted Hajime's hand lightly. "You don't have to be afraid... I will protect you." He wiped Hajime's tears.

After Hajime told his side of the story, the two police officers arrested Chibi and Aimi.

Hajime didn't spend his summer working at the resort as planned, but he spent his summer vacation recovering from his injures. Aimi was jailed a month before her release. According to the judge's order, if she wishes to keep Hajime in her custody, then she needs to never contact Chibi again. Aimi was reluctant at first, but she didn't want to lose Asa's financial support, so she agreed to a no-contact agreement with the prosecution, but her bachelor night life remained unchanged.

With Kenji's help, Hajime and his mother moved to another house. The apartment is better than Chibi's apartment and they can go to the roof to dry their clothes.

It was early morning when Hajime hung his clothes on the clothesline on the roof. It was difficult for him to squeeze out the excess water, so he decided to hang up the clothes as they were.

Kenji approached from the stairwell and smiled at Hajime. He said, "Did you know that if you don't want your clothes to wrinkle when they're dry, you can't squeeze the excess water out?"

Hajime turned around and saw Kenji walking towards him with a smile, holding two cups of coffee in his hands.

Hajime asked, "What are you doing here?"

Kenji smiled and said, "I'm just passing by, I want to see you before going to work." He handed a cup of coffee to Hajime and put the other cup of coffee on the floor. He grabbed Hajime's clothes and started hanging them on the clothesline. He lowered down the clothe line and looked at Hajime. "Hajime-kun, come and have a look."

Hajime walked to Kenji and asked, "What am I supposed to look at?"

Kenji said, "Look at the people on the street. There are many people who have been through worse things than you, but they choose not to give up. I want you to never give up."

Hajime said, "Are you warning me not to commit suicide?"

Kenji asked, "Will you?"

"I thought about dying, but I couldn't find myself to end my own life," Hajime said.

Kenji said with a smiled, "That's good."

Hajime asked, "Kenji-san, why are you so nice to me?"

Kenji said, "You are my brother's friend. It is my duty to protect those who are close to me."

Hajime said, "Since your brother found out that I was gay, he and I were no longer such good friends. We don't talk as much as we used to."

Kenji said, "I'm sorry, I did try teaching him to be respectful."

Hajime said, "I supposed you also ask him to come and offer me that summer job at the resort."

Kenji smiled and said, "I did, but I never imagine that the situation will turn out like this. I'm sorry."

Hajime said, "It's not your fault, so don't apologize, instead, I should thank you for saving my life, not once but twice." He looked at Kenji's handsome smiling face. "Kenji-san, thank you for your help, but in the future, you don't have to help me anymore."

Kenji asked, "Why?"

Hajime said, "Because the better you treat me, the less I will treat you as a brother."

Kenji smiled at Hajime and said, "Then don't treat me as a brother, because I didn't treat you as a brother in the first place." He stretched out his hand and touched Hajime's face. "Do you remember what I told you in the hospital? I want you to owe me a lot. Even if you spend the rest of your life with me, you will never pay off those debts."