Glimpse of hope

[anakiddwrites]

 He greets the ripped poster every morning.

Every morning the boy performed the same gesture, like a tuned clock... or a well trained puppy. Or puppet would be more accurate?

Whatever the comparison, the boy bowed at the poster panel and flashed a good morning smile there everyday before entering the school.

One day, I approached curiously after he left, just to find the ripped poster of an elegant man in red. I don’t know him. All I know about the boy is that he’s called Kagehira Mika.

A few days passed in the same fashion. I finally muster courage to get closer while he is approaching, bouncing and humming as usual. I try to not stare at his eyes too much, even though they bring me back unprompted memories.

"Good mornin' Oshi-san! Today I’m also gonna work hard!"

"Oshi… san...?" I repeat in a low voice, but enough for him to notice my presence, apparently invisible until now. He jumps back like a scared puppy, frowning and... Trying to look intimidating?

"Eeehhh?? Y-yer that! Transfer student or somethin'! Were ya spyin’ me?? What's up with ya! What do ya wanna with Oshi-san?"

I tilt my head, clarifying I'm not even hiding. But I tell him I noticed that every day I see him doing the same thing to the panel.

"Waa!! So yer was spyin’ me!!! Suspicious, suspicious!! I wont let ya bother Oshi-san... Any Oshi-san!"

He hops in front of the ripped poster, spreading arms protectively and pouting at me. I can't help but ask who is Oshi-san.

"Ehh? Heh, of course ya dunno." He huffs, smirking with a sudden superior attitude. "Yer didn’t see Oshi-san in his full glory! Poor thin' y’are!!! Oshi-san is the master of this school, the top idol and Sovereign of Yumenosaki, the only and one Valkyrie's leader! Can’t ya see how cool he is?"

He bounces to the side and spreads arms around the poster, showing off it to me.

Valkyrie... The fallen unit, isn’t it...?

I comment it's an old poster of someone I never saw at school before. He makes a small grumpy noise and his eyes wide for a split second, before the cheerful attitude takes over again.

“That’s because he’s tired now, so he’s restin’ at home! It won’t be for long, b-but he needs it just a little bit!” He looks to the poster again, two-toned eyes and a smile both sparkling with hope.

“But that’s not forever… Even if ya dunno it, even if everyone forgot it, even if Oshi-san himself… is too tired to remember or even tell me good mornin’, I won’t forget it. This is who he really are and soon enough he’ll be back even more majestic. This poster is just a small reminder fer me to work hard everyday and take back that future. That’s what Oshi-san deserves.”

“That’s why I’m not havin' it ripped off. It’s not trash.” He suddenly stares at me again, so intensely it makes me step back a little bit.

“Yer… not plannin’ to do that or anythin’, even if yer a Producer or somethin’, right? That wouldn’t be good.”

I blink once and then offer him a warm smile and guarantee him I don’t plan to do any of it.

“Let’s keep it there until we have a new Valkyrie job to advertise.”

Kagehira-kun’s eyes wide again for a second and I swear a crow-like sound escaped his throat. He gazes at me like I’m some kind of ghost.

“O-of course!! T-that’s why I’m workin’! I have work right now, so I shouldn’t be wastin’ time talkin’ to ya!” He huffs loud and fusses around, spinning on his shoes and leaving in a rush. “I dunno even why I said so many thin’s to ya to begin with! It’s not like yer can do anythin’!”

Despite the whining, there’s some emotion laced in his mumbly voice. I watch him cross the gates very fast and soon I found myself alone with the ripped poster.

There’s a producer-survivor-kit in my backpack, so I grab some tape to reinforce the attachment, carefully pressing against the old paper. It’s holding well, considering the time.

“Nice to meet you, Oshi-san. I hope we can work together soon.”

I bow to the elegant man in red, noticing his proud figure despite the poor printed support. I would just meet Itsuki Shu considerably later, but I already would know where the Toy Box poster would fit best.