The sun is setting over the horizon. As the last second of daylight fades away as the streetlights illuminate the streets of Tokyo. A boy walks along the sidewalk, with his head down, facing the ground as he walks, occasionally bumping shoulders with the other pedestrians.
"Why? Why does this happen to me? Why me?" he mutters as he sheds a single tear unnoticed by the people around him.
His name? Izamuri Sakuta. He was a former student of Tokyo University, pursuing study in Mechanical Engineering. But ever since his step-father passed away due to a heart attack, he was left with a huge amount of gambling debt. Due to that, everything his step-father owned was repossessed by the bank, but it wasn't enough. So he was forced to drop out of university and use every single money that he had left to pay off his step-father's debt. Currently he's now walking back to his apartment on the edge of the city after paying off his step-fathers debt. Which only left him with 2400 Yen, which is not even enough to pay off rent in the apartment that he's currently living on.
Izamuri wipes off his tears off his face, and checks his phone. A notification from his now ex-girlfriend, Yumi, pops up, with a heart stabbing message.
"Hey LOSER". Izamuri just glanced at his phone with a face that showed zero emotion.
But before he could open the messenger app, Yumi sent another text. "Guess what! I got a new boyfriend unlike your cheapskate ass! All in less than 3 days!". Before she could send another text, Izamuri blocked her and deleted her number. And for the rest of the walk he kept his phone in his pocket.
Izamuri turns around a corner and starts to walk down a narrow alleyway, towards a runned down old apartment entrance. As he pushed past the rusty metal door leading to the staircase, he paused for a moment, contemplating if he should return back to this place. But he shook that thought off and started ascending up the staircase up to the dimly lit corridor of the apartment.
When he arrived at the door, he saw an eviction notice taped to the door. He just stared at it, but he's just too tired to care, so he just ripped it off and tossed it over the corridor wall, and landed on the alleyway below. He unlocks the door and walks in, but before he could walk in, a hand landed on his shoulder. He turns around to see who it is, and he comes face to face with the landlord.
"Izamuri… you're late on rent…" he said in a calm and kind voice, trying to not escalate the situation.
"I know sir… but please, give me more time… I'll pay extra by next month!" Izamuri pleaded with sincerity. Begging the landlord to give him more time.
"I'm sorry Izamuri… but it's been 2 months without payment…" the landlord said to Izamuri in a firm but calm voice. He wants to give in, but needs to keep true to his principles, he promised to himself that he shouldn't give any exceptions to anyone especially for late rent.
Izamuri pleaded again, "but please! I have nowhere to go! I just ne-". The landlord cuts him off before he could finish his words and immediately changes his tone to a more hard and stern tone with a hint of regret.
"NO! I'm sorry Izamuri… but you have to leave this property or I'll have to call the Police!". The landlord said in a stern, hard, and serious voice.
Izamuri just stands there, speechless and hopeless. He can't find the courage or the right word to argue back. Everything the landlord said was true, he's already skipping payment for 2 months, but he did that out of necessity. He tried applying for jobs, but he got rejected everywhere, so he can only rely on his father occasionally sending small amounts of money, or the free meal in the campus cafeteria for food.
Izamuri shoulders slumped down as he exhales, he just gives up and looks at the landlord with his eyes watering up. He tried to hold the tears back and spoke calmly, "alright… give me a few minutes to pack up my belongings and I'll be out of here" as He spoke to the landlord calmly, while he's holding back his tears as best as he could.
He walks into the apartment and starts to pack everything up. Folding up all the clothes he got, taking his utilities, and packing it up inside his backpack and suitcase. After a few minutes, Izamuri have cleared all of his belongings and is now standing in front of the apartment. He looks back into the apartment room one last time before the landlord finally closes it.
"Listen to me Izamuri…" the landlord pauses and turns to look at Izamuri. "I don't want to do this, but business is business. Nothing personal"
Izamuri stood there quiet, but after a few seconds he spoke. "I know… it's understandable" and after that he walks away.
"Hey whatever you do after this… I wish you goodluck!" said the landlord with genuine concern in his voice. He want's to let damian stay, but business is business. He have no choice.
Izamuri then exits the apartment building. He stops for a moment, takes a deep breath, and exhales as he picks himself up back again. He wipes off the little tears that slips out, looks ahead and walks along the dimly lit alleyway, out to the street. While walking along the sidewalk, he decided to call his best friend, Haruka Jimasan, his best friend since middle school. At first he hesitated, but with the desperation piling up on him, he decided to press the call button and hoped for the best. He put the phone to his ears and all he could hear was the connecting ringtone. 10 seconds felt like an hour, before finally Haruka answered.
"Hello Izamuri! How are you doing bro?" Haruka answers in an excited tone.
"Hey, Haruka…" Izamuri replied with a little hesitation. "Uhh… can I crash at your house for a while? I just got kicked out of my apartment…" Izamuri pauses for a while.
"wait , why? What happened?" Haruka replied, sounding very concerned.
"It's a long story but I-" before Izamuri could finish, Haruka replies to him.
"Is it about your step-dad's debt right?" Haruka replied, very concerned for him. "Listen to me Izamuri. Come to my place, you can use the guest bedroom, stay there as long as you like until you're finally stable alright? Also you can work in my workshop as a mechanic… Food is on me, don't worry!" replied Haruka.
Izamuri's eye widens when he mentions about his step-fathers monetary problems. "Wait, how did you knew about that?!?" Izamuri replied with a hint of shock in his voice.
"Well your father once drunkenly spoke to me about it…" Haruka pauses. "And also I heard from someone on your campus that you dropped out… and you paid the remaining debt with your last bit of money right?".
Izamuri was speechless. It took him a few second to process on what Haruka just said, brfore he could finally speak. "H-H-Haruka… I don't know what to say… Thank you!".
"It's ok Izamuri. I understand what you're going through right now… I'll wait for you at my place alright?" Haruka replied
"Alright! I'm on the way there right now… see you later Haruka!" Izamuri said with renewed hope.
"Alrigth Izamuri, i'll see you later" Haruka said before he closed the phone call.
Izamuri exhales with relief. He's safe for now, but still this probably only be a temporary solution. He looks up the night sky and closes his eyes. What will happen next? Where would he go? And more importantly… Is there more to this? Can he get out of this? Those questions swirl in his mind. But he snaps out of it, he looks ahead and walks to the MRT station. Now with renewed determination, he strides forward and leaves the area.
As the night goes on Izamuri finally arrives at the Suginami district of Tokyo, where Haruka's house is located. He walks through the neighborhood, feeling a sense of familiarity and nostalgia with the surrounding environment. He remembers every single detail from his time living in that neighborhood. Walking down the same path years later, feels strange. Back when things are more simple and easy, but now? It's the complete opposite. He missed that time more than ever in this current situation. But once again he kept his head up and kept on walking. He picks up more pace and walks a little faster, and after a few minutes of walking, Izamuri arrives in front of Haruka's house.
It was the first time in a while that he finally visited him back. It's been years since he visited his house and yet barely anything changes. He still kept that garden gnome next to his front door, and the same potted plants that hang on the overhang outside the kitchen windows. Izamuri walks up to the front door, raises his hands and knocks on the door.
Not long after Izamuri knocks on the door, Haruka opens the door and looks at him. "Izamuri! My man!" Haruka said enthusiastically. He then puts his hand up for a fist bump.
Izamuri fist bumps him. "Long time no see. Man i'm sorry i have to burden you like this" Izamuri said casually to Haruka.
"Hey man it's ok. I don't mind it… anyways come in I have dinner ready for you" He said casually. He then moves aside and lets Izamuri into his house.
An hour later Izamuri was in the bedroom alone, laying down on the mattress and staring up at the ceiling. He just finished eating his dinner with Haruka a few minutes ago. During the dinner Haruka mentions that he dreams of starting his own racing team. It makes Izamuri wonder if he maybe can race a car himself. But before he could think further, he gets reminded of his current situation. He's broke with barely any money left to his name. In racing, you don't just need a car, you'll need a helmet, Hans device, racing suit, racing shoes, and a pair of racing gloves. It would be a miracle if he could even afford his own helmet or racing suit.
With that he sits up, and looks out the windows. He once again found himself staring at the night sky again. He just sits there on the bed, looking at the crescent moon surrounded by the blank night sky with the city lights glowing in the horizon. He then looks at the reflection of himself on the windows and sighs.
"Well it's is your chance Izamuri… you cannot mess this up…" Izamuri whispers to himself. "There are reasons you can get so far in life… and that is why you need to keep going, you need to know what lies ahead. Keep you head up Iza!" Izamuri said with confidence to himself while pointing at his own reflection on the glass.
Izamuri then lies back down on the bed, now with a little confidence. He then closes his eyes and goes to bed, sleeping soundly as the night goes on. In this situation, most people would either give up or just play it safe, but Izamuri had something in mind. This could be very risky to try but he can only did this once and it's hard for him to say no to, and this is where his knowledge from engineering school will come in handy.